As I have loved you, so must you love one another

The Last Supper....NOW with more queers and sex toys! Errrrr, well, more sex toys anyway. I mean, c'mon. If the New World had been discovered back then, these dudes would have totally been kickin' it in Palm Springs:
via

On the street where you live

In the midst of all this home sale hullabaloo, I've been pipedreaming about buying one of these Eco-Modulars. Sleek, just big enough, easy on the environment, comes complete, and no mortgage. Got a big backyard that you're not really using?

What's new, Pussycat?

I saw Superbad this weekend. I don't usually count myself amongst the target demo of this movie genre (a bit too pussy-centric for my sensibilities), but for whatever reason, if it comes out of Seth Rogen's mouth, I'm laughing over it. In the case of Superbad, he wasn't even the funniest thing going. That would be Michael Cera, who takes FUMBLING AWKWARD to new heights, or as Freakgirl suggests, at least to Newhartian levels. Add some McLovin and you have a comedy trifecta.I laughed and laughed. I'll be purchasing this on DVD to be sure, though I may lose a little more sleep figuring out exactly WHY. But $19.99 is fair if only to see Miroki do his kitty-cat at least one more time.

This is a story about control

I'm working with a woman named Sandy Peters this morning, so you can imagine how difficult it's been for me.

This is what dreams are made of

You know how I love Brothers and Sisters, right? Tonight they had a season one recap episode, Family Album, to get us ready for the new shows starting next week. Clips from the first season were interspersed with cast interviews. I've raved about Matthew Rhys before. As have others.Still, I wasn't fully prepared for what I got tonight. Sweet, merciful Zeus, his accent! ::melts::

For spring will turn to fall in just no time at all

It's officially FALL and more than just brisk mornings and leaves turning, here in the rural Midwest it means THEATER SEASON! I caught my first local show this weekend, Snapshots, a musical revue of sorts, chock full of Stephen Schwartz showtunes. Loved it. More than just a cobbling together of his songs, it's a play about a long-married couple on the brink of separation.In the course of an argument, a box of photos gets tipped over leading Dan and Susan to reminisce about their thirty-plus years together. They see their love affair anew via the snapshots, which come alive in the form of younger versions of themselves, singing and dancing to the Schwartz tunes.And there are some great ones. Anyone heard of Wicked? Godspell? Children of God? Pippin? Songs come from all of those and more. With a liberal tweaking of the lyrics, these songs tie this love story together seamlessly. I could hardly stay in my seat. What a lovely way to start the fall.

This play was put on by The Human Race Theater Company and they do some amazing stuff here in lil' ol' Dayton. Next up for them is Sunset Limited, a play written by Cormac McCarthy. If you haven't read his The Road yet, why the hell not?

And we've so much love to make

The Biggest Loser has started again. I don't love the show, but certain aspects of it hold some appeal. And not just because I believe he may out-forehead me.Trainer Bob, y'all. Look. At. Him.Hurt me.
via

You might be in a gay household if......

You finally attend to your daily ablutions (first clue is you use "ablutions")(second is your shower is stocked with face scrub, soap, shaving cream, shampoo and conditioner from Aveda and Lush)(*but I digress) and you're serenaded by the following mix, courtesy of your new iPod, Cosimo de Medici:

- Today The Sun's On Us - Sophie Ellis-Bextor
- Eva's Final Broadcast - Madonna, Antonio Banderas (Evita Soundtrack)

OK, that would have been enough, right? Next up:

- Crimson and Clover - Dolly Parton

Stick me with a fork. Shaped like a cock.

I'm having an intensely lazy Sunday, and though I know I should revel in it, I'm all with the self-loathing. Dolly helps. She always helps. I'm also finding solace in the realization that my new iPod, Cosimo de Medici (given name: Roger), knows me as well as Lucretia used to. FYI: Lucretia has been recycled. She's now doling out investment podcasts and classic country music to my Dad. I should have left at least a few showtunes on her, the poor dear. She'll adjust.

*Hurry back, doll.

