We finally got the home internet hooked up again. All three of us sat around the living room with laptops tonight, eating Chinese food and watching crappy movies. I listened to Hilary’s speech on the internet while Jennifer and Jacob watched Constantine.

No word today from the staffing agency, but I spent a good portion of the day working on my personal statement and recommendations for law school - projects that didn’t require an internet connection.

This evening, I went over to the GLBT Center of Cincinnati for the first 2009 Pride planning meeting. 24 days. It took me 24 days before I agreed to take a major position - this time chairing the Festival subcommittee which includes vendors and food/beverage. I’ll be needing help on the committee, so please let me know if you’re willing to lend a hand. I’d especially love to see some women and/or people of color get involved. The committee is disturbingly lacking in both departments. I’m not going to hold my breath on the transgender front if we can’t even get lesbians to show up.

Anyway, based on my first impressions, I almost wish I were planning to stay longer than a year. There’s so much that could be done in the community, and I’ll do what I can, but the clock is already ticking and this time next year I hope to be telling you all about my first days of law school.

Posted: August 26th, 2008 under Cincinnati, Pride, personal.
Comments: 2

I just got back to Northside after a meeting with a staffing agency that thinks it can help me get placed at a law firm within the week and making a lot more than my minimum acceptable rate. I should know more tomorrow or Wednesday. I just finished taking a series of tests on how to use Microsoft Office, Excel and timed tests on data entry and typing. I’m trying not to feel insulted.

What if I test them on creating pivot tables, or structuring a 180-page 4-color catalog for pre-press, or customizing Word with a unique intra-office style guide that contains words, phrases and grammar rules that differ from the default? I had to take a written test earlier in which they asked me to supply the missing punctuation. I wanted to write them an essay on the healthy debate among grammarians on the Oxford comma and the differences between formal/informal and British/American customs in the placement of punctuation either within or without quotation marks.

Anyway, if it results in a job that pays me well enough to buy a used car, I’ll be happy enough.

I tried calling home to check in with Mom, but she must have been watching a game or something because I got a lot of random “uh-huh … uh-huh” responses from her and not a lot of conversation.

Jeanne, Brian, and Paul came over for dinner last night, so we cleaned the house more than it’s been cleaned since before any of us moved in. I found spiderwebs that may date back to the bronze age in some of the corners. It’s funny, I remember when I was a kid and my mom used to get so upset because we didn’t do simple, seemingly obvious things like wipe down the countertops after we finish doing dishes and splashing grease water all over them. Finally at 31 years I see the common sense. Sorry, Mom.

Jen and Jacob are staying at the Chelsea Hotel when we go to New York next month. Jennifer was telling me a bit of the story of the hotel and I was only half-heartedly listening when suddenly the Leonard Cohen lyric floated through my brain… “I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel/ You were taking so brave and so free/ Giving me head on the unmade bed/ While the limousines wait in the street” (Chelsea Hotel #2). Now I’m jealous. I’m staying in a hostel not far from there, but there are no songs about where I’m going to be staying (except in the sense that there are literally thousands of songs about Manhattan in general).

Which reminds me that it’s time to start on my 2008 NYC iPod playlist. If I have a job by the end of the week, I’ll be booking show tickets, too, which will influence my playlist.

Meanwhile, my favorite rendition of that song comes from my boyfriend Mister Rufus Wainwright.

And since it’s been a while since I did a Music Monday, here’s my favorite tune that references Cincinnati:
Red Foley - Cincinnati’s Dancing Pig - MP3 (uploaded 8/25/08 - no guarantees how long it will stay up)

I have it as a ringtone on my phone, I just haven’t assigned it to anyone yet.

Posted: August 25th, 2008 under music, personal.
Comments: 1

I’m excited for this week’s Democratic National Convention. I don’t know enough about Biden to have a strong opinion yet, but I like what I’ve heard so far. I just want to give him a hair cut.

I think we get our home internet back on Tuesday. I sure hope so. Sidewinder is packed right now for some singer-songwriter show and I’m sitting on the patio out back (without an electrical outlet) listening to DJ Earworm on my headphones.

Last night Jennifer and Jacob went out to some show. I elected to stay home and watch Delovely instead. I like the show, but I wonder if it isn’t too much of a straight gal’s fantasy - the bisexual man who really does love you more than anyone else even though he’s going to have lots and lots of sex with men. Anyway, I’m glad I stayed home, neither Jennifer nor Jacob sounded like they enjoyed it much.

We spent this morning cleaning the house because company is coming over this afternoon. I used to hate doing dishes with the passion of a thousand high-priced prostitutes, but lately, I don’t mind so much. I’d rather lose a testicle than do yard work, though.

Wow, so this is a post without much focus, huh. Sorry, I’m all over the place right now. I’m running out of battery power and not taking much time to edit. This is a little stream-of-consciousness as a result.

I shave my beard off yesterday. It’s been months since I last did that. My face feels naked now. I just hope it helps in the job-getting, because I’ll be mad if I went clean-shaven for no particular reason.

Posted: August 24th, 2008 under personal.
Comments: 1

Well, it looks like we may not get home internet back until next week due to a hilarious series of errors in which all three of us misunderstood what was happening with our wi-fi and ended up canceling the service before we could get it switched to a new service provider. As a result, my blogging will be limited to after-job-hunting from cafes with free wi-fi.

The exciting news at Chateau Shaky Town (I’m trying it out, we need a name for the house) is Rachel Maddow getting her own show on MSNBC. Watching Countdown with Keith Olbermann has become something of a nightly tradition and everyone has gay crushes on both Keith and Rachel. Anderson who?

I’ve started getting some nibbles on the fishing line of the job hunt (how’s that for an awful metaphor?), but nothing that’s solidified into an actual source of income yet. I just hope something firms up soon enough that I don’t freak out about blowing my savings in New York next month. I’ll be in Manhattan September 17-24 to visit law school campuses and see a few shows, although I haven’t bought tickets yet. It’s also the weekend before Jen’s birthday, so she and Jacob are coming up for the same weekend to have some fun.

Anyway, my apologies if posting goes a bit light over the next few days. At least my micro-blogging twitter capabilities aren’t impacted. My phone still works.

Posted: August 20th, 2008 under blogging meta, personal.
Comments: 3

Having once again made the decision to move during the summer, and with law school hopefully starting next year, I’ve accepted that it may be years before I have another opportunity to make my first trip to Burning Man. As long-time readers know, I’ve wanted to go for years, even bought a ticket in 2006, but life keeps on making it impossible.

Still, I can pick up some proxy playa dust by following The Burning Blog, which has been tracking the progress this last week in setting up the camp. Things will really start picking up this week until the big night on August 31. To all my friends on their way to Black Rock City, participate a little for me.

Anyway, I look forward to wistfully watching photos in Flickr slide shows in September.

Posted: August 19th, 2008 under personal.
Comments: none

Some observations:
Small towns are very much the same all over the country. Same fast food joints, same surly woman at every gas station, same confrontational patriotism and Christianity on display in street art or signs. If you want to experience the variety of American culture, stick to the cities. There’s not much that separates Winnemucca, NV from New Point, IN. San Francisco, Reno, Salt Lake, Cheyenne, Omaha, Des Moines, Indianapolis and Cincinnati–on the other hand–all struck me with a different vibe and a different pace.

Cliché as it sounds coming from politicians, you really do have to travel across the country to understand the differences and appreciate the scope of the nation.

Of the states I drove through (California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and a bit of Ohio), Illinois was the overall prettiest. It had the most variety in landscape and stayed consistently interesting from end to end. Every other state was subject to the “too much of a good thing” problem. The buttes and plateaus of Wyoming–for example–are stunning for 15-20 minutes. After 4 hours, you want to drive right off the edge.

The thing about corn… it’s creepy because it’s so unnatural. All those perfectly lined up rows that reach just above your sight-line… I can deal with flat and empty desert, dark mountain forests, violent beaches or crowded cities. Drop me in a corn field and you’ll have to send rescue parties. I’ll be the guy in the fetal position waiting for the demon with Justin Long’s eyes to eat me.

Vegetarians beware! You should either plan to shop in grocery stores along the way or resign yourself to Taco Bell’s 7-layer burritos during the journey.

Gas for journey: $467.30
Lodging: $50.40 (thanks, family, for being appropriately spaced across the nation. If we add someone in central Nebraska, another relative could drive coast-to-coast without paying a dime)
Road trip junk food: *mumble mumble*
Sharing your adventure with friends and family via web 2.0: priceless

(Aaaawwwww…)

Posted: August 6th, 2008 under personal.
Comments: 1

I’m alive! I’ve landed in Cincinnati and I’m 90% unpacked, although I’ve yet to find a routine or do much of anything except unpack boxes and shop for furniture. My room kicks ass, though. I’ll post pictures sometime after my bed is delivered, which won’t be until next week.

Anyway, for those who weren’t following along on Twitter because you’re too lazy or because you stubbornly refuse (…Jacki), here’s the blow-by-blow of my trip.

Monday, July 28, 2008

• Off to pick up the minivan. 08:01 AM
• Packed the van to the ceiling. Hitting the road in 20. 10:26 AM
• iPod is hooked up, food in my belly, leaving my heart in SF (sorry), it’s time to go. 10:47 AM
• First stop in Sacramento, CA to use the restroom at McDonald’s. 12:30 PM
• Weather has changed so much since leaving the city, I had to change into a t-shirt and put on sunblock before continuing. 12:41 PM
• At Donner Pass. Running out of California soon. 02:17 PM
• Donner Pass - It’s Party Time! 02:33 PM
  
  I made it to Donner Pass without resorting to canabalism. (What hitch hiker?)
• In Reno, walking the campus of my alma mater (which is basically closed, of course) 03:13 PM
• …First Born 03:40 PM
  
  Yup, that pretty much says it all. In Reno across from my alma mater.
• Rest Stop near Winnemucca NV 07:13 PM
  
  Now that I don’t live in Nevada, I don’t have to pretend the desert is pretty in its own unique way.
• Sunset in Elko, NV 08:05 PM
  
  I thought I’d have a real dinner instead of road food. “Where is Elko’s nicest restaurant outside of a casino?” I asked. This, apparently, is it. I think I might have more luck at Taco Bell.
• Blurry lights of Wendover, NV 10:09 PM
  
  Blew through Wendover, NV without stopping. Goodbye ugly casinoes, hello Utah.
• Landed in Salt Lake. In my jammies and tucked into my little brother’s bed. Just glancing at the world of internet I missed today. 12:16 AM

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

• Spent the day in Utah visiting family and running some errands. Tried to visit Valerie but she was busy. Did get to spend some time with Michael. But mostly, it was family time.
• How I Woke Up This Morning in Salt Lake City, UT
  
  Never mind that I was driving until 1a.m., my nephew was excited to see me. I woke up to find him leering down at me like this.
• Work out in Salt Lake City, UT 02:20 PM
  
  The kids decided to help me do planks and pushups so I can stay on top of my workout.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

• I don’t miss waiting my turn for the shower in the morning. 06:46 AM
• Hitting the road again. So long SLC. 08:40 AM
• I had to make a stop here. Echo Reservoir, UT 09:41 AM
  
  This is officially the farthest east I have ever personally driven. Beautiful day for it.
• Potty break in Evanston, WY… where it’s legal to buy and sell porn again. 10:22 AM
• Green River, WY
  
  Stopped for lunch in Green River, WY
• Outside Little America WY 11:45 AM
  
  I can’t describe how different and wrong it feels to be seeing the Rockies from the other side and flatness stretching out ahead. It’s a little like having a wall torn out of a house you’ve lived in your entire life. Anyway, I’m officially on roads that are brand new to me from here on. The adventure begins.
• How far do I have to travel to stop seeing mountain man statues? 04:57 PM
  
  In Cheyenne, WY, looking for the only comic book store withing 300+ miles.
• Found the comics store. A guy with 3 tables in an otherwise vacant storefront. Now to eat. 05:09 PM
• North Platte, NE - officially in Central time now.
  
