Primitive River Camping

We're off! I may mobile blog on the way, but there will be no cell service where we are going in the wilderness for primitive camping with 24-27 of our closest friends. We'll be joining the thongs of people leaving the city for the last weekend of summer. Wish me luck! (just kidding about the thongs....hopefully everyone will be sporting a sensible bathing suit.)

In case anyone checks in over the weekend for U Street excitement, they'll have to look at re-runs from weekends past or stop by Sister Disco and check out the meth video, stop by Special Friends for a DNC recap, or watch the video below to see more reasons why I am an Obama freak. He's been to Sidetrack in Chicago! I bet McNasty McCain has never even flown OVER Boystown.

Safe Travels

My dear friend, Toya, packed up and headed out for a quick stop in Oregon and then off to Central & South America till December. I'd love to be such a globe trotter, but I'd like to have someone carry some of my things. Surprisingly, her gear is much lighter and more comfortable than it looks. Safe travels friend! Your room is ready when you return.

On a separate note, you'll never guess what color cast I went with! It isn't pink like Whitney wanted...I chose my favorite color and upgraded to waterproof so I can swim in the river this weekend!

On another separate note, I quit smoking on May 27 so this is officially 3 calendar months today! I stopped counting long ago, but it is also 92 days. Didn't think I'd make it.

My Big Screw

Per Dr. B, I am healing nicely and the only question he has for me today is what color cast? This is my actual x-ray

I survived surgery

I am alive - surgery went well, but the pain....uggh. While stuck on my back doing nothing but elevating my arm, I'm catching up on the news...

1. I was disappointed that CNN broke Obama's VP choice before I got my Obama SMS at 3:04 AM, but I am satisfied with the choice.

2. I am intrigued by the fact Ricky Martin had twins with a surrogate mother. While we know he's the biological father, I wonder who the other Daddy is that will share parenting duties with him?

3. I'm curious if Tiffany is heartbroken now that her ex, Jonathan Knight (NKOTB,) is reportedly about to officially come out of the closet. Now if he and Lance Bass....nevermind.

It sucks to type with one hand....more pills please!

Happy 50th Birthday Ben's Chili Bowl

It stinks that I am on my way to surgery and it stinks that Bosox Siobhan fell ill and had to cancel her trip, but I don't believe we missed much at the Ben's Chili Bowl Street Festival. It looks like there were a few bouncy things for kids, some hip hop dancing in the street, and the line for food literally crossed out of the restaurant to the South side of the street up past where the Metro escalators are. It's nobody's fun to stand in that line in the heat. I didn't even enjoy walking through it to take a brief look. I did enjoy the switch to the "Electric Slide" by the DJ followed by his announcement that the National Anthem would be next. They sure know how to mix it up.

Sadly, the Ben's II (Bar) didn't hit completion prior to this celebratory weekend. Perhaps it will be operational when Bosox Siobhan reschedules her trip! (hmmm...there's an excuse for a visit!) Hope you're feeling better soon friend.

Under the Knife

Here's a picture of a fractured Scaphoid (left) and on the right is a healed Scaphoid after a surgery to add a screw. I'm having this surgery tomorrow. I am NOT excited about this.

AIDSWalk 2008 Fundraiser

A big giant THANK YOU to all our friends and colleagues who joined us last night at Be Bar to raise money for AIDSWalk 2008. So far, the event raised over $350, not counting the additional online donations we may get from it or the extra team members who we hope will sign up. Shoot me an email if you want to join our team!

Some people think this is ni jewish or funny. As the Spsnish woul say,some of my best friends are from the orient

Vergie might have had to pay rj's tab.

**EDITOR'S NOTE**
In case you can't read it, the Check ID says, "Lady Leisure." Some people have their identity follow them everywhere!

Fun Times

Where's hiss?

Times to go

I'm sure there are nice people in Cleveland. I'd like to meet nice people somewhere else. Take me home!

Tractor Tractor give me a ride!

Sitting at a gay bar in Cleveland, waiting for time to fly back and what do i realize i am sitting on? A bar stool made from a tractor seat from Lehman Hardware in Kidron

Middle Age

It really sucks to be a middle age man with a broken arm. Kids break things. Old people break things. Middle age people are not supposed to break things.

If you think this is overly dramatic, it is not. I've been worried about this early onset midlife crisis. To see if I was out of line, I Googled and found I am truly in my "mid-life" according to the age requirements set by the US Census. It isn't a gay culture induced early onset mid life crisis after all. Of course, according to gay aging theory, 35 is actually dead...or at least an advanced stage senior citizen. This useful information, of course, came from the bible that is Wikipedia. If you'd like to know where you fall, check it out yourself.