That change will do you good

By now most of you will have heard about the recent change of heart San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders had regarding gay marriage. I read about it. I was happy to hear it. Before ever watching the video, I said to some people that I just wish folks like Mr. Sanders could see the necessity of equality without having it affect them personally. His daughter is queer. But after having watched this video, and being deeply moved by his well-spoken and heartfelt statement, all I want is to congratulate Mr. Sanders (think he'd let me hug him?) and to be appreciative of whatever path takes him or anyone toward reason and equality. Here's the video, well worth a few minutes of your time if you haven't seen it:

Just a dream and the wind to carry me

If she can have a pirate, I think I deserve one, too.

In your eyes, the light, the heat

There's this dude that stops in here every little while (like...right now!). He's a family guy, totally straight with a wife and two young kids. He's late thirties, nice body, kinda sloe-eyed and sleepy looking, and maybe a little dumb. Here's the thing. He's WAY flirty, in a touchy, brush up agin' my jock way. Or maybe not. I can't read him. Also, he looks like he needs a shower, and smells like it, too, but if he were mine I wouldn't allow it because he's got the BEST man-funk. He's not rank, but he's got a hard-working sweaty smell that lingers around the periphery. Drives me to distraction!

Thanks for listening.

UPDATE: We made out a little.

UPDATE 2: No, no, we didn't. I'm way too professional for that! Heh.

Feet don't fail me now

I've been talking about my house sale, so I thought I'd fill you in on the LAST stumbling block-- the whole house inspection the buyer wanted. Not so great. Not terrible, but the inspector did find some water damage that I wasn't aware of. Some exterior door jams were never caulked properly, so they've started to rot on the bottom. They're painted and you can't tell that unless you start poking around. I don't HAVE to make the repairs. I could refuse and then the ball is in the buyer's court. This is a real problem, however, that I didn't know about, and the buyer couldn't have reasonably noticed when he looked at the house. Do I want to spend another $1,000 to make all the necessary repairs? No, sir. Will I? Yeah. At this point I just want it to be over. It's stressing.

You know how running is my stress reliever? The way I (temporarily) stave off the need for medication or therapy? Well, I have an inflamed Achilles tendon right now and even an easy run is painful. Oh, feet, you fail me now? So what's a boy to do but get a fabulous pedicure instead. Works almost as well. So that's what I did yesterday, and guys, save for the tendinitis, my feet are fabulous right now. Shavonda (aka my new queen) was brutal on my callouses, but my feet are now so soft and my nails so sparkling that I wanna titty fuck you with them. Hey, I gotta be honest.

Heavens to Betsy, does it get any worse? C'mon let's see.....

I was just in the convenience store grabbing a coffee and paper before work, and in walks an old man wearing ratty pajama bottoms, corduroy house slippers, and a white (well, we'll call it "off-white" with the understanding that I'm being generous) undershirt that did not fully cover his belly. Now I'm all for comfort, and flying your freak flag and whatnot, but shouldn't there be a line somewhere? Doesn't basic respect and decorum require that you put on a pair of damn pants if you're a grown-ass man out in public? I'm asking. If you tell me I'm wrong, I won't start stepping out in my housedress and curlers, but I'll try to judge those of you who do less harshly.ADDED: Here's one where I won't entertain argument. When you call a business, identify yourself.

How Amazon.com sees me

Action & Adventure Alternative Rock Britain Britpop Comedy Device Compatible Drama Fantasy Fiction Gay Gay & Lesbian Historical Indie Rock Jazz Literary Literature & Fiction Pop Rock Science Fiction & Fantasy Singer-Songwriters Superheroes Television Thrillers Traditional Vocal Pop United States

Someone stop me before I Koz again!

Remember how I was raving about that Dave Koz concert I caught this summer at the Fraze Pavilion? The saxy guy with the frisky kick? Yeah, him. He's coming back to Ohio, Cowlumbus specifically, with his smooth and jazzy Christmas show. Want. And so I bought TWO tickets this time, because I'm inhabiting a new, mo' optimistic state of mind, which supposes that there'll be some 'mo to go with me by then (is he reading this now?). To sum up, that's mo' 'mo. Sounds like it'll involve glitter, no? And possibly lube. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to Dave and Co. bringing the clean, wholesome Christmas cheer. If he also brings me randy pants, well, he can't help it. Look at him!I'm SO stage door johnnying him this time, in a totally non-stalkery way, natch. Do you think he'd sign my ass? Kidding. I'll bring his new holiday CD, in stores now!

