Leo is the MAN!

I read an article in April's issue of GQ entitled "Male Bonding" about Man Crushes. Apparently, even in the straight world these days it is acceptable for men to have crushes on other men. I Goggled the term on the web and got quite a big hit back. Apparently, Man Crushes are a real thing people are talking about. It's even in Wikipedia!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_crush

Obviously, since we're talking about the straight world it isn't a sexual crush. One man may have a crush on Jackie Chan because he's the ultimate martial arts man these days. Another guy might have a man crush on Donald Trump. He might admire The Donald's commanding performance in the board room and his signature "you're fired".

I'm gay so my man crushes typically go a little farther than what we're talking about for my straight readers, but I think we can all relate to this concept.

I have recently developed a HUGE man crush on Leonardo DiCaprio. I know, I know, the guys out there are rolling their eyes. I felt the same way, believe me. I hated the thought of Leo. Hated him in "Titanic". I hated him trotting around "The Beach" in his baggy cargo shorts shirtless, yes, to the gay readers--it is true, Leo didn't do it for me. I was not a fan of Leo's talent, be it his acting chops, or his boyish good looks.

As we all do, however, Leo has grown up. He's went from that smug boy, who I delighted in seeing sink to the bottom of the ocean, to a man. Physically, his body and his face have matured and you see more in his looks and his gestures than what was once there. He's a man that is getting better with age.

Talent-wise, he absolutely has become the man. If readers have not seen

"The Departed" or "Blood Diamond" I suggest you run right out to your local Blockbuster and rent them. Phenomenal! Leo has become an actor. He immerses himself in the characters of each of these movies. You forget that he was Kirk Cameron's pint-size side kick on "Growing Pains" and you see a real actor who probably displays the most talent of any actor in Hollywood today and even superceeds his more financially successful predessesors like Tom Cruise and Richard Gere.

Leo has grown into a man and has taken this new wisdom and life experience and carved himself physically and mentally into one of the best actors of the 21st Century.

Leo is the MAN! Who's your man crush?

Saying Goodbye To An Old Friend...End of an Era

I bought a house about 6 years ago. Yes, I own a piece of the American dream in being a land owner. Exciting stuff for a kid in his early 20's. What was even more exciting was the fact that the house had an above ground pool! Growing up, pools were a big deal. The cool, rich kids' families had pools, so I welcomed the opportunity to relive a bit of my youth that I felt I had missed out on.

I rent my house. So, over the years there have been quite a cast of characters. Did I mention the house was originally dubbed, by a former roommate, The Hacienda? Anyway, the pool was a lot of fun. Many a swimming party was had. In fact, the first day I received possession of the house, the first few hours were spent with friends in the pool even as the sky darkened and it began to thunder and rain.

Over the years, the fun continued, but as most people know, along with the fun, pool maintenance is a lot of work. Roommates came and went and the pool began to see its better days. This past summer a wind storm brought down 4 big trees in my back yard. Three of which landed on the pool. After weighing the options, I chose to deposit the insurance money in my savings account rather than replacing the pool.

One of my current roommates has made it his mission to eliminate any remnants of the broken pool. I now have a big circular mud hole where once the pool paradise had been. It makes me a little sad. Again, there were countless good times had in that pool. Looking back on just a few, there was my roommate Doug pretending he was a dolphin and doing some crazy dives. My other roommate Charles nearly drowning himself by trying to make the floating cooler a flotation device. Me, floating and relaxing on my favorite pool floaty (pictured here). Another roommate, Alex, taking the dog for a swim. I can't even count all the beer bottles and Pizza Express cups that have lined the ledge of the pool with frosty alcoholic beverages. Good times, good times.

Au revoir swimming pool! You lived a happy and giving life. Thanks for all the fun and all the good times you gave us in your shimmering azure waves.

A Beautiful Moment

The town I live in here in Indiana would be considered, by most, a small town. Population is over 60,000. Growing up in a town of 3500 I consider it a city! It is a college town so it is a very liberal environment compared to most places in Indiana.

A couple of weeks ago I went to a play. I noticed in the row in front of me there were a couple of young men sitting side by side. They were laughing and chatting. They had dark hair and were both very cute. Both were in their very early 20's, so they were young. I noticed upon further examination that they were holding hands. They were on a date! It was very heartwarming as they seemed totally at ease with their surroundings...like holding hands was the most natural thing for them to do.

In that one moment I realized, as a society, we are progressing. Being 10 years their senior I found this pretty amazing. I made mention to my friend, Biscuit, who commented that with their age and this environment there probably wasn't even any second thoughts for them. No hiding who they are and how they feel for each other. Amazing! It made me very proud for them and very hopeful for myself and others like us!

It, of course, bummed me out too as there was no one beside me to hold my hand! God, I need a boyfriend!!!!

Homeland Security...NOT!

As are all Americans, I'm appalled and saddened by the massacre at Virginia Tech. My thoughts go out to the victims' families. As everyone struggles to understand why this happened I'm left wondering how it happened?

Virginia Tech is a state institution. Funding comes from a state and national level.

Homeland Security, two words we repeatedly hear day in and day out. Two words that didn't exist together until that fateful day of 9/11. Where, in this instance, was Homeland Security on this fateful day of 4/16? Why was there no system in place to warn students of this type of security threat especially after Columbine? Why did it take well over 2 hours for officials to find and eliminate this security threat to the campus? Why did 33 people have to pay the ultimate price for a huge and blatant breach in homeland security?

When people hear the words "Homeland Security" you immediately think airports. Not the case. The tax dollars we pay our government goes to secure our nation and ensure the safety of all people. In this case, that initiative is sorely lacking. Also, we associate the word "terrorist" to those of Arabian descent. Again, in this case a terrorist is anyone who brings terror and harm to our fellow Americans. The terrorist on 4/16 was a quiet student.

There is now talk of putting security measures in place across the nation at learning institutions. It's a shame that Homeland Security is reactive rather than proactive. Otherwise, 33 people might still be alive today.

Joke, not mine, but I like it!

Why did the chicken cross the road?

DR. PHIL:The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on "THIS" side of the road before it goes after the problem on the "OTHER SIDE" of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his "CURRENT" problems before adding "NEW" problems.

OPRAH:Well I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

GEORGE W BUSH:We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

COLIN POWELL:Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...

ANDERSON COOPER - CNN:We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

JOHN KERRY:Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

NANCY GRACE:That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN:To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART:No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

DR SEUSS:Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY:To die in the rain. Alone.

JERRY FALWELL:Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth in front of your face? The chicken was going to the "other side." That's why they call it the "other side." Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media white washes with seemingly harmless phrases like "the other side." That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.

GRANDPA:In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS:Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

JOHN LENNON:Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

ARISTOTLE:It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

BILL GATES:I have just released eChicken2007, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken. This new platform is much more stable and will never cra...#@&&^( C \ reboot.

ALBERT EINSTEIN:Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

BILL CLINTON:I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

AL GORE:I invented the chicken!

COLONEL SANDERS:Did I miss one?

DICK CHENEY:Where's my gun?

The Coop and I

It's that old feeling. Like I'm being chased. Like the jackals are closing in. I'm in fight or flight mode.

Out Magazine is doing a cover story featuring celebrities in what it is calling "the glass closet". In a clever photo ploy, Anderson Cooper and Jodie Foster are on the cover. The paparazzi is closing in again on Anderson. The details of our rendezvous at the BEA will 'come out' again. Chad and I survived the scandal once. I'm not sure we're strong enough to weather another media storm.

Life and Death Decision, No One Should Have to Choose

I'm signing papers in a few hours that says I'm in charge of how a life ends. A life that has taught me how to be a better, stronger, more giving person. My Aunt Margie is in the hospital and for all the medical advice I'm given...for all intensive purposes is dying.

In her final days, she's gone from her being the vibrant woman she was to moments of recognition and finally to nothing but a moaning shell.

I just added a comma to the above sentence and realized that signing a life away is like adding a comma. I sign on the dotted line and when it is time, that signature, and those instructions are followed to the letter of the AP rule book.

For 82 years she's been a hard worker, a devoted wife, a loving aunt and a Christian lady. At 82 she held a job, lived on her own and drove her own car. Her Independence, since my Uncle Bob's death in 1984 has inspired me.

I know she would not want to live via a respirator, but at the same time she has worked hard and fought for her life for 82 years. Maybe, I'm wrong and she would want me to pull out all the stops. Maybe to her, life is worth her living like a vegetable on a respirator. Who the HELL am I to say? But, with her being the "moaning shell" I described someone has to make that decision for her. I'm not alone. There's another niece who's pushed for this all along and I've pushed back. Tonight, standing over her bed and begging her to wake up, talk to me, and me telling her I love her, there was nothing...no response. So, I've made my decision.

Tomorrow, it will all be on paper. I pray to God that he takes her naturally and I don't ever have to wonder was I the one who gave up and not her? Would she have wanted to live out her final days even if it was artificial? Was she clinging to life to have that miraculous second chance?

I'm not a good person and I pray that God allows me to take the coward's way out and I don't ever have to answer these questions. I can only tell you and God that I love my Aunt Margie and I only want her to be at peace and free from the pain and suffering. That, is the only thing I can hold true to.

To anyone who reads this, I don't want anyone to comment. I started this blog because I wanted it to be an outlet for my thoughts and emotions and I could care a less about anyone else's comments. This, is what is important to me now. If you want to leave a comment I would ask instead that you pray, meditate or simply think good wishes that my Aunt Margie finds peace in either getting better or finding her place with the Lord she believes in and my Uncle Bob beside her.