Happy Thanksgiving

Happy turkey day to all. Yesterday I flew to my hometown far away from Dallas to spend the holiday with the fam. I haven't seen my parents since before moving back to Texas (April) so we have been doing a lot of catching up on things. I helped mom in the kitchen and the food was all great. But FOOD COMA!! Tomorrow sis and I are doing a bit of holiday shopping and then it's time to help with some chores at home. So far, so good.

Trying Something New

Some of you will be shocked, and others won't. A friend is the President of the Dallas Diablos Rugby Football Club and he's invited me to practice with them tomorrow night. I went to watch the Diablos women side play last weekend and was immediately interested in the game. It's very physical (obviously) but could be a great challenge and fellowship for me. So I've decided I am going to give it a try and see how it goes!

Kim Wilde - You Keep Me Hangin' On

Ladytron - Runaway

Grace Jones - Corporate Cannibal

Fashion and music icon Grace Jones is back with a hot new single!

Things I Do Not Understand

PEOPLE WHO SEND EMAILS IN ALL CAPS. It's 2008, and this has been considered very rude for at least 10 years. Are you angry, or just uninformed?

Women in baseball hats.

Men who pass up great opportunities, when they are right in front of their faces.

Employees who mess up the best job they're likely to get.

Comment on this post - tell me the things YOU don't understand!

We Love Catherine Tate

Anyone else been in this situation? Haha.

Get Lost, Ike

Looks like a pretty direct hit on Houston, with a very large storm surge. Ugh. I went food shopping tonight for some eats that don't require cooking, in case we have a power outage here around Dallas. They are talking about 60mph wind gusts here and 4-5" of rain. I even got on a ladder and fixed one of the gutters on my house to prepare!

Eurythmics - Thorn In My Side

You tell him, Annie!

We Don't Like Ike

Hurricane Ike is forecast to make landfall in Texas early this Saturday morning, possibly as a Category 4 storm with wind and rain bands 200 miles wide. This could be a huge and fearsome storm. I'd encourage everyone to take a few minutes to pray for the people who live along the coast and in the areas of Texas that will be affected. Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Austin are all in the path, and storm surges could reach Houston. There is talk of 60mph winds even here in Dallas!

Where's BHS?

Yes, it's been forever since I've posted anything on here. Basically I've been traveling quite a bit for work, and there has been a lot of activity in my personal life as well.

I had to manage some disciplinary issues at work, which culminated in two trips to Florida, finally to terminate a manager who was acting in an abusive manner toward his employees. We were concerned that when we terminated him, he would lash out at us in a violent manner. My friend NJtoCLT assisted us by contacting the security manager at the hotel where we did the termination (a sister property of his own hotel) and helping us to arrange security protection. As it happened, the termination went smoothly and professionally - but I managed to lose the key to the former employee's company car on the trip home. You can imagine how hard it's been to live that down at work!

My personal life has been one of ups and downs. I had become friends with a new man here in Dallas and pretty immediately felt a strong attraction to him for something more. I knew almost from the beginning - three months before - that he could be insensitive and selfish. Friends warned me to stay away, but did I listen? Well, actually for a while I did - but I allowed him back in. The last month alternated between rejoicing when I did see him or hear from him - to feeling hurt and angry when I would call/email/text (often inviting him out) and he wouldn't reply. Of course there was the magic night together where I thought we'd turned the corner - but his sex hang-ups reappeared again. Finally the Saturday night before Labor Day we had a pretty major falling out and I ended the friendship. I'm not proud of the way I did it (in a angry voicemail when he wouldn't answer my call) but in my heart I always knew it would end badly. The first few days were terrible..I was barely functional. But once again my friend NJtoCLT was there to support me and offered me a lot of kindness. My friend Lee here in Dallas was also a source of strength. In the end, I think the guy is not a bad human being, just very mixed up. There's more, but I'll end there. What I'm left with is a void where there used to be high hopes, feelings of guilt and regret, and memories. Maybe someday he and I will talk it through, but I doubt I'll ever hear from him again.

