Something for the Weekend

Let's recap, shall we?

Friday night, I went to have dinner with Nomi and Ivan at Bread Winners. It was a decent meal but the restaurant was totally DEAD on a friday night. This totally confirms what I was telling Nomi that its a breakfast place. It's like going to IHOP for dinner... it can be done but its not adviseable. There were TONS of people at a bar & grill two restaurants down from us. I think it was Primo's... or possibly Republic. Anyway, we still had a good time and talked about nothing in particular. Next turn it will be Ivan's choice of resturant so I expect good things. I came back home afterwards and worked on 2 CDs for the next night's activities which I will explain forthwith.

Saturday, Nomi and I woke up early to workout. We DDR'd because its just easier. We can do it in the apartment, plus its just more fun than anything else. I think we're both getting a lot better at it. Next time I go out dancing, I can practice my moves. They play practically the same songs on the game as they do in da club. Nomi and I went to see "Super Size Me!" at noon at the Magnolia. It was a decent movie... very interesting and it made me think twice about fast food. It was, of course, very extreme in Michael Moore kind of way but not half as annoying. I'm not saying it changed my life, but on Sunday I was hungry and wanted to get something from Wendy's but thought twice about it and settled on just going to the grocery store and getting something else instead. Later that night I went on a "date" or "outing" or what have you. I don't know what to call it because it conjures expectations and just makes me feel stupid. Met up with Matt at GameWorks at Grapevine Mills Mall. I was supposed to give him a run for his money by thoroughly kicking his arse in Marvel vs Capcom 2. Well, I havent played the game in years and he obviously has. He totally beat up on me and I was lucky to take down one of his characters occassionally. Most of the time, I just watched him play. It was VERY surreal because normally I have people watch me play. Time moves MUCH slower when you're just watching and not playing. I still had a good time but I felt like one of those skatergirls who just sits on the curb and watches their boyfriend skate instead of just skating themselves. I guess i'm would be a "betty". Anyway, yeah... we didnt even play DDR! I would have if he would have done it too but I wasnt about to sweat on a first "outing". I think he's too cool to try it plus he just looks like he lacks rhythm so I didnt push the issue. After he beat everyone there was to beat a couple of times, we went to grab something to eat. We went in his car and I let him choose where he wanted to go. He wanted to go to IHOP (oi vey) so off we went. He thought he knew where one was but we drove around lost for about 15 minutes and accidentally went into DFW airport. It was amusing and kind of fun. Eventually we gave up on IHOP and found Denny's which he had never been to (shock!). Totally dead Denny's and our waitperson was a large black man with a womanly voice. I thought it WAS a woman when he/she came up to our table and asked what we wanted because i hadnt looked up and when I did, I totally did a doubletake. So he ordered "Moons Over My Hammy" and was embarrassed to call them that and said "Moons over..." and waited for the waiter to finish the order. I think he wanted something egg-y and you know I wont do egg except maybe in an omlette and only if it has lots of cheese. I had the chicken strips because it looked the most benign thing on the menu. So we talked while we waited for the meal. I felt like we were in Reality Bites. I felt very 20something and in college. His humor is VERY dry, more so than mine which was odd for me. He also mumbles which I find endearing because I have a tendency to mumble too. He listens to the same kind of music as I do but not the same bands. We talked briefly about religion which I tend to steer clear of on first conversations. It can be such a touchy subject. He's totally atheist and I'm non-practicing catholic. My view on God is weird. I don't want to totally deny Him but I also believe in science and the secular. I think the fear of hell was drilled into me as a child and I want to cover all my bets... which is why i still capitalize the "g" in God and the "h" in Him. I did tell him about my mormon chic that I tried to cultivate about a year ago. He found that amusing. He's totally anti-fashion and brands which can be a potential problem with me. Okay, so almost everyone I know is not into fashion but they arent ANTI it. Uh uh, you can tell me you dont care about brands but don't dis Karl Lagerfeld to my face! He thought my Paul Smith wallet was a pride/rainbow wallet and I was aghast. I quickly explained about Paul Smith and his stripes and even threw in stuff about Paul Frank. Anyway, I still had a good time and I think he did too although he probably thinks I'm totally dorky but he's a comic book/card dork so he hasnt have too much room to talk. We drove back to my car and I gave him the CDs I had made him for which he was really appreciative. It was a good night, I guess. I gave him a handshake which is what I always do because I'm dorky and not forward. We emailed the next day and he said he had a good time and blah blah. We'll if we end up setting something up again.