You don't know what you got 'til she's [BLANK]

Ah, Brett. You and Charles Nelson Reilly were a MATCH made in my little queer boy heaven, before I even knew what fags and hags were. RIP, doll.

I've always found clowns frightening, but I had no idea

Mr. Topp? Can I call you Carrot? Oh. Mr. Topp, I'd write an open letter to you, but Henry has already said it better than I ever could.

via Fabulon

Games people play

Sometimes when I'm driving I'll get right up on someone's ass like I'm all impatient and pissed off. Usually they'll slow down in an effort to piss me off more, but the jokes on them 'cuz I could give a fuck. Then sometimes when they look in their rearview mirror to see how irate I am, I'll do that Dead-head dance with my hands. You know, like I'm on 'shrooms, and I can see vapors coming off my fingers? I bet they hate that. Try it some time. It's fun.

One of them will probably shoot me in the face someday. And I'll understand, because this is America and that's in the Bill of Rights or something.

As soon as I have time, I'll get therapy, I promise.

Follow the day and reach for the sun!

Despite appearances on this blog, it's not just Men's Fitness and Out around here. I do still crack open a book every little while. Here are the last two:

Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss and the Musical RENT
--After seeing Anthony Rapp reprise his role as Mark Cohen on Broadway, I had to check out his recent memoir. It's been sitting on my shelf since I found it in the remainders bin at Borders. If you're a RENT-head, a gay, a member of PFLAG, or an Andy Dick fan (admittedly a small subset, that last)(they were childhood friends), pick it up. Rapp details his life at the time when RENT was exploding all over the media which coincided with his mother's battle with cancer. He also digs into his family and romantic relationships, and doesn't always paint himself in the best light. Even a few tidbits about being backstage with Taye Diggs and Jesse L. Martin were enough to entice me.

I Am Not Myself These Days
--If you're reading HERE, you should totally read this book. Another fag. Another memoir. And come to think of it, another dude who ended up partnered and living on the Upper East Side in NYC. This one is a not so hale and not so hearty recounting of a year in the life of an alcoholic ad exec by day/drag queen by night and his relationship with his crack-addicted gay whore boyfriend. Penthouse views included. Often poignant and frequently hilarious, sometimes in the same paragraph.

Now I'm reading Enduring Love by Ian McEwan. Ian is my boy. His Atonement and Saturday are two of my favorite books of the last ten years or so.

Suddenly, the wheels are in motion

Remember how I was raving about Xanadu on Broadway? This is the clip of Kerry Butler (Kira) and Cheyenne Jackson (Sonny) performing "Suddenly" on The View this week. Tell me you don't love? Isn't Cheyenne Jackson just the dreamiest thing in like ever? Don't get me wrong, I admire his talent and I have no doubt he possesses a sharp mind, but isn't his body in that tank top and cut-offs a big ol' gay boy's playground? I've watched this over and over.

PS That little thing he does when she pulls the coin out of his ear KILLS me.

ADDED: One of the best and truest lines of the play, as spoken by Calliope, one of the Greek muses: This is like children’s theater for 40-year-old gay people!
Pretty much.

No day but today

Meet my new iPod. He came in the mail today. My old one was completely full and I can't stand not having my entire music collection portable-ized. Full sync. Unadulterated sync. Sync with abandon. I need that. Hence this little beauty that winged its way from China over the last few days.Say hello to Roger everybody. Lest you think I'm a size queen, he's 80GB. $100 cheaper than his more well-endowed kin, and besides, I know that by the time he's full there'll be something new demanding purchase.

Do they dance and sing there?

Hi Mike... we are celebrating the 2007 Cincinnati Bengals 1st win of the season by offering 2 Tickets to attend 1 Bengals game this season. There is no purchase necessary... all you need to do is come in to the White Allen European Auto Group and register to win 2 Bengals tickets. While you are here you can take a look at our entire Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Jaguar inventory... or you can just sign up and go... again no purchase necessary. Please let me know if you can make it in this week?

I think I'll wait until next week to go in, because I'm kinda lucky and, like, what if I actually won? Is this some kind of joke? Well, I guess the font suggests that it is. "Whodey", indeed.

I don't want to be lonely tonight

Do me wrong, do me right,
Tell me lies but hold me tight,
Save your goodbyes for the morning light,
But don"t let me be lonely tonight.