That episode also forced me to face the fact that my depression has returned and the medication I was taking wasn't working anymore. So far I've done two things about it. I found a Doctor and he agreed that I was otherwise healthy, but the dosage I was on was ineffective. I also joined L.A. Fitness near my house and I've already gone I think four times. It feels good to be exercising again at a real gym.

In addition I've met two cool new guys who I'd be perfectly happy to either date, be friends with, or both. What's more my friend Lee introduced me to a cool couple he knows who live right around the corner from me, and we've been socializing too. Life is getting better again, but I do still think of what might have been.

Lay All Your Love On Me

The older I get, the more I understand where ABBA's lyrics are coming from. Although this video is pieced together from other vids for the ABBA Gold collection, it's still fun. Before there was Mamma Mia - there was the original. Behold!

I Won't End Up Another Victim

June 28, 2008

Some pictures of my visit to downtown Big D yesterday. Despite the 100 degree temperatures, I had a good time with a friend visiting from NJ and his friend from Fort Worth. Below, Pegasus has become an icon of Dallas. He is the former corporate symbol of Magnolia Oil, a subsidiary of Socony Oil (later Mobil Oil).






Above, reproduction of the cabin built nearby by John Neely Bryan - founder of Dallas. How modern of him to include a water feature!


Above: Reunion Tower and the Hyatt Reunion in background, former Texas School Book Depository is the red brick building at left.

November 22, 1963

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. It is believed that Lee Harvey Oswald perched on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository building on Dealey Plaza and opened fire as the presidential motorcade passed by. Oswald, who had defected to the USSR and returned, remains a mysterious figure today. Dealey Plaza is mostly unchanged, and it is very easy to imagine being a bystander on that tragic day. After the shootings of Kennedy and Governor "Big John" Connally, the motorcade sped up Stemmons Freeway to Parkland Hospital, where the President was pronounced dead. Connally was seriously wounded but survived.

Theories abound as to the facts of the assassination. Many believe that at least two bullets were fired. One bullet hit the President, exited his body in the area of his neck, and then struck Gov. Connally. Another bullet fatally wounded the President. Oswald was apprehended later in the day after shooting and killing a Dallas police officer. Later, Oswald was himself shot and killed by Jack Ruby, who received a death sentence for the murder. Ruby died of lung cancer before the sentence was carried out, ironically at Parkland Hospital, where Kennedy and Oswald died as well. (The famous "grassy knoll" is in the picture below. It is this section of Elm Street where the shootings occurred. The school book depository building is off to the right of the picture.)

After the assassination, Dallas was depicted in the media as the "city of hate." This image was augmented by some radical political demonstrations that had preceded November 22. Since then, the city has taken many steps to heal the wounds. By 1975, Dallas was named as an "All-America City." This was considered the defining moment of turning the corner after the murder of a President. Today, Dealey Plaza and the Grassy Knoll are among the main tourist attractions in the area, and are home to The Sixth Floor Museum in the former School Book Depository building.

Get Smart

This weekend I saw the new comedy "Get Smart" on a date. I enjoyed the date, and I enjoyed the movie, too. Unlike so many comedies nowadays, this one was witty - with a minimum of crude gags. Anne Hathaway shines, Steve Carell wisely makes the role his own, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson both looks good in a suit, and continues developing his deadpan comedy chops. If you're looking for a light, entertaining caper, check out "Get Smart."

I Command You

Buy "Velocifero" by Ladytron...scroll down to the Amazon.com link below for easy purchase!

The Happening

(Above: the cast contemplates the end of their film careers after foolishly completing this movie)

I just returned from seeing one of the worst movies I can remember, M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening." The fact that Betty Buckley steals the show with only about 5 minutes of over the top on-screen time should be revealing enough. Shyamalan has found his nadir in this flick, which is being promoted with the declasse marketing message of being his "first R-rated movie." Let's hope this piece of crap is his last movie of any rating! John Leguizamo should fire his agent for landing him in this movie, considering how particularly unflattering the camera work is to him. The repeated and pointless suicides, depiction of a grotesque lion attack, and the highly offensive on-camera killings of two children are degrading to the audience and play like a grindhouse B-movie from the 1960s, only without the campiness. Shyamalan also falls down on many small details in his shots, such as the grass and weeds growing up between the ties of a supposedly busy commuter rail line in Pennsylvania. From the constant close-ups of the E.T.-like Zooey Deschanel, to the improbable casting of Mark Wahlberg as a high school biology teacher, to the offensively gratuitous and unnecessary violence throughout the film, this dreck deserves to be thrown on the dung heap and forgotten forever.

