The Streets of San Francisco

Patrick

2009-10-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

Above: Patrick and Me in Boston 2005.

Our friend from Boston, Patrick, came to visit us recently in San Francisco. This would be Patrick's first time to the West Coast and I believe only his second time on an airplane. We were both excited for Patrick to get out of Boston and see the world, this would be the furthest he had ever been away from Boston in the 40-something years on this planet. Needless to say, I was happy that Paul and I were a part of this life changing experience for Patrick.

Going back a bit, I met Patrick in the summer of 2004 - he was advertising his photography business and I was looking to get some photos taken of myself. I had turned 30 and wanted to remember, what was then my favorite age, myself with some photos. I went to Patrick's studio and I immediately connected with him. We both had similar interested and had this inner level of shyness and insecurities that stemmed back to our childhood. I just bonded with him and got to know him.

Above: Game Night Crew! December 2004.

Upon meeting, I just knew his life had not been easy being gay - he was overweight but attractive - I just knew that people, especially gay men, had been judging him on his weight his entire life. It pissed me off. Throughout most of my teens and 20s I was not very attractive and quite awkward and I knew what it was like to be judged on ones exterior rather than what's inside. By some grace of God, I evolved into something I never thought I would be - an attractive person. I had recently moved to Boston and still had no friends, every time I tried to make a friend the guy would usually want to have sex and never would want to get to know me for who I was. I felt like Patrick and I was exactly at the same place in our lives - we were lacking true friends. I wanted this not only for me, but for Patrick as well - but I was still trying to figure out how to make friends, so how on Earth was I going to help Patrick make friends?

I kept in touch with Patrick after the photo shoot and decided that I would just be completely honest and real with people and figure out a way for both of us to get out into the social world in Boston. I placed an ad on Craiglist that basically said: " Hosting a game night at my apartment on Friday nights." I received several responses that were sexually charged and weeded through them to find ones that I felt were genuine. I had amassed eight responses that I felt comfortable with and I set up the first game night including Patrick. Patrick was hesitant and trying to figure out a way to make excuses not to come to game night, but I wasn't taking no for an answer. I wanted people to see what I saw in him - someone that was kind, funny and talented - I also wanted people to see that in me too.

Above: Patrick and Me in Boston 2006.

Game night had arrived and everyone showed up including Patrick - the group was awkward at first, but every Friday night we would meet and get more comfortable with each other. The group was so diverse from age, race and personal backgrounds. The game night eventually evolved, when I met Paul he was invited and so were several of his friends. It continued to grow from there and it became a hit in the South End of Boston as the "it" place to go as an alternative to the bar scene. It didn't all go smoothly at first, people were hesitant to get to know me thinking I was a snob or superficial and people were also hesitant to get to know Patrick as well because he didn't fit the "the Boston gay look."

I also had decided to join the Boston Softball League through Paul and that led to meeting many more friends. I also told Patrick about the league and he started off coming to our softball games taking pictures of my team - that led to him taking pictures of the entire BSL.

Above: Patrick in San Francisco 2009.

Three years ago I left Boston and by that point both Patrick and I had become friends with many wonderful people. Game night and softball had been the perfect launch pad for both of us to make new friends. Currently, Patrick is still taking pictures for the softball league and he received a special award from the BSL thanking him. Patrick and I both grew together in many ways - we both broke out of the shells we were in at the time that we met and we branched out into the world. Patrick will always be special to me - I am so glad he embarked on the journey of coming out to San Francisco. I hope it's just the beginning of his travels:-)

Kylie Minogue Rocks the USA

2009-10-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I am not a huge Kylie Minogue fan – I was first introduced to her when I was 13 years old and heard her remake of the song “Loco-motion” on the radio – it was very catchy and I investigated the singer and thought she was young and fresh, but not very original. Her next single, “I Should Be So Lucky” also clicked with me and I bought her first album titled - Kylie. After that, there were too many other artists I was fascinated with at the time (Madonna, Whitney, George Michael, Heart U2) just to name a few and Kylie slipped through the cracks, she also failed to strike a cord after her first album in the United States and continued a pretty successful career everywhere else in the world BUT the States.

In 2001, Kylie released the album “Fever” her 8^th studio album and it was a huge success in the United States largely part to her first single of the disc, “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.” The single was a smash hit and I rediscovered Kylie a bit and truly enjoyed the entire album, but still, it wasn’t enough for me to become a die-hard fan like I had become with so many other artists, which appeared to also be the case with the States – her next several albums failed to match the success of “Fever” in the US.

My friends Jimmy and Ryan are huge fans and have been geared up to see Kylie in concert (both their first times) – Kylie was finally coming to the US for the first time ever in her extensive 20 year career. I had no interest in going to see her and even when my friend Ryan asked me to go with him I almost said, “Nah” – but decided to go along for the show. The concert was in a renovated theater that was quite stunning, it was mainly standing room only and it was filled with hundreds of eager gay men waiting the see the Australian diva. I was still not super excited as I had been in the past with other popular musical acts that I had seen in concert.

Above: A picture I took on my iPhone of Kylie's entrance!

The show started and Kylie descended from the ceiling from a platinum skull in a futuristic costume that looked very Lady Gaga like, making me realize that Kylie has probably inspired many of Ms. GaGa’s famous fashion statements. The stage, dancers and Kylie were very engaging, energetic and eager to show the US what Kylie is made of and oh how she did! First of all, I was blown away by Kylie’s beauty, I always knew she was a beautiful woman, but seeing her so close in person confirmed how stunning and youthful she really is! Kylie is 41 years old and looks better than most popular young female singers today (Christina, Britney, Pink).

The majority of the concert was high energy, pumping beats that made you want to dance and catchy songs that even the several I wasn’t familiar with, I could easily sing along to. I finally understand the draw to Ms. Minouge – she has amazing stage presence and can actually sing quite well. Her fun loving, playful and down-to-earth interaction with the audience seeming most genuine and touching at times as she appeared amazed at the overwhelming reception form the Cali fans. Kylie, you won me over and I no longer think of you as second rate Madonna wanna-be (although it was very apparent that Madonna has been a huge inspiration for her). I have been buying up her albums on iTunes all morning. I know I am late in the game, in the gay world, at becoming a Kylie fan, but for those of you, like me, who are late at discovering Kylie’s music I highly recommend these songs below:

1. I Believe in You

2. Love at First Sight

3. Slow

4. The One

5. Come into my World

6. Spinning Round

7. Wow

8. In Your Arms

9. In Your Eyes

10. I Should Be So Lucky

* Note: Can’t Get you Out of My Head & Loco-Motion were huge hits and are songs everyone should have heard by now.

A Spider Named Tina

2009-09-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

Outside of our home we have had this large spider making a web in the same spot for the past few months. The spider will come and go but it always makes a web in the same spot right under our kitchen window. Everyday we see this spider during our comings and goings and Zach has decided to name the spider, Tina. He said "The Spider has teenie eyes so I will name him Tina." A boy spider named Tina! Love it.

Note - this spider is lives outside - if this spider were to get into the house I would not sleep at night!

Above: Zach and his pet spider, Tina, right above his head!

$1,000 Weekend!

2009-09-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

Above: Me wearing my new glasses in a picture taken by my new camera.

This has been an expensive weekend - my camera that I adored - broke a few months ago and I was hoping that it could be fixed for a reasonable cost. Sadly, it was going to cost over $300.00 just to fix the camera so I decided to just buy a brand new one, with an extended warrantee, which came in over $700! I love taking pictures! The camera will be used often and I am glad I purchases a new camera - I have been missing out on some great photos and I am looking forward to getting back into the world of taking great photos of San Francisco, friends and most importantly Zach and Paul!

Above: Me and Zach.

I also had to get new glasses this weekend. My eyes are not the best, my eye doctor recommended me wearing Progressive lenses since my eye muscles are getting very weak. So I got some cool designer glasses that are reminiscent of the 1940s/1950s. I love them! It's amazing how a pair of glasses can completely change your look. The glasses were worth the $300.00.

Now I have to start repairing my bank account!

Off to Kindergarten!

2009-08-26T11:48:00.001-07:00

Apologizes for those of you following my blog, it's been try of anything insightful. I am going to try to post more posts!

Hard to believe but Zachary is off to Kindergarten! It's truly amazing that I have seen this little guy grow up from a tiny baby with a pacifier in his mouth to a beautiful young boy with a smile that melts my heart. On September 3rd, I will watch Zach enter the word of education and be introduced to a new world of learning. I know I will be emotional, I am an emotional person to begin with, but I love milestones in people's lives. I love seeing people grow, thrive, learn and accomplish things in life and this is one of the many milestones that I will hopefully witness in Zach's life.

I want to see him move into his teen years when he graduates from 8th grade - when he turns into a man and graduates high-school - as he enters adulthood graduating college and when he gets married and has his own children. I want to be there for that. I want to watch him be the best student, the best son, the best friend, the best worker, the best husband and the best father. Ok, let's get back to Kindergarten now:-) I don't want to rush his life away.

It has been interesting watching Zach grow at the pre-school he has been at -his teachers have been amazing and he has made some close friends that won't be moving on with him into Kindergarten, but we will be sure to keep in touch with the great friends he has made. I loved Kindergarten and my early grades in elementary school. I lost touch with the close friends I made during those years - but thanks to Facebook - I reconnected with most of them - which has been interesting for sure. It's been amazing to see those "kids" I grew up and hoe their lives turned out.

Stay tuned for the next chapter in all of ours lives as Zach enters the world of education. I am looking forward to all the homework, school events and the new friends Zach will make along the way.

Whitney Houston "I Look To You" Album Review!

2009-08-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

I have been waiting forever for a new album from Whitney and the time is finally here! Whitney's first album in seven years is available for purchase on August 31st! You can stream the album now online at whitneyhouston.com

I have been a huge fan of Whitney since she first came out in 1985 - in my opinion she has one of the best female voices of all-time. Here's my review of the eleven songs features on I Look to You.

1. Million Dollar Bill - Hands down the best song on the CD. Written by the amazing Alicia Keys, this song is so funky and upbeat, probably the most upbeat song since Whitney recorded I Want to Dance with Somebody. The song does remind me of a song from the late 70s but it also has a fresh feel to it on top of the classic vibe. Whitney sounds great on this track - her vocals are strong and solid, Keys offers her amazing voice on the background vocals giving this song exactly what it needs. I do wish Houston and Keys would do an entire album together. I am hoping this single brings Houston back on the music charts this year.

