Sunday, April 30, 2006

This blog began July 12th, 2005, but was deleted hastilly in May of 2006. I posted every day, and fortunately was able to restore (through Google/Msn/Yahoo Caching) many of the posts. However many of the images were lost, and the original comments are not viewable. 150 Posts were lost forever. As I said it was a hasty decision. I was absent from blogging for one month and resumed posting in late June of this year (2006). Thanks for checking the archives.

(an attempt at spoofing The Grudge, not so funny)

Went to see this today with the kids, and well it was pretty bad. I really expected something better, because if it's one thing that may be said of the Scary Movie Trilogy, each have been more enjoyable than it's predecessor. I liked #1, loved #2 and #3 had me in hysterics. Well they hit rock bottom with this new release because apart from the very ending (which was completely unrelated to the "storyline" and thrown in as sort of a bonus) the film left me empty, hardly a grin, nevermind a laugh. It was awful. The kids seemed to enjoy it to some degree, which is one positive thing in any case. I wouldn't recommend wasting your money in the theatre with this one, if you must, rent it when it becomes available (in the near future I would imagine, word is out already and there were less than ten people in the theatre at a 2:30 Saturday matinee)

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Before the film we hit TGI Fridays for a big lunch which as always was incredible. It is probably our favorite restaurant of late, and while I don't always have the fundage to take them out to lunch (I get all sorts of creative in my kitchen usually) today I had some extra $$$ and we had a great time. If you have one close and want to try something new (and incredible) get the Grilled Chicken Flavor shots, you won't regret it. Grilled chicken, 5 spicy sauces in shot glasses, served over yellow rice and with stemmed green beans & Broccoli...it was perfect.



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Apart from that we spent the afternoon here at the condo, my younger son playing his video games and downloading music/skateboarding videos while his brother and I were enjoying a cake that I made Thursday night and a cup of Black Tea. The kid loves tea, and today he brought some of his own, which his grandfather bought for him and I had a cup as well (having recently stopped drinking coffee anyway). He is too funny, evidently the cup I first made it for him in was too big, he insisted on a small tea cup and saucer, very English he said. He also told me that he's been having at least two cups a day at home, like anything with him (and me to a degree) nothing is in moderation. If we like it, it becomes a repetitive routine in our lives (at least until the next interest comes along)
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I brought them home at around 5 (a little earlier because it was straight from the movies), drove over to the old house and did the 4 miler (Chad Fox #3 Podcast), once again running more than power walking, it's getting easier and easier recently and with very evident results. I've been running and crunching now for about 3 months solid, and while the weather is getting much more conducive to the running part, my crunches have begun to get a bit stale and repetitive, and so while having dinner (grilled chicken with jalapenos in a salsa, habichuela and cheddar sauce I concocted) I turned on the TV (something I rarely do if not eating) and what came on the screen? Nick Lachey working for Gunnar Peterson's infomercial on the Core Secrets exercise ball. What would Jessica think of this?




Normallly I wouldn't give this (or any) informercial a second glance, however as I said the crunches are becoming repetitive and boring, not to mention that I have used a Ball of this type when I belonged to the Gym in '03 and loved the results.. OH and "If you call within the next 12 minutes, you can have the entire package for the low price of ....$9.95" Now this is provided you call and cancel the upcoming updated videos (which they will send you bi-monthly) and I plan on doing, so yea in a week this should arrive.........

In the mean time I'll stick to what I am doing currently on my back (2 reps of 75). With this thing though, you can work all different areas of your body. Can't wait for it to arrive.

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Laters :)

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Saturday, April 29, 2006

Still here...

despite the license plate .. today is the 70th day.
Yesterday was pretty uneventful (save the obvious)
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During my walk I started to catch up on some podcasts I haven't been able to get to.. namely Chad Fox over at Stop Touching my food's #2 (click to listen, right click to save), which is a pretty amazing set of covers. For those who don't listen he has more of a DJ vrs Talk session. This guy has the perfect voice for radio, and I wasn't in the frame of mind yesterday for listening to dialogue during the walk/run so it was an excellent choice. (I ended up running half the 4 miles as it was getting late and kind of dark) Chad played this wacked out William Shatner cover of Tambourine Man which was hysterical. And at the end (as a treat I guess) Darin from All Prep & No H. called in to sing an old Sesame Street Classic from our youth. I recommend checking the cast out, excellent stuff.
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That's it for today, hopefully tomorrow this will be a post of a bit more substance.
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Laters :)
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Friday, April 28, 2006
3...2....1...KABOOOM

Last night, at about 8something PM
my ex-wife found this place while searching google for
"Congamond Lakes Southwick".
Not surprising as this was our mutual hometown.
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While I have never really talked too much about her here, she did make two comments and in a quick gut reaction I deleted my blog entirely. There were a couple reasons for this, primarily because my day to day life during the week is of no concern to her, and well in her typical vindictive style (which these aforementioned comments clearly illustrate) she decided to step in and "defend" herself and set the record straight , two sides to every story etc. Her name has never been mentioned directly and well the truth is the truth, she just enjoys putting her own spin on it. The second and most important thing that I considered was the whole HNT (Half-Nekkid Thursday) thing and how it might be perceived to someone unfamiliar with blogging. I've been growing uncomfortable doing it lately (as I mentioned a week ago) and well that's over with at this point. The most I ever showed was a bit of underwear anyway It was a harmless expressive "fun" routine a gazillion of us took part in weekly, but which to be honest really conflicted with my blog content. I am glad I don't feel compelled to do it anymore.