Banned From the End of the World

Jem is so insightful...

So not too much has been going on with me since I last posted. I'm going out to eat at Bread Winners with some friends. I've never been but Nomi has her heart set on it for some reason. I've always considered it more of a breakfast place that just happens to serve lunch and dinner but oh well.

I think we're going to go see "Super Size Me!" tomorrow during the day. I've been wanting to see it but I don't think it will be exciting as I think. I think I just enjoy the notion of someone "living the dream". I can't imagine eating McDonalds every day but alas, I dont see that ever happening. The experiment is inherently flawed because the average person does not eat fast food exclusively and, yes, its fattening and high calorie but I'm doubtful that McDonalds markets it an eating regime. The documentor's time would have been better spent showing how Americans can lose the weight rather than how they put it on. That wouldn't have made for as interesting movie, I guess. They could Brad Pitt in it and it might have had a big opening weekend.

WWJD? What Would Jem Do?

ok--well, from your posts, youre obviously gay. my question concerns homosexuality, sorta.

ive lived in the city for 2 yrs now. but really dont know a single gay i could call a great friend. i know very few gay people and im slowly developing some friendships. maybe its just a matter of time, not being here that long. but im starting to think gay people dont like me. and maybe a possibility that i dont like gay people. altho im gay. i want
gay friends, but sometimes feel i dont have a lot in common with other gays. altho i consider myself a pretty average gay man.

whats your take on this? and do you think the beastie boys new cd will be worth ch-ch-checking out? and finally, lollapalooza or curioso?

thanks,
sleepless in gayville



-- Firstly, I'd like to thank all those who have written in with their words of encouragement and with their problems. Although I cannot print all the submissions I receive, I will endeavor to answer all the questions privately if I cannot get to them on here.

SIG, we all long for the feeling to connect especially to those we feel we have something in common with, gay or straight. When we don't do so immediately, we automatically think there must be something wrong with us. Before I met the rest of the Holograms, I was just that "weird girl with pink fluffy hair". Luckily, I met the girls thru Starlight House (the orphanage I help run) and our penchant for big coloured hair and outrageous fashion brought us together.

But I digress, your dislike of other gay people might be symptomatic of some self-loathing in yourself. Don't change your personality, but rather examine those differences you feel would generate dislike by others. If you want to make gay friends, don't look at the differences and try not to judge so harshly. It sounds like you might already be on the road to making new friends and that is something that does take time... at least if you are looking for a longtime friend. Be patient and treasure the friends you have now. Be open to others as you would have them be open to what you can bring to the table as well. I hope this helps.

Lastly, I wasn't even aware that the Beastie Boys were coming out with a new CD. "Hello Nasty" was mediocre at best and I cannot honestly say I enjoy their "matured" sound. Give me "Paul's Boutique" anyday. As for Curioso or Lollapolooza, I would have to say Lolla just because of Morrissey. How often does he tour?! Almost never, and less so in Texas. The Holograms and I were asked to play at Curioso but we felt the crowd wouldn't be into our naturally cheery sound. I'll most likely be going to both shows even though I'm dreading being out in the summer sun. See you there!

Fashion, Glitter, and Fame
Jem

Very melodramatic, very long, and very Greek

So its been awhile since I've had a chance to update this blog. But let me run down some things that have gone on since then...

