SATC2

Haters will always hate I guess. In this case, the haters are the reviewers of "Sex and the City 2". I'm not sure what they were expecting, but I had a fantastic time. Michael Patrick King knows the ladies and knows how to write for them. So what if they still whine and complain about their lives? So what if their lives are pretty damn cushy? We all complain. Living in a fabulous apartment in Astoria, I still find something to complain about. None of us want boring, hum-drum lives. We all want excitement. Living in New York City, there is so much energy and sometimes you just need to live in it and soak it up, and that means getting off the sofa. But sometimes the sofa is exactly what you want.

I'm talking to myself here. I need to get off the sofa more.

I was taken by complete surprise by some of the reviews that I read for SATC2. How can anyone say the ladies and their problems are tired? How can we have outgrown them? They are basically the same as when we fell in love with them on HBO. Just a little older and wiser. Confronting life's problems or situations with the same personality they always had. I was just excited to visit with them for another 2.5 hours. Yes, 2.5 hours, and I never looked at my watch once. Why would I? I was soaking it up.

Movies are escapism. I escaped my life for a brief moment and went on a journey with four fabulous gals from Manhattan. So what if the depiction of the life they lead is unrealistic! A guy can dream can't he!

Watching SATC always inspires me to take advantage of what my city has to offer. It makes me want to live a fuller life. I want to visit different areas, go to new restaurants, go antiquing, find a new wine bar. I don't always follow through, but the ladies inspire me. Isn't that what they should do? Help me escape while inspiring me to live?

I was there on opening night, Ziegfeld Theater on West 54th Street, with three of my friends. We sat in a full movie theater and laughed out loud so often that we missed the lines following the joke. There was no regret and never a dull moment. We were there, relishing the chance to hang out with Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha once again.

Post movie, we went back to Michael's house where I made Cosmo's and we consumed fruits, cheeses, hummus, and chocolate. There was lots of laughter there too. We sat around the living room wearing Tynan's shoes and enjoying our friendship as much as we were enjoying our drinks.

Inspired by them: yes. Tired of them: NO!

Testing 1,2,3...

Testing 1,2,3...is this thing on? Of course it is. I'm the one who's been off.

Depression has taken front and center in my life as of late. Two weeks ago I randomly met a guy. Nice smile, good dresser, into me. I'm not really used to that. I can't believe I still find it amazing that someone would actually want to be with me. Talk about low self esteem. So, he gave me his number and wanted me to contact him the next day. I did. We met up for dinner and them had drinks with some friends of mine after. I had to work the next morning, so when I called it a night, he and his friend decided to leave also. I walked them back to their hotel. Forgot to mention he was visiting NYC didn't I? Well, he lives in DC. Leave it to me to find someone who will show me interest and not live here at the same time. Anyway, he said he would walk me to my subway stop. The gate was already down, and the entrance across the street was boarded up. I walked up to Columbus Circle to get a train bound for home there. Turns out I wasn't thinking about what trains run through Columbus Circle because none of them would take me home. I decided my only real option was to take a cab. The guy asked if he could come home with me. We stood and kissed on the street. I had no fear of the people passing by. He said that he'd been wanting to do that all evening. Again, I was shocked. My value hadn't plummeted like the Dow, it was as tanked as Lehman Brothers.

We went back to his hotel so that he could get his last insulin shot for the evening and then hailed a cab and headed to Astoria. He took my hand as soon as the cab started moving. The apprehensive person inside of me just let the connection happen. I'm so guarded, but allowed myself to feel the human contact that I so often avoid.

I don't need to go into detail about anything that happened at my apartment. I just need to say that I woke up with a warm body in my bed. That is something that hasn't happened in years. I won't allow it. I've told myself I don't need it.

Wrong!! I do need it. I want it and I need it. This person I've become, with my heart all walled up behind a protection tower, really does need human contact. Here's where the depression came into play. I realized all the years I've wasted full of fear of rejection behind my wall.

When am I ever going to stop being that little boy afraid of God's punishment? When am I going to be comfortable enough with myself to be vulnerable enough to allow myself to be loved without fear of consequences?

When is my happiness going to do a Chinese fire drill and trade places with my fear? When am I going to face this? It's not going to face me. It's content where it is - in control!

I am what I am and
I am what I am afraid of
Oh what am I afraid of?
I need a fearless love
Don't need to fear the end
If you can't hold me now
You will never hold me again
I want to live my life
Pursuing all my happiness
I want a fearless love
I won't settle for anything less

The above is from the song "Fearless Love" by Melissa Etheridge. I need to find a way to live my life. I've been trying to find a way to live since I started this blog almost a year ago. I'm still a work in progress. Knowing what the problem is and admitting is the first step. I need to take the next step.

Tuesday in the Park in need of Sculptures and Shade

Come with me on a small journey. It's more of a walk really. It's not very far. It's just across Astoria. Start walking South on 47th Street until you get reach 31st Avenue. At 31st Avenue, take a right and walk West. We're going to walk all the way down 31st Avenue until we can't walk any more. We're walking in the direction of the Manhattan skyline. We're also walking toward the East River. Before we find ourselves in the river though, we are going to stop at the Socrates Sculpture Park.


Taken directly from the Socrates Sculpture Park website, the history of the park is described as follows: Socrates Sculpture Park was an abandoned riverside landfill and illegal dumpsite until 1986 when a coalition of artists and community members, under the leadership of artist Mark di Suvero, transformed it into an open studio and exhibition space for artists and a neighborhood park for local residents. Today it is an internationally renowned outdoor museum and artist residency program that also serves as a vital New York City park offering a wide variety of public services.


You can imagine my excitement to see the park. I had only recently heard about it from friends who live in Astoria. So I decided to take myself there on Tuesday. Now imagine you're me, full of expectations, imagining something on a grand scale. Large sculptural pieces that use the open air and space to breathe. Nothing to hold them back. Nothing to reign in the largeness. Well, it wasn't grand. I don't know if it's because Winter just ended and there is nothing new yet or if what is there currently is just what is there. I hope that as Spring turns to Summer there are more installations. Better installations.


As is, it was a park. That's for sure. There were people with dogs. The dogs chasing balls. Mother's with children. There were also ugly bare spots where the grass was completely warn away. There was a view of Manhattan, but only four benches on which to sit and look at it. None of those benches were in the shade either. It was a gorgeous, sunny day on Tuesday and all I wanted to do was sit in the park and read. I did sit and read when I finally found an unoccupied bench. What I left with though was a lovely red burn on the left side of my neck and on my left arm. I'm not complaining, really. I'm glad the outdoor space is there. I'm also going to go back and see if it indeed changes as the season progresses. As I am prone to do, I set myself up for disappointment with higher expectations than this park for creative expression could provide.


The trip to the park was not a complete waste of time. I did get to sit and read that book. I did find the bench in order to sit and read and stare at Manhattan. I also saw more of Spring in bloom. Again, I couldn't resist taking photos of what it looks like to be reborn after a cold, dormant winter.

Springtime State of Mind

I never know where inspiration is going to strike. Yesterday on the way to work I saw a bouquet of daffodils. Growing up we called them March flowers or Easter flowers. It being Easter Sunday morning I was moved to take a photo. They were such a perfect bouquet. They were in someones front yard behind a fence. I got close enough with my Blackberry to pass the bars of the fence and just capture the flowers. On the way home from work that afternoon I saw red and yellow tulips growing in a patch of dirt cut out of the sidewalk. One of those patches where a tree grows. The tulips weren't surrounding the tree, they were just there. Planted as a bunch of yellow and a bunch of red together, but segregated. I was seeing the yellow just beyond the red. From the angle I approached them, they looked so beautiful. Probably because they reminded me of my sofa and the Taittenger print that hangs behind it. Deep red and gold. Such interesting colors together. Maybe it's a subconscious memory of my high school colors of maroon and gold. I don't know. Of course when I see tulips I think of my mom. She loves tulips and has planted them since I was in high school. That means she's had tulips for more than 20 years. It's such a beautiful sign of Spring when the tulips bloom.

This morning I needed to run to the Trade Fair and pick up some coffee. You don't really want to be around me when I haven't had coffee. I'm not very easy to be around. Some might say I'm not easy to be around even with the coffee, but you don't want to find out the answer to that question. Trust me. I don't even like me without coffee. But I digress. On the walk to the grocery store I saw the most beautiful tulip tree in full bloom. I don't know exactly why, but when I see a tulip tree I am always reminded of my mom's parents. We lived in a trailer in the lot next door to them until I was 3 years old. I have a memory of them having a tulip tree. It could be real or fabricated. I don't know, I was 3. That house is no longer standing, it's just a memory. The tulip blossoms were blowing gently in the breeze this morning and I couldn't resist the photo. Then there was the lovely bouquet of hyacinth growing next to someones sidewalk on the walk home. The colors of Spring in full bloom: pink, purple, white, yellow, red. Gorgeous! Just try not to smile.

Such beauty can't go unnoticed. It needs to be acknowledged. It needs to be shared.

Sondheim on Sondheim

"There's a hole in the world like a great black pit and it's filled with people who are filled with shit and the vermin of the world inhabit it..." A Stephen Sondheim lyric from "The Barber and His Wife" from SWEENEY TODD used to comic effect in the new revue, SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM, playing at Studio 54.

It wasn't too long ago that I wrote in this blog about Stephen Sondheim. I had just seen the first ever Broadway revival of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. I was floating somewhere above cloud nine as it was my first opportunity to see a production of the musical and my first experience seeing Angela Lansbury on stage.

This night was another first. I got to see Barbara Cook perform for the first time. She won the 1958 Tony Award® for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for playing Marian the Librarian in THE MUSIC MAN. I've seen clips of her singing, but never experienced it live. She's 82 years old and her voice is amazing. There are phenomenal singers who, as they age, lose their ability to sing the way they once did. For Barbara Cook, that change is minimal. Oh sure, she doesn't move as easily across the stage as she once did. She's 82! But that voice was so lovely on most everything she was given to sing.

There have been many revues using the songs of Sondheim but what makes this one extraordinary and important is the participation of the man himself. According to a New York Times article from October 2009, James Lapine, who conceived and directed the show, described the revue as, "a kind of impressionistic view of him that’s put together with pieces of archival footage and interview footage. It’s a collage of his life, in which who he is and how he got there comes in to focus." That footage is what made seeing this show so spectacular. Sondheim was honest. Very honest. I don't know if it's because he's 80 now and doesn't worry about how much people know about him or what, but it was amazing. Some of the information was well documented and some of it was private, but hearing him say the words made is so personal. It was like hearing it all for the first time. Add to that the beautiful songs chosen to fill the more-than-two-hour piece and you've got me sitting on the edge of my seat. Alternating laughter and tears. Moments of shear exhilaration when Vanessa Williams sang "Losing My Mind" from FOLLIES then Barbara Cook sang "Not A Day Goes By" from MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG and then the two combined for a medley I've never heard or even thought of as possible. I've heard several medley's of his songs before, but this one blew me away, and the audience. It was the most cheered moment in the show. At least the most cheered at that moment. I know there are readers of this blog that will probably see this show and I don't want to give too much away. It's best to be surprised and enjoy it as it unfolds.

Stephen Sondheim has written the scores to and songs from the musicals that I listen to the most in my life. There is no other composer that gets as much attention from me. I learn something new from a song or just a lyric all the time. The pictures that he paints with the words blow my mind. I want to be able to paint pictures like that. I listen to a song by him and wonder, even knowing what the situation is that he has to musicalize, how did he come up with those words to tell the story. The perfect words to get across the feeling of the scene or moment. The man is a genius.

My friend Tynan attended the performance with me. My friend Mead got me a great deal on tickets and threw in a pass to the patron VIP lounge. It was downstairs at Studio 54. It was very modern in it's decor, but not cold. It was plush and inviting. When Tynan and I entered the lounge at intermission, I gasped and reached for her hand at the same time as she gasped. We were stopped in our tracks. It was a split second that seemed to last for five minutes. I let go of her hand so as to be inconspicuous, but there in the middle of the room was Stephen Sondheim. There were only about 10 or 11 of us in that room and one of them was Stephen Sondheim and he was talking to Mandy Patinkin who starred as George in Sondheim's SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE. I could barely contain myself. It was an amazing moment. It wasn't over yet either. We still had Act 2 to look forward to. I overheard Sondheim saying to Mandy that the second act was better. He wasn't lying. That's were it got very personal. Tears personal. Well, tears for me.

I think you can tell that I had a very good time. The truth is that when I send a "Thank You" email to Mead for arranging the tickets, I will be asking if I can purchase another at the same price. I need the experience again. My favorite composer just turned 80. He may never write another new musical. I need to experience his words about his life and music coupled with his songs at least one more time. Then hopefully, it will be preserved as a recording that will allow me to access, easily, those memories.

"...And it goes by the name of London." That's the hole. London.

A "Puppet" of a Good Time

Okay, so last night was another one of those moments in NYC that I love so much. An opening night party. As Cole Porter wrote, "Another Op'nin', Another Show." Last night's party celebrated the opening of John Tartaglia's IMAGINOCEAN.

IMAGINOCEAN is a one-of-a-kind live black-light puppet show. It's a magical undersea adventure for kids of all ages. Tank, Bubbles and Dorsel are three best friends who just happen to be fish, and they're on a remarkable journey of discovery. It all starts with a treasure map. As they swim off in search of clues, they sing, they dance, and they make new friends, including everyone in the audience. Ultimately they discover the greatest treasure of all: friendship.

John Tartaglia who created the show is an old friend of mine. Our friendship dates back to 1998 when we were both cast in a reading of the musical CELESTINA. Celestina was a witch, and she conjured demons from hell to help her wreak havoc. There were four demons creating a quartet of very talented men. John and I were part of that very talented, handsome, sexy quartet. John went on to star on Broadway in AVENUE Q and SHREK, and I began a career as a ticket seller. We've remained friends all these years. NYC is smaller than you think. There are many chance run ins. We've never been "hang out" buds, but buds nonetheless. It made me very proud of and for him last night when his baby, IMAGINOCEAN opened at New World Stages. It was his idea fully realized on a New York stage. How exciting!

The opening night party was held at Carmine's on 44th Street between 7th & 8th Avenues. I've only been there once in my nearly 13 years of city life. It's a great family-style Italian restaurant. Legendary according to their website. And a family-style sit-down dinner is exactly what we had. Stuffed mushrooms, followed by salad, then eggplant lasagna, pasta with marinara, and lemon chicken, finished with tiramisu. Who's fat tonight? I'm not the only one! The meal was complemented with bottles of red and white wine, along with pitchers of beer and soda on the table. It was a lovely place to relax with friends. And that's just what I did. I had several friends there. At my table alone there was Coco, Schingy, Zane, Jamie, and JMM! There was also Coleen Zenk Pinter from "As The World Turns", whom I met many years ago at the opening night of PORTRAITS directed by her husband Mark. There was my friend Ben at the table behind me and his friend Donna Drake who I've come to know. Donna directed IMAGINOCEAN. She also happens to be an original cast member of a little show you may have heard of called A CHORUS LINE. It thrills me to know her. Of course John was there and his boyfriend Michael Shawn. I just love them both. Michael Urie was there. Not only is he on "Ugly Betty", he's starring in THE TEMPERAMENTALS at NWS. We chatted on the walk to Carmine's. There was also a famous puppet celebrity there. Madame. She was once the center square on Hollywood Squares and had her own sitcom in the early 80's called "Madame's Place." I wanted a photograph with her. She was fabulous. She looked gorgeous and she said I smelled nice. You gotta love a "doll" like that. They just don't make 'em like that old broad anymore!


So what can I say. Another opening night, another party, another chance to be my catty, bitchy, funny, sarcastic self in an atmosphere surrounded by friends, strangers, and free wine. What's not to love. Life can be amazing if you let it. I'm trying to remember to buckle the seat belt and enjoy the ride.

Bons Amis et Bonne Nourriture

As I indulged myself in a rare second cup of dark roast coffee filled with french vanilla creamer this morning, I began to reflect upon my weekend. It was filled with good friends, good food, and lots of laughter.

Thursday, 3/25/10
Neal arrived in NYC around 10:45pm. Thursday is the night that I bowl in support of BC/EFA. We bowl two games starting at 11:30pm with a warm up that starts at 11:15pm. With Neal's arrival time earlier than that of the time I needed to be at Port Authority to bowl, he met me at the TONY Lounge at New World Stages. I usually can be found there on a Thursday night passing the time before bowling begins by singing a little karaoke. Neal arrived at NWS just as I was getting ready to sing my swan song for the evening. I forgot to be nervous about him being there. I hadn't sung in front of Neal in any performance capacity for years, but I didn't feel nervous about him hearing me. I think I felt a little excited and proud. After the song, we headed down to Port Authority on 42nd Street. Neal asked me how good of a bowler I was. I responded by telling him that the week before I had bowled four strikes in a row and that it was the second time in three weeks I had done so. I am nothing, however, if not inconsistent. I went from high scorer on my team the previous week to low scorer that night. I couldn't even beat the blind I was bowling against. A blind is when there is no one bowling against you and the computer registers a 180 point score for that slot. All I had to do was score a 181 to get a point for my team. Didn't happen either game. Sadness!! Neal and I shared a cab to Astoria with my friend and team mate, Christine. It was my first cab ride from Manhattan to Astoria. It was $14. Not too bad. I also learned how to get to my apartment via cab from Manhattan. That came into play later in the weekend. It was Neal's first visit to my new apartment. He liked it and was very happy for me. I showed him around the apartment and we talked for quite a while. Exhausted, at 3am I turned the light off and sleep took over.

Friday, 3/26/10
Even though I had known for more than a week that Neal and Stephen were coming for a visit I was unprepared. When Neal and I woke on Friday morning, I had no food to feed him for breakfast. I don't know why I don't prepare myself. When at Neal's there is never a moment when food isn't in the house. He and Stephen always have cereal and milk at least. We might have to make a trip to the grocery store, but it's usually to get specific things that we want to eat. I guess since I don't always stock my refrigerator and cabinets with food for me, I don't think about it for others. Bad host! BAD host!! Neal did a small amount of work on Friday morning, but by 1pm we were ready to get on with the day. We showered and left the house walking toward the subway to head into Manhattan. It was the first time Neal got to see my new neighborhood in the daylight. He liked it. Once in Manhattan, we had a plan of attack. I wanted to go to Pottery Barn and Neal wanted to go to Bed, Bath, & Beyond. We had already decided that we would treat ourselves to a small spa day and get manicures. First on the agenda though was food. We went to the Oxford Cafe. It was nothing special. We just decided to eat at the first place that looked as if we would find food we wanted to eat. Actually, I think this was the second place. We initially were in search of a diner so as to get breakfast food. On the East side of Manhattan, diner's aren't as easy to come by as on the West. So we chose what was basically a deli with seating in the rear. Sandwiches consumed, we decided to head to Bliss Spa on 57th Street to get our 30 minute manicures. Or in the case of Bliss they are called Manly-cures. I was in desperate need as my cuticles were dry enough to flake off. So embarrassing. Neal, as it turned out, was also in need of one. It was a fitting first stop for us. Upon arrival we were told that they didn't know if they had space at the 57th Street location today. Who knew it would be so full? They did end up having the ability to give us 5 and 5:30pm appointments. They didn't have the ability to take us at the same time. No problem. We took the appointments. With our names in the computer at Bliss and our credit card numbers holding our spots, we headed to Kenneth Cole. Neal wanted to donate a pair of old, but in-good-condition shoes to Haiti, and buy a new pair for himself. We then went to Saks Fifth Avenue where I bought a new fragrance and indulged myself in a search for a new bag. It seems I've been bitten by the "get a new bag" bug again. Then off to Pottery Barn. I had seen, briefly, the yellow floral pillows that they introduced for the season. I thought they might look pretty in my living room. Turns out, they weren't as pretty in person as I thought and the colors weren't as conducive to mine as I had hoped. I didn't leave empty handed though. I bought an oval basket for holding my magazines. After Pottery Barn, we spent a little time in Crate and Barrel. Who can pass up an opportunity to stop in Crate and Barrel? I can't, that's for sure. Neal and I have passed many a minute/hour in Crate and Barrel. Time to head to Bliss. Bliss Spa is painted in what must be the most tranquil, relaxing shade of blue. I love it. I had similar color on my living room walls at a former apartment. Manicures are manicures. Clip, file, soak, push, cut, massage, buff. It did take 30 minutes and it was so worth it. My cuticles and nails looked amazing. I wanted to fall asleep during the hand massage. Little indulgences are so good for the spirit. It's amazing how it makes me feel to simply get a manicure. We left Bliss and took our newly manicured selves to Bed, Bath & Beyond. Neal and Stephen had decided to buy me an Aero Bed as a house warming gift. Neal said that I was always giving up my bed when they came to visit and that now that I had space there was no need for that. I protested at first, but decided that I would graciously and thankfully accept their gift. We were pushing it to get back to Astoria, drop off our bags, change clothes, and get back into Manhattan to meet Stephen for dinner. Stephen couldn't make the trip from Boston until Friday afternoon so he was due to arrive around 7:45pm. I don't know how we managed to pull it off, but we got to the mexican restaurant, El Azteca, on 9th Avenue before Stephen. We put our request in for a table for five and sat to wait for Matt and Josette to join us for dinner. I will say that I love El Azteca. I've had many a good meal there. However, this particular night, we had to wait for a table and had the poorest service in my history of eating there. So strange. I don't know if they are just not used to the over flowing tables of customers or what, but it was incredibly annoying. With our bill paid the five of us went to the sidewalk to hail cabs to take us to our respective homes. Goodbye hugs and kisses were given on the street with a promises to talk the next day and discuss a plan for that evening. Here's where paying a bit of attention in the cab from the night before came into play. The cab driver for this ride to Astoria didn't know where to go. Having never really needed a cab ride to Astoria before, it was a rude awakening for me that cabby's don't just know how to get around each borough. I remembered from the night before that we were on Northern Boulevard and took a left on 47th Street. I was able to tell the cab driver that information thus being the essential component in getting us to my apartment. Thank God I was paying attention. After showing Stephen around the apartment, the Aero Bed was opened and filled with air so that the three of us could go to bed. I had to get up at 8:20am the next morning for work. It was already after 1am. After a day of shopping, running around, and our later dinner, I was tired. I turned the light out and remember nothing until my alarm went off the next morning. Well, I do remember hearing movement in the living room earlier than that, but I didn't remember it until later on Saturday evening.



Saturday, 3/27/10
I had to work on Saturday from 10 - 5. Neal and Stephen wanted to go to Room and Board, and they also wanted to see a matinee of something. They chose to see the new gay-themed play NEXT FALL written by Geoffrey Nauffts. They came by NWS before the matinee and returned my keys so that I could get in my apartment after work. Their play was to end half-an-hour after I got off work. Another bad host situation. I didn't make keys for Neal and Stephen. After work I went to buy a couple of bottles of wine for the evening's gathering at my apartment. I then went to the Food Emporium to pick up some snacks. The plan was to go out to dinner in Astoria and then return to my apartment to play games. I arrived at the Food Emporium just minutes before NEXT FALL was to end. I called Neal and left him a message to meet me at the Food Emporium so that we could ride back to Queens together. With snacks of pretzels, kettle corn, M&M's (both peanut butter and dark chocolate) mixed nuts, and beer in hand we made our way back to my house to wait for Matt and Josette to arrive. I did a little research on a couple of restaurants that interested us. One I had been to before and the other I was dying to try. We decided on the one I hadn't been to before. A french bistro called Bistro Les Minots. It was amazing. The food was incredible. We had truffle oil french fries. Josette had mussels. I had lamb shank with mashed potatoes. Stephen had salmon. Neal and Matt had spinach and mushroom stuffed chicken breast. Bon Appetit! We had good wine. Both white and red Cotes du Rhone. While waiting for our dessert the owner presented us with a liqueur to sip which he referred to as antifreeze. He was very funny and seemed to like us. Dessert arrived in the form of classic and espresso flavored creme brulee along with cinnamon and apple filled crepes. Some had coffee. It was an amazing experience that I look forward to repeating. Good friends enjoying good food. I was so glad that we chose to stay in my new neighborhood and enjoy what it has to offer. We all discovered a wonderful restaurant. When we returned to my apartment no one was really hungry, but I began to fill bowls with all the snacks I had procured earlier. It wasn't long before hands were reaching into bowls to lift salty or sweet treats to their mouths all the while saying they didn't need it. Part of the fun of hanging out is over-indulging in things you don't really need in the company of people who aren't going to judge you for doing it. I felt myself go into hostess mode. I immediately asked if any one needed anything to drink. Water seemed to be the choice of the moment. We decided to play Celebrity. This is a game played in teams which can lead to side-splitting belly laughs. Here's how it goes: each person gets ten slips of paper and writes the name of a another person on it that at least one other person in the room will know. This can be a real name, character name, cartoon name, etc. You get the picture. We drew numbers for teams. Turned out that Neal, Stephen, and I were to play against Matt and Josette. It wasn't fair. Not just because of the 3 against 2 thing, but we gays tend to be pop culture people. It seemed natural for the team names to be Gays vs. Straights. The first round of play the giver can say whatever it takes, without saying what's on the paper, to get his team to guess the name. For round two all slips go back into the bowl and the giver can only use one word for the guesser(s). Round three is a charade round. I hate to be mean, but the Gays wiped the floor with the Straights. We laughed so much. About halfway through round one, Stephen got a beer from the refrigerator, and just like that, the water turned to wine. Well, not literally, but water glasses were exchanged for wine glass and the purple liquid of the grape flowed freely. As for those belly laughs alluded to earlier, watching Matt try to act out Benjamin Bratt by acting as a bratty child hilarious. Listening to Josette describe the name on her slip by saying, "I love her," and thinking that would help Matt figure out that it was Jackie O. Funny! Of course all of us had fun with Mao Tse Tung and Sookie Stackhouse. "Neal" became the buzz word for Mao Tse Tung as he had put in that clue and "Matt" became the buzz word for Sookie Stackhouse because of a story involving an non-existent child whose name might one day be Sookie Semrick. Can't you just hear someone yelling from the back porch, "Sookie Semrick, you get in this house right now!"?

The weekend with my friends ended for me that night. I had to work 10 - 8 on Sunday so I didn't have any time to spend with them that day. Neal and Stephen saw a matinee of THE TEMPERAMENTALS by Jon Marans at NWS. I'm always happy when I can provide tickets to my friends. Both plays they saw over the weekend were gay-themed. We referred to the weekend as gay play weekend or GPW for short.

By the time Sunday night rolled around I was exhausted. Not only had I spent a fun-filled weekend with my friends, but work was extremely busy. There is no hidden complaint in there either. I'm thankful for the time spent with my friends and thankful that NWS is thriving.

La vie est bonne!!