Tagged.

Bearpupuk tagged me for a meme. So here we go.

1) What was I doing 10 yrs ago?
I was Program Director of Top 40 radio station WOWZ/WOWB, “Wow-FM, The Beat of Central New York”. Earl and I were still in the honeymoon phase, even though we were two years into our relationship. We were experiencing our first spring in our first house.

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today:
1. Answer awaiting e-mail in the inbox
2. Take a shower
3. Plan out tonight’s gig (I should get hopping, less than two hours until I spin)
4. Take a short nap
5. Avoid beer

3) 5 snacks I enjoy:
1. POPCORN!!!
2. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
3. M&Ms
4. Peanut butter on saltine crackers
5. Chocolate Chip Cookies

4) 5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Contribute at least 10% of our wealth to the For All Kids Foundation
2. Pay off the bills of my immediate family members and other equally important people in our lives
3. Invest for the future well-being of our nieces and nephews
4. Buy a few homes – especially one in Ireland
5. Invest in our local economy to improve the local presence and give the corporate hogs a run for their money

5) 5 of my bad habits:
(Forgetting to go back and edit parts I skipped in a document!)
1. The excessive use of the word ‘wicked’
2. Looking for greener grass on the other side
3. Analysing any given topic six ways from Sunday before making a decision
4. Putting up my own blocks that prevent me from losing inhibitions
5. Retreating into my own space and not reaching out to others when they could use support

6) 5 places I have lived:
1. Upstate New York along Lake Ontario (my hometown near Pulaski, N.Y.)
2. Jamestown, N.Y.
3. Boston, Mass.
4. various towns between Boston and Worcester, Mass.
5. Utica, N.Y.

7) 5 jobs I have had:
1. Department Coordinator/IT coordinator level 3 at Digital Equipment Corporation
2. fastest cashier in the store at Hills Department Store #66
3. Community Residence managers at The Resource Center (Chautauqua County ARC) and The Arc of Oneida County
4. Just about every position available at a Top 40 radio station
5. IT Technical Support for a regional telephone and internet connectivity provider

I could tag five folks, but I’d rather see just who grabs this and runs with it.

26 April 2008 by Fun and Games Dept 1

Company In Bed.

Someone didn’t care that I was up until 3:15 a.m. Per his rules I must be up at 8 a.m. for tuna time.

He’s more persistent than Grandma City ever was, but I don’t think she was up in the morning for tuna.

Photo 27.jpg

26 April 2008 by Fun and Games Dept 0

Just Drive.

As I type this first sentence of this entry, I realize that I’m probably going to sound like a cocky prick as my words flow onto the screen. It’s a good thing I don’t care.

I have always been a fan of driving. I am a motoring enthusiast. I love roads (hence my career as a civil engineer), I revel in construction, I relax by driving as far as I can, only to turn around and come back home. My farts smell like exhaust fumes.

One concept that I can not wrap my head around is the idea that driving is scary. I have talked to many, many people from this area over the years that are afraid to drive in “the city”. They’re afraid to drive on the “interstate”. Mind you, during these conversations they are talking about our city: a primary contributor to the “rust belt” with a population of about 50,000 or so and our interstate, one of the shortest in the entire country clocking in at just over three miles long.

As a teenager I was counting the seconds until I could get my driver’s permit. On my 16th birthday (which was a Friday the 13th by the way) my mother took me down to the Department of Motor Vehicles and I promptly took the written test and passed with just one question wrong; we filled out the proper paperwork and I was behind the wheel on the way home. It wasn’t my first time behind the wheel, I once drove home from a neighboring town at 14 years with my Dad in the passenger seat. I had driven a fork-lift all over the lumber yard my family owned and I had ridden motorcycles and mo-peds.

I reveled in the experience of driving, and per the rules of my parents, went through one winter on my permit and Driver’s Education before getting my license before I turned 17.

As I mentioned before I can’t wrap my head around being scared to drive. I’ve driven through Los Angeles and Orange County while yapping on a cell phone and snorting coke (totally kidding about the last two points), I’ve thoroughly enjoyed 128 around Boston at rush hour, I’ve bombed through Phoenix on I-10, I’ve driven the 190 in Buffalo in the middle of a whiteout and I’ve driven through Dublin on the other side of the road with the wheel on the other side of the car. I know my limits and I know the limits of the vehicle I’m driving. When I’m in the driver’s seat, the car is an extension of my body and I treat it as such.

So here’s where I become a prick.

1. Freeway on-ramps are designed for you to reach the speed of the traffic on the freeway before you merge into traffic. Don’t look back at me in your mirror with bewilderment because I’m trying to coax you above 25 MPH. There are exceptions to the rule on outdated parkways in the Northeast.

2. When you are sitting behind the wheel of the car you are there to drive. You are not there to shave, put on makeup, talk on the phone, counsel the children, eat a meal or make a bagel.

3. Modern traffic signals will not know to change in your favor until they sense that you’re waiting. Creeping up to the light at 10 is just going to prolong the experience for all involved.

4. The “stop line” at intersections are not randomly placed anywhere. Traffic engineers have taken countless precise measurements and have strict standards to adhere to regarding their placement. Just because you can’t make a left turn properly (cutting the angle short across the other lane of traffic) doesn’t mean that you have to make mean faces because I’m right where I should be awaiting for you to complete your idiocy. Don’t look shocked when I stick my tongue out at you.

5. The left lane on the freeways of the United States is NOT the ‘fast lane’, it is the ‘passing lane’. If you’re not passing anyone, you don’t belong there. That’s why we are spending additional taxpayer’s money putting up signs that say “KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS”. This is just common sense. If someone blinks their lights at you (a common practice in Europe) because you’re dawdling in the left lane, don’t get all offended, you’re the one that is wrong.

Now, get out there and enjoy the driving experience. Happy motoring!

25 April 2008 by Fun and Games Dept 4

Silence.

As an older college student I am in the interesting position to make silent observations about what goes on in schools these days. There are things that many students are hesitant to say around their professors, teachers and such that they otherwise share with their fellow students. Since I reside on the student side of the fence, I hear and see many of these things directed toward or about other students.

I am fortunate in that I realised my sexual orientation very early in life and pretty much came to terms with it while I was still in high school. The last half of my senior year it was pretty much a given that I was batting for the smaller team, though I never told anyone (other than myself) until after graduation. I was picked on once in a while (actually, that was mostly before I came to terms with it myself) but it wasn’t anything that I couldn’t handle for the most part. During my current time in school I don’t run around screaming “I’m gay! I’m gay! Look at me I’m gay!” with my hands waving in the air but I don’t deny or mislead in anyway and I correct people who assume that my wedding band represents a heterosexual marriage. I, for the most part, have the respect of my fellow students and am able to “hang with the guys”. I attribute most of this to my age.

Like me so many years ago, today there are many teens coming to terms with their sexuality early in life. The atmosphere is seemingly more accepting, but in a way this can be a little deceiving. There’s television shows that show openly gay people all over the place. You can not go a day without hearing something about gay rights or gay marriage or whatever on the news. Almost everyone knows at least one openly gay person. So in many ways the atmosphere seems more relaxed than ever before.

On the other hand, there’s still a lot of hate towards gay people out there. Like the witch hunts of hundreds of years ago, I believe there are people out there that would become alarmingly gleeful at the thought of hanging a gay man or lesbian, simply because they are different from themselves. The old ways of intolerance are handed down from generation to generation and the intensity of the hate seems to increase in the process. In February, 15 year old Lawrence King was shot and killed by a 14-year old classmate simply because he was gay. There wasn’t a lot of media coverage about the murder, apparently the latest display of Britney Spears’ vagina is more important. Perhaps the lack of coverage is indicative of a true lack of progress in the acceptance of the differences amongst us.

Today is the National Day of Silence (click link for more information)1. To show my support to this cause (and taking a cue from fellow Tweeter ‘robocub’), I am completely silent on Twitter today.

But you can bet that I’ll be outspoken at school.

1 (from dayofsilence.org): What is the Day of Silence®?
The Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), is a student-led day of action when concerned students, from middle school to college, take some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying and harassment — in effect, the silencing — experienced by LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) students and their allies. This year’s Day of Silence will be held in memory of Lawrence King.

25 April 2008 by Gayish. 0

Chemically Speaking.

I have mentioned before that I occasionally approach my health as a big science experiment. Not one to subscribe through the “better living through chemistry” route, I avoid going to the doctor as much as possible. I suppose this has to do with my medical history; as a small child I was as little bundle of medical bills for my parents and as a teenager, occasional bouts with medical needs in my favorite parts has helped me in a couple of ways: I have a wicked high tolerance for pain and I don’t run to the emergency room for every little sneeze, cough or broken limb.

My aforementioned troubles with my favorite parts was corrected a number of years ago (and continues to function perfectly), but I keep very close tabs as to what’s going on down there. Hence the confirmation of my latest suspicion: diet pop is bad for you.

I hadn’t had any sort of diet cola over the past month or so. Whilst eating out I have favored iced tea or just gone for the gold and asked for Guinness. When working at the bar, I favored bottled water or a beer (aside from one shot I was asked to do with a bartender which turned out to be Goldschlager last weekend). While we were in New Haven last weekend, I had a couple of beers with the guys after the chorus concert and then decided enough was enough: I didn’t need anymore beer so I switched to Diet Coke.

Sunday I found that my favorite parts don’t like Diet Coke. Nothing became stopped up nor was there wasn’t anything alarming going on, but things felt different (and not as ‘streamlined’) with my plumbing and the only change I had made in my diet was the addition of the Diet Coke. I had one more diet coke with a burger bomb (why the Thruway McDonalds don’t carry iced tea anymore is anyone’s guess) and then switched back to water and/or iced tea.

After a couple of hours, all was right with my plumbing once again and things have been fine ever since. The only change? I stopped drinking diet pop again (and I’m not adding beer back to the mix either).

I think there’s something to be said about this little science experiment of sorts. I’ve never been a big fan of the chemically modified food; I figure if you’re going to eat sugar then it’s better to eat the real deal instead of the fake stuff. I’ve told about my experience with “Olean” (nee Olestra) in Pringles, the Thruway and a tree along the side of the roadway. It makes me wonder about all the other chemicals that we are putting in our body in an effort of being healthy; especially the stuff they hock in television ads these days.

If anything I’m making a stronger effort in keeping things natural. My favorite parts are most appreciative.

23 April 2008 by Fitness. 2

Food Shopping.

You would think that being a full-time college student with minimal work responsibilities would afford me the opportunity to do the grocery shopping in our merry little home. Yet somehow I get out of it week after week. When Earl opens a cupboard and sees nothing but emptiness, I bark out “I’ve got homework to do!” by reflex and open any random book that happens to be close by. I may be a Civil Engineering student but by god if I have to write a paper on the Betty Crocker’s cookbook to get out of grocery shopping, then that’s what I’ll do! I wonder if there has been some sort of Pavlov’s dog training in my past.

I really dislike grocery shopping. I’ve tried all sorts of tactics to make it a pleasant experience. Earl and I have sung cereal commercial jingles from the 70s in the appropriate aisle. I’ve recited the “Here’s his ancient Chinese secret, Calgon!” commercial verbatim. I’ve juggled the returnable cans. I’ve made obnoxious dump truck back-up noises while moving my cart through produce. I’ve even tried the whole experience nearly passed out drunk. Nothing. I find no joy in the grocery shopping experience (not even the nap in the cart next to the deli counter after I did pass out drunk).

The only time I enjoy going to the market is when we are able to get to Wegmans. Grocery shopping at Wegmans is nearly a religious experience. The food is fresher, the tempo of the store is livelier, the asses are cuter. There’s more interesting potions in the Health and Beauty Aisle and there’s more intoxicating natural freshness in the Nature’s Way arena. Anyone that claims that a non-Wegmans store is “like Wegmans” or “nearly the same thing” gets a prompt slap across the face in the name of blasphemy. Unfortunately the closest Wegmans to us is 50 miles away. Our noodles go limp when they have to travel that far to make it to the cupboard. So we settle for second rate freshness and premium prices.

Looking through the cupboards tonight, I have a horrid feeling that we are going to need to go grocery shopping before the week is out. Perhaps Earl is in the mood to dine out.

Or at least read my paper on how to make a good cupcake.

21 April 2008 by Ponderings and Musings 1

GB5:NYC or GB:NYC5


GBV+black+cleared2.jpg

Earl and I are planning a little vacation the week between my spring and summer semesters. I think we are going to spend five days or so in New York. We’ll take the train down and do the Big Apple thing. This way we’ll be sure to be at GB:NYC5 (or is it GB5:NYC?)! (Gay Blogger meet)

Here’s a picture from last year’s GB:NYC. We had a lot of fun on “Bear Hill” in Central Park.

GB:NYC4 in the Park.

20 April 2008 by Fun and Games Dept 2

The Sweet Sound of a Weekend.

Earl and I are back from our trip to New Haven, Connecticut. Saturday night was the final of the four performances of the Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus; the performance was at the Shubert Theatre in the hip ‘burg of New Haven. Out of the four performances, this audience had the most pep and it energised the performers on stage.

The Shubert Theatre is a ‘union hall’ where they employ capable technicians to do capable, yet specific things for all the performances at said venue. This is the way these things work and in many cases the techs can be somewhat cranky; I was fortunate to encounter an easy-going sound man that was very content with me mixing and running the show after he got everything setup to their specs. (He was basically getting paid to make sure I didn’t blow the place up). The show went off nearly-flawlessly as far as sound production is concerned (there was a couple of microphone glitches that I was partly responsible for) but for the most part I was pleased with the sound of the show. I know the audience was entertained and the performers had fun so that’s what’s most important to me. I hope to have the opportunity to do this sort of work again in the near future, because I really like it a lot.

One of the songs performed in the show is “Could It Be Magic” by Barry Manilow. It’s a 1993 remix that I introduced Greg (the director) to back in January and he decided it to use it in the show and give it to David, a performer that hasn’t had the opportunity to sing a solo with the chorus before. David got together with Jeffrey and arranged the song into a duet (complete with choreography) that I have to admit was quite impressive. I have performed this version of the song at various charity benefits over the years but I’m going to say that David’s performance of the track literally brought tears to my eyes and gave me goosebumps. When Earl came down out of the balcony after the show, he remarked that “Could It Be Magic” was excellent and gave him goosebumps. It’s good to a performer shine when given the chance.

After the performance, Earl and I joined Greg (director), Bob (partner) (of “Greg and Bob” that I mention from time to time) and Nicole (Bob’s friend) and headed to the cast party at the York Street Café and Bar where we had a really good time. There’s a certain amount of intrigue that comes with being a relatively unfamiliar face in a city and Earl and I sort of revel in that. We made some new friends and look forward to visiting New Haven again soon. As always Greg and Bob were very hospitable. We like them.

This morning we met up with Greg and Bob (the same ones) for brunch at the same café before they went to New York (the city one) to see Gypsy while we went left for New York (the state one), which we call home.

20 April 2008 by Fun and Games Dept 0

Saturday Classic.

Here’s a fan made video to one of my favorite tracks from 1990 (though it was never released as a single). I played this during one of my first DJ gigs in Erie, Pa. It was one of the first songs I felt I was taking a risk by playing because there were no remixes and it was an unreleased track. I was delighted when the crowd continued the pace on the dance floor.

Enjoy Mariah Carey and “Prisoner”.

19 April 2008 by DJ 0

About J.P.

Just a guy with a husband. We’ve been together 28 years and he still makes me see fireworks on a daily basis. Hiker. Storm Chaser. Private Pilot. Tech Guy. Hackerish.

Weird? Eccentric!

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