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ya know the more I think about this the more pointless it becomes. I am (have already) removing the whole discussion over her comments. This thing is turning hurtful and negative.
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Laters :)

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Thursday, April 27, 2006
Thank you everyone..
I just wanted to thank you all again for the incredible comments yesterday detailing your relationships (or lack of with notes) with your grandmothers. They were so beautiful and reading those testimonials really touched my heart. That's part of why I went in that direction with the post, it's not every day we can express the love and memories of those no longer with us and as well look forward too with anticipation those with which we still have yet to enjoy.

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Today was a lot of catching up at work, having been out yesterday because of the shift change I had to endure Sunday and Monday night. I was busy as hell and it went quickly. I got home and chatted up a few friends before taking off for my walk. I've mentioned before that my newfound method is to walk to Podcasts, and it works well because the average cast is about 35-40 minutes (or more in some cases) and that's just about how long it takes me to do the 4 miles. Tonight was 37 minutes or something give or take and I listened to Adam's Krebcast #29. I just realized tonight I am behind one (and let's not start that I am coming in rather late, having only heard #28 previously). I love listening to him ramble on and on about what he feels passionately about. This particular cast he devoted to (among other things) a discussion over certain words which have been used historically to degrade certain groups of people. For example Fag or Faggot to cast homosexual men in a bad light, and he discussed an argument which arose between two casters, Adam Carolla and Madge Weinstein over the use of this word in one of AC's recent casts. He made numerous important points on this issue and it was a thoroughly enlightening listen. Half way through however...

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I noticed a car speeding up at an intense rate, then slowing down beside me and this youngish guy (no older than 22) honks his horn and waves with a smile. SO I am thinking to myself, well he has mistaken me for someone he knows. Nope...about 5 minutes later the same car comes back speeding past me and then turns around in a parking lot nearby. The driver then proceeds to come back towards me slowly, finally meeting my pace (I am on foot of course so that isn't really much of a pace at all) and pulls up right next to me. Now he's leaning over and staring, with this really bizarre smile on his face. Make no mistake I have no idea who this kid is or what his problem is but he was starting to freak me out. He kept it up for what seemed like an eternity. So I started fiddling with my Ipod and maxed the volume, faced forward and started jogging/running. At this point he floored it and disappeared.
(Guy gone..continuing on with the podcast I was listening to..)

I think by that time Adam was talking about a retreat he took in school to teach a select group of students a lesson on racism and the polorization of individual groups by "whites" in order to perpetuate certain discriminatory practices. In any case it was quite interesting and I continued onward with the walk.
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So I got home and it was freezing in the Condo. The heat here (Gas) is included in my monthly Condo Fee and well it seems the Association must have the ability to cap how high we turn up our heat individually. I had put it up to 75 when I left (it is a cold night out tonight) and when I got home I was lucky if it was 65 in here. I took a hot shower, put on a pair of Flannel Gap Pajamas (I don't usually wear these things but they were a gift from my ex and I was COLD) and then sat down to figure out what I was doing for HNT. I needed a glass of water and passing my great grandmother's old rocking chair..
Laters :)
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by Persian Guy ::4:07 AM :: 24 original Comments (this is a re-post)
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
A special Way Back Wednesday...

My Grandmothers
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I mentioned in yesterday's post that I was on 2nd shift the last two nights. I always have issues with sleeping when I have to switch shifts like that. Well this time I couldn't get enough and was out like a light right away both nights after getting home. Something remarkable happened last night (Monday). I had an intense dream about my Nonna. In it she was mysteriously risen from the grave and came first to me to break the news to everyone together. It was the most realistic dream I've ever had, and I woke up and cried. Yea I freeking cried (tears started filling my eyes I mean) that's how powerful and realistic it was. This was my maternal grandmother, who I was incredibly close to growing up. I was the eldest of her 9 grandchildren (My Aunt had 8, while I was an only child).

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So in all fairness I decided to make this Way Back Wednesday a day dedicated to all of my grandmothers. Here they are...

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My Adoptive Mother's Mother..


( My first birthday, Nonna holding me)

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My Adopted Father's mother...


(Gram & I, age 14 and the half shirt was from my Dad..ehk what a geek I was)

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My Biological Father's mother..


(my two sons and my biological Paternal Grandmother)

would you believe THIS was her as a child?



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My Biological Mother's mother..