Friday night, I saw Troy. What a piece of crap movie. Okay, Eric Bana was decent as Hector but every other character was WAY overacted. Also, the movie just seem like a vehicle to show off Brad Pitt's body. Don't get me wrong, Mr. Pitt does have a nice body but it can't carry a 2 1/2 hour movie... well, at least not the parts they chose to show. Orlando Bloom was truly annoying was Paris and I just wanted him to grow his hair out and recreate Legolas again. Don't go see this movie, that is my advice for the masses this week! Go see "Supersize me!" instead.

Saturday, was a day of beauty. Nomi and I went to get our eyebrows waxed (the curse of the hispanic gene) and then off to get manicured and pedicured. The woman doing my manicure cut my cuticle too close and made me bleed. It hurt but I think her trying to cover her ass hurt me more. They made such a production when all I really needed was a band-aid. I don't know if she was more scared that I would sue or if I wouldn't give a tip. We went shopping afterwards because I wanted to pick up something to wear later that night. Nomi convinced me to get this cute belt at Club Monaco. So I had this cute belt that went with nothing I owned, so now we're going store to store trying to plan an outfit around the belt. Oi vey. In the belt's defense, it was REALLY cute and so worth the effort. We also took Enid to get groomed too! She was also in dire need of it. When we picked her up they told us she behaved much better and did we practice with her because it was really making a difference. I told them yes, we practiced with her which was a TOTAL lie. In a perfect world, I would have time to brush Enid on top of a washing machine to get her used to the vibrations but this is not that world. Enid is who she is, spoiled and proud, proud, proud. Besides which, the reason I take her to a groomer is so they will do the dirty work... I would do it myself if it was easy.

Later that night, Trent, I, AND the belt went over to Ben's house for casual drinks with friends and then out to the neighborhood. It was fun and there was no apparent "drama". I hung out with Trent, Scotty, and Jeremy for most of the evening because Ben was trying to put the moves on Jeff, who he said he had no interest in. Trent spent the night at my place again because he lives all the way in Euless. Now, I dont mind that he spends the night but he totally hogs my covers and sprawls himself out over the entire bed and I find myself pinned up against the wall because I'm such a gracious host. Oh well...

p.s. everyone noticed the belt, AW YEAH.

This is what we call a lunchtime poll...

So I got an email from my friend Heather today and I was excited to know she is still alive and hasnt fully trashed my email address. Mind you, she sent me one of those little survey games that you are supposed to answer and send it to other friends... but I actually enjoy filling those out so I didn't mind.

I'm wearing this blue button-down shirt to work and the collar has totally flared out and looks like a peter pan collar now. Its annoying me to no end.

Was anyone shocked at the finale of Survivor? I certainly wasn't. I expected either Rob or Amber to win but was pulling for Amber more. Not sure why no one voted those two off sooner because their supposed "power" was illusionary and people could have scrambled and gotten the numbers at certain points. People obviously knew they had to watch out for Rob because they talked about it often enough but no one ever did anything. Then again, I might not have voted Rob either because I liked hearing his Bostonian accent. At the reunion special, they said they were giving another million away to another Survivor... whoever America chose. Well, I voted for Shi Ann just because I've always liked her and she's smart. I don't know why people don't like her. The asian is getting a bad rap. I hated seeing Lex get on his moral high horse. Uh, you did the same exact thing to Jerri! Shi Ann called him on that later. Alicia kept ROLLING HER EYES. I don't think anyone could have said anything and she wouldn't have rolled her eyes. Bunnies are cute, Alicia!! I dare you to roll your eyes!

What a little difference a day makes

Let's recap the weekend...

Friday night, I went to see Mean Girls with Nomi. A really cute and clever movie that I would definately go see again. Not as clever or witty as Clueless but definaltey a must-see. The annoying part was having to sit thru previews of other movies targeted at the Olsen Twins/Lizzy Macguire demographic. Yes, we were surrounded by mainly pre-adolescent girls who used the word "like" far too often but it was worth it.

Saturday, I went shopping at Northpark for something to wear to a graduation party I had to go to that evening. My original intent was just to buy a shirt to wear with some jeans. Well, I made my usual round to my favorite stores to see what I liked best and I was going to pick what I thought the cutest of everything I found. I found this cute blue stripey shirt at Club Monaco that I had to have but that I really didnt have anything to layer it with. It's all about the layers for me. I hate just wearing a shirt with nothing else underneath because often times it just looks sloppy... well, for me at least. Its fine for going to the grocery store or to make a quick stop somewhere but for the most part, you won't see me with at least two shirts on. So anyway, I needed something to wear either over or under this stripey button-down. So I headed over to Lacoste and ended up buying a powder blue polo shirt. Very cute, IMHO. Now, I decided I need a darker denim to go with what I intended to wear. I knew I had already spent more than I had wanted but I figure I can't leave the mall without some dark denim jeans. The outfit just wouldn't work without them. So I compromised and went to the Gap. The Gap actually has decent durable denim at reasonable prices (yes, normally the word "reasonable" is not in my vocab). So I found a pair I liked, although they were one of the more expensive ones, and left the mall filled with buyer's remorse. I went home and took a nap. Of course, later when I was getting ready... i didnt like the way the jeans fit and ended up wearing my 7's which I forgot were a darker denim and infinately much cooler than Gap.

Ben came and picked up in his new car. It's some kind of Accura which I kept telling him not to get. Just because when I think of Accura, I think of street racing asian boys. Well, Ben is half-asian so I didnt want him to live the stereotype... although I did tell him he would have to paint asian characters on the side. It turned out to be a very nice car and not as racey as I thought. On the way to FW though, we pulled up to Ford Focus with a hispanic guy in it who i think wanted to RACE. Like, he was darting in and out lanes trying to pass everyone and Ben is just an overly aggressive driver so I think the guy took offense that Ben wouldn't just let him pretend he was driving something other than a Focus. So the guy pulled up next to us, on my side, and looked in our car and sneered. So he took off and Ben kind of followed suit. So yes, we actually were in a street race sort of except we werent racing for pinkies. It was funny because this was happening on the highway.

So the graduation party was in Fort Worth (yes, people still live there). These areBen's friends and I always feel like the outsider at their parties and mixers. I really have no conversation to make with these people. The party was for James, a friend of Ben's from high school, because he had just gotten his MPA. His boyfriend, Mike, was throwing the party. So they own the cutest vintage house in the nicest neighborhood. The kind of neighborhood where the older residents have to die off before you can get a house in the area. They've decorated and remodeled the whole house because they're those handy kind of gays. I'm more the kind of gay who makes lemonade for the handy gays. I can hammer a nail, if need be, but I honestly can't tell you where that nail fits in the grand scheme of things. The party was in the backyard where they have tiki torches lit, very Survivor you know. The had a stereo system pumping music to the outside which was nice except it was pumping bad music for the most part. They did play quite a few songs of Air (apparently Jim is also a fan) and Rufus Wainwright but for the most part, crap. They played the obligatory Erasure, New Order, and Pet Shop Boys. It's like the holy trilogy of gay music. They just needed to throw in some Madonna and they would have been all set to host the circuit party. Anyway, yes... they have they perfect life to go with their perfect house and their perfect friends. They even have the perfect dogs! They have huge Great Danes, which I've always wanted, that probably have learned to use the toilet and to flush because they're so perfect. I envy how simple their lives are and how content they seem. I sometimes wish I could have it so together and not be neurotic and judgemental.

After the party, Ben and I went back to Dallas and hit the gayborhood. It was actually kind of dead for a Saturday but we stuck around and had a few drinks which made us not notice that it was so dead. Ben, of course, gets over the top drunk and wants to find himself a man for the night. After Ben tries to get some lesbians to make a love connection, we head over to the Village to dance. Most of my tipsiness is gone by now and I'm not really up for dancing but I go anyway. We get on the dance floor and Ben tries to get in trains with strangers and tries to touch guy's chest and arses. Its embarrassing, but I guess if you are going sleeveless or barechested at night... then expect to get groped by other drunken men. I tried to stay away from the sweaty barechested ones because I was wearing my cute shirts and its bad enough having your own sweat on them much less anyone else's. Eventually, I got too bored and tired to do the robot in mockery of everyone doing their grinding thing. So I got my stuff out of Ben's car and walked home. Not a long walk but still, one less walk outdoors that I really don't want to take. The alternative to having someone else's sweat on my shirt was having my own I guess.

