Month: June 2009

Cookin’ N Bookin’

I’ve been getting back in the habit of cooking my own meals lately as opposed to eating out. Wit the old roomie moving to NY, I needed to make some cutbacks to accommodate the cost of absorbing all of the rent. My eating habits were an easy target as I tended to eat out a lot. Anyway, I’ve been getting back in the habit of cooking. With that comes old favorites that I enjoy immensely and are relatively easy to make. A big one is a simple but versatile dish called Hobo Casserole. You can use any ground meat of choice, (the leaner the better), fresh frozen assorted veggies, V-8 or tomato sauce, and biscuits. Brown the meat, seasoning to taste. Layer in casserole dish, cover with mixed veggies and then layer w/biscuits. That’s pretty much it. Cook at 300 degrees for about 45 minutes. Its a very versatile recipe as you can change up the meat, veggies, and the sauce. The trick is to make sure the casserole dish is full to the top with just a tiny bit of room to fit the biscuits; literally just enough to prevent the biscuits from cooking over the edge. If the dish isn’t full the biscuits will not cook all the way thru and will be gooey underneath. [1]An alternative is to cook the biscuits in a similar size dish and layer’em on top afterwards. If you are a cheese fan you can layer in a cheese of your choice between the meat and veggies. I swap the sauce from V-8 juice to tomato sauce, or my favorite, Campbell’s tomato soup. The tomato soup has a tangy sweet flavor which mixes well with the meat and veggies. I also love to add chopped okra with the veggies. DE-lish! It isn’t very ‘sophisticated’ but makes a filling and healthy meal.

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And speaking of roomies, I can’t remember if I told everyone but I found a new roomie. [2]And no, we haven’t slept together. As you know, I’ve been very ambivalent about searching for a new roommate. The thought of living with a total stranger has been very unappealing. It took me 2 months just to start putting feelers out. I’ve been very cautious as I’m looking for a good fit vs just having a body to fill a void. Home is my no-drama zone and I wanna keep it that way. Anyway, he saw a blurb on my Facebook profile and showed some interest. We’ve known each other for several years. He dated my ex’s best friend back when my ex and I were still together. While we aren’t overly close, I know enough about him to feel comfortable having him as a roomie. He also has a stable job, his own wheels, and he doesn’t smoke. All pluses in my book. lol Seriously though, I’m looking forward to it. I think he is a great guy and don’t foresee any drama. Unfortunately, this came about because he is breaking up with his partner. I guess he has reached his breaking point as he was originally gonna move in on the first but has already started moving his stuff. [3]Lucky for him, I’ve already had the priest over to perform an exorcism after the last roomie. heehee He seems to have a positive attitude about it though. Oh, and he also rides a motorcycle so we definitely have that in common!

He is supposed to finish moving in this weekend. I’ll be in LA visiting the boy so he’ll have the whole place to himself. I’m quite sure he’ll be fine. lol  For my part, I’m excited. As ambivalent as I was, the apt has felt empty w/o someone around. I can turn my attention back to paying down my debt in anticipation of buying a condo around years end.

References

References
↑1 An alternative is to cook the biscuits in a similar size dish and layer’em on top afterwards.
↑2 And no, we haven’t slept together.
↑3 Lucky for him, I’ve already had the priest over to perform an exorcism after the last roomie. heehee

Ruh Row

Well, I only got one piece of hate-mail after my last rant. Actually, most of the replies by email have been quite civil. Most people who were upset w/me apparently missed the part about me stating, “I am disappointed with our current Prez”. The distinction is I still see hope thru some of his recent screw ups. I rarely rant about politics mainly as I get annoyed with all the vitriol from both sides. Everyone LOVES to complain but so few of us ever do anything about it. /rant

And now for something more trivial…

Had another good moto ride this week. Well, it started out great but didn’t end so well. We took a jaunt down to Alice’s restaurant in Woodside. Alice’s is a favorite spot for bikers and relatively easy to get to. Plus, the surrounding country side is very beautiful and has lots of windy roads to trek on. I’m normally the sweeper [1]the rider who brings up the rear and makes sure no one gets left behind. but since our normal leaders weren’t in attendance, I got nominated to be the leader. I didn’t mind as I knew the route well. That said, I don’t think I make a very good group leader. I worry too much about the group and have a hard time focusing on the ride ahead. I kept slowing down, afraid I was going too fast. Speed up, slow down,  speed up, slow down….I’m sure it was worse than hooker with ADD.

We took a round about route so the ride would be a tad longer. My favorite part was coming back up Hwy 84. Its a very windy road with curves that are uneven so its almost like being on a race track. [2]No, we weren’t racing.

There is an optical illusion  in this pic. We are actually standing on a a steep grade and I’m squatting a bit. I found it amusing how short I looked. lol

After a very filling lunch, it was still kinda early so we decided to head on up to Big Basin. Now that was a bit more rough. A very typical one lane bumpy mountain road. On a sport bike, it tends to leave the wrists and buttocks sore. Luckily, its only about 5 miles before cresting the top and it opens up again. We stopped at the top to give everyone a break, including myself. OY.

Here’s all our bikes parked in a row. [3]Gerrad, notice yours is up front, per your request Aren’t you proud of m I remember to bring the camera two weeks in a row! Good homo! lol

Sadly, things did not end well. On the way home I somehow managed to leave my jacket zipper open and my wallet blew out on the 280 freeway. *sigh* My buddy Christopher pulls up next to me thinking something blew off my bike. I immediately thought it was my phone as I have a horrible habit of cramming it in my side leg pockets which tend to bend when I’m riding. Luckily it wasn’t. Completely irritated, I had the bright idea to walk down the side of the freeway looking for the wallet. To be clear, the freeway here has a very wide shoulders on both sides. I wasn’t actually in traffic…yet.

The very thought of going to the DMV emboldened me to search for the damn thing. About a half a mile of backtracking on foot, I began to find the remnants of my life strewn all about. I found my broken bank card first, 30 more yards I found a $20 blowing on a weed, another 50 yards I found yet another credit card bent all to hell. I walk for a bit more and am about to give up when I see my wallet blowing in the freeway. Naturally, it looks completely empty from being run over and blown all about. Even worse, its on the other side of the damn freeway now. Hoping against hope that my driver’s license was still in it, I waited about 15 minutes, timing the space between cars, before making a mad dash across 5 lanes of traffic to grab my wallet. Oh yes, 5:30pm on a Friday and yours truly is running across the 280 freeway! I know, I know, stupid but I wasn’t ever really in that much danger. This occurred South of SF in a very open stretch of countryside. The inside shoulder also had a 6ft wide dirt median which is where I spent most of my time walking. The only real risk came from running across the freeway.

Of course, I found everything but the damn ID. I’m quite sure given more time I would have found it as well. The chippies showed up and shooed me away. Actually, the guy was very nice and was shocked at how far I’d walked when he drove me back up to where my bike was parked. The funny part of all this? CHP never got a call about me walking on the freeway just a motorcycle being parked on the shoulder. How’s that for a kick in the rubber pants?

References

References
↑1 the rider who brings up the rear and makes sure no one gets left behind.
↑2 No, we weren’t racing.
↑3 Gerrad, notice yours is up front, per your request

Right or Wrong

As you know, I rarely weigh in on politics (for a reason). However, I’ve been mulling this one over for awhile now. I’m quite sure my opinion is in the minority. Well, that is why its called an opinion. Just like assholes, ever body has one. I’ve been reading a lot of the fall out over Obama’s lackluster support for LGBT rights, gay marriage, and opposing DOMA, DODT, etc. [1]Maybe because we’ve become selfish and only notice instant gratification? Specifically, all the indignation about how our current Prez has ‘failed us’.

For the record, I am disappointed in our current President. He could be doing more to promote equality for the LGBT community. That said, I’m not ready to throw the book or even give up on him just yet. I’d like to think I have a more pragmatic view but that’s just me. When I voted for Obama, I did so knowing he would not wave a magic wand and fix everything overnight. I voted for him thinking he was the best choice of the candidates available to choose from. I still support that decision. Was he perfect for gays? No. We knew that ahead of time. Will he deliver on everything he promised? Probably not. What President ever has? The last President who rushed into trying to overcome centuries of prejudice left us with DADT. Oh what a great compromise that turned out to be.

While I am disappointed by Obama’s lackluster support, I am also trying to see the bigger picture here. Our country is facing some of the largest crises in our history. Our financial markets are practically in ruins from rampant deregulation. Our country is virtually broke and we are “robbing Peter to pay Paul”. [2]If China called in our debt, this would be the US of China. Our healthcare system is on the verge of collapsing under its on mismanaged weight. More and more companies are going under daily and adding to the already record numbers of unemployed. Not to mention, we are facing two wars overseas, a pending disaster with North Korea, and now Iran’s turmoil threatens to embroil us even further.

And here is the part that irritates me the most. We are quick to jump on the “he let us down” bandwagon, but in California during the Prop 8 campaign, the number of identified LGBT voters was way lower than our actual numbers. Had more of us stood up and exercised our constitutional right to vote, I firmly believe Prop 8 would have failed. Many foolishly assumed it was ‘shoe-in’ so they did nothing while our enemies mobilized their own numbers. And look where our complacency and indifference got us. Oh yes, we were quick to point fingers and blame. And I ask you, what has that gotten us? Nothing, zero, zip, nadda, zilch. Personally, I see it as a cop-out. We blame others in an effort to absolve ourselves of any personal responsibility. In the process, we give up our power and relegate ourselves to the “helpless victim” mentality. How many of you reading this right now has contacted a single government representative at any level? Even simpler, have you done anything at all, besides complain?

I have a radical idea. How about we get off our collective asses and get involved. Whether it be thru voting, marching, volunteering, educating, donating, whatever. Everyone of us can contribute, one way or another. Contact your local, State, and Federal representatives and let them know you expect results. In an age of electronic communication, its as simple as type and click. We can forward stupid memes, pics, porn, and funny emails till we are blue in the face, but we can’t contact our elected leaders? How sad is that?

Instead of whining like petulant children about how “Obama has failed us”, we should be focused on continually keeping our struggles in the public eye. No matter how hard the haters try, we are not going away. Stop sitting on the sidelines waiting for someone else to protect us. No one is asking you to go broke for the cause but every single person can find small luxury items that could be converted to donations for LGBT organizations. [3]Booze, bars, cigarettes, starbucks, porn, etc. Blasphemy, I know. Volunteer to man phone banks, mailing lists, voter registrations, street walking campaigns, etc. There are a ton of ways each and every one of us can be part of the solution.

The point here is pinning all our hopes on one man and then getting angry when he doesn’t deliver is foolish and naive. Yes, he could be doing better. Yes, we should hold him accountable for his promises. And yes, we should continue to demand more. But, the same is true of ourselves.

/rant

References

References
↑1 Maybe because we’ve become selfish and only notice instant gratification?
↑2 If China called in our debt, this would be the US of China.
↑3 Booze, bars, cigarettes, starbucks, porn, etc. Blasphemy, I know.

Just Overheard…

…something and had to share. And its totally something I would have said.

 

Guy #1: Are you a super picky eater dude?

Guy #2: I am a super picky eater dude.

Guy #1: I like to suck cock, how picky can I get?

 

Even better Guy #2 was Japanese with a total Southern twang. God, I love living in this City. 🙂

Do You Moto?

Ok, its a cheesy rip off but I thought it was funny.

I had another great ride yesterday. We did a route very similar to last week but in reverse. It was warm again and only a tad windy. Well, the City was actually a little but cool but outside the City was warm.  As usual, we deviated a bit from the route but only a tiny bit and only added 20-30 miles. Still very fun.

The Friday rides are becoming are regular thing and I find myself looking forward to it all week. I know, I’m a dork but we all need a hobby right? Well, besides THAT. I am gay man after all. And lets face it, Daddy has needs! On a quick side rant, the boy is doing well. He called and woke me up this morning on his way to the dentist. He had to get a filling over a root canal from last week. Ouch. Anyway, I just melt inside when I answer the phone and he says, ‘hi daddy!’ Go ahead, laugh, joke, and giggle bitches. I can take it.

Ok, back to the topic. We stopped at the Los Vaqueros Watershed for lunch. [1]We picked up cheese steak sammiches for lunch in Brentwood.  Being Friday, it was completely deserted except for this one contingent of old folks that split soon after we arrived. We hung out goofing and talking. A total relaxed environment even though we did get off on a serious subject toward the end.

Here we are getting arrested for indecency in public (just kidding). lol William had the idea to take pics in front of the sheriff vehicle. At the last minute, they decided to pretend they were being searched. I’m taking the picture so I got to skip it. *g*

Left to right, Tom, Don, William, and a new guy to the group, Michael. I think Michael was a little disappointed as he wanted to go fast and race the curves. He seemed a little bored but made the best of it. From my point of view, that can be fun but its better solo or in pairs. Group rides should be more about the group vs pushing your skills. The group has several newer riders and it isn’t fair to push them into a situation where they not only feel left out but could also hurt themselves trying to keep up. Don’t get me wrong, he didn’t have an ego, he just wanted something different.

Actually, one of the things I love about this group is the lack of egos. All the guys so far have been super cool and really eager to be part of the group. To me, its as much about comradere [2]Bastardized spelling of the word as it is the ride itself.

Clearly, we have fun hanging out together. lol And not only did I remember to take the camera, but we used it! See, I’m getting better. Anyway, the guys are fun and I like hanging with’em. I’m sill a bit of a newbie to the group but they have welcomed me with open arms. I’m so shy, lord knows I need all the help I can get. Not buying it? Damn! Anyway, I’m enjoying getting to know everyone. A few guys I already knew from around town, the gym, etc, but it is nice getting to know them better. We all have very different jobs and backgrounds which adds to the mix IMHO.

Here’s all our bikes together like wayward children. lol Front left is Tom’s, front right is Don’s. Back left to right is William’s Ducati, my blue gixxr (GSXR) and then Michael’s Kawasaki.

Today, I have absolutely nothing planned other than minor errands and the gym. I need some new tenny’s, and hygiene product. Oh very exciting to know right? I did indulge myself and have sushi though. I haven’t had sushi in a few weeks and I’m way overdo. Is a beautiful day out so I  might go for a short ride around the city too.

Oh and before I forget, I showed the apartment to a prospective roomie today. Uh, no. I care more about finding a good fit than just having a roomie. A good fit he was not. One, he smoked which was a deal breaker in itself. He also rambled on about how often his boyfriend would be staying over, strike 2. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he had the balls to tell me how drab my furniture was and that we ‘would have to make some changes’. Bless his heart. Better yet, he was genuinely surprised when I gave him the bad news. Whatev’s, me and my drab furniture will keep looking.

😛

References

References
↑1 We picked up cheese steak sammiches for lunch in Brentwood.
↑2 Bastardized spelling of the word

Blog Update

work file

check blog version – check

try internal update function – check

check plugins – check

check login script – check

check filter – check

delete htaccess file from image directory after plugin update – check

delete temp files

*update* – Ok, color me stupid. This was a private ‘to do’ file. Not sure exactly how I managed to publish it. lol Needless to say, I successfully upgraded my blog to 2.8.

WWMD

This month’s WWMD is a bit heart-wrenching. One of my readers who has never commented confided in me recently. I have his permission to share his question anonymously.

Q: I just found out I am HIV-positive. I’m so scared and I feel like my life is over. I feel lost and confused. What should I do?

A: First, let go of the guilt, blame, and shame over your conversion. Beating yourself up over a mistake isn’t the answer. I often hear from so many gay men who can’t let go of the shame and guilt of sero-converting. Well, guess what? It just means you are human. We all make mistakes. Sometimes, those mistakes cost more than we ever expected or thought. There are a variety of support groups online and off that you can join to help in this arena, especially if you find yourself struggling to adjust. You will probably find them very inviting and supportive.

Second, your life is not over. HIV isn’t the death sentence it used to be. While people are still dying across the globe, in Western culture HIV is much more of a chronic illness now. With proper medication/management, you can easily live 20, 30, 40+ years. See your doc, get a genome test done. If your doc doesn’t want to do one, find another doc. This will determine which meds are best for you. More importantly, this will also prevent you from going on a poorly constructed cocktail [1]common term for a group of medications taken together to combat/treat HIV and burning thru whole classes of medications.

Educate yourself about HIV in general. Knowledge is power and you want to be well-armed, so to speak, when making decisions about your long-term health. You’d be surprised how many people know very little or are completely ignorant of how HIV is transmitted, etc. There are two main types of HIV [2]often referred to as HIV-1 and HIV-2 along with a variety of ‘sub-types’. Chances are high you probably have a subtype of HIV-1. I could go on and on but that would quickly bore you to sleep.

Along the same line of thought, take care of yourself physically. Drugs, drinking, smoking, etc are all things you should cut out or keep to a minimum in your life. Your diet is equally important. You don’t have to give up all the foods you love however, some consideration must be givin to trying to balance out your diet. Medication or not, your body is fighting a constant war. Taking care of yourself ensures it has the ammo it needs to carry on the fight. Abusing/neglecting yourself suppresses your immune systems ability to fight. If you don’t workout, I suggest you start. You don’t have to live in the gym but working out helps to strengthen your immune system. Sports or other fun outdoor activities can be just as beneficial.

Navigating the social, emotional, and psychological impact is much more complicated. You are going to encounter ignorance, fear, distrust, and even outright hostility at times. Human beings can be callas and even cruel when faced with the idea of their own mortality. I’m not sure I’m really qualified to give you advice here. Everyone is different and their path is often based as much on their personal beliefs and feelings as much as facts. Reach out to other poz guys and listen to their stories. Not only is it empowering, it also firmly moves you out of the “I’m a victim” mentality.

The psychological impact will probably be more of a constant. Some guys struggle with their internal shame and never truly get over it. Others embrace their status and see it as liberating since they no longer have to worry. Others still see it as just a nuisance that has to be managed and sometimes rears its ugly head. Who am I to say which answer or approach is best. You will have to discover for yourself what works for you.

Know this my friend(s). No matter what, you are loved and this does not make you any less worthy or deserving of love, respect, etc. Your right to be and exist is unchallenged. While navigating the hardships ahead may not always be easy, accept yourself (and your faults) and do not let anyone try to make you feel any different.

All my best to you.

References

References
↑1 common term for a group of medications taken together to combat/treat HIV
↑2 often referred to as HIV-1 and HIV-2

Good News & Stuff

First off, we (the Union) were able to come to an agreeable compromise last week that resulted in not only our own staffing not getting cut but also saved another 900+ jobs citywide. [1]The caveat is 2 ballot initiatives in November have to pass.

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We had a good ride again this last Friday. We only ended up taking a couple pics. At least I don’t look like a beached whale in this one. I loved the route, we ended up going thru a lot of the windmills North of the City. I’ve always had a thing for windmills. I guess because we never had any in Texas. [2]Texas and windmills, yeah right!

We had a our first girl join the group this last week. She was sweet and fit in well but I kind of got a kick out of how she pulled turns. I’m thinking maybe because she was so petite she has to pull her weight more to lean that big Ducati she drives. It was a bit comical watching her pull her body to the side on regular turns as if she was doing a really tight turn super fast. [3]If you’ve ever ridden a bike, you know that you can almost do anything with a bike just by shifting your body weight. She was cool though and we had fun with her. We have another ride coming this Friday. A similar route in reverse this time. I’m stoked!

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People have been asking about the boy. Yes, I’m still enjoying being a new daddy. No, I ain’t sharing those stories. [4]They ARE juicy though. What I will say, he is as charming and endearing as ever. He always seems to put a smile on my face and a chub in m pants. What’s not to like? Seriously though, if he lived closer, I’d be in trouble.

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I got more than a few emails about the last post. Some people felt I was “attacking” religion. Two things, read it again and I don’t care. I’ve picked my side and completely comfortable with that.

References

References
↑1 The caveat is 2 ballot initiatives in November have to pass.
↑2 Texas and windmills, yeah right!
↑3 If you’ve ever ridden a bike, you know that you can almost do anything with a bike just by shifting your body weight.
↑4 They ARE juicy though.