2009-11-23 
 

the bargain

take my heart and shove it deep inside Yourself,
far away from the vagaries of the world
in turn I'll take your soul and suck slowly,
relishing each newly discovered layer

love may hurt, but it beats the alternative

Labels: g, writing

* posted by me at 10:33 PM

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2009-05-25 
 

mike vs. insomnia

So it's four in the morning and I can't seem to fall asleep. M and E are visiting, and that's exciting, but it also means an early morning tomorrow so sleeping right now would be a good thing. Not sure if it's the change in weather, the wedding yesterday messing with my schedule, or just an overactive brain keeping me awake.

I spent the past half hour running through the 90's in my head. Graduation, coming out, Overlook, NEMC, San Francisco, Chevron and so on. The people I met, the things I did. The trip down memory lane was intended to tire me out and allow me to drift off into dreamland, but it invigorated me instead. So here I am tapping away on the blog for the first time in well over a month.

Cambridge is wonderful so far. There's still a few boxes left to unpack, but most things have found new spaces to occupy in our new place. Loving the fact that we can walk places again. Loving having a big kitchen. Loving the feeling that we've pulled out of neutral and are on the path again. Walton was good for us in many ways, but we both felt the desire to move on to the next stage later last year and patience has never been my strong suit.

Funny story, unrelated to move. Last night at the wedding, I was joking with my cousin that she would be next to get married and she got me back by mentioning that she'd heard G and I were getting married in September. (This was a bit of a surprise to both of us since we've never said anything definitive.) We had thought, quite some time ago, that his parent's coming out for a visit in September might be the one time that we'd have both parents together, but they're going to be here during the weekdays.

The thing is, I really do feel like we've been married since October of 2002, when we first exchanged rings...just the two of us with only God watching. When times have been tough, I've always known that running away is not an option because over six years ago I made a commitment to G for life. We didn't need any legally sanctioned ceremony to make that true for us.

That said, the piece of paper does matter for any number of pretty important legal reasons, and we wouldn't mind making it official. It would be nice to call him my husband again without causing confusion. (Back in 02 we could use the term and be making a political statement. Now, being in MA, people assume it means we went through the whole shebang.)

Oy. The shebang bugs both of us. We're a little too pragmatic to want to spend a boatload of money on anything big, but can't quite see our way around doing something. Our joke, ever since it actually became recognized in MA, was that we would make it official when we first bought a house since That's when we'd actually need new stuff and the gifts would be a fair trade...but I suddenly don't want to wait anymore.

Don't be surprised if we run off and get the certificate on our own. Some form of celebration can come at a later date, but getting the piece of paper just makes a certain truth official that we've both known for years.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, the gay

* posted by me at 3:54 AM

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2008-11-19 
 

jig of joy

G's coming home tonight! I have prepared by purchasing a 6-pack from DD* and washing everything and everything I may have come in contact with whilst coughing and sneezing over the past week. It seems as if the sneezing has passed for good, but once every 6 hours I have a coughing attack. Stupid cold.

*For those of you not from this area...DD is a bakery type place, not a liquor store.

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 5:08 PM

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2008-10-13 
 

thank heaven

Eight years ago, under the light of a full moon, I met G for the very first time. Okay, I followed him into a 7-11 because I thought he was CUTE. I maneuvered myself into line behind him and struck up a conversation. Within 24 hours I was diving head first into love.

Thank heaven for 7-11!

Labels: g, memory lane

* posted by me at 5:32 PM

(1) comments



2008-09-17 
 

grown tall

At the begining of the summer, G and I planted little sunflower seeds. These ones survived the rabbits, wind and groundhogs.

Labels: 1000 words, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 12:20 PM

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2008-09-07 
 

dudelyweds

The wedding has come and gone. Dude and I stayed up extra late the night before just talking and listening to some of his older songs. Not the best thing for clear eyes the next day, but wonderful thing to be able to still do with my brother. I had the redness reliever with me...along with all the hair product that Dude normally wouldn't deal with. G put it all to good use yesterday getting Dude's hair (and mine) ready to deal with the humidity.

Have I mentioned lately how grateful I am to have G in my life? He put up with me agonizing over the wedding in general (and the toast in particular) for several weeks now and didn't slap me upside the head once. Then yesterday, Mark wakes up cool as a cucumber and I'm literally shaking with nerves as we put on the tuxes. I don't think it was just the thought of having to speak in public. I had the nausea I'm used to experiencing up in front of any public speaking, but this was different. I was in a state of high agitation. Not the sort of state you want the best man to be in. Anyway G kept up a steady refrain of encouragement that everything would work out and managed to calm me down enough so that I could be there for my brother when he needed me.

About 45 minutes before the outside ceremony was supposed to start, the sky opened up and we got our first taste of Hanna. A secret part of me was happy about this. I had on four layers of tux and just stepping outside onto the front porch caused an immediate sheen of sweat to pop out on my face. A move inside would mean blissful AC. That said, I knew how important it was for both Dudette the bride and Dudette the photographer to have the ceremony outside, so I joined in with everyone who was trying to push the rain away for an hour or so. There were a lot of people actually praying, but I chose instead to try and channel Storm and push it away with my crazy mind power. The rain broke long enough for us to have the ceremony and cocktail hour/photos outside in front of the house. The Daniel Webster Estate is truly a gorgeous backdrop to have in pictures, so whether it was the prayer my X-Men like ability or some strange combination of factors, I'm very glad it worked out.

I remained pretty nervous throughout the ceremony. (I would make a lousy sentinel as I have a very hard time standing still.) Fortunately, the ring bearer was dealing with the same struggle and having someone to be an example for can be very good incentive to hang in there. I must compliment him. At eight years old, standing in place for five minutes is a struggle let alone for a full twenty. Sure, bribery may have helped a little bit, but he even came through when the minister asked him to kiss the rings...something that nobody prepped him for during the rehearsal.

An odd thing for me was that the moment the Dudelyweds turned to walk back down the aisle I stopped being nervous. As stressful as this wedding prep sometimes got over the past months, it was all very worth it. Seeing them so happy up there saying their vows made me even happier that they've finally taken this step.

So, there I am, an hour or so away from the toast and I actually felt deeply calm...even though I'd left my copy of the toast sitting on Dude's bureau and normally would've been freaking out. Turns out that Dude and I really do compliment each other. I'm feeling calm for the first time all day and he began to get agitated about how long it was taking to start the dinner. Hopefully I helped him a little bit there. I managed to snag some of the meat on a stick appetizers and a beer for him and kept him company while we waited for everyone to get their turn in front of the camera. The photos did take a pretty long time, but I'm guessing that happens a lot.

Then came the toast. It went well. I got some compliments and a few confirmations that people got teary at appropriate moments. The caterer did tell me at the end of the night that it was the best toast she'd ever heard, but I truly believe that's something she must say to "all the guys."

My original intent was to have this entry right after the wedding just be what I'd written for the toast, but I varied a bit from the original and I think it came out a bit better because of that. I hit all the main points I'd originally written out, but I'm actually very curious to see the video to figure out how just how much I ad libbed. The scary part about watching that will be realizing just how much champagne I spilled on one of the maids of honor during the whole thing. I do have a tendency to gesture with my hands when talking and that's not very wise with a full glass in my hands. It will also be interesting to see how much I was sweating during the whole thing. Humid weather plus enclosed tent makes for a squelchy atmosphere. I'm pretty sure I was looking a bit like a drowned rat in a rented suit, but pretty much everyone else was in the same boat...or swimming alongside it I guess.

The rest of the evening was great. Good food, lots of dancing and just general fun catching up with familiar people and meeting new ones. In fact, G and I have been invited up to Maine this fall and we're planning on accepting, but more on that later. Right now we're at the Dudelyweds' apartment cat sitting for them while they honeymoon far away from hurricanes in Aruba.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, shout out, spirit

* posted by me at 6:07 PM

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2008-08-17 
 

bachelor jam

No, it isn't the latest toast topping for cannibals. Just my version of a bachelor party. Dude's request was to skip the gambling and strippers and just give him a night of beer and music making with his old jam group. G and I transformed our living space back into a room full of amps, drums, cords, more cords and several guitars. The guys sounded pretty good, especially considering that they haven't had a chance to get together for quite some time.

Later on, after everyone else crashed out, I got to sit by the fishpond with my brother and just hang out together. This was around 3:30 after large quantities of empty bottles and cans had already piled up and several delicious, but rather greasy foods had been consumed. I mention this because the following events may seem mundane to the sober reader, but at the time they had a wonderful surreal quality.

Shortly after we sat down, a family of raccoons appeared at the top of the little waterfall that runs into the pond. They seemed quite disconcerted that two crazy humans were awake at that hour and hogging their watering hole. They slowly ambled away, but in a manner that said, "We're not scared of you, just not that thirsty tonight." Before the oddness of that meeting left us, a pin prick of red light flashed across the water causing both of us, in our beer sodden state, to start wondering if a UFO had just tried to message us or if the raccoons had discovered a way to divert humans. I confirmed later that it was only G and one of Dad's laser pens that he'd found on the desk. I should've known he wouldn't sleep before visiting with Mr. Computer one last time.

After that, things settled down and Dude and I just talked about life in general, the wedding in particular and how wonderful it was to sit together by the fishpond. Shortly after dawn, we finally found our way back into the house and got a bit of sleep. Quite a nice night, and hopefully a nice little break from the wedding hustle for Dude.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, shout out

* posted by me at 8:07 PM

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2008-06-11 
 

sudden turns

I'm watching G's flight across the U.S. The scale of the map makes it look like the pilot's taking sharp right and left hand turns, but I'm pretty sure they're more gradual than that. Either way, the turns seem to be for no apparent reason. Did they suddenly see a UFO or something?

This tidbit sounded much more amusing in my head before I typed it in, but there you go. It's been an odd day all around.

Found out for certain that someone in the family didn't OD last week as I previously thought, they committed suicide. Not someone I was close to or even knew very well, but there's no way to avoid the ripples that particular stone causes once it hits.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, spirit

* posted by me at 6:39 PM

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2008-06-04 
 

koi cleanup

Monday we cleaned the little koi pond out in the backyard. Mom played paparazzi for us.


even with most of the pond drained, the koi are only partially visible





getting ready to get in





the fish tickled when they swam around my feet





g and dude celebrate after fixing the pump





finally finished





we can see the bottom again!

Labels: 1000 words, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 1:45 PM

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2008-04-12 
 

go fly a kite

Reports of nasty weather were only half accurate. The early afternoon was actually quite nice so G and I drove into Marshfield for the North River Arts Society SNAP show and finally saw Dude and Dudettes pieces. Quite nice. Dudette really has a good eye for composition of a piece.

Ended up at Web park wandering along the beach, skipping stones and combing the sand for treasures washed up on the shore. No treasure, but we did find a kite amongst the detritus which we untangled and got aloft for a good 20 minutes. At that point, the fog rolled in, the temperature dropped about 15 degrees within ten minutes, and my hands were suddenly in need of gloves again.

I'd forgotten how spring jumps from one extreme to another here in New England. It may seem odd, but it's afternoons like this one that make me really glad to be back.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, linkage, local getaway, shout out

* posted by me at 8:59 PM

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2008-02-20 
 

red moon

Well I froze my little toes off, but it was worth it to see the total lunar eclipse tonight. Very different seeing it here, alone in the backyard, than it was last year in San Francisco when G and I hiked over to Dolores park and watched it surrounded by crunchy folk of all strata.

G did brave the cold with me for the first part of totality wearing nothing but his robe and slippers. He must love me very much indeed. That, or he's loony.

In other news, Gram was moved over to an Alzheimer's unit in Braintree today. G and I went over to help her prepare for the trip from hospital to rehab. He's been pretty wonderful supporting me through this week. To top it off, he never really got to know his own grandparents and was only too happy to let Gram adopt him as one of her own 7 years ago. This whole experience can't be easy for him either.

Hmmm...did I mention somewhere else in this post how great he is? (Sorry, we seem to be experiencing some Valentine flashbacks this eve. This should subside shortly after which your regularly scheduled programming will resume.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, looking upward, spirit

* posted by me at 11:40 PM

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2008-02-14 
 

puffy white clouds floating through blue skies

The sun has come out after a day full of rain that had me looking for an arc.

I'm hoping for a phone call from a former coworker that could mean work. Part time work perhaps, but money coming in would be a good thing now.

G greeted me this morning with a non-traditional box of chocolates. (Fair trade with a nifty reusable box. Nothing heart shaped about it except the handmade card.) I used to despise this day and wear black in protest because, in truth, I really did care about everything it was supposed to be. G, on the other hand, always saw it as a rather silly commercialized day and nothing more. That said, he also saw the truth hiding beneath my cynicism early on in our relationship and every year makes a special effort to do something simple but meaningful. I do love that man.

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 9:17 AM

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2008-01-15 
 

a life of crime...or interviews

No new news on the job front, so G and I are contemplating turning to crime. We have heard that, contrary to popular belief, it actually does pay pretty well. Problem is that we're both rather good at the core which makes a life dedicated to evil a bit of a stretch.

Maybe we can apply to be comic relief villains instead. You know, the kind that they used to fill up the last five minutes of an episode of Superfriends after the headlining Justice Leagers had done their stuff. We could be two brainy scientist guys whose ulitmate goal is to rule the carnival. We'd plan to have free rides and icecream for life, but end up thwarted by the clever Wonder Twins and their sidekick Gleep.

Or maybe we could just be late night talkshow hosts. Big heads seem to be a prerequiste for that job too.

Labels: 1000 words, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 3:58 PM

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2008-01-10 
 

where did those days go?

Logged in and realized that it's been almost a week since I last posted. Since my current unemployed status would seem to offer me time to actually come in here more often I need to think back.

Well, we had a weekend. Spent Friday night hanging out with Stuffed Animals and his hilarious wife. (she always has me giggling) This is becoming a Friday night habit I'm not willing to break.

Somewhere in there the weather started to succumb to global warming - or maybe just a shift in the jetstream - and we've been in the 50s ever since.

Spent Monday eve with Dude and Dudette, which was lovely and mellow and involved good food and good wine and great company. In fact, I think I need to start using a new nickname for them as a couple...Dudzes? The Almost Wed? Cute Young Couple? Maybe I'll keep it simple and call them the Sibs. That's what they are after all.

Headed down Cape on Tuesday so Mom could look at a new chair. Ended up spending some quality time afterwards on the Sandwich Beach boardwalk. (and enjoyed the oddly warm, albeit windy, weather)


G with the Sandwich Beach Christmas Tree

Yesterday I had a nasty misunderstanding with a good friend, but that's all over now though it made me realize that I'm skating on rather thin ice mentally with the whole money issue and need to keep tabs on that to prevent cracks.

In an attempt to thicken the surface a bit, I did turn to the best therapy I know of and finally typed in the first chapter of the ghost story that's been bubbling around in my brain for a while now. We'll see if I actually do something with that, but it was quite nice to sit up towards the top of the parentals' garden yesterday and tap away at it.

Today I'm just glued to the computer doing the odd job search and finally updating in here. That and playing Scrabulous on Facebook. Only on my first game and already pleasantly addicted to the whole idea.

Oh, should mention that I've been accompanied on all of the above, except the misunderstanding by G. (though he did offer sane and calming comments when I mentioned it all to him) The best bit about not having a job right now is getting to spend more time with him. Also, he's been a saint over the past few months with all he's doing to help out and keep a big smile on his face when I need to see it and really deserves a special shout out for being such a good monkey.

Labels: 1000 words, dose of mikey, g, shout out, writing

* posted by me at 10:43 AM

(1) comments



2007-12-31 
 

second snowiest

It's official. Barring a freak storm between now and midnight, this December is on record as the second snowiest in recorded history for Boston. Mind you, we only missed the top spot by .2 inches so by the time I'm in my 70s I may be telling the younglings that G and I moved back to New England just in time for the winter that broke all the records.

Given the amount of shoveling we've done, I think that'd only be fair.

Labels: boston, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 5:33 PM

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2007-12-20 
 

warmth

Snowed again today which allowed this December to cement it's foothold as one of the top 8 snowiest Decembers in history. Well, snowiest December HERE. I'm sure that folks in Alaska and Sweden would snicker at the amount of snow we've had so far and fart in our general direction.

Point is that it's cold and after being out in it shoveling, I came in to a warm shower and nice dry clothes. Later, I was on the bed reading and starting to feel a bit cool again when G dumped a full basket of just-out-of-the-dryer towels over me. I lay quietly under them enjoying the feeling of being suddenly immersed in the heat of a summer's day.

New England really does make you appreciate the seasons.

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 9:01 PM

(1) comments



2007-11-04 
 

of satin dresses and shoulder pain

We've been having a nice time catching up with the various folks who've gotten in touch with us, and generally getting used to the fact that we're in limbo right now.

Took Mom in to town yesterday to see Dudette try on wedding dresses. It was six females and then G and myself. To be honest, I thought it was going to be a bit boring for the two of us, but we wanted Mom to be able to be there. Turns out we ended up having a pretty good time. Call it Queer Eye for the Straight Bride. I guess I've absorbed enough fashion info over the past years to have switched that once dormant part of my gay gene on...or at least fake it pretty well.

In other news, I managed to sleep on my shoulder wrong two nights ago and it's still messed up. The general unsettled feeling probably isn't helping me to relax much. It actually hurts a bit to type, so I'm stopping now.

Labels: boston, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 10:19 AM

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2007-10-25 
 

cleveland rocks and niagara falls

Cleveland turned out to be a rather interesting city. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame kept us entertained for almost four hours, and if we'd listened to as much as we would have liked we could have spent several hours more. My favorite bit? Seeing Tom Petty's Mad Hatter hat from Don't Come Around Here No More.

I always wanted that hat.

Spent the night in Cleveland at a wonderful Bed & Breakfast called The Stone Gables. We didn't think to even look at B&Bs until Wisconsin, figuring they'd be too pricey. Turns out that the off season prices make them just as affordable as the hotel/motels of the area...and much nicer to stay in.

Yesterday saw us driving up to Canada to see Niagara Falls from the good side. G's never been to Canada or the Falls, so I was very happy that we had good weather. Found another fantastic B&B called Absolute Elegance. Again, a wonderfully restored place from the 1800's. Had a wonderful meal and drinks on a terrace overlooking the falls. As it got darker, we saw them illuminated in white spot lights and then a bit later in shifting colors. We had an excellent vantage point which allowed us to see both the American and Canadian falls. Front row seats as it were. Niagara Falls, the city, is a bit of a cheeze fest, but we enjoy that sort of thing so it was all good.

Today we're on our way to Massachusetts. Will decide en route whether to spend one last night in the Berkshires or to push on all the way to Weymouth.

Labels: cross country, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 12:00 PM

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2007-10-23 
 

of traffic jams and jelly donuts

Drove down into Indiana from Wisconsin yesterday. Got caught in our first traffic snarl since leaving the bay area. (Should've guessed that 4pm is not a good time to traverse Chicago.) We have yet to see a Dunkin Donuts...rather surprising since we've been on EDT for over 12 hours.

On the plus side, the scenery has been fantastic. Wisconsin surprised me by feeling quite a bit like Massachusetts with rolling hills all on fire with fall foliage. Pardon the alliteration...it was an early morning. The weather and traffic had us short of our goal last night and we actually set the alarm this morning in order to get to the Rock & Roll Hall of fame in a timely manner...maybe there'll be a DD in Cleveland.

random trip quote of the day
G's comment upon seeing a small child in passenger seat of a Fed Ex truck, "Wow! They'll deliver anything these days."

Labels: cross country, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 9:50 AM

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2007-10-21 
 

brief break for brand building 101

We interupt this travelblog for a brief note about brand building.

We stayed in a Comfort Inn last night for the first time. I do have a certain level of expectation when staying in a place with a price point about 10 dollars more than the lower rate numbered motels (Motel 6/Super 8). I was dissatisfied.

The room was out of date, still using the heavy comforters that all good travelers know carry more germs than the toilet seat. (even the cut rate motel in southern Montana with the naugahyde chairs had replaced theirs with a thin, easy to pull off and hide in the corner version-intentional or not, we appreciated it) All in all though it wasn't the worst hotel. The customer service made up for in joviality what it lacked in professionalism, and the cable selection was one of the better ones we've seen. If it wasn't for the bathroom, I'd be blogging about our drive across Minnesota, the state that's fun to say.

Now, I'm willing to acknowledge that I've got semi high standards for any bathroom. Many folk may find a toilet seat with the finish worn off delightfully rustic, but I'm not one of them. The worst bit was the shower. After no more than 30 seconds it began to back up. The super low wattage lighting did nothing to hide the fact that this back up contained about half a head of hair left behind by some prior tenant. Enough said.

I tried to mention this to the staff upon check out, but they were a bit busy playing around and I got no more than a nod and a, "That happens sometimes."

So the lesson for the day is that for a first time consumer, your brand is only as strong as its weakest touchpoint.

Your regularly scheduled travelblog will continue tomorrow from Wisconsin Dell, WI.

Labels: cross country, dose of mikey, g, sharketing

* posted by me at 7:17 PM

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2007-10-20 
 

black hills

Saw Mount Rushmore today and also the Crazy Horse Memorial that's in
progress. Both very impressive and both places I'd like to come back
to some day for a bit of hiking around.

There's also other things that I'd like to spend more time exploring
and in the Black Hills of South Dakota, but they'll have to wait for a
trip that happens earlier than October. We've got a storm chasing us
and we're hoping to make it to Sioux Falls before the end of the day.
Bother winter!

Labels: cross country, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 6:57 PM

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2007-10-19 
 

winding through wyoming

Yesterday, we drove from Lincoln to Hardin, MT. Quite a nice drive, but a long one. Other than a brief stop at Montana Wheat in Helena for lunch, we didn't take a break.

Woke up this morning and headed over to Little Big Horn. I've never been a big fan of cowboy and indian tales, but it's always a bit
sobering to be reminded just how unfair the US has been to the native
inhabitants of this land. The fact that this particular site was
established to commemorate Custer and his men just drove the point
home. Sure, there's a bit more about the various tribes that banded
together there now than when the site opened, but somehow it still left a sour taste in our mouths.

Spent most of the rest of the day driving on the red roads of Wyoming. G's just taken the wheel for the remainder of the trip to Keystone, SD. Looking forward to a good night's rest and tomorrow's excursion to Mount Rushmore.

Labels: cross country, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 8:50 PM

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2007-10-17 
 

criss crossing the continental divide

Started out yesterday driving through Grand Teton National Monument and then Yellowstone. Over the course of the day we crossed the continental divide numerous times.

I remember driving to California over a decade ago and crossing the divide in Colorado. It seemed a momentous occasion to me back then. This time it became ordinary to see the markers noting the divide, but the scenery remained anything but. Mountains' majesty indeed.

The one thing I will say is that Old Faithful's over rated. The fact that the rest of Yellowstone is under rated easily makes up for this fact, but if you're ever there and find that you've just missed the eruption? Drive on and enjoy the surreal sulphur plains upon which bison graze. Waiting 90 minutes for the next eruption was a bit dissapointing. (especially in the cold)

Left Yellowtone for Lincoln at 4:30 and found ourselves at U. Bob's doorstep about six hours later. A long drive, but worth it for the warm hospitality we found waiting for us there. More on that tomorrow.

Labels: cross country, dose of mikey, g, memory lane

* posted by me at 10:07 PM

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2007-10-16 
 

out of this world

Crater's of the Moon was unlike anything I've ever seen. Being the
sci-fi geek that I am, it was easy to imagine some studio wanting to
use it as a set for an alien planet. Fortunately, it's being protected
since aggressive tourism in the 20th Century crumbled parts of it
away. Interesting to observe the the struggle between the
conservation of a park and the public's ability to enjoy it without
causing further damage.

There was much more to do there than we'd anticipated...hiking up old
lava flows, walking through the Devil's Orchard, peering into splatter
cones and just generally being awed by our surroundings. We ended up
spending so much time that Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons had to
wait for today. Don't want to shortchange our National Parks.

We ended up staying in a little log cabin in Jackson, Wyoming. Town
was like something out of a modern day fairy tale. Gotta tell you,
there's something about seeing all of this that has me contemplating
going on the road permanently. Then I remember that those cute little
log cabins cost money. Problematic.

Labels: cross country, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 1:26 PM

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2007-10-15 
 

hard drive

Today we're on our way to Crater's of the Moon National Monument.
Will do the 7 mile loop and then make our way to Yellowstone and Old
Faithful.

Yesterday was all about driving. Six hundred miles from Roseville, CA
to Jerome, ID. We did stop briefly in Winnemucca in honor of
Armistead Maupin. I won three dollars on the quarter poker machine
and then we were back on the road.

After turning north at Wells, we were on the home stretch, but I have
to say that Greg's the reason we made it all the way. Driving at
night is not my forte.

Labels: cross country, dose of mikey, g, shout out

* posted by me at 1:59 PM

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2007-10-14 
 

farewell sf

Been trying to post from phone for two days now...think I finally got it figured out.

Spent an extra day in SF to finish packing all the stuff we didn't get
onto the moving truck. Also took time to say some last minute
goodbyes and enjoy Hug's hospitality. (He let us crash at his place
for two nights since he was in Denver on business...much nicer than
our almost empty apartment.)

Then, yesterday at 5:30, we crossed over the Bay Bridge and headed to
G's parentals for dinner and our first overnight on the road.

Packed ourselves back into the car this morning and headed east. Just left Reno...more to come!

Edited to add that the formatting will be off, so please bear with us.

Labels: cross country, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 4:40 PM

(0) comments



2007-10-05 
 

fore!

Incoming! Boxes, boxes, boxes. Our apartment has become a maze through which we wind our way. All the time hoping one of the more precariously balanced boxes doesn't come crashing down.

Moving is not a good time for two pack rats to try to dump stuff. Out of the hundreds of books I've packed already, I've managed to remove four from the running. This hardly counts since three of them were old French grammar books from back in the 80s.

Clothes are also a problem. While it would be easy enough to follow the rule of tossing anything not worn in the past year, many of the clothes that would affect are oxfords and dress pants that may soon again become a necessary part of my daily work wear.

On a happier note, we were searching for some boxes listed on craigslist and ended up grabbing ice cream cones at Mitchell's. Best ice cream in San Francisco. Another advantage to moving away. Treating ourselves to to all the good things that will soon be far away.

That came out sounding a bit sad, not meant to be. I know there's plenty of good stuff waiting on the other side of the country.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, linkage, looking eastward, san francisco

* posted by me at 8:19 PM

(0) comments



2007-10-03 
 

second day

Day two after work ended and I'm still having trouble grasping the reality. Making it more difficult to believe, is the fact that I'm still seeing work folk for goodbye's. Last night, my boss had the team over for a delicious dinner and fun conversation. G came along, which made it extra nice. At the end of the evening, someone mentioned that I should do a blog detailing our upcoming trip across the country. Had to bite my tongue a bit since I've never officially told anyone at work about this site. Got an odd impression that at least C already knew though. That would be fine since she's the first one there that I'll pass the info on to.

G will also be coming tonight for drinks with the Aids Walk group from work which should be fun. After this though, there'll be no more official work gatherings...and packing will have to start in earnest.

We have a lovely batch of Baccarat boxes we found on Craigslist yesterday that we'll be filling with our fragile Targetware. Love that!

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 6:46 PM

(2) comments



2007-09-21 
 

myo mom

Off to G's neice's wedding, but wanted to post quick that Mom's in the paper today. Check out the article from the Patriot Ledger.

Labels: g, linkage, looking eastward, shout out

* posted by me at 4:33 PM

(0) comments



2007-09-14 
 

100 things

It seems that no blog is complete without one of these lists laying around somewhere. I'm going to be kind and give it a page of it's own so that you can feel free to ignore it if you wish. Also, please note that the page this links to has been available since March. I just now realized that the entry announcing it never got published. That said it, I reread it today and it's still all true.

RANDOM LIST OF 100 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME

Labels: blogging, dose of mikey, g, memes, memory lane, random review, rant, reading, san francisco, sharketing, shout out, spirit

* posted by me at 8:18 PM

(0) comments



2007-08-09 
 

angst

G and I are trying to enjoy the summer as much as possible, but super large flat panel televisions and jacuzzi tubs aside, it's getting a little angsty around here.

There are big changes in store for us, and while it's looming ever larger on the horizon, we feel the weight of a million things yet still yet to be done.

Excitement aside, we're searching for a fast forward button to help us with this next bit...or a last page of the chapter we could read to make sure it all comes out in the wash.

In semi related news, I got a review at work yesterday that'll make it easier to move onward when the time comes.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, looking eastward

* posted by me at 2:15 AM

(1) comments



2007-07-28 
 

ever after

G and I attended a performance of Into The Woods the other night at CTA Crossroads Theatre in Walnut Creek. It's small venue in the suburbs and, I have to admit, my expectations weren't that high. That said, they really put on a good show. I've absorbed enough theater from various friends that I could go hypercritical on certain things, but I truly enjoyed myself too much to do that.

Grant you, I've always had a soft spot for this particular musical...and not just because I ended up sleeping with one of the princes after the first time I saw it in my early twenties.

Retro apologies to POC, with whom I was supposed to be visiting at the time...and gratitude too him too for not kicking me to the curb for being such a selfish prig. Would it help all 8 of my loyal readers to know that the gentleman playing the prince also played the part of the wolf? I mean, how could I resist? And he made me feel excited- Well, excited and scared. Point is that POC is one of my best friends and I haven't heard from the prince in well over a decade.

Into the Woods also accompanied me on my cross country odyssey and hearing songs from it usually fills my head with images of wide flat plains, Santa Fe, the Colorado Rockies and a certain corner of the Grand Canyon.

But I digress...back to the performance. I was very impressed by some of the actors. The Baker, in particular, sang beautifully and managed to look so sad towards the end that I wanted to jump up and give him a reassuring hug. (Yes, we were that close to the stage. Due a severe back up at the Caldecott Tunnel that added TWO HOURS to the normal 30 minute drive we were ushered in through the backstage area and into the front row. Only missed half of the first number and were rewarded with the ability to see the entire cast up close and personal.)

I also have to give a thumbs up to the witch. While I caught one or two of the other actors mimicking the intonation and/or actions that I know so well from the American Playhouse DVD version, the witch made that part her own. In my mind, no one will ever top Bernadette Peters' iteration, but very interesting to see a different take on it.

To sum up...I'd forgotten how much I love live theater. Between Into the Woods and last weeks' treat viewing of Kiki and Herb, my new goal is to see much more of it. Avenue Q will be in SF over the next few weeks and I'm going to try to coax G to see that one next.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, looking eastward, memory lane, random review, san francisco

* posted by me at 11:28 PM

(5) comments



2007-07-16 
 

as promised

AIDS WALK 2007

Labels: 1000 words, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 8:36 PM

(0) comments



2007-07-15 
 

walk the walk

We walked in the SF AIDS Walk today. It was slightly overcast and pretty much perfect weather for walking. Thanks again to everyone who donated! There may be a picture later, but no promises.

(Oh, and vacation last week was lovely, but more on that later.)

Labels: dose of mikey, g, san francisco, shout out

* posted by me at 6:47 PM

(0) comments



2007-07-04 
 

donate and laugh

For the few of you out there who haven't been blitzed by our email campaign, let me alert you to the fact that G and I are walking in the SF AIDS Walk this year.

If you haven't already and would like to help us reach our goal, please link through to the following page. It's quick! (just use a credit card) It's safe! (secure system protects all your info) It's easy! (Um...It's EASY!) Best of all...you get a chance to make fun of my Charlie Brownesque head! So C'mon! Help us reach our goal...or better yet, surpass it!

TO DONATE (and see my ginourmous head) CLICK HERE.

This is a cause which is very close to us both. In all seriousness, we wouldn't be together if it weren't for the agencies this cause supports. They helped G through some of the rougher times, and for that I am supremely grateful.

Now if that didn't bring a tear to your eye...click through and look at my head! It's crazy big! How can you resist!?

(One way or another, we're going to fight this thing until the fight is done.)

Labels: dose of mikey, g, linkage

* posted by me at 8:03 PM

(0) comments



2007-06-26 
 

the rest & best of the weekend

So, after it's inauspicious beginning, the weekend improved dramatically. G and I did end up spending some time in the gayborhood enjoying the vibe. Had steak frites at Chow out on the patio, wandered into Harvest for some birthday cupcakes, and then went to the movies. Shrek the Third, while amusing, doesn't quite stand as tall as the first two.

Deciding to make it a full on movie night, we got home and watched Marie Antoinette. Loved it. I remember it getting some mixed reviews, but can't quite imagine what the fuss was about. Was it deep? No. Did it tell me anything I didn't already know? No. Did it really make me want to see Versailles? Yes.

I gave myself today off as a bit of a birthday present. We made mac and cheese for lunch, did a bunch of crosswords and then went over to Baskin Robbins to cash in our free birthday cone coupons. Ended up down at Ocean Beach because it seemed like the right place to eat ice cream. Gorgeous day today. Walked up and down the beach well into the evening just talking and showing each other interesting flotsam and jetsam. We stayed long enough to watch the sunset and then took our chilled selves home to warm back up.

Reminder to those of you out there experiencing that event called "summer"...while there were some brave folk out there jumping in the waves, I had on jeans and a sweatshirt during our walk and never felt too warm.

All in all, turned out to be a pretty wonderful weekend.

Labels: 1000 words, dose of mikey, g, linkage, random review, san francisco

* posted by me at 2:22 AM

(0) comments



2007-06-24 
 

pride

Planned on spending this weekend enjoying the various pride events and celebrating our birthdays, but ended up spending yesterday afternoon in the emergency room with G. (He's fine, turned out to be chest wall trauma which the doctor explained was mostly a painful nuisance and not something serious. With the help of some Vicodan he had a happy birthday after all.)

We did plan on going to the parade and celebration today, but an overflowing toilet has made it doubtful that we'll make it in time. I'm not too disappointed since the past 12 years have left me a bit jaded with the festivities, but it's good to remind myself that what we have here in SF is special, especially when small town America is still pulling crap like this.

via TNTP

Labels: dose of mikey, g, san francisco

* posted by me at 5:22 PM

(0) comments



2007-06-20 
 

karmic account

G picked me up from work today and we swung by BevMo on the way home to pick up some libations for the double whammy weekend. (Pride and our BDays fall on the same exact days for the first, and possibly last time.)

Which reminds me. Anyone reading this, who isn't a stranger to me, is welcome to join in a gathering of friends and family on July 7th at my parents' house. Just give me a heads up so that we can plan for an extra burger or two.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled blog.

After getting back into the car, our arms laden with boxes of beer and the like, I settled into the seat and went over the receipt.

I've done this on occasion ever since Safeway mysteriously charged us for a bunch of diapers that certainly weren't in our cart. I probably wouldn't have noticed, but something about the total was bugging me so I checked. BOY! Diapers are expensive.

I had the same sort of feeling tonight that something wasn't quite right, and after looking over the receipt realized that they had forgotten to charge me for my 12 pack of Sam Adams. On sale for $9.99 it's not like I'll be the ruin of the BevMo empire, but something didn't feel quite right. That said we were comfortably settled into the ride home and the thought of turning back was not very pleasing.

So consider this my note to the universe that I do NOT accept this as karmic come around for the mischarged diapers. I plan to rectify the situation next time I'm in a BevMo. I like to keep a little coin in the karmic account.

In other news. Bunch of diapers? Batch of diapers? Bag of diapers? Gaggle of diapers? Just what does one call them...other than ridiculously expensive?

Labels: dose of mikey, g, linkage, looking eastward

* posted by me at 9:10 PM

(0) comments



2007-04-30 
 

hidden rights

G passed something quite interesting on to me. This link to an article on History Network News gives an excerpt from a new book by Daniel A. Farber: Retained by the People: The 'Silent' Ninth Amendment and the Constitutional Rights Americans Don't Know They Have

I realize that any discussion of writing from over 200 years ago needs to include the time and place in which it was written, but he's given me a spark of hope that individual rights are still something this country should and can consider.

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 7:44 PM

(0) comments



2007-03-25 
 

day late

Yesterday was Shutdown Day. A social experiment in which people were encouraged to not use their computers for a day.

Ironically, I read about it today for the first during a random surf. G and I were very much not shut down yesterday as we spent most of the afternoon playing Dwarf Complete. An addictive Zelda-ish adventure game.

Oh well, maybe next year...or maybe next week. People say it's good to go outside during the weekend and it just might be true.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, random review

* posted by me at 5:53 PM

(0) comments



2007-02-25 
 

work rears it's ugly head

Twice a year I get really busy and a bit stressed out at work. (That sound? That's G saying, "Ha! A bit stressed my elbow!)

I'm in the thick of it.

Labels: g, sharketing

* posted by me at 4:06 PM

(0) comments



2007-02-02 
 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG!

Today, loveandotherdrugs turns 5.

FIVE.

I've been doing this for five years.

In other news, Max sent G and I some popcorn for Groundhog Day. Just his little way of saying thanks for all the bananas I guess.

Labels: blogging, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 10:42 PM

(0) comments



2007-01-12 
 

clear across the country

Took off from SFO earlier today, and the views were fog free for the first time in a while. I always love watching the city slowly sink away beneath me. It always looks so clean and unperturbed from that height. I sent down a silent "I love you." to G, who had returned home to one of those little buildings below after dropping me off at the airport. Then SF slided out of view and I amused myself by following along the waterways and trying to guess which towns lay below.

As the plane came in for a landing in Newark five hours later, the combination of cold, clear air and jet fuel exhaust made the lights below twinkle like stars. My legs were cramped from the non Jet Blue treatment, but I felt as if I was being welcomed in style.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, looking eastward

* posted by me at 12:22 AM

(0) comments



2006-11-27 
 

victorian novel

In the interest of getting a new entry up, I'm avoiding the new Blogger interface once again. I had grand plans for dealing with it this weekend, but somehow we came home Friday night a bit more tired than when we left.

Not to say that we didn't have a nice T-Day. In fact, last minute scheduling conflicts ensured that the day went much more calmly than I'd anticipated. G's Mom put on a nice spread and much munching ensued, both before and after the main course.

Even ended up bonding with his niece and sister-in-law over one of their current endeavors. Thanks to things I've picked up at ------, I was able to give them a few pointers that they were thankful for.

Oooh, dashes are fun. Like writing some Victorian novel.

Labels: blogging, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 9:16 PM

(0) comments



2006-11-15 
 

joy of inbox

My inbox at work has been whittled down to 23 emails. I'm not sure why this makes me deliriously happy, but it could have something to do with the fact that it's been hovering around 70 for the past few months and 23 seems entirely manageable.

I also just talked to a really nice person at Honda about the lease. Yes, I know, buying a leased vehicle is not normally a financially responsible move, but it's a hybrid and the rules may be a bit more flexible due to lower depreciation.

AND Bun is in town and I see her on Friday.

AND G is at home with yummy food.

Have I mentioned it feels good to be happy? (don't anybody fret, I'll be in the doldrums again real soon I'm sure)

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 9:29 PM

(0) comments



2006-10-30 
 

vacation admission

Okay, I admit it. I meant to update this site every day last week.

Didn't happen.

I did get a lot done with bills, doctors and house stuff.

And more importantly, caught up on many of the programs Mr. TiVo had recorded for us.

And had five martinis in a row without worrying about having to be anywhere the next day. mmmmm...olives.

And slept in late...sooooo late.

And ate whenever, whatever and wherever we wanted.

And spend too much money at IKEA buying little things we've meant to pick up for ages...and then had a romantic dinner in the cafe. mmmmm...meatballs Even had a view of the Golden Gate bridge and the sunset...under an overpass sure, but I believe you can find romance in any location if you concentrate on your partner instead of your surroundings.

Oh, and I spent a ridiculous amount of time towards the end of the week playing the demo for Lego Star Wars 2 (The Original Trilogy).

And of course, we went on our annual pumpkin trek to Half Moon Bay....followed by the traditional meal of Hawaiian food. mmmmm....chicken katsu curry

G with the perfect pumpkin

Labels: 1000 words, blogging, dose of mikey, g, linkage

* posted by me at 9:01 PM

(0) comments



2006-10-19 
 

read it out loud

In my family we have a tradition of reading cards aloud in front of everyone. Everything from the funny ones that have you laughing too hard to finish, to the ones that leave you teary eyed with joy...and struggling to get through the last lines before you lose it alltogether. Got a card the other day that falls into the latter camp. While typing it out isn't quite the same, I feel like shouting this from the rooftops. Ah hem.

To Our Children
Believe forever in your love and your love will be forever beautiful.

On your anniversary we just wanted you to know you're a special part of our family's happiness, and a very special part of our lives always.
Happy Anniversary with Love,
Mom and Dad.

Not only am I with the most wonderful man in the universe, I also have wonderful parents. That's all, just feeling blessed and wanted to share.

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 7:24 PM

(0) comments



2006-09-09 
 

property envy

I'm tired of being a renter. Really tired. Each month I'm basically handing over a large chunk of money in order to help someone else have a nice investment. I just did a quick calculation, and the time I've been in San Francisco, I've spent over 100,000 dollars on rent. You can buy a whole house for that in some parts of the country. Grant you, it's been over 10 years, but it makes my head hurt thinking about it.

Not to mention, if I'd sucked it up and done that shortly after moving here, I'd have at least tripled my investment by now. Nowadays a condo the size of my first studio apartment goes for 250,000 or more.

Question: Would G and I kill each other if we squashed ourselves into a studio type home? Probably. Without alone time, I get super cranky

Question: Can I envision myself living way out in suburbia and commuting into SF for work. More likely, but it makes my stomach hurt to think about it. One of my goals when I moved to SF was to avoid the commute. I hated the fact that my job in Boston required that I spend up to two hours of my day in transit. So, when I moved out here, I promised myself I'd do no more than 30 minutes commuting. Today it takes me less than that to get to work. Could I give it up and think of the time spent commuting as money in the pocket? Maybe.

Question: How happy will I be living in suburbia? Oooogh. Don't even want to think about it. Especially since you have to go pretty far out into suburbia to get back into the affordable range.

Question: Can we up and move to another part of the country? Hmmm. Possible, but the truth is that I'm currently rather happy with my job...and it pays pretty well which might allow the dream of property to become a reality...if I set my mind to it.

This past March, my answer would've been different, but after a good 8 months of suckage, things have improved quite drastically...even better than before the suckage began in fact.

Is it my dream job? No. Want to hear a secret? My dream job is to work the register at Barnes & Noble. (I hear you snickering, but it's true.) Maybe work my way up to Assistant Manager someday, but no more than that. (and yes, I'm aware of the irony given that I do like my modern toys and shiny car, but I didn't say it was a practical dream...yet) Problem of moving from here to another company elsewhere within my industry is that I really have no interest in the industry. None. I realized this recently when interviewing for...well never mind.

Someday, after I've left the current job, I'll tell you all about it. There's a whole side of my life there that doesn't get expressed here because I'm a wimp who doesn't want to get fired. Marketing means you're in possession of knowledge that other companies would dearly like to get their hands on. When I think about what that knowledge actually consists of, it seems almost humorous...but TPTB would have my head, so I keep mum.

Question: Isn't the bubble about to burst? That's what they say, but they've said that for the past 7 years. If I had been really smart and ignored them 6 years ago when I first seriously considered buying, I'd have made enough money off the investment to make a move back east more possible today.

Question: Am I out of debt enough to be thinking about this? If all goes well, I will be by next summer. If I tie myself to a 30 year mortgage at that point, I'll be just entering retirement time when it gets paid off. Irony? 6 years ago I moved into a VERY high rent apartment that played a large part in creating the debt I'm still paying off instead of waiting 6 months and buying a house. Okay, that's an oversimplification of a complicated story, but if I could just get hold of the me I was back then and have a little chat I'd be looking at the ability to retire early versus hoping I'll actually own a home when I do so at the usual age.

Ugh. Retirement. Another thing I didn't start saving for in time, but fortunately I've caught up on it a little bit.

Point of this whole exercise? I encourage you to buy now. Buy small if you have to and work your way up...but do it now.

Just thought of something...if I did meet the me I was 6 years ago, I would tell him to not ignore that job opportunity at Google. Damn, I could be retired now! (and working part time at B&N)

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 2:22 PM

(0) comments



2006-07-05 
 

fading away

Well, vacation's officially over as I'm back at work as of today. Truth is, I need another one where I just lie on a beach and sip tropical cocktails. No offense to those I saw towards the tale end of last week, but I seem to have returned a bit frazzled. Work took a turn for the better in my mind and mental attitude about where I'm at, but now family weighs heavy.

There's various reasons for this, but mostly it's my Gram. I normally make a point of seeing her towards the beginning of a trip and then again at the family dinner that always happens during the last night, but this time was a bit different. Her short term memory is truly going now. So hard to see that happening to someone whose sharp mind and quick wit I've envied and tried to emulate from an early age onward. (and yes, I'll admit it's scary to me as well knowing that someday that could be me)

G and I spent some extra time with her towards the end of the week. Taking the grand tour of her apartment complex and going through old photo albums. She could remember exactly where my great-grandfather had his apartment and particular details about something that happened back in 52, but not that we'd already been in a certain part of the building or that we'd looked at that album page just minutes ago.

It seemed such a severe difference from the last time I'd seen her. She'd been a bit fuzzy, but no more than myself on a bad day. There were several phone conversations in between, but I own now that I was happily ignoring the various signs that would come through the wires.

I remember many years ago, while I was still in college, sitting quietly and being able to accept it when my Aunt Ruth G. took to calling me by my father's name and asking me questions about his life away in the service. Sure, I'd often drive home a bit freaked out, but I looked at it as a chance to learn more about my Dad. Thing is that Ruthy was always a little fuzzy to me. I didn't get the chance to know her as an adult in the way that I did with my Gram.

I'm glad I did, and I'll be happy to sit and have her tell me three...or twelve times about the same photograph as long as there's time left.

Whew. Hadn't meant this entry to be about Gram originally. I thought I was going to have a venting session about something rather different, but it's where my fingers took me tonight and I thank them for that. Feels good to type it out. I'm not even going to edit right now. Maybe later, but for now I'd like to keep it pure.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, looking eastward

* posted by me at 10:24 PM

(2) comments



2006-06-21 
 

surreal gnome

G just informed me that someone's placed an old school barber's chair and a Travelocity-esque garden gnome in front of our building.

Now, I'm willing to bet that they'll both be gone in the morning to new homes, because we recycle everything here in San Francisco. That being said, I do have to wonder what twist of fate brought those two items together? Did the gnome sit on the chair inside someone's apartment as a conversation starter?

OH yes, the gnome and the chair. There's a story behind that...

Or perhaps the chair was used by some back alley barber. You know, for cutting hair under the radar of the local stylist authority.

Most likely they were part of someone's post college "use what you can find for cheap" aesthetic, but that just sounds boring. I'd rather imagine a crazy story involving mistaken identities and a chimp. Crazy stories are always best when they include a chimp.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, san francisco

* posted by me at 4:29 AM

(2) comments



2006-05-01 
 

random thoughts

The scattered journals that tell the story of my life before this blog need to be taken as a group to get a true picture of where and who I was at any given time. One for travels. One for random thoughts. One for whining. One for drug or alcohol induced musings. One for story ideas. One for sexcapades. One for bad poetry.

Since starting this blog, I haven't reached for them as much. (Though I haven't tortured you all with too much bad poetry, and I do try to avoid mentioning matters sexual out of courtesy to G who isn't as keen to have that side of our lives exposed on the internet...and okay for those friends of mine who are about to call me out on that last comment, I admit that I'd rather not discuss them in a forum frequented by my parents, okay?)

Point is that I recently went back and reread some of the musings I was having at the turn of the century and realized something. Then, I had no clue what I was doing in life, but I was mostly having fun doing it. Now I have a pretty good clue about what I'm doing, but I worry about whether it's the right thing to be doing. I'm generally happy enough and realize that working toward a goal is a good thing, but if the world blows up tomorrow I'll really be wishing that I'd taken more time to eat, drink and be merry.

Still, the voice inside my head keeps telling me, "All may yet be very well." I'm choosing to believe it for now.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, writing

* posted by me at 12:31 AM

(2) comments



2006-04-23 
 

v for very good

Saw V For Vendetta last night on IMAX. Liked it a lot.

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

'Nuff said.

In other news, went shopping downtown with G and Michael today. A brief review:

H&M is a dangerous and very popular store.
Cupcakes are still trendy. (and always delicious!)
Cupcakes being eaten by gym buffed bodies give me the giggles.
European tourists are beginning to look rather East Coast preppie. Especially the men.
Union Square is not as unpleasant on a Sunday afternoon as I remembered.
Cuter men on the KLM lines vs. the N and J. (Not that I haven't seen hotties on the N or J, but in general I find this to be true.)

Yes, eye candy was plentiful today on the streets of San Francisco and we enjoyed every lick.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, random review

* posted by me at 10:40 PM

(0) comments



2006-04-18 
 

dawn

It's 6:10 a.m. and I'm already at work. (Shock and disbelief from my 10s of readers, I know.)

You see, 100 years ago this morning, my adopted city shook and then burned due to something they still refer to as the Great Quake.

Every year there's a ceremony at Lotta's Fountain on Kearny and Market where survivors of the quake gather and a wreath is placed in memoriam of all those who lost their lives. We humans have an odd habit of attaching special significance to numbers that end in "0" which made today's event extra special with streets baricaded, special speeches and a funny MC who obviously hadn't slept all night and seemed to still be under the influence of her last gin and tonic from late last night/early this morning. Being the heart of technology that we are, the huge screens had closed captioning based on voice recognition technology. Made for some funny reading. (Winston Churchill became "win some church hill") The enunciation of some participants, like the aforementioned MC, left quite a bit to be desired and had the computer putting up lines much like the following:

For thirty years I bang an a gone today. Plzt...Please jam me on well coming may your gave on new some.

And yes, while I'm on the subject, San Francisco does have the hottest mayor in the country. The man is chock full of charisma, and if he doesn't end up as president some day in the future, I'll be very surprised. (and disappointed)

Anyway, the whole point is that the festivities started shortly after 4:30 which is an hour I usually have solid footing in dreamville, but G really wanted to go and convinced me it was worth a 3:30 wake up call. He was so right. I do love that man.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, san francisco

* posted by me at 9:15 AM

(0) comments



2006-02-05 
 

new view

Normally when I want to get high in San Francisco, I go to Twin Peaks. That's them over in the distance underneath SoonToFallDown...I mean Sutro Tower.




Yesterday, the city proved that even after 11 years, it can continue to surprise me. G and I were driving through the Mission when I commented that I'd never been up to the top of Bernal Heights. He immediately abandoned our food shopping plan and drove us up to the top. We wandered around for a bit, and I was amazed that I'd managed to miss this vista for over a decade. Quite beautiful...although these signs did give me pause.





This sign, on the other hand just made me happy.



Oh, and I would apologize for the bad pun up in the first sentence, but then you might think that I'd never do it again.

Labels: 1000 words, dose of mikey, g, san francisco

* posted by me at 6:43 PM

(0) comments



2005-12-26 
 

merry

Had a pretty wonderful long weekend, just me and G and a Christmas tree.

Noticed a lot of unrest during the preceeding holiday season. Folks upset about the commercialism and obligation of the holidays. I have to admit, I just don’t get it.

Okay. I understand that the holiday has transitioned over many years from a day of purely religious significance to a Vegaslike Extravaganza with bells and whistles and too many lights….but that’s just what they’re selling. You don’t have to buy it.

Christmas for me is still about remembering that peace should be our ultimate goal, spending time around a decorated tree with the family…oh and that guy who walked around 2000 years ago suggesting we all be a bit nicer to each other. Not his followers or those that came to interpret his words afterwords. Just him and a message of peace.

I moved out to SF before my extended family imploded,and in many ways I’m lucky for that. Going back for the holidays after the family tree trunk had been split was a bit more stressful than I would’ve liked with the new scheduling challenges, but I didn’t get to see any of them very often so it wasn’t very different than visiting during the non-holiday season.

It's also true that these days Christmas leaves a bittersweet taste in my mouth, but that’s because my faith in eventual peace for this planet is a lot less solid than when I was a child. Somehow, back then, it was easy to believe that the crowd of people standing around me and singing Silent Night while holding slowly dripping candles truly believed in the underlying message of hope and joy. I guess I’m lucky that my family kept focused on that side of things instead of concentrating on the gifting and RECIEVING.

I’ve since been introduced to cynicism and keeping up with the Joneses. Slowly I came to realize that not every one who complained about the season was truly a Grinch or a Scrooge. They were overcome with the stress of trying to see everyone all in one day so that no one felt slighted….and some people assumed an OBLIGATION to give gifts. That’s not fun! I like giving gifts. I wish I had more money to do it with, but I somehow avoid the feeling of guilt if all I can do is send someone a card. Like I mention above, my parents always made it very clear that Christmas meant hope, love and joy. That it really wasn’t about the presents at all. That lesson stuck.

Now it’s true, my adult self recognizes that sometimes a Grinch’s heart will stay just the same size, and that Scrooges have been known to die miserly and alone. In a twisted way these facts make my clinging to hope more relevant. These people need the rest of us to keep believing that change can happen, they need to see the rest of us acting a bit nicer to each other if we’re ever going to convince them that there’s another way to be.

Sure it should last all year through and many people do try to remember that. But if for some it’s only about a month each year where they try a bit harder to be kind to one another amidst the flashing neon signs selling sales, I’ll take it. Maybe it’s some of them we ought to be helping. Help them let go of what they think Christmas needs to be.

What it boils down to is that the holiday is what you make of it. I happen to like Christmas trees, with simple lights and handmade decorations. So that’s what we do. G likes cutting down our own tree. So we do that too. I’d never cut one down before meeting him, but it’s tradition now, because we decreed it as such. It’s that easy. If you don’t like Christmas traditions…or Hanukah, Kwanza or Solstice traditions for that matter, change them into something more relevant to you and your world. The message this time of year, as much as any other, should be one of hope for what could be and joy for that which we already have.

Remember your power to decree your own traditions. If you decide that Christmas ought to be about expressing your artistic side through a house covered in lights, go for it. If you decide it’s only about calling out to a few special folks, then forgo the gifts, cards and trees, it’s really okay. Even if you decide it’s about nothing at all, that’s your choice too.

Just don’t ever tell me that my Christmas is wrong because it differs from your ideas of what it should be and tends to be inclusive instead of exclusive. There’s a little kid in me still hoping for peace and I’d like to keep him alive as long as possible.

Merry holidays everyone!

Labels: dose of mikey, g, writing

* posted by me at 4:11 PM

(0) comments



2005-12-12 
 

screen with envy

My vintage monitor kept going blank all weekend and would refused to turn back on. I suspect it heard me talking about that flat screen I'd like to get for Christmas and kept itself off out of spite.

G figured out a workaround, so I'm back for now. Thing is that I anthropomorphized the screen so much over the weekend that I'm semi-convinced it'll figure out away to thwart the workaround. Doesn't it realize that'll only make me crave the flatscreen more? Silly screen.

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 11:24 PM

(0) comments



2005-12-05 
 

warm room

I have a confession. I love hotel rooms.

Especially hotel rooms paid for by someone other than myself. Now, I've stayed in some of the more upscale places in New York, Chicago and other major cities, but my favorite is still the Westin in St. Louis. A former warehouse, it's only 7 floors total, but the rooms are huge, COMFORTABLE, and decorated stylishly.

I'm here for only the second time and only for a night, but it's almost worth the five hour plane ride just to be surrounded by this feeling that all is right in the world. Only thing missing right now is G to snuggle up with on the heavenly bed.

And no, I haven't hit the mini bar yet. It's just a nice hotel.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, random review

* posted by me at 7:47 PM

(0) comments



2005-11-25 
 

eating wasabi peas

Had a rather nice, non-traditional day yesterday. Left around 1:30 to head down to Krispy Kreme for the donuts that would become this morning's breakfast. Got a bit lost in Daly City and discovered a Nation's Burgers place. Having never eaten there, decided to give the famous giant burger a try.

Delicious.

Also discovered the site of the last legal duel in California. Daly City is an odd place where subdivisions from the 50s and 60s give way to odd historic markers, suddenly wonderful roads leading up a hillway of churches or around Lake Merritt and suddenly into San Francisco.

Ended up at home in time to be hungry again and make ourselves leftover sandwiches. When shopping earlier this week, we discovered that Whole Foods had all the makings of a traditional feast, so we bought the necessary leftovers ahead of time in order to feast on the food that we were really looking forward to: turkey sandwiches with stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce.

Delicious.

After sufficient digestion time, we had a variety of little tiny tartletts that melted in our mouths.

Delicious.

So delicious that we felt it only right that we offer up thanks to the universe for allowing us to sit in such comfort and eat tasty tartletts.

Later on, as I got peckish around midnight-thirty, I broke into the wasabi peas.

Delicious...and quite a head clearer.

So we ate a lot, enjoyed each other's company and gave thanks...I guess it was a pretty traditional day after all.

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 7:04 PM

(1) comments



2005-11-12 
 

code talking

Earlier today I said the following to G:

Next time you Rainbow, grab more porn star powder.

(Roughly translated, this means that we need more Bon Ami scouring powder from Rainbow Grocery.)

Speaking in code is fun.

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 10:02 PM

(0) comments



2005-11-09 
 

getting better

Work is still crazy busy and Tuesdays remain at the bottom of my favorite day list, but today was a vast improvement over last week.

Spent many hours this weekend doing things that I love.

Reading.
Writing.
Spending time with G.

Sad to say, that overly 80s Loverboy refrain runs through my head more than I care to admit these days. I really am working for the weekend. So embarrassingly mundane of me.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, sharketing

* posted by me at 1:05 AM

(0) comments



2005-09-28 
 

sunny g

G had a doctors appointment today. Everything's fine. (In fact everything's great. His viral load is undetectable and his T cells are still nice and high.)

G mentioned something to the doctor about how thankful he was to have been under his care for the past 15 years and the doctor gave it right back. Thanked G for being a good patient and willing to participate in any number of surveys and test trials over the years. Mentioned how G always made it in and never complained about the gallons of blood they needed to take away. How he always had a good attitude and that, basically, he helped save lives.

G would never mention any of this to you because he has a hard time believing that anyone else would've done it differently. I'm a bit more jaded than that. Sometimes I'm so proud to know him and so happy that he's mine that I could burst! (Which would be messy and quite unpleasant, so I figured I'd blog about it instead.)

Labels: dose of mikey, g, shout out

* posted by me at 10:29 PM

(1) comments



2005-09-21 
 

alternating currents

In some not-so-strange alternate reality (out in whatever direction alternate realities lay) there is a me, quite similar to the me you know and love, who registered a different blog name 4 1/2 years ago.

Speaking of Pavilions

Does his writing skew a bit differently? It's hard to tell. My eyes don't see very well when reading in that direction.

In the universe next door to him lies the domain of magicalmike.com, a happy place that hides dark secrets between lines of eloquent text.

Further off, the picture is even fuzzier, but
Too Many Parentheses, Stephan's Corner
and Altering Reality are all pretty likely.

Someday I'd like to read them all.

Labels: blogging, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 10:25 PM

(0) comments



2005-08-21 
 

don't forget

Two facts:

1. Almost every evening, I pass by a secret Safeway on the way to the subway from work. I take the side streets because they're usually quite empty and remember being quite surprised the first time I saw it nestled under a portion of the Maritime Plaza with tall building all around and the fountains and the walkways of the plaza laying over it. I couldn't quite believe someone had put it there. It's smaller than most of its siblings, less trafficked, and generally not quite as unpleasant to shop as the average Safeway.

2. G and I no longer shop Safeway except to buy soda or peanut butter. For some reason, the natural versions we find at Rainbow Grocery or Whole Foods just don't do it for us so we do need to face the cold aisles now and again.

So, I've needed to remember to buy peanut butter from the secret Safeway for a few days now, but kept forgetting. Yesterday, while walking along a usually deserted section of Front Street, I started chanting, "Peanut...peanut butter. Peanut...peanut butter." under my breath as a mnemonic. As often happens in a situation like that, I began chanting a bit louder...and louder...and louder creating a nice little groove with my arms until I was surprised into silence by the homeless man I'd just passed rising suddenly from his blankets and shouting, "Don't forget the jelly!"

Almost scared the piss out of me at the moment, but his words echo in my head today and strike me as being something we all could stand to remember.

Don't forget the jelly.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, san francisco, spirit

* posted by me at 12:28 AM

(0) comments



2005-08-12 
 

try the other arm

Spent the first day of my long weekend shuttling between various doctors. Had blood drawn and the eyes dilated. I've had some odd symptoms lately, the most annoying of which is severe watering and itching of the eyes. Noncontagious Conjunctivitis. I didn't even know they made a non contagious version, but I got some drops and it should fade soon.

Hopefully the other symptoms will also resolve themselves shortly. Either way, I'm scheduled for a couple more appointments early next week to see if one of the other doctors can confirm the diagnosis of my PCP: Reiter's Syndrome. I'm guessing this isn't really what I have. I'm also hoping that one of the several buckets of blood they gathered today will help prove that and put them on the right track.

I am bummed about missing the mini vacation I had planned for us, but G and I will make it up by going to our little chalet over Glen Canyon for the weekend.

Labels: g, linkage, medical mystery

* posted by me at 2:51 AM

(0) comments



2005-08-06 
 

hiv evening

I recently found out that a good friend is positive. Later, after being there for him for a while, I went home to G...and I cried. Cried because the disease had infiltrated into yet another corner of my life, cried because it still scares me.

G held me in his arms and comforted me. Reminded me of all the things I already know:

It's not how it used to be. People live. Life continues to go on and there's beauty to be found, even on the harshest of journies.

G, who's danced with the disease for over 15 years reminded me that everything may yet be okay.

There's the answer. That's how I do it.

Alone we may falter and fall, but together we stand strong. Never be afraid to lean on those who love you.

That goes double for you my friend. If you need me, give a ring. I'm done crying and my shoulder's there for you...Thanks to G, and everyone like him who's willing to step into tomorrow.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, shout out, spirit

* posted by me at 11:32 PM

(2) comments



2005-08-05 
 

stone hot

Came home today to find that one of the many catalogs G and I recieve showcased a lovingly carved discus thrower on the front with only a loose strip of fabric floating around his legs for Modesty's sake. (Modesty, of course, being the easily embarrassed goddess of propriety.)

I pointed the statue's athletic build out to G and the following conversatino ensued:

M: He's hot!

G: He's a statue...

M: Hey statues can be hot.

G: If you say so.

I do say and thus my declaration for today: statues can be hot.

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 5:58 PM

(0) comments



2005-07-31 
 

writing off line

I've been spending some time writing off line these days. Thoughts and memories that might distress some of my loyal readers. Good to get it all out though. Writing is good therapy...especially for reexamining demons from the past in the light of the present.

As for the present, I have nothing more than happiness to report. Dinner with KW and crew went swimmingly, with lots of laughter and fun times remembered. The only downside being that G wasn't feeling too well and spent the evening at home in bed. I really did hope he'd get a chance to meet KW as I've always seen her as a positive force in the universe.

On the upside, I now get to go back to Andalu with G at a later date. Too good to keep to myself.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, linkage, writing

* posted by me at 5:08 PM

(0) comments



2005-06-24 
 

hippo birdy

Spending my birthday recovering from the excesses of last night, but thinking I ought to go out in the world for at least a few hours in honor of my day. Then again, it is my day...so if I want to stay inside and curl up with G to watch cheesey movies, I can do that too.

I love today!

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 5:01 PM

(1) comments



2005-06-12 
 

hot hot hot

The powers that be decreed this past week a hot one for the Boston area. G and I got to enjoy the heat inside suits yesterday while we attended the tea ceremony and following banquet for V and S. Fortunately, both locations had air conditioning. Unfortunately, neither location had air conditioning that worked very well. Add to that the body heat of about 200 banquet guests slowly eating through 10 plus courses and the poor AC didn't stand a chance.

All that being said, we had quite a good time. Have also had a good chance to catch up with family while here and I find myself wondering again whether it's time for a move back east. I love SF more than Boston, but I love the people in Boston too much to make SF my permanent home.

I'll have a nice conundrum to distract me during this next week at work. (Ugh. It's amazing that even a short break will quickly zap any desire to return to Cubicleland.)

Labels: boston, dose of mikey, g, looking eastward, san francisco

* posted by me at 6:28 PM

(1) comments



2005-06-05 
 

philly photos

Finally got some down time to work with the Philadelphia photos. While I'm only posting about five percent on the site, that's still enough to make the main page load a bit slowly...so I'm trying something new.

Click here for some Philly Fun.

Labels: 1000 words, g, looking eastward

* posted by me at 12:20 AM

(0) comments



2005-05-30 
 

philly me up

Philly surprised me. Never thought we'd like it here quite as much as we do.

Had to snag a new 512M card for the camera. (Yes, you will soon be assaulted by a photographic essay on our little foray to this city of surprises.)

Labels: dose of mikey, g, looking eastward

* posted by me at 12:01 PM

(0) comments



2005-05-23 
 

letterboxing and kaboom

G discovered a website dedicated to letterboxing. We decided to give it a try this weekend and have been having a great time traveling around San Francisco looking for boxes in our area. If you like walking/hiking and mini mysteries, give it a try. I have to admit being a bit skeptical before heading out for the first time, but now I'm hooked.

KABOOM happened on Saturday night. We headed up Twin Peaks with PG&E and two of their friends to watch the display from up there. (If you click the link at the beginning of this paragraph, be sure to scroll down past the recycling info to get to a fun DIY fireworks display.)

Sunday saw us letterboxing again. An added bonus to this new hobby is finding yourself in fun places that you wouldn't otherwise think of visiting. We ended up in several San Francisco parks that I'd never visited before...including a climb up Mount Sutro!

Labels: dose of mikey, g, linkage, san francisco

* posted by me at 3:12 PM

(1) comments



2005-05-08 
 

strange signs

Spent Mom's Day out in Sacramento with G's parents. On the way home we traveled through a rather postmodern development.



This isn't photoshop, it's real.

I scrolled around the Google map and there's also a Deny Court. Not sure why they didn't just go all the way and call it Denial. Then folks really could live on Denial! How fun would that be?

Labels: 1000 words, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 8:40 PM

(1) comments



2005-04-17 
 

rainbow run

It is amazingly hard to find Double Rainbow ice cream in San Francisco after 9:30 P.M. G and I were being slugs on the sofa earlier this evening when he mentioned that we'd lost another cereal bowl due to overuse. Suddenly we were awake. A mission!

Double Rainbow plastic quart containers make excellent cereal bowls. The fact that they're covered with black and white cow spots makes the cereal taste even better.

After being disappointed by closed doors in several neighborhoods, we headed across Van Ness and chanced upon the Casablanca Cafe on Polk Street where we finally found our fix. Sadly, there were no plastic quart containers there, but the service was quick and friendly and the Hazelnut Truffle Latte was delicious.

There were hookahs on many of the tables which can apparently be used with a variety of different flavored smokables. Just occurred to me that I'd be more surprised to find those flavors were tobacco based rather than cannabis inspired. Ah, San Francisco.

We must venture from the sofa more often.

Labels: dose of mikey, g, san francisco

* posted by me at 2:49 AM

(0) comments



2005-03-21 
 

walking to work

9:30 - Dolores Park



Spent a very long day in a beautiful victorian with the beautiful people...but I'd rather have been home with G and Oliver.

Labels: 1000 words, g, san francisco, sharketing

* posted by me at 2:17 AM

(0) comments



2005-03-16 
 

foster parents

Keeks left for Boston tonight. While she's gone, G and I agreed to foster her cat Oliver. The girl with the cool glasses will come by in about two weeks to take Oliver back to his Mom, but until then G and I get to see what it's like to live with a cat. He was a little freaked out at first but seems to be adapting nicely to his temporary digs. I could write more, but right now I'd rather just go back to the couch and curl up with our new charge. It seems to comfort him to have one of us constantly within paws reach.

Labels: dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 1:56 AM

(0) comments



2005-03-05 
 

east bay afternoon

We've been looking for a new place. Being a dumbass, I forgot the camera so I can't show you the following fun sights we encountered:

Back seat of an Acura stuffed full of helium balloons in pinks and yellows. Upon reaching the front of the car, we see that it's being driven by a rather elderly but very stately Asian couple. Where were they going?

A funny billboard shouting out ESUVEES ARE NOT CARS! A campaign against them or some reverse psychological marketing ploy?

Various forms of urban blight and the flowers that sometimes pop up in the middle of it all. Why do things like that give me shivers?

Yes, I can't show you those things, so instead let me share Apartment Requirements:

Lotsa light
Eat-in kitchen with gas stove and big pantry
Lotsa storage
Space for our technical geekiness to thrive
Lotsa modern outlets
Area for us to barbecue
Lotsa happy times to be had
Quick access to Muni or Bart
(trains, not them mythical busses I hear about)

a fireplace would be nice
so would various fruit trees and herbs in the garden

NO noisy neighbors
NO nosy neighbors
NO nasty neighbors

cats are OK - purrr

Labels: dose of mikey, g, san francisco

* posted by me at 2:33 AM

(1) comments



2005-02-21 
 

waking up

Yesterday B came over and hung out with us for the afternoon and into the evening. I realized that we haven't just hung out for almost four years now. We spent an afternoon together about two years ago, but I was overly concerned with her psychological welfare at that particular point in time. We didn't speak very often on the phone, and I had allowed the different social situation she chose to live in become suspect in my mind. In retrospect, I believe jealousy and self centeredness got the best of me. (Annoying how clear hindsight can be.)

I even managed to imagine a slight conspiracy against myself by other members of her family. Were they listnening in to our conversations? Was she getting my messages?

Sorry Bun, I've been a dork.

I also realize that the not-so-nice first meeting she and G had four years ago was something I'd been fretting about. It hurt me that my future husband and best friend might never get along, but instead of confronting that emotion and arranging a followup meeting, I just buried it deep down inside and allowed the physical distance between B and myself to be a good excuse for ignoring that particular elephant in the living room.

You heard it hear first folks, sometimes I can be a big idiot. We all had a great time this weekend and look forward to seeing her a few more times while she's in town.

thanks to D for snapping some candids...especially this one

Labels: 1000 words, dose of mikey, g

* posted by me at 7:30 PM

(1) comments



2005-02-17 
 

in the moo

Tonight we're having some leftover sirloin steak. While Rainbow Grocery has become our one stop shop for most culinary needs, good meat had been a hard to find item. Then G found Guerra Quality Meats over on Taraval

So good, and highly recommended for anyone able to get themselves over there. fulfills most of our meat-eating needs.

In other carnivorous news: Tomorrow I'll be dining with Bun for the first time in years. While I confess to a slight trepidation because of the new folks I'll be meeting, I'm truly looking forward to partaking of a home grown ham. They raised it on their farm up north, and I'm honored to have been invited to this particular feast.

In honor of the occasion, I'm sharing our psychedelic pig with the world.

Labels: 1000 words, dose of mikey, g, random review, san francisco

* posted by me at 9:28 PM

(0) comments