On Cape Cod

On the way to Provincetown

Bear Week 2009 Provincetown !!

I'm a little disappointed...I really thought that listening to the same-sex partners of some in our military would have drawn a little more than only five comments....and that doesn't even indicate how many even checked it out......but, alas, I do understand....the time commitment, the lack of time in people's schedules, and the less than happy material to watch...but, again, I encourage you to do so.....it's amazing to listen to.

I'm doing my best to get over this cold/allergy/pneumonia/chest cough and congestion. It's been terrible but I'm in the middle of antibiotics and doing everything I can to make it better. And, of course, these sorts of things never come at a good time.....because we've been planning for this week for a very long time. We've been invited to spend Bear Week 2009 in Provincetown with the iBears in a house where 11 of us will be frolicking and cavorting. For a week. Neither of us have ever been to P-Town and neither of us are really bears. But we've been welcomed right into this circle of amazing friends and....so....WE GO! We leave on Thursday for 12 days away from home. First, we board this airplane for a flight to Newark:


Then, we sit for three hours when we'll be iPhoning and carrying on like crazy people during our layover. After that, we board this plane:

A quick flight to Albany will put us in the good care of these boys: And the next day we'll be headed to Providence, Rhode Island, where we'll join this group:

And from there, who knows. We're looking forward to a whole new experience in our lives. Whatever happens, it's all good. So, in spite of the fact that we'll have our laptops with us, I'm not sure how much blogging will go on this week. We're not home until the 20th....so I you may find me scarce around here until after that time.

In Their Boots -- Silent Partners

UPDATE: Apparently some of you are not able to view the embedded video. Here is the link to the site where I hope you can see it properly.

In Their Boots is a documentary series about the impact the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are having on people here at home. Every episode features a documentary about how America’s servicemen and women, their families, and our communities have been profoundly changed by our nation's campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. Shot on location throughout the country, these stories stress the courage of our participants, and the valor of the people and organizations that help our heroes on their journey.



The episode above is titled “Silent Partners” and is a look at the hidden effects of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell law through the eyes of 3 partners of deployed service members. The video is just over 30 minutes long -- and it's more than worth your attention and devotion to spending 30 minutes looking at the Silent Partners of those in our military. Those who cannot speak, or even have their names known, because of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. You'll need a Kleenex, I assure you. Don't breeze on past this one, folks....it's easy to do in the blogosphere. So, skip your sit-com this time around, grab your partner, friend or family, and check this out. Even if it's not today, bookmark it and set it aside for sometime in the near future.



What an honorable and fitting way for us to honor our service men and women on this 4th of July holiday.

4th of July Drivel

Holy smokes, kids. I've been swamped. Just finished a three-day trip and still have three more work days to go before we're on holiday. Here's the scoop in bullet form:

1. We're off to Albany, New York, where we'll be met by Idle Eyes and a Dormy along with his handsome husband next Thursday. On Friday, we'll be joining the rest of the iBears group and heading to Providence, Rhode Island, for the night. Then, on Saturday we'll be continuing on to Provincetown, Massachusetts, to dive headfirst into Bear Week 2009 in P-Town. It's a place we've never been at an annual event that draws thousands. Not being a bear, I'm smearing massive amounts of Rogaine on my back in hopes to fit in.

2. Tomorrow, July 4, would have been my father's 78th birthday. I miss our 4th of July BBQs complete with red, white, and blue birthday cakes and family gatherings in the park with giant slices of cold watermelon. Why is it that some memories still twist at the heart strings of one's life?

3. I had the chance to say hi to Rachelle Lefevre today. I told her that having to work is so overrated...and I asked her why I couldn't be independently wealthy and retire. She laughed.

4. Summer is here in Portland. We love going to Portland City Concerts in the Parks which we'll do as much as we can when we get back from holiday. We always take a picnic and enjoy ourselves. It's one of our favorite annual events.

5. I'm outta creative things to say except for Happy 4th of July. Enjoy. It's one of my favorites...and we have no plans whatsoever. I'm sorta bummed.

