Aunt Barbara Xmas Special!

Good Wholesome Entertainment!

Entering Oblivion

This weekend I'm turning 39. Yeah, thirty-frigging-nine. Very, very close to four-oh. How did this happen? I mean I was like 25 yesterday! Twenty five was 14 years ago! Clinton was barely in office! There was a thing called email that I heard about. When I was 25 I rented an apartment on the crappy side of town, worked 3 jobs (and in school), didn't own a car and hoped that when I got older things would be different. Let's see, I'm 38.99 years old, a Clinton is running for president, rent an apartment in a "gentrified" (crappy) side of town, unemployed (but in school), don't own a car and I hope that when I get older things will be different.

Thankfully, I am happier. I have a great relationship, I have my health (i think), I have my friends and I am three semesters away from graduating! Thirty-nine still sounds young. I will hold on to the thirties until it's last gasping breath. I am gonna squeeze out as much juice out of that 39th year until it's dry. I'm probably complain about how my last year of my thirties went so fast.

My official birthday song this year...



Rare Earth "i just want to celebrate"

Gay Trouble

I remember watching my first John Waters film at my friend Keith's house under the influence (of what I don't remember).I love how he takes what is gross and obscene and puts in the open for all to see and appreciate it for what it is a part of life. Anyway, here's a recent quote...

"I don't want to get married and I don't want to go into the army and all that stuff, though I understand people's right to want that. I am for gay trouble. I like gay troublemakers. I am most gay when I am in a voting booth." (via boing boing)

Here's a little gay trouble

Gimmie Gimmie!

Britney decided to redo her act...enjoy!

End of Summer Rants and Raves

Yep, it's the end of the summer and it's time for my semi-annual R & R's.


RAVE: Gay marriages in IOWA!
RANT: It only lasted a day.

RAVE: Rove out, Gonzo out, Snow out
RANT: Bush is still in

RAVE: Boing Boing, Gawker Empire, Perez
RANT: Drudge, WorldNetDaily, Freepers

RAVE: Amy, Beth, Catalina
RANT: Lindsay, Paris, Britney

RAVE: Screen on the Green, Folklife, Capital Pride
RANT: Metro, Murder, MPD

RAVE: SF, NYC, Vegas
RANT: No more money for travel

RAVE: My first APA conference
RANT: APA soft on torture

RAVE: My nephew starts college
RANT: I can't call him "little nephew" anymore

RAVE: Craig is busted!
RANT: He's not gay, he's not gay!

RAVE: IKEA LGBT (yes, T) positive commercials
RANT: E-Harmony commercials

RAVE: Logo/HRC presidential forum
RANT: Clinton, Obama, Edwards disappointing

RAVE: Big Girls Kick ASS!

caniculares dies (dog day diary)

I've had 7 weeks of uninterrupted free time. I finished summer school in late June and unceremoniously quit my job a little more than a month ago. It's been an adjustment for me...I now have free time to read, to shop, to clean, to go to the gym and to be in a vegetative state if I wanted to. Although I shouldn't be, I am a little bored. I guess I am so used to a schedule (work, school, homework, etc.) that when I am left to my own devices...I shrug and ask "now what?" I suppose that's what retirees feel like when they go from being somebody who "had a life", to someone who have time to live.

I did travel this summer, we went to NYC and to SA. We also had my girlfriend's nieces (16 and 14) visiting. They were quite entertaining. They were disappointed that the National Mall did not have a Abercrombie and Fitch. I try to make things for my girlfriend a little easier at home since I have a little more free time. Now that I have joined the masses of the unemployed, the responsibility to bring home the bacon falls to my girlfriend, who is so gracious as we enter this phase of out life together. There should be a medal for spouses/partners of graduate students. She puts up with alot. I am a very, very lucky to have her in my life.

I devoured the last installment of the Harry Potter book. I have to say that Deathly Hallows wasn't her best book. Although the ending was what I expected, the epilogue seemed to be written in haste. One of my criticisms of the series is how this world that Rowling created is a sexist as the reader's world. It was frustrating that the females (esp. Hermione) were always playing second fiddle to the males.

The hottest days are here and the end of summer is near. I still have some items of my agenda to complete that I've been putting off, like cleaning my desk and others I am looking forward to like our trip to San Francisco and Las Vegas. I can't wait.

My Real Age

I'm 26! Yay! How old are you?

Here's where you can find out!

Everything Old is New Again

Somebody did a mash up of Gwen Verdon (Bob Fosse's choreography)in the 60's dancing to "walk it out"... go gwen!

bush bashes gays...again

His poll numbers are in the nixon range!
The iraq policy is a total and utter failure!
His party doesn't trust you on domestic policy!
What's a pandering, idiot of a man gonna do?

He's gonna deny DC gays any rights of course!