Sing it, JT! I feel you, brother. No, not you Timberlake. Not that there's anything wrong with you, but you're supposed to be resting your chords this week, so hush. I'm gliding down a smooth river of James Taylor this afternoon. If Secret Of Life makes me cry a little, is that a bad sign?

Have I mentioned that my house is all but sold? The inspection was yesterday, the appraisal was today. Unless they found something seriously wrong yesterday, this is all a done deal in two weeks, and then I have three more weeks to be out. Five weeks is a good amount of time, unless you haven't taken the time to figure out where you're going. Anyone have an opening this man can fit?

A long, long time ago, but I can still remember

Is there a statute of limitations on talking about my holiday? I had a hastily assembled vacation in New York over the Labor Day weekend, and you guys, it was the BEST time. Some highlights:

THURSDAY: Flew in on a glorious day and had the cutest little cabbie who drove like a bat out of Hades, taking a route I couldn't recall if I tried, but she got me into the city in near record time. Big tip! I stayed at the Hudson Hotel, placed there by my cheap ass dealings with Priceline.com for the first time.LOVE. Teeny, tiny, chic and modern Philippe Starck designed rooms, and I think the bar is by Ian Schrager. My beautiful baby sister was in town, so we, along with all her boisterous and blonde Southern friends, had tapas somewhere in the East Village that night. Oh, earlier there was lunch and shopping with the ladies, and they had me try on things and then decided what I'd buy.....dress me up in your love, bitches.

FRIDAY: US Open!Y'all, I saw the best tennis match (possibly the best live event of any sporting kind) of my life. And I fell in love with Novak Djokovic that day. Little did we know when we walked into Louis Armstrong stadium, that we'd be seeing a four and a half hour marathon of high quality tennis. Most games in a US Open singles match since the advent of the tie-break system in 1970! Djokovic took down Radek Stepanek, and then marched on to the finals last weekend against Roger Federer. As good as that was, that night I saw RENT and it was electric, yo. I know what you're saying. RENT? Again?But Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal (the original Mark and Roger) are back for a limited run, so what was I supposed to do? For you AI fans, Tamyra is playing Mimi. I got great last minute seats and maybe it was due to those guys, or maybe that the place was packed with die-hard RENT-heads, but the energy and the harmonies rocked my socks. GREAT show.

You'd think that would be enough, but there's more!

SATURDAY: I jumped out of bed early, laced on my kicky new trainers, and hit the streets. I didn't have a set plan, other than I wanted to do my long run on Saturday instead of Sunday as I was flying out the next day.(the Bethesda Fountain for you Angels In America fans)
I ran through Central Park and then headed south on Fifth Avenue. And kept going. And going. Until I hit water. I came back up the West Side Highway and according to my shoes (and the Nike-iPod system), I ran 11 miles. Between the glorious weather and my reveling in all the neighborhoods, it barely registered that I'd gone that far. Seriously, how good is this trip? The best is yet to come. Can you say XANADU on Broadway with Freakgirl and Lisa? Can you say stage seating? Can you say the funniest show I've seen since I can't remember anything more funny?If you are in the NYC vicinity during the run of this show, you owe it to yourself to check it out. Disco balls, hilarious Aussie accents, Art Deco clouds, roller-skates, and the songs. Oh, those songs. PS? Cheyenne Jackson. 'Nuf said. Oh, and glow sticks! After, we had an early dinner at Sardi's. As good as the show and the meal were, I gotta say that Freakgirl and Lisa can tag-team me ANY time, ANYwhere. So charming.

There was more, but geesh, who's still reading at this point anyway? Stop me before I link again. That was New York for Labor Day. Every time I fall more in love with that city.

For any moment you might find the gold

I had a gold crown put in this weekend. You heard me. Forget the sexy thoughts, I'm your pepaw, young'n. In my defense, generally speaking my teeth are good and sound and true (and bleached), but I did have one crown (of porcelain wrought). Unfortunately, after less than two years, it cracked. My (smoking hot) dentist was surprised, but then he doesn't know how much (renting of clothes and) gnashing of teeth goes on around here. Anyway, he suggested GOLD as a substance that would withstand whatever untoward conditions that might occur in my mouth. So I acquiesced, and now, fast forward two days, I'm quite fond of my new oral bling. I'm even thinking of a mouthful of grillz, along with my everpresent daydreams of a mouthful of Grylls.

With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you

Happy birthday, Boo! Another year's gone by already? And it was just this weekend when someone opined that you and I ought to be married by now or something. I couldn't argue. Hope you have a lovely day! You're the tops.

There's only now, there's only here

The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me.

That's Buffy speaking to Dawn, her sister/not sister, in the finale of Season Five, just before she heaves herself off a hastily cobbled together scaffolding. OK, I didn't love that she kind of adopted a crucifixion pose, but I can't really fuss too much. Isn't that like de rigueur when sacrificing oneself to seal off a rent in the dimensional fabric? Plus, hello, all the plummeting...limbs akimbo.Jesus, Mary and Joseph but I loves Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I've just finished said season in my reunion tour with the Chosen One and her Scoobies. Alas, only two more seasons to go. Anyone else reading the new comic? Another issue next week and the first few have owned my ass.

Did I just hear someone scoff? Step off. This show is one for the ages. Whipsmart and incredibly funny. It pushed boundaries and MANY of today's hit shows on major networks owe it a debt of gratitude.

One of the best things about Buffy was its ability to completely turn things on a dime and send you hurtling in another direction. This was true of the plots, the characters, and even the mood within a scene. Week to week, even minute to minute, it was like being on a rollercoaster with your best buds. Only they're even funnier than your real friends.

Oh, poor Watcher. Did your life flash before your eyes? Cup of tea, cup of tea, almost got shagged, cup of tea. Spike to Giles

We gon' party like it's your birfday

I saw this irrepressible character over on D-Listed this week and I can't stop looking at her. You make it to 100 and you can smoke 'em if you got 'em, I guess. But I'll take mine outside if that's OK. What? Yeah, sure, ala mode, but sans ash, sil vous plait.

I'm free to do what I want any old time

You remember that my house is on the market, right? Hush now, but there's been a nibble. Shush! Send me all the good vibrations quietly. Needless to say, I'm Kluming right now (i.e. on pins and needles). If this happens, it's gonna be mostly liberating, but a little scary, as I have no idea where I'll go.

The sun is shining, c'mon get happy!

The sun was definitely shining last Thursday when I was queued up for the Rufus Wainwright concert over in lovely Cowlumbus, Ohio. 100F, people. And SULTRY, as my Grandma Bets was so fond of saying. I can't seem to organize my thoughts today, so it's bullet points, k?

• I was very pleased to discover that Rufus' voice is so strong and clear and beautiful. It's a unique instrument, and I wondered how he'd sound outside a recording studio, especially in an outdoor venue. The answer: marvelous. And he had a horn section. 'Nuf said.
  
• The set was taken heavily from his latest album, Release The Stars, which was fine by me as it's been the soundtrack of most of my summer. The highlight for me was Between My Legs, but that was tempered by the realization that I totally should have submitted a YouTube video to audition for the spoken word portion of that song. The blonde/bland girl that won was OK, but nowhere near as theatrical as was called for. If RW is coming to your town, send a video in and show folks how it should be done, homos.
  
• After a brief intermission, Rufus came back out in lederhosen. Yay! He did a series of songs which he connected with some anecdotes, forming a "European" set. But the encores, pets, oh, the encores! When my man came out in a fluffy, white robe to do a song with the band and then a few solo at the piano, I felt the night was complete. So, so wrong.
  
• Picture it. Rufus, still in his white robe, sits on a chair at center stage. The lights go out but for a spotlight on him. The band noodles around in the dark while he reaches into a bag to put on a sparkly ring. Then matching earrings. Then red lipstick. Then black pumps. He stands and turns. The spotlight goes off. He drops the robe, and when the lights come up, he's JUDY. This Judy, all longs legs and stockings. It's kind of a blur after that. I think I may have passed out for a few seconds, but I do remember him launching into C'mon Get Happy, and I did. I forgot my troubles and I got happy, y'all. Best encore I've seen in forever. Maybe it was the stockings and heels, but brother's got some stems.
  

Day will break and you'll awake and start to bake

It's the other side of the world where my buddy Andrew lives. He's probably sleeping, but since he's tapped into the gay collective unconscious (as we all are), he's also probably pup-tenting the sheets right now, though he may not know exactly why until morning. (click to enlarge)
Wentworth Miller and Luke McFarlane have a stroll. I'm not reading anything into it. Just enjoying the breezy moment.

Luke! I am your Daddy!

OK, I couldn't resist.

But I want an Oompa Loompa NOW, Daddy!

I hope this is true because my iPod has long been too small to handle my music library and the waiting, she is seriously starting to harsh my mellow.

We can't return, we can only look behind

Both Men's Health and Details have been so kind this month as to tell me just how far along I am on the path of steady decay. They've done it in the guise of skin care guides for men divided by decade. Now I understand that there will be fine lines and wrinkles. Age spots and discoloration, even. And my hairline is a gentle (lately) reminder of the direction I'm heading. Still, some of this shit is downright depressing. Specifically:

By the late forties, it’s all downhill, as the lax skin on the cheeks, lips, eyelids, and jaw is unable to resist the tug of gravity and starts to droop. The fat pads beneath your eyes also begin to slide, causing puffy bags and a tired appearance. “Even the tip of your nose starts to point south as the support structure of cartilage breaks down,” Matarasso says. Last, as the body continues to age, it begins to redistribute fat; on your face, that shows up as deflated cheeks and sunken temples.

My damn nose is gonna start dripping off my face? The neck is one that really gets me, though. I don't think I've really accepted that one day I won't have a neck. That point was driven home the other day when I was shaving and the skin kinda folded under the blade a little. Next stop, gobble gobble fer fucksake! Wattle I do then?

Oh, and these "guides" don't even venture into the 50s. I guess you're already beyond fucked by then, so I guess it's best to start drowning my sorrows around 48.

One thing, this guy they have as an example of 40s skin is damn hot.Slap a kilt on him and you won't hear from me for a week. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to schedule a series of Aveda Botanical Skin Resurfacing treatments.

Wearing tubesocks with style, and such an innocent smile

Movies, movies, movies. Where's all the music and cute boys?Right here. I am still in the afterglow of crushing on Dave Koz, and now at the last minute I've decided to catch Rufus Wainwright's show in Columbus tomorrow. It's not such a stretch between the two. Both comely queers. Both with a theatrical bent. Both with the sweeping orchestration. Just different paths, lambs. I could hardly be more excited about Rufus the Baptist. His Release the Stars has been the soundtrack of most of my summer.Lawn seats are still available. Who wants to come with?

Big boy, come on around, and they'll be calling you baby

Ugh. I'm kinda sad clown today. OK, I'm actually ridiculously, extravagantly sad clown today. For no good reason. I gotta say, this helps. Wasn't Mika supposed to take the whole country by storm, and not just my fancy pants? I'm looking forward to Ugly Betty coming back.

In other Betty news, I would have killed to be at the recent celebrity charity auction where they were treated to Michael Urie (Mark) and Becki Newton (Amanda) performing You Don't Bring Me Flowers as Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand. You KNOW there was a catfight over who got which part. Oh, and America Ferrera did something from Gypsy while Jerry O'Connell danced. In skimpy drag. Who does a brother have to blow to get invited to these things?

We have lived and dreamed, we two alone

Time for more movies! But first (holla, Julie Chen!), I'd like to inject a personal note. My house is still on the market, people. I know, I know, it's only been three weeks and it's a tragically soft market, but patience? She requires a certain depth of character, and well, you've met me, right? Anyway, quite a few lookers, but no offers as of yet. Two more showings tonight, though, so wish me luck. Maybe I need to do one of those cleansing rituals, Jeff Lewis-stizz. "Time to get some new candles!" was such a great line from Ryan, Jeff's present business partner/former sexy-time partner. He's teh compact hotness, non? Love him. And Jenni, the saucer-eyed assistant with a penchant for speaking in acronyms...love her, too. And don't get me started on Jeff's inflated lips. No love. PS? If you haven't been watching Flipping Out on BRAVO, oh darling, do so at your first convenience.

