Mad Men

AMC has a new viral site that lets you create a Man Men-inspired image of yourself. Here's what I would look like, though I'm not sure I'd have so many clothes on standing next to Jon Hamm....

Word of the Day

Per the Wiktionary, asshat is slang for having one's head up one's ass, thus wearing the ass as a hat. Use it in a sentence at least once tomorrow, preferably not in reference to me.

R.E.M. - Top 10 Songs

Over on Pop Candy, Whitney linked to a post in Paste listing the top 20 R.E.M. songs, and she also listed her own top ten. As an avowed R.E.M. fan, I feel compelled to list my own. R.E.M. set the soundtrack to my college years after my friend Michael introduced them to me in high school. To be fair, I totally mocked him at the time, but soon learned the error of my ways and became a huge fan. In fact, the most embarrassing moment of my life occurred after attending a fabulous R.E.M. concert in Louisville. But I digress....

10. Half a World Away - Very maudlin, love the longing

9. Exhuming McCarthy - Dig the typewriter intro and the political lyrics

8. Leaving New York - Really like the melody and looping and layered chorus

7. South Central Rain (I'm Sorry) - Such a simple refrain, but still gives me chills

6. Cuyahoga - Love the lyrics (Let's put our heads together, and start a new country up, our father's father's father tried, to erase the parts they didn't like)

5. I Am Superman - Hated it the first time I heard it, grew to love it quickly. Great harmonies, and I like Mike Mills taking lead

4. Near Wild Heaven - Another one with Mike Mills singing lead, more great harmonies, and more fun

3. Driver 8 - ITunes says I've listened to this song more than any other, and it's easy to hear why

2. Fall On Me - Seminal song of my college days (Buy the sky, sell the sky...) and I loved it most until...

1. Nightswimming - My favorite song of all time, I think. I just love the story in the lyrics, the beauty of the piano, the longing in Michael Stipe's voice, and then the strings kick in and it's just total bliss.

Honorable Mentions go to Imitation of Life (Great Title) and Supernatural Superserious (Horrible title, great song)

New Movie Posters for TCM Classic Movies

I love this poster for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. TCM has a summer movie event and has re-imagined several posters to go along with the showings. Check out the entire group images here. Which ones do you like?

Inspiration

Often times, when I'm looking for something to keep me engaged or thinking about the world in different ways, or just looking to get out of a funk, I try to find something inspiring. Sometimes that means reading a new book, or checking out Fast Company magazine, or getting into an argument with my friend Niki, who without question is the most innovative thinker I know, but that doesn't always mean she's right, if you know what I mean. And Niki, that is a compliment, if a slightly backhanded one. Love you!

Anyway, one of my sources for inspiration is the TED website, where famous and not so famous people come and give talks on a variety of subjects. One day, I hope to be so creative that they will invite me to come. Until then, however, I can generally find something really interesting, creative, or funny to get me thinking in different ways, and if I'm really lucky, I'll get all three.

Tonight I was browsing their collection of clips and came across this one, which is one of my favorites, on the subject of dictionaries of all things.




The part that gets me the most is the 'Ham Butt' part. How much of my life is what it is because someone else's pan was too small a long time ago? I often accept the easiest interpretation of things because I don't even know that I can otherwise ask the question. Or worse, I jump to a conclusion that creates a solution first without knowing what the question really is. I hate it when I do that. I don't even know where the gaps are in my thinking. Oh well. At least I know where the gaps are in Niki's thinking. It's a start.

Statistical Humor

Another highly amusing nugget from the interwebs.

Reader's Block

Bookslut has a great article on what makes a good book worth reading, and equates it to the idea that publishers add secret ingredients to books so that people will read them, just like companies add sugar and other additives to food so that people will crave them. It's an interesting concept. I like to think I'm intelligent enough to find unique books to read, but I totally admit I love me some Steven King Doritos too.

Books versus Movies

I am a voracious reader and have always loved books. Last night we went and saw 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' and I enjoyed it quite a bit. But because I've read the books and because of the way I read books, I've almost learned not to equate a book and a movie in the same way. There so much nuance and character details that books give that helps me understand the story and that enriches my experience. Movies don't usually do it for me that same way. I've also learned not to get into a debate over whether a book is better than the movie, as that's generally a time waster - it's always the book. Kidding! I just usually prefer to create my own visualization of what I'm reading that have someone else's presented to me in the movie form. And I get that not everyone feels the same way. Still, most often, the book speaks to me more than the movie. When I finish reading a really good book, I miss the characters like I miss my friends when they are not around. That connection almost never happens with movies.

Exceptions to prove the rule:

Fight Club - Way sexier than what was in my head, and I just couldn't get into the writing style. But the movie rocks!

Contact - The movie had more emotion and resonance for me than the book, which is pretty hard to do.

I'm sure there are others, but that's what comes to mind right now. What movies are the better than the books they are based on in your opinion?

Atlas Mapped

This is really cool. I think I'll use this for my next ransom note.

Wingspan in Trouble

Wingspan, the Tucson GLBT Community Center, is in financial trouble and needs donations badly. The center, which opened in Tucson in 1988, is moving to a different location to cut costs and needs to raise $125,000 by October 31, 2009 in order to stay open. This is a vital organization to the GLBT community in Tucson, so please do whatever you can to support it. The community outreach, anti-violence program, and youth and senior programs, among other services are enriching programs that serve our community and would be sorely missed. Please give what you can.

