It's Vacation Time

No, I'm not going on vacation, but I need one, BADLY. It's been a while since we actually took a vacation (last April when we went to St. Louis, we did go camping back in Sept. but that was a week off not really a vacation). I want to go someplace warm and away from work and family. Not so much my family as DJ's family.

I love them, dearly, but I work with his grandmother EVERY FUCKING DAY, and I really do not want to spend my time off with her as well, which we do quite a bit. DJ's mom, I love her and can spend time with her, his sister's are great, but his grandmother makes me want to...Well ...pull all of my hair out and shove it down her mouth! The woman NEVER shuts up, from the time she arrives at work (and sometimes before, as she calls to let me know she is on her way) Until she leaves. And she talks about NOTHING. But she knows EVERYTHING. And if she isn't bitching or complaining about something her conversation is mostly just nonsense. We all talk to ourselves in our heads, right? She does it out loud. The woman will be talking when she is buried, I guarantee it! Someone get me out of here and FAST!. I found this web site, this is her, I now know why she never shuts the fuck up!



Maybe it's not a vacation I need, maybe it's a new job. Anyone have any openings?

Recognition: I Can Never Get Enough!

It is absolutely beautiful today. By far the best day of the year so far, for 2006. It's 74 degrees outside, a slight breeze, sunshine and very few clouds. I am sure it will not last long so I am going to enjoy it while I can.

I got recognized today!!
Not on the street or anything, but on the web. I have now been added to the Best Gay Blogs Directory!! I am now listed as one of the BEST GAY BLOGS!! WOO HOO! I'm excited. Check this site out, it has great links to gay blogs all over the country, some that are almost as good as mine! Recognition is a good thing. I like recognition.
Actually I just like being the center of attention. If I'm not, I move on. Just kidding, but I was like that at one time. It had to be ALL ABOUT ME. Thank goodness I got over that, well most of it anyway. I am still just a wee bit self centered, but we have to be sometimes, right? I mean if we don't think of ourselves, who will?

I had another one of those strange freak dreams last night. Actually two nights in a row, the same dream. I am standing on a street looking down this dark alley and I start walking into the alley, and BAM!!! I am shot. I see a flash of light and then feel something extremely hot hit my right arm and then pain. I lay there screaming for help and no one is around. Then I wake up. I have no idea who it is that is shooting me in my dream or even where I am, as nothing looks familiar. I hate dreams like that, especially if they are recurring ones. Maybe it's all part of wanting attention?? Could it be?

Murder in the Afternoon

Cincinnati is getting worse. I'm talking about the crime, mainly homicides. Just less than two hours ago, in the middle of the afternoon at a major busy intersection another man was shot and killed. His covered body was plastered across all the area news channels within minutes.

We are already ahead of last years homicides at this time and there is no change in sight. The police are outraged, the community is outraged but it seems no one is really doing anything about it.
Sometimes I do not know what is worse, the murders or the way the news reports it. Today in the middle of the afternoon, the entire Cincinnati News reports were reporting the murder showing the murdered man laying in the middle of the street with a blanket laid over him. What must his family be feeling? Knowing that, that is their son, father, husband laying there in the middle of the street with his life's blood flowing from him?

The crime in this city is escalating and more and more people are unsafe. This incident happened in a bank parking lot near an ATM. Of course there is nothing being said as to what motivated this crime, but I'm sure the 4:00 news will give us all the bloody details.

Mail Order Books

I received my newest book from my book club InsightOut Books. ALEX IN WONDERLAND. This one looks like a good one. I love gay fiction, especially if it is comedic, and this one has all the plots and subplots to be just that. Alex is a rich, handsome twenty-six year old closeted gay male, who's father has set up a merger, HIS merger to Camilla Spivey. So he runs off and hides with his drag queen friend Jolie.
Michael D. Craig, Author of the Ice Sculptures: A Novel of Hollywood says that Alex in Wonderland is "Tennessee Williams meets Jackie Collins with a dash of Truman Capote..."

As I begin reading this book it makes it even more real that I still have not worked on my own book. I have to get this thing finished and work on getting it published. I mean the whole reason I started this blog was to help me get out of my writers bloc and get it finished.

Aquatics, Chicken, & Monogamous Gay Couples!

I know, the title is sure to get me some lame hits from search engines! But oh well!
A day off, and my first day of therapy. DJ worked for me today and I went to the Mercy Health Plex for my first therapy appointment. 15 years diagnosed with MS and this is the first time I've been scheduled by my doctor for any type of therapy. Aquatic therapy no-less, with a male therapist. But don't get all excited he was, well let's just say not what you'd think a therapist should look like, or be in the shape he was! But I did get a good workout (in the pool you nasty boys!) and I go again in a week or so.