Oh yeah, movies. La Vie En Rose. See it. I was only peripherally aware of Edith Piaf before. Yes, my name is Mike, and I am a Philistine. Lambs, she is my new queen. The Little Sparrow was the French Judy Garland, entrancing a nation with her unique voice and riveting stage presence, while suffering some wicked demons in her private life. Raised by parents, grandparents and prostitutes, Edith endured poverty, disease, loss, drug addiction, and even blindness (which was blessedly temporary....thanks, St. Theresa!). If Marion Cotillard doesn't get an Oscar nomination for this, it can only be because the movie is in French.Yes, in French with subtitles. Consider that a heads up to all you mouth-breathin', freedom frie-eatin' beyotches. The rest of y'all should see this movie. I can't leave you without a look at the Sparrow herself, singing Hymne a l'Amour, which I adore.

Finally, though not a theatrical release, I also caught High School Musical 2, natch. As I told Charlie, I watched HSM 1 first, because I'd never seen it all the way through, and with the intricate plotting and depth of characterization, I thought it best that I refreshed my memory. Good thing, too, because Sharpay and Ryan are layered, yo.Enjoyable.

We're after the same rainbow's end

For me, this weekend was all about the movies. May I share?

First, the soundtrack for my weekend was At The Movies, the latest release from my boi Dave Koz. You know, the guy I saw in concert? Totally talented and totally adorable? The one who stopped by Pipedreams last week? (!!!!) You heard me. For a few minutes, there were zero degrees of separation between me and Dave Koz. There was no need for Kevin Bacon to be involved at all. Although.......Yep, that guy. I picked up some of his old stuff and I'm finishing off the summer floating down his smooth jazz river, my hand lazily dipped into his saxy waters.....um, where was I? Oh yeah, the movies.

Becoming Jane, stars Anne Hathaway as the titular Jane (Austen), and if you need CATEGORIES, it's a chick flick. But a brainy one. And with accents. Yeah, I know. PERFECT for me. Turns out that a movie about Jane's young life plays out pretty much like a movie based on the young life of one of Jane's heroines. Jane had a star-crossed Pride and Prejudice-style love all her own, with Tom LeFroy taking the role of her real-life Mr. Darcy.Lefroy is played by the boyishly handsome James McAvoy and I spent a good portion of this movie wondering what else I knew him from. A quick googling and all was revealed. Mr. Tumnus! From half man/half beast to hotheaded sexy beast. Nice! If you like seeing Jane Austen novels adapted to the screen, you'll like seeing her actual life up there at least as much.

OK, a little bird, a Little Sparrow specifically, tells me that we have two more movies to go, but no time right now. Curse my workaday life! The next movie is about said bird and I'll give you a heads up: she crazy. She makes Judy Garland look like a Girl Scout. Like a Mormon Girl Scout. Is there such a thing? And the last movie I saw this weekend....well, I bet you can guess, because we're all in this together. Stay tuned!

You're just a natural born beehive filled with honey to the top

If you're bored right now, flip over to some coverage of the vigil outside Graceland. You there? Now scan the crowd and decide: drag queen or just a Southern lady. Fun! But not easy.

I feel the tension in my lungs and every move is fueled by my resolve to breathe

I've toyed with the idea of tagging my posts (such as they are), but I think that would show that they're 85% cute boys, with the remaining 15% a hodgepodge of music, books and shopping. I realize it, but I'm not sure I want to see it in black and white, you know? Although it does give you a fairly good idea of how dinner conversation would be with me.

Anyway, here's a shopping one. I picked up these beauties over the weekend and ran in them for the first time today. They are the new Nike Zoom RS+.I know! So pretty. They are very light and the ZOOM cushioning is nice. Definitely not the soft ride you get from true Nike AIR, though, so I'll be using them for shorter runs (less than 5 miles) or when I need to feel fast. Notice I didn't say I'd actually BE fast. So yes, they feel good, and yes, they fit well, but I think my favorite thing about them is they make me feel like even though most of me is in rural Ohio, from the ankles down I'm in Toontown.

I'm not faggy, I'm just drawn that way. ::wink::

Oooh, mind if I tack on some MOVIE and CUTE BOY onto this post? I just noticed that The Lookout is now on DVD. If you missed this Joseph Gordon-Levitt noirish thriller when it was in the theaters, by all means check it out on video. Suspenseful! And Jeff Daniels continues his recent hot streak (hot as in "good acting", I mean).