Bring Your Gun to Church

Guns for God. Pistol Packin' Preacher. Guns for Jesus. Whatever. Dear god in heaven. Just when you think you've heard it all, something like this pops up. In spite of the fact that it scares the hell out of me to think that this is where a portion of our globe is headed, I laughed and laughed at parts of this article. I think it reminded me too much of good ole' Idaho....my home state. I remember also going to a Christmas parade in Eagle, Idaho, when we heard Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA blaring from speakers in the middle of December, in the cold, at Christmas time. We still poke fun at it. I laughed at the raffle prizes (membership in the NRA, a Lee Greenwood video, and a gun itself). I laughed again at setting a fake fire to the Bill of Rights; I laughed at just picturing them all singing My Country Tis of Thee and God Bless America. It's a piece right out of picture-perfect Americana-land. Complete with the red, white and blue! And, to think, that July 4...Independence Day...is in just a few days from now. What a poor little subsection of our nation. Scared. Weird. Strange. Old. Dark-ages induced. Feeling the need to strap a weapon to their hips and head over to the nearest church for the Sunday service. Something's missing here, folks. In spite of it all, the little people of this world do provide me with a good laugh from time to time.

Sony 15x Zoom Fantastic Camera for Sale.....

I'm selling one of my three cameras. It's quite clear that I do not need all three.

Beautiful nearly new Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H9 camera. Bought new at Best Buy and hardly used. Works perfectly and no damage or scratches. $225...an excellent buy. Black in color. I will include Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo 1GB card. You can see from the link below that my asking price is horribly fair. Experience more creative power to capture life’s greatest moments with the Cyber-shot® DSC-H9 digital camera. This high-performance camera impresses with 8.1 megapixel clarity, 15X optical zoom, Advanced Sports Mode, and the NightShot® system for shooting in darkness by infrared light. Super SteadyShot® optical image stabilization and high sensitivity (ISO 3200) mode allow low-light shots without flash to preserve the mood, Face Detection brings out the best in faces, and HD (high definition) output lets you share memories in spectacular high definition detail on compatible HDTV screens.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/H9/H9A.HTM

The Great Land

After about 2,500 miles of flying from San Diego-Seattle-Anchorage, I find myself in Anchorage, Alaska, this afternoon. We arrived at 1:30pm and depart at 00:50am (just after midnight) for Portland. It's a very short layover...or DAYover. I will be taking a little nap shortly (to ward off additional wrinkles) but wanted to pass along a few pics first. The sun will set tonight at 11:42pm and will only be down a few hours before it rises again at 04:21am....the sky will never actually get dark at this time of year. The flowers you see in the pics are dahlias and are in a park downtown. Everything up here grows quite large -- not because of the warmth or heat, but because of the length of the days...lots of light for growing. I just went on a little walk and happened to pass the Snow City Cafe.....if I'd had more time, I'd have stopped in. It looks very alternative-hippie-gay-etc....just my kind of place. Next trip, for sure. Anchorage is rough. Blue collar. Tough people who know how spend lots of time in the cold and snow. The oil conglomerates have made plenty of money off of this untamed wilderness. They sort of share it back each year in the form of the Alaska Permanent Fund -- a little payback to each eligible resident of the state for all of the money they are taking in here. The oil comes from the North Slope in places like Prudhoe Bay and flows through the Alaska pipeline down the port at Valdez where it is shipped away. Okay now, enough of me....enjoy the pics. And if you haven't been here, you owe it to yourself at least once in your life. Start your planning!

Monday Madness

Oh, there's nothing to see HERE.....except another weekly installment of Pride 2009 Undie Monday. Just a bunch of men in their undershorts......or nearly, anyway.

Overheard By A Co-Worker With a 21-Month-Old Baby Boy:

She: I've decided that I don't think my son is going to be gay.

Me: Oh, too bad for you...because not every mother can be fortunate enough to have a son who is gay. And, besides, why do you say that???

She: Because he was on the slide at the playground and pointed to a little girl next to him in an adorable little pink frilly dress and he said, "Cute!"

Before I could even respond, another listening-in co-worker responded with my sentiments precisely:

Other Co-Worker: He could have been saying "Cute" about the pink dress and wishing he could wear it!

In addition to recently joining the iPhone cult, you'll also want to know that I've immersed myself in major cultism on both Twitter and Facebook now. Badges and links are on my upper, left-hand sidebar.

Today is my one day off before heading out for yet another West Coast whirlwind: Portland-San Diego-Los Cabos-San Diego-Seattle-Anchorage-Portland-Denver-Portland-Phoenix-Portland. That's my work week coming up.

And we were just discussing this morning that we're leaving two weeks from this Thursday for the Northeast US.....first to Albany, New York, where we'll join up with friends like Sean and Dan and Jeffrey and others.....and head off to what I'm sure will be a fun-filled time at Bear Week 2009 in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Not only did this group of guys allow us to invade their New Year's festivities, but they were kind enough to invite us to be a part of their party and we couldn't be happier.

Sunday Snarkiness

Dear lord in heaven, I've not written anything reasonably entertaining for a while. In fact, numerous of we bloggers haven't. I'm amazed at those blogs disappearing, not having a post for two or three months at a time, those who have left blogging for Facebook or Twitter, and even those who have found more socially acceptable ways of finding friends on the internet! Where is everyone going? I mean, hey now, Facebook is cool....and I'll probably be on Twitter soon. But where's the substance and all of that? Endless memes seem to be the way to keep a blog alive while not actually having to write a post....or pictures of naked bathroom shots or of sorting out dirty clothes while preparing for laundry day. I know that summertime brings along less readers and fewer posts. Hey, we're all busy...right? I totally understand....it's just not the way it was a year or two ago. And mine is a relative new blog in terms of the world blogosphere. Coming up on three years this October. So, hang in there, kids. Stick with it. Give us a little depth, a little culture, a little something to think about. Meanwhile, I'll see you over on Facebook or Twitter!

My new iPhone 3GS is amazing. We haven't felt well this week -- so yesterday afternoon after a round trip to Phoenix was a perfect time to lay on the bed, TV on, and fool around....with the iPhones. We traded apps, contacts, ideas, tested speeds between the new one and the old, and all of that. It's been so cool. I can't believe I remained outside the realm of the Apple Cult for so long. Syncing the contacts list between my phone and my GMail contacts was a huge fiasco and had me in a very sour mood. Thankfully, my Hubby is far more patient and understanding than I will ever be. I was the second one in the door last Friday morning to pick up the new iPhone at 07:00am. There are features beyond features. I keep on clicking, discovering, and having a lot of fun. I went out to Denver and back this morning and couldn't wait to get home.....to take care of my sick Hubby, but also to fool with my toy. I may surface in a month or two.

Guess Where?

Belly Rub Anyone?

Get Yer Color On !!!

If THIS doesn't do it, I don't know what does. It's Undie Monday again at Idle Eyes and a Dormy -- and this week's celebration is a tribute to the rainbow flag....every color of it. It's come to be a typical gay icon...always a reminder of who we are, the brightness of our spirits (in spite of the many trials we've all come through), and the giant group of GLBT folks that we call friends and family. What a fantastic time of the year to celebrate each of us.........

I've just finished a six-day stretch of work. In spite of being able to see such amazing beauty in Sitka, Alaska, this week, I'm not feeling overly chipper this morning. Getting up at 04:00am every day can do that to a guy. I'm really looking forward to my two days off.....I do have to say that I was able to say hi to the beautiful Keri Russell yesterday. She's been working on the movie Crowley in the Portland area with Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser. Such a gorgeous woman, she is.

The iPhone wait is in the home stretch -- The doors open at 07:00am Friday morning for those of us who pre-ordered it before last Friday. I'm wondering what time I should be there? I have no idea who many people will be in line waiting for their cult-following-technology devices. I can't wait....my hubby keeps saying that he's never seen me this excited for an Apple product before.

My brother's birthday was yesterday -- he turned 45. I thought about him a few times and wondered what he was doing. I sent a card early last week so that it would reach him in time. We're not close. He's a nice man and has a great family. But, as many can relate, since that "I'm gay" moment, things have changed. I wish it were different.

So, it's that time of year....summer is cranking up in full swing, gay Pride celebrations going on worldwide, and families are off and running to camping and holiday trips. Enjoy yourselves, boys and girls -- especially those of you who exist most of the winter months in snow and ice. You deserve it more than any of us. Have a great week, everybody.......wear your bright colors in pride and solidarity.....and especially because you look damned great in them!

Photos from Sitka, Alaska

UPDATE: Let me fill in a few more details about Sitka for those who are interested. Sitka sits on the western edge of Baranof Island about halfway between Seattle and Anchorage. There are no roads to/from Sitka....all transportation is via air or water only. The climate feels coastal to me....not nearly as cold in the winter as Anchorage or Fairbanks. Tons of beautiful evergreen trees, lots of cold water filled with fish, and quite a few small rock outcroppings/islands just off shore. The airport is literally built into the water. The tourist highlights are Totem Park, the Alaska Raptor Rehabilitation Center, sea kaycking, fishing, Saint Michael's Cathedral, along with a ton of other very cool activities. You won't find a Wal Mart or Target nor any large chain stores of any sort....thankfully. We also spent a bit of time actually down in the tide pools taking pictures and looking around at all that is left when the water recedes for a while. And, boy oh boy, when the tide returns, look out....it's a giant tide and comes back in very rapidly. We all couldn't believe how the very land that we were looking around on was completely covered with deep water in less than 30 minute's time. It's very picturesque and a place that I'd love to spend some holiday time in. And on my list now is a stay at the Rockwell Lighthouse.


You'll see all of the photos from my quick layover in Sitka, Alaska, here. It's quite the place. Beauty far beyond any measly words I could dig up to use here. Plus, I'm on my way to work again.....going to Los Angeles and then back as quickly as I can to begin two days off. I'm quite exhausted but wanted to get these amazing pics out to you all. I will update this post later with a few more details.......so stay tuned.

Sitka Bound

I'm actually sort of excited about going to work today. It's a 3-day trip......we overnight in San Diego tonight (after going into Mexico and back). But the really exciting part is that the second night of the trip is in Sitka, Alaska. A place I've been in and out of....and actually spent a couple of nights in back in 1983. But this will be my first overnight in Sitka for working purposes. And I'm really cranked about it! In this picture, you can actually see the dark brown stretch of land on the center left side of the picture....that's the runway at the small airport. The runway extends right out into the water. Sitka's Summer Music Festival is also going on while we're there. And Sitka is home to the Alaska Raptor Center....a place where raptors are rehabilitated and released back into the wild. You can't drive to Sitka. It is accessible only by sea or air -- sort of the middle of nowhere. It's a mystic land of bald eagles, whales, and lots of cold Pacific water. I can hardly wait.

I'm Joining a Cult

I'm joining a cult. I've swore against it for years. I've bad mouthed it. I've cussed it. I've giggled and poked fun at those who were in it. Even my close friends -- of whom there are many. And even the dude that sleeps with me each night. But as time has evolved, I've become interested. And asked questions. And if you know me very well, you know full well that I always do my homework on any new purchase or project -- I rarely dive headfirst into anything. Plus, I travel for a living...and always carry my laptop with me. It's a necessary evil but I love having it around. All of that to say that I've just returned from the AT&T store and completed my preorder of the new iPhone 3GS. Such an amazing piece of technology. So, I'm in. I'll be reporting to my local store at 07:00am on Friday, June 19, to pick mine up -- and will be able to bypass the (apparently) long lines that will be there. So, just like Eve took the the apple from Adam (it was all her fault, you know.....), I've taken the fruit from the tree too. But, of course, that's what you'd expect a fruit to do.....take the fruit, right???