August 31, 2010
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what's up?
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You guys. OMG. Brian of cheapblueguitar fame just left. I miss him already.
Yes, it was only our second meeting face to face. Yes, he stayed with us all weekend. Yes, it was awesome.
It all started Friday evening. I had had a CRAZY workweek. I got home later than expected and had to do this wonder woman twirl and show up at the airport. Richard was off later than me! He didn’t even get to twirl! Anyhoo, we arrived at the airport at the proper time, snatched Brian off the curb and took him basically across the street to out favorite “toast to your arrival” location, C-Level. It offers the most amazing view of downtown San Diego I have discovered yet. Also, I am now mayor of that venue on FourSquare. HA! (I literally screamed like a girl. My first real mayorship couldn’t be more awesome!) From there we of course took Brian to Urban Mo’s, our local gay hot spot. Drinks were had. And so yeah. The post below, Touched for the Very First Time occurred. Because Mo’s virgins get a sticker!
The next day we did the Marathon Tourist Day. We kicked it of with brunch at R-Gang Eatery (where the Bloody Marys were a MEAL). Then it was off to Balboa Park, where Brian and I (okay, more ME) were enamored with a band of robotic singing pantomimes. I immediately bought the CD on iTunes and friended them on Facebook. LOVE STEAM POWERED GIRAFFE!!! OMG! It’s like this amazing retro-gothic-sexy-funny Robots that performed on the side walk near the pond on The Prado. LOVE.
After that we were off to downtown to catch the ferry (on Joelle’s of Tenth-muse.com suggestion) which was amazing. We took a few pics (one upside-down) on the boat. Then it was all about strolling on the Island. We lunched at the Coronado Brewery where Brian enjoyed beer with an orange wedge. Yummm? We followed that up with cocktails on our friend Sheila’s patio. Luxury. After that it was a quick stop at the Coronado Cupcakery for dessert and catching the ferry home! And much needed sleep!
Then it was Sunday. The Big BBQ Day. All our local besties were present! (Twitter names to follow) @goostersd, @uberglitterati, @tenthmuse, @richardallen, @dano413, and non-twitter Matt. Such a great time at the Tiki Bar (which is now an official place on Foursquare) Around 7 I had to rush Brian off to the airport! I got back in time to clean the kitchen…
It was the best weekend ever. We all love Brian, and no one wanted him to go home to the fiery hot Phoenix…
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April 01, 2010
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funny haha •
pop culture
(click to enlarge)
I love a good visual aid… (via omg blog)
January 06, 2010
December 15, 2009
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what's up?
So I decided this year I’d do the Wreath Auction at Martini’s Above Fourth as damage control. You see, last year Richard went solo, with friends, and actually bought a wreath. For a lot of money. Like a lot. The wreath, while pretty, matches NONE of our existing holiday decor. It was very expensive. OMG I HATE IT!!!
So, anyhoo. This year we went together. It was fun. There were the muscle boys in sleep bottoms, sans shirts, AKA Wreath Models. The wreaths were.. interesting. There was lots of booze. But I gotta say, after hearing about last year, I was disappointed. First and for-most, the wreath models were being abused by this snatch-y queen in an untucked dress shirt and tie. Gross. She was also abusive to the guests. Secondly the wreaths, while impressive, were nothing like the one Richard bought last year that I love to hate. In fact there was only one that compared, and the price immediately soared out of reach, yet 90 percent of them went for chump change!
I was amazed tho, as to the holiday spirit we encountered. There was a man sitting close-by. He was bidding on everything. He had already won a lot of wreaths. He gave our friend 100 dollars to put towards her wreaths if she won any. She didn’t, but the thought behind it meant a lot. Richard bought him a drink or two.
Later we were famished and ditched the auction and went to Urban Mo’s for real food. It was too much fun and after too many drinks, a 7 ft. tall drag queen, and meeting some gay neighbors from a block away, we called it a night. Good night moon!
June 02, 2009
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gay like that •
what's up?
So last week, or the week before, I looked into the mirror and realized I needed a hair cut. Sadly a hair cut was not in the budget. But I knew the scissors were at hand. In fact, in the drawer to the left. It was just too easy. I then made the fatal error. I self-cut.
Now realize, this is a serious situation in any case, but as a GAY MAN this was a major error. I am lucky that Cher didn’t swoop down out of the sky and beat me herself. But I was desperate! I had to look my best and a hair cut was NOT an option. So I picked up the scissors and got busy. Truth be told I was actually cuter than I had been for about 48 hours. It went downhill from there. Fast. In 4 days I looked bad. Haggard. Just bad. I see why self-styling is so risky.
