Just Sayin

In case you were wondering

Amazing - George Michael Concert Pictorial

So as I said in my last posting, my friend Chris was kind enough to invite me to join him and his sister and a few others they knew into the luxury box last night. We met up at Grand Canal with a few other friends and then headed over.

This is Chris's sister, Chris and a couple they knew who were very nice. One of the things I love the most about Chris is his fun-loving personality. So many guys I know change personalities depending on who they are around and Chris isn't like that at all. He's always the fun-loving guy up for a good time and doesn't give a rats ass whether anyone else might be judgmental. His fun-loving personality reminds me so much of the guys I went to college with in my fraternity and were an absolute blast to hang out with. Every time I'm with Chris we end up laughing our asses off and usually have WAY too much to drink. But it's always a blast. Thanks Again for the ticket Chris - I owe you one.
 

I guess there were some weather issues that delayed the flight getting in so he didn't start until 9:30 (instead of 8). Here are some pictures of the garden before the show started. This is from the bar that we could find that didn't just serve warm beer.

This is the view from the box we were in. We had a great view. As you can see from this picture, the stage was actually curved. What we didn't realize until the show started was that it was actually a giant digital display where images were played on. So George and the other performers were actually walking on the imagery. It was sweet.

You can kind of see what I'm talking about here. This was his entrance.

Thes rest of the pictures I took were just crazy shots of the different visual effects they played. Sometimes it looked like fireworks. Other times it was images of famous people or stuff that looked like historical reels. Sometimes it was futuristic and had a Tron vibe other times it looked more vintage. It was just so cool. Sometimes the image from the stage would actually cross over onto the screens on the side. Look below you can see how the "comet" looking thing has now crossed from the left screen back onto the stage and is starting to burst apart.

These next two were from when he sang "The first time I ever I saw your face" It's from his 'Songs from the Last Century' album which is a beautiful album. Admittedly I was thinking of Giuseppe the whole time. Yes I'm a total sap.


Check out this next picture. This is what I meant by like the Tron-esque images. Sometimes they would have this sort of digital silhouettes while there was also these sparkling waves on the main stage. Just awesome!

This is better perspective on how the stage looked from the front. This was when I had gone to try and find my brother and sister-in-law who were also there. You can see here how the stage in the center is flanked by the two screens to either side but between them on various tiers were the band.

Ok so this is what I meant in terms of how different things would come up on the stage. So one minute it's exploding fireworks and then look below it's a giant picture of a supermodel or something just scrolling up the digital screen.


I grabbed a few shots of the gang up in the box with us. That's Chris in the middle.

And another picture of him with his sister.

And of course I had to try to get one close up of George when he was singing over on our side

Thanks Chris and Thanks George. I was a little tired this morning but it was soooo worth it.

A Weekend of Unexpected Delights

So this past weekend, I ended up going to Provincetown to see my good friend and house mate Matt. Due to scheduling issues and some other stuff we've both had going on, this was actually the first time we were both in Ptown together which is just bizarre. Giuseppe stayed back in Boston to visit with his brother and sister-in-law.

The first nice and unexpected thing about getting to Ptown was seeing my good friend Peter. He was actually there for a corporate retreat kind of day and had spent time biking with co-workers. Unfortunately on the way to the ferry that morning Peter went flying over the handlebars and came down on his hand - which he has subsequently found out is broken. Sux Pete. So sorry. Here he is though at the Boatslip.


I like the second picture because I was making him laugh to try to take a goofy shot.

I also ran into my good friend Andre who I work with on GLAD (Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders). I had got my dates mixed up and thought that the annual Summer party for GLAD was the previous weekend when I was not in Ptown. But luckily I ran into Dre and so we headed over after I snapped this picture of him as Dorothy in front of the Crown.

My friend Kris was also having a party this weekend because it was his birthday so after I left the GLAD party I swung by to say hello and Happy Birthday. The party was just wrapping up when I got there because everyone was heading over to tea dance for the last hour. But I ran into my good friends Courtney and Miriam there who asked me if I was in town for Courtney's birthday party for Sunday brunch...Admittedly I had messed this up and had completely forgot about it. So now I had Sunday plans. Also at Tea on Saturday we ran into our friend Felix who used to work with us on Holiday Happening when he lived in Boston and I haven't seen for years. We had a few laughs and got caught up.

Saturday night was unexpected because we actually opted not to go out but Matt and Mario (his BF) and I went to Ciro and Sal's. There are places like the Red Inn and Edwige that everyone always tries to get in and raves about. But I LOVE Ciro and Sal's. I think the food is great and the atmosphere is amazing. Maybe' it's because it's Italian food I don't know but I love that place. Anyway we got a nice bottle of chianti and got to spend some quality time catching up.

On Sunday we woke up and stopped in to grab a present for Courtney's birthday and then headed over to her brunch. Miriam and Courtney had finished extending their property into a new gorgeous back deck that I had not seen yet and it's really nice looking and really makes use of an area in their year that formerly was just kind of wasted space. Here are some pictures from the party.

Matt and Courtney horsing around

This is Matt's boyfriend Mario here in the foreground wearing yellow talking to Felix. And That's Peggy and Martha behind them.

Here's Jack talking to Martha and Felix dancing in his seat - it's awful when he does this at parties.

The gift we got Courtney came from this store in town where they sell items made out of real nautical gear. My roommate Joe is a total nautical fanatic and his birthday is this week. So they were selling these shower curtains made out of real sails. Check it out. I think it looks pretty cool and goes well with the blue walls.

But the most unexpected delight the whole weekend was that I ran into my friend Chris Thoms on Friday at tea. We were talking about the upcoming weekend and what we had planned. He told me that he was planning on going to the George Michael concert on Sunday. I started telling him how jealous I was and how I wish I got my act together so I could've gone because more so than almost any other performer I really like George's voice. He asks me if I want to join him in the luxury box where he and a few others are going on Sunday night. I couldn't believe it. This was like one of those experiences that I have literally hoped for for years. So I headed back on Sunday and met Chris to see the show. Check out the next blog for pictures.

Enough of this Bullshit!

So right now there is debate going on in Senate about repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
Elaine Donnelly, President of the Center for Military Readiness, spoke about how allowing homosexuals to openly serve in the military would be "forced co-habitation" and an adoption of a "relax and enjoy it" policy. I was glad that several people including Rep Patrick Murphy spoke to the absurdity that somehow American soldiers are so unprofessional that they might let an issue like this deter them from their ability to flawlessly defend our country. I was glad that he as a former member of our armed service spoke and said how insulted he was by that allegation.

What continues to infuriate me about people like Donnelly is how they try and hide behind certain debates while claiming that they are in fact not actually bigoted. They are 100% sure in their minds that they don't have a problem with people who are gay they just have a problem with gey people in certain scenarios. It's the same bullshit that people talk about with marriage. Oh, we don't have a problem with you being gay but we just don't think you should be entitled to get married.

Listen, cut the fucking shit! If you have a problem with gay people being allowed to do anything that straight people are constitutionally allowed to do and your rationale is discomfort with people being 'forced to endure proximity to people who are gay', then guess what asshole? You're a fucking bigot!

I would have more respect for someone if they actually just said "The reason I don't want to be around you is that I am uncomfortable with homosexuality" vs. this cowardly and poorly thought out attempt at preserving our society that we are obviously on a mission to destroy. What a crock of shit! As if we all can't through your dubious conviction. 

Great Stuff

So a while back on this blog I posted an entry called Jackie vs. Debra. It's one of the funniest things I've seen on YouTube. Well the same guy has put out additional video clips for a new character he's created which is the quintessential Jersey Italian mother. She's outragerously funny and cheesy and I can't get enough.

Watchmen

One word: Psyched

Weekend for the Dogs

This weekend Giuseppe and I watched my brother and sister-in-laws two Bernese Mountain dogs; Tahaa and Zoe. We've both had a couple of exhausting weeks so I thought a relaxing weekend of going to the beach, swimming in the pool and just sleeping in would be great. Friday night we got there around 7 and while we were unpacking upstairs Zoe was so furious that we weren't giving her attention that she shredded a copy of US weekly and broke a clay pot on the counter. We spent Friday night just relaxing with some wine and TV and called it a night.

On Saturday we woke up early because the dogs decided it was time to get up and jumped on the bed to say "Hey WE'RE up." After walking and feeding them, we headed to the gym and then off to Duxbury beach.

Giuseppe is a voracious reader. This weekend alone he had at least 10 different magazines that he had bought ranging in topic from pop culture, to the economy to current affairs to sports. I like to read to but with G it's a way of life. He has an unquenchable desire and curiosity to keep learning and keep abreast of what's going on around him. It's a real gift to have that kind of love of reading.

When we were at the beach there was a father with his young daughter and they were building a drippy sand castle together. I was loving watching them because her energy was so wonderful. I love watching little kids and their magical wonder at the beach. Everything is amazing to them and everything makes them scream with giddiness. It's hysterical to watch. Here they are.

I told the dad that I would send him a copy of the picture I took if he would give me his e-mail address. He did but there was a pause when he gave it to me almost as if he was sizing me up to gauge whether I was some sort of sicko. It bummed me out but I could also totally understand why he had that reaction given some of what you see on the news every night. I'm going to send him the picture.

This is Giuseppe's "Please leave me be to my reading" face.

The water was so cold that it made your feet and legs ache like they had an ice cream headache so we decided (ok I forced the early departure) to go back to the house and swim in the pool. The dogs absolutely love the pool so that was really fun. Here are some pictures of us at the pool:

This is Zoe who of the two dogs loves to swim more. She was paddling all around the shallow end.

Giuseppe was trying to convince Tahaa to come into the water but she would only wade in.

Which of course prompted Zoe to come right oven and see what was going on.

I got this great of both girls in the pool together. Zoe's the one swimming

G grabbed a few shots of me and the girls. This is pre-face licking

Zoe nailed me with a full on face shake

And then jumped right up to pounce on me

 
One last shot of the girls drying off together.

We went to the grocery store on Saturday night and made burgers and grilled veggies. During our time away Tahaa decided that she was in the mood for the Splenda box I had left on the counter and ripped it to hell all over my brother's couch. Awesome! They're definitely fun dogs but like all young dogs just a total whirlwind of energy.

These was one really nice moment during the late afternoon on Saturday where G and I were lying on the raft in the pool just baking under the sun listening to music and just totally chilling out. It was one of those "Remember this the next time work seems too overwhelming" moments - that alone was worth it.

Future's So Bright

I'm sorry but I really have got to say something about both Miss USA 2007 and now 2008 falling during their respective years competition. Not to be a jerk but what other skills do you have to have in order to compete in this competition OTHER THAN walking in your heels and a dress. And haven't most of the people that get to this point been doing this for oh I don't know DECADES!!!!! I love when '08 stand up and gives her self a round of applause for getting back up. Nice work lady - after all of those years in tap dancing classes and ballet and posture and cheerleading and the gym and coming up with saccharin answers to questions about Patriotism, World Hunger and Charitable Ventures you have a bright future as the local affliate weather girl in Billings Montana.

2007

2008

Turn-Around

Look at this video clip of Sy Rogers and tell me that you don't believe that this guy isn't the biggest closet case you've ever seen.

It's pretty unreal when you listen to the rationale that some of these clowns use to justify their bigotry. They have this mypoic way of justifing things where they say things like "Well we all know that God hates gay people because if you hold up the Bible through this prism and look at this way while playing the Beatles White album backwards you too can understand what God really means.

This kind of logic reminds of something someone wrote on a wall in my college dorm after they'd smoked too much dope. It read "God is Love....Love is Blind.....Ray Charles is Blind.....Ray Charles is God." This is the exact same kind of inference logic that people like Sy use to justify their fearmongering.

Meanwhile I've never heard anyone bash gays with quite so pronounced a lisp. I mean how many S's are there in the word toboggan Sy? And it couldn't be more fit that his show is called turn-around - exactly what he does every night when he gets home.

Ahoy Captain

So my good friend Matt is throwing a huge bash at the end of the Summer. He's rented a place up in NH with 4 or 5 cabins right on a lake and the whole theme for the birthday bash is Summer Camp. Knowing Matt it will be a totally off the charts experience because nothing Matt ever does is anything less than totally monumental and a lot of my good friends will be there.

One of the things that Matt asked a handful of us to do was to get registered in terms of a a boating license so that we could drive the waterski boats that he's renting. I was like "Sure, how hard can it be....I mean forward, backward....etc. What's the big deal?" So he forwards us a link which is an online study guide and practice quizzes. This shit is no joke. I mean I'm going to have to study for this thing. I thought it would be a breeze because I used to race sailboats as a teenager at Summer camp and figured it was just going to be questions about different parts of the boat (Port, Starboard...etc). Oh no. It's a lot more than that.

Of course when this is all done, I will mandate that people refer to me as "Cap'n"