In less than a month Mark and I will be celebrating our two year anniversary. It's a big deal for me because it's the first long term relationship where I've been excited about the marking of a milestone. When I stop and think about it, all I can really say is "Wow! Two years." I'm not sure why such things astonish me. It's not like we're incapable of sustaining a relationship. Two years would prove otherwise. It's exciting! We are both stubborn and strong willed. But we are both easy-going enough that we're not getting worked up over little things. It's a good match.
Over these two years I've typically referred to Mark as my boyfriend. Some people have referenced him as my partner or husband. Lover. Husbear. Better half. Sexual Life Partner... regardless of what we call each other we know how we feel about each other. YET... the question remains, what do I call him? It's more than a 'label' thing. It's a title. It's a definition of the reality of the situation. I'm not pushing labels or saying that everyone must use the same designation.
For me... Partner seems too business-like. Lover seems too short-term relationship. Boyfriend seems to un-serious for being together for two years.
The same questions come up when I think about what to call a relationship. We're not married. We're more than dating. Seeing each other? LTR? "This is Mark. He's my Sexual Life Partner. We're in a long term Multi-Locale Co-habitive relationship." Obviously I wouldn't use a title to introduce him every time. Tho when someone asks it's nice to have an answer.
More and more gay couples are getting married. Some are very proud of the title of husband or wife. There is an obvious way to introduce each other, but what about the rest of us? What have you heard couple use? What do you use?
I posted this @ 8/31/2008 04:38:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
8/25/2008
TRINKT LE CHAIM
It seems like it's been a while since Mark and I had a full weekend together. In fact, it 'had' been. I worked last weekend. Mark worked part of the weekend before. I worked the weekend before that. Beyond that I can't recall specifically... So it's been a while.
Mark and I both worked Friday, which gave us Friday evening to enjoy. We rented a couple movies; the Golden Compass and Prom Night. I'd missed Golden Compass when it was in the theaters and Prom Night might as well have gone straight to DVD for no longer than it was on the big screen.
We watched Prom Night first...
Oh my God...
I'm more open to watching horror/slasher pics than I used to be. Yet, this was a bad movie. This is a bad movie even if you claim it's a B-Movie. For a scary movie, there was no blood or gore. You don't even see anyone get stabbed. All the violence is implied. It was a 'nice' change of pace from what I might have been watching in a normal scary movie.
But as a movie it sucked... It wasn't scary. It wasn't horrifying. There was no redemption factor against the villain. When it ended Mark and I both tossed up our hands and questioned the point of the entire movie. We thanked our lucky stars we didn't pay more money to see this on the big screen. We definitely did not have enough to drink to enjoy this movie.
Saturday we went to the early show to catch House Bunny. This is the latest Anna Faris movie. We both enjoy her and find her brand of brainlessness entertaining. Even tho I don't think she has much range for anything other than a lovable dimwit, I'd still go see her movies. While I enjoyed this movie, I can't say that it was really anything special. The bad guys needed more comeuppance. The beginning was a little slow and I tried to resist looking at the time.
The funny parts WERE funny. I did laugh. Mark and I laughed at a couple scenes that no one else laughed at in the whole theater. Which makes me think the 11am crowd really wasn't mentally prepared for such an outing. Or perhaps this wasn't their type of film.
I'm glad we saw it, but You can probably wait til it's out on video. At least we didn't pay full price. My large soda cost more than the movie.
That afternoon we watched The Golden Compass. I was REALLY looking forward to this movie. Mark had read the book(s) and we both missed out on the movie when it was in theaters.
If you're not aware of the religious implications that some say the movie contains... You won't them here either. I don't intend to talk about those. As a fantasy tale I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The characters were believable. For a child being the main actress in this movie she was wholly believable as an actor who could have a long career. I bought her sincerity and emotion.
Daniel Craig seemed to be billed a big player in the movie, but was barely in it. Nicole Kidman on the other hand was downright frightful. She played the cold calculating type VERY well. The incorporation of CG animals into this film was really well done. It was fun to play Guess Who with the various animal companions.