(I was 20 here, ehk not that smile again)





(I just love those three pictures of her and my eldest son)


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My Great Grandmother

(My adoptive father's paternal Grandmother)



My Dad, Great Grandmother & I (I think I was 4 or 5) sunlight damage to photo



(My Great-Grandmother & I (at 12 going thru a geeky stage)


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They are all gone now except my Gram (my Adopted Father's mother) and strangely enough I was close to all of them. I am so very lucky not only to have known them all, but to have each as such a positive and loving influence in my life. The first to pass on was my great grandmother (1989), followed by my beloved Nonna (1990) , biological Maternal Grandmother (1995) and then biological Paternal Grandmother (2000). Next week it will be a grandfather tribute.

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So.. here is a question :

How many grandmothers have you had in your lives?

How many are still with you?

(Yea I know two Memes in two days, but I would love to hear your stories if you care to share)

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Laters :)

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Posted by Persian Guy :: 2:01 AM :: 28 Comments (this is a re-post)

Tuesday, April 25, 2006
My Luck...
Yesterday the publishing end of blogger was down for 10 hours, couldn't get my post up till after 1PM. Then today.. (since I worked 2-11 yesterday and have it completely off) I try to go online and no connection. I called Comcast and the 1st lady informs me everything is fine, my area has a 96% internet connection rate. My modem is acting really weird, all the important lights are lit and then slowly they fade away, and then come back, and then go again. A tech calls me after 2 hours of waiting:


Comcast Tech: We performed an upgrade this morning and it appears your modem is no longer compatible with our service. We are working on it.

Me: Not compatible? I don't understand why that is.

Comcast Tech: Evidently when you switched ISP's (I moved into my condo last November) you already owned your Motorola Modem and brought it with you.

Me: Yes I did.

Comcast Tech: Well , this modem will no longer work with our Cumcast High Speed Internet Service. We will need to schedule someone to come out and bring you a new model.

--

Comcast Lady: Well Mr. ****** the earliest appointment I have available is Thursday the 27th between 3-5 PM.

Me: That won't work, I don't get home until 415 or so.

Comcast Lady: I'm sorry that's the next available time, perhaps we could look into this coming week?


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I am so pissed. Essentially I will be without Internet until Thursday evening.I am blogging from my mother's today (as I needed to do Laundry) and will have to post from work tomorrow morning after 8AM. This especially sucks because they have been watching me like a hawk lately.She's calling it's time to eat lunch..


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Laters :(
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**Adendamonium**
(yea ok I made that up..)
(circa 6:20 PM)
*Ring* *Ring*
Me: Hello ..

Comcast Tech: Mr ****** we've been working all afternoon on your connection issue and were able to come up with a successful patch to accommodate your Motorola 4100. Please reset your router and reboot your PC. You should have no issues connecting now.

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(20 minutes later after every single stupid-ass startup program on my PC finishes loading and allows me to click on my IE Icon....)

--

Me: Yup...I'm up. Thanks so much for all of your help.

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Ya know, it's just amazing how much you get done around the house when there is no Internet. This place is freeking spotless now, all clothes are cleaned (Mom's today) and I am just in such the better mood this evening because of it all. Thanks Comcast!! :)

Posted by Persian Guy :: 12:17 PM :: 22 Comments:
Monday, April 24, 2006
Mixed up Monday...

so I am on 2nd shift (last night) and tonight and am feeling sort of mixed up right now with the crazy hours. I went in for 2 yesterday (yea Sunday ehk) and got out a little past 11pm, that meant I didn't have the kids and considering that routine hasn't changed since 1997 it always throws me off center somehow. As a matter of fact I am completely surprised I got up at 6 this morning.


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I am the cover for 2nd and 3rd shift, and have been for years. I suppose it's because my department (IT) is very small and also since my ex-hippie stoner boss smokes each and every night (don't try and call him after let's say 6 pm because his wife will tell you he is not able to come to the phone .. being all baked and stuff. She doesn't say this of course, but it's common knowledge and she knows I am aware) Oh and by the way my boss is 55, just for the record. Old habits die hard I suppose. I do notice he is incredibly spaced out at times, and does forget things, but I guess some of that might also have to do with getting older.


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Smoking..


funny how one thing can lead to another, and well maybe you can see where this is going. My father died when I was 15 as the result of a cocaine overdose. Now I grew up in a town notorious for stoners and alcoholics. There just wasn't much else to do.


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Everybody in High School seemed to smoke, but I was different. Strangely I had lumped all controlled substances into one nasty category .. shit I would never touch. And I did, much to my Dad's credit, escape the 1980's without so much as touching a joint never mind the more "dangerous" stuff. ( I assure those of you who didn't grow up in the mid to late 80's this shit was everywhere and peer pressure could do a number on a kids head) I was lucky, people didn't care, I had many friends, was pretty popular and well kind of looked away when the mirrors and razor blades came out at parties. I guess I had other redeeming qualities, who knows.


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College of course changed nothing, apart from discovering alcohol, which was short lived and after a couple really bad incidents I signed off that as well. Then I got married, I was 21, my girlfriend was pregnant, and I became uber responsible FAST. I acted and lived as if I were in my 40's all through my early to mid 20's and so did my wife. We smoked cigarettes, that was our vice, even consuming alcohol seemed inappropriate with little babies running around and we lived accordingly. I remember a half case of beer a cousin brought over for my younger son's christening sat in the fridge for a year before we threw it out, and of course the idea of getting a sitter and going out "for a few" never entered our minds. We actually looked down on people who drank regularly, as if they had some kind of illness. We were weird kids...


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Skipping ahead to 1997, my separation and subsequent divorce. I started going online and meeting people a couple months after I left. This was my official introduction (as you would imagine) to bars and drinking on a regular basis. Now living (during the week) apart from the children and family I went out a lot, and met many new friends, one in particular who loved to smoke. That was the year I tried it for the first time. It was a little fun, I liked the combination when mixed with a drink or two and soon was smoking practically every weekend with said friend, well at least for like a year. Then my friend got some bad stuff, and I got really sick, like "I'm gonna die any minute" sick. (Actually I am not even sure what made me sick that night but in my mind it had to do with the weed) That was pretty much the end of that.


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Since '98 I tried twice more, because my most recent ex loved to smoke (well before we met anyway) and even though I didn't get sick, it started to make me feel out of control, sluggish, dazed out, completely not myself, and I hated the feeling. So I cannot appreciate how someone like my 55 year old boss can partake each and every night, it baffles me. I know there are a lot of people like him, hell I know a couple people who even grow. It's just not my thing, and maybe never was.


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so here's a MEME to get some input..


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Have you ever smoked (if no, don't bother going to #2) ? Yup
How old were you the first time? 27
Did you like it initially? yea very much
Which do you prefer, Drinking or smoking? Alcohol definitely
What is the funniest thing you ever did after or while smoking?
my friend and I went into the back room of a seedy local Gay bar and pretended we were Puerto Rican curious straight boys. We were practically mauled by a slew of creepy old men and made it out of there with at least one of our shirts half ripped off. I can still see them coming toward us, it was like night of the living dead!! "Brains..Brains"


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Laters :)
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Posted by :: 1:02 PM :: 26 Comments: (this is a re-post)

Sunday, April 23, 2006
Audacilicious...
yikes I was playing around with Audacity most of the night and all of this morning.. I swear to god that program rocks my world. I don't profess to be proficient yet, but you guys should go snag this.. NOW! (it's free no excuses) I basically have nothing to report that isn't covered in my Audio Post below, but if I can get my shit together and maybe find a friend interested, I just might be throwing together a podcast in the near future. Yea ok, few of my friends listen to them anyway .. but still I've never had so much fun before trying to mix and create.So it's Sunday, you are bored (I am projecting a bit here) and well maybe some people haven't heard my voice yet, if ya want too....click on the goofy Persian guy below with the huge lips and big nose.. (it's barely 6 minutes long, but has a bizarre intro and oh yea I guess next time I need to stay a little bit farther back from the mic because .. well you'll see if you listen)


(click above to play .. right-click to save)

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Laters :)
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Posted by Persian Guy :: 11:11 AM :: 10 Comments: (a re-post)

Saturday, April 22, 2006
John Waters...


turns 59 today...



Waters with Patty Hearst


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My fascination with John Waters began in the summer of 1997 when a new friend decided to pop in Polyester. I was completely hooked from that point on..

It honestly was the cheesiest most hysterical film I had ever seen and found myself craving more. I snagged a copy that week and then within the year I had my hands on Pink Flamingos, Desperate Living, Female Trouble, Cry Baby and Serial Mom. I fell in love with Edith Massey, David Lochary, Cookie Mueller, Mary Vivien Pierce, Mink Stole and of course Divine. The ONLY film John ever made which even to this day I detest is Hairspray. I am not sure why, but I have maybe sat through it (and barely) twice.


Over the years I have been able to add to my collection some other rather rare early films such as The Diane Linkletter Story (which intro'd with a rare drag performance by Divine), Mondo Trasho and Multiple Maniacs and such memorabilia as an original Polystester Scratch and Sniff card.


More recently John has gone completely mainstream with Pecker (Edward Furlong & Christina Ricci), Cecil B. Demented (Melanie Griffiths & Stephen Dorff) and his latest which I think is just completely hysterical A Dirty Shame (Tracey Ullman, Chris Isaak, Johnny Knoxville & Selma Blair)

Even if you are not a Waters fan..SEE THIS! There is even a cameo appearance by Jean Hill (remember Grizelda from Desperate Living & The church lady who bites the tire in Polyester?). No? Here are a couple pics to jog your memory... (should there be one)

(promo photo for Desperate living, from left Jean Hill, Mary Vivian Pierce, Edith Massey)



(here she is killing Mr. Gravel (Peggy's husband) by sitting on his face)

as a tribute on his birthday, and for those of you who are familiar with the late great

Edith Massey.. Did you know she had a rather brief career as a Punk singer in the 80's?(for those who aren't familiar here's a couple shots to jar your memory...no worries if you have no idea who she is, not many outside of Water's following do )



Here are two clips from her only official release.. which is the original single and bside released in the late 1980's on 7" Vinyl and while they were obviously never hits, I (for one) sure do appreciate her efforts.


(Comical, yes, but then again that was always Edith's charm, she didn't care)


Punks get off the grass (single)
Big Girls don't cry (bside)
(click to listen, right-click to save)

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and now on to other un-interesting topics..


I did nothing of importance yesterday..worked till 3, came home drank a couple cups of tea and then set off for my walk while listening to Episode #9 of Darin & Donnie's The Dirty Dish (which was hysterical guys) and then came home, showered and went with my friend to Mohegan Sun (an Indian Casino 50 minutes south of here). We didn't gamble so much as hit their incredible Buffet .. it's full of ever-changing amazing non-typical dishes( and worth the trip for this alone!!) My exiting Friday night.. :(


I got home at like 1:30 AM, fell asleep, woke up miserably later and well, here I am..
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I am sooo rushing today, was out way too late last night .. ugh


Laters :)


S63 C11 149Posted by Persian Guy :: 8:53 AM :: 14 Comments: (re-post)

Friday, April 21, 2006
Grey Gardens...



(for those of you Jackie Onassis fanatics, this film captures a few months in the life of her impoverished Aunt and Cousin, a fascinating documentary)

This is something I picked up on Ebay after hearing of it's existence from Scott a while back. To understand some of what is happening I must start at the beginning (backtracking a bit)

Family background and influences (this Historical preface isn't naturally included with the DVD, and it took me a while to research, the reason for posting so late this morning)

The Bouvier line (briefly)

Generation I
The Bouvier family came to The United States in the early 19th Century from France in the person of Michel Bouvier (1792-1874), who was a rather impoverished furniture maker from the tiny village of Point Saint-Esprit. His talents were great enough for him to have been sponsored by the illustrious Dupont family of Pennsylvania. He married Louise Vernou (who John V. Jr (below) claimed came from an illustrious family boasting a host of "desireable" ancestors such as Pocahontas, of course this was pure fiction) and begot :

Generation II

John Vernou Bouvier Sr (1843-1926) who established what could be termed the "family fortune" in Real Estate and shrewd investments. His fortune at it's height was approximately $3 Million and upon his death, he bequeathed nearly everything to his oldest son Michel, who doubled this in size and died childless, leaving everything to his wayward nephew:

Generation III

John Vernou Bouvier Jr (1865-1948). whose obsession with society and status were to be his downfall early on, his uncle's bequest nearly saved him from falling into poverty and enabled him to continue on his mission to emerge into New York Society with a bang. In his lifetime he was able to squander the meager fortune (about $5 Million) his uncle left him on lavish homes, society functions and crawling his way up the Park Avenue Set in New York (which for those who are unaware was the up and coming "New Money" of New York City). He was also able to secure rather important marriages for his children, including that of his daughter Edith to Phelan Beale, a wealthy New York Lawyer of a well respected and "desirable" family. John V. Jr. married Maude Seargent (the daughter of English immigrants, and a minor heiress in her own right) and produced (among others) :

Generation IV

John Vernou Bouvier III aka "Black Jack" (The father of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis) Wall Street Broker, womanizer and in the end impoverished alcoholic.
and his sister Edith Bouvier Beale (the elder subject of this documentary))
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Edith Bouvier Beale was abandoned by her husband Phelan some time in the 1930's and while he provided for her initially (their children were already grown) she was never able to stand on her own afterward. She couldn't turn to her family as what little money was left (there wasn't so much to begin with) could hardly have sustained her to the degree with which her ambitious father had insisted the family live (which of course financially ruined him in the end). So here we have a destitute woman, raised with the best of everything, friends and suitors among the finest families in New York and yet without the skills or means to support herself when it all fell apart. What did she have left in the end? Grey Gardens.. her Easthampton, Long Island summer "cottage" which boasted at one time one the finest private gardens in America.

This was a photograph taken before a few serious additions which concluded in a total of 28 rooms. You have to wonder looking at this post card how they arrived at that number, but perhaps they were smaller rooms. In any case this was taken before the house became Edith's permanent residence in 1936.

Alone and in near poverty, Edith lived here for 40 years (apart from a few ambitious suitors who believed she was perhaps a bit more well off than outward appearances) and the house began to fall into disrepair. Her eldest daughter Edith (called "Little Edie" to differentiate her from her mother) moved in permanently to "care" for her mother in 1952. There she remained until Edith's death in 1977. "Little" Edie was a very disturbed woman, and this is clearly evident when viewing the documentary. She dressed in ragged torn clothing of decades long passed, held together with the same costume broche, ran around the house singing and dancing as if she were 40 years younger (she's 56 at this point) and served her mother ridiculous meals which included canned Patte on a cracker, and cartons of Hershey's Ice Cream.

