Getting to Know the Ninja: A Blog Interview

Sugar Kane has some questions she'd like answered by the Ninja. Although, I typically don't grant interviews I'm willing to give the 411 on the below questions.

If you would like to play along:The Rules: Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me.” I respond by asking you five personal questions (I will leave these questions for you in my comments) so I can get to know you better. If I already know you well, expect the questions may be a little more intimate! You WILL update your journal/bloggy thing/whatever with the answers to the questions (please don't leave your answers in my comments unless you don't have a blog). You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Here goes...Q&A:
1. You must give up one. Which would it be:
a] rum
b] sleeping
c] sex

I'd have to answer sleep. Although I complain about being tired constantly and revel in my noon wake up calls on Saturday and Sunday, I'd have to say rum and sex have a bigger addiction with me although, I do typically have all three alone in my room every day!

2. You can have front row center tickets to any concert, who would you go see?

Oh, this is sooooooo gay, but I've never seen Cher. I really would like to see her. She's retired like 50 times, but is suppose to take Celine Dion's place as the headliner at the Colosseum in Caesar's Palace in Vegas. If that happens, you can bet I'm making a pilgrimage.

3. Who is your role model?

That's a tough one. I have a lot actually. I'd have to say my high school Journalism teacher is one. She taught me how to write and is just this tough old lady who's seen everything and done everything. Me and Sugar Kane's friend, The Marine, would be another because he never takes himself too seriously and can turn getting a sandwich at Arby's into an adventure. My mom is also one of the strongest people I know. Also, Sugar Kane herself (no, I'm not sucking up) is a great mother and I hope to be a parent one day and will need lots and lots of advice from her.

4. You have the opportunity for free plastic surgery. What, if anything, do you have done?

LIPO!!!!! I always want to be thinner in all the right places. Maybe my nose.

5. Do you think gays will ever be able to marry?

Not sure if MARRIED is the right word, but I do think civil unions will be recognized around the nation in the next 10 years if not sooner. Society and civil liberties have come too far to stop now. I'm not in a relationship so this issue doesn't matter to me as much as it should. I have a lesbian couple that I would love to see this happen for sooner rather than later. I support the issue, but I'm not passionate about it. I hope to get into a better mindset and I'm sure my tune will change dramatically when there's an incentive of a potential husband candidate.

Cancer is Still a Plague

Cancer is still the plague that has touched nearly everyone. In the last six months I've found out that two very important people in my life have been diagnosed with different types of cancer. Each has a very bleak prognosis.

These people, my Uncle Willie and my Aunt Margie, are people who have lived their lives as very cheery, upbeat, independent, strong influences in my life. They each are now facing hardships and struggles as the golden years of their lives fade to painful treatment and diminished quality of life.

Everyone read this can attest to watching someone in their lives fight and suffer the ravishes of cancer. In this day of building space stations, fighting multi-billion dollar wars and creating cell phones that one can run an entire corporation in the palm of their hands, how can we continue to allow those we love suffer at the hands of this plague?

More time, money and energy needs to be spent by all of us in order to help understand and prevent this killer from claiming another life. I encourage everyone to take a few minutes and go to the link below to view information and facts regarding cancer via the American Cancer Society. You can also find out how you can be a solution through contributions and by giving your time as a volunteer.

The plague must be stopped.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/HOME/sup/sup_0.asp

Dancing with the Stars is Back!

Yes, yet another dirty secret I must confess in my closest of being a reality TV fan...I LOVE Dancing with the Stars. It's back tonight and I'm super pumped. My front runner without seeing him dance is Ian Ziering from 90210. He's with Cheryl and I really like her. She has a legacy to uphold having been the dancing partner of the last two winners, Drew and Emmitt. Tune in!

I'm concerned for Seaquest...

So, I have to admit something embarrassing...yes, more so than Stalking 101. I've become a fan of American Idol. I've held off the fanfare for over 5 years, but Season 6 finally got me. I have a roommate, Daisy, who's a die-hard fan so I've got sucked into this season's musical drama.

Yes, I think Simon is mean. Yes, I'm annoyed by Randy's "Sup Dawg" comments. And YES, I think Paula has more in her Coca Cola tumbler than just Coke. I believe Ms. Abdul likes her vodka with a splash of Diet Coke Lime. My biggest concern about the show is what side of the plate does host, Ryan Seacrest (or Seaquest, as I like to call him) bat from and why is everyone so obsessed? He's attractive, but not hot. He's a B-list celebrity, but the gay jokes and gossip just keep on coming.

The latest incident was a blast from Simon Cowell on live network TV. See the transcript below:

Ryan Seacrest: "We have a question from Georgia. What do you consider the hardest part of this contest?"
Melinda Doolittle: "Wow. I would have to say the high heels and these dresses. I like my tennis shoes and my sweat pants. I'm sorry."
Seacrest: "Simon, any advice on the high heels?"
Cowell: "You should know, Ryan."
Seacrest: "Stay out of my closet, Simon."
Cowell: "Well, come out."
Seacrest: "This is about the top twelve. Okay? Not your wishes...We're friends."

Simon took his usual dark humor a bit too far on network TV. I don't understand why people care so much about sexuality. We as a society are obsessed about what people do in the bedroom. I remember before I came out to my friends I had a really close friend whom just assumed I was gay and I found out she told people that. It hurt, not because it was true or not true, but that people were that obsessed with my sexuality that they would talk about it behind my back rather than just having an honest conversation with me. If Seaquest is truly gay I can't imagine what he's feeling having his business aired on national TV, online in web gossip columns like the picture here and around the world. My heart goes out to Seaquest. Been there. Done that.

Not as much as a Side-by-Side, but...

My new iPod has changed my life. Nothing earth shattering in this post. Just a testamonial. I'm new to the iPod world. My first experience with my iPod was on the plane ride to and from New Orleans. Changed my life. Not as much as a Side-by-Side Milk Shake from Steak and Shake, but close. I highly recommend everyone get one. Whether it is a plane trip, a long run in the gym, navigating the subway or just listening in your office iPod's truly make life more enjoyable. Mine's neon green.

New Orleans Vacation 3/6/2007

New Orleans architecture.


Beignets at Cafe DuMonde. Yum!

Daisy on the balcony of the French Market. Great martini's!











Below, St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square.

Random Stranger on Bourbon St. working it for some beads.

Below, me and Dixie, our tour mule. She took me to see Brad and Angelina's place in NOLA! What a smart mule!




Charles, after a night on Bourbon St.

Stalking 101

I'm a really, really good stalker. Ask anyone who knows me and they will all agree. I have it down. From surveillance for shirtless pictures, to stolen boxer shorts, to "indiscretions" centered around stalkees' personal items, I'm on top of my game. I have objects of my desire who have been stalked for years who don't even know to those who have found out and have felt honored to be amongst the ranks. I'm smooth.

All of my training, my time and my stealth came crashing down around me this week. The gentleman pictured here who we shall call "C" has been an object of my affections for months. I first met him in New Orleans in September when on vacation. He is a bartender at my favorite bars there. He is beautiful! In a trip this week, I visited that bar again in hopes of seeing him one more time. In typical fashion, I gained the trust of another bartender named "M". She gave me the dish on "C's" personality, his last name and of course his next shift. I bided my time and found myself successfully planted on a bar stool at the afore mentioned shift. "M" however, had ratted me out.

The picture accompanying this blog was taken in September during "my peoples" holiday in NOLA called Southern Decadence. A friend snapped the shirtless picture of "C" behind the bar during that holiday and it has become one of my newest treasures and one of my late night joys. Anyway, I digress, "M" had told "C" that I had a shirtless picture of him that has been apparently circulated through the Midwest. I corrected him with a "If, by circulated through the Midwest, you mean sent to two or three other people, then yes." Totally innocent, right?

To "C's" credit he was extremely cool about the whole thing. He is a sweet and beautiful man who told me the owners made him pose shirtless during his shift during the gay holiday in hopes to drum up business. He asked if I'd email him the pic. Yes, I scored his email address even though he's straight...still an accomplishment in my mind.

Where the night came crashing down was our good bye. I could have played it cool, but by that time I was fairly intoxicated and decided the sincere and sweet approach was better. I apologized for being creepy. Yes, you heard it right. "I'm sorry for being creepy." It actually came out of my mouth. I knew it was a mistake the moment I uttered it and when I saw "C's" reaction (a visible shudder) along with my friends who had accompanied me to the bar I knew everything that I held dear in all my previous stalker training had come crashing down.

I plead that after I'd had about 4 of the signature drinks at this famous bar (the drink has both Vodka and Everclear in it softened by grape Koolaid) that this really was beyond my control. The only thing to do was tip him well (which I'm sure could also be construed as creepy) and get the hell out. That, was indeed, the course of action I took.

So, although I may not ever be able to go back to my favorite bar in NOLA I came out of there with two things...neither of which is obviously my dignity! 1) I know now to never mix stalking with Everclear and Vodka and 2) "C's" email address which helped me get to his MySpace page in which there are TONS more shirtless pictures of him. While not a success, also not a complete failure either!!!

I'll tuck this lesson into my stalker files and live to stalk another day! Creepy yes, but it can also be pretty rewarding as you can see from "C's" picture.

Little Things...

I was running late to work this morning (as I always do) and saw my friend Spence at the stop light on the way to his job. Spence is one of my best freinds, former roommate and someone who is and will always be important in my life.

I forget sometimes how much I care about and miss the people whom I've grown close to in the last couple of years. Those that have moved on to pursue other goals and life paths. Those whom I love that are still here in our town, but due to life's obligations don't see or spend nearly as much time with as I have in the past.

Anyway, this isn't a sad post. It is a reminder and a praise that these people are important and those small moments when we do connect, like Spence and I this morning with a wave and a smile across the way at a stop light, those are good moments.