Initially, my enthusiasm for the impending trip to New York was unbridled. Hear any hoofbeats now, kids? Color me reined in. At first it was going to be a weekender with my sisters. There would be a Broadway musical, some nice dinners, roaming around Greenwich Village and Chinatown, shopping, a boy bar if I played my cards right....you get the picture. A gay weekend. Or maybe a girl weekend. Or both. Some of you have called me out on getting so hung up on that distinction, and rightly so. There was to be a sensibility, though, undeniably. Well, now some perfectly lovely people have been added to the mix and the recipe is decidedly changed. My brothers-in-law (love them..nice guys who treat my sisters well), a few college buddies of theirs, and my older sister's best friend from high school along with her husband, have all joined the fray. OK, straight or gay, tell me if you get this. One on one, I would enjoy spending time with any of these people, but in this group of married straight folks, all with kids, I will feel like a stranger in a strange land. Is it because I'm the sole gay? The sole single? Is it all just in my head? Do you ever feel that your whole sensibility is different than the group's and it makes you feel isolated and a bit lonely at the party? Never mind that the conversation will be dominated by either football, or the kids' sports, or daycare, or the McMansion with his and hers Lexi in the driveway. It's more than that. I'm not in tune with the vibe. I can't relate. You know? Call me a whiner, call me out (again), call me fetching, call me a cab for the trip into Midtown, because I'm going anyway and I'll have a great time, but I'm curious as to your take on my pathology. That said, here's a short list of FIVE THINGS I'll Do This Weekend in NYC:1. Have a great dinner, maybe Italian, and catch my sister's friend in her Broadway debut.
2. Take in the view from the Top of the Rock. I'll take some photos to share later. If I figure it out, I may email/blog a phone photo instantaneously. I'm so NOW!
3. Get up early and go for a run in Central Park, no matter the weather. I imagine it'll be gorgeous right now, but I've done it before in cold and sleet. Still relished it.
4. There will be bars and there will be drinking. My brother-in-law suggested ESPN Zone. Now do you see what I mean? I'll order Tequila Sidecars one after another until I either feel I belong, don't care, or stumble home and drunkblog all y'all. If I find a good spot to drink, I'll then establish a beachhead for my next trip, a full-on gay assault of the city. Meet me for that one, freakgirl?
5. Stalk Toothy Tile and, should the opportunity present itself, pet his puggle.
19 comments:
Dude, I get this one, m'kay. I often feel exactly the same way when I am amongst a pack of straights these days. In fact, last time I went to a Christmas party with all the large extended family, I became very self-aware of how this was the case. Alone in a crowded room, no one does that better than moi at times. Individually or in small groups its not an issue, yet strangely becomes so the larger the group gets. And why is this so?, damned if I know. [Shrugs]
Then again, maybe its because in that group dynamic the conversation inevitably turns to the proverbial footy, kids, or McMansions. Its so, like, suburban. Yet alone or in small groups, I can help steer the conversation into deeper discussion onto more mutual areas of interest. Rather than just observing petty talk that I don't relate too, I can have a real conversation. Ya know?
Hmmmmm. Jake just gets hotter and hotter, huh. I am dying here waiting for Bareback Mountain to open in Australia (giggle, Andrew, I blame you for that). Jake and Heath, soooo hot. And we all know how I just loves me a hot opening.
Pet his puggle. Uh huh. I'm sure his puggle is well and truly pettable. You go girl!
Anyhoo ...
Start spreading the news
I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it, New York, New York
These vagabond shoes
Are longing to stray
And make a brand new start of it
New York, New York
I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps
To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
These little town blues
Are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it
In old New York
If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York.
I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps
To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
These little town blues
Are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it
In old New York
If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York.
Oh I would feel the same way about that particular plan change, so you'll get no reprimand from me, sister.
Meanwhile my Roomie, who's currently back your way, said to tell you she has 3rd row seats for The Full Monty on Wed night so you can be jealous -- have I mentioned she's kind of a brat?
PS. Your fetching :-)
Michael, try something I've tried (perhaps with limited success) with past boyfriends, only in this instance try it with all the people in your group:
a) invent a personality (in the case personalities) for them
b) and, the most important part, adhere to it no matter what.
Of course I jest, I think the feeling of being out of step is one that all queers can relate to, and when you get older and more 'out' it rankles that little bit more to feel like an outsider again. Especially when your expectations for a gay old time were already set. Can't you suggest a few 'you boys go here and enjoy yourselves, while we girls will go here' sort of situations?
PS. Give Jake a big smoocheroo from me if you get close enough. I &hearts him.
ESPNZone? SERIOUSLY? If I could get there, we could take Andrew's (A) choice and pretend we're married.
My weekend is pretty full, which sucks. Email me with your agenda and I'll see what I can figure out.
A sports bar? Go, so much blog material...
Oh my god. ESPN Zone?! Can you get any straighter?! LOL!
Hang in there buddy. Don't let the breeders sap away your fabulousness!
Oh, the humanity!
Man, I've come back and looked at that pic of Jake a few times already. He's so gorgeous. It's the eyes that really take his looks to the next level.
Duane (of www.duanemoody.com - who's no slouch in the looks department himself) and I share a common obsession with him, and have left 'I heart Jake' type comments on each other's blogs a number of times. Inside I'm just a 'Tiger Beat' reading 16 year old.
Bodhi, it's comforting that you get it, even if you don't understand it either. I'm not sure where it comes from, but the feeling has become more acute for me over time. I like to have fun and it's not like the conversation has to be deep but can we talk about SOMETHING? It doesn't help that these people mostly don't read books or go to movies or even watch adult tv for chrissake! Too busy, they say. Harumph.
And yeah, Jake's puggle is surely pettable.
jen, I know, right? I must admit I'm relieved to get some back up on this. Although, I do love it when you chastise me firmly. As for your bratty roommate, I just checked the available seats, and I may just have to snuggle in the third row right next to her. I've been planning on seeing 'The Full Monty' (you're plotzing) next week when I get back, but maybe tomorrow! It's funny because there are all kinds of emblazoned disclaimers about brief partial male nudity in the advertising. Shocking! There was an article in Sunday's paper about difficulty in getting guys around here into the theater. ::sigh:: Again, stranger in a strange land.
Andrew, you're plan is so much better than mine, where I figured I'd amuse myself all night by doing the old visual trick of squeezing people's heads between my fingers. The boys and girls may just have to split up at some point. It always works OK at Thanksgiving. When I was a kid I always offered to dry the dishes, which my grandma and aunts thought was SO SWEET, when I really just wanted to stay in the kitchen with them.
freakgirl, I wouldn't subject you to this crew, though I love them to death. I'll make it back for a real and true gay weekend and you'll grace me then, won't you? Salon, shopping, checking out hot guys...gay bars. Game?
wingedman, no, you cannot get any straighter. And we're in NY! You can go to ESPN Zone if fucking Disney World. When my brother-in-law suggested it on the phone, I was taken aback, and silent and then he stuttered into, "Or.....". You bet your ass "or".
And yes, Andrew, Jake-ala is a prime cut. I'm frothy for 'Brokeback/Bareback' like our friend, Bodhi, but I'm hearing great things about 'Jarhead', so I'm catching that next week. By great things, you know I mean 'Jake shirtless in a Santa hat'.
Actually it gets better, pants-less in nothing but a Santa hat! Yessir!
You scare me. I'm beginning to think that you're actually a figment of my imagination, or like I said about someone else recently, my Id made manifest... I introduced my old friend Brendan you the "I'm squeezing your head" routine years ago, it's always been a major weapon in my aresenal!
Are we the same person Mike? Tell me!
Geez, could I put more typos in that last comment? Nup.
As much as I LOVE the idea of being a figment of your imagination, or the bodily manifestation of a part of your psyche, I'm all too real. All too real and frighteningly like you, save the accent and a few inches here and there, to keep things novel and interesting.
Michael, email me, we need to discuss those inches.
I would die from envy if/when you and Freakgirl ever get a chance to meet up. Take all the envy, put it in one place, then just write my name the hell all over it.
I am totally up for a Big Gay Visit to NYC.
Andrew, why must you live on the other side of the world?
Exactly. Rude!
Trust me, there are times when it bites the big one. But then I look outside the window, the harbour sparkles, the Opera House shines like a pearl, and I'm kinda living in Paradise. So it isn't all bad... :-)
Not to say that I don't need a Big Gay Visit To NYC with y'all!
Aww, dry those tears. I've been haunting the KL sites lately and trust me, lamb, rural Ohio's got nothing on you.
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