So today I went in to my usual gal. We said hello, and she asked if I wanted anything different. I spilled the beans: “before we start, I have a confession.” “I know”, she replied with a smile. “You cut it yourself.”
OMG. She could tell by looking. It was embarrassing. I had made the fatal error. My gay card was at risk…
January 26, 2009
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family drama
My family made a decision when we were growing up to move west. You see, my father had to go where there was work (he was an electrician) and the extended family back in the home town were too much drama. Now I don’t know how true that was, but that’s what my parents told us. When my brother and I were still quite young we’d travel back to Massachusetts once a year or so and visit. Both sets of grandparents, my mother’s sister, my father’s sisters and brother, and all the cousins. We did that for years while in between the odd set of grandparents would visit us. As we got older and things got more expensive we traveled much less. The grandparents still visited, and my mother’s sister and her daughter, and we’d see my father’s brother’s family as they were not as far. All those other relatives just became people that only sent a holiday card. Never once did they visit, so we never went back. My parents would go out to handle emergencies, and eventually my mother’s mom and sister moved to Florida. My father’s parents have since passed, and my brother went with my father to some of the arrangements. I was already out on my own trying to make my way…
I guess the point is that there are all these relatives that are strangers to me. A lot too. My father had 3 sisters and 2 brothers (I think, to be honest I forget the total since some have died). At least 3 of those had families that I haven’t seen since I was like 14. It’s weird to think about somehow. All these people that I knew existed but were really not part of our lives. It felt normal though. Huh. So anyways, when my brother chose to move to Boston he did so knowing that he’d be near that portion of the family, actively choosing to reconnect. He is at some family member’s home for dinner every weekend. He is invited to every event, BBQ, potluck, and all that stuff. He even juggles the drama of which part of the family isn’t speaking to whom! LOL, right?
So sometime in December I got this email with the subject of “hello”. It was from my father’s sister (the one that we always knew was a lesbian, even tho she never said. She has *always* lived with the same woman):
Is this nephew Danny in California?
I deleted it. It scared me! What could she want and HOW did she find me? Thank gawd she had used my *personal email* account, or I would have died. I soon forgot about it, until a week or so ago when I got another one, from the same aunt forwarding the last note, but with this added:
I’m trying this again.
OMFG! Now it was like she had verified the address and resent and was calling me out. I HAD to reply. Ugh. So I thought about it and settled with this:
Hello! Sorry I didn’t reply to the last note… I must have missed it. December is crazy for me! Anyway, yup, that’s the right email! 
Lame, I know. But I have met this woman like maybe 6 times when I was a kid, so what more could she expect? Anyhoo, here’s the reply:
Well Danny,
I have tried many searches to find you, and finally your email showed up on a forward from your father.
I’m glad to be in touch with you.
I have heard that you and Richard have been a couple for a long time now. Congratulations to both of you. Did you get married?
[insert “roomate’s” name] and I got married when it first became legal here. We are both retired now and loving it.
We were really mad about the prop 8 vote.
It is interesting to me that Prop 8 vote has done so much to promote marriage rights, even though the vote was against it.
I have heard that you are busy in retail work and living in San Diego. Is that right?
You were in high school the last time we saw you—just a kid.
Bee well,
[insert aunt’s name]
About the “Bee well”, well after raising goats for many years they are now raising bees. So now what? Do I reply? Is this my new “pen pal”? I really think it’s sweet that she contacted me, if a bit creepy. I mean, where was she all these years? If she had known, like I think she did, that I would turn out gay I would think she’d have tried to have “been there” for me years ago. She didn’t. And what were the “many searches”? she tried? I was for two weeks a few years back the number one result on Google for “Daniel” so she can’t have tried hard. Oh, she also could have asked her brother, my father. But that would have required speaking to him. I may have lost track with the drama, but I do know that my father isn’t popular with all the separate camps that make up his remaining family.
Wow, This has become an essay! Let me know what you think. Reply or not, and if so… HOW??
December 26, 2008
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hotness •
pop culture
And it’s his birthday today!! Let’s celebrate by gazing at his hawtness…
I have actually met him (Fred is a friend of his) and he is just as beautiful in reality. He is also a very nice guy, which I imagine is kinda rare in “gay-celeb” land.. So Happy Birthday Reichen!
September 28, 2008
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blogging •
family drama •
what's up?
Oh look! I DO have a blog!
How is life? Mine, well, pretty good actually. My parents just left Saturday after a fun 7 day visit. Yes, I did say fun. My parents are young for my age as well as young for their ages (it makes sense, think about it). So we were on the go every day. I woke up early, well early for me, every day and took them on an adventure!