BHS's ratings:
Acting: 1/5
Script: 0/5 (example: "We can't just stand here as ininvolved bystanders!" Huh?)
Casting: 1/5 (only because Betty Buckley is in the movie, and Wahlberg is sort of cute)

Governor Woof

In all the news coverage of the terrible flooding in the midwest, one thing is apparent: Governor Culver of Iowa is a handsome man.

And, my prayers are with everyone - I've lived through a spring flood event in the upper midwest, and it's a terrible thing.

The Barnett Shale

Since I've returned to North Texas I've been amazed by the proliferation of natural gas rigs in this area, particularly at D/FW airport and northwest into Tarrant and Denton county. Traditionally, the Dallas-Fort Worth area isn't an energy producing region. However, high natural gas market prices, together with advances in drilling technology, have touched off a natural gas boom. North Texas lies over a prehistoric mineral formation known as the Barnett Shale.

The Barnett Shale is a 330 million year old geological formation of sedimentary rock that contains natural gas. Experts suggest that it may be the largest onshore natural gas field in North America. The Barnett Shale has already produced 3.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas with expectations to produce an additional 30 trillion cubic feet. The formation is estimated to stretch across 17-20 counties in north central Texas, covering approximately 5,000 square miles. The major portion of the development, also known as the "sweet spot of the shale" is located in Tarrant County (Fort Worth), about a mile underground.

Natural gas drilling in north central Texas became economically feasible for development in the early 2000s, when advanced drilling and completion techniques were developed. Horizontal drilling enables production companies to tap into natural gas reserves in the Barnett Shale. While much of the rest of the country appears to be in recession, this region continues to add exploration, drilling and production-related jobs. Not to mention the many millions in royalties already being received by property owners. As horizontal drilling has become reality, even suburban homeowners have received royalty offers from drilling companies. There is a great deal of buzz in the Tarrant - Denton county area about which homeowner associations have received the best signing bonuses and rates for gas to be extracted from deep beneath the manicured suburban streets!

The Weekend

This past weekend was a fun one, and an exhausting one! On Friday night, I left work right at 5pm and headed home. After an invigorating workout at the clubhouse here at the Grand Venetian, I took a disco nap and then headed out to the Eagle, this time wearing leather. It was a very social night and I met some new people to talk with. As an aside, I'm getting a little tired of living here at the Grand Venetian. While I'm glad to be living in a company-paid furnished apartment, I'm not crazy about the complex itself. Luckily I will be out by the end of July when I move to my new house.

On Saturday, my friend Tony and I continued our tour of the area's Army-Navy stores and visited the Army-Navy Warehouse along Stemmons Freeway. My friend and I agreed that this store wins the prize of the best we've found so far. It even featured evangelical music and creepy signs written in childlike handwriting. Unfortunately, I didn't think to take a photo. Anyway, the store was actually clean, cool, and mildew-free, unlike certain others. Recommended! By Saturday night, I was ready to go out again and headed out to the Eagle. I met up with some acquaintances there and even made a new puppy friend.

Once I was up and running Sunday I drove up to McKinney to meet a friend for lunch. We ended up hanging out together and going to eat at Pei Wei Asian Diner (at right.) I had their version of General Tso's chicken, which was too heavy on the vinegar. Prices were similar to PF Chang's and for the same money, I'd go to PF Chang's instead.

Monday was the birthday of my best buddy in Charlotte. Unfortunately he and I weren't communicating very well on Sunday night, and the vibe sort of was spoiled. There are some times and some subjects for humor that don't work very well, ever. Nonetheless, I hope he had a good day.

