Beat Anorexia

I'm working from home today and took a moment to blog (since I'm not ordinarily allowed to do so in the office.) Check out this pic found at "Kill The Goat." A good reminder why I shouldn't work from home and eat all day! Yes, Anorexia is bad and I am not making fun...but obeastity is bad too...

For those of you that know Glitter Girl Tiffanie, she's now a Facebooker too! Make sure you look her up and request to be her friend! Join the Facebook army today if you don't have an account! I know you are all tired of this, but I can't stop. It has sucked me in.

Have a great Friday! Back to finish my work day!

Kevin Rocks

The reading of "Tainted Blood" was fantastic. I would definitely recommend any opportunity to see a full production of this well written work. I was a bit confused at the end when they asked for our opinion. Several people questioned the reality of the "dead" people resurfacing for the last act after the vampire had killed them; a discussion of the evolution of vampires and their social habits ensued. This was not the point.

Act III completely supported the twists and turns and made us question what really happened. What is reality? I don't think the characters even knew. Perhaps it was just a substance abuse weekend on the island and nobody died at all. Pills, powders, and syringes clearly played a role in the script. Their re-birth added to the many possible interpretations of the play - I appreciated this. The sexual, religious, and social tensions provoked thought and kept things interesting. This is a work that can be taken literally or blown out in the mind to be a variety of things. Regardless, young Kevin was a star (no shock there) and we followed the performance with a cocktail at JR's (no shock there either.)

Looking forward to seeing my baby girl this weekend.

Mansion Update

I haven't posted a Mansion update in quite some time. Check out the finished railing, lighting, final paint, flooring, etc. There are only a few things missing and move in date is now days instead of weeks away! I'm very excited to visit this weekend to see the progress. I'm in conversation with S/L about a Martin Luther King weekend invasion with all the DC Peeps...more to follow!

If you are in DC and free on Thursday at 8 PM, join us for a pay what you can performance of "Tainted Blood" by Tom Jacobson at the Church Street Theatre. Our own very accomplished actor friend Kevin is participating in the reading.

I'm on a mission to find out who had the "Heifer International" catalog sent to my house. Funny? yes, for a great charity? yes, would I have requested this myself? No. It is rather odd and I suspect my baby brother.

Have a fantastic Wednesday - I'm off to work.

Smurfday

Happy 49th Birthday to the Smurfs! They were first introduced on this day in 1958 by Peyo. You can read all about it at TheFreeDictionary.com.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic day. Mine was brutal but then I went to the gym for the first time since Boston and had a consultation with Grant at Tattoo Paradise so it was turning out a much better.

Unfortunately we received some icky news about Timmy's Dad so that kinda took me back to the brutality of the day. Going to bed early.

The Troggs

The Troggs didn't write it, but they are famously known for covering "Wild Thing." I found this fantastic video shot in the subway. Consider it my YouTube clip of the day.

Crazy enough, the band is still touring Europe. Click on this link for more details after watching the video. Think of it what you will, but my mind is distracted from reality and it makes me smile.

M Shanghai String Band

Who knew? The M Shanghai String Band from NY performing on the Wonderland Ballroom patio for a free afternoon show! Goes well with bottomless mimosas.

Despite the fact I'd unlikely seek out such a performance, they were talented and I enjoyed the music. The dozen children running around, the nursing new mother, the two crack heads shaking in the corner, and the woman knitting at our table, I could do without. Iris referred to it as a flashback to 1972 West Virginia with the folksy music and the oddities of the crowd.

Check out their website or the YouTube video I snagged below. They use the word, "Chimney," in the song. We have to appreciate that! Time to rejuvenate for the work week.

Church & Sordid Lives update

If I found this church before going out last night, I might have gotten up for a valuable lesson instead of falling down. We intended to go to Nellies, but it was booked for the closing party (Reel Affirmations Film Festival) which we decided not to buy tickets for. Instead we settled on the old faithful places. Solly's then Polly's, and then Solly's again for last call out of that odd fabricated obligation we have to enter when walking past.

According to GaySocialites.com, Rue McClanahan has been offered the role of Peggy in the Sordid Lives series. Hopefully she'll choose to join the all-star cast include Olivia Newton-John, Delta Burke, Beth Grant and Leslie Jordan! Can you imagine? Rue & Britney...

Regardless whether it is a good idea or not, I'm off to the Wonderland Ballroom for some Emergen-C Mimosas and brunchy foods. The DC Police alerts warn of closed streets and police activity in that area, but we are fairly certain it doesn't involve that actual corner.

If you haven't popped over to Glitter Girl Tiff to see her adventures, check out this video she posted. Take a few minutes to read her blog too. She was last spotted in Seattle.