Then this evening we had Mama D over for dinner, as her husband is in Florida for the week due to work (yeah, ain't that a shame, Florida for a week!) So DJ fixed homemade battered fried chicken!! Yes I LOVE chicken! But other than that, nothing major or exciting happened so far this weekend. Oh, I did buy "Crash" today and plan on watching it tomorrow night, so look forward to my review of the movie that beat Brokeback! Until then skip over to my other blog and check out my latest postings regarding my 50 favorite actresses of all time!

#37 HILARY SWANK
#38 MADELINE KAHN
#39 JESSICA LANGE
#40 SHELLY WINTERS
#41 DIANNE WIEST

PS. I haven't done this for a while, but go over and see these guys, The NorthWoods Guys. These two guys are awesome and so is their site. A gay monogamous couple (like DJ and I) and Christians. You will love their site, one click and you are hooked! Thanks for sharing Warren & Steve, you are a daily read!

Five Years

Today DJ & I celebrate the fifth anniversary of our commitment ceremony we held in our home on March 23, 2001. We had met 6 months earlier in September of 2000. He was 20 and I was 40 at the time. We never really discussed age until about the second date, and I was shocked that he was only 20, and I think he was shocked that I was 40. But age has never been an issue with either of us. Maybe when I'm 100 and he is 80, but not now.

He puts up with a lot from me, and he continues to amaze me. Yeah, it amazes others too how he has put up with me for five years. I know he loves me unconditionally, and he brings out the good in me. I can not imagine my life without him.

Happy Anniversary!

Spring is Here!

The calendar says that today is the first day of spring, but Mother Nature has told us that the calendar does not make the rules, SHE DOES!

We awoke to about 2 inches of snow and ice this morning. Work was delayed for an hour so I did get to sleep in a little bit. Spring may officially begin today, but it is going to be awhile before we actually see it.

Time Flies

I mentioned on my post yesterday about my cousin BJ, and her recent heart attack. Well, today DJ and I took a little trip to pay a visit to my cousin and her family. They live about an hour from us in rural Highland County, Ohio.

While there BJ pulled out all her old photo albums and we reminisced about the "good old days". From about the age of 7 or 8 BJ was my sidekick. I thought of her more as my little sister than a cousin. We did everything together. We started smoking together, dating together (as she set me up all the time with her girlfriends). She was the one who tried to tell me when I was 16 that I was gay and that I should accept it. Of course I denied it at that time. She also introduced me to alcohol and pot. By the time I got married we had drifted apart somewhat (as she had already been married and divorced by then) but we still stayed in contact with one another. Of course my wife didn't care too much for her, and we drifted further. She remarried one of my brother's best friends and had two sons. I was married and had my children. In the past 8 years we have become closer again and stayed in closer contact with one another. She divorced and raised her two sons alone. I of course divorced and accepted the fact of my sexuality that she tried to tell me about decades earlier.

So when my mother called last week and told me she had suffered a heart attack I was upset. Mainly because I had not stayed as close as I wish that I had, and secondly because she is 3 years younger than me. Thankfully she has come out of the heart attack with flying colors and is home recuperating, and as you can tell from the photo (on the right) which was taken today, she is looking great.

The other picture was taken at Christmas in 1969. 35 years have passed since that picture was taken, and to be honest we haven't changed that much. Yeah we have gotten older and wiser (well wiser is a matter of opinion) but we still have that bond. And I have promised myself that I will remain closer to her and try to be part of her life again. It's sad that a sudden brush with death makes you realize what you could have lost.

CFS?

That's the most recent diagnosis I have received from my doctors. And just what is CSF? CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME.
Never heard of it? You are not the only one. I hadn't either. When he told me what he suspected I had my first response was, but I'm not fatigued? When I think fatigued I think worn out, exhausted, ready to collapse. But that's not the case. He said that 60% of most MS patients also suffer from CFS. There is really nothing that will cure the problem, but they can deal with some of the symptoms. One of which is vitamin supplements, which he has started me on, and light physical therapy which I will begin once a week, starting next week.

As for the MS, due to my recent bought with the bronchitis, sinusitis, kidney and bladder infections, of course it is flaring it's ugly head too. But I do return to work Monday after five days off, doctor ordered. But as you can see from this posting at 1:30 a.m. I will probably be fatigued all day tomorrow.

But at least I'm functioning fairly normal and as of now, nothing is life threatening, unlike my cousin BJ, who suffered a heart attack last week at 42. She is doing well and has returned home already after having a stint put in one of her arteries.

All I know is that I am tired of getting these INITALS. It's time for somone else to take a letter or two!

Check It Out

Natalie Wood Age 6
Originally uploaded by mjwoh.

Check out the beginning of my Top 50 Favorite Actresses of all time on my Movie Blog! Michael's Movie Mania. The 46 thru 50 are posted.

#42 JANE SEYMOUR
#43 THELMA RITTER
#44 KIM NOVAK
#45 ANGELINA JOLIE
#46 NATALIE WOOD
#47 LORETTA YOUNG
#48 GWYNETH PALTROW
#49 GRACE KELLY
#50 FAYE DUNAWAY

Worth Sharing

Even though I am still pretty sick and weak I felt this bit of information was worth sharing.
Cincinnati City Council voted Wednesday to extend discrimination protection to homosexuals and transgender people.

By an 8-1 vote, Council amended the city's human-rights ordinance to extend protection against discrimination to homosexuals and transgender people in jobs and housing. The ordinance protects people from discrimination based on race, gender, age, color, religion, disability status, marital status or ethnic, national or Appalachian regional origin. The change, effective next month, adds "sexual orientation or transgendered status" to those protected categories.

Finally a step in the right direction.

No End in Sight

I am really tired of being sick. This has now continued into a second week. I found out why yesterday. I went to the doctor after getting up and not being able to stand upright due to extreme pain in my back and legs. I called the doctor and they were able to get me in for a check up and hopefully one of those shots to numb the pain.

I didn't get the shot to numb the pain but was told that 1) I was suffering from exhaustion 2) I was mildly dehydrated 3) I had sinusitis 4) bronchitis which could lead to pneumonia 5) I had a kidney infection and 6) that I needed to be hospitalized. After arguing with him for a little over five minutes I was able to avoid a hospital stay by promising him I would go home and go to bed for the next two days and come back Friday for a check up, which if I am not better I promised him that then I would be admitted. So Here I am. Home. Sick in bed while DJ works for me. (I have one fantastic husband!) SO friends if you are wondering why I haven't called or you haven't heard from me in the past week, that is why.

People Don't Change, Seasons Do

I'm really tired of being sick. Four days of aches, stopped up nasal passages, coughing half my lungs out, little or no sleep at all, and that horrible cold medicine head through the day just to get by. It has to end! And soon!

The weekend sounds uneventful, or maybe it's just that I'm feeling so shitty. Tomorrow of course I have to work and then we are having a party for Red tomorrow night. DJ has his first catering job tomorrow. I am psyched about that for him, as he is a great cook, and he loves doing it, and now he can make some money for it.

Last night as I sat on the couch feeling sick, I noticed a picture that my mother gave to me back a few months ago sitting on a table in our living room. I began staring at this picture. Very intently. It was taken in about 1973 at one of those studios set up in the grocery store. My mother took my brothers and me and had our picture taken. As I sat there last night looking at the picture I could remember that day very vividly (maybe it was the medicine I had taken earlier) I could even feel the texture of the shirt I had in the picture. I loved that shirt. I also remember that my brother and I got into an argument on the way home after having the picture taken about who's turn it was to pick out the cereal for the week. We took turns each week as we only bought one box of cereal. It's strange how things like that just come back to you. Then as I sat there still looking at this picture I could see what the three of us would become. So little had changed since that day, but yet so much has happened. There was a time when I couldn't imagine my life without my brothers in it, now we barely talk to one another except at holidays. But as I looked at that picture last night, for just a few minutes it was 1973 again, and our bond and our innocence was intact. But then I thought of that day again. Me trying to be in control, trying to make sure everyone was happy, and not to upset our mother. My middle brother trying to set his own rules and agenda over the entire day, making sure that his way was THE way, and my baby brother sitting quietly by, taking it all in, never making a comment or an opinion (then again he was only 3 or 4)and then once we got home, he went off by himself. It is amazing how some things never change.

Rainy Days & Mondays

It's not Monday but it's rainy and dreary and cold outside. Nothing better for a cold than to add this kind of weather to it. On top of feeling yuck, and the weather being even "yuckier" there is NOTHING going on at work today. Dead, not even one customer and it's almost 2:00 p.m.

I talked to my old friend "Kare Bear" this past weekend. Kare Bear and her husband moved to Savannah last fall and I haven't seen her in over a year. We used to work together for a law firm downtown, and we also were great drinking buddies. Kare had a baby recently, Sydney, her second child and second daughter. She said that a few friends were coming down for the St. Patrick's Day celebration. I would love to go down and spend the weekend, but I guess we will have to wait until April as I have no vacation left until then.

Yeah this posting is a little haphazard, but it beats not posting at all. Or does it?

Sick & Tired

Welcome to March. It happens almost every year. And 2006 is no exception.

I am running a fever, have aches and chills, a stuffed up nose and night sweats that awaken me. It hurts to move my head and even urinate.

I know you really wanted to know all that.

But I got the bug.

DJ was sick most of last week with it, so it was inevitable that I would come down with it. But anyway onto what I really want to post about.

What is up with some of the gay bloggers out there? I am talking about the whole Oscar thing. Now don't get me wrong, I loved BBM. It was one of the best movies I have seen in quite sometime. I was also disappointed in it's losing the Best Picture Oscar Sunday night. Extremely, just ask DJ. But to go on a crusade of hate and vendetta as I have been reading against the Academy. How can we, the gay community, who fight for equality make some of the arguments I've heard from fellow bloggers about the Academy's choice of the movie Crash. Crash was an important movie as well. It's relevance is just as important. It's voice needs to be heard just as much as the gay community does. Yes, we have come a long way in racial relations, but we have a hell of a way yet to go.

They are movies. They tell a story. They bring conscience to things that others try to hide or do not want to admit. BBM told a story. Millions of people were made aware of what love between two men can be. Crash told a story. Millions of people were made aware of how bigotry, racism and intolerance are still very much alive. I say hats off to the Academy for recognizing the stories, both of them. Yes I know the Acaemdy didn't follow the "tradition" and some are even saying that some of the members of the Academy worked diligently to make sure BBM didn't get the award. If that is the case, then shame on them. Would there be as much fanfare about this if Jack Twist's name was Julie? Or what if Capote won the award?

I suppose I am just tired. But what does two movies, winning awards really have to do with what is right and wrong in this country regarding issues of intolerance, bigotry, homophobia, racism and equality?

Oscar Nightcap

Well it's over and I'm going to bed.
But first let's look at how my predictions fared.

Supporting Actress: I had Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz won for Constant Gardener
Supporting Actor: I predicted correctly with George Clooney
Actress: Again I was right, with Reese Witherspoon.
Actor: Correct with Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Direction: Correct again with Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain
Picture: A suprize, to all Crash beat out my predicted winner Brokeback Mountain

4 out of six, not bad...
Top 10 favorites of the night:
1) Jennifer Garner, her almost falling, and her breasts. She needed to feed her baby before coming to the show.
2) George Clooney's acceptance speech. One of the best.
3) Reese Witherspoon's acceptance speech, Heartfelt and she didn't forget Ryan. But, really where are you from again? Tennessee, Oh I had no idea!
4) Lauren Bacall, Still elegant, even if you can not read a prompter anymore.
5) Best Song...what was that all about.
6) Tom Hanks presenting the Director Award. Was he trying to rush the show along or what? He came across like a real ass. Just because he has won 2 Oscars and he can act like that. What was he saying to Jon Stewart as he was coming out? And to think I used to like him. Stay home next year Tom, you've had your day.
7) Catherine Keener, nominated for Supporting Actress, texting on her cell phone in Jon Stewarts opening... turn of the phone Catherine.
8) Lily Tomlin & Meryl Streep. Flawless
9)Phillip Seymour Hoffman's acceptance speech, everyone now knows he is a mama's boy! But congrats to his mom.
10) Ang Lee's acceptance speech. Thanks Ang. Love is love regardless of who you love. Thank You.!! & Jack Nicholson, just because I love him!

Congrats to our hometown boy, George Clooney.















Good Night, and good luck...

My Obsession

I am obsessed with many things; books, SIMS, food, chocolate...
The list goes on and on, but one of my biggest obsessions is movies.

I love movies. Currently DJ and I have over 450 DVD's in our movie collection. They range from the classics (such as To Kill a Mockingbird, Gone With the Wind, all 3 Godfather Movies) to bombs (The Fog, GhostShip) and many in between. I have many favorites. One for each genre and decade!

With the Oscar's show airing tomorrow night I thought I'd do another blog (like I have nothing better to do with my time) I am not sure how long I will keep this up, but I do love movies and I do know quite a bit of movie trivia, and then there is always IMDB!! So patronize me here and check out Michael's Movie Mania!!!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

Christmas is a special time of year. It has become commercialized yes, but still a special time of year. I can understand some people wanting to make it last as long as possible. It would be nice to have the Christmas spirit all year long. Just not the commercialization of it all.

Maybe that is why my friend Silver loves Christmas so much. Or maybe because it is his birth month as well. But regardless of the reason, it doesn't mean that you can still have this up in the month of MARCH!















These pictures were taken on February 19, but yes his tree is STILL up. I do love his Dickens Village though, don't you?
But all I can say is "God bless us every one!"