O Precipício

2007-08-21T13:07:00.000-04:00

Those were the days!

2007-08-17T11:57:00.000-04:00

Down One Stone

That is 14 pounds. And almost two inches around the waist. In less than two months. All due to the intense fitness regimen of the NSH and me. So maybe some people think we are crazy going to the gym twice a day (!), or running our circuits around the gym (5 minutes of cardio, followed by 1 set of chest, 1 set of shoulders, 1 set of back, 5 minutes of cardio again, followed by 1 set of biceps, 1 set of triceps, 1 set of abs; repeat the entire process again, five times!) like sweating, highly focused lunatics, but it has paid off.

I may even wear a sunga, for the first time in almost two years, at the beach next weekend. If I keep up the progress, I may even wear one during my visit here in four weeks.

2007-08-14T12:20:00.000-04:00

Happy-ness!

Oliver at his birthday picnic this past Saturday, sporting the Aloha cabana set his Uncle brought him from Honolulu.

2007-08-10T10:39:00.000-04:00

تسا عاملات سلوبس حمقاء سمينة

(TSA agents are stupid, fat slobs)

Did you know it is against the law to wear clothing with Arabic lettering on an airplane in the United States? Read the following from an ACLU press release (and weep).

ACLU Sues TSA Official, JetBlue for Discriminating Against Passenger Wearing Arabic T-Shirt

U.S. Government Silences "We Will Not Be Silent" T-Shirt

NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union and New York Civil Liberties Union today filed a federal civil rights lawsuit charging that a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) official and JetBlue Airways illegally discriminated against an American resident based solely on the Arabic message on his t-shirt and his ethnicity.
JetBlue and the TSA official, identified as "Inspector Harris," would not let Raed Jarrar board his flight at John F. Kennedy Airport until he agreed to cover his t-shirt, which read "We Will Not Be Silent" in English and Arabic script. According to the complaint, Harris told Jarrar that it is impermissible to wear an Arabic shirt to an airport and equated it to a "person wearing a t-shirt at a bank stating, ‘I am a robber.'"
"It is a dangerous and slippery slope when we allow our government to take away a person's rights because of his speech or ethnic background," said Reginald Shuford, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU's Racial Justice Program. "Racial profiling is illegal and ineffective and has no place in a democratic society."
Jarrar, an architect and political analyst of Arabic descent, has lived in the United States since 2005 with his wife, who is an American citizen. On August 12, 2006, Jarrar attempted to fly on JetBlue from New York to Oakland, California, where he lived at the time. Although Jarrar successfully cleared two security checkpoints, he was approached by Inspector Harris while waiting at the boarding gate. Harris brought Jarrar to the JetBlue counter and told him that he would have to remove his shirt because other passengers were not comfortable with the Arabic script.
"It was clear that Mr. Jarrar was not a security threat and was singled out solely because of his ethnicity and the constitutionally protected speech on his t-shirt," said Aden Fine, an ACLU senior staff attorney who represents Jarrar. "Rather than censor Raed, the TSA official and Jet Blue should have assured any uncomfortable passengers that there was absolutely no public safety or security risk. We hope this case sends the message to TSA officials and to airlines that they cannot discriminate against passengers because of their race or the content of their speech."
Jarrar attempted to assert his constitutional right to wear the t-shirt, but became intimidated after he was surrounded by Harris and several JetBlue officials. He worried he would miss his flight or be arrested and detained indefinitely. The lead JetBlue customer service crewmember stated that she would buy Jarrar a new shirt to wear on top of his own t-shirt as a "compromise." Left with no other choice, Jarrar reluctantly agreed, and was allowed on the plane only after the JetBlue agents ripped up his boarding pass and changed his seat from the front of the plane to the very back of the plane. He was then forced to board the plane first, even before disabled passengers and those traveling with children.
"I believe it is my right and responsibility as a new U.S. resident and taxpayer to fight for my freedoms and for the right of all people in this country to be free of discrimination," said Jarrar, who is currently employed with the American Friends Service Committee, an organization committed to peace and social justice. "It was not my goal to offend anyone with my t-shirt, but it is a shame that racial profiling and censorship are still rampant in America's airports."
The ACLU said Jarrar's case is part of a disturbing pattern of discriminatory acts at airports against individuals perceived to be Arab, especially those engaged in expressive activities that visibly display their ethnic background or religious faith. According to the Department of Transportation, it has received complaints of discrimination by air carriers every month from January 2002 to June 2007, the last month for which statistics are available. Several of those discrimination complaints have been lodged against JetBlue.
The ACLU filed the complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The complaint charges that TSA Inspector Harris and JetBlue violated Jarrar's civil rights under the First and Fifth Amendments and federal, state and city anti-discrimination laws.
In addition to Fine and Shuford, attorneys in this case are: Dennis Parker, Director of the ACLU Racial Justice Program, and Palyn Hung of the NYCLU.
More information, including a copy of the complaint, video and photographs, is online at: www.aclu.org/wewillnotbesilent

2007-08-07T23:01:00.000-04:00

Prix Fixe Sans AC

Tonight my good friend Todd and I decided to taste the delights of Restaurant Week in DC and headed to one of my favorite restaurants. The food was fantastic, but, unfortunately there was no air conditioning, on the hottest day of the year and in an unventilated second floor dining room. The waitress, who was charming and pretty, apologized profusely, noting that the AC had been broken for the past two days. I wondered why it took two days for a well-established and upscale restaurant in the capital of the world's only superpower to fix its cooling system when it took me, a common citizen, less than three hours to fix the AC at my house. Todd noted that he had had his AC in Rangoon fixed in less than 24 hours, and that was in an oppressive and inefficient Third World Military Dictatorship.

We concluded that, since the restaurant was only making $30.07 per three-course meal during Restaurant Week, they just turned the AC off to save money. I was sweating profusely before the appetizers arrived and my shirt was soaked through by dessert. One of the windows was opened on the initiative of some of our fellow diners about half way through our main course, admitting a "cool breeze" from outside, where the temperature hovered around 90 F. We hinted to the waitress that they may want to open more of the windows, but she just smiled vaguely and nodded her head. They just didn't get it or didn't care.

When we left the restaurant at 9:50 p.m., Todd and I decided to go to a climate-controlled coffee shop for an iced coffee, but three different Starbucks were all already closed. DC -- The City that Always Sleeps.

2007-08-06T15:49:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Mini-Me!

My nephew Oliver is one today -- this is him at breakfast this morning. He is actually beginning to look much more like his dad than his uncle, so he might not be "mini-me" for long.

2007-08-06T12:43:00.000-04:00

American Psyche: "Structurally Deficient"

On Friday evening, as I drove south through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, I was simply amazed that the entire structure didn't collapse when I was half-way through, hurtling my friend's BMW SUV into the miasma of the dark stinky waters of the nation's 15th largest port, as flying chunks of that prosaic bathroom tile with which they line the curved walls of the tunnel, myriad flourescent light bulbs, and hundreds of random vehicles swirled around me.

It is a miracle I survived. I thank Jesus.

As of this morning, the tunnel is still there, apparently. People continue to drive through it, as we speak, ignorant of the immense risk they are taking with their lives.

2007-08-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

Their Ways Are Not Our Ways

"Above all we must remember that the ways of the Orientals are not our ways, nor their thoughts our thoughts. Often when we think them backward and stupid, they think us meddlesome and absurd. The loom of time moves slowly with them, and they care not for high pressure and the roaring of the wheels. Our system may be good for us; but it is neither equally, not altogether good for them. Satan found it better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven; and the normal Asiatic would sooner be misgoverned by Asiatics than well governed by Europeans."

Lord Curzon, 1889, after traveling through Mesopotamia and Persia

2007-08-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Summertime

2007-07-30T14:59:00.000-04:00

A Night in Marrakesh

(The restaurant on New York Avenue, that is)

Last week my colleagues and I enjoyed some mediocre Moroccan-ish food, served by a corpulent and jolly lady in a flowing purple kaftan, who, when asked, "Are you Moroccan?," replied, "Yes, I am from Lebanon!" There was also a belly dancer. What would Osama think?

2007-07-30T11:51:00.000-04:00

....In All The Wrong Places

Last night I deleted my Manhunt profile. I have to confess to having spent way too much time over the last couple of months logged on to that site, and, no offense to some of the sweet and decent folks with whom I chatted there, it really was a royal waste of time (and often self-esteem).

Truth be told, I met John, my last boyfriend, via MH (while we first actually encountered each other on Friendster, it took a chat on MH to spark an actual meeting in person -- although it was a proper dinner date. All my friends only ever heard the Friendster part -- there, the truth is out!). So, I think, subconsciously, I figured I could meet someone like John on MH again. But meeting John through MH was an anomoly (and a blessing), and unlikely to be repeated. Seems 99.35 percent of the guys on MH are either just lookin' to get busy and/or socially maladjusted and/or assholes.

While the Internet proved fruitful in finding a Prince once, it's likely to only yield frogs going forward. And, besides, I'm just getting too old for that shit. So, I have logged off and am moving on.

2007-07-29T16:56:00.000-04:00

Scariest Headline of the Week:

"There Will Be 2.1 Million New Homeland Security Jobs By 2015: Don't Miss Out"

(In an employment ad in today's Washington Post)

By the way, have you all had your requisite dosage of Epigallocatechin Gallate today? This erstwhile mystery nutrient is advertised prominently on the can of Hansen's Diet Green Tea Tangerine Soda that I am drinking.

2007-07-23T15:48:00.000-04:00

Vive La Premiere Dame!
Vive Ses Cheveux Extraordinaires!!!

Above is a photo of Madame Chantal Biya, First Lady of Cameroon

Here she is on a State Visit to Japan, accompanied by a much more subduedly coiffed Empress Michiko

And here she is with our "esteemed" Premiere Dame as well. So terribly sincere that look of warm affection.

2007-07-23T13:15:00.000-04:00

New Tallest Building EVER

As of yesterday, The Burj Dubai (برج دبي ), currently at 1,680 feet, is the tallest building in the world, surpassing Taipei 101 in Taiwan. The Burj Dubai will not be completed until the end of 2008, by which time a further 1,004 feet will be added.

2007-07-17T14:41:00.000-04:00

Jogos Panamericanos

If you rely on American media for your news, even your sports news, you probably aren't even aware that this major international sporting competition is taking place in Rio for the next two weeks.

As of this morning, the U.S. led in medals, with 36, followed by Canada with 20, and Cuba and Brazil in third with 16 medals each.

2007-07-13T10:34:00.000-04:00

Survey Says....

I pulled the following questionnaire from this cool blog.

1. LA or New York: New York
2. Red or white wine: Usually white
3. What's something a member of the same gender can wear to turn you on: A sunga
4. What's something a member of the same gender can wear to turn you off: Pleats
5. Who was the last person you kissed: that Tunisian guy in Montreal
6. Favorite cuss word: bugger off
7. Favorite non-alcoholic drink: Fresca
8. Blonds or brunets: Brunets, of course
9. What's something you always have on you: IPod
10. Do you stay awake in bed thinking or do you fall asleep fast: Stay awake thinking, absent an Ambien
11. What celebrity would you like to fight most: I don't understand this question
12. What's the last thing that made you cry or get teary eyed: Listening to one of John's ITunes gifts to me
13. What's your favorite holiday: Christmas
14. What are you listening to right now: cackling laughter of colleagues
15. Are your parents still together: No
16. If you inherited $20 million, what are the first 5 things you'd do with the money:
a. Quit my day job
b. Move to South America
c. Start a business
d. Buy my parents a house anywhere they wanted to live
e. Start a trust fund for my nephew
17. What was the best year of your life: 2006
18. Why: Two months in Brazil, finished Master's program, fabulous new job, fell in love with amazing man.
19. Have you ever flown first class: Of course.
20. Who was your first real kiss: John, during Second Year at UVa
21. What are you SUPPOSED to be doing right now: packing up to move to my new office
22. Pro life or pro choice: Pro-choice, of course
23. Favorite physical feature on the same sex: muscular, hairy forearms
24. How old are you today: 42
25. Who do you have a crush on that doesn't know it yet: A guy who works out at my gym every morning
26. Best movie you've seen this year:"Amores Possiveis" a Brazilian film.
27. Ever been in love: Yes
28. Who makes you laugh the most: my friend Todd
29. Where do you want to be living in 20 years: Outside the United States
30. What was the last CD you downloaded:"Chocolate Deluxe," Taylor M.
31. South Park or The Simpson's: Simpson's
32. Breakfast, lunch or dinner: Dinner
33. When was the last time you talked to your mom: Yesterday
34. American, cheddar or swiss cheese: Swiss
35. Are you sleepy: No
36. When was the last time you were drunk: In Portugal in May
37.What do you want on your tombstone: Just my name
38. Your name spelled backwards: Odraud
39. What was the last thing downloaded on your computer: Photos of my nephew
40. Your favorite restaurant: Gerard's Place
41. Are you in love: Not at the monent
42. What type of music do you dislike most: Gangsta shit
43. Are you registered to vote: Of course
44. Do you have a car: Yes, and it's paid for
45. One thing you want right now: A husband
46. Ever prank call anyone: Yes
47. If you could be a famous person for a day who would you be: The Prince William
48. Would you go bungee jumping or skydiving: Skydiving
49. Favorite Cocktail: Greyhound
50. Where do you want to be in 5 years: Where I am now, but happier and richer

2007-07-12T13:32:00.000-04:00

Dark Ages Washington

I stayed up past my bedtime last night reading "Dark Ages America," a thoroughly depressing and captivating read. The author tells many anecdotes illustrating the lack of community and general callousness of Americans, but in particular among residents of Washington DC, home to some of the most selfish and self-absorbed people on the planet. He relates the story of a female friend, "Jane," who went sailing with a singles group on Chesapeake Bay. About two hours into the afternoon one of the other women on board accidently let go of the rope that held one of the sails taut. It whiplashed out and coiled around Jane's leg, inflicting a third degree burn. She was knocked flat and turned white. Instead of heading for shore and getting Jane to an ER, the happy-go-lucky singles mixed another pitcher of margaritas and socialized among themselves as Jane lay prostrate on the deck. When the boat finally docked two hours later, they wished Jane "luck" with her injury and let Jane drive herself to the hospital (a full hour's drive away).