Oh yes...and congratulate Nurse Timmy - he got an A on his English mid-term!

(shout out to Boston Steamer for locating this church - I really didn't find it on my own)

Cat at Polly's

Not what you think. Somebody brought their dog and cat to Polly's. Brandy's holding the yappy dog and the cat is just sitting there unleashed on a chair while its' owner drinks. Odd. Really odd.

It's almost as if he was having a conversation with the Cat...nothing is very clear about that situation.

Special

We ate at Dakota Cowgirl after the rugby match. Michael purchased a costume from a gypsy treasures sale at a local Theatre. He felt it necessary to wear the costume up 14th St. where we posed for a photo op at the corner of 14/U. Catrina is intentionally hiding behind Timmy, but she's there.We then walked down U Street for a beverage at Solly's. Yes, Michael wore the costume the whole way. Except for my run forward to capture this photo, Cat & I hid in the back of the pack so as not to be associated with Mr. 4,000 Special Firecrackers. You'll also note that Timmy is carrying a giant clock, purchased by Brandon, at another sale on 14th St.

Friends - this all happened mid day; we've just finished our disco naps and are contemplating tonight's adventures! I feel a chimney leaning. Note: These pics replaced the grainy mobile blogged photos posted earlier.

Washington Irish

We over-indulged last night. Thank God for Ben's Chili Bowl. Now we're drinking champers as it is ladies day at a Washington Irish Match. Hot muscley mans to look at and cheer for. Dancing Mike doesn't appreciate the beauty of it, but I'm trying to explain.

J-Dot

I found some more stuff on the super cute Jason Dottley. Check out Mavrixonline where they have several paparazzi pics of "J-Dot." While you're there, check out the Amy Winehouse pics and commentary too.

If you looked at the Splash News article I blogged yesterday, go back and use this search for all the articles on J-Dot. Rita Jean...you'll particularly like the shirts off beach workout video they posted on August 8.

Boston Video

Friends...this just in...Video from Boston. Now you will know what Laura and Jym are really up to. I edited out the "private" parts.

Jason Dottley

Check it out peeps...an actor or someone claiming to be the actor actually commented on my blog. See his comments on the previous post.

I did a little research - check these out:

MySpace - The Sordid Lives MySpace page.

Splashnewsonline - Another story about Sordid Lives with video.

IMDb - Jason's profile on the Internet Movie Database.

JasonDottley.com - his official website.

Olivia Newton John - Her official website where she also discusses the series in her news tab.

If it's legitimate, Jason Dottley should know that there is a huge contingent of movie night participants and their friends in DC that will be all over this series. Yes, I emailed him for more info!

For those of you who may have missed the 1,000 times we've watched this movie at my place, here's a YouTube cut that will give you a glimpse of why it is so fantastic. TV night anyone?

Sordid Lives

If they are really turning one of my favorite movies into a series I will be so excited. If TMZ is accurate and Britney Spears does it...I might explode with happiness. Can you imagine, Britney, Delta, & Olivia on the same small screen?

Check out the article here. A big thanks to Laura for locating it!

Boston Finale

I finished the conference yesterday morning and had an evening flight home. After checking my email like a good little boy, I took the afternoon off and spent a little personal time in Boston. Had I taken an earlier flight I would have been traveling during the work day so I felt it was not really a compromise.

I took a quick T ride to Harvard Square where I had lunch at Felipe's Taqueria (excellent) with my friend Rene and then had a tattoo consultation with Jase at Chameleon Body Arts. If I lived in Boston or could afford to travel there to get my work done, I'd definitely choose him. We took a quick stroll through the Harvard campus where not one normal conversation was overheard. I have never walked past so many hundreds (maybe thousands) of people deeply engrossed in educational conversation.

I finished the day taking the T back to the MGH stop and walking along the Boston Harborwalk back towards Copley square where a glass of wine at an Italian cafe was in order. I finished my Boston trip with a self-guided tour of Trinity Church, considered by many to be of the top 10 most significant architectural buildings in the US. Amazing.

I officially survived Boston and had a great time! I hope to visit again soon. Today I have Jury Duty and am hoping to be released after one day. I would actually like to be back in the office!

Oh yes - I thought of a few more topics to add to my previous post about the trip:

1. I now remember why we "left" the nightclub...the video was revealing.

2. How did Jym and I purchase the exact same Calvin Klein coat at Filene's Basement without knowing it? There were hundreds of choices. Does this mean we are in a relationship?

