The Bread Offered to God

I am not sure if anyone watches BRAVO, but right now (for me) the ONLY reason to watch is "Tabatha's Salon Takeover". She's hysterical, she's gorgeous, she's a total bitch - but she's always right! I love her!

And Days of Auld Lang Syne....part 2

Should Old Aquaintance Be Forgot, and Never Brought to Mind?

I just wanted to take a moment to post some pics from my past, and the past year - sort of as a thanks to my friends and family for all of the love that they give me! I love you all. Happy New Year!

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

Can you believe it is only 3 days from 2010?! I love this time of year. From Thanksgiving to New Year's Day - it's always been a joyful and magical time for me. I love the cold weather, the snow (which we thankfully got!), the holiday decorations - it's all just so amazing. Who would have thought that after over 20 years into this career of mine, that I would still LOVE to decorate for Christmas? I love getting a tree, and decorating it. Hell, I even decorate my Mom's tree!! (that might have more to do with her wanting her gay son to decorate!) I will admit that I suffer from a small amount of sadness when it's time to take the decorations down. It just feels wrong. This week, I have to start removing the Xmas decorations from our stores, and that makes me sad as well. It's just like the scene in "Mommy Dearest" where Joan Crawford has everyone cutting her ex's face out of all of the photos - and Christina says "If Mommy doesn't like you anymore, she makes you disappear." It seems that everyone feels the same way about their Christmas decor! Christmas is over. NEXT!

I spent 4 days with my family in Hanover, PA - and it was so nice! It's always nice to get away from the craziness of city life, and make my way back home. Of course, Mom fed me like I hadn't eaten in weeks! It didn't help either that she had a ton of christmas cookies that were calling my name! She kept trying to get me to take some cookies home with me - but I'd already eaten too many. My brother Brad and I went together and bought Mom a small electric fireplace for her family room (which is always too cold). I got to see some of my sisters and brothers, and even got to see my cousin Natalie, who lives in southern maryland. The day I was leaving, my Mom, Natalie and I went to visit my brother-in-law Pat. Pat has inoperable brain cancer - and they gave him only a few more weeks to live. It's so damned sad - he's the nicest guy. He's always been so sweet to my sister and their kids, he's a hard worker, and never complained. So, it makes you wonder why someone like Pat can be afflicted with such a horrible thing, and yet there are assholes everywhere! Life is not fair.

After my boyfriend Danny and I got back from New York City, we exchanged our christmas gifts early, because he was spending his holiday with his family in Mississippi. He never ceases to amaze me. He is quite the romantic. He gave me the Charlie Brown DVD boxed set, and gave me 2 Xmas ornaments - 1 was the Empire State building (to commemorate our trip to NYC), and the 2nd was a snowball (referencing the huge snowfall we had that same weekend) I was quite touched. I got him a cashmere scarf, and a silver chain with a ring on it that was engraved in Italian, saying "il mio cuore e tuo per sempre" which means "My heart is yours forever". (sweet, huh?) What can I say? When I am in a good relationship, and I am happy, I am an excellent boyfriend! Danny makes me happier than I have been in years! He's very easy to love. He comes home tomorrow and I couldn't be happier!!

Thursday is New Year's Eve!! Danny and I will be celebrating by having a nice, romantic dinner at City Cafe. Afterwards, it's up in the air as to what we'll be doing. If we feel like continuing to celebrate, we'll probably head to the Hippo to dance and ring in the New Year. But, there's always the possibility of us ringing in the New Year in with a bang at home too! Woooo! LOL

Monday, January 4th is my 44th birthday! I sort of can't believe it. I mean, I don't feel like I am 44. I have all of these memories, and photos from my past, so I know I am 44, but I just don't feel it. (which is great!) I guess it also helps that I don't look my age either. I am constantly told I look younger than my baby brother - who is 41 - but he's totally grey now. The whole shaved head thing is really working in my favor! Danny is taking me to dinner on saturday, the 2nd of January - to Woodberry Kitchen! I have ALWAYS wanted to eat there, so it's so sweet of my man to take me. He really is thoughtful and always romantic.

Ok, so this year I think my friend Dan and I are going to become Karaoke freaks! We both have this bug where we want to sing songs that are not typical karaoke songs! Like old Bowie songs "Space Oddity" and "Changes". Every now and then, we sing "Space Oddity" on the MARC -which I am sure annoys the hell out of people. But who cares? And we seem to be able to harmonize REALLY well. I keep telling him I want to sing Heart's "Alone" as a duet. Man, I really want to fuck with peoples' heads! Everytime I hear a song that's really "out there", I think "Could this work in karaoke?". LOL Does anyone have any suggestions? Dan? Chandra?

I am not 100% sure that I'll be posting again before thursday, so Happy New Year!! My resolutions are to get in shape again, and to either make sure I'm happy in my current job, or to get a new job!

Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have a vision now and then
Of a world where every neighbour is a friend
Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
If we don't we might as well lay down and die
You and I

Happy New Year!!

The Sermon on the Mount: True Happiness

This past weekend was filled with MANY amazing times - including a trip to NYC with Danny, and a glorious snowstorm!

Shining As Lights in the World

I wanted to apologize, I somehow managed to erase the title of my last blog! (I'm a total doofus!) So, I hope you enjoy it - just don't critique me too bad for forgetting! lol.

Also, I tried to place multiple photos in my last post, but it wouldn't let me place them where I wanted. They all were placed at the top, so I restarted the posting (which is probably when I accidentally erased the title!) The pic to the right is the 2nd pic I was trying to post - it's me with my boyfriend Danny. (so cute!)

Happy Holidays!!