It reminded me of an incident that happened to me back in January. It was about 10 days after my boyfriend had died (suddenly and unexpectedly) and I was making my first trip back to the gym. The day before I had spoken to a friend of mine about John's death and he told me he had been discussing the shock of it all with two of his friends (both of whom I knew well and neither one of whom I particularly liked). So, when I saw one of the two approaching me, let's just call him "the Blair Witch Project," while I was running on the treadmill, I assumed he was going to offer me his sympathies. I took out my IPod earphones and smiled at him. Instead, he looked me in the eye as if he had never met me before and asked me, with great indignation, when I was going to be finished with the machine (he had signed up for the wrong piece of equipment, it turns out.). Shocked by this, I was able to blurt out that I had the machine for the next 30 minutes, pointing to the sign-up board, and he stormed off. No apology for getting it wrong, no condolences for the death of my boyfriend. Basically, no humanity.

It reminds me of Harry Truman's famous line about DC, "You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog."

2007-07-09T11:34:00.000-04:00

Dark Ages America

I just started reading an excellent, but depressing book -- Morris Berman's "Dark Ages America: The Final Phase of Empire." Berman is able to articulate a lot of the concerns and worries I have had about the declining ethical state of the U.S. and the destruction we are causing and instigating around the world. Because this country is incapable of self-criticism or self-reflection, we are doomed to be marginalized in the world in the next few decades, our hegemony replaced by China, the European Union, or some other alliance of emerging powers. Berman also shows how undemocratic a country we have become, reverting to a type of "procedural republic," and suggests, I think convincingly, that we may be just one terrorist attack away from becoming a police state. You can read other reviews here.

2007-07-06T11:42:00.000-04:00

Se você quiser eu vou te dar um amor
Desses de cinema
Não vai te faltar carinho,
Plano ou assunto ao longo do dia

Se você quiser eu largo tudo
E vou pro mundo com você, meu bem
Nessa nossa estrada
Só terá belas praias e cachoeiras

Aonde o vento é brisa
Onde não haja quem possa
Com a nossa felicidade
Vamos brindar a vida meu bem
Aonde o vento é brisa
E o céu claro de estrelas
O que a gente precisa
É tomar um banho de chuva,um banho de chuva

Ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, aaaaaaai
Ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, aaaaaaai
Ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, aaaaaaai
Ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, ai, aaaaaaai

2007-07-05T10:13:00.000-04:00

Six Months

This is a hard day for me -- John died six months ago today.

He gave me a huge gift -- of unconditional love

-- which I still keep close to my heart.

But the loss is nonetheless very painful.

Will I find another one like him?

2007-07-04T20:20:00.000-04:00

Homolulu?!

How Very Very Dare You!!!

2007-07-04T19:13:00.000-04:00

New Condo, New Friends, Old Friends, New Cocktail

Last night I started my 4th of July festivities by attending the housewarming party for my friend JB, who just moved into his first place as a homeowner. His 9th floor condo in a brand-new building is very un-DC, or "new DC," depending on your perspective. A wall of windows looks out towards the Capitol and Union Station. High ceilings, exposed ventilation and pipes, etc.

The party was a fun time. I originally met JB when he was dating one of my two NSH's, so it's nice to spend time with him and his crew independently of the NSH. I also reconnected with my friend Wilson, who I had not seen in almost a year. We both resumed our blogging lately and promised to share more via the blogosphere. His boyfriend was unable to attend due to some high-end dog-sitting duties. But Wilson brought his sexy friend TC along, who I later discovered is quite an accomplished journalist for this publication. These modest, quiet ones -- you just never know.

The other highlight of the evening was discovering a whole new way to make a margarita -- with beer! At first, the concoction sounded disgusting to me, but it's a quickly acquired taste and I quickly tasted about 6 of them before taking my leave.

2007-07-02T11:13:00.000-04:00

Papa Smurf
Angry Smurf
The Jolly Green Giant
The Python, aka Faruk
Porno Tin Tin
Mean Tin Tin
Pipecleaner Man
Colonel Mustard
Lego Man
The Exquisite Cadaver

(Nicknames by the NSH and me for some of our favorite characters in our gym)

2007-06-29T14:39:00.000-04:00

É um pouco mais caro.....

Ahhh, mas é muito mais melhor!!!!

2007-06-29T12:15:00.000-04:00

Mini-Me

This is Oliver Johns Truman, my adorable nephew, taken this morning by his momma, my sister. It was his first attempt to feed himself. Oliver is known for being the spitting image of his uncle at the same age.

He is coming to see me this weekend. My cat will probably try to attack him. She hates all human beings under the age of 4.

2007-06-28T11:26:00.000-04:00

Fiesta de Ropa

Last night's annual clothes swap at my NSH's house was not as well attended as in past years, but what it lacked in quantity it made up for in quality. Several newbies brought loads of high-end, gently or rarely used apparel, some of which came in sizes I could fit my slowly shrinking waist into. After having dumped about 30 random items into the mix, I emerged with about 10 really nice fashion pieces.

My yield included:

1) Pair of highly engineered dark brown Italian corduroys with hoochy-momma waist band.
2) Pair of John Varvatos jeans, never worn (size 31 -- they fit me!)
3) Funky España logo'd polo shirt
4) Slightly worn Abercrombie (I know, I know) cargo shorts
5) Sleeveless football T which gives the illusion that I have upper arms the size of lamb shanks
6) Brand-new white linen dress shirt from DKNY

All the remainders will be sent to Brazil by our housekeeper Abadia to give to her three brothers, who probably have the gayest wardrobes in all of Ceará.

2007-06-25T15:45:00.000-04:00

Partying With The Plutocracy

This was meant to be a low-key weekend. Friday night I finished unpacking from my Canadian business trip (ahh, Canada -- just as pleasant and mildly boring as ever, but considerably more expensive with the strengthened Loonie.) Saturday I had a vigorous workout with my NSH, followed by an unproductive outing to the outlet malls in Leesburg, Va (I did replace the Prada sunglasses that I found on the beach in Florianópolis last year and which sadly broke on my trip to Portugal, but I digress....) I had no plans to go out Saturday evening, but around 9 p.m. my good friend DB phoned to ask if I wanted to go to this fancy watering hole with him. My first reaction, "are you serious?" He was serious -- it seems one of his good friends from college was there with her gal pals and we decided to make an adventure of it and drive all the way to Georgetown for a drink.

When we arrived, we were surprised to find it was a "private" party in the second floor bar for a friend of a friend's daughter's 40th birthday. The place was packed to the rafters with a very drunken, very white, presumably very Republican crowd (Ken Mehlman was there, sipping on an Amstel Light, looking very short and nerdy, as one would expect.) I felt considerably "edgy" with my five o'clock shadow and black shirt from Barney's Co-Op. Most of the men wore some combination of pleated Dockers, plaid madras shirts, Belgian shoes, and Blackberries in holsters on the belts. The women wore what I imagine white Republican women think makes them look "Sex and the City" -- halter tops and Capri pants, sundresses, big costume jewelry. There was some insanely bad dancing going on.

I was astonished by how totally smashed the crowd was, especially the women, who cluelessly threw themselves at DB and me. It was like a fraternity party that had never ended. I tried not to complain since it was an open bar with a very hot bartender who also goes to my gym.

We only managed to escape after the birthday girl's father referred to his current girlfriend as a nymphomaniac and boasted of having pissed in his daughter's trash can the night before. Lovely.

Gay men are demure and decorous by comparison.

2007-06-14T12:48:00.000-04:00

12 Stone 10 (and falling!)

Thanks to my new(est) diet and fitness regimen, I am happy to report I have lost 7 pounds in the last several weeks. (My bathroom scale is still stuck on the "stone" setting, but I am beginning to get used to its archaic charm.)

Keys to my recent success:

1) LOTS of cardio
2) No booze of any kind Mon-Thurs (exception was made for my friend D's birthday dinner Tuesday)
3) Coffee and grapefruit for breakfast
4) Salad bar only for lunch M-F
5) Intense weight-training with the recently returned NSH
6) Dubious weight loss pills, which are basically legal speed (caffeine and yerba mate and guarana)

I really do want to be able to wear the 2/3 of my trousers and jeans I no longer fit into. I refuse to give them all up at the annual Fiesta de Ropa in two weeks (full coverage of that event soon).

2007-06-12T14:44:00.000-04:00

U.S. Low on the Peaceful Scale

Please Note The Color of the United States Below

2007-06-12T10:24:00.000-04:00

Random Sounds:

The Shuffle of My Commute

To illustrate just how eclectic my musical tastes run, here are the last 25 songs that have played on my I-Pod (always on Shuffle, by the way, much to the annoyance of passengers in my car)

Lo Que Me Gusta A Mi -- Juanes
Mané João -- Wanderlea
Super Trouper -- ABBA
Influência do Jazz -- Bossacucanova featuring Carlos Lyra
Don't -- Elvis Presley
Track 4, Labor Day at Pavilion -- Susan Morabito
We Need A War -- Fischerspooner
In My Place -- Coldplay
In This World -- Moby
SexyBack -- Justin Timberlake
Wrapped (Tracy Young in Your Arms Mix) -- Gloria Estefan
Lettre Á P.... -- Paris Combo
Mas Que Nada -- Sergio Mendes
Oh Carolina -- The Folkes Brothers
S'intessano agli allori -- Rossini (Zelmira)
Por No Comprenderte -- Los Zafiros
The One I Love -- R.E.M.
As Mina de Sampa -- Rita Lee
Flor Lunar -- Celso Fonseca
Me Derrito -- Albita
Que Bom Voltar -- Ed Motta
Love Train -- The O'Jays
Just Be Yourself -- Debbie Pender
Lamento No Morro -- Vinícius de Moraes
Track 4, Rio Carnaval 2002 -- DJ Dudu Marquez

2007-06-11T12:18:00.000-04:00

"Pride" Weekend Highlights

This past weekend the homosexual community of DC celebrated the quaintly archaic holiday of "Gay Pride Weekend," combined with various over-priced parties that are collectively packaged as "Cherry." My dear friend D once commented during a previous pride weekend that "Gay Shame Weekend" would be more relevant, truthful, and fun than "Gay Pride Weekend." I agreed with him wholeheartedly. But so far nobody else has been convinced.

I meant to take some photos this weekend, using my nifty new, much more compact digital camera, but I did not.

Here, without photographic evidence, are some of the weekend highlights:

1. Toured the fabulous new, slightly suburban home of my friends T and P, who were forced to leave the District to allow their adopted son to attend a decent public school.
2. Assembled a large quantity of furniture for my new deck.
3. Ate some special organic cookies which caused dissociative feelings during an afternoon dance party attended primarily by members of the DC Stepford Fag community. Not the ideal combination.
4. Spent several hours lounging in Dupont Circle under a tree, observing a wide range of groups and activities, including T-shirt-selling anarchists and Thai folk dancers.
5. Drank beer in the sun while flirting with sexy Brazilian.
6. Ate a delicious Brazilian dinner with Brazilian friends.
7. Made out with same sexy Brazilian.
8. Watched the French Open Men's Final.
9. Collected my other NSH from the airport.
10. Celebrated my NSH's return to DC over a Sunday lunch of roast pork with berry sauce, a gratin of potatoes and celery root, and sauteed greens, all washed down with two bottles of champagne.

2007-06-08T12:03:00.000-04:00

Você fala brasileiro?

Last night, after years of hard work, my friend Tarcísio Buriti, launched his groundbreaking book for those wanting to learn contemporary Brazilian Portuguese. "Aquarela: Portuguese for Foreigners," cowritten with the late Belmira Daleney, is available from Tarcísio at tburiti@gmail.com.

In true nordestino fashion, the launch party was a big, fun bash with Brazilian musicians and food, held at this swanky club. I enjoyed the chance to run into a wide variety of people from my past, including former Portuguese teachers, old Foreign Service colleagues, etc.

Afterwards, my NSH had a smaller "after party" at his stately Kalorama home, which I attended in the hopes of seeing an old and potentially to-be-reignited flame, but instead of that young man turning up, the guy who just broke up with me stopped by instead. Joy!

2007-06-05T14:09:00.000-04:00

13 Stone 5 ≠ 161 pounds!!

OK, this is very very Bridget Jones's Diary. I just experienced a dreadful revelation. I have not, in fact, lost any weight during a month of half-hearted dieting, but in fact have GAINED weight. Why was I not aware of this before? I blame it on my fancy bathroom scale that one of my NSH's and his wife gifted me. The 9-volt battery in the scale died a few months ago, but after I replaced it I could not get it programmed back to pounds and it instead weighs me in stone. For as long as I knew what the term stone meant, I believed one stone was equivalent to 12 pounds. Well, it's not. It's 14 pounds, which means I do not weigh 161 (which was inconceivably low anyway), but a whopping 187!! Back to the treadmill after work.

2007-06-05T10:49:00.000-04:00

Lusophilia II

One of my NSH's and I holidayed in Portugal a few weeks ago (photo essay below). Being a life-long Brazilophile and ardent fan of the Portuguese language, I had been wanting to make this pilgrimage to the Pàtria for some time. Besides the weather sucking, it was a great trip.

Algumas observações

The new look for spring in Lisbon: stubble and unibrow. (It really works on some of the guys)
Never order a café com leite after dinner. It will evince confusion and embarrassment among your Portuguese companions ("we only drink this at breakfast! Order a bica!")
Dinner is even later than in Spain, and this trend seems to be a recent innovation, in order to be more chic than the Spanish.
A língua portuguesa continental is unintelligible to a speaker of português brasileiro. Everywhere I went I was thought to be a Brazilian due to the strange way I spoke the language, not unlike on all those telenovelas they import.
Prepare to eat potatoes, a lot of potatoes.
The Portuguese have imported and embraced the best of Brazil: music, Havaianas, and caipirinhas.
Bicha used to mean "queue" in Continental Portuguese, but since it means "queer" in Brazilian Portuguese, the Lisboetas now use the Brazilian word fila when they stand in line. (Blame those telenovelas again.)
Portuguese are disgruntled EU members; many would rather live in London (and many do so).
Lisbon reminded me of Vienna -- a former capital of a grand and wealthy empire now reduced to the metropolis of a small European country. It might be poorer than Vienna, but it's prettier, and a whole lot friendlier.
The level of smoking is astounding and disgusting. They smoke more than the French.

2007-06-04T19:10:00.000-04:00

Lusophilia

2007-06-04T12:45:00.000-04:00

Out of the Wilderness

It has been more than seven months since I last posted here. Originally, I stopped posting because I was falling in love, so who has the time? Then, in early January, while in India on a business trip, I received a dreaded phone call that my boyfriend had died, suddenly and unexpectedly. I raced back to Washington to grieve, with amazing family and friends supporting me in every way imaginable. Since then, I have either dealt with moving on in my life, or pretended to move on with my life. It is more complicated and difficult than I like to admit. I am very sad in some ways, and still have anger to confront, but I also have hope and am finding joy in surprising new places and people. Work is becoming more interesting, I continue to roam the world (Japan, Thailand, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Portugal, etc.) I think writing here again will help.

2006-09-28T15:06:00.000-04:00

Not JUST Curious....

Other volumes in the series of classic children's tales:

Incontinent George
Rapacious George
Bipolar George
Bilious George
Feckless George
Phlegmatic George
Mercurial George
Lugubrious George
Lecherous George
Mendacious George
Flatulent George
Larcenous George

2006-09-20T13:45:00.000-04:00

"This Is NOT A Sales Call...."

Lately I have been getting these annoying messages on my home phone from people with either overly familiar or slightly threatening tones of voice. They always identify themselves by a first or last name only and never state their organization or company or explain the reason for their call. For the record, I never answer my home phone since all my friends and family use my mobile and I know, despite having registered my number with the federal Do Not Call List, that anyone phoning me on that line will be harrassing or nagging me for something. I keep the land line due to a (probably incorrect) assumption that it's the only way to maintain my DSL line with the same corrupt telecommunications giant. I should look into this more.

But I digress....The latest message, which is left on my phone every day, states, "This is ... (long dramatic pause)... MR. BASS, and I have some important information to discuss with you. This is not a sales call. Call me at -1800-xxx-xxxx." Who in their right mind would return such a call? Not me, that's for sure.

2006-09-15T19:47:00.000-04:00

Far To The West Is The East, I

2006-09-12T19:59:00.000-04:00

Seoul, Sistah, Seoul...

I have now neglected this blog for the longest time since I started it back in June. This is mainly due to the fact I have spent the last week visiting two countries for the first time -- Japan and Korea.

I am in my hotel room in Seoul now, which is decorated in a manner reminiscent of Liberace on crystal meth. There is actually crushed velvet highlights on the headboard of my bed. Nouveau riche Koreans (which means almost all rich Koreans) seem to go for this uber-faux European look. Seoul, even more than Tokyo, is enormous. Both cities make DC seem like the village that it is.

Some stereotypes of North Asian societies ring true:

1) People are exceedingly polite and gracious.
2) There are no fat people. I mean that, none.
3) The toilets have more settings and controls and features than my stereo at home. Photos to come!
4) Traffic jams are beyond horrific. Yesterday it took me 1 hour and 20 minutes to go 5 km by taxi. I was very late for my meeting, but no worries (see 1) above).
5) Food and practically everything else is presented with care and beauty.

I will return with a photo montage once I get home and can upload my pics. I am looking forward to my 14-hour flight in biz class tomorrow -- watching movies and getting slowly and surely shit-faced on unlimited booze before drifting off to sleep....

2006-09-02T16:16:00.000-04:00

FHC & Me

Wanted to share this photo of me with one of my living heroes, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former President of Brazil. It was during a lunch at my grad school this spring. One of my favorite sayings of FHC is "Brazil is not a poor country; it is an unjust one." This rings true to me, and seems to apply more and more to the United States as well, regretably.

2006-09-01T14:55:00.000-04:00

(Somewhat) Random Observations

Here in DC we are suffering the lame aftermaths of Tropical Storm/Depression/Gesture/Happenstance Ernesto today. At lunch I was struck by the large proportion of professional adults walking around with silly umbrellas. But the 300-lb. middle aged man with the twisted remnants of a bright yellow children's Hello Kitty umbrella running for a bus took the cake.

I actually saw a young woman reading Beowulf on the Green Line train this morning.

While I respect the extensive research being conducted that links the obesity epidemic to microbes ("it's not your fault!"), I am a bit puzzled why these microbes seem to disproportionately attack people who eat "family-size" bags of Cheetos, 7-11 Big Gulps, and giant Tupperware containers of reheated franks and beans. Also, unlike avian flu, these microbes don't seem to spread far beyond our borders.

A guy once* gave as a primary reason for breaking up with me his need "to become a better person" before he could be a good boyfriend. For the record, he's a sufficiently good person already. And life is not a dress rehearsal.

* Last week

2006-08-30T03:09:00.000-04:00

TSA To Public: Don't Forget The Lube!

Thank God! Just in time for my first overseas trip since the "liquid events of Heathrow." A Wonkette operative alerts us to a curious example of TSA terror-liquid leniency: While you can’t bring hand lotion or even lip gloss in your carryon, you can carry “up to 4 oz.” of “personal lubricants.”

That’s right, frequent flyers: Bogus terror threats or not, Homeland Security wants you to have comfortable anal sex while flying. Next time the high-school-dropout TSA goons try to take your moisturizer, conditioner, Neosporin, suntan lotion, bath oil or hair gel, just look ‘em straight in the eyes and say, “It’s personal lubricant, and it’s for fucking.”

Oh, and has anyone else noticed the increasingly fag sensitibility of Wonkette?

2006-08-29T12:07:00.000-04:00

"Shoplifting" as Protest

DC is notorious for bad retail service, which usually consists of equal doses of indifference and attitude. This is exacerbated in chain stores, especially those that have replaced their long-term, well-paid union member staffs with minimum-wage and unqualified transient labor. I recently traded notes on two of my least favorite stores, Home Depot and Giant Foods with some friends.

Turns out some of them have decided there is only one way to deal with the incompetence and stupidity of these establishments and their staffs -- "steal" shit. One friend was trying to buy half-price crab meat at Giant (prominently advertised and promoted) and asked the seafood clerk three times if the crab meat he selected was in fact the discounted variety. But when he got to the check out with his single item, it rang up at full price. Rather than do a correction at the register, he was directed to the "Customer Service" desk, where there was a line of a dozen people buying lottery tickets, gossiping, etc. Given the snail pace, he simply decided to "correct" the price by heading back to the seafood case, picking up an equal amount of crab meat and walking right out the store (with receipt conspicuously in hand). Hence, he was able to get the crab meat at the sale price with no intervention by store employees!

Another friend regularly commits petty theft at the DC Home Depot whenever the morons on staff there either can't or refuse to help him find something. It's usually in the category of $.39 wing nuts or $.14 screws, but it is somewhat gratifying.

It's because of this type of service and my fear of arrest that I no longer shop at CVS outlets.

2006-08-27T20:11:00.000-04:00

Who Needs Pomegranate Powder When One Has All THIS?

2006-08-24T15:23:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of Wonkette

2006-08-24T14:48:00.000-04:00

How Tacky!
How Hot!