2. Nothin' But Love - This song has a nice feel to it - reminds me of classic Whitney. I like how Whitney is thanking all the people that stood by her through the good and bad times. Her vocas are great on this track. It's a nice "thank you" track.

3. Call You Tonight - I really like this feel good song, again, reminds me of old school Whitney. I really think her voice sounds super crisp on this song - the lyrics are great. An age appropritae song for Houston to sing.

4. I Look To You - A strong ballad. When I first this song I was not overly crazy for it, but after several listens - it's a really great song. Whintey sounds good, I feel she is holding back a bit. The bridge of the song could have been a bit stronger with the vocals but all in all - great ballad from Whitney written by R. Kelly.

5. Like I Never Left - This song is in the same feel, sound and vide from the rest of the album to this point. It's an interesting duet with Akon - I think it should have been someone like Ne-Yo but all in all - it's an ok song, not one of my faves on this album.

6. A Song For You - Whitney needs to release this song as a single - it gave me chills listening to the amazing Houston singing with just the piano in the background at the beginning of the song. Damn - she can still sing!! I love love love this song! Really great vocal performance. I love how it speeds up and Whitney is almost asking for forgiveness for her past mistakes - great song.

7. I Didn't Know My Own Strength - The lyrics to his song really hit my heard - I can relate to the words to this song and every time I hear it reminds me of my own strength and battles I had to overcome. Great ballad - happy to hear Whitney sing it and mean it.

8. Worth It - Slow, smooth jam...old school Whitney for sure. After a few listens I like it - reminds me of the Whitney from back in the day.

9. For the Lovers - I like this song - probably the most modern song on the disc. Houston's voice sounds muffled and deep but I think that's the sound they were going for on this song.

10. I Got You - Akon is introduced in this song - not crazy about it. Wish she didn't more with Alicia Keys than Akon. Whitney sounds great though.

11. Salute - This is along the same lines as Beyonce's song Halo, but this song is stronger. It's a song about leaving a love and moving on. A great way for Whintey to close this album. I think this is a great fuck you to Bobby Brown.

All in all it's a strong effort for a 46 year old Whitney Houston who was pretty much written off for not being able to sing anymore. The album is strong and should return Whitney to the R&B charts - the only single on here that I can see going on the mainstream Hot 100 charts is Million Dollar Bill - it should go Top 10. I am hoping this CD is just a warmup to the next album Whitney is going to release in the near future.

Muir Woods

2009-07-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

Above: (left to right) Me, Shayne, Ryan, Paul, Will & Turner.

This past weekend Paul and I went to Muir Woods in Matrin, just north of San Francisco. We had yet t go there since we have been living here and our friend Ryan lead the charge in getting us and our friends up and out of the city. It was a great time and the woods re truly amazing, I'd loike to go again and explore a bit more.

Above: (left to right) Paul, Turner, Will, Ryan and Shayne.

Above: The entrance to Muir Woods.

Above: Shayne, Paul & Ryan.

Above: (left to right) Me, Shayne, Ryan, Paul, Will & Turner.

Above: (left to right) Paul, Turner, Will, Ryan and Shayne.

Above: Clovers.

Happy 4th of July in Boston!

2009-07-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

Above: Me on the Cape, photo taken by Zach's Nanny Lois aka Button.

It's the last day of our 10 day trip in Boston and I am ready to go back to San Fran! I do have to say I did have a blast in Boston, but I don't miss living here at all!!

Above: Boston

We arrived in Boston last week and we were at Paul's nephews wedding, pictures of the wedding can be found below. The we had a family gathering the day after the wedding which was nice and we also saw some old friends. It was great to see everyone, I miss our old Boston brood - but it seems like more and more of our Boston friends are leaving Boston as well.

Above: Me, Patrick and Paul - we had a great visit with our friends Patrick and Frank.

Above: Paul, me and Frank in Cambridge Mass.

Above: Boston Boys! (from left to right) Jim, Charlie, Me, Paul, Kevin & Jack.

Above: Me and Kevin.

Above: Kevin, Me, Jim, Charlie and Paul at Flashes in Boston.

We then headed to my cousin's house in Western Mass. My cousin and family had not yet met Zachary yet so I was excited for them to meet him. We had so much fun at my cousins house, I really enjoy being with my cousin, her family and my aunt and uncle. Great people!

Above: My cousin Nic and Me.

Above: Me and Zach taking a dip in my cousins pool.

Above: Chicken Fights!!!

Above: Zach having fun with my cousins children, Duffy and Cooper.

Above: My Aunt Laurie and my Uncle Bernie playing a game of golf.

We then headed to the cape with Zach and spent a few days there with Zach's mom Carrie and her family, again another great few days of rest and relaxation - truly a wonderful time.

Above: The beautiful Cape house we stayed at.

Above: The Cape Clan - Ciara, Me, Paul, Zach, Carrie, Button and Iggy.

Above: Beautiful Zachary!

Above: An inviting pool at the Cape House.

Above: Like father, like son...

Above: Me at the Cape.

We then ended our trip with an awesome 4th of July cookout at Paul's family's house. It was a great time in Boston and I am sure we will be back in a few months!! Enjoy the photos!

Above: The Johnsons and the Sarsfields.

Above: Me and Paul's niece Hailey enjoying our Friendly's ice cream!!

Above: Zach and Paul eating their sundaes!

Above: Zach waiting patiently for the duck boat tour to start.

Whitney Houston - I Didn't Know My Own Strength - New single

2009-07-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

Whitney Houston is my favorite singer of all time. She is hands down one of the best singers ever. I have always been a fan of hers and really have been rooting for her to have a major comeback - well it is here. Her new single from is called "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" leaked on the web and I am pleasantly surprised. The song is an old school ballad that could have easily been on anyone of her albums from the 80s or 90s. The lyrics really are a great way for Whitney to express where she has been and where she is going. It's a very inspirational song and for a woman that has been in the industry a long time it's nice to see her not using cheap lyrics and a slutty image to sell record. for instance, Mariah Carey who is 40 has a new album and song coming out a week before Whitney and Mariah's album cover looks like she is on the street corner and the lyrics to her new song sound like it was written by Hannah Montana. Mariah has nothing on Whitney - Whitney is in a league of her own and Mariah will never be in the same class - ever.

Above: The trash bag that is Mariah Carey can be seen on her forthcoming album cover above - yikes! Bad photo shop job.

The big question has been can Whitney still sing? Yes, she can but the voice that made her a phenomenon is gone, forever. Her voice is deeper, raspier and not as crisp BUT Whitney is 45 years old (46 in August) and like any great singer (Barbra Streisand, Julie Andrews) the voice does age as well. Even if Whitney had taken care of her voice as well as other divas it would have aged. For instance, Whitney's cousin Dionne Warwick had a very clean crisp voice when she came out in the early 1960s, when Dionne had a huge comeback in the 80s her voice was much deeper and raspier. Now, if you listen to Whitney's new song, her voice is still better than most female artists on the radio today, there are only a few that can sing better right now (Leona Lewis, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys & Celine Dion). Whitney can still sing and she sounds great, she just has a more mature voice.

Above: Whitney Houston recently in LA preparing for her long-awaited comeback!

Whitney's new album, I Look to You, drops on September 1st and I am looking forward to buying it. I am hoping it's a solid album and does well for Whit. I am praying for a major Whitney Houston comeback!! Take a listen to her new single below. It should be on iTunes in a few weeks.

Michael Jackson

2009-06-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

Above: Michael Jackson before and after. He looks great on the right - what happened!?!?

I am sure about everyone who has a blog has blogged about the death of Michael Jackson. I never would have thought one of my biggest idols growing up would die at such a young age.

Paul and I were on an airplane flying to Boston when it happened. The first headline we saw was that MJ had a heart attack - my first thought was he is faking or it isn't as serious as the media is trying to say it is. Then it said he was in a coma and then I was like - ok MJ maybe you took too many meds and then the news reported he had died. WHAT!?!?! I know many people are saying that its not shock - but it was a shock to me. I mean he was only 50 and even thought he was on a ton of meds so are more than half of Americans. I was totally floored by his death.

Above: Best selling album off all-time.

I do think it's a shame the way his life ended up with all the accusations of abuse, his strange transformation from a black man into a white woman and his lack of anything music worthy in over 10 years.

Above: At his peak.

At any rate - I will say that he is the most important male musical artist of my generation. He is the Elvis of my time and I am still in shock over it. I remember I first started getting into Michael Jackson at the age of 8 when the Thriller album came out - I wore it out. I would roller skate in my basement to his songs. I had posters, jackets, puzzles -- you name it if it was MJ I had it.

Above: Legacy.

I am hoping Jackson is remembered for his artistry and not his weirdness. He was one of the most talented artists ever.

My top ten fave Michael Jackson Songs:

He was one of my fave pop artists and I am not ashamed to admit I had all of his albums mostly in vinyl! As corny as this is - here are my top ten fave MJ songs:

1. Man in the Mirror (1988) - The words to this song are powerful and moving and i still love this song today - in my opinion the best MJ song. It made you look at yourself and see what little thing you could do to change the world. Make that change!

2. Ain't No Sunshine (1972) - It's hard to believe MJ sang this song with so much emotion and passion at the age of 13 - he may of not been the first artist to record it, but he sang it the best.

3. Rock with You (1979) - Such a great feel good end of the disco-era song. Just a taste of things to come when he released this song.

4. Wanna Be Startin' Someting (1983) - "Mama say mama sa ma ma coo saw." I remember when this song came out my two brothers and I would laugh ourselves silly listening to that verse and jump on our beds having pillow fights. So much fun - a moment in my life I'd love to rewind to.

5. Billie Jean (1983) - Probably one of the best songs of the 80s and it really started my fandom of MJ at the age of nine.

6. Black or White (1991) - I like this song, but I laugh thinking about it now - especially when a born black MJ turned white is singing "It don't matter if your Black or White" --- apparently it did matter...

7. Smooth Criminal (1988) - I used to love this song, still do, great dance song - would love to just rock it out to this song right now.