  Stopping for the night in thrilling Northe Platte, NE where I could maybe get wireless internet from the neighboring motel if I get restless - or I can use the computer in the lobby.
• At some dive bar in North Platte, NE watching a 16yo play pool, a fat girl make out with a totally hot guy, and missing smoking. 09:43 PM

Thursday, July 31, 2008

• Moment of panic when I saw my computer and half my stuff missing from my van. Then I realized that I was looking at same make/model as mine. 06:38 AM
• Just saved $0.20/gallon by crossing the river and driving 4 blocks from the freeway. 06:47 AM
• History is written by… (near Kearny, NE) 08:03 AM
  
  Morning coffee kicked in, so I had to stop at a rest area where I found this delightfully racist informational placard all about the hostile Cheyenne Indians killing innocent white folk and the brave soldiers who came to the rescue.
• Archway Monument Kearny, NE 09:10 AM
  
  “When,” I ask myself, “am I ever likely to be here again?” So I stopped at the Archway Monument in Kearny, NE
• Words I never expected to say: “I’m in Omaha.” It’s bigger than I thought. 11:49 AM
• Lincoln was prettier, but the I-80 construction dissuaded me from stopping for lunch. 11:50 AM
• Omaha, NE gas prices
  
  Mom is paying $4.15 in Salt Lake. It was even worse in San Francisco. Why is gas so much cheaper in Nebraska?
• Corn! Welcome to Iowa. 12:55 PM
  
  20 minutes into Iowa and I already think corn is creepy.
• More corn just passed Des Moines, IA. 03:18 PM
  
  Look, it’s significantly more corn! I still find it creepy.
• Last week’s delivery didn’t go so well… 04:47 PM
  
  Must. Resist. Easy. Joke… (same rest stop as previous photo)
  It reads: Vending machines operated by the Iowa Department for the Blind.
• Having dinner with my sister, niece, brother and brother-in-law 05:57 PM

Friday, August 1, 2008

• Spent another day with family. Jayne’s family lives in Iowa, so I got to see my niece Alexia and my baby brother (not so baby anymore) Jared because he’s staying with them for the summer. We spent much of the day at the Amana Colonies (a group of settlements of German Pietists) shopping for goods made by religious isolationists.
  
• Just got my butt kicked in Scrabble by my niece who finished kindergarten last May. Spending the day with family near Iowa City. 07:58 AM
• Fashion Amana Colonies style 03:18 PM
  
  Jared is trying to pick out school clothes.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

• On the road again. Last leg of the trip, Iowa City to Cincinnati. 06:03 AM
• Crossing the Mississippi 08:07 AM
  
  Celebrated crossing the Mississippi River by stopping for a short morning hike on Sylvan Island in Moline, IL
• Peoria, IL… actual place 10:23 AM
  
  Driving through (or techincally around) Peoria reminded me of all the years I spent thinking Peoria was a made-up name, like a punchline to a joke. And also how much time I’ve spent believing in places that really are fictional (heaven, middle earth, Alabama).
• Crossing into Indiana. Shout out to @bilerico and the best damn queer blog from Indiana or otherwise. One state line left to go. 12:32 PM
• Indiana Welcome Center… the disappointment continues 01:06 PM
  
  I’ve now visited truck stops and roadside rest areas in 8 states and once again porn has mislead me. I haven’t been propositioned by a single burly truck driver. And don’t get me started on the lack of corn-fed farmboys flahing their junk suggestively in the urinals.
• Last stop in Indianapolis to refuel, eat crap, and stretch legs… then on to Cincy (home… feels weird) 02:18 PM
• Yes, we all merged into the unmoving lanes so you could speed down the empty lanes to the point where you absolutely have to merge. 02:35 PM
• I have arrived in Cincinnati. What no palm fronds and a mule? 04:44 PM
• Celebrating my arrival 08:35 PM
  
  Jennifer is excited I’m here. Really. It’s just that she’s got this big presentation on Monday…
  The place rocks. Pictures will follow after unpacking.

I’m sure it will surprise nobody that there are even more pictures. You can see the whole Cross-Country Adventure set on Flickr.

Also, thanks to those of you who commented on Twitter, Flickr, Facebook, etc. The drive may have been long and boring in the days before Web 2.0, but I found myself often entertained even when I was by myself.

Posted: August 4th, 2008 under Cincinnati, personal.
Comments: 1

Today was our staff outing to the Giants game. Also known as “get drunk on the company dime during work hours” day. The game went pretty much as I expected - slow and boring without much to do. So I had a couple drinks, ate nasty ballpark food, and finished reading this week’s comic book bounty. I got mocked for reading X-Men in the middle of a ball game, but I didn’t really care. It was hot, I was in the sun, and I’d had two big mixed drinks already.

To my surprise, though, the game got somewhat interesting in the end. After the Giants score in the 8th, the final inning was fairly dramatic as the Nationals got runners to 2nd and 3rd base with one out. After the Giants got their second out off a pop fly, the whole crowd was literally on their feet for the last batter.