Last night at my gym there was a guy working out in a shirt with no sides -- in fact, the shirt had been torn from the arm pits down to the bottom, producing a garment that could have doubled as a giant lobster bib. Both front and back just flapped in the breeze of the ceiling fans and the motions of his lunges and thrusts. While this was a clear violation of the dress code (which requires actual shirts and shorts to be worn at all times) and was also completely ridiculous looking, nobody objected because this guy was smokin hot.

He had one of those action figure bodies and a torso quite similar to this, enhanced by a sexy tattoo on his obliques and a shaved head.

Adding to the intrigue, he was a "new face" and was working out with an attractive young woman (this in a gym where 96.4 % of the males are big homos). A friend of mine speculated that she was his dominatrix and had ripped the shirt before they arrived and was now forcing him to work out in such a state as a strange form of humiliation. But I think my friend was just projecting.

2006-08-22T13:10:00.000-04:00

Lost In Wikipedia

Somehow I just wasted more than an hour deep in the pages of Wikipedia. It's becoming a common occurrence. I will start a search of something slightly relevant to my job, house renovations, or vacation planning and then find myself an hour later reading about paternoster lifts!

Today's ramblings took me on a cyber tour d'horizon that included primate cities, Companions of Honour, Namibia, and Schlagbaum, or as it is in the Russian Шлагбаум.

Is it really only Tuesday afternoon?

2006-08-22T12:44:00.000-04:00

Enough With The Baby Pictures!

Baby Nephew Oliver and Me, 12 August

2006-08-21T15:01:00.000-04:00

Fitness Free-Loader

One of my two NSHs (see entry from July 6), the non-gay one, has taken to an amibitious and quite rigorous workout and fitness regime. It's also an expensive one, involving 3-4 personal training sessions per week and boot camp every Saturday morning at the un-Godly hour of 9 o'clock. I am the beneficiary of all this expensive exercise assistance, since my NSH simply transfers his knowledge and Nazi-like coaching (his trainer bears an uncanny resemblance to this man) to me for free.

Tonight we are skipping the usual rush-hour gym chaos here and doing our own form of boot camp in a nearby park. Today is the first in about a month where outdoor strenuous exercise would be considered non-life-threatening in the Capital City.

My unrealistic goal is to lose 10 pounds before I get to Rehoboth Beach on Friday afternoon. I realize August 21 is a bit late to start a swimsuit diet, but better late than never.

2006-08-17T15:33:00.000-04:00

You say macaca, eu digo monkey...

Despite his lame explanation that he had no idea what "macaca" meant when he taunted a Democratic activist of Indian descent, it is pretty obvious that Senator George Allen, R-Va (the second biggest asshole in the U.S. Senate after Rick Santorum, R-Pa) knew he was calling the guy a monkey. As evidence, the definition of Macaco from the Portuguese Wikipedia site:

Macaco no sentido lato é a designação comum a todas as espécies de símios ou primatas antropóides (exceto o homem), aplicada no Brasil, restritivamente, aos cebídeos (ou macacos do Novo Mundo) em geral. A designação mico, também bastante usada no Brasil, costuma aplicar-se às espécies do gênero Cebus, no Sul, e às espécies de pequeno porte, ou sagüis, no Norte. No sentido estrito, macaco refere-se às espécies do género Macaca.
Os macacos vivem nos países quentes, onde se alimentam de frutas e de sementes. São geralmente animais inteligentes, sociáveis, muito ágeis. Os grandes macacos - chimpanzé, gorila, orangotango - são atualmente os animais mais próximos do homem. Muitos dizem que os macacos são os mamíferos mais próximos ao Ser Humano, pois possuem cerebelo mais desenvolvido de que outros animais.

2006-08-15T14:41:00.000-04:00

Freedom Ain't Duty Free

The DHS has taken one of the joys of international travel away from me with the imposition of the "no liquid" rule for carry-on bags. No more half-price Biotherm Homme product and $12 liters of Absolut Mandarin in Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini Airport, no more cheap and bountiful selection of single-malt Scotch at Heathrow, and no more absurdly cheap gin in the departure area in Kuala Lumpur. Normally a quite parsimonious individual, I always used those few minutes between Passport Control and the Red Carpet Club for wild consumer abandon, rationalizing my purchases by thinking of the "bargains" I was scoring. I suppose this is a small sacrifice to make in the War on Terror, but some questions remain -- what are they going to do with all those duty free liquids? will the airlines be able to offer in-flight sales? what will I do with all those extra pesos, reais, and Euros at the end of the trip?

2006-08-07T11:18:00.000-04:00

It's A Boy!

I am now the proud uncle of baby Oliver, born to my sister Sunday morning at 5:59 a.m.

2006-08-04T15:29:00.000-04:00

Nos cinemas hoje (no Brasil)

"Zuzu Angel"

The much anticipated political thriller "Zuzu Angel" premieres in Brazilian cinemas today. It tells the story of acclaimed Brazilian fashion designer Zuzu Angel (Patrícia Pillar) at the time her son Stuart Angel was captured, tortured, and murdered by the government because of his involvement with the student protests against the military dictatorship which ruled Brazil from 1964 to 1985. Zuzu was assassinated in 1976 because of her constant search for answers to the murder of her son. I hope the movie makes it to American cinemas soon. Stuart Angel is played by the super handsome Daniel de Oliveira (in photo). Click here for a preview in Portuguese.

2006-08-03T16:23:00.000-04:00

Now THAT's 5-Star Accomodation!

I am looking forward to staying in this fine hotel on an upcoming business trip, especially after reading about the special services for guests on their website:

Putting customer satisfaction into the first priority, the special services of Imperial Palace Hotel Hotel have been operated in a variety of modes. With a free valet parking service for female guests, Seating Front desk, man to man escort service and others, all guests can happily relax as it is their own houses. Imperial Palace Hotel Hotel has constantly tried to serve better and make every endeavor after more customer satisfaction through a real-name tag-system for room maids, knee cover blanket , guaranteed service for freshness of Bakery.

2006-08-01T16:26:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhhh Refreshment!!!!

Since my recent efforts at clean living and weight loss have proved ineffectual (see July 17 below), I have replaced the nimbu pani with Pimm's and Lemonade as my favorite summer drink of 2006. When the heat index is 108 (which it is outside as I type this, according to weather.com) mere lemons and ice water just won't do.

Here is a recipe for a low-cal version of the classic:

Pour 2 oz. of Pimm's Number One Cup over a tall glass of crushed ice.
Fill with Diet 7-Up or Diet Sprite.
Garnish with lime wedges, fresh mint, and thinly sliced cucumber.

Enjoy!

2006-07-28T10:44:00.000-04:00

The ugly underbelly of gentrification:

It's astonishing what some people will say out loud (or write on public list serves...)

The comment below was posted by one of my neighbors on the list serve for Columbia Heights, the rapidly gentrifying area of Washington, DC, where I live. She is adding her comments to a long-winded debate about whether a Whole Foods should open in our neighborhood, which until very recently was poor to working class. I like to consider her our neighborhood's very own Ann Coulter

I agree with these comments about the fish, the knowledgeable staff, etc. Part of me thinks it's a little ludicrous to have another supermarket right across the street from an existing one we have now. BUT personally at this point, I would welcome anything that's considered niche or high end.Why? Well, one b/c I will pay extra for better products and better service. Two: I'm tired of standing on long lines where every other shopper seems to be a WIC mom (you've seen them: 2 gallons of whole milk, eggs, Libby juice) and I'm waiting for the WIC check to clear. Oh and let's not forget about the folks getting on the express lanes with 30 items then claiming they don't speak English when you tell them to go to the regular line. So if a new high end supermarket (or a Trader Joe like place ) will eliminate this from what is normally a frustrating supermaket trip for me...bring it on!

2006-07-26T16:52:00.000-04:00

America: Land of the Empty Gesture

2006-07-24T20:34:00.000-04:00

If I were the (benevolent) dictator.....

(10 sensible and progressive laws that are politically untenable)

....I would,

1. Establish a national, single-payer health insurance system for all Americans.

2. Impose a 20 year prison sentence on any individual who: generates Internet spam, spreads a damaging computer virus, or commits identity theft or financial fraud via the Internet.

3. Abolish all private political contributions and political action committees (I used to manage a PAC, so can vouch for the fact they are entirely corrupt and amount to legalized bribery.)

4. Grant all same-sex couples the right to civil unions with all the legal rights and obligations of marriage.

5. Impose a 50 % excise tax on junk food; use proceeds to subsidize healthy diets and habits for poor and disadvantaged.

6. Legalize personal consumption of all narcotics and then tax them heavily.

7. Impose a (minimum) $1.00 per gallon surtax on gasoline; use proceeds to fund alternative energy research and public transportation.

8. Abolish the Electoral College and establish direct, popular election of the President and Vice President.

9. Tax churches and religious organizations the same as everyone else, but allow tax deductions for actual charitable activities.

10. Abolish the penny and replace the dollar bill with an attractive and distinctive dollar coin (unlike the last two hideous designs).

2006-07-21T13:49:00.000-04:00

If Only....

2006-07-19T15:18:00.000-04:00

NC-17 Vocabulary

Just in the past 24 hours, I have learned two new naughty words (maybe I am very naive...), both of which do a great job of capturing the two phenomena. Follow the links if you are as naive as I was....

1. santorum (not the Fascist junior (soon-to-be-ex) senator from Pennsylvania, but aptly named in his honor)

2. camel toe

2006-07-18T13:16:00.000-04:00

Recently heard, or over-heard...

"The French view is more nuanced."

"In light of Katrina, ......"

"That takes faggotry to a new level."

"This is not a T-shirt, it's a top."

2006-07-17T09:52:00.000-04:00

Clean Living!!

One of my two NSH's (see definitions below) and I decided on Saturday morning at the gym, after a slightly excessive Friday evening, that we were going to go "on the wagon" for a whole week -- no alcohol, no other nasty unhealthy habits, and rigorous work-outs every day. We even had cold strawberry-raspberry soup for dinner, washed down with glass after glass of nimbu pani, which sounds exotic in the Hindi (my NSH's actual wife is Indian) but is in reality lemon-flavored water.

Besides the general purification of our week of clean living, the secondary goal is to each lose 8 pounds (so I need to get down to 172 by mid-day Saturday).

Another effect has been an increase in intellectually and culturally edifying activities, such as taking in artsy foreign films and reading weighty historical biographies.

We'll see how long this lasts.... Stay tuned.

2006-07-14T11:28:00.000-04:00

Esportes de Pobre

“Isso não te pertence mais!”

2006-07-12T16:44:00.000-04:00

"Oi, gata! Chega aí a banana que eu deixei cair. Divido contigo se quiseres."

2006-07-11T15:23:00.000-04:00

I know it's dated, but...

I am Carrie Bradshaw

I scored closest to Carrie on the Sex and the City on-line quiz. I have a 63 % match with Carrie, and only a 36 % with Miranda, who is the one character many of my friends think I am most like. Disturbingly, I scored a 56 % match with Charlotte! Take the quiz yourself by clicking here.
.

2006-07-06T14:49:00.000-04:00

Rafa - Confissão

Sexiest man on Brazilian TV....see for yourself. (Big Brother Brasil 6, Rede Globo)

2006-07-06T13:14:00.000-04:00

New Words & Phrases

In honor of Merriam-Webster's announcement today that it will include words and phrases such as "drama queen," "unibrow," and "to google," for the first time in this year's editions of the eponymous dictionary, I offer a few words I have either coined or helped to spread in these parts. Maybe some day....

Chickie Babe: (n) (often derog.) A young heterosexual woman (22-35), usually single and white, living in expensive lodgings (usually subsidized by parents or other benefactors) in formerly majority-gay areas of Washington, DC. Often resented by local gay male population for causing increased rents and frequenting formerly majority-gay venues (gyms, restaurants, etc.)

GMO: (adj) (orig: from genetically modified organism). A narcissistic gay male who has obviously employed illegal chemicals to increase musculature to unnatural size.

Tragical (adj): A person, place, or thing that is more pathetic than simply tragic. Can refer to a date, item of clothing, restaurant, interior design scheme, etc.

Snack: (n) 1. An extremely attractive young man. 2. Used sarcastically to refer to somewhat attractive young men who consider themselves extremely attractive.

Non-Sexual Husband: (n) A very close friend of a gay man with whom he does everything except engage in sexual relations.

Throuple: (n) (see posting of 21 June below)

How's Your Father: (n) As in, "a bit of the how's your father." Inhalation of narcotic substances for recreational purposes.

Wee Bit of the Shoofty: (n) 1. a drink of Scotch whiskey. 2. see How's Your Father (above).

2006-06-29T23:21:00.000-04:00

"Elimination is the secret of chic."

-- Cristóbal Balenciaga

2006-06-28T16:31:00.000-04:00

Countries I Want To Visit for 1st Time Soon

2006-06-28T16:21:00.000-04:00

Countries Where I Have Lived or Traveled

2006-06-28T14:26:00.000-04:00

From Craig's List -- LA

A friend of mine emailed this to me, and I had to share it....

You: hot guy with the faux hawk, camos, and gonch undies with perfect tan line, 4% bodyfat, american apparel tri-blend track shirt, L7silvrphone, ipod nano on stairclimber reading DNA Magazine and drinking a Macchiato with nonfat foam.

Me: buzzed cut, ripped tatted guy with 501's with a flash of ice blue aussie bum undies and wife beater chillin on my nano with some Eminem and texting my bros on my sidekick and drinking Twinlab Extreme RippedForce Drink.

We checked each other out for a millisecond there but I was too shy to appoach you. I definately felt there was some chemistry heating up andwould like to take it to the next level. Hit me up if you wanna grabsome coffee or a drink. Or dinner.

Or maybe we could go on an Atlantis Gay Cruise together and they can take photos of us for the brochure with you on my shoulders in matching awning striped speedos looking tan and in love.

Or maybe we could snap up a couple of French Bulldogs and name them Louis and Vuitton and have our portrait done with us in matching khakis and barefoot to send as a Christmas Card.

Or maybe we could do a shit load of Tina and K and E and GHB and feel really hot and go to White Party in outfits made by BCBG and dance shirtless in the glistening sweat of the other manboys around us.

Or maybe something about you can help me fill this desperate lonliness and emptiness that has been devouring me as I frantically chase an image and life of someone I will never be. Maybe I won't have to use words like "hit me up" and "grab coffee" and "bro" to mask the self loathing homophobia I possess, praying they will make me come across as butch and straight and hell, anything but the sad, starving, lonely, judgemental, bitter, cynical, poser, wannabe that I really am.

Seriously Dude. Hit me up, if you are interested.

• this is in or around Crunch Gym• no -- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

2006-06-27T12:16:00.000-04:00

On Warren Buffett and the $4,000 puppy

Last night someone I know accidently spent $4,000 on a puppy. Mind you, not a run-of-the-mill animal, but a pure-bred Coton de Tulear. While it was an accidental purchase, all proceeds went to charity, in this case Food & Friends, one of the best institutions in Washington, DC, which provides meals and other services to local people living with HIV, AIDS, and other debilitating illnesses. And the puppy is adorable.

So how does one accidentally spend $4,000 on a puppy? First of all, by attending a gala charity auction and buffet with a ton of half-drunk and often very pretentious people in a Washington, DC, ballroom. Second, by absent-mindedly waving a brightly colored bidding flag in the air at an inopportune moment.

This is the second year I attended the Chef's Best event and it's quite a spectacle. While many of the attendees are overly preserved, self-important DC snobs (mostly gay men of the "Real Estate Queen" variety), it's a pretty friendly/flirty crowd with most people there to indulge in delicacies of DC's best restaurants and soak up a lot of free booze. I really enjoy watching people compete in outspending one another on silent and live auctions, because I am such a huge fan of the organization that is reaping the benefits.

It was interesting to observe this behavior in light of this week's best news -- that Warren Buffett would give most of his vast fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fight disease and poverty and promote education worldwide. Here was an example of one of the most unpretentious rich men (who still lives in a house he bought for $31,500 in 1958 and still goes to Dairy Queen) giving away billions of dollars while some much more snooty people were shelling out small "contributions" in exchange for Botox and Restylane treatments, cocktail parties for 50, and fancy dinners for 6 with wine pairings.

2006-06-26T14:22:00.000-04:00

Photo of the Week

Andrew Johns, Captain of Newcastle Knights (Australia NRU), with team mates.

2006-06-23T22:20:00.000-04:00

Photo Essay # 1

Museu da Língua Portuguesa

2006-06-23T09:48:00.000-04:00

Fear Factor

I had some friends over for dinner last night -- something I enjoy doing in theory, but find a bit stressful in practice since many of my friends are much better cooks than me and seem to execute their works in the kitchen with an effortless, casual flair. Whereas I worry and sweat and still manage to burn something.

When I told the table about this new blog thing, I was surprised to find people cautioning me about all the bad that could come of it -- "don't you know this will be on your permanent record?" "don't you know every employer now checks the blogs of all job applicants?" "I would be careful if I were you." Hmmm. What do my friends think I am going to post on here? Nude photos of myself holding up signs threatening to assassinate public officials?

Anyway, my guests last night -- all progressive, intelligent, and thoughtful people -- have obviously been impacted by the National Security State we are now living in and the desire to maintain some privacy in the midst of unprecedented private and government-sanctioned snooping. Who is to blame them? Given that the Federal Government listens to their phone calls, reads their bank statements, and reviews what books they check out of libraries (although I don't actually know anyone who still borrows from public libraries..)

But ultimately, there is a difference in speaking openly and freely (which I hope to do here frequently) and being indiscreet or foolish (which I anticipate doing less frequently). I won't, however, be afraid to be honest here, especially about myself. The title of this blog, after all, is The Precipice, so I need to flirt with getting close to the edge on occasion. Otherwise, there'd be no fun in it.

2006-06-22T22:36:00.000-04:00

Um dos lugares mais bonitos no mundo

2006-06-22T13:01:00.000-04:00

How can this EVER be justified? Maybe 5 times, maybe even 10, if the CEO is really good, but....

CEOs earn 262 times pay of average worker

Wed Jun 21, 5:45 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chief executive officers in the United States earned 262 times the pay of an average worker in 2005, the second-highest level in the 40 years for which there is data, a nonprofit think-tank said on Wednesday.

In fact, a CEO earned more in one workday than an average worker earned in 52 weeks, said the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. The typical worker's compensation averaged just under $42,000 for the year, while the average CEO brought home almost $11 million, EPI said. In recent years, compensation has been a hot issue with shareholders who have been bombarded with news stories about chief executives who are given multimillion dollar bonus and pay packages even if shares have declined.

2006-06-21T15:29:00.000-04:00

For me, it would be a better world,

If I saw more:

Ceiling fans
Navel oranges
Estate Taxes
Greyhounds (the cocktail, not the dog)
Naps
Dimmer Switches
Yerba Maté
EBay
Expensive shoes
Havaianas
Trader Joe’s
Cuff links
Driving with the top down
Kalamata olives
The Subjunctive
Barneys Annual Sale
BBC America
Hairy, muscular forearms (on men!)
Ana Maria Braga
The New Yorker
Acaí
Al Gore
Bundas in sungas
Brazilians

….and less:

Superficiality
SUVs
People who litter
Honeydew melon posing as “fruit salad”
Fanny Packs
Nationalism
People who exceed allotted time on treadmill
Pleated trousers
Childhood Obesity
Gay Republicans
Paper plates
Unloading the dishwasher
Walmart
Extremism
Taking the elevator one floor
Steroids (and those who pretend not to use them)
Spam
Styrofoam "Peanuts"
Britney Spears
Drivers who don’t signal
Tardiness
Celebrity do-gooders
Loudmouths on cellphones
Frenchmen

2006-06-21T09:57:00.000-04:00

Throuples

Last week a friend of mine came up with a word to describe a trend in dating among certain "A-list" DC homos -- couples, usually older, but well-preserved and with a lot of money, who take in a third, always younger, poorer, and better looking than said couple. Rather than call it a "three-way relationship," my friend said, "oh, you didn't know they were in a throuple?"

I am intrigued by these throuples, perhaps because the younger third is usually someone I find attractive or thought would be "datable." It is probably resentment and jealousy of the couple for snatching up the cute available ones, but I also find myself exhibiting signs of prudish disapproval towards the younger third. Hmmmm. These throuples tend not to last very long, but they are a curious DC version of gay conspicuous consumption.

I'd be curious to know how common they are in other cities.

2006-06-20T11:56:00.000-04:00

In Memoriam

This past Sunday I attended the memorial service for one of the "niftiest" people I have ever known -- my Aunt Anne, who passed away from Alzheimer's Disease last month. Being an incredibly sensible and smart lady, she was not religious and she gave strict instructions that there was not to be a funeral. Her family abided by her wishes, but we all gathered to remember and honor her life on Sunday.

One of her three sons spoke about how my aunt never considered herself the center of any activity, but instead considered her family, friends, or the causes she believed in to be the center of HER activity. It was never "about her," as he said. In fact, she was repeatedly elected to leadership positions in community organizations, including the League of Women Voters, without ever running for office. She was a woman of strong opinions, but with a modest and low-key approach to life and others.

Besides mourning her passing, I am saddened by how rare it is to find people like her today, especially in this hyper-"me" culture we live in (generally in the US of A, but especially in arrogant and obnoxious Washington, DC). She is deeply missed.