8. Thriller (1984) - Just for the historical video alone.

9. Beat it (1983) - Moonwalk.

10. You are Not Alone (1995) - This is probably the last song that Michael recorded that was good, after this song he really didn't record anything worth listening to.

Wedding Photos

2009-06-29T15:20:00.001-07:00

Above: Me, Paul and Zach at the wedding. My new favorite picture:-)

This past Friday Paul's nephew got married - it was an amazing wedding. Zach was asked to be the ring bearer in the wedding it - this was Zach's first wedding. He was so damn cute in the wedding!!! Anyway, I wish the bridge and groom, Ashley and Andrew, all the happiness in the world. I took over 300 photos - half of them are on Facebook BUT I selected my top 20 photos I took at the wedding. Enjoy:-)

Above: This is one of my favorite photos I have ever taken. I couldn't have planned this picture.

Above: A beautiful shot of the bride and groom.

Above: I was watching the wedding party walk away and though - no one ever takes a photo of the wedding party from the rear view - I love the look of this photo.

Above: Zach in a tux was priceless - he looked like a little man.

Above: Bride Ashley talking to Zach - love the candid moment.

Above: My favorite wedding party photo.

Above: The groom and the bride entering the sea of guests.

Above: Three beautiful ladies!

Above: Me and Zach dancing - he's a great dancer!

Above: Zach hated the tight collar and his cousin Jake was trying to ease his discomfort.

Above: Such a beautiful photo.

Above: I love photographing Zach - his face is so amazing.

Above: Me and Paul:-)

Above: Everyone looked amazing.

Above: Zach taking the time out to wave to the camera.

Above: Stunning.

Above: Paying tribute to Michael Jackson.

Above: Growing up too fast!

Above: Again, growing up too fast - before we know it - it will be cousin/niece Hailey's wedding!

Boycott Perez Hilton - Support Dustin Lance Black

2009-06-18T16:55:00.000-07:00

Above: Perez and Me back in 2008.

Ok - it's about time that Perez Hilton's 15 minutes of fame were up. Recently, Perez Hilton felt the need to bring down a positive gay role model and drag him through the mud. Dustin Lance Black is an openly gay male who won an Oscar for best screenplay this past year for his story on Harvey Milk. Dustin is not only an inspiration for the gay community by bringing the story of Harvey Milk to life, but he's also an inspiration for being an openly gay male that won and Oscar. I am inspired by Dustin for bringing to life an amazing story about a gay hero! Dustin has been an inspiration to the entire gay community young and old.

Above: Dustin Lance Black

So why would Perez choose to exploit nude pictures of Dustin having sex with an old boyfriend? Why would he choose to glorify it and drag a gay role model through the mud when the gay community is lacking role models?? Because frankly, Perez Hilton, is a piece of shit. He's a miserable human being that could only wish he was having the hot sex that was depicted in the pictures of Dustin Lance Black. Perez's miserable existence is exactly why he chose to lash out at Dustin. Think about it, who would have sex with Piggy Perez?? NO ONE! Perez may be rich and famous, BUT he doesn’t have what money can’t buy and that's love and respect.

Perez has dragged Dustin through the mud, and he blames it on the fact that Dustin never should have taken sex photos, - who the fuck cares!! Most people have sex Perez -- we know your not having it but exploring sex with your husband, wife, partner or whatever is a fun thing to do. Many couples gay and straight have fun taking nude pictures or sex videos of each other - it's sexual exploration that is encouraged to spice up a couple's sex life or just to increase the enjoyment of it. It's encouraged and millions of people have done it. This is something you don't understand because you have never had it - I often wonder if you have even ever had sex.

I am asking everyone to boycott anything related to Perez "Piggy" Hilton. Don't buy his crap, don’t go to his pathetic blog, and don’t support anything he does. He's worthless and there is no reason to support his hatred. Why do so many losers who don't have a life (i.e. S.J.) feel the need to drag people that do have a life through the mud - plain and simple they are jealous of that life they wish they were living!

Videos Clips from Paris!

2009-06-12T11:30:00.001-07:00

Check out some video highlights from our trip to Paris!

Paris

2009-06-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

Above: My favorite picture of the entire trip - this picture sums up Paris.

Here are a few photos of us when we were in Paris last month. I wish we had a bit more time to explore Paris - it was beautiful!!! More photos can be found on facebook.

Above: Me awake for 24 hours and still going!

Above: Booksellers

Above: An amazing piece of architecture.

Above: A street in Paris.

Above: Paul in front of a store names "Paul" - they sell perfume I think.

Above: Notre Dame Church

Above: Beautiful view.

Above: Stormy skies were a brewing.

Above: Entrance to the park and marketplace.

Above: The Louvre

Above: Entering The Louvre.

Above: My favorite statue outside of the Louvre

More Photos from Greece

2009-06-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

Above: Me and Paul enjoying a brewski in Greece.

We took so many photos of Greece I couldn't possibly put them all up on the blog. I selected some of my fave -- you can see more on my Facebook profile. Was a trip I will remember forever.

Above: The most southern tip of Athens.

Above: This is me looking into the Mediterranean Ocean before I am about to dive into the amazing clear blue water.

Above: A shot of what the many outdoor dining places look like in Greece.

Above: Paul next the an enormous flower pot!
Above: Me hamming it up with the mannequins.

Above: A cute photo of Paul waiting for our beer and food.

Above: Enjoying a huge stein of Heineken.

Above: A view of the Temple of Hephaestus.

Above: The amazing Temple of Hephaestus.

Above: A line of ancient statues inside the Stoa of Attalos.

Above: An amazing statue, even though it's hundreds of years old it looks alive to me.

Above: One of my favorite shots I took on the trip - The Pillars of the Stoa of Attalos.

Above: Me next to a statue of Aphrodite.

Above: Me admiring the amazing view.

Above: Peace.

Above: One of the statues into the entrance of the ancient marketplace.

Above: Me getting some rays inside of Hadrian's Library.

Above: Paul inside Hadrian's Library under an impressive archway.

Ancient Greece

2009-05-27T01:27:00.000-07:00

Above: Me in front of the Parthenon.

Paul and I are still in Greece, I wanted to post some photos on here. We have ben in Greece for almost a week now and it's truly an amazing place. Just walking around the city and and exploring the ancient city and realizing all the history that this great city holds.

Above: An amazing view of the Acropolis from the city of Athens.

Above: At the Acropolis, this is the Stoa of Eumenes.

Above: The entrance to the Acropolis, Propylaea.

Above: Another shot of the full entrance to the Acropolis, Propylaea

Paul and I went to the Acropolis and viewed the ancient ruins and just marveled at the amazing artistry that went into these fine pieces of architecture. it's funny to compare what the Greeks were doing hundreds of years before Christ and what the Indians were doing around that time as well...no comparison and even as years went on the Indians still had the primitve teepee and totum poles and here the Greeks and Romans were producing these outstanding pieces of work and several are still standing tall today.

Above: The amazing Parthenon.

Above: Side-view of the Parthenon.

Above: Paul at the Parthenon.

Above: Paul admiring the Parthenon.

It's really been a trip of a lifetime and has opened my eyes even more to different cultures and ways of life. Enjoy a fraction of the photos we took - there are more on my facebook page if you are a friend of mine, you can view them. I will be posting more photos on the blog shortly.

Above: My favorite - The Old Temple of Athena on the right and the left part is the Erechtheum.

Above: These beautiful pillars decorate the porch of the Old Temple of Athena.

Above: The amazing Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

Above: Entrance to the Temple of Zeus, Hardin's Gate.

Above: A view from the Acropolis looking down at the Temple of Zeus.

Above: Temple of Zeus with the fortress Acropolis in back of it.

Above: Look at how grand the Temple of Zeus is! I look so tiny next to it.

Above: A fallen pillar at the Temple of Zeus.

Above: A view of the city of Athens from the Acropolis.

98th Bay to Breakers San Francisco 2009

2009-05-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

Turner & Paul celebrating finishing the race!

Paul ran in his first Bay to Breakers today with temps already in the 80s by the time the race started at 8am - heatwave in SF right now! Zach and I went to watch our first Bay to Breakers - we missed seeing Paul run in the race by seconds but Zach and I still had a blast watching the wild people run the race in costumes, masks and naked! Only in San Francisco! Check out some of the pictures from the event.

Above: Zach at Bay to Breakers.

Athens, Greece

2009-05-08T11:05:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like Paul and I are off to Greece in two weeks!!! I am so excited. I have never been out of North America so going to Greece in a few weeks is going to be an amazing adventure that I am going to never forget! I really never thought I'd make it to Europe before the of 50, glad I am doing it while I am in my 30s. Growing up I loved geography, still do, and I did a report on Greece once and ever since then it was the place I wanted to go to the most all my life. My mother was the same way - she always told me she wanted to go there more than anywhere else and that if I ever went to send her something from Greece. I may just send her something with no explanation to see if she remembers our talks many many years ago about Greece and that report I did ( with her) that we had so much fun doing together.

It's going to be such an amazing adventure and I know I will be overwhelmed with the whole trip. I will be taking pictures and video from the trip non-stop so I will be posting many updates from the trip here. So stay tuned.

I really would love to go to Europe with Zach someday when he is a little older - I'd love to see him explore the countries and really get into it. Someday!:-)

Stinson Beach

2009-04-20T13:33:00.001-07:00

Above: A picture I shot while driving of Stinson Beach.

This past Saturday Paul, Zach and I went to Stinson Beach in Marin County. I have been wanting to go to this beach for a long time now and we finally made our way to the beach that everyone has been recommending we go to. Zach has been there before with his mom and grandparents so he was familiar with all it's beauty.

Above: Stinson Beach from afar.

Above: A rocky view of Stinson Beach.

The trek out to the beach was about an hour - lots of traffic and the long windy road to get there was unlike any road I have driven on. It had so many twists and turns in it I really thought we were going to go over the edge! There were very few guardrails and the drop was a straight drop right off the cliffs - pretty scary.

Above: The long windy road we took to get to Stinson Beach.

Once we arrived at the beach Zach said he wanted to go home and Paul was already grumbling because he hates the beach - but I was determined to get everyone in great spirits and loving the beach on such a beautiful day!

Above: Peaceful.

Above: Zach excited to be at the beach!

Above: Me trying to get Zach into his swimsuit.

Above: Zach.