Anyway, I had good time with some of my friends from the office and followed the day with a salad for dinner at Harvey’s in the Castro. I think I’m going to try and hit some of my favorite spots over the last few days, which means I need to plan a trip to Lower Haight for veggie sausage, Fisherman’s Wharf for clam chowder, and Upper Haight for noodles. I don’t know that I time to fit all those trips in.

Tomorrow night I’m doing the farewell drinks with coworkers past and present at Ginger’s in the Financial District. Ginger Trois has become the official unofficial place for parting drinks when Out & Equal staffers part ways with the organization.

Days like today, when the sun is out and I’m having fun, make me certain I’m really going to miss this city.

Posted: July 24th, 2008 under San Francisco, personal.
Comments: none

The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - that you’d thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person you’ve never met, maybe even someone long dead. And it’s as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.

- Hector in The History Boys

Just finished watching The History Boys on DVD and, like the novels of Alan Hollinghurst, it makes me suspect that I missed my true destiny as an overeducated private school queer teenager from London in the early 80s. I don’t know why I’m surprised that I enjoyed the movie and was touched - that is what all the reviews said to expect. Maybe I’m getting cynical in my old age.

Anyway, had a fun phone conversation with Jennifer tonight. Too much thinking about the fact that that if you go strictly by the numbers, my circle of friends are so far ahead of the curve on understanding logical reasoning and basic IQ that it seems unreal to us how poorly informed the “average” person is. Yeah, I know how egotistical that sounds. Anyway, we decided that stupidity accounts for the success of the Republican party.

I’m going to a Giants game tomorrow. It’s this whole work outing thing. It’s my first Giants game (and, really, my first professional sporting event since I was a kid) and I guess it’s cool that I’m doing it at least once before I leave the city. Whatever, it’s a great excuse to skip most of a work day.

Speaking of physical activity, in an effort to use as many of my pre-paid training sessions as possible, Ben has had me in the gym every day this week. He also decided it’s time to push the weight training. Can I just tell you that holding my arms up to type this is painful. I think tomorrow is going to be worse.

Posted: July 23rd, 2008 under movies, personal.
Comments: none

Explanation: At the request of my mother, I’ve made my last post private for the time being, which means I can still see it, but you cannot. I’m not especially happy to be doing this, but the consensus seems to be that I’m being an unsympathetic ass.

Warning: I’m never, ever doing this again. Sorry, Mom, but I never started this blog for you or any of my sisters to read. Ever since you all started watching it regularly, I’ve been censoring and softballing my opinions and stories on everything from religion to my sex life, and I’m not going to do it any more. So this is the warning, if you or any of my sisters fear that you will be upset by what I have to say or write, don’t read.

Explanation #2: Judging by the various comments, emails, IMs, and other questions, I’ve been unclear about what is going on in my life the last few weeks, so let me recap…

A few weeks ago, I gave notice at my job. There are a lot of reasons for this, which I’ll go into later, but let me add to the above explanation that at this point in my life, I’m an angry, angry man with a lot of pent up rage looking for an outlet.

Upon giving notice at my job, I had to make a choice - find another job in San Francisco ASAP, or take Jennifer up on her offer of a roof, great friends and a lot of support as I finish the law school applications. I love San Francisco and have never felt more “at home” anywhere. Despite that, I decided to move to Cincinnati. It’s an adventure because I’ve never even visited Cincy before, but besides Jen and Jacob, I also know a handful of other Cincinnatians. Plus, it will be closer to many of the law schools I’m interested in and it’s a lot less expensive to live there.

So the plan (warning: Mom is gonna hate this)… get a job that pays just enough to cover my bills and living expenses. Ideally, something entry-level in a law office, but I wouldn’t say no to working as a part time barista or bartender or something like that. Either way, I want low-stress and low-responsibility. Meanwhile, I’ve got 2-3 months to finish my personal statements, follow-up on letters of recommendation, do more program research, and get everything in order.

I’m driving across the country starting July 28, planning to land in Cincinnati the weekend of August 1.

Anyway, that should bring everyone up to speed. Sorry if I’ve been vague and confusing.

Posted: July 14th, 2008 under Mi Familia, personal.
Comments: 2