The weather has been hot here in the DFW area, with daily high temps over 90 for the past three weeks or so. From now on, it's unlikely that the high temperature will be below 90 until well into September, with high 90s and low 100s very likely throughout August. Here we go! I've heard that New Jersey has been experiencing almost apocalyptic problems with the heat. People here find that laughable, and really so do I. As a kid growing up in New York's Hudson Valley, I don't recall the world grinding to a halt because of a 95 degree day, but maybe it did.

Gwen Stefani - 4 In The Morning

Happy Birthday NJTOCLT

Happy Birthday to my friend NJtoCLT!

Memorial Day 2008

By Thursday, I couldn't ignore the fact that my car's air conditioner wasn't blowing cold air anymore. As anyone who has lived in (or visited) Texas knows, an A/C failure is a RED ALERT EMERGENCY! I really hate making appointments for car service, so I visited Ford QuickLane for a checkup. Only 5 hours and $900 later, I was on my way with air conditioning restored and a new condenser under the hood. Problem solved!

Friday night I had the best of intentions of going out to Pupout at the Eagle, but ended up staying home because I was too tired. By Saturday night I was ready to go out. I went solo to the Eagle and ended up talking with some friendly people and staying late. I think I left around 2:15 and headed home. On Sunday I enjoyed sleeping in late, and then headed out to the Hidden Door with a friend for their fabulous happy hour on the patio. There was a good crowd and everyone was very social, although the 95 degree heat and humidity were downers. By Sunday night I was showered, napped, and ready to go again so I ended up at the Eagle again for about an hour, but left in disappointment. Long story...some guys just can't hold their beer. On Monday a friend invited me to his house for a cookout with some neighbors...ribeye steaks, corn on the cob, delicious mashed potatoes, and good conversation. All in all it was a good weekend with many highs and lows.....

Chic

Remember when American pop bands were sophisticated, used orchestration, and could carry a tune?

The Glums

Could Posh and Becks possibly look any more MISERABLE than they already do? David Beckham appears more like Skeletor in this photo. Saddest of all, their children appear to be just as miserable. Apparently money, fame, and glamour don't lead to happiness for some. Cheer up, Victoria and David!

You're Frozen...when your heart's not open...

Culture

This weekend I decided to go see a big exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art: The paintings of J.M.W. Turner. Because of a special event at the museum, tickets were half price! Turner was one of the most widely known landscape painters of the 19th century and is renowned for his mastery of contrast, both in his subject matter and in his depictions of light and color. As a "newer" museum, the DMA's permanent collection is, shall we say, still developing. However, it does manage to attract significant traveling exhibits such as this one. If you enjoy pre-impressionist landscapes, seek out this exhibition of over 150 Turner works from collections throughout the world!

Braniff Airways THE FUTURE OF AIRLINE FLIGHT

What happened to "the future"?

Vintage Dallas

Let's have a Bloody Mary with Sue Ellen Ewing and enjoy this blast from the past! And yes, the skyline is much bigger now.

Settling In

Since I returned from my first big business trip last Thursday night, I've been house hunting and enjoying settling in to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, my new home! This picture is of my temporary apartment from the outside. It's corporate housing, fully furnished, where I am staying until I buy a house. House hunting has been a fun process although a little nerve wracking at times. You find a house that is fabulous, and then it turns out to be next to a sewage treatment plant (I'm not making this up) or you can't agree on a price. Anyway, my real estate agent, Mary Cornelius, is a fabulous lady, a true professional, and she is working hard for me. We have a great time when we ride together and she understands my taste. Mostly I'm looking in Grapevine, a very nice town located midway between Dallas and Fort Worth. Since my job is in far north Fort Worth, and the gayborhood is near downtown Dallas, this is a location that should work just fine. However, we've decided that I need to have a private backyard, with a pool, for all those hot Texas days (and nights...)

Whirlwind

The past week has been a total whirlwind! I packed up the essentials from home in New Jersey, loaded them in the car, and prepared for the 1,600 mile drive to Dallas. During the week leading up to my departure, I got to see several friends and celebrated with them. The hardest thing about this move is definitely shifting local friendships to "long distance" friendships. There has been some heartbreak and I'm really sorry for any pain that I've caused as I've made the choice to move. I look forward to having lots of visitors come to enjoy the Texas sunshine very soon! Plus I'll be back in NJ every so often, too. One disturbing thing was the total meltdown of one friendship before I left. It's unfortunate that as some gay men age, an ugly side emerges. Times like these really bring into focus who our true friends are, and are not.

