Tag Archives: larry

Muster, Moonbeam, M’boyfriend and Me

Hey there, Hi there, Ho there!

Alright, it’s been a bit of time since I told you I was Xanadu-bound! It has been an odd week – at work, I was really only there for 3 days, so everything was a bit rushed and I definitely didn’t get as much done as I’d like to have. But in OTHER things, well, it’s been going great.

First – Xanadu was great. I met up with Larry outside the Helen Hayes Theater on 44th Street just west of Times Square. This is a VERY packed-with-Broadway theater road, as also right there within the same block of street are the theaters for Phantom of the Opera, Gypsy, and another plus Xanadu. Our show was great – like I’d said before, I’ve never seen the movie but Larry had and basically the plot of the show sorta borrows from the movie but other than that, it’s a lot different. The main character (the Olivia Newton-John one) was awesome – she is a muse who when on Earth has to affect an Australian accent, which is hilarious. “They call me Keeeeeerraaaaa” It was a quick show but very entertaining and highly recommended for anyone looking for a great Broadway show. It led Larry and I to talk about other great shows and I had to remember how awesome Avenue Q is. Seriously, I could see that one over and over, as those songs are so memorable and the show is just ridiculously funny.

After the show, Larry and I went to dinner – and to make a long story short, I asked him to be mah Boyfriend. I’ve got a boyfriend for the first time….ever. And it’s incredible. I won’t go too much into it because frankly, I’m afraid of jinxing it. What a great feeling though.

Then on Friday, I had to wake up at the oh-so-military time of 5:30 in order to get up in time to get ready and leave by 6:30 to drive the two hours it takes to get to Delaware from NYC. I knew I was going opposite of traffic, so that wasn’t a concern; my main concern was the night before when I realized I’d probably need my insurance paperwork and when I realized that I hadn’t updated my insurance with my new license plate and driver’s license, I started panicking. Especially when Geico was only letting me print insurance cards for Colorado. So there I am the night before trying to get that straightened out before I drive all the way to the base. It did get resolved by that morning, fortunately, but it turned out not totally necessary for getting in to the Air National Guard base at New Castle, Delaware. And you know what organization is at that base? The Delaware Air National Guard, of course. And you know what that acronym is? DANG, of course. How freakin’ awesome is that? they have that acronym EVERYWHERE around that building we mustered in too. It was hilarious.

So what did I get to do for a muster? I got to remember why the AF is a happy memory of the PAST. Death by Powerpoint and briefings that I already had at TAP. Seriously, I drove all the way down to Delaware in order to fill out some forms and be reminded about benefits I have no interest in and the fact that I COULD be recalled if all hell breaks loose. Fantastic.

The redeeming part of that day: Getting to meet up with Moonbeam/Mickity for lunch afterwards. I love reading her blog (you should too) as she’s so damn funny and cranky. 🙂 It was fun to just catch up and realize she’s another of those friends who I can quite easily pick up right where we left off. After that, it was time to head back and that was an exhausting drive, let me tell you. It was hot, the traffic was a lot worse, and I wanted a nap in the worst way. I got home safely and promptly took that nap (for two.five hours) because I was headed out that night to…..

..Splash! Splash is one of the big NYC gay dance clubs, and I was heading there with Shelly in order to meet up with Larry and introduce them as well as check off another gay club that I’ve been to. It was a pretty fantastic club – on Friday nights, all the bartenders wear next to nothing and these guys have every damn right to wear nearly nothing. Damn. Definitely would love to get my body to some of the levels I saw there, but I’m sure they live at the gym and don’t eat. Eff that. But I’m slowly getting there, to some degree. And Larry’s not complaining…. 🙂 Larry had been nervous about heading there (he told me later) but he ended up having a blast, just like I did. Shelly stuck around for a little bit but she’s made some friends that she’s hanging out with a lot now, so it was good to at least have them meet. And since it’s a gay club, besides ogling the hotness around her for no real gain, I don’t blame her for heading out to more hetero-based venues! Larry and I had a blast the rest of the night though, and it was a good club as there was a great variety of people there. Funnily enough, I picked up the Zagat’s Nightlife guide today and was reading about all the clubs I’ve been to so far. About Splash, one of the comments was that it’s the place where ‘Bridge & Tunnel’ boys head to for their ‘gay fix’. I didn’t know this when I moved here at first, but B&T (or Bridge & Tunnel) is a sort of slam against us Jersey folks who come in and dirty up the Island, since we either take a bridge or a tunnel to get into the city. Uppity assholes giving us a label! Whatev. 😉

The next day, Larry and I headed out eventually and got some great grub at some cool restaurant on 2nd Ave up in the Upper East Side (UES), where all sorts of cool places to eat are. We then went and caught ‘Get Smart’ at the movies. It was an okay movie, but seriously, I would probably recommend it is a rental. We saw it a interestingly styled theater with lots of cool metal architecture and primary colors around the walls, but the theaters were the old-school sticky floor and non-Stadium seating type. ugh. Some things ‘Retro’ are not all that fun to revisit. We then got a couple glasses of wine one the way back and halfway through us hanging out at the outside bar area, this older (40s/50s-ish) couple came and sat by us. I had Heard them before they even sat down with us because she was busy yelling at him like he was a retard. Then they sat next to us. Joy. Just listening to her was giving me a headache (it didn’t help I was pretty dehydrated and I was drinking more – duh). But amazingly, my iPhone helped bridge the gap as the guy asked about it and then it was like we were all best friends. They turned out to be fun to talk to, but still, the woman was so controlling of him. Yowza.

And now it’s now. I came home today and I’m still recovering from my headache. Ugh. But it was an awesome Friday and Saturday with Larry.

And here’s a link to my picture with Michancy from Friday in Delaware:

PHOTOS: Latest from iPhone

I got the latest bunch of photos I’ve taken with my iPhone and put them here as I haven’t used my Canon for anything since my excursion with Larry last week.

So what do we have in this batch?

First, there is a pic of Larry from when we went out to dinner this past Friday and also when I took a pic when we were down in the Grand Central subway station for the 6.

And second, some pics from the Lincoln Center when Shelly and I went there to see Puccini’s Tosca performed in concert with the New York Philharmonic. Yep, we’re a couple of culture hounds.

June 13 & 14, 2008 – iPhone Picture Fun

It's Larry!
It's Larry!13-Jun-2008 22:16, Apple iPhone, 2.8
Grand Central
Grand Central13-Jun-2008 22:22, Apple iPhone, 2.8
At the Avery Fisher Theater in Lincoln Center
At the Avery Fisher Theater in Lincoln Center14-Jun-2008 19:44, Apple iPhone, 2.8
 
Right before the concert, Tosca, began
Right before the concert, Tosca, began14-Jun-2008 20:00, Apple iPhone, 2.8
Shelly and Me - I wasn't quite ready. iPhone actually has a bit of delay when taking a pic!
Shelly and Me - I wasn't quite ready. iPhone actually has a bit of delay when taking a pic!14-Jun-2008 20:00, Apple iPhone, 2.8
That's better, although I should probably composite the two of these so both of our smile faces are in one pic
That's better, although I should probably composite the two of these so both of our smile faces are in one pic14-Jun-2008 20:01, Apple iPhone, 2.8
 
The lights literally darken....
The lights literally darken....14-Jun-2008 20:02, Apple iPhone, 2.8
Just to show the side balconies
Just to show the side balconies14-Jun-2008 20:02, Apple iPhone, 2.8
 

PHOTOS: Jeff’s Birthday in CS / Brooklyn Bridge w/ Larry

Here’s where I am putting all my photos still although my main journal stuff will be found on my Livejournal blog page. Highlights from here will be put there.

I have a few weeks worth of photos to put up!

First up on the agenda, my trip back to Colorado Springs to help celebrate Jeff’s 30th Birthday party. What a great time that was, from flying out there on Friday and having a get-together that evening at Susan’s with everyone to the next day on Saturday where we had an all-day fun fest. It started out with the bike ride down Pike’s Peak (the same thing I did with my Dad in June 2007 (scroll to the bottom of the page) ) wtih a good group of folks to then strolling around Territory Days and finally the Disco Down party in the evening. Everyone committed very well to the party theme and had a discolicious time. Yours truly was a very convincing Construction Worker. Just sayin’. The next day I hung out with Jeff and Susan, re-doing some of the things that I used to always do back then, hitting up Old Chicago’s, Best Buy, and then catching a movie (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls). Ah, the good ol’ days! And then the next morning, a quick breakfast and then it was back to the East Coast – and amazingly, all my flights went as scheduled. I’m sure that means that all my future flights are going to be utter disasters!

Anyways, here are MY pics from the Colorado Springs weekend back from the weekend of May 24 – there are literally a ton more pics but seriously, I don’t have the patience to put them all up. I think they’re all on another website whose link I have misplaced….but there’s a TON more. Like I said: My patience is not THAT extensive! 🙂

May 23, 2008 – Jeff Turns 30 in Colorado Springs!  BBQ at Susan’s!

Susan and KD are happy I'm back!
Susan and KD are happy I'm back!23-May-2008 18:01, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
See, we're all so happy
See, we're all so happy23-May-2008 18:01, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
Even Melissa, who's like "Why the hell is he leaning on me? How much has Hobie been drinking??"
Even Melissa, who's like "Why the hell is he leaning on me? How much has Hobie been drinking??"23-May-2008 18:58, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.02 sec, ISO 141
 
Eric, KD and me
Eric, KD and me23-May-2008 18:59, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
23-May-2008 18:59, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
Grilling and drinking - a Southern pastime for the ages
Grilling and drinking - a Southern pastime for the ages23-May-2008 19:03, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.005 sec
 
23-May-2008 19:03, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
23-May-2008 19:03, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.005 sec
Me and Jeff - the over-30 members of the group
Me and Jeff - the over-30 members of the group23-May-2008 19:07, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.008 sec
 
Melissa and Chips - a Southern pastime for the ages
Melissa and Chips - a Southern pastime for the ages23-May-2008 19:08, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
23-May-2008 19:08, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
23-May-2008 19:13, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
 

May 24, 2008 – Jeff Turns 30 in CS!  Pikes Peak Bike Ride!  Disco Inferno Party!

24-May-2008 06:54, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
The next day (Jeff's Birthday!) - here are KD and Jeff at the office for the Bike Ride
The next day (Jeff's Birthday!) - here are KD and Jeff at the office for the Bike Ride24-May-2008 06:57, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
Is Melissa cold or is she just a fan of self-hugging?
Is Melissa cold or is she just a fan of self-hugging?24-May-2008 07:00, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
 
24-May-2008 07:09, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.9, 23.1mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 238
24-May-2008 07:13, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
24-May-2008 07:13, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
 
24-May-2008 07:14, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 176
Susan with a helmet - she wasn't riding a bike. That's just her fashion accessory of choice lately.
Susan with a helmet - she wasn't riding a bike. That's just her fashion accessory of choice lately.24-May-2008 07:19, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
Here's as high as we got that day - the wind was REDONK
Here's as high as we got that day - the wind was REDONK24-May-2008 08:27, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
 
You can see the road keeps going while our van was not.
You can see the road keeps going while our van was not.24-May-2008 08:27, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
I got out for a quick pic. If I had backed up two feet I would have been blown off the mountain
I got out for a quick pic. If I had backed up two feet I would have been blown off the mountain24-May-2008 08:28, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.005 sec
Jeff at the beginning of our ride
Jeff at the beginning of our ride24-May-2008 08:45, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.005 sec
 
Laura (with KD behind her)
Laura (with KD behind her)24-May-2008 08:46, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
Eric and KD
Eric and KD24-May-2008 08:46, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
Keladora and Me
Keladora and Me24-May-2008 08:52, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
 

So the next batch of photos is from this past week – the first two below are for the fans o’ Arielle – but the rest are of my trip out with Larry to go do some touristy stuff. We ended up heading out to Brooklyn to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, which is one of those things I’ve definitely wanted to do since coming to NY. Of course we decided to do this when a ridiculous heat wave came to the East Coast, but c’est la vie. We subway’d it to Brooklyn first, as I really didn’t want to walk the bridge back and forth, which was a good idea, all agreed. But before leaving Brooklyn, it was recommended to go to this famous Grimaldi’s Pizza place, and that we did…. and waited in the nice half-hour line outside just to get inside. But it was actually worth the wait, as the pizza was amazing. Having refueled, we explored a little bit of the Brooklyn side of the East River before crossing – and taking some pics of the great view. There’s also this cool thing called the Telectroscope, which looks like something out of the 20,000 Leagues under the Sea set (aka Steam Punk style). You go up to the viewing panel and look into it and what you see is a view of people staring back at you from London in front of the Tower Bridge. And what they must see is us in front of the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s really cool. Here’s a ‘site’ about it:Telectroscope. We then found our way to the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian level and began the crossing. It’s a great experience and amazing view to undertake. You can see the Statue of Liberty, Downtown, Midtown, the Manhattan Bridge… it’s all pretty amazing. And this was something that Larry hadn’t ever done before too, which is surprising but maybe not so much, as I bet a lot of native NYers probably haven’t bothered with this trek either. Anyways, it was a cool experience with lots of pics taken, as seen below. We then spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around Chinatown and SoHo – and I contained myself from spending lots of money, which is very possible down there. We also went to the Apple Store, where I strangley now want to get a MacBook. Those things are slick!

June 7, 2008 – Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge