I CAME TO THIS STRANGE WORLD HOPING I COULD LEARN A BIT 'BOUT HOW TO GIVE AND TAKE
If you've seen a commercial for the latest Macbook, then you've heard the song. And as a result you've stumbled across the latest song that I can't get enough of. Yael Naim's "New Soul".
I posted this @ 1/31/2008 06:37:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
1/27/2008
THAT'S THE IMPRESSION THAT I GET
My favorite Italian restaurant has been Carrabba's, for a while now. I go at least once a month if not more. Our favorite waitress at Carrabba's is Amy. Typically I'm one to look sideways at someone who is very overly friendly. Not in a bad way, but part of my questions it, like... "What're they selling?"
This is one example where that wasn't the case at all. The first time we had Amy as a waitress she was perky, friendly, and attentive as a waitress. In explaining why their steak was good, she acknowledged that it might not be typical to get good steak and a pasta place. But her dad 'knows' steak (I don't know...), and this was good steak. Also she was a bit worn out from playing tennis earlier that day. And blah blah blah... even tho she was oversharing a little bit, no one seemed to mind. She also was more than willing to spill the secret recipe for the herb dipping mixture that Carrabba's uses. I make it at home now and use it all the time.
So after that night we always looked for Amy when we went there. Asking for her, hoping to get her table. But no luck. Until last night.
Now, here is what is impressive to me. She left a great impression on us. She was fun, friendly, attentive, a great waitress and seemed like a really cool person. This was MONTHS ago, maybe summertime? So here last night, she came up to us. Totally recognized us. We told her about hoping to get her again as a our waitress. She told us it was her last night. Sad. Because you rarely find servers that are friendly without seeming fake.
I just find it pretty darned cool that she left that much of an impression on us and we on her that she remembered us. Like I said... that doesn't happen very often.
Best of luck as a nurse, Amy! Come have dinner with us at Carrabba's sometime.
I posted this @ 1/22/2008 08:14:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
1/21/2008
CATCH MY DISEASE
Is there a new threat? Or just the same old one that people had been ignoring. A New ‘Gay Disease’? Considering a contestant on Project Runway recently left because of a staph infection, this was pretty timely.
I posted this @ 1/21/2008 09:23:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
1/18/2008
WE ARE THE WORLD
I'm not sure how I feel about this article. There is a part of me that understands that there is a lot of money putting put into AIDS research, especially in a country where childhood are dying of hunger. So there are going to be people who say that the money should be better spent. Yet part of me wonder why funding should be cut based on a statistically larger problem.
I understand the limits of a budget. I understand that money has to come from somewhere. Rob Peter to pay Paul. Yet to think that AIDS research might lose funding and as a result AIDS-related deaths jump in numbers, is kind of saddening.
Like I said... I don't have much to say about it. I'm not sure how I feel, but I wanted to toss it out there.
I posted this @ 1/18/2008 05:21:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
1/17/2008
AND THEIR FIRST SONG IS...
You know the joke... Someone will say something that has a funny ring to it and then someone else adds, "That was my 5th album." Is it just me? Anywhooooo... This flickr meme is a spin on that sorta kinda.
To take part and be included here just follow these simple guidelines and post up the results:
I posted this @ 1/16/2008 10:04:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
1/15/2008
MAMMA MIA
I hadn't been home from a super shitty day at work when I get a message from Bryan.
Bryan: it's a little early in the night to be spanking it, isn't it? Cris: fuck you Cris: i'll whip it out if i want too. Bryan: which is why you can't go back to Kohl's
That was exactly that type of laugh that I needed to really stop me from seeking out someone to exact my revenge. Tho most likely it would be orc-like creatures on WoW, but what can you do.
And no... I wasn't "spanking it."
No kind of bad day that can't be perked up by listening too ABBA!
I posted this @ 1/15/2008 04:47:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
1/14/2008
SEA OF LOVE
Mark and I went to see Juno over the weekend. We'd been wanting to for a while. Well actually we'd been wanting something light after The Mist a few weeks ago brought us down. But 27 Dresses isn't out yet. Yes... 27 Dresses. Shuddup! I like Katherine Heigl. I have since Roswell. Shuddup! I liked Roswell...
Anyway...
I REALLY enjoyed this movie. It's a quirky slice of live movie. In a lot of ways it reminds me of Clerks. Just a typical situation that happens to be about interesting people. Juno's spunky. Good hearted. Cool in that way that you want to know a person like her and hope they think you're cool enough to be worthy to be known by her. But she doesn't flaunt it. I'd be her friend.
But I digress. The biggest part of the movie that got to me was her viewpoint on relationships. Don't worry, I'm not spoiling anything. Juno comes off as this 'tough' girl who, while liking someone, is still very independent and self-sufficient. Her father divorce. Everywhere she looks people break up. How can a person really believe that two people can actually make it work? I really could relate to that. To her in that moment...
Having seen my own parents relationship break up a couple of times. I've been there when you hope they pull it together. I've been there when it doesn't. I've seen good people that I know end relationships that you just hoped would work out. After a while your faith is shaken. What kind of hope do you have when everyone around you can't seem to do it either.