A Life That Pleases God

Christmas is coming - and it's coming soon! I am very excited. This time of year always puts me in the best of moods. This past weekend, my entire family got together to celebrate and early Christmas. My sister Geri lives in Houston, TX - and we planned our party to coincide with her visit. We also managed to squeeze in a visit to a local photographer to have our family portrait taken. We all wore green - and even though it was several shades of green, it somehow turned out great. The entire process took all of 25 minutes. I was just amazed. Afterwards, we got together for dinner at Brad's house. It was nice, and filled with laughter. This was also the weekend that the family got to meet Danny. I am sure - even though he denies it - that he was petrified! I mean, how could he not be? My family is HUGE! The photo to the left shows my sisters and brothers and my Mom, but not their spouses, their kids, their kid's kids. Oy! So many people showed up! But it was a great time. There's something about being with my family that brings me peace - and has me laughing my ass off. I got teary-eyed as we were leaving - my entire family hugged Danny good-bye. That meant a LOT to me!

Tomorrow, Danny and I go on our first major trip together. We're going to NYC to see the lights, the department store windows, and to shop, and ice skate either at the Rockefeller Ice Rink or in Central Park! I CAN NOT WAIT! We're staying at the Hilton on 42nd Street off Times Square. I got the room for free - I just knew that traveling for 6 years straight would someday yield a benefit! The only (literally the only) downer is that the temperature will be in the low 30s during the day and low 20s or teens at night!! Yikes! I am packing long underwear for both Danny and I - mostly for me though - because apparently I do not have the ability to stay warm! lol. I'll be wearing my trapper hat - so be forewarned that there will be pics posted of me wearing it! There's so many parts of the city I want to see - I just hope we have the time. I want to go the Greenwich Village, SoHo, Midtown, Central Park - and I am dying to see the store windows. (I HAVE to do that - I mean, I've done Visual for 20 years! How can I miss the windows?!)

If I don't post again before Christmas, I wish you a VERY merry Christmas!!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree....

So here it is - my 9 foot tall Christmas tree! Isn't she a beauty? There really is nothing like a real pine tree - the smell is amazing! I just wanted to share this image with you. I am just so proud of how it turned out.

Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings, and Happy Solstice!

An Example of Just and Fair Punishment

It snowed today - the first snowfall of the winter here in Baltimore! It's almost a laugh though. It snowed all damned day, and we have nothing to show for it. *sigh* It's a big kick in the ass. Mother Nature is definitely laughing at us. The last time we had any significant snowfall was in 2006. I remember because I was living downtown, near the 1st Mariner Center in the Centerpoint Apartments. I was dating Tom, and we watched the snow falling from the apartment window. It was really romantic. I also remember because I thought it was so sweet that he drove all the way to my place from Towson in the snow - after I flew in from Los Angeles. But here I sit, bitter, because we got cheated once again from having a proper snowfall. Everyone keeps saying "this is the year!" - like they have some inside info on what's about to happen. Everyone seems to think we'll get a bad snowfall this year because it's been so long since our last big storm. For everyone I have 2 words: Global Warming. 'Nuff said. I think if I want a truly white Christmas, I'm going to have to plan a trip to somewhere it's guaranteed to snow - like Maine, or Vermont, or Canada. Or maybe even Scandanavia. lol

So I am headed to NYC for the first time in over 6 years!! I can't wait! Danny (my boyfriend) and I are headed up for 2 days - but I am very excited! I think New York City is an amazing place, but the only time I really enjoy it is during the Holiday season. I love seeing the department store windows, and the hustle and bustle of city life - but I also intend on ice skating at Rockefeller Plaza, AND (this is where I get REALLY hokey) we want to try to get on the TODAY show. LMAO. Can you stand it? I did get us a free room at the Hilton on 42nd street (I just knew all of that travel I did for 6 years would benefit me somehow!!) - so I am very excited. I used to just go up for the day, but this time we'll actually have time to enjoy things, and shop, and eat at nice restaurants. So, obviously, we're very excited. If there was time (and unlimited cash flow), I'd love to see a Broadway show. We'll see. I suppose we could stand in line and try to get cheap tickets. Hopefully we'll see snow there!

Next weekend, (on saturday the 12th to be precise) my family is getting a portrait taken. The last time we had a family photo taken professionally was in December of 2000. It was a difficult year, because our father had passed away in March of 2000. After much "discussion" (or arguing, you decide), we all decided to listen to the gay one (ME!), and all wear black. This came after many diatribes on what color to wear. My family is close, but we're all different. In older photos, our clothing styles and colors clashed - BIG TIME! So, after many complaints, they finally decided to put their trust in me. The photos turned out amazing. For the first time, no one could say they looked bad, or too fat. It was an epiphany! The gay one knows what he's talking about! Well, for this photo, I tried to get everyone to do the same - but after many more complaints about black, we decided to opt for another color. I suggested white. ("I'll never keep it clean" said a few - well then DON'T eat an italian meal before the photo!!) So that was vetoed. *sigh* A sister suggested burgundy - my reply was "No way in Hell!" (never worn it, never will) Color after color, and many discussions later, we came up with dark green. Finally, we had a winner! I still make it known that I think black was and will remain the best color, but I am one against 8. So, next saturday, we're sitting down for a session in Hanover, PA - my 5 sisters, 2 brothers, my mother, and I. I am hoping for the best. I think we all look pretty damned good for our ages. Afterwards, there will be a big family meal. And on sunday, we're doing an early Christmas party - because my sister Geri and her family will be visiting from Houston. So, there will be 2 Christmases this year for me. I am also trying to decide whether or not I want to have a Christmas Cocktail Party. Perhaps on the 20th? I'll have to mull it over.