3. If we had an i-phone...

4. I guess a paparrazo caught us??? Click HERE for details

5. Is Laura now a Makah's Maahk ambassador?

so...

as u can see...we're at a premium place, but I tried not to smoke tonight. I failed. Yes. I am not as much of a quitter as I'd like to be. i hatwe the boston pretentia

long story

Tryiing

Bad pic, but this is white banker peoples trying to be hipsters. We at a sweet spot called, "Saint," and having fun with free cocktails and swanky desserts. This after walking in to a private party at Nike Town where we were handed a $30 voucher to shop and directed to the bar....now that's some swag. Not to mention the autographed copy of some movie by some famous person....i didn't pay attention (clearly.)

Work Work Work

I am back in work mode, getting up at 6:45 and attending conferences. Had a fantastic lunch at Legal Seafood with a business partner and will be heading to both the Boston Public Library and the Top of the Hub tonight for receptions where potential vendors will smooze with the booze.

The conference is good thus far. Came to the room to catch up on work email before going back for the next session.

Boston is more fun with friends than it is with colleagues :-) I also need to take a photo of my view with my camera instead of my cell phone for the full effect. No time now!

Winding Down

I just checked in at the Westin. Fantastic 30th floor room with a river view. I love the SPG perks! It is time to shower, relax, and prepare for a busy week.

These pictures were actually taken the next day because the orignal one posted with my pda camera was not very good!

Bunker Hill

We had a few beers with breakfast and Laura wanted to watch some football. I took a stroll through Charlestown and went up to the Bunker Hill monument. Having no energy to climb the stairs, I took only a picture from the outside. The town is super cute and I captured many monuments, landmarks, views of Boston, etc.

We've just returned to their very fancy apartment to relax. I forgot to charge my phone last night (shock) so I am waiting for that to finish and then I'll go check into the hotel, settle down, and play a grown person for the rest of my time here in Boston for work.

I do enjoy this city for a visit. There is so much history here. You might ask what I recommend for those of you with a visit to Jym/Laura on your agenda? Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Despite the fact they implicate me on their blog; these folks can consume beverages and I certainly didn't have a problem joining them!

Charlestown

The cabbie got lost and reprimanded us for not knowing where we were going. Had we known, we would have driven. We knew the address, but not the way.

We are now enjoying tasty breakfast treats at the Warren Tavern, the longest continually operating pub in MA. Paul Revere drank here...rumor has it he drank here alot!

Alive

...visit bostonsteamer for the heinous details.

Items of note:

1. Crispy Aromatic Shrimp with special spicy aromatic sauce.

2. Chinese ear cleaners.

3. The bachelorettes.

4. The "real" reason J/J were asked to leave the fancy nightclub.

5. How we got home on Saturday night?

6. Camera wars.

7. What kind of pictures to take at "Top of the Hub."

8. Ranch dressing.

Smoking

It's not their fault. Walked across the street to Walgreens and bought smokes after they went to sleep. Like the sweet fruit of the gods.

Drinking Game

I borrowed a dongle from Jym to connect my camera to my laptop so I could upload some pics from last night. Yes, a dongle, that's what the little connector thingy is called.

Here is a picture of us playing the Wooden Balance Drinking Game they purchased in the Mount Vernon gift shop. The first picture portrays two very happy boys who have beat the game by stacking all the pieces.

We got bored with it so we added a pink elephant into the mix in lieu of the missing green piece. Green, by the way, requires a social drink when that color is rolled.

In preparation for what was surely to be a painful morning we took some pills...then decided to incorporate them into the game for some additional challenge and more dramatic falls. We ultimately assigned ourselves a team of blocks and additional drinking rules associated with them. I'm fairly certain that we each had to drink at least twice during each hand of play by the end.

Laura, while amused at our child games, chose not to participate. She watched sports on the television as documented in the second photo.

We have now consumed our Dunkin Donuts and coffee so it is time to go be a tourist!

Secrets

I'm not certain exactly why I've been up since eight AM, but such is life in a strange bed I suppose. Check out this video or go directly to the postsecret.com website! I am so watching the Smurfs on YouTube right now. Takes me back.

Interruption

I am trying to have a good time in Boston, but my friend Rita Jean insists on interrupting me with things like Mario Lopez' naked ass and videos like this...

You ask?

You might ask what one do in Boston. Hmm...this is what...before we start the shots of Patron. We're staying in tonight to prepare for a day of debauchery tomorrow. Might be a little drunk tonight?

Medford, MA

I made it!

Off to Boston!

You gotta love the old school stairs and the itty bitty plane on the shuttle! I'll be in Boston momentarily!

Dags has spoken

Upon reading this morning's post at BostonSteamer, the great Dags sent an email that simply stated, "Well I guess we now know love of a man is more important than the love of a cat. Jym - 1, Cat - 0."

Sad but true.

Reel Affirmations

I should have titled this post, "Naked Boys Singing" since that is the film we watched and that would be a more attention grabbing name! Today was the opening night of the 2007 Reel Affirmations festival. This is DC's international GLBT film festival, and generally shows some great films. Unfortunately this year I will be leaving tomorrow and missing most of it. The film was great, but essentially a flashy remake of the show. I expected it to be more of a documentary of sorts showing the challenges and successes of putting such a show together and the dynamic issues of the producers, actors, etc. Overall, it was fun and I'm glad I went, but not a great film.

The opening party was at Nellie's, free liquor, swag bag and all, but I had to leave after two quick drinks with Tim, Randy, & Brian. Ran into several people we know , but was time to pack for the Boston trip!

Oh yes, I am now 11 full days smoke free and working on the 12th! Click the links above and below for more info on the film festival or the movie.

HRC Dinner revisited

Hey peeps. HRC posted all the speeches on YouTube. They can be found on the HRC Media Channel. Here's my favorite one with Michael Urie and Rebecca Romijn from Ugly Betty.

no wire hangers

For October, it was Timmy's movie night and he selected, "Mommy Dearest." It went over well as several had never seen it. Some had only seen spoofs of it in gay video bars. Here's a spoof on the movie highlighting the best parts! Enjoy. Time for bed.

Happy Birthday Julia!

We had a fantastic dinner with Cat's parents and a bunch of friends (10 total) at Al Crostino last night. After a long work day we are swinging by to wish Julia a happy birthday then it will be off to bed. I'm very tired! I have now successfully made it NINE days with no smoking! I'm gonna beat this!

Blue Ribbon Christmas!

It's time to go to Duffy's and start entering the contest for a Blue Ribbon Christmas!

Seriously

TAINT THIS

I want to kick your puppy and feed rice to your bird.

Hot

yup huh

Sunshine Day

Yes....wrong

Peep Hole

If there was a peep hole, these beeotches would be watching Mr. Craig's wide stance.

Fun times

...so a quick drink at Alero turned into a pitcher each plus more. A few hundred dollars later we are now at WOnderland scaryokie. Even though my company doesn't recognize it, I'm taking Columbus day as a holiday....since I'm from there and all.

Seven days!

This, my friends, is the happy face of a man who has not had a single cigarette in seven days! I thought
I'd never make it to 8 PM to celebrate this achievement.

HRC

I don't know what time it is in your world, but I just pulled myself up out the bed. It was a rough one last night! Had a great time at the National HRC Dinner and snagged a couple pics with famous peoples...successful celebrity stalking! Nancy Pelosi was my favorite speaker (no pun intended,) but it was also fairly memorable to see Rebecca Romijn, Michael Urie, Tim Gunn, and Matthew Broderick (no SJP) in person. Broderick is looking old these days...guess we're all aging a bit. Here are my favorite pics with Judy Shepherd and Sheryl Swoopes

Columbia Heights Day!

Iris was one of the organizers for this year's Columbia Heights Day. After some cocktails to celebrate our successful completion of AIDS Walk at Solly's, we walked to Columbia Heights for the festival. Truthfully only a few of us walked the festival booths while the rest enjoyed beverages at Wonderland. I had to walk the festival to curb my desire to smoke.

Michael and Catrina made an appearance with her parents and Mayor Fenty stopped by. The group was excited to have him stand in for the above photo, but I followed him into the festival with the intention of listening to his quick public address and hoping for a photo op. As you can see below, this was a successful endeavor.

It's time to dust off the tux and get ready for the National HRC Dinner. More pictures are available on my facebook page. Have you opened a facebook account yet? Just do it!

AIDS Walk 2007

Team Chimney Fall had a great showing. Even those less likely to be out of bed at such an early hour successfully met us at the Metro at 8:30 AM. Those of us who ran had a great time! I finished the 5K (3.2 miles) in 30:02 - this is not a fantastic time, but good for me! Many of our group also chose to walk it.

It's a big day!

I will start this morning with a quick 5K run with a bunch of my friends for AIDS Walk Washington 2007. Our group raised over $5,000 and we are very proud of this achievement. Some people will commence cocktailing when it is over.

Part two will be Columbia Heights Day from 11 - 6 PM. This will be a quick stop and perhaps lunch so we can prepare for the grand finale!

The day will end at the National HRC Dinner! We will be attending with a group of two diva tables! Click the link and check out all the potential celebrity encounters this event will create! Rumor has it some other fairly large names will be in attendance!