So on to the drive. I left NJ on Wednesday the 16th and drove straight through to Hickory, NC Along the way, I found the scenery especially beautiful in western Virginia, where spring was in full bloom and cattle grazed in verdant green fields. After a slightly terrifying drive down I-77 in North Carolina (so steep and curvy, it featured THREE runaway truck ramps, but also fabulous vistas), I arrived in Hickory for the night. I met up with my best buddy from Charlotte. Needless to say we were happy to see one another! We enjoyed a meal at Carabba's and were served by a highly caffeinated waitress. After breakfast at Cracker Barrel the next day, I headed west on I-40 through the Appalachians into Tennessee. TN is 450 miles across. Let's just say it was a long day, and not a very interesting one. By nightfall I crossed into Arkansas. I was shocked to see the extent of the flooding in the areas west of the Mississippi river. Perhaps this is why there is so little development of any type between Memphis and Little Rock. Whenever I am in Arkansas, I am always struck by how underdeveloped the state is. At about 10pm I reached my destination for the night, the Residence Inn in Little Rock.

The next morning I was on the road by 9am, driving out of the rain as I approached Texarkana and crossed into Texas on I-30. As I continued heading southwest, the clouds parted and my drive through the piney woods of Texas was filled with clear blue skies, sunshine, and lush green fields nourished by recent rains. After a nightmarish traffic delay on LBJ freeway in North Dallas, I rolled into my temporary apartment around 3pm and began unloading! About an hour later, my cat was delivered by the pet mover service, and we began settling in! I'll post more soon, including some photos.

Ads I Hate

Wouldn't you want to allow these serious legal professionals to handle your most important legal matters?

A New Beginning

At long last I've accepted a new position and will be relocating to the Dallas - Fort Worth area in mid-April. My new company made me a great offer including a generous relocation, and when I looked at the opportunity personally, professionally, and financially - it became a no-brainer. I'm very excited about the move and the new job, but am also fighting some anxiety about it, too. The good news is I've lived in Dallas before and really enjoyed it. I don't know anyone there anymore so hopefully will start meeting people once I get there. The next couple of weeks will be a whirlwind of preparing to move into my temporary apartment, house-hunting, and starting my new job!

Carolina In My Mind

I just got back from spending the last four days in North and South Carolina. It was a great visit! I spent the weekend with my sister in Raleigh, including attending a dog show at the landmark Dorton Arena, built in 1951 with an innovative (and successful) hurricane-resistant roof design. On Saturday night we attended traditional Easter services. On Sunday I rode Amtrak over to Charlotte, approximately a 3 hour ride. The train was packed with college students apparently returning from Spring break. Upon arrival in Charlotte my buddy whisked me off to the over-the-top SouthPark Cheesecake Factory (see picture above) for a belated birthday dinner. After dropping my bags at the hotel, we went out for post-dinner celebration at the Charlotte Eagle. I went as a guest, since North Carolina liquor laws require an annual membership (after a 3-day waiting period) for most bars unless you're a guest. The next day we traveled to Spartanburg, SC to visit the BMW Zentrum museum, which is adjacent to the factory there. Spartanburg is the home of the BMW X5, X3, and Z4 roadster. Unfortunately, plant tours aren't available as the facility is currently under a major expansion. The Zentrum is smaller than I expected but was still a lesson in the history of the "ultimate driving machine." Monday night was a big treat. We stayed at the Marriott in Spartanburg, SC, which is the home of the prestigious Miss South Carolina Pageant. Once we checked in, imagine my surprise when I learned that we had the Governor's Suite for the night! It's nice to travel with a friend in the hotel business! On our return to Charlotte today, we stopped to make a solemn visit to the Cowpens National Battlefield. In 1781, American Militia, Continentals, and Cavalry under Gen. Daniel Morgan routed the British troops led by the hated "Bloody Tarleton" in less than an hour, while taking relatively few casualties themselves. This victory was the result of impressive battle tactics and quick thinking by Morgan, as well as a fair amount of luck. I hope some of that luck rubs off on me soon!

The Weekend

I'm so excited about this weekend. I'm heading down to North Carolina to visit my sister (who lives near Raleigh) and my best buddy (who lives in Charlotte). Not all of you may know this but I lived in Raleigh for three summers back in the early-mid 1990s. My sister has lived there for more than 15 years, so I enjoy getting back whenever I can. It's amazing how much the area has grown, but still retains a small-city feeling. The view here is a rendering of the new skyline once the RBC Centura Plaza (center) is complete. At 30 stories plus a spire, it will be the tallest building in Raleigh. The only time I've ever spent any time at all in Charlotte was for a Grateful Dead show many years ago! So I'm looking forward to exploring a little bit with my buddy. On Sunday, I'll take Amtrak's Carolinian from Raleigh to Charlotte. I've been promised a belated birthday dinner at The Cheesecake Factory! On Monday, we're heading to the BMW Zentrum museum in Spartanburg, SC. I can't wait! (Raleigh Skyline image credit: RaleighSkyline.com)

Birthday Surprise!

Yesterday some friends treated me to a very fun birthday surprise - stage seats to see "Xanadu" on Broadway, and then a fabulous dinner, followed by drinks at the Duplex and the Dugout. Thanks to Dino, Keith, Ken and Matt for making it so fun! Oh yes - and Cheyenne Jackson made it that much more memorable!

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport - Texas

From this video, you get a sense of just how huge this aiport really is. Is everything really bigger in Texas? When I lived here before, I didn't really test that theory..

Dallas / Fort Worth

I'm sitting in D/FW airport waiting for my return flight to Jersey. The interviews went well! I think they might extend me an offer next week - but I've learned not to over anticipate these things. Today is sunny with a forecast high of 90 in Fort Worth!!

Here are some cool links to Dallas area gay nightlife...I can tell you from personal experience that the Big D can be Fabulous.

The Dallas Eagle

Dallas Gay Bars The Oak Lawn area of Dallas is gay central. Many of the gay bars are owned by the same people - this site links to all of them!

Gaza Celebration of Terrorist Attack on Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva

I don't think this requires any comment. But one question: Why aren't the mainstream media showing these clips? Could it be contrary to the agenda of ramming anti-Israel news down our throats?

Ads I Hate Department

Taste your sweet kisses, your arms open wide.....

Don't we all feel this way sometimes? For me it was Sunday night....

Career Update

This week has been full of activity in my job search! The last 3 days have been a whirlwind of activity...phone calls, dinner interviews, breakfast interviews, preparation, and follow up. The good news is that I have 3 very strong leads right now. For two of these leads, I would have to relocate. One job is in Texas, and the other is in New York State. The third is right here in the Garden State. But more and more, I am thinking that I'm done with Jersey. I'm single and unemployed, and the nearest bar is 30 minutes away. Ever seen the gay bars in Dallas / Ft. Worth area? Yeah. They ROCK compared to here. Lots to think about!

Inspiration

For everyone who's ever been told (or felt):
You can't do it
You're too different

Watch and believe!

Sexy Events

Mark your calendars for two fun events March 7-8...

Leather Night -- First Fridays @ Cruisin' in Asbury Pk NJ
Friday March 7, 2008, 10:00 pm - 2:00 am
(This event repeats every month on the first Friday.)
Location: Cruisin' @ 911 Kingsley St, Asbury Park, NJ 07712
Street: 911 Kingsley St,
City State Zip: Asbury Park, NJ 07712
Phone: (732) 776-7002

Notes:
Join us the first Friday of each month for Leather Night @ Cruisin' in Asbury Park, NJ.
Wear your leathers and have a drink on the house.
There's a great crowd of leatherfolk and our admirers and the crowd is growing every month.