Above: Zach is all smiles.

It worked! We all had an awesome time at the beach and it was the most beautiful beach that I have been to so far. The water was ice cold but we all managed to get a little wet. The beach to me is such a relaxing and surreal place for me. I could spend hours on the beach just listening to the water and running my feet through the sand. I am not a sun worshiper and I do wear SPF 70 when I go out in the sun, not because I burn - I do tan but I don't want to look like a piece of leather. I lathered up Zach with SPF 70 too and told him he will thank me someday for having nice skin when he is older:-) hee hee!

Above: Zach and me testing out the cold water.

Above: My favorite picture from our beach trip - Zach and Paul running away from the icy waves.

Check out the amazing pictures from our day at the beach. For those of you on Facebook, there are many more pictures to view.

Facebook is a Blog Clog

2009-04-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

I love looking back on my blog posts over the past 2 plus years + of blogging, but I have noticed that I am blogging much less and I blame Facebook for that. Facebook, in essence, is one big blog but you reach more people and interact with people more instantly, unlike a blog where people have to take the time to research and read it.

I love Facebook, I have reconnected with some people from my past that I never imagined I would be in touch with. People from elementary school, lost family members, high school bullies, you name it I have reconnected with them. These people have now become a part of my daily life and no my every walking move on Facebook. Good or bad? I still have not decided. Has Facebook messed with the future? Was I really suppossed to reconnect with my 1st grade crush?

I am going to try to blog more since I find blogging more as a scrapbook of my life and Facebook as more of the now, living in the moment.

So I am blaming Facebook for my lack of blogging:-)

Britney Spears - Circus

2009-04-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday night, I was taken to the Britney Spears "Circus" concert by one of my best friends Ryan. We went with two more of our close friends Will and Evan to San Jose and were all pumped to see Ms. Spears. On our way there, we talked about what Britney songs and albums we like. I am not a huge Britney fan, I was in my early 20s when she first hit the pop music scene and I really liked her when she first came out. She was energetic, perky, had great dance moves and was wholesome....well maybe not so wholesome...

Above: Britney in her early days - before the madness started.

The show opened with the glorified stripper group, The Pussycat Dolls. They were pretty good, the lead singer could sing and they were entertaining. After they were done the stage needed to be assembled for Britney's arrival and we decided to get some grub at the concert. The people at this concert were mostly young girls between the ages of 18-30. Some of these girls were "raised" with Britney and it showed, for the most part the girls looked trashy, overdone and sloppy. It was kind of scary to visually see the sea of what Britney had inspired. Not good. NOT good.

Britney's "circus" was about to begin and I have to say, I was really excited to see the troubled pop star in all her glory. I am a huge fan of celebrities and we had great seats so I was cheering and clapping. Then from the ceiling comes Brit herself looking as beautiful as ever with long blond locks, an amazing figure that I am sure she worked hard to get back and a perfectly made up face. She looked amazing!

Above: A shot I took from the show.

After her first few songs, I realize that she was lip syncing, which was upsetting since her vocals are not great to begin with - I figured she should be able to sing live for some of her songs. Nope. She lip synced the entire show. Oye! Not only did she lip sync but she seemed a bit lost on stage and not fully into it. Her amazing dancing days were gone - her feet never really moved from the ground and most of her movements were her upper body and hands/arms swaying around. The flips, kicks, squats and twirls were no where to be seen, that's I wanted to see - her "Hit me Baby One More Time" days are gone.

Above: Brit when she lost her mind and shaved her head. I like the look - I have thought of doing the same thing!

The show was entertaining but I couldn't help feel a bit of sadness when leaving the show. I feel bad for Brit in a way....ten years ago a young girl hit the pop scene and became an overnight sensation. I feel it never should have happened or maybe it should have stopped after her first CD. I don't feel Brit is living the life she wants to live even though she is rolling in the dough. She seems lost, scared and still spiraling out of control even underneath all her newly in-shape self.

Time will only tell what will be in store for Brit - I will go out on a limb an predict that she will not be where Madonna is today at 50.

Getting Married

2009-04-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

All my life I never understood why people spend thousands of dollars on a wedding, I always thought it made more sense to have a low-key wedding somewhere that was affordable and take all those thousands of dollars on the wedding you were going to spend and invest it in a house. I still agree with this theory.

Getting married is something that has never crossed my mind. Growing up gay the thought of two men marrying was not even a thought. Even with all the gay marriage scandal going on now - I still don't think or feel the need to marry Paul. We have a great relationship, the best relationship I have ever had - I don't feel that marriage will benefit or detract from our relationship.

Yesterday, out of the blue, Zachary asked me, "Are you going to get married?" I chuckled and wondered where this conversation was going to go. I said, "No, I don't think so" and I asked "Who would I marry!? He looked at me and said "You could marry Daddy!?" I was floored and then he went on to say that a woman can marry a man but a man can marry another man too. Paul and I looked at each other and couldn't believe this was coming from a five year old. It wasn't coming from "a" five year old it was coming from an incredibly smart, in-tune, sensitive and observant 5-year old - Zachary. He's an amazing kid!

I then asked him if Mommy and Iggy should get married and he said " Oh yes, they will get married" :-) He said it very matter of factly!

Paul and I had talked about when Zach gets older if he will accept us and our lifestyle. I have no doubt that Zach will, even before he educated us on another man being able to marry another man. It truly is amazing to have a child in your life - Zach has taught me more about myself and helped me grow more than any professor, teacher or book could. He has taught me more about myself than any person I have met in my life. All this at the age of five! Who knew!?!

Boston comes to San Francisco

2009-04-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

Above: Korland, Will & Michael at Dolores Park in SF.

Last weekend we had a few friends come in from Boston & Seattle and it was great seeing them. A few of them had never been to SF before so we were excited to show them the place we now call home. It's funny -- after you're living somewhere for a period of time you can take your surroundings for granted and forget the beauty around you - I try not to do that, but the hustle and bustle of life and work can cloud your vision.

Above: Me & Paul at Lands End.

This weekend with our friends in town confirmed for me how much I love this city and all it's beauty. There's no place like it and I can't imagine living anywhere else again. Remind you, I said I would never leave Massachusetts just two short years ago.

Above: Me in Paul's tattoo, "The man in the maze of life."

Having our friends in town also reminded me that as I get older how much I am valuing friendships, true friendships. We all talked about how we first met and how me orchestrating a small game night back in Boston when I was friendless helped bring so many people together - including the three friends that were with us this past weekend.

Above: One of the most beautiful bridges in the world, Golden Gate Bridge.

We bonded with our friends even more and I know that Korland, Will and Michael will be our friends for life. It's fun to look back on the journey's we have with our friends. I look forward to the journey's we will have in the future.

Above: Me with the boys.

Above: Paul with the boys.

Disturbia: Rihanna & Chris Brown

2009-03-24T21:29:00.000-07:00

Above: Rihanna after she was physicllly assaulted by Chris Brown.

The Rihanna and Chris Brown incident happened about a month ago now - I haven't posted anything about it - the whole incident made me very angry and I was curious how the incident would play out. I feel like I can comment on this issue for a number of reasons:

1. I am a huge fan of Rihanna, I think she is the modern day Madonna, her music is fun, unique and I love her image and unique sense of style. Rihanna already has five number one singles under her umbrella and she is only 21 years old.

2. I am also a fan of Chris Brown's music, he is a very talented artist, can dance his ass off and his music is a positive change to the negative and degrading r&b/rap that we have heard in he past. He has an amazing year in 2008 and was labeled by Billboard magazine as artist of the year ( ironically Rihanna was the #2 artist of 2008).

3. I was in an abusive relationship for many years and the issue of domestic violence really hits home to me on many levels.

Above: Me when I got involved in my first relationship.

This issue with Rihanna brought me back to when I was young, naive and in love. My first love was someone much older than me and I thought he was the best thing ever inside and out. I remember the first physical incident that had happened to me when I was with "Danny." I was sixteen years old and living with "Danny" and attending high school at the time. We had been together for several months now, our apartment was a 15 minute walk from my school. A male friend of mine, that I had known since elementary school, saw me walking and asked me if I wanted a ride, I accepted. He dropped me off in front of my apartment, but before I went upstairs I chatted outside the car with my friend. When I finished chatting I went upstairs and I saw "Danny" sitting on the couch very silent and starring at the wall. I didn't pay too much attention to it and started to take my school books out of my backpack to do my homework.

I heard "Danny" ask me who the guy was that dropped me off and I didn't think much of it and said " Just a guy friend." The next thing I knew, Danny grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and picked me up in the air. I remember my feet were dangling in the air and I was in shock at what was going on. Danny said to me "Don't you ever let me catch you with a another guy in a car again!" and he threw me into the corner of the living room into a hanging shelf. My body hit the shelf and wall and I crumbled to the ground. I couldn't believe what was happening, this wasn't "Danny." I started to get up from the ground and as I did I said to him "What the hell do you think you're doing!" He came to me all wild eyed grabbed my homework paper I was working on and shoved it into my mouth saying "Don't you EVER raise your voice to me again!" and continued to shove the paper down my throat.

I was crying as I spit the pieces of paper out of my mouth. I was in shock and still a bit out of breath from being thrown against the wall. That night when he fell asleep, I left the apartment and walked to my mothers house. I knew I could climb through the window of my old bedroom - I had only been away from the home that I grew up in for about 5 months. I crawled into the window and my room was still pretty close to how I had left it. I locked the window once I was inside and I crawled under the covers and cried myself to sleep.

After that incident, I snuck into my mom's house from time to time, since I really wasn't welcomed there since I came out about my sexuality, and I stayed at friends houses until Danny was waiting for me after school one day with gifts and saying how sorry he was and how much he loved me and how he would never hurt me again. I believed him.....that relationship latest 10 years...10 years of living in an abusive relationship feeling I was not good enough for anything better, believing that the man I loved would never hurt me again, believing he would change, believing the abuse would end. It never did...it ended with me almost dead. The pictures below are of me from 2000, the year I left "Danny" - these pictures were taken one week after I was brutally beaten, these photos are after one full week of healing.

Above: I am glad I still have this photo - reminds me how thankful I am I got out of a terrible situation.
This photo was a week after I was brutally beaten.

So, back to Rihanna -- as Oprah said "HE WILL HIT YOU AGAIN!" I have no doubt about it. I really hope she takes this incident and turn it into something she can educate young adults on. This is a serious issue in society and it needs to be addressed. I mean it's still a huge issue with women being abused maybe someday people will take awareness that it does happen in gay relationships as well.

Above: This photo shows the back of my head, notice the right side of my head in back of my ear how swollen it is. I have permanent hearing damage in my right ear.

So to all the Rihanna's (female and male) out there that think they are stuck and have no way out of an abusive relationship - there's hope - I am celebrating my 8th year of being out of an abusive relationship and have been in a happy, healthy and loving relationship for 4 1/2 years now. There is hope, help and no one - NO ONE - deserves to be beaten or hit in a relationship of any kind. No excuses.

Sushi

2009-03-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

Above: Best Sushi place in San Francisco, Warakabune.

I never had Sushi until I moved to San Francisco - I was always scared of it. When I moved to SF, Paul was hooked on Sushi so I decided to try it. Paul tried to get me to eat these massive pieces of raw fish and I gagged - I couldn't do it -- then I discovered "Sushi" - the items on the menu that are cooked or all vegetables and I loved it!:-)

Another person who shares the same passion for"Sushi" as I does is Zach. No most 5 year olds would run away at the sight of Sushi -- can you imagine a young Paul Johnson eating Sushi - I think not! Carrie takes Zach to eat Sushi from time to time and so does Paul and I. He loves it. We recently took him to our favorite Sushi place in SF - Warakabune where you sit at the Sushi bar and watch the boats of Sushi travel around the bar and you grab the tiny Sushi plates you like.

Above: Giving the camera his Sushi eye.

Check out Zach eating at the Sushi bar - photos are a bit blurry taken with my iPhone. Also, check out the Sushi Zach made himself in school! Pretty creative huh!?

Above: Zach made a sushi roll out of foam and paper.

Above: Dipping the sushi...

...going in for he kill...

...YUMMMMM!

Letty Lynton 1932

2009-03-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

Above: Letty Lynton hangs proudly in our dining room.

I am super excited to finally frame my original Letty Lynton movie poster from 1932. This is such a rare poster as is the film. This movie poster is from Sweden and it was never displayed - it was kept in a tube for years and years never to see the light of day. I purchased it last year and was shocked at the pristine condition of this movie poster that is 75 years old! The color is still as vibrant and rich as it was when it was first printed, there are no folds, tears or holes in this poster -- it's so rare to find a movie poster this old in this condition.

Letty Lynton is probably in my top ten favorite movies of all time. It was a huge hit in 1932 and it spawned one of the biggest fashion crazes ever to hit Hollywood. It really was the first time a clothing designer (Adrian) and female star (Joan Crawford) combined together as a team to crack out outfits that woman from all over the world wanted to wear. The film sadly was sued for copyright infringement in 1938 and was pulled from circulation. The film has never been available to the general public, but the film has survived and rumor has it -- its been preserved and waiting for the expiration of the copyright - which is in 2012. I hope this movie sees the proper attention it deserves and people can see what a great film it was and is.

Above: Joan Crawford, at he peak of her beauty, pictured in a publicity photo from the film Letty Lynton.

Joan Crawford said -"If there ever was a retrospective on my film career (Letty Lynton) is the the film I want them to show.

Above: Matt and Matt conversing over a Hurrell photo of Joan! HA!

35

2009-03-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

Above: Me and my girl Shannon!

This past week I celebrated my 35th year in this world -- I have to say this was on of my best birthdays and I love the sound of 35 years old!:-) So far, the 30s have been the best years of my life and I am really looking forward to this coming year. My birthday was on the 26th and Paul, Ryan and Zach had a great b-day surprise for me when I got home from work! There was a huge Happy Birthday sign in the living room, my favorite Chinese take-out, yummy cake and very generous gifts! It was great. I honestly don't feel 35 - I am not even sure what 35 feels like, but we were all talking about what it will be like when Zach is 35 and I said, "Oh I will be 65 when Zach is 35"...ummm I am not going to rush that birthday:-)

Above: Paul, Me and Zach ringing in 35!

Above: Zach looking cute as ever.

Above: Ryan, Me and Zach - getting ready to dig into that cake!

Above: Where's the ice cream!?

Last night, we had our first party in our new home. It was a birthday/housewarming party and we had a ton of new and old friends at the party. Fun was had by all! Thanks everyone for the cards, gifts and well-wishes!

Above: Matt, Mark, Paul & Ryan at the house party.

Above: Aldolfo, Me, Kyser and Ryan enjoying a few drinks.

Above: Joe and Paul, Joe is hoarding all the beer!

Above: Darrin, Jason, Cody, Jay and Me laxin' on the couch.

Above: Aldolfo, Troy and Paul.

Above: Paul and Michael all smiles.

Above: PARTY!

Blue Ribbon Winner!

2009-02-23T20:19:00.000-08:00

Above: Love this artsy picture of Zach waving his blue ribbon in the air.

Zach has been religiously going to swimming practice every Sunday and loving swimming. This past Sunday, Zach went to his swim class and was told he completed the list of requirements in order to win a blue ribbon!! See the list below:

Zach was so proud of his blue ribbon - he was beaming and showing it off and placed it on the refrigerator and was so damn proud of himself. It was so cute to see how proud he was of his accomplishments. He brought the blue ribbon to school today and told all his friends he was a REAL blue ribbon. LOL

Above: Does it really get any cuter than this!?

Above: Blue Ribbon Winner!

Academy of Friends 2009 Oscar Gala

2009-02-23T19:32:00.000-08:00

Above: Me and David all tuxed out!

I enjoy watching the Oscar Awards - always have - and I usually watch them at home with friends and chat about the winners and root for certain films to win. This year we were invited to a black tie event presented by the Academy of Friends called "A Night of Superheros Villains and Divas - sounds like they are describing Joan Crawford!

I went with my good ole pal Ryan - Paul was not able to attend - we had a blast making our way to the event in the pouring rain - it's been a monsoon here in SF lately. I have to say the event was rather impressive - it was a huge venue with hundreds of people all dressed to impress. I rented a tux - it was not the one I wanted - but it worked for planning at the last minute.

Above: Me and Matt - I look short compared to his 6'5 frame!

Above: The event was so well lit - it was beautiful.

Our friend Richard got us VIP tickets and we mingled with the VIP'ers. there were so many people, a vast silent auction and they were raffling off a car! Pretty cool event with tons of booze and amazing food/snacks. it felt like we were at the Oscars!

Above: Me and Ryan were the belle's of the ball! Peach & Daisy!

Above: An amazing performer on stilts the entire night!

Above: David and Matt are all smiles.

Above: Glinda the good witch!

Above: Awesome art sculpture.

Above: A night to remember!

Break-In

2009-02-16T09:13:00.000-08:00

This past weekend has been interesting...Paul and I were looking forward to a nice long weekend with Monday (Feb 16th) being a holiday and Zach was with his Mom and Nanny all weekend, we were going to have a lot of time on our hands. So we decided to finish up the new apartment and on Saturday morning we headed to IKEA to get some last minute picture frames and such.

We had a great time together selecting some nice finishing touches that would really complete our new apartment - on Valentine's Day. I even saw a few co-workers there and we chatted about our similar purchases and how good the cinnamon buns smell when you leave IKEA.

Paul and I headed home after leaving IKEA, but we decided to stop at a sandwich shoppe in our new neighborhood -- we waited a good 15 minutes for two sandwiches to be made and I was losing my patience, I just wanted to get home, eat and then get on with the rest of the day.

We got home and carried a few of our purchases up to our place .. It was 2:15 in the afternoon. We came through the back door and entered through the kitchen. I noticed that the kitchen window was slightly open and the shade was extended over the sink. I thought it was funny since that window was almost impossible to open. I headed into the living room and noticed right away something was wrong and someone had been in our apartment. My work computer was gone, they ransacked my workbag with many of my personal possessions in it and Paul's laptop was gone as well.

As my eyes searched the place, Paul and I heard the gate downstairs to the building slam shut and we realized that the burglar was still in the apartment when we came home and they fled out the front door. I ran down the stairs to see if I could see anyone running..but it was too late. I called the cops and landlord and we dealt with the logistics of it all.

Having your home violated really sucks especially after just moving into a place, but I have to say I am thankful no one was hurt and we stopped the burglar from getting anything else by coming home when he was in the house. The police were great and with the details of the robbery we have a strong lead to who the person is.

At first, I was really bothered, pissed, angry and all..but it only lasted a few hours and didn't let that incident stop me from doing the day-to-day things in life. Just another one of life's tests and yet again, I passed:-)

Home

2009-02-07T21:04:00.000-08:00

Above: No, it's not a Pottery Barn catalog...it's our new home!

We have been in our new home one week and we have made a lot of progress with decorating the place. I have to say that this is my favorite home ever! I just love this place - it;s so beautiful and we have decorated it so beautifully so far - we still need some art on the walls and small stuff, but the big stuff is done. Pictures to come of the bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen!

Above: Living room.

Above: Another view of the living room.

Above: Zach loving his new home.

Above: Dining room/office.

Above: A view of the apt. coming from the kitchen.

Above: Ryan and me showing Joan her new home! Ha!

Above: I was lucky enough to find a really cool rug for the living room.

Above: Me and my bug eyes!

Above: Dining area.

Above: Zach helping put together the new TV stand.

Above: Zach looking like a carpenter AND a plumber!

Above: Home.

Sidewalk Stencil Art

2009-02-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

Above: Our new home in Lower Haight.

We are finally all moved into our apartment and living in Lower Haight in San Francisco. We are still exploring the Haight district of SF. So far I am lovin' it. Our old neighborhood, Noe Valley was a bit more middle to upper class families. Lost of kids in strollers and families walking around and on the outskirts of the heart of the city. The Haight is much closer to all the action and the people are interesting. I have seen such a variety of different people walking around the Haight - yes, there are many of the potheads that made the Haight what it is known for, but I like it. The vibe is positive, fun and energetic.

One of the things I noticed walking around our new neighborhood are sidewalk stencils. I walked by a bunch several times and thought, these are really cool and took some photos to share. Check em out! Stay tuned for more photos from our new place all decorated:-) I should have been an interior designer!:-P

Zachary Phelps

2009-01-30T11:12:00.000-08:00

Above: Zach the Fish.

It's funny when you're a kid and growing up - you fall into a niche of what your interested and what you enjoying doing rather than what your parents/caregivers think you may be interested. Last year, Zach was enrolled in soccer lessons and it didn't go so well - so Zach decided to bow out of it. I even think we talked about softball with Zach a while back, but that also didn't seem to be his thing.

Above: Zach getting ready for his swim class.

One thing that was very noticeable with Zach throughout his short life so far is that he loves the water. On vacations with his family, he would love going in the ocean and swimming pools and it was obvious he was developing a passion for the water. Carrie recently enrolled Zach in swimming classes and Zach loves it! Carrie was telling me how he was swimming on his own and diving for trinkets in the water and I just couldn't believe it.

Above: Zach dives to the bottom of the pool to retrive the green object. Impressive.

Above: Zach swimming with a kick board.

Above: Underwater.

I went to Zach's swimming class this past weekend and I was floored at how much Zach loves the water and how well he can swim at the young age of five! I am truly impressed and excited to see Zach enjoy something he truly likes - swimming.

I remember when I was a baby, my mother told me that my father read somewhere that if you through a baby into swimming pool that they will naturally swim to the surface. Not sure where he read this BS, BUT that's what my dad did with me and I sunk to the bottom of the pool like a rock. I had a phobia of the water ever since then and it wasn’t until I was 12 years old that I conquered my fear of the water. I took swimming classes, excelled at it and was on a swim team for a short period of time. I, like Zach, love the water and when I bought my first home - the first thing I did was have an in ground swimming pool installed. It was amazing and I would swim day and night in that pool.

Above: Zach and his friend Justin listening to the swim instructor.

I am excited to see where Zach's passion for swimming takes him. It's interesting we are both water signs in the Zodiac and we love the water. One fish to another:-)

Above: Future Olympic Gold Medalist.

Vertigo

2009-01-27T23:12:00.001-08:00

This week has been on of he craziest weeks for us. Sadly, Paul was diagnosed with a sever case of vertigo. It started this past Sunday night as what seemed to be the flu but turned into something far worse. By Monday morning, Paul was very dizzy to the point where he was throwing up and not able to do much of anything including walking. He spend most of the day in the hospital on Monday and has been home ever since pretty much confined to the house because if he gets up or moves around for an extended period of time he gets very dizzy and weak.

Vertigo is a bizarre illness that could go away in a matter of days, weeks or months. One never knows. I am hoping Paul gets better soon - it sucks seeing someone that was so physically active just crumble like this.

The upside is each day has shown some progress for Paul but it's a slow progress.....stay tuned.

First Look at New Apartment

2009-01-24T15:40:00.000-08:00

Above: Zach and me in Zach's new bedroom reading a book.

We moved some stuff over to our new place today - check out some of the photos of the apartment. The apartment has brand new cherry wood floors throughout the entire apartment. All the rooms are very spacious and the kitchen has been newly remodeled as well. It's exactly what we were looking for!

Above: Me in the living room looking into the dining room - looks big huh? IT IS!

Above: Zach showing how big the place is.

Above: Zach looks like a dwarf in the large living room.

Above: Newly remodeled kitchen!

Above: Me excited about the hose like faucet in the kitchen.

Above: Zach and Me checking out the kitchen.

Above: Zach's bedroom!

Above: Clowning around.

Above: Zach hiding in our bedroom closet.

Above: Yeah!!! - a new home!

New Biz - New Digz - New Prez

2009-01-24T09:25:00.000-08:00

It's only been twenty-four days into the New Year and a lot of change is happening already. I love change, especially when it's positive change. The first big thing happening is we are moving into a bigger apartment and we are all really excited about it. We brought Zachary over to the new apartment yesterday and he looked it over with a fine tooth comb and gave it two thumbs up. He was even happier to know that there is a burger and shake place across the street and of course he had to critque how the shakes were in his new neighborhood.

Above: Paul & Zach having a shakedown!

Above: Zach enjoying his shake at Burger Joint.

The next big change that I am overjoyed about is my job. I have been working in advertising for seven years now and the majority of that time I have been working in New Business. I have been at my present agency for two years and the my time there has been working in the stressful world of New Business. I have done very well in my role and we recently won a piece of business. I felt I have done my tome most people don't last two years on new business and I expressed my desire to move on and I am getting what I want. I am very excited to be moving into a new role for an agency and a client that I am passionate about.

And of course we have a new president that is already changing our country for the better!

The New Year is off to a great start!

Above: Zach gearing up for change!

Friends

2009-01-18T11:05:00.000-08:00

Above: Zach and his friend and clasmate Angelo.

I can still remember my first friend, his name was Brian and he was the child of my parents best friends. When my mom and dad were still married, Brian used to come over my house and I would go over his and we would have fun adventures, go places, argue like brothers and just be kids together. I'll never forget that first friendship and it started around the same age Zach is now, five.

Above: A happy Zachary.

Above: Angelo gives a big smile while eating his ice cream.

Above: Zach and Angelo playing arcade games.

Above: I love this photo! HA!

Zach is making a similar friendship with one of his classmates, Angelo. Carrie took Zach and Angelo to Santa Cruz for a fun weekend of fun, ice cream, the beach and carnival rides. I wish I could have been there, it looked like a blast from the photos. Even though I wasn't there I could see the fun the two were having in the photos. Many of us endure these types of friendships early on in life and some of them last a lifetime.

I always wonder if I would have still been friends with Brian. We would see each other quite often, mostly on the weekends - it was less often after my parents divorced. I would stay overnight at his house and we loved to ride our bikes around his neighborhood. I will never forget the large hill we would race up and down. We were both the same age and one day when we were eight years old, we were riding out bikes down the hill, we would fly down the hill and around the corner really fast and then go around the block to arrive back at the top of the hill.

Above: Me at eight years old.

I remember that day vividly, I had decided to go down the hill first and I flew down the hill and around the corner and back to the top of the hill. I waited for a while at the top of the hill and Brian never showed up. Usually he was only a few minutes behind me, but for some reason it was taking him a while to meet me at the top of the hill. I drove down the hill to see if I could find him, when I turned the corner I saw a large truck stopped in the middle of the road and saw Brian's bike smashed in front of the truck and then I saw Brian's lifeless body on the ground.

I'll never forget that memory for as long as I live. I raced to his parents house to get his parents and that was the end. I never saw Brian again, he was killed by the head on impact off the truck. It was horrible and I remember his parents were hysterical. I never saw them again after that. I always wondered if it would have been me that got hit by that truck if I had gone down that hill when Brian did. Who knows.

After Brian's death, I had a hard time making friends and keeping them for one reason or another. It wasn't until I was 30 that I started to make genuine, real, lifelong friendships again. I still have a hard time when friends leave and move away. I almost ignore it because I hate the goodbyes.

Above: Zach and Angelo running on the beach without a care in the world. Beautiful photo. I wonder if Zach and Angelo wil be lifelong friends.

Zach's 5th Birthday Party!

2009-01-11T20:36:00.000-08:00

Above: The Three Mustacheketeers!

Zach had three Christmases and now three birthdays! All I have to say is he has enough toys to least him throughout the entire year! Zach had a great party at his mom’s house and tons of his school friends from the past and present came to wish Zach a happy fifth birthday.

Above: Skulls!

Above: Zach ready to dig into his Indy cake.

Above: Zach making a wish.

It was a great party with an Indiana Jones theme. The cake was pretty impressive - for anyone looking for a tasty cake and some pretty impressive decorating skills - go to Bell Market on Church Street in Noe Valley, California.

Above: Paul gearing up the brood for the scavenger hunt!

Above: And the game begins!

Above: The race is on!

Above: Zach having a seriosu moment with his friend Justin.

It was a beautiful 70-degree January day and Carrie set up a really fun scavenger hunt in front of the amazing Palace of Fine Arts. The kids were running around looking for glues and it was a bit chaotic, but a blast watching the kids get some energy out. After that, it was time to break open the piñata!

Above: Piñata time!

Above: VULTURES!

Check out the beautiful pictures from the party!

Above: Party is over!

How Do I Look?

2009-01-10T20:49:00.000-08:00

Now that Zach is five, I have noticed a few different things recently. One of the things I have noticed is he has started paying attention to his hair and how it looks. I may have something to do with this since I am always fixing my hair in the mirror. :-P Last week, Zach came up to me and said he wanted his hair fixed like mine and then a few days later we picked him up from school and he had spiky hair.

So, I gave him a comb, stuck him in the bathroom in front of the mirror and turned on the sink. He started styling his hair and he was so serious about it. It was so cute to witness it. After spending a good 10 minutes in front of the mirror, he got his hair just right and asked me, "How does it look?"

Perfect Zach - just perfect!:-)

Movin' on Up!

2009-01-10T19:42:00.000-08:00

Late last year Paul and I decided it's time for us to get a bigger place - we have totally outgrown our cozy two-bedroom apartment. Originally, we were unsure how long we were going to stay in SF, we were going to see how everyone adjusted and see if everyone was happy out here. We are all happy:-)

The apartment hunting started before the holidays and we saw a few places that were just "okay" - we didn't want to settle on a place just because we wanted to move. We wanted something that when we both saw it, we knew that this was the place we wanted to be. We hunted high and low and found nothing before the holidays - we did find a really nice place that was a friend of ours, but it was the wrong timing - we would have had to move in before or right after New Years. So we decided to pass on it.

Above: Lower Haight.

This past week we looked at about a dozen places and everyone had something that was not right - ugly carpeting, small living rooms, not enough space etc....until we looked at one on Thursday night. We decided to check out the Lower Haight area of San Francisco and the first apartment we looked at in this area was the one!

Right when we walked into the place I knew that this was going to be our new home. The floors are all new hardwood dark red cherry floors - stunning floors. The living room is massive and the floor plan is very open. A very open archway connects the living room and dining room. The kitchen is newly remodeled with all stainless steal appliances and enough counter and cabinet space. The bedrooms are large and the bathroom is a perfect size with a nice claw foot bathtub. Another great feature - most apartments are painted on flat eggshell color - this place is paint in colors - it looks like a Pottery Barn catalog.

Above: This is a bad picture of part of the apartment - you can see the amazing floors!

We move in on February 1st - stay tuned for more photos of the place and more posts about our new neighborhood - The Lower Haight of San Francisco!

Zach Turns 5 Years Old

2009-01-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

I can't believe today is Zach's 5th birthday. It really does go by fast. Sigh. He's such a good little guy and has grown the most I have ever seen this past year. There is a huge jump from age 4 to 5 as far as everything goes. I met Zach when he was 9 months old and have seen him take his first steps, say his first words (apple & Elmo) and seen him celebrate all of his birthdays. Kids really do grow up fast and one of Zach's favorite things to do is cuddle on the couch at night and get cozy under the blankets to watch TV at night. I was telling Paul to enjoy those moments because someday he won’t want to get cozy on the couch with his dads or mom. He'll think that’s uncool or silly or even embarrassing. Cherish the little moments. I am. Here's a walk down the evolution of Zachary!

Above: Paul with Zach on the day Zach was born - January 3rd 2004.

Above: Zach on his first birthday.

Above: Gosh, he's changed so much - Zach on his 2nd birthday.

Above: Again, Zach on his second birthday. So cute!

Above: Zach on his 3rd Birthday getting a huge muffin - his first birthday in SF!

Above: Last year on Zach's 4th birthday!

Above: Zeebs (today) ready to take on the age of five.

Above: Zach's mom and dad - Carrie and Paul - with Zach on his first day into the world.
Thanks to you both for letting me be a part of such a wonderful little guy's life.

A Sledding We Will Go

2009-01-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

Above: Zach and me sledding in Cambridge - this was Zach's first time sledding:-)

Above: Paul and Zach sledding, Zach was not too happy with getting snow down his pants.

My New Years Resolution

2008-12-31T12:40:00.000-08:00

My New Year's resolution this year is not going to be to get in awesome shape, eat better, drink less or to floss more. I never seem to keep those New Year's resolutions, maybe because I don't take them too seriously. This year I am going to take my New Year's resolution pretty seriously because I feel like I have something not only to prove to myself, but also to share with many people. I am writing my life story and my goal is to have it completed this year and have it in a place to shop around to publishers by the end of 2009. I realized that I have an interesting story to tell, actually it's quite amazing. I recently have told some people a small portion of my story and people seem genuinely inspired by it... I am inspired by it. When I talk about some of the things I have been through, where I have come from and where I am, I can hardly believe it's me - my life.

So, I am taking a break from doing a lot of things to focus on what will be literally another chapter in my life. As I am writing my book this year, I am going to post about how it's going with the writing process and talk about some portions of what I am writing about. You won’t get the full story - just bits and pieces to keep you interested and guessing until the book comes out:-)

I have already started writing my book and the picture that introduces this post above is of a bus station in Springfield, Massachusetts that I ended up at in November 2000 at the age of 26 years old. When Paul and I drove by that bus stop recently while I was in Western Massachusetts, I felt a lump in my throat and felt my eyes start to water as I took that picture. That bus stop was a huge turning point in my life. I was at that bus stop on a cold November night with nothing but a wad of money in my pocket and the clothes on my back. I hopped aboard a bus, headed to Boston and never looked back. That bus ride would change my life in so many ways, but it would be a long journey for me once I arrived in Boston. A journey that would be the most challenging thing I would ever have to go through...

Boston Bar Crawl

2008-12-29T17:03:00.000-08:00

Above: Me, Jon, Kevin & Paul.

While Paul and I were in Boston we were looking forward to seeing our friends in Boston. We saw MOST of them but not all. Really wish I could have seen Patrick, Frank, Jeff and many others but we did see a lot of people! We headed to our favorite Boston gay bars, oh wait there are only like 4 or 5 bars in Boston, so we headed to some of the only gay bars in Boston like Fritz, Club Cafe and Paradise.

Above: Me and Jack! Love ya Jack!

Above: Me, Bucca and Paul.

Above: Me and Andrew.

Above: Jim Kevin and Paul.

It was so good to see friends that we have known since we started dating - Kevin and Jon being our oldest friends and closest. It was so good to see Jon and Kevin talk about some of the memories we had from years past. Jack and Charlie our also two of our good friends who I love spending time with and I am hoping Jack decides to move out to SF someday!:-) Also, we had not seen a friend of ours, Mike, in almost 2 years so that was a pleasant surprise. I have to say that I am so thankful for these friends and I hope they are all a part of my life until we are all old and gray and laugh together about all he great times we shared. I miss hanging with you guys and hope you all can make it out at some point in 2009!!

Above: LOVE these guys! Korland, Me, Will and his boyfriend Michael!

Above: Andrew and Paul.

Above: Kevin and his appropriate shirt.

Above: Love ya Josh! Josh and Mike.

Above: Me and my Joan friend Chris from NY!

Boston Science Museum

2008-12-28T18:25:00.000-08:00

Above: Zach and Hailey.

The Boston Science Museum is a great place to take kids on a rainy December day and that's just what we did with Zach and Hailey. There was so much to see, do and explore. My only gripe about the whole experience was that they charge $19.00 for adults and $16.00 for kids - highway robbery! Enjoy our journey though the museum photos!

Above: Zach the Scientist.

Above: Paul is about to get his head squeezed like a grape!

Above: Like father like son!

Above: They all marvel that the world is round!

Above: Me and Zach.

Above: Cute picture of Paul and a bear.

Above: Good ole fashion bear hug.

Above: Paul hamming it up in front of a Moose.

Above: Again, father like son.

Above: Zach standing next to a dinosaur print.

Above: Grasshopper!

Above: Zach exploring.

Above: Zach racing with a skeleton.

Above: Zach unsure how he feels about the skulls.

Above: Can you guess which one is having a fit that we were getting ready to leave....

Happy Holidays 2008

2008-12-25T08:25:00.000-08:00

Above: I took this picture on our way into Boston a few days before Christmas.

The Holidays were a great!! Christmas Day was spent at Paul's moms with his entire family, he has a large family and it was chaotic, but that's what the holidays are all about! The food was great and fun was had by all. The Yankee Swap this year was not as exciting as last years when I won $500, I did get scratch tickets in the swap but only won 4.00 and I got a great male grooming kit!

Above: Zach and Me at the dinner table.

Above: Paul and Zach opening gifts!

Above: Zach trying to figure out one of his new toys.

I got a great new camera zoom lens from Paul along with some great clothes! I got Paul a GPS for our car and some other small trinkets. Zach got so much that he has not played with every thing yet. I think his fave toys are the digital camera, police racing helmet, castle and the car that drives on the wall and the ceiling! He has yet to crack into so many other gifts.

Above: A look of surprise!

Above: A look of wonder.

Above: Zach trying out his new digital camera.

The holidays were even better with the snow, it really felt like the holidays. The day after Christmas we had a great dinner with Zach's cousin Hailey and her mom and husband up in there amazing house in Lawrence Mass. It was a blast!

Above: Jody, Hailey and Chris.

Above: Zach's cousin Hailey, aunt Marlene, cousin Andrew and uncle Mike.

Above: The entire brood eating the Christmas feast!

Above: A winter wonderland!

Stone "Cold" Zoo

2008-12-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

Above: Me, Paul and Zach at the Stone Zoo.

We went to the Stone Zoo in Stoneham Massachusetts right before Christmas. It was an outdoor zoo and park for all ages decorated in a festival holiday theme. So we all went with Zach's uncle and cousins to this Stone Zoo and it was a blast except it felt like it was 2 degrees out. I think it was about 10 degrees not including the wind chill. I don't think Zach remembered cold like that and after a while he was not having it. The best line Zach said was, "I am so cold my hands feel like nothing!' HA!

Above: Zach trying to stay warm!

Above: The beautiful snow castle.

Above: Me trying tor keep Zach warm.

We all were troopers and went through the entire Zoo even though it was so cold. To understand how cold it was they had a sign saying the Snow Leopard exhibit was closed today! It was too cold for the Snow Leopard to be outside! So we all decided to warm up with the friend dough and free hot chocolate. I was so exited for the hot chocolate. To my dismay, the hot chocolate was frozen!! And right after the fried dough was taken out of the fryer and hit the cold air it was like eating cold ice chips. It was all pretty comical.

Above: It was too cold to see the snow leopard!!

Above: Too damn cold!

Check out the ass freezing pictures of all of us!:-)

Above: Beautiful shot of a snow covered tree.

Above: Love this Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.

Above: The brood all trying to stay warm!

Above: Snow carousel

Above: Zach not too happy his ass is frozen to the horse.

Above: Zach riding the snow train with cousin Hailey.

Above: Farewell Stone Zoo!

Slip Sliding Away

2008-12-22T19:08:00.000-08:00

Above: How cute is this kid!?!? Zach doing his best Vanna White!

I have been looking forward to going sledding. I LOVE sledding and it has been years since I have gone. The last time I went sledding was at an area called "Hospital Hill" - that name sums up how treacherous it really was. Sledding was something I enjoyed so much as a kid and I went as ofen as I could. Every year I would lose my glasses in teh snow and find them broken or never find them and I would end up having to wear taped up glasses or wear an old pair - accident waiting to happen! I figured I have outgrown the accident prone stage:-)

Above: Fresh Pond Park in Cambridge Mass.

Above: Paul and Zach making there way through the cold and snow.

Above: Zach and Paul ready to slide down the hill.

Above: Paul and Zach coasting down Fresh Pond Park hill.

Zach has never been sledding until now! I was very excited to get him on a sled and fly down a hill with him. I was a bit unsure how he would react to sledding...

Above: Zach and me ready to tackle the slopes!

Above: Zach and me in mid-air after going over a large jump on the slope.

Above: I lost Zach after the jump and I crashed out, falling off the sled.

Above: Both Zach and I were all smiles and loved our adventure down the hill - we were ready for more!

...thankfully after the first trial run down a smaller slope, Zach was laughing and excited to try it again. So we spend the day freezing but having fun sliding down the hills in Cambridge. We even went over the jumps and bigger hills with some success staying on the sled and fling off the sled as well.

We are going to go sledding a few more times before we head back to San Francisco!

Holiday Reunion

2008-12-21T14:46:00.000-08:00

Above: My brother Nathan, Me and my brother Noah.