I'll write more later.

How to beat the high cost of living...

On my drive in to work this morning, I noticed that gas is now over $2/gallon! Thats totally insane. Of course, we pay about a buck fifty for 8oz of "pure" water and don't flinch at that price.

I might go see Mean Girls tonight with Nomi. I've been wanting to see it in the hopes it might be another Clueless for me. Another movie that is so trite and superficial on the outside but rather meaningful on the inside. Van Helsing comes out this weekend too. I want to see it even though I KNOW its going to be bad... and not because of Hugh Jackman whom most of my friends seem to lust over. Kate Beckinsale has the worst accent in the trailers. Wasn't she in Underworld too or was that Naomi Watts? I get those two confused. Kate will never do better than Cold Comfort Farm so I guess she might as well do movies like Van Helsing.

So I've decided to introduce a new segment into my journal called "WWJD?: What Would Jem Do". Obviously inspired by my new Jem & the Holograms mania. Basically, I'm going to take questions from my readers (at this time probably numbering all of 4) and giving safe advice (in theory) as I think Jem would bestow upon the group of orphans she cares and feeds at the Starlight House. Feel free to email me at velocityboy13@hotmail.com with your questions. Right now this will be a weekly segment... mainly because I don't think I'll have too many questions.

Me and my friends are Jem girls...

Okay, so my complete first and second seasons of Jem & The Holograms DVD came in yesterday and I was totally stoked. Its been AGES since I've seen the cartoon show but parts of it have never left my memory. I remember watching this show before I would go to school in jr. high and high school. I had my little morning routine before school. I would wake up and eat my cereal while watching Jem and the Holograms. By the time Jem was over, I was already starting to doze back to sleep but I would half-watch the Bozo show. When they got to the Grand Prize Game on Bozo, I would go get ready for school and then off to school I went. My grandmother would watch all my cartoon shows with me in the morning. What I really wish I could get my hands on was another cartoon that sometimes replaced Jem. It was called M.A.S.K. Definately more boyish.

Last night, Nomi & I had a bakefest and make cupcakes and cookies to send to our moms for Mother's Day. My original intention was just to send her a cookie bouquet or cheesecake but after talking with a matronly coworker, she convinced me that baking something myself would mean more to a mother. So I asked Nomi what she thought and she got excited and wanted to do it to. So right after work we went to Target to look for cookie tins to put all the wonder baked goods we were going to make. Well, either someone else had our idea or there are just no tins to be found in this city. We went to Target, Big Lots, Eckerd's and finally Kroger but not a tin in sight. So we decided to just buy two big Rubbermaid storage things and decorate them. We made white cupcakes with chocolate frosting, chocolate chip cookies, and decorated sugar cookies. I'm sure are mothers will enjoy them even if our cookies aren't perfect circles and don't taste GOURMET.

Here I sit at work procrastinating on getting started. I figure I can get another good 15 minute delay from writing a post.

So I was thinking on my way in this morning that I hate working. I mean really LOATHE it. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that I have a job but I dont like the working aspect of it. Does that make me less ambitious? Morrissey hates work too but I don't think it made him any less ambitious.

Speaking of the moz, Nomi pre-ordered all his new releases this month. There does not speak a true fan. Part of true manic fandom is going to the music store the day the album gets "dropped" and securing your own little slice of audio heaven. You don't wait for your pre-order to be shipped days after the official release. I'm afraid the only way Nomi can reclaim her true fandom is by stalking Morrissey... or maybe putting together a glue stick collage of him complete with glitter and markalots.

Test post.