When all is said and done it will be time to sleep! Time and battery willing, I'll do some mobile blogging throughout the day with updates!

Day 5 complete

Check it out! I'm officially 5 days and 1+ hour smoke free! No headaches or shaking today and I weaned myself from the rubber band! I also went to the gym every day this week. Since August 30th, I've lost 10 pounds, gotten back into my skinny jeans, and am making progress at converting some of this fat to muscle! Somehow if I talk about it here, I'll feel the pressure to maintain!

Time for bed. Tomorrow is a big big day inside the district!

Mansion Update!

There is now stone on the outside, final trim on the inside, and even a garage door! Steve and Lisa are now talking weeks instead of months to move in day!

A DC peeps to OH trip is tentatively in the works for mid January! MLK weekend perhaps? Thank God I'll have many opportunities to see it before then. I can't wait!

Sucky Day

I tried to be all pleasant in my last post, but really I'm frustrated beyond belief. Today was a miserable work day. I wasn't going to talk about it, but my gd TV just blew up. Smoke and all. I can't smoke, but my TV can? What is wrong with this picture?

I'm trying to find the owners manual. I have one for every kitchen appliance, toothbrush, camera, and powertool, but apparently the TV manual is not filed where it belongs.

I'm just going to bed.

Day 4 Complete

I blogged about the new food Pupatella cart a few days ago….Washington Post writes about it today. I had their Pizza Margherita for lunch while sitting by the fountain. It was a beautiful day and the pizza magnificent. Of course tonight, the humidity piled on. I was surprised how unpleasant it was when I left work at eight.

I've successfully made it through four full days of non-smoking! One day at a time.

Be My Friend

Friends,

It is time to sign up for facebook. According to an article at washingtonpost.com, "The company says that the fastest growing group of users at Facebook, which started as a service for college kids, is people over 35."

So...since many of my 20 somethings friends already belong, and many of my 30-40 somethings friends are signing up, I decided it was time to join a social networking group. Now, I am lonely as I have few facebook friends. Sign up and invite me to be your friend! You'll like it. I promise. It only takes a few minutes to get started so click the image or the link above and go for it! Everybody's doing it.

SMOKING UPDATE: I survived 4 hours at Solly's with a controlled amount of beer (not liquor) and had no cigarettes. It was painful. Time to leave for work! I'm half way through day 4!

Trivia / Day 3

It's that time again! Trivia tonight at Solly's Tavern for the Washington Irish Rugby Team! Can the Chimney Fall team take first place for the third trivia night in a row?

I have ~20 minutes to be able to say I am officially 3 full days smoke free. I haven't cheated and my motivation is strong. If I keep up this clean living and working out, I'll have clean skin, clean liver, clean heart, and clean lungs. The only dirty thing left will be my mind...and I like that! Do you have a dirty mind? Take the TEST

Pupatella

Friends, at 8 PM today I will officially be 2 days smoke free. My head hurts, I was a bit shaky today, and I barely slept last night.

Fortunately I got an extra special fix this AM. We have a new Neapolitan Food Cart called, "Pupatella," at the Ballston Metro! This is the actual girl who works it and if you click the pic it will take you to her website. Apparently Pupatella means doll and was Enzo's (the Chef) Grandmother's nickname.

It is a really sweet cart; I got an 8 oz cappuccino for $1.00 and a toasted croissant with Nutella for $3.00. What a tasty treat for morning time! She also will drizzle white Belgian chocolate on a toasted croissant for the same price.

I'll have to walk on the other side of the street to avoid her most mornings, but perhaps I'll come back and check out her lunch menu!

Cigarette Hangover

Some things are just so wrong. These give no cigarette hangover and if you watch to the end there is a medical assurance that the brand is healthy because it causes no irritation...



Perhaps not the best thing to be looking at today, but...

Day 1 part 2

I worked/ate at my desk. I ran a 5k trial for Saturday and then worked out for nearly an hour (92 minutes total workout.) I went to the CVS for cleaning supplies, moved all the furniture in the living area and swept, then mopped on my hands and knees. I installed a new shelf for the TV/old PC in Anna's room and swept my bedroom. I also hand scrubbed all of the kitchen cupboards, counters, stove, and sink. I am keeping busy and my wrist is hurting. I'm sure I look like an idiot, but I'm using the gd rubber band and have made it over 24 hours now! Time for bed so I can dream about smoking! I love a clean house!

Day 1

So here it is. I've made it to 2:00 on day 1. I'm not liking it, but am using Sissy's (Sordid Lives) rubber band technique. Most of you know what that means.

Click Here to see my stop smoking technique

I'm serious...