Yep, I know you straight people can rest easy now knowing that I will be stripped of any legal rights of seeing my girlfriend if she's in the hospital. I'm sure ma and pa Darth Cheney are thrilled that their little grandchild's mommies have no legal status at all!

When will this shit ever end? America, have we no decency?!

8 random facts

I've been tagged by the Meme Empress...Mags!

Here are 8 random facts about me that you may or may not know about me...


1. I was a "rides hostess" at Six Flags Great America. It was my summer job in HS and in college. I didn't have the glamorous job of roller coaster, we had the smaller (meaning, lamer) rides like the merry go round.

2. I have a brother who is gay...I was a little annoyed that even in this, he had to copy me!

3. I used to collect stamps. (Did I admit to that? )

4. When I was in the 6th grade I was involved in the "great taffy apple robbery". A couple of incorrigible 6th graders in my class stole a box of taffy apples from our school fundraiser and distributed the booty to all the class. Our priest Fr. O'Connell (yes, I was in a CATHOLIC school) found out and shamed us only a catholic would, invoking mary and the angels. The next day, I confessed my sins, in darkened confessional and asked for forgiveness. The priest (Fr. O'Connell, who else!) told me that my penance was 25 hail mary's and send anonymously the price of the total apples I took. So the next day, I took my borrowed 2 dollars (I gave a little extra, because I was really sorry) and sent the money in a envelope to the church with a note signed "anonymous" with my return address.(LOL) Thus, ended my life in crime.

5. I read entertainment weekly in the bathroom.

6. One of my guilty pleasures are james bond films.

7. I used to watch the 700 Club stoned.

8. When I was 7 years old, I had the biggest crush on Olivia Newton John. (the 70's -have -you-ever-been-mellow-version, not the recent botox version)

I love the internet

The funniest thing I've seen in a while...

Happy Pride

I took this from Perez Hilton.

blue moon

I saw the blue moon last night on my way home. No, it wasn't blue but milky white, hazy from the heat. I like that we had another chance to see the moon. I seldom look up to the stars anymore. When I was a kid, I would go to the back yard at night, lie on the grass and watch the night sky. I don't have the opportunity to do that here. In fact, I don't know anyone with a lawn! I suppose I have to make due with stolen glimpses like this...


This was taken on my cell phone. Can you see the moon?



Anyway, I am back at school this summer. I'm required to take summer classes every semester. I'm cramming a semester's worth of work in 7 weeks. Then I will be off until September! I will be so frigging happy! I want to enjoy my little break with trips to the beach, travel to new york and being lazy!

My nephew graduated from HS this past week. He is my only nephew so it was a very special event. My GF and I decided to make the drive to Little Rock, yes in Arkansas. We stopped over to Nashville, where my brother and his BF live. We drove together, one big happy gay family to my sister's house in little rock. It was my girlfriend's first time hanging out with my siblings and my sister's extended family. I admire my GF's ability to mingle and connect with total strangers especially white people from Arkansas! She deserves a medal for that!

I can't end my post without saying something about my favorite sports team at the moment...
the SPURS! I love these guys! I was never a big basketball fan but this team makes me a fan. What I like about them is that they aren't your typical bling, hype, trash talk team. I suppose I like them alot because they play for a city that is predominately mexican. I have to tell you, to see a bunch of brown faces like these in the crowd on TV is quite thrilling.

The Jazz fans were a little less browner and a little more hostile.
















I noticed that respect is very important for the spurs as it is for the mexican culture. Respeto is something to be cherished. I see that with the san antonio fans, the team and the coaches. The lack of it from the opposing teams is pretty evident. Maybe I am hypervigilant about these things but I can see it in even the way the announcers talk about the players. Whatever people say about this team, one thing is clear...they play for respect.

One more hurdle...

I need to jump so that I can finish this semester. Damn, this was a hard semester. I had alot on my plate, school, work, externship...then somehow I had to find the time to fit in my relationship, my mental/physical health and my other aspects of my life. I have felt that I haven't had the time to really think about anything else other than school. It's an isolative (is that a word?) experience. Spending most of my time in my head gets a little tiring. I worry that I've lost the ability to enjoy myself without thinking about the next exam, the next paper, the next patient...But I am glad I have little indulgences like this blog that no one reads, my monthly Harper's and my time with my girlfriend. My girlfriend is wonderful. Being a "graduate widow" is not easy...I was one myself in my previous relationship. I often said that my ex and I had a three way relationship with law school...and she (law school) was a jealous mistress. I wanted this experience to be different for my girlfriend. We definitely have a better relationship than the either of the past ones. I am lucky. She keeps me present...she's a good egg.


I HEART Harvey
Here's a GREAT editorial from the NYT written by Harvey Firestein about the recent Imus affair.

"Our Prejudices, Ourselves"

AMERICA is watching Don Imus's self-immolation in a state of shock and awe. And I'm watching America with wry amusement.

Since I'm a second-class citizen -- a gay man -- my seats for the ballgame of American discourse are way back in the bleachers. I don't have to wait long for a shock jock or stand-up comedian to slip up with hateful epithets aimed at me and mine. Hate speak against homosexuals is as commonplace as spam. It's daily traffic for those who profess themselves to be regular Joes, men of God, public servants who live off my tax dollars, as well as any number of celebrities.

Read the rest, here, at Perez Hilton dot com (you read that right!).

random street art

this is in my neighborhood...on the corner of harvard and 16th..

To all my chicano friends...

El Rio's Valentine's Day Cards # 6, originally uploaded by El Rio.

Via boingboing.net

Sidewalk Politics

Found at the corner of 14th and U streets...

rants and raves v1

RAVE: I am busy, in the middle of my 2nd year of grad school, working part-time at children's hospital and at the externship in Baltimore.
RANT: Trying to keep up with school, working part-time and the externship!

RAVE: My girlfriend rocks my life. Literally.
RANT: I never get to see her (see first rant/rave)

RAVE: DC finally goes smoke free!
RANT: Walking through the clouds of smoke to get in the restaurant.

RAVE: gofugyourself, cursor, mentalfloss, thesuperficial, dailykos, boingboing
RANT: rupert murdoch, bill gates, RIAA

RAVE: Obama, Clinton, Edwards
RANT: Biden, Dodd, Kucinich

RAVE: clear, cold weather
RANT: no snow this season!

RAVE: Less than 30% approval rate for our dear leader!
RANT: another 716 days to endure

RAVE: Old friends rippling back into my life.
RANT: I wish I had time to write more about that

video of the day

Everybody Dance by Chic

Hang in there Molly!

I HATE CANCER

From the Texas Observer...

We Love You Molly

Our beloved sister Molly Ivins is fighting for her life against cancer, and all we can do is try to send her even a fraction of the brillliance, joy and love she has given us for so many incomparable years.
This genuis daughter of Texas turmoil has stood alone for so long as a voice of clarity, wit, common sense and plain-spoken conscience that it’s hard to know even where to start.
Perhaps most important to remember is that she has not been just a writer. From her modest but gracious home in the heart of Austin, she has done anything but sit back and snipe with that unique penetrating wit of hers. She could have done it. She could have just gone to that keyboard every day, blown them all away, and built her national reputation from the sheer genius of an insulated ivory tower.
But Molly has always been a firm believer in hands-on non-violent combat, which in hands like hers is the ultimate weapon. She puts her heart and soul where her convictions are. She’s fought tooth and nail for The Texas Observer and whatever other worthwhile publications there are that can muster an audience in the Lone Star State. She’s worked with the great Jim Hightower in his climb to elected office. She supports candidates. She goes out of her way. She works hard. She makes her presence felt wherever she thinks it’ll do some good, no matter what the personal cost.

More here....

The year in the kaleidoscope

Yeah, it's been a while hasn't it? The past year flew by, experiences going through a kaleidoscope--spinning and changing shape in front of my eyes. Once an experience comes in view it changes in front of me...know what I mean? Maybe it's my ever-shorter attention span or that I have too much happening to sit down and reflect. Sadly I haven't had alot of time to think about things, I've been in a reaction mode. It gets tiring. I spent (the short) holidays refueling and relaxing, but traveling to see relatives and friends brought another level of stress that I didn't expect. I never really got into the holidays, it was always less than satisfying... feeling the push and pull from different people and trying to balance your desires with the desires of others is not what I think is a good time. Frankly, I am glad they are over.
Anyway, my girl and I celebrate a whole year living together. Actually it's been pretty good. She tolerates my neuroticisms. It must be her RN background.
School has kicked my ass. It's the toughest year so far. I have a externship that is time consuming but really interesting. I am working with kids, actually neuropsychologically evaluating them. It's challenging. I have to think about my dissertation (yes, it's on the horizon). But before that, I have to take the comprehensive exams next year. It seems the hurdles are coming closer together. I have to take it day by day (or so they tell me). Sometimes I think I am getting too old for this. I turned 38 in november, greyer at the temples (I'm told it looks sexy). Almost 40, sounds scary but right, y'know?
I am happy that the dems are in power but frustrated that the republicans still rule. Not a flurry of snow in washington. It's really depressing me. The seasons are on strike.

Here are some of the rants and raves for the past year...

RAVE: Corretta Scott King, Ann Richards, James Brown are in a better place
RANT: Britney, Paris and Lindsay are still here

RAVE: The Democrats take the House and the Senate
RANT: Bush is still in office

RAVE: DC may get the vote this year
RANT: But that means that Utah will get a seat too

RANT: The Hussein fiasco becomes viral with 16 million hits
RAVE: Riverbend's entry calling this a lynching

RAVE: Red Hot Chili Peppers, BBC Radio 1, John Legend
RANT: Pearl Jam, Clear Channel, Justin Timberlake

video of the day....

Foo Fighters: All my Life