I suppose it is n0 longer useful to try and stop Timmy from his desire for an mid-life crisis Corvette. He, after all, is measurably older and well into midle age. :-)

Strike A Pose

The Alpacas were uglier, but not paying attention. The Llamas, however, appeard to be posing with attitude. What am I doing here and why does this amuse me?

Chasin' Chicken

...and you all know when it comes to chicken, I prefer the brown ones. Guess white will have to do at this fair.

County Fair

Woo Hoo!

Edited Later:
Please excuse the crappy phone camera lens above. I finished work early and was able to spend a nice part of the early evening with my daughter. Instead of rushing home to prepare for her last weekend of freedom before school starts, she decided to join my brothers and me at the County Fair. I told you about this fine event earlier!

Whitney was having a good time hanging onto her Dad and saying hello to all her local friends... until I stopped to pose for this picture in front of the Ferris wheel (see below.) Steve took it with his uncracked cell phone camera lens. At first glance, you may think he is terrible at appropriately positioning the subject in his photograph. However, look closely and you'll see the essence of a small county fair was truly captured here.

Yes friends, that is a long azz mullett !

Oops

Thank you RJ for sitting in the ER with me for over 6 hours. I have a cast for 8-12 weeks and find out a week from Monday if I need pins in my wrist. Nice. For the blow by blow from the ER visit "Between U and Me."

I wish I could say it was a bad sky dive landing or a rough rugby match. Since it happened at 2 AM, you would all know I was lying. I guess I've messed up my wrist pretty good, but those Mojitos sure were tasty.

Fair Week!

Friends - this is a picture of last year's Fair Court. Why are there four girls and three boys? We can only speculate what the fourth girl did with her counterpart.

I can't tell you how happy I was to find out that next week, while in Cleveland for work, my home town is having fair week. The County Fair is the social highlight of the year and I will be in attendance on Friday night! I hope my broken cell phone camera lens is working because there will be mobile blogging opportunities out the azz! At least during fair week, I'm not the only Queen in Holmes County.

I have a job!

It is with great pleasure to announce I accepted a permanent position. As mentioned before, I am not permitted to blog about work in detail (normal HR policy) but I can say that it has been the most emotionally challenging career transition I've experienced. It started last September when I initially downsized my staff and culminated on Dec 13 when I received my official death sentence. As most of my friends know, from my incessant dramatization about the experience, I've worn many hats in the last 11 months. While closing my division and saying goodbye to many friends and colleagues, I've somehow managed to avoid my last last last last last last day.

I technically started my new role as a project about a month ago. Officially, Monday will be my first permanent day. While the compensation and titles are not where I thought I'd be at this point in my career, I am fortunate to have a permanent position and am in a great place to expand my resume. I'd rather weather this economic storm in a position with growth potential than by blowing through my savings and living on unemployment like so many others. For this I am truly greatful. Truthfully, I am really enjoying the new position and the experience will nicely balance out my resume. It may be the best thing that's ever happened?

The Star

Yeah...was a little bizarre to see Andrew posting young Kevin's headshot at the place where the earth rotates. i might also have one of his head shots at home. I won't display or sell it until People offers me millions.

Paris Hilton For President

It's been all over the news this AM so I'm sure it isn't new, but I had to post it. If you haven't already seen it, take a minute to do so. LOVE IT!

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

More Ink

I don't know if it is truly addictive or if I just felt unbalanced with only one side of my back inked. Regardless, Grant sketched some daisies and started the outline! It will ultimately be in color and is intended as a celebration of my ladies. Both my Mother and my Daughter are huge Daisy fans.

If I am brave enough to follow through, the shoulder and upper right arm will be specifically dedicated to my baby girl. That part of it, if I do it, will not be revealed until it is finished.

The Nature Gays

We are officially camping fans! It was only one night, but what a fabulous time. We met some cool new friends who will also be there on Labor Day. I need to upload the pics, but here's a Google Map - We stayed by the "ledge" at site 9 this weekend and have site 5 reserved for Labor Day with our peeps! It's an open invitation - let me know if you can go and we'll add you to the email chain.


View Larger Map

Cougar Search!

Seriously? Channel 4 news has a cougar search on the University of MD campus as today's top story. Since they aren't native to this area, I am guessing it is a hoax or a case of mis-identity. Whatever it is, the live shot of this man searching with binoculars made me LOL so hard that Timmy woke up. Thankfully I go to bed with my phone and could instantly mobile blog.

Happy Friday! I am looking forward to camping weekend...and by camping I don't mean a hotel without room service.