Leather Nights are produced by Dragonslair Productions and hosted by spanky, Mr. New Jersey Leather 2008. For info on Cruisin’ check out: www.cruisinthecircuit.com

Kinky Karnival at the Bikestop
Saturday, March 8th @1opm-1am. Charity event including demonstrations for beginners and experienced pigs alike....
The Kinky Karnival is Philadelphia's participation in the CLAW Nation
multiple city tour, and all proceeds from at the event will benefit
Philadelphia's Attic Youth Center, the city's only organization
specifically dedicated to meeting the needs of sexual minority
youth.

7 Months Later

Sometimes I hear a song on the radio that just hits a nerve. As I was out tonight I turned on Sirius and heard "Only Time Will Tell" by Asia....this song meant nothing to me back in the 80s, but now I know exactly what it's about.

You're leaving now
It's in your eyes
there's no disguising it
It really comes as no surprise
to find that you planned it all along

Only time will tell
I see it now
Becomes so clear
Only time will tell - your insincerity
and me all starry eyed
You'd think that I would have known by now

Now, sure as the sun will cross the sky
this lie is over
Lost, like the tears that used to tide
me over

Only time will tell
You're on your own
inside your room
Only time will tell -
You're claiming victory
You were just using me
and there is no one you can use now
Only time wll tell - one
thing is sure . . .

Sunday in NYC

On Sunday a group of friends and I went in to NYC for lunch and some exploring around the Christopher Street area. I was excited to finally visit the NYC Leather Man shop for the first time. I've always wanted to check it out but for a novice it always seemed a little intimidating until now. If you have even a passing interest in Leather or almost any fetish, it's worth checking out the Leather Man. The staff are beyond helpful, professional, knowledgeable..and they make your visit a relaxed and interesting experience. Jake helped me out and answered all of my questions in a way I could understand. I'll be returning, because unfortunately I missed the downstairs section, not realizing all of the wonders it holds. As some of you know I am exploring some new interests and this is one of them. Sunday was another step on the journey.

Asbury will be HOT this weekend!

From Chuck Nankivell, Mr. NJ Leather 2007:
Calling all Bears and Blue Collar Hunks - Asbury Park is the place to be this weekend: Fri Feb 22, Sat Feb 23...

Friday night, Feb 22nd:
Join LeatherBear, Spanky, Mr. NJ Leather 2008 & Dragonslair Productions for a Meet & Greet @ Paradise

Saturday night, Feb 23rd:
Cruisin' hosts Blue Collar! Men in work boots, dirty boys in tight jeans and baseball caps, firemen and the UPS guy. WOOF!
Cruisin'/TheCircuit

There'll be no shortage of hot, hunky men in Asbury Park this weekend! WOOF!

Set Them Free

I spent a lot of time this weekend with my buddy. He's moving out of state next week, so I was happy that we got a chance to see one another. On one hand I'm so sincerely happy for him - on the other hand, I'll really miss seeing him on a regular basis. The mixed emotions are really confusing. It's not often that you meet someone as special as he is. I'm going to focus on sending as much positive energy out to him as I can while he works through his move, and just be the best friend I can over the phone, online and with occasional visits. I'll really miss those hugs and the closeness that he and I shared. I guess Sting was right. If you love someone, set them free.

Ads I Hate Department

This may be the most annoying ad ever created. It's for Cablevision's broadband service. Since I am not working right now, I am home most days and the TV is background noise. This ad comes on twice an hour on almost every channel! It makes me want to throw a brick through the TV....I can't hit the mute button fast enough!

The Gay Judge Show

http://www.judgedavidyoung.com/



OK it seems that no one else knows this show is on, but there is a gay TV judge show! So if you were a little non-plussed by "Judge Judy" then it's time to give 2 snaps up for Judge David Young and his righteous bailiff, Tawya! Here in the NY metro area he comes on weekdays at 11am on channel 9.

The First BHS "What the hell was she thinking" award!

On yesterday's "Today" show, Jane Fonda threw out the "C" word while being interviewed by Meredith Vieira. So I thought Jane was finally recovering from the whole Hanoi Jane thing... and now she goes and uses that word on national television. On the other hand, doesn't she look great? Click the title for the tmz video. (Disclaimer: funny video, but prepare to hear the C-bomb)