This is where my optimism comes in. Honestly, you just know. And even if you can't guarentee anything 100% you go into it head first and to the best that you can with what you have and what you know. Maybe you can end up showing someone else along the way that relationships do work. I know that I've got several friends that I've known forever that are together and have been for years. It's folks like that, that make me realize that not every couple is doomed. You can do it, if you work at it.
Maybe that's a little more than the movie was saying, but it's what started me thinking. And you know you love it when I get thinking.
So here's to all the couples out there, that are trying to make it work. Keep it up!
I posted this @ 1/14/2008 05:41:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
1/09/2008
AULD LANG SYNE
Better late than never here is a run down of 2007. So if you are new, here is a sampling of what you missed.
Having just come off the first Christmas that Mark & I had together, we were ready for the next holiday. New Years! I was also our first snow storm of the season. And what a storm it was. Mark barely could make it out of town so I went to see him. Yay SUVs. Don't worry, I'm not one of those that think I'm invincible in it.
Our First Valentine's Day. He is the musical-gay to more cooking-gay. So I'd never had much exposure to musicals. We opted to have a romantic Italian dinner followed by local production of the broadway musical, Urinetown. Don't let the name fool you. It was pretty good. And just the beginning of shows we'd take in.
Mike, Jeni, & I were up to fourteen episodes of the short-lived, but quite enjoyable podcast that we did. I really loved doing this. It was a great experience. Too bad it didn't take off.
The very present tenuous relationship with my father remained. Which only served to remind my of how I felt about children of my own. The 'if'... and it's a big if, still remains. Tho the older I get, the more ok with being an 'uncle' I am.
My job search continued only to be shot down at jobs that I either thought I was cut out for or perfect for, but wasn't given the chance because I was overqualified for.
Always being the one for introspection, I gave some time to what I thought about labels. Specifically labels of boyfriend, lover, partner. I put it to words a few times.
The job search STILL went on. I worried about money, but when didn't I worry? But now I had a car payment. And Nebraska is not easy on the vehicle taxes.
Musicals continued. This time it was Mark's production at his school. I love being to show support for something that someone I love has interest in. Even now, they are gearing up for this year's production of Annie Get Your Gun. I'm looking forward to it.
I was somehow talked into watching American Idol. No comment...
Mark's birthday was rapidly approaching. I wasn't sure what to get him. I'm always nervous about giving gifts. I enjoy being able to give somebody something that I hope they like. It really is about the giving over the receiving.
I was asked if one of my photos could be used in a Jelly Belly promotional poster. I was thrilled! My first professional job, so you could say.
Again I talk relationships. This time I mention Mark without the use of an online nickname. It's about damned time...
I read more and more. Finishing All the Harry Potter books in a matter of months for two reasons. The release of the fifth movie and the 7th book. I finished them. It rocked. Sorry I didn't get on this boat til later.
A storm was brewing... the storm came in the form of a public household auction. It was just as emotionally dramatic as physically traumatic. I'd never moved and packed/unpacked so much shit in my life. Two days later my Grandparents house is MUCH less cluttered.
Speaking of Grandparents my maternal Grandmother passed away last year. It was hardly a sad occasion since I really didn't know her. But it did cause me to reflect on my family situations. Trouble with my father. My lack of a mother. My Grandparents health.
We want a pet!
I made a point of posting more gay-related articles that I'd come across. Spread the gay agenda and all.
Mark's good friend, Andy, and his boyfriend came to town. It was great to meet new people. We would soon visit them on their turf. It was a great time. One that I hope to do again soon! More importantly it marked the first road trip Mark and I took together. This was important because we spent an extended time together as well as he put faith in my navigational skills. We managed to make it through a large metropolitan unscathed! Yay!
Looking back on my posts I get in modes where I want to make a statement. I want to say something BIG. I think I fall short sometimes.
Finally! More musicals... This time in the form of lesser known A My Name Is Alice and Lucky Stiff. As well as Broadway tours of Spamalot and my personal fav so far The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I cried... enough said.
YAY!! NEW JOB!!! Finally...
We look into the possibility of putting my Grandfather in a nursing home. It doesn't happen, but guh... not fun. :(
I upset a dear friend in a way that I didn't think possible. It takes a long time. And things are still not back to normal. It's one of the saddest moments of the year for me.
Being thirty-three ends up being not much different than thirty-two. Even tho, thirty-two was the ultimate "age of hotness."
I want to do more photography. And I do a little more... hopefully that'll continue.
Youtube takes over my blog for a while. Which... really who can blame it? It rocks!
It seems like the last couple of months since Thanksgiving have gone by quickly. I think the holidays just make time seem to fly by faster. Christmas was good. NYE was better than it was originally planned. Thank for sharing another year with my Mark.
And thank you for reading my blog for another year! Allow me to close with Mark's new favorite joke.
I posted this @ 1/01/2008 12:01:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
I'm a 30-something student of human nature. A music-lovin', groove-shakin', laugh-inducin', dish-cookin', gossip-slingin', type of guy. This is my diary of sorts...