Time... I've been passing time watching trains go by

It's interesting, because my commitment right now to putting all the cards on the table, professionally speaking, is a commitment to myself to write a new script. I realized that this 10-year-old boy--I'm talking about me--wrote my life script. OK, this is a part of me, but I'm just going to keep it dormant. I'm just going to push it down, push it away, and I'm going to be able to fill that void with other things.

Huh. Not just me, then. That's Dave Koz, 42, jazz saxophonist. I saw him last week at the Fraze Pavilion, here in beautiful Dayton, Ohio. Laugh if you will at my proclivity for SMOOTH JAZZ/INSTRUMENTAL POP, but he put on a great show. Loved it. He had David Benoit along on piano (genius!), as well as the vocal stylings of the lovely Kelly Sweet (has a current ADULT CONTEMPORARY hit with Raincoat) and Phil Perry. Phil Perry blew the roof off the place, y'all. His take on It Might Be You (Theme from Tootsie) rocked my socks (India Arie sings it on Dave's new CD). I went alone, natch, but quickly bonded with the strong black woman next to me. She was all vocal and shit during that song. You know, like suddenly hollering "Sing, Phil!" and "That's it! That's it!" She was almost as fun as the show.

Later, when Dave's bass player did a Theme from Shaft bit, I may have squealed. As you will. My sister smacked me and said, "You don't even know Shaft, you young thing." Wait. You mean you're gonna be fun AND act like I'm not even 40? Well then you leave me no choice but to love you.

Good, good show and a really interesting guy, Dave Koz. He's a Grammy-nominated artist, co-owns an independent record company, hosts an afternoon radio show, and does some really cool humanitarian work for kids. Something's telling me it might be you, Dave.

Time... I've been passing time watching trains go by
All of my life...
Lying on the sand, watching seabirds fly
Wishing there would be
Someone waiting home for me...

What a wicked game you play

Someone figured a way to find the IP addresses of the previously anonymous "editors" over at Wikipedia. I'm suddenly a little obsessed to find how much corporate and governmental spin is going on over at the Free Dictionary Anyone Can Edit. Are you sitting? Scientology has done a little burnishing. Still sitting? As has the US government.

Every time he smiles at me, I know that we're the same

OK, Nick gone (see last post). NEXT! What? It's not like the fickle fancy of the faggot isn't well documented, little chickens. Tonight I've moved on to the Israeli hotness that is Ivri Lider.OMGah. As long as we're trafficking in stereotypes, we may as well admit that we're a visually focused lot, so his looks don't hurt his appeal, certainly.But if you're not sold already, have a listen and look at him singing one of my favorite Gershwin tunes.

You're putty, right? Just like M.E.

His first US single, Jesse, is on iTunes and on the CD Revolutions from Sony/Columbia's GLBT label. It's a beautiful song and you can watch that video here.

Hey, if you ain't gonna use it, just give it to us....we'll give it a HOME (or An Ode to Big Brother's Nick)

We're likely on the eve of his eviction, so I feel like I have to toss off a little (public) homage to my Big Brother crush, Nick. Of course he's been feted privately more than once. Trust.I know! He's cartoonishly hyper-muscular and has those Cro-Magnon features that will make my back arch involuntarily. What's not to love, right? He's flirty with the girls.... AND the boys.What else? Oh yeah, within the first few days in the house he talked about sucking off some dude AND he has a Top Five list of guys he'd fuck around with. Ryan Reynolds is on said list, if I recall correctly.(Yes, that's a completely gratuitous Ryan Reynolds shot, but then again, aren't they all?) Where was I? Oh yeah, Nick. As amply evidenced this season, Nick is not afraid of looking stupid (which freakgirl equates with "blast in the sack" and I heartily concur). In that spirit, he's now given himself a mohawk, which gives me the tinglesack and I don't care what you bitches say about it. Oh, and he sings Mika in the shower!

::sigh:: Hang in there, buddy! I'm still hoping against hope that Jesus steps in and saves your hot ass. If that's in His plan, of course. Jameka says God is gangsta (that's what she loves about Him) so maybe He'll be swayed by your tats or something. Seriously, people, what's a Big Brother house devoid of man candy? It's last season once Dr. Will was gone, that's what.

ADDED: Here's another funny tidbit for you.

..I think A.C. Slater quite possibly could be the dreamiest guy ever (sigh)...

That's from Nick's MySpace page.