The only thing I didn't like about the movie was the ending. If you've seen this movie you understand what I mean. I won't spoil it here, but it was some serious bullshit. Mark assures me that's not how the book ends.
Finally, we gayed it up with Thoroughly Modern Millie. I'd never seen the movie before. Really, my only exposure to this was through my friends.
[tangent] For a couple years my local group of friends would get together every Thursday to either play games, watch a movie, or catch Must See TV. Several of the gang had 'trigger phrases' that would start someone off on a song or phrase of some kind. There was some phrase that would start a few people singing Trinkt Le Chaim. A song I'd never heard and had no idea what it was even from. More specifically they'd sing one part of this song. (3:29 in to the video)
[/tangent]
It was a crazy ass movie... Seriously... It was fun and there were some fun songs in it. But overall the first half of the movie didn't make a lick of sense to me. And I told Mark as much. The whole show really came together as a cohesive piece in the second half. Am I glad I watched it? Yes... if for no other reason than to figure out what the hell my friends had been singing about for YEARS!
I posted this @ 8/25/2008 04:43:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT
"Culinary Point-of-View" - I admit I watch a lot of 'reality television' and food related television. These two genres combined have formed a phrase I have grown to hate.
I posted this @ 8/25/2008 04:39:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
8/17/2008
OH SAY CAN YOU SEE
The Olympics have come and gone. At least as far as I am concerned. The opening ceremony was a feat of such magnitude that I don't envy London having to top Beijing. It was simply something that I don't think can be repeated.
Michael Phelps has won is 8-of-8 medals. He has broken record after record. We've watched his ego remain in check. We've watched his mother cheer from the stands. We've heard the Star Spangled Banner so many times in the past that it's my current ear worm. Which is fine because it's pushed out Oklahoma University Fight Song. (Long story...)
But now with the Olympics just a little over half finished, what else is there to watch? Swimming and Gymnastics were what I was seeing on every evenings. Beach Volleyball was on everyday. Tennis has it's champions. This isn't a matter of being a hater. The Olympics has something for everyone. Yet, it's all about ratings as far as prime time TV goes. If you're interested the Trampoline Women's Finals are Monday night. That's can't miss TV!
No other star like Michael Phelps has been pushed for these Olympics. Not to say there aren't other stories out there. But Phelps has grabbed the headlines for these games for the past week. What athletic star has NBC groomed to take center stage for the remained of the games? Are they hoping people will continue to watch? Are they going to show Michael Phelps eating his way through a 10,000 calorie day to fill time? I guess only time will tell. I'm just hoping they don't fill time by showing Matt Lauer and Bob Costas arguing about hair styles. Bob wants Matt to color his fake plastic hair. Matt wants to just shave in short. Oh the drama...
I posted this @ 8/17/2008 04:58:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
AUGUST AND EVERYTHING AFTER
I've mentioned it before, but for the sake of conversation I'll say it again. August is my SAD month. If I'm going to be 'seasonally affective' it's going to be in August. I was explaining to Mark last night that the period between July 4th and my birthday in September usually leaves me feeling rather 'meh'... There are no holidays. People are going back to school as summer wraps up. Everything appears to have a "the party has come to a close" feel to it.
This summer has had me spoiled. Mark and I had a chance to spend a lot more time together. Now that school is starting back up, his time will be full again. It really hit me this last weekend. It was about the time when I was heading to work on Friday morning that I started thinking about it.
You get used to a way of life. You get used to seeing someone. You miss them when they're not around. I'm looking forward to when I do'nt have to go to work and come home to an empty home. Part of all this is just me feeling sorry for myself and that we don't live in the same city. Part of it goes back to that August 'sad'-ness.
It'll pass...
I posted this @ 8/17/2008 04:51:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
8/14/2008
LET'S GET PHYSICAL
So I'm starting my workout regimen today.
It kinda makes me feel weird because I'm hardly a gym rat. Never have been. It's not a mid-life crisis thing. It's not a "I must be healthier" thing. The main the reason is just to do it, you know? I used to be able to run quite a ways (including stairs) and not be winded. I'd like that back, or a reasonable amount of that back. I'd also like to loss a little here, gain a little there.