Nirvana and Rick Astley Mash up

Ok, this doesn't suck. In fact, I feel bad for how much I actually like it. I'm only gonna listen to it 2 more times before I have to take a shower.

A different scary future

I think my favorite is "Internet adds 12th website"

Hee

The future is not all it's cracked up to be

Ok, sorry for not posting for a bit. I was in Chicago on business and will post some pics soon. In the mean time, this made me laugh

It's about time my 8 year old nephew got a job

Via Laughing Squid, I think this is pretty awesome, myself. Simple and clever.

Does this fat make me look fat?

Very interesting article in The New Yorker. I tend to believe it, though I've seen other responses that say Americans lift weights now and that contributes, but seriously, that doesn't explain a size 38 waist. As someone who occasionally struggles with weight, I'm all for finding alternative theories, but the bottom line for me is that there is way too much 'food' for sale that isn't actually food. 80% of the stuff on the shelves in grocery stores are processed bits of stuff that used to be food combined with preservatives, chemicals, and left over bits from other processed products. And it's hard to resist those Oreo's and Potato chips.
I do try to avoid those foods, but I'm not always successful. But at least now I know it's genetic. Or societal. But either way, it's definitely someone else's fault. Whew. Close one there - I almost had to take responsibility for my life.

Favorite New Website

Ok, a good friend of mine showed me this site, and it's my favorite new time waster. It's wicked funny, and it never ceases to amaze me what people will say or write in public!


textsfromlastnight

Massachusetts DOMA Challenge

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley filed a lawsuit in federal court today. The lawsuit claims that "the federal Defense of Marriage Act interferes with the right of Massachusetts to define marriage as it sees fit."

Awesome!

">Link http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5grllk_nt63q2NPIotyM9xpL4hwkwD99AC0N87

Great Song

Trish - Bump from Trish on Vimeo.

Courtesy of Arjan Writes, this may be my favorite new song of the summer. Love the R&B and Electronica combination!

Next Movie to Watch?

Tom and I aren't big movie people, going maybe once every two or three months. But this movie looks really good, and not just because I have a big straight crush on Lauren Graham. Seriously. She's on my list of 5 straight women I would have sex with, assuming I would be physically able to get it up. It's kind of like that episode of 'Friends' where Ross had his list of 5 famous people he could sleep with, except I don't have my list on a laminated card, and they have to be women.




In case you're curious, the list also includes Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Aniston, Kelly Clarkson, and Rachael McAdams.

Sarah Does the Right Thing

Wow! I have no idea what' s going to happen next, but she's certainly entertaining for a wing nut. If only this meant we'd see less of her for a while, I might be happier about it, but I'm thinking that won't happen. I imagine the talk show on Fox is imminent.

Step 1 - Blog.....Now what?

Welcome to my blog! I have no idea what things I might talk about here, but I’ll try to keep it interesting. We can start with a little background

I’m 38, gay, and happily married to my husband, Tom, as long as California let’s us 18,000 couples keep our ‘special’ status while denying it to others. We’ve been together for 11 years.
I have lived in Tucson, AZ for the last 12 years, but grew up all over the map: Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, South Carolina, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, and Utah. I went to a different school every year from the 8th grade on. It sucked at the time, but I’ve learned to appreciate it now.
I am the youngest of 4, with an older brother who is also gay.
I came out at 26, after trying really hard for years to be straight. I came out very slowly to my family. In fact, Tom and I were together for a year before I told mom and dad that I was gay. Mom had no idea, but Dad figured it out when Tom and I moved in together. They have been nothing but loving, supportive, and enthusiastic for the life that Tom and I have created for each other.
We love to travel, and it has become my passion. I’ve been to England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Mexico, which isn’t all that much, but considering I didn’t leave the U.S. until 2002, that’s pretty good. The list of places I want to go is endless, and complicated by the fact I’d prefer to go to gay friendly destinations. (I’m looking at you, Egypt, and I’m thinking you won’t see me anytime soon, sadly) We’ve got another tentative trip to Italy with some friends planned for next year.
My mother, sister, and nephew (now 8) moved in with us 2 years ago. Tom is an absolute saint for supporting this. We’ve created a wonderful family life that we didn’t have before, AND we have had to make many, many adjustments in our life for this to work. We like being dads, and there’s enough parental figures around so it’s not been overwhelming. Still, on really really good days, when no one else is home, I walk around the house naked to remind me of the old days.
I love pop culture, but only the good stuff. No Dancing with the Stars or Bachelor updates here, though you might see an American Idol comment every now and then.
I love tennis, and play in 4.5 league here in town. I really want to play in some of the national gay tournaments, but haven’t been able to work that out yet. I also play golf, racquetball, and basketball when I get the chance, and recently started running. I love being active .
I have to do a bunch of exercising because my other passion is food. I don’t have many other addictions (watching re-runs of Buffy and Gilmore Girls isn’t so much an addiction as it is good taste) but food is my weakness. I love me some chocolate!

That’s me in a nutshell. Later on I’m sure you’ll learn more about my family, get caught up in my rants, get exposed to my reading list (currently reading The World Before Her by Deborah Weisgall), and hopefully enjoy reading about anything else I deem important enough to blog about.

It’s nice to meet you. Now what?