Saturday, after fetching them from the San Diego Airport we stopped off at C Level to toast their arrival and enjoy the view. Sunday we headed off to Old Town, where to my surprise there was an Art Festival! We looked at everything. After we were done there, Mom insisted on a trip to the Swap Meet. Ew… we capped off the day with dinner at the Turf Supper Club. Awesome place! What better way to follow up a meal in a dive than a trip to the shishy-est sky bar Altitude?? Monday was all about rest and a home cooked (by me!) meal. Tuesday we did the Geocaching with dad, since it was Richard’s day off. Plus, we wanted to try it with our iPhones. It works! So now we have a log in at the site and 7 caches under our belt. LOL. Obviously Mom had other plans, and was off for a Shopping Day with one of our friends. Later we de-parented at the big SDTweet-Up (#sdtweetup). That was, as always an amazing time! Wednesday my folks and I were off to Temecula Valley Wine Country for a day of tasting and scenery. Fantastic! Thursday was more Geocaching around town. That Geocaching is a great way to see some great sights you wouldn’t otherwise… That night I was pooped so Dad manned the grill and we dined out on the patio at home. Friday was when I finally had to sleep in! Well, till 9:30.. we lazed at the house till Richard got home. He had ditched work early so we shopped and hit up Bing Crosby’s Piano Lounge until it was time for the crowning jewel of the visit: dinner at Kous Kous. My folks got to eat well (very well! you MUST go to Kous Kous!) and meet up with our friends and generally have a great night out. Although we had drinks first at Martinis Above 4th, where the owner stressed me out when he KISSED Richard hello in front of my father. That’s when my father realized we had taken him to a GAY bar. OMG OMG OMG. He never would have known otherwise… Oh well. No harm was done. All was erased by the amazing food at Kous Kous!
As for Saturday… Well that was for packing and the Airport. Buh-bye!
You know what?
I already miss them.
July 19, 2008
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what's up?
Home from our Big Gay LA Adventure…
But now I am tired. But I promise details soon!
July 05, 2008
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thoughts i had •
what's up?
Since moving to San Diego Richard and I have been very lucky to have become part of a circle of friends. We all hang out, separately or all together all the time. We always have fun. Whether it’s our weekly SYTYCD parties, movie nights, BBQ’s, or going out to Hillcrest or Downtown and “painting the town”. I consider these people my San Diego family! But lately we have been noticing that we are a bit of a clique. There aren’t really any new faces (well, since Richard and I). No fresh blood. We just aren’t meeting any new people and that makes it tough for the single kids in the group. Not that we want to be matchmakers. Good gawd no! But when you hang out with new people you meet their people… Maybe one of their people might know another single guy and through just getting together our single kids will be exposed to more quality singles? Cause let’s face it, when you hang out at bars every week to meet people you are going to meet people that like hanging out in bars. And aside from all of that, we are a group that likes to entertain. It’s more fun with more people! Right? We decided that Sheila’s BBQ was our big event. We were all to bring new people.
So for me, I am not surprised by any of this. I have been trying to meet people with interests like mine lately, going to the SD Tweet-ups and Blogger Meet-ups, and actually going out and meeting the people I have been talking to on my various online social networks. My goal has been to get some friends who understand what the hell I am talking about with my SEO, CMS, tweets, plurks, and whatnots. People who understand why I constantly check my phone! In the meantime I have met a fair amount of people that I see or talk to regularly enough. So for this past BBQ I was pretty confident that I could get some new folks to come around. As it turned out, not so much. I do understand tho. One I asked at the last minute, and the others, well I mean given the choice I think I’d pick existing friends over newbies… I guess.
My other friends tried different approaches. One tried picking out someone that looked like they’d fit in with us at Mo’s and just walking up and chatting with him for a bit, followed up with the big invite. The guy actually seemed cool about it after the initial “we aren’t hitting on you” stuff was out of the way. He actually agreed to come by, and we got his number. In the end he flaked. Sheila invited her local barista that she chats with at her coffee place all the time. A good idea, I thought! He was a no show as well. So out of 6 new people invited 100% declined or flaked at the last minute.
I guess my point is this. I understand how to meet people. At least online. (Richard and I aren’t single. In the gay world I find making new friends in real life so awkward… People are out looking for dates, not friends usually.) Besides, I think I have a number of great resources right now that are more reliable than just picking someone out of the crowds. I have met people. How do I get them from the acquaintance stage to the friend stage? How do we as an established group assimilate new folk? I can tell you it was a long time before I felt comfortable with everyone… How do we make that easier?