For now it'll just be a work out I'm doing on my days off. So that'll get me 3-4 days a week. Which for now is fine with me. I'll keep you posted how it goes. Hell I might even start a Flickr set for it.
I posted this @ 8/14/2008 06:02:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
8/09/2008
WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE
When it comes to the service industry I'm pretty forgiving of most issues. I've "been there, done that" and I know shit happens that is out of the employee's control. Overly busy day. Short handed. Equipment malfunction. Things just happen. I'm finding that as I get older that tolerance wanes.
A couple examples from the last week.
The Express Lane at HyVee usually lives up to it's name. One lane. Two registers. It usually goes by quickly. The other night both registers were helping elderly gentlemen. One on a motorized scooter the other with a cane. So clearly... they aren't going to be moving too speedily. The lady in front of me had three items in her hands, not a basket or cart. None of them looking especially heavy. She is audibly sighing and tossing her head around. Rolling her eyes. Tapping her foot. Just being generally impatient. Apparently her rule is that you shouldn't use anything but cards in express lanes. So these guys using exact cash were going to make her have a coronary. When the second of the two registers opened up first the Check-out Girl beckoned for the next person in line. She was looking at me. While Miss Impatient would most likely take the first register instead of having to lug her three items of irradiated deep heavy water three feet to the open register I offered her the option.
"That's ok. She can go first. She clearly has more important places to be and can't bear standing in line any longer."
She just looked at me and rolled her eyes. A sight I was used to by now.
Last night I ordered a pizza from a hut shaped establishment. You know the one... When I called the first time the man who answered the phone was completely not understandable. I barely was able to figure out that he wanted to know my phone number and address. And technically we didn't even get that far. I had to repeatedly ask what he was saying for clarification. He finally hung up on me. Frustrated, I'm debating if I even want to 'risk' having to try and talk with him again just for a pizza. My hunger wins. I call back and get a very helpful and easy to understand young woman. She took my order and said it'd be about 25 minutes. I thanked her and hung up. This was at 9:45pm. An hour goes by and no pizza. Ok... it is a Friday night, they might be busy. 11:15pm... For real? 11:30 I call them to find out WTF? The lady who answered said that there was no answer when the delivery guy showed up. ?!?! I had been home the entire evening. They always ask for a phone number for just these reasons. No time of when he was supposedly there. And technically they never did ask my address (even tho she confirmed by name by their record of my phone number) so who knows where the guy showed up to. But really.. C'mon. Is one order such a small drop in the bucket that they don't even bother to check and make sure they've got the right place or why someone might not answer at the door?
Taco John's was a poor substitute for pizza when that's what you're craving.
[/end old man rant]
I posted this @ 8/09/2008 06:24:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
8/06/2008
FLUSHED DOWN THE PIPES
Mark and I went to a classy little show in a quaint little theater. The Belleview Little Theaters production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical. It was kind of awesome. Imagine Desperate Housewives if it took place in... as the name implies... a trailer park.
This is not a family show. Which really didn't matter because I rarely see kids at these type of things anyway. Mark's friend had a feature role as Lin (short for Linoleum... becauase she was born on the kitchen floor). Lin has an obsession with keeping on the lights on in the trailer park. Because as long as she does the state penn can't fire up Old Smoky and fry Lin's husband. Good times...
The main story revolves about Jeannie and her husband Norbert. Jeannie hasn't left her trailer in 20 years since the kidnapping of her son. Pippi, a stripper on the run form her ex, moves in next door. The shit hits the fan when NAME HERE starts up an affair with Pippi. As Jeannie is trying to overcome her agoraphobia to leave the trailer in time for their anniversary only to be set back at the revelation of her husband's affair.
There are a TON of hilarious songs and this is just one of them. The girl we went to see is in pink with the bow in her hair. Overall it is a GREAT show. And how can you not love a show that has songs like this?
I posted this @ 8/06/2008 06:13:00 PM.............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...