Cats thrived in the house, which she fed with loaves of bread emptied on to the floor and then topped with an entire box of Cat chow. The cats urinated everywhere and whenever they liked, the floors, hallway, in corners, and even at times on a newspaper Little Edie spread upon her own bed. There is one point where Big Edie comments "The cat is going to the bathroom behind my portrait .." which was a huge amazing oil probably commissioned while still in her 30's leaning against the wall in their shared bedroom. I nearly lost it at that point (and I wasn't crying)

The dysfunctional relationship between mother and daughter is overwhelmingly evident throughout the film. No matter where the camera follows Edie, her mother's voice can be heard screaming to her about being hungry, someone breaking into the house, or a certain cat's whereabouts. Edie chastises Edith constantly, blaming her for the pathetic life "in the country" she has been forced to live and the promising life she left behind in Manhattan to care for her. The old lady usually responds by asking Edie to sing or dance, which we are subjected to over and over again. Evidently the mother had a somewhat brief singing career and as her life achievements are few and far between it is a recurring subject throughout, her attempts at proving her voice "hasn't changed in 50 years" is a certainly a treat.






The house of course is in shambles, soot covering everything, furnishings are very simple at this point (much having been stolen years before) and over-run with cats. There are also the "pet" raccoons in the attic, which Edie feeds and are so accustomed to her care, that they have set up permanent residence and do not shy away from the camera. I found this particularly interesting. The two reside in one filthy litter strewn flea infested room (they are constantly itching and complaining about the fleas), and survive on a diet of canned goods and ice cream. The grocery delivers to them weekly, as they do not leave the grounds. You get the picture, living that life must have been a nightmare for them, and you have to wonder if it didn't in itself drive them both mad (the old lady is clearly more level headed than her dillusional daughter, although her need to be nearly naked at times (she's 79 here) was a challenge to watch with eyes open).

After the release of this documentary, Jackie B.K. Onassis took pity (or perhaps was embarrassed as she had long ago distanced herself from nearly all of the Bouvier relations, but Edith was her adored father's eldest sister..) and had completed an overhaul on the property.. there are photos of her actually in the house with a tool belt and hammer at the end which were completely orchestrated and I so wish I could find a copy to post here. Initially the women believed the film would gain them some sort of an income, but of course in their lifetime this was never realized (they died in 1977 & 2002) thankfully Edie did eventually "escape" to lead a much more comfortable life in Florida in her last years, although when she died it took 5 days for her body to be discovered (oddly by a Grey Gardens fan turned caretaker).

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So..

What happens when you have two people, never gainfully employed, spoiled from birth with the finest material possessions money can buy and as well a consistent series of relatives and hired help to make sure even their most remedial needs are met and...

take away the relations and hired help, throw them together impoverished into a sprawling 28 room "cottage" to fend for themselves. The important thing to remember here is that The Bouvier family were never particularly affluent, they just lived as though they were (hence the introduction above). John Vernou Bouvier Jr. established a lifestyle that his children and grandchildren could never sustain (save Jackie O), that they were part of an Aristocracy, entitled to great things and as such free to live selfishly and without concern for anything other than pleasure and status. It's ironic that Edie's choice to move to Grey Gardens was to "care for" her mother, in actuality she had fallen into poverty herself and had no other choice as her "condition" prevented her from moving in with siblings or friends. Neither woman had the ability to care for the other and the result was.. Grey Gardens
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Long ass review I know. I just couldn't with any sort of conscience do a "quick" one and felt the need to kind of go backward and explain how (I believe) this whole thing happened. As you can imagine the film fascinated me and I sat riveted for the whole 90 minutes. It's in high demand right now from what I understand, fetching around $25 plus shipping consistently on Ebay and not a penny less. I bought it three times before a Vendor actually had a copy to send, the others were forced to refund my money with apologies. Thanks Scott for bringing it to my attention :)

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So I power walk/run 4 Miles each night, and have now for a couple months. In the past I would always bring my Ipod mini and it would of course make the trek a bit more enjoyable. Honestly I don't know how people can run without music, I've tried and well it's boring as hell.
So my new thing is to load Podcasts to my Ipod and then set out for the walk. Last night it was Adam's Kreb's cast #28 , the night before stirring the Pot #1 and the night before The Dirty Dish #10 (my personal favorite..those guys are hysterical and while they all each have their own individual casts (like Krebs above) together they are deadly!!) I need to go back and catch #1-9 now. I am addicted.
Well that's it for my late post, I got caught up in the review and well had to finish here at work.
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Laters :)
S62 C12 149Posted by :: 6:11 AM :: 20 Comments:
Monday, April 17, 2006
tomorrow is the big day (I'm such a baby). I am set to go to the oral surgeon place to have one of my wisdom teeth extracted. From what the dentist said it's pretty strong, and apart from my grinding issue in the past (which has caused it's filling to fall out and the its size to decrease considerably) the tooth is in decent shape. I haven't had a tooth pulled since I was 9 and needed to make room for braces so I don't remember how much of an ordeal it is. People at work have been trying to scare me, saying I am going to be in a lot of pain and my face will swell up. So If this is true and I am medicated, I may not feel so much like posting tomorrow. Oh well, like I said I'm a big baby. and speaking of posting........
yup, tis my 300th post.. for what it's worth anyway.
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Easter went off without a hitch, my brother-in-law (as usual) said nothing to me other than a grunt as I wished him a Happy Easter. He was drinking Beer already when I got there (at 11:30) and continued throughout the day. The main course was a spiral Ham (which was beautiful at the very least, and I am not a big fan of this stuff) and my sister did a great job. I had to get the kids back to their mother by 3:30 so I never saw my cheesecake's reaction first hand, but a call from my mother remedied that. Evidently it was a complete hit, and devoured quickly. Now when Mom pays my baking a compliment (she is a borderline gourmet) I knew it came out well.
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"Not only was the presentation amazing (the fruit filling contrasted with the outer shell), but it was the most incredibly decadent cheesecake I've ever eaten"
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Needless to say there was nothing left. I had made some changes with this last one, adding an additional package of cream cheese and a bit more sugar and I see now this worked well.
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so yesterday after dropping the kids off I went back to the old house (because I have become really irritated with dodging the old ladies walking dogs and the kids on roller blades at my local walking path) to change and power walk my old 4 miler. It was a killa. After that I came back home, took a shower, made some tea and got online for a while (Gcom specifically). After dodging adbots and offers I wasn't interested in, I got into a conversation with this very interesting guy who just moved back here to Massachusetts from California.
look at those eyes... So he's really into the outdoors, hiking, camping, water skiing, and maybe it's been a while since I've done any of those things, but still... we talked for about an hour before I needed to go and do some stuff around the house before bed. The convo went really well, and it's pretty refreshing to actually have a conversation as opposed to a suggestive Instant message resulting in me hitting the little ignore link. We are going to meet possibly soon and check out this interesting club in Northampton called Divas. I haven't been in a couple years but they have an amazing DJ and huge dancefloor, so it should be fun.
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This is the first time in forever I've finished the post without having to stress about being late, guess I got enough sleep and woke up on time for once. Hope everyone has a stress-less Monday and it passes quickly.
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Laters :)
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Posted by Persian Guy :: 6:12 AM :: 21 Comments:
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Eating disorders among Gay men..
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(yea that is a guy, more specifically the popular model Dima from Latvia)
I was reading yesterday a post on a friend's blog about her past and current battles with a serious eating disorder. I posted a comment and she replied by email. I am not going to go into the exact content of either, but she brought out some pretty interesting thoughts on why eating disorders impact us as gay men to a much larger degree than to our heterosexual brethren. For the most part we are more likely to talk about it than a straight man would generally be, and as an eating disorder can take numerous forms, it isn't limited to the stereotypical starvation "diet" and/or binging/purging which has so readily attached itself to the phrase "Eating disorder". It can be seen in "muscle heads" who eliminate every bit of sugar from their diet to accenuate the rippling abs they so desire as well as the waify malnourished looking man who refuses to eat carbohydrates and subsists on a diet of salads and diet beverages. I found this compelling article on the subject.
(Please take the time to read this, it is NOT a meaningless post filler)
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Male Body Image, Gay Men and eating disorders.
by Ramon Johnson
I woke up one rainy Tuesday morning feeling under the weather and slightly blue. On my way to the the restroom I glanced into the mirror. One quick look at my backside- too big! I quick glance at my face- I need my eyebrows waxed. A pat on my stomach- will I ever have a six pack? Seemingly odd scenario? Not quite. Male body image and physical insecurity are becoming an increasingly important issue in the gay community. We all want to look our best, especially when socializing or courting that cute boy, but preoccupation with our bodies can lead to several dangers traditionally associated only with women. Among the potential dangers are BDD (Body Dysmorphic Disorder) or a severe preoccupation with a slight defect in appearance, steroid use, muscle dysmorphia (in which men believe their muscles are too small), anorexia in both men and women, and physical insecurity.
Dr. Murray Drummond, men's health lecturer at the University of South Australia estimates that 5- 10% of people with eating disorders are men. And according to psychotherapist Abigail H. Natenshon, 20% of those men are gay. Where do male body image issues originate?There are many professional theories that pin-point modern advertisements and media campaigns that portray the ideal man as lean, muscular and fat-free, much in the same way women (including lesbians) have been pressured over the years. Majority of magazine covers (such as Men's Health) and billboards (like Calvin Klein) give the perception of the ideal and desired man as one perfectly fit. For years women have lived with the pressure to be as thin as a Vogue or runway model. Males are also more likely to have a body image disorder due to the pressures of sports and are more likely to induce vomiting because dieting is not a socially acceptable method of weight loss. As a result, gays and lesbians alike flock to local spas to get a "mani" and a "pedi" and other treatments in an effort to look their best. The gyms are filled with gays vying for a spot in front of the mirror in hopes the last workout or protein shake has paid off.Is a person's eagerness to stay fit and look good a bad thing?Not necessarily. Staying fit and eating right can lead to a healthy lifestyle. Plus, who doesn't want to look their best? The problem arises when body image becomes a preoccupation that interferes with daily life, creating stress and anxiety.So when is body image a problem?If you find your anxiety and stress levels increasing over the way you feel about your physical appearance, consult a medical professional and seek help. Preoccupation with body image can lead to dangerous disorders such as anorexia.
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Here's a quick male body image quiz to help you determine whether or not you have an eating disorder:
Are you always thinking of the nutritional value of the foods you eat?Do you feel angry or guilty when you eat "unhealthy" or "bad" foods?Do you use food for comfort?Do you constantly think about weight, body size?Have you ever induced vomiting?Are you happier when you lose weight?Do you think thinness equals happiness?
If you've answered yes to any or all of these questions and you feel preoccupied by your body image, consult a medical professional for an evaluation.
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So many things hit home hard when I read this, which by the way you can view on the original site by clicking the title. It may appear to be frivolous and unimportant to some people who do not perhaps suffer from an eating disorder. There are those who will sit back and not understand how or why people fall victim to this illness, looking at them as vain and perhaps superficial but that is because they have not experienced nor have any comprehension as to the degree this can take over your life, leaving you (without proper help) completely powerless to stop. I realize I'm going out on a limb with this post, but as a teenager I suffered from an eating disorder once
I was 14 (and weighed 130 pounds at 6' tall .. trust me 10 more pounds my body would have shut down, I am big framed) in that picture and knew all too well how debilitating an eating disorder can be and how it can take over your life. My parents went through hell to get me to eat, and it probably wasn't until I got married that I was fully overcame the illness. I was lucky, many are not.
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Laters :)
S56 C11 149
Posted by Persian Guy :: 9:29 AM :: 9 Comments:
Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Interpretation Tuesday...

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my father was a Prominent interior designer in Boston & New York in the 1970's. At one time he had a massive collection of Art and Furniture which he systematically sold to support himself years later as his personal finances crumbled and his defiance against coming back home to rely upon the support of his parents increased. His father had enough of my father's irresponsibility and gave him an ultimatum, "come back home and work for me or provide for your own welfare in the future". These weren't idle words. My father spent carelessly and never understood the concept of putting funds aside to pay bills. His parents had never allowed him to stand independantly on his own. He entertained lavishly, traveled extensively and was very generous to his "friends". In the end he did come back, and when he passed away October 9th, 1984 at the age of 41 he had a fraction of his former collection left. I was a freshman in High School when he died, and as his only child I inherited these things. At the time I had little value for Art, having been raised in the country by my mother, with sporadic weekends spent with Dad when he could get away from The City and venture to pick me up on a given Saturday. Saturday's were our time together, according to the court settlement between my parents. The initial settlement just after the divorce gave him unlimited visitation, but this changed drastically by the time I was 5.
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He made some unwise choices, letting me play unsupervised sometimes (I remember one time going up and down in an elevator by myself at The Plaza in New York for hours before he found me). Another time he had a huge reception at his Apartment in Boston, which I observed, even at my tender age was predominantly men and they were drinking heavily (my father was gay). When my mother got word of this, she brought him back into court and nearly had his visitation rights cut off completely. I remember a man coming out to visit me several times asking questions about my father and what sort of things we did together. I have little memory of the exact conversations (apart from what my mother has told me) but whatever I said worked magic, because my father's visitation was not taken away, but merely amended to include Saturday's only and from 10 to 6.
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There would never again be overnight visits or weekend trips. This continued until his death. My father would often not show up, make excuses, but over time was reasonably consistent. I probably saw him at least twice a month in any case. And I worshiped the ground he walked on, which continuously infuriated my mother who chose to point out his irresponsibility and inconsistent visits to me on a regular basis. Let's not even go into the name calling and insults based upon that "homosexual" lifestyle. Funny all that stuff flowed off my back like water on a tortoise shell. He could do no wrong in my book, and while I cried a like a baby when he wouldn't show up, when he did, my smile was from ear to ear.
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Moving along to today's theme. The Watercolor pictured above was one of maybe a dozen pieces Dad left me. It is a work by an artist I know only as "A.Weber" and was completed in July 1963. I have tried to establish just who this person was, with little success. And what does it mean exactly? As with most Art that is open to interpretation...and because it sits here right next to me at my desk, I find myself staring blankly at it from time to time wondering.. What does it mean? What was the artist trying to portray?
What do you think??
(post whatever comes to mind, I am really clueless ,even if you comment that it is a portrait of the infamous three legged hermaphrodite cave dweller from the northern coast of Sri Lanka I'll bite)
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Yesterday was much like any Monday, busy at work, came home, ate some Tuna and Greens left over from Friday, walked the three miles which has become my evening routine, came home chatted with some friends, had a grapefruit, crunched, chatted some more and then went to bed. Peaceful and relaxing. Now for the 2nd day in a row I am late and have to take a shower.
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Laters :)
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Posted by Persian Guy :: 7:00 AM :: 21 Comments: