Just a few moments to post a couple of thoughts before the combination of NyQuil and sleeping pills puts me out for the night. I was recovering from my cold and feeling lots better when I pulled a shift working as the door bitch for a big R&B concert Tuesday night. Aside from being physically threatened by some punk-ass Suge Knight "Lite" promoter who, by the way, I could probably gay-slap down without breaking a nail, I was also battling a cold night in Times Square. About 700 people came in through the front door, and even though I was wearing a sweater, scarf and hat it was pretty fucking cold. I had gone in at 6pm, knowing it would be busy but expecting to be out by 9pm. Instead I didn't leave until almost 1 am. When I finally got to bed it was 4am and around three hours later I woke up with a hacking cough that would, not, stop. Realizing I would never get back to sleep that way I finally got up and knocked back some DayQuil and 1/2 an Ambien. Half an hour later I was drifting off to a sleep that lasted until almost 2:30 in the afternoon. Most of my day off was shot but what the hell.
I did learn one interesting tidbit. For weeks now I've been finding a little stream of dog pee starting in one corner of the living room and running under the coffee table. I sometimes clean it up immediately, but sometimes it happens three or four times before I clean it. I've always assumed it was Jet, even though it's a lot less than he usually pees outside. I thought he was just going to relieve himself until I got up to walk him proper. Imagine my surprise at 7:30 am when I find my roommate's dog out on the loose, having just left a fresh poop in the hallway and staring at me as I head for the bathroom medicine cabinet. It's then that I also discover a fresh puddle of pee, not yet running down the uneven floor towards the coffee table. Poor Jet has been falsely accused all along, and it's my roommate's dog that is the Secret Peepertrator.
That's it for now. Medicine kicked in, off to bed.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
In The News ...
Here's a pic via The New York Times as well as video from You Tube of a symbolic protest by Italian artist Graziano Cecchini. He unloaded 500,00 multi colored plastic balls down the famed landmark Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy. The balls were a symbolic representation of the lies told by the Italian government or, as shoe store employee Gilberto Guibbini, made late for work by the stunt observed: "It was a lot of balls".
And while I'm getting all artsy-fartsy, here's a computer generated rendering of the East River Waterfall Project, four man-made waterfalls set to be installed and running this summer from July-October. The most striking and sure to be most photographed installation will be under the fabled Brooklyn Bridge. The mayor's office is guesstimating that the project could generate over $50 million in tourist revenue for the city. Plus it's stupid cool.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
god Bless The USA
So I guess it should come as no surprise at all, considering if you're HIV+ you really can't even visit this great nation of ours that, if I recall correctly, was founded on the basis of tolerance and freedom from persecution. But it also appears that if you're HIV+ you sure as shit can't be a living, breathing, gainfully employed potential taxpayer and productive citizen of our "fair" shores either. As this e-mail via my people over at SIN will attest:
Hey Guys,
I am in the process of applying for my Green Card thru work sponsorship, and have just found out that If I test positive in the medical exam, (which I will) I'll be denied the Green Card. I am kinda freaked out by all this, and just wanna put it out there to see if anyone has any experience of this situation, overcome the hurdle, advice of any kind etc.
Also, I remember someone mentioning to me that a guy in our group recently got his Green Card, Does anyone know who this is? Any help would be much appreciated as the filing is happening now! If I have to go back to London its by far not the end of the world, but New York is my home now.
many thanks.
If anyone has any practical and reliable advice on this subject, be it legal or of the "define: legal" variety, please leave a comment or get in touch with me via e-mail. I will be sure and pass it on. And while I'm at it, considering the only questions that anyone portraying themselves as "representing" the gay community seem to be asking the presidential candidates have to do with gay marriage, which I could give a flying fuck about, I would dearly like to know unequivocally where the candidates stand on the HIV+ travel ban, as well as the equally heinous and blatantly discriminatory above mentioned HIV+ citizenship ban.
But maybe that's just me ...
Hey Guys,
I am in the process of applying for my Green Card thru work sponsorship, and have just found out that If I test positive in the medical exam, (which I will) I'll be denied the Green Card. I am kinda freaked out by all this, and just wanna put it out there to see if anyone has any experience of this situation, overcome the hurdle, advice of any kind etc.
Also, I remember someone mentioning to me that a guy in our group recently got his Green Card, Does anyone know who this is? Any help would be much appreciated as the filing is happening now! If I have to go back to London its by far not the end of the world, but New York is my home now.
many thanks.
If anyone has any practical and reliable advice on this subject, be it legal or of the "define: legal" variety, please leave a comment or get in touch with me via e-mail. I will be sure and pass it on. And while I'm at it, considering the only questions that anyone portraying themselves as "representing" the gay community seem to be asking the presidential candidates have to do with gay marriage, which I could give a flying fuck about, I would dearly like to know unequivocally where the candidates stand on the HIV+ travel ban, as well as the equally heinous and blatantly discriminatory above mentioned HIV+ citizenship ban.
But maybe that's just me ...
Monday, January 14, 2008
PETA Will Kill Your Pussy
PETA Killed 97 Percent of “Companion Animals” in 2006. Death Toll Up To 17,400 -Report Describes PETA’s Deadliest Year Ever
WASHINGTON, DC— An official report from People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), shows that the animal rights group put to death more than 97 percent of the dogs, cats, and other pets it took in for adoption in 2006. During that year, the well-known animal rights group managed to find adoptive homes for just 12 pets. The nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) is calling on PETA to either end its hypocritical angel-of-death program, or stop its senseless condemnation of Americans who believe it’s perfectly ethical to use animals for food, clothing, and critical medical research.
Not counting animals PETA held only temporarily in its spay-neuter program, the organization took in 3,061 “companion animals” in 2006, of which it killed 2,981. According to Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), the average euthanasia rate for humane societies in the state was just 34.7 percent in 2006. PETA killed 97.4 percent of the animals it took in. The organization filed its 2006 report this month, nine months after the VDACS deadline of March 31, 2007.
“Pet lovers should be outraged,” said CCF Director of Research David Martosko. “There are thousands of worthwhile animal shelters that deserve Americans’ support. PETA is not one of them.”
In courtroom testimony last year, a PETA manager acknowledged that her organization maintains a large walk-in freezer for storing dead animals, and that PETA contracts with a Virginia cremation service to dispose of the bodies. In that trial, two PETA employees were convicted of dumping dead animals in a rural North Carolina trash dumpster.
In Southampton County, Virginia, another PETA employee will face criminal charges in a dog-napping case. Andrea Florence Benoit Harris was arrested in late 2006 for allegedly abducting a hunting dog and attempting to transport it to PETA's Norfolk headquarters.
“PETA raised over $30 million last year,” Martosko added, “and it’s using that money to kill the only flesh-and-blood animals its employees actually see. The scale of PETA’s hypocrisy is simply staggering.”
The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit coalition supported by restaurants, food companies, and consumers, working together to promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices.
WASHINGTON, DC— An official report from People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), shows that the animal rights group put to death more than 97 percent of the dogs, cats, and other pets it took in for adoption in 2006. During that year, the well-known animal rights group managed to find adoptive homes for just 12 pets. The nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) is calling on PETA to either end its hypocritical angel-of-death program, or stop its senseless condemnation of Americans who believe it’s perfectly ethical to use animals for food, clothing, and critical medical research.
Not counting animals PETA held only temporarily in its spay-neuter program, the organization took in 3,061 “companion animals” in 2006, of which it killed 2,981. According to Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), the average euthanasia rate for humane societies in the state was just 34.7 percent in 2006. PETA killed 97.4 percent of the animals it took in. The organization filed its 2006 report this month, nine months after the VDACS deadline of March 31, 2007.
“Pet lovers should be outraged,” said CCF Director of Research David Martosko. “There are thousands of worthwhile animal shelters that deserve Americans’ support. PETA is not one of them.”
In courtroom testimony last year, a PETA manager acknowledged that her organization maintains a large walk-in freezer for storing dead animals, and that PETA contracts with a Virginia cremation service to dispose of the bodies. In that trial, two PETA employees were convicted of dumping dead animals in a rural North Carolina trash dumpster.
In Southampton County, Virginia, another PETA employee will face criminal charges in a dog-napping case. Andrea Florence Benoit Harris was arrested in late 2006 for allegedly abducting a hunting dog and attempting to transport it to PETA's Norfolk headquarters.
“PETA raised over $30 million last year,” Martosko added, “and it’s using that money to kill the only flesh-and-blood animals its employees actually see. The scale of PETA’s hypocrisy is simply staggering.”
The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit coalition supported by restaurants, food companies, and consumers, working together to promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Peekaboo!
So yesterday found me sitting in an exam chair at Lenscrafters. I had used up the last of my contact lenses and discovered that the "insurance" the thieves at Cohen's Fashion Optical on 23rd St. pick your pockets for had lapsed as well. Since I had to pay full price anyway and I've finally had enough of feeling like I've been raped (in the bad way) every time I go to the optometrist, I decided to take advantage of the fact that a Lenscrafters had opened around the corner and go see them. Plus, it's been at least four or five years since I had an eye exam, and I've been getting some pretty bad headaches and noticing some eye strain, particularly when I spend several hours on the computer. So I was due.
They did a pretty fast and efficient work-up and a no nonsense eye exam as well. I think it helped that I knew my prescription numbers so she didn't have to jump around trying to get any baseline and went right to seeing how bad my eyes have become. Pretty bad, apparently. Well, that's an exaggeration. More correctly, it seems my eye muscles, like the rest of my middle aged body, have grown kind of tired and flabby.
I have old eyes.
It's not so much that my vision deteriorated further. My prescription was only changed for one eye. It's that when I switch quickly from looking across a crowded restaurant to check on the bar to having to pick out a check number from a computer generated waiter's check, my eyes are, for all intents and porpoises, slow to get with the program. The check numbers are blurry, and I'm finding I can't read them at all in dim lighting. The result is lots of turning up and down lights in the station and repositioning checks to catch the optimum viewing. Many times I just have the waiters read them to me. I pretend like I'm far too busy to take precious time away to actually read their checks. No one is buying it. Least of all me.
So after the aforementioned brusque but efficient exam and fitting, and a promise that I would return next week to check the fit and also be dilated (HOT!), I emerged with not only a new prescription and pair of contact lenses, but a brand new pair of reading glasses to wear at the same time as my lenses, to make up for the fact that my eyes are decrepit pieces of crap. The only nice part I've managed to find so far in all this is they look kind of cute on me. Also, I spent about 1/2 hour at my desk practicing peering incredulously over my reading glasses at the person I am talking to. In an effort to make myself seem erudite and exasperated at the intrusion. It's important to work your new props as quickly as possible in to your repertoire.
Because I may be old, but I'm still gay.
They did a pretty fast and efficient work-up and a no nonsense eye exam as well. I think it helped that I knew my prescription numbers so she didn't have to jump around trying to get any baseline and went right to seeing how bad my eyes have become. Pretty bad, apparently. Well, that's an exaggeration. More correctly, it seems my eye muscles, like the rest of my middle aged body, have grown kind of tired and flabby.
I have old eyes.
It's not so much that my vision deteriorated further. My prescription was only changed for one eye. It's that when I switch quickly from looking across a crowded restaurant to check on the bar to having to pick out a check number from a computer generated waiter's check, my eyes are, for all intents and porpoises, slow to get with the program. The check numbers are blurry, and I'm finding I can't read them at all in dim lighting. The result is lots of turning up and down lights in the station and repositioning checks to catch the optimum viewing. Many times I just have the waiters read them to me. I pretend like I'm far too busy to take precious time away to actually read their checks. No one is buying it. Least of all me.
So after the aforementioned brusque but efficient exam and fitting, and a promise that I would return next week to check the fit and also be dilated (HOT!), I emerged with not only a new prescription and pair of contact lenses, but a brand new pair of reading glasses to wear at the same time as my lenses, to make up for the fact that my eyes are decrepit pieces of crap. The only nice part I've managed to find so far in all this is they look kind of cute on me. Also, I spent about 1/2 hour at my desk practicing peering incredulously over my reading glasses at the person I am talking to. In an effort to make myself seem erudite and exasperated at the intrusion. It's important to work your new props as quickly as possible in to your repertoire.
Because I may be old, but I'm still gay.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
I'll Have A Ketel One And Vodka ...
Ask any bartender you know how many times someone has ordered that at a bar, and when you repeat it back to them verbatim with the requisite arch of the eyebrow they confidently nod their heads and assert yes, that's what I want all right. At which point you gently (or not, depending on how late it is, and how many boneheads like this are in the crowd) point out that Ketel One is a vodka and ordering a vodka with vodka is just stupid.
Which brings me to last night and me volunteering to tend bar for the staff Christmas party at work. Yes, in restaurant/nightclub land we have to postpone our own party until January so we can spend all of November/December making money off of yours. I actually was looking forward to it for a few reasons, not the least of which is it helps your credibility all around if the staff sees you actually know how to do the things you ask them to. They, and I, have worked for plenty of bar managers that couldn't pull a bar shift if their life depended on it, much less cobble together a simple round for a waiting table. So I upped my respect quotient by several points after last night. Plus, while I don't experience the crushing social anxiety I did when I was drinking, I'll never be totally at ease in a party setting, but one place I'm completely confident and at ease is behind a bar. I love having a couple of feet of wood between me and everyone else. And it's almost like being on stage. It certainly is very much like a performance if you're doing it right. You make drinks as well as conversations. You dance, make fun of people, monitor their drinking, clean up after them and anticipate what they want and give it to them before they ask. I can't tell you how many people said to me last night, with a bit of surprise, "You're a good bartender."
"I know."
The one thing I did forget is how critically important it is to have the proper footwear for that job. I was always partial to Reebok all black sneakers with gel inserts. I even remember when we didn't have gel for inserts. I think they used hay. But I can say with absolute certainty that a cute pair of slip-on Vans and a thin pair of Peds is most definitely not the correct footwear for bar tending. As my feet were absolutely throbbing by the time I made it home and walked the dog. Plus, like sex, tending bar involves a set of muscles that atrophies without use. And while my shift was only five hours long, that's five hours more bar tending than I've done in several years.
Still, it's nice to know I still got it.
I wonder if I'm any good at sex anymore. Talk about underused muscles. christ!
Which brings me to last night and me volunteering to tend bar for the staff Christmas party at work. Yes, in restaurant/nightclub land we have to postpone our own party until January so we can spend all of November/December making money off of yours. I actually was looking forward to it for a few reasons, not the least of which is it helps your credibility all around if the staff sees you actually know how to do the things you ask them to. They, and I, have worked for plenty of bar managers that couldn't pull a bar shift if their life depended on it, much less cobble together a simple round for a waiting table. So I upped my respect quotient by several points after last night. Plus, while I don't experience the crushing social anxiety I did when I was drinking, I'll never be totally at ease in a party setting, but one place I'm completely confident and at ease is behind a bar. I love having a couple of feet of wood between me and everyone else. And it's almost like being on stage. It certainly is very much like a performance if you're doing it right. You make drinks as well as conversations. You dance, make fun of people, monitor their drinking, clean up after them and anticipate what they want and give it to them before they ask. I can't tell you how many people said to me last night, with a bit of surprise, "You're a good bartender."
"I know."
The one thing I did forget is how critically important it is to have the proper footwear for that job. I was always partial to Reebok all black sneakers with gel inserts. I even remember when we didn't have gel for inserts. I think they used hay. But I can say with absolute certainty that a cute pair of slip-on Vans and a thin pair of Peds is most definitely not the correct footwear for bar tending. As my feet were absolutely throbbing by the time I made it home and walked the dog. Plus, like sex, tending bar involves a set of muscles that atrophies without use. And while my shift was only five hours long, that's five hours more bar tending than I've done in several years.
Still, it's nice to know I still got it.
I wonder if I'm any good at sex anymore. Talk about underused muscles. christ!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
I Will Eat Your Eyes!
Here's a retardedly cute picture of Jet and his latest friend, So far, his stuffing remains inside. Unfortunately, the first thing Jetty does when presented with a new toy is proceed to immediately eat the eyes off. While this doesn't make me afraid to sleep in the same bed with Mr. Jetorsky, I do have some concerns were I to die unexpectedly on a long weekend off work.
Look at that face. Given the opportunity and the proper level of boredom, he would most likely pluck out my eyes with his teeth and bat them around the floor before eating them.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
I Feel Like Poop
Caught a cold. Not surprising considering all of New York City is a walking germ factory right now. A guy at my gym was sneezing, coughing, nose-blowing and generally being a gross disgusting bag of sick just the other day. Do the city a favor people, if you are currently feeling ill and are not yet on the down slope of the cold or flu you caught STAY THE FUCK HOME!
As for me, I've been trying to fight my cold for a couple of days with yesterday being the worst. I was exhausted all day and whatever sinus infection I got went all the way to my left eye. It was itchy and sore, quite painful. Oddly, only half my head feels stuffy. My headache is gone and I've been running a fever all morning, as my body starts to burn the bug out of me.
I think I can manage a light workout, but I promise not to sneeze on anyone.
Update: I did manage a half hour of cardio. It was an extremely sweaty event. Happily, the pain in my left eye has subsided. The sneezing started tonight, fortunately for the citizens of NYC I'm able to stay home. Still feverish and completely exhausted. Heading for bed.
As for me, I've been trying to fight my cold for a couple of days with yesterday being the worst. I was exhausted all day and whatever sinus infection I got went all the way to my left eye. It was itchy and sore, quite painful. Oddly, only half my head feels stuffy. My headache is gone and I've been running a fever all morning, as my body starts to burn the bug out of me.
I think I can manage a light workout, but I promise not to sneeze on anyone.
Update: I did manage a half hour of cardio. It was an extremely sweaty event. Happily, the pain in my left eye has subsided. The sneezing started tonight, fortunately for the citizens of NYC I'm able to stay home. Still feverish and completely exhausted. Heading for bed.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
No Time
Day off today and so much to do. I'm a pretty active guy and yet things pile up. To wit:
Go to gym. I've been twice this week already but I need a good long sweaty workout with some weights. Or a Peurto Rican hustler.
Go to Gay-A. I'm way overdue for a meeting. Haven't been since before the holidays. And while that hasn't been a temptation work was very stressful in December and I had many many dreams where I got drunk or drank. Which doesn't translate literally that I want a drink but it does mean there are problems I'm not addressing.
Buy groceries and dog food. Pretty basic but me and mine gotta eat.
Pack up Christmas tree and decorations. The nice thing about this is I cleaned out the storage closet that it all needs to go into before Christmas so all I need to do is put it all away.
Make new menus for restaurant. It's a long story. I could delegate this but I want it done right, right now, and cheaply. So I'll do it myself.
Cut and color hair. My basic upkeep these days involves getting a cut when I wake up in the morning and have bad bed-head. I prefer to be able to shower and dry and go with a minimum of fuss. As soon as I get the signs I get it cut, and usually cover up my mousy brown/gray right after. Maintenance, I'm all about the maintenance.
LUNCH! I love lunch and today seems like a great day for a hot stew or jambalaya. YUM! (Can you tell I'm hungry now?)
Sweep and mop floors. I wish I could figure out why the apartment gets so dirty so fast. Granted, two people two dogs but still, the dust and dirt build up and a good cleaning seems like it needs to be a weekly occurrence. I wish I could afford a maid. I never thought I would want one but I'm totally up for it now.
I'm sure there's more but that's pretty much the working agenda for today. Of course, it's also freakin freezing today so going outside involves multiple layers and I broke out the thermal undies. Jet's walk this morning was strictly for a poop and pee. Too cold for anything fancy.
Right, then ...
Go to gym. I've been twice this week already but I need a good long sweaty workout with some weights. Or a Peurto Rican hustler.
Go to Gay-A. I'm way overdue for a meeting. Haven't been since before the holidays. And while that hasn't been a temptation work was very stressful in December and I had many many dreams where I got drunk or drank. Which doesn't translate literally that I want a drink but it does mean there are problems I'm not addressing.
Buy groceries and dog food. Pretty basic but me and mine gotta eat.
Pack up Christmas tree and decorations. The nice thing about this is I cleaned out the storage closet that it all needs to go into before Christmas so all I need to do is put it all away.
Make new menus for restaurant. It's a long story. I could delegate this but I want it done right, right now, and cheaply. So I'll do it myself.
Cut and color hair. My basic upkeep these days involves getting a cut when I wake up in the morning and have bad bed-head. I prefer to be able to shower and dry and go with a minimum of fuss. As soon as I get the signs I get it cut, and usually cover up my mousy brown/gray right after. Maintenance, I'm all about the maintenance.
LUNCH! I love lunch and today seems like a great day for a hot stew or jambalaya. YUM! (Can you tell I'm hungry now?)
Sweep and mop floors. I wish I could figure out why the apartment gets so dirty so fast. Granted, two people two dogs but still, the dust and dirt build up and a good cleaning seems like it needs to be a weekly occurrence. I wish I could afford a maid. I never thought I would want one but I'm totally up for it now.
I'm sure there's more but that's pretty much the working agenda for today. Of course, it's also freakin freezing today so going outside involves multiple layers and I broke out the thermal undies. Jet's walk this morning was strictly for a poop and pee. Too cold for anything fancy.
Right, then ...
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Review This ...
Sorry. I won't be posting one of those year in review missives all the cool kids are putting up for the new year. Um, if you want to know what happened to me this year there's this wacky business off to the right called the "archives". It's where you'll find an "archive" of the last year. Actually the last four years. So you see posting a review of a year that you can review anytime you like seems ... well, stupid.
What I will tell you about is a couple of projects I've started for the new year. Coincidentally, one is an additional archive of blog posts grouped by categories. I'm going all the way back to the beginning and categorizing almost every single post. It's tedious and time consuming, but when I'm done I'll be adding the category list to the sidebar. That way anybody that comes by for information about HIV, how much I Hate PETA, addiction and recovery or most likely hot gay sex, can see all the posts on any subject grouped together. I've already finished the first year, so look for it in a couple of weeks I'm guessing.
The other project I'm working on, and most definitely not to be mistaken for a resolution, is called project "Lose 13 pounds of Ben & Jerry's fat". Now that I'm coming up on almost a year of sobriety my habit of indulging all my other whims seems ... well, indulgent. I decided a bit of weight gain was a pretty fair trade to regain my life and my (dubious) sanity. But I haven't weighed this much since I graduated from high school and I've decided to get a grip on being able to pinch several inches. I've almost porked out of my 32 inch pants. And I refuse to go up a waist size. And my cholesterol count has shot up in proportion to my expanding ass.
So 13 lbs. in 6 weeks it is and I plan on being a slightly saggy but much trimmer 150lbs. of middle aged man-meat by my birthday on Feb 19. Wish me luck, and I'll keep you posted.
What I will tell you about is a couple of projects I've started for the new year. Coincidentally, one is an additional archive of blog posts grouped by categories. I'm going all the way back to the beginning and categorizing almost every single post. It's tedious and time consuming, but when I'm done I'll be adding the category list to the sidebar. That way anybody that comes by for information about HIV, how much I Hate PETA, addiction and recovery or most likely hot gay sex, can see all the posts on any subject grouped together. I've already finished the first year, so look for it in a couple of weeks I'm guessing.
The other project I'm working on, and most definitely not to be mistaken for a resolution, is called project "Lose 13 pounds of Ben & Jerry's fat". Now that I'm coming up on almost a year of sobriety my habit of indulging all my other whims seems ... well, indulgent. I decided a bit of weight gain was a pretty fair trade to regain my life and my (dubious) sanity. But I haven't weighed this much since I graduated from high school and I've decided to get a grip on being able to pinch several inches. I've almost porked out of my 32 inch pants. And I refuse to go up a waist size. And my cholesterol count has shot up in proportion to my expanding ass.
So 13 lbs. in 6 weeks it is and I plan on being a slightly saggy but much trimmer 150lbs. of middle aged man-meat by my birthday on Feb 19. Wish me luck, and I'll keep you posted.
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