Paul and I traveled to Boston this past Wednesday for the holidays. We will be in Boston close to two weeks! We wanted tons of snow for our trip to Boston and boy did we get snow! It has snowed three days straight and it's still snowing as I type this. Love it! I really wanted it to snow for a few reasons...it never does much of anything in SF for weather - we had a stretch of 8 months with nothing but sun and fog - and Zach has never been sledding!!! So, tomorrow we will be going sledding with Zach. Zach flew in on Friday night with his mom during the brunt of the snowstorm. I was biting my nails until I heard a phone call that they were on the ground safe and sound.

Above: The heavy snowfall and entrance to our hotel.

We have so much planned for his trip, but the first big journey was me going back to my hometown of Chicopee Mass. I have not been back there in a long time and I wanted to visit my family. Paul and I embarked on the 2-hour journey from Cambridge mass to the left side of the sate. We rented a huge SUV and drove during the snowstorm - it was a fun adventure.

Above: REDRUM!

We arrived pretty quickly to our hotel in Northampton (20 miles north of Chicopee) and the hotel was snowed in, dark and eerie! We checked in and the manager of the hotel was the only one working - she looked like Shelly Duval - and our room had no internet and broken television. It was pretty freaky - it reminded me of the movie The Shining and I was waiting for jack Nicholson to come out from somewhere. Our overall stay at the hotel was pretty good and the snow factor added to the excitement.

Above: Me and my cousin Nicole.

Above: My aunt and me.

Above: Looking at Nic's awesome diverse ornaments! My fave's were her husband Mike's bizarre ornaments.

Paul and I headed to visit my cousin he next morning. I haven't seen my cousin and her family in a while even thought I chat with her often it's been years since we saw each other. It was great seeing her husband and her two adorable kids - Duffy & Cooper. We stayed at her house for quite sometime and had great conversation. An added bonus was that my aunt also stopped by and it was really great to se her as well. I am looking forward to seeing all of them this summer and having them meet Zach as well. Zach would have a blast with Duffy and Cooper as you can see by the fun picture of them below.

Above: Nic's son Duffy showing us his castle head!

Above: Nic's son Cooper showing us his guitar skills.

Above: Cooper and Duffy hamming it up for the camera!

Later that night, meet my brothers Nathan and Noah for dinner along with Nathan's girlfriend Cassie. First we stopped by their house in Chicopee and I reunited with my bros there and their dad, my stepfather of 13 years and his wife. It was really great to reconnect with everyone and go down memory land a bit looking through photos and talking about funny things we all did together in the past. It was a long overdue reunion.

Above: Cassie, my brothers girlfriend, Nathan, Me and Noah.

We all headed out to dinner and drinks and we all had a great time together hanging out and enjoying good ole Chicopee. I cannot knock the city I am from but I will say that I could never see myself living there again - we went to the "hot spot" bar in Chicopee and it was interesting to say the least. I do hope my brothers come out to SF to visit and experience more of a diverse and upbeat nightlife. All in all it was awesome seeing them and we vowed to keep in touch on a regular basis.

So far, the trip back east has been awesome. I had a great trip seeing my family and sharing the experiences with Paul ..stay tuned for more posts about our trip!!

It's a Castle!

2008-12-16T22:44:00.000-08:00

If you have not seen the videos of Zachary opening his Christmas presents, check them out below. One of the presents was a castle that we saw on TV a few weeks ago. Santa brought it and let em tell you it was the gift of all gifts because it took me three days to assemble it!!!! I think I was more excited to complete the castle and play with it than Zach was.

Check out the completed castle that Zach and I built:-)

Top 20 Christmas Songs of All Time

2008-12-15T21:53:00.000-08:00

I am feeling the Christmas spirit even more so now that I am in Boston AND the fact it's going to snow a ton this weekend!:-) Hell, it's even snowing in Vegas right now!!! I decided to put a list together of my Top 20 favorite Christmas songs and what artist version I prefer. Enjoy!

#20 - I’ll Be Home for Christmas sung by Johnny Mathis

Most of us all associate the holidays with being home and this song says just that. Great song sung by one of the best male vocalists of all time.

#19 - Winter Wonderland sung by Annie Lennox

I am a huge fan of Annie Lennox and of this song. The combination of the two makes this by far the best version of this classic Christmas tune.

#18 - Do They Know it’s Christmas sung by Free4 & Christmas Allstars

Ah yea, the British invasion of 80s pop starts have one of their most memorable moments with this great holiday song. Bono, Boy George, George Michael, Bob Geldof and many more spin together a holiday classic that is approaching its 25th anniversary.

#17 - Ave Maria sung by Celine Dion

Everyone is familiar with this classic and everyone has sung this song. Celine owns this song and sends chills down your spine belting this one out.

#16 - I Wonder as I Wander sung by Barbra Streisand

One of the saddest Christmas songs ever and Streisand adds that extra warmth to it. Don’t listen to this version if you’re having a blue Christmas.

#15 - Frosty the Snowman sung by Jimmy Durante

Another song that reminds me of my childhood, going outside after a snowstorm and building a snowman hoping it comes to life. :-)Great fun song. Another fave of Zach's

#14 - What Child Is This? sung by Vanessa Williams

Always liked this song but I love this jazz version of it sung by former Miss America Vanessa Williams. It's the best version of this song ever.

#13 - Do You Hear What I Hear – Whitney Houston

I was never keen on this song until I heard Whitney sing it. One of the best voices ever and she makes this song enjoyable. You just want to sing along with it!

#12 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town sung by Bruce Springsteen

I used to hate this version of this song but as I got older I have learned to appreciate what a classic it really is. BRUCE!

#11 - All I Want for Christmas is You sung by Mariah Carey

As much as I dislike Mariah Carey, I give her credit for writing a great, catchy modern day Christmas song. This song makes you want to dance around the Christmas tree and drink tons of egg nog with lots of booze in it:-)

#10 - My Grownup Christmas List sung by Natalie Cole

Father and daughter both in my top ten! This song always makes me sad. There's still a little kid in all of us around the holidays and this song sums up those feelings. Great song for the kid in all of us.

#9 - Feliz Navidad sung by Jose Feliciano

This song always gets me into a great mood around the holidays. I love the upbeat tempo to the song and how fun is it to sing FELIZ NAVIDAD!

#8 - Jingle Bells sung by Alvin & the Chipmunks

Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh! Another classic that has to be in my top ten. I choose Alvin and the Chipmunks version because right now, it's Zach's favorite song and version.

#7 - White Christmas sung by Bing Crosby

Another voice that is so recognizable and associated with the holidays. Everyone in the world has sung White Christmas, but when Bing sings it, you can't help but want the snow to start falling from the skies.

#6 - It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year sung by Andy Williams

Andy Williams just sounds like a Christmas song when he sings. This is a great song because it encompasses the feelings most people get around the Christmas holiday.

#5 - Happy Christmas (War is Over)

A legend singing a great song. Love the lyrics and the meaning behind this song.

#4 - Oh Holy Night sung by Celine Dion

Oh Holy Night is probably one of the oldest Christmas songs and the song stands alone on it's own merit BUT I challenge you to listen to Celine Dion's version of it and not get goose bumps. UNREAL!

#3 - The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You) – Nat King Cole

Classic song! This is by far the best version. Nat King Cole has one of the best voices ever. EVERYONE knows this song!

#2 - Silver & Gold sung by Burl Ives

I have loved this song ever since I first saw Rudolph the red-Nosed Reindeer as a child. Burl's voice I classic and I love the lyrics to this song.

#1 - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas sung by Judy Garland

Hands down my favorite Christmas song ever. The combination of the sad lyrics and Garland's amazing voice. It's hard not to get all warm and fuzzy inside listening to this one.

Zach Opening his Gifts!

2008-12-14T21:08:00.000-08:00

Santa came early for Zachary since he will be in Boston for Christmas! Check out the fun videos and pictures of Zach opening his gifts from Santa!

Santa Came Early!

2008-12-14T11:21:00.000-08:00

Santa Claus came early at our house! Zachary is traveling back home to Boston for the holidays and won't be here when Santa comes - so Santa decided to come a little early so Zachary can open his presents at home.

When Neil and Paul realized that Santa had delivered the presents they decided they better clean out Zach's room to make room for all of the new presents. Zachary's room has never been so organized and clean before.

Zachary will be opening his presents later on today. Stay tuned for many pictures of Zach and his Christmas presents!

Sweet Lady Jane!

2008-12-10T21:33:00.000-08:00

This past weekend when I was in LA - my friends Sean & Jamie took me to this fabulous famous bakery called Sweet Lady Jane Bakery. It was probably one of the best bakeries I have ever been to. We were all in the bakery and we couldn't decide what to eat so we all decided to eat get a piece of something and share it. Ah the joys of friends and putting your minds together!

So I got a slice of cappuccino cheesecake, Sean got the seven layer chocolate cake and Jaime got the cherry pie. They were all so delicious and I could not believe the portions that were on my plate ( see photo above.) I highly recommend Sweet Lady Jane Bakery in West Hollywood and I also suggest sharing your desserts with your friends!

Wet Yourself

2008-12-09T16:13:00.000-08:00

Above: Me at the Joan Crawford even holding a Joan Crawford Tonner Doll, that I am proudly a part of producing, being released next month.

This past weekend I went to LA to a Joan Crawford Tribute UCLA was giving. It was fun, fans from all over the country flew out to come to the tribute, which started on November 21st, and ends December 20th. A full month of Joan at UCLA! Anyway, the highlight for me was they showed private home movies of Joan Crawford from 1939-1942 – Crawford at her prime – still young and very beautiful. These home movies showed a real side to Joan that not many have seen – this was only the second time these home movies were showed to the public.

Above: My friend, and Joan fan, Donna at the Billy Wilder Theater.

So this past Friday night, I met up with my Joan fan friends and we started watching the home movies at the Billy Wilder Theater in LA and all of a sudden my friend Donna and I smell a strong smell. It smelled like urine – bad urine like in someone’s pants for days. So we both look at each other and start gagging but we didn’t want to move yet because the home movies already started playing. So, we stuck it out and staying in our seats fanning the urine fumes. After the home movies, the feature film they were showing started right away so we didn’t get to move! So by this point, Donna is dry heaving and I start to laugh so hard I am bouncing around in my seat, tears streaming down my face I am laughing so hard. I almost wet myself – which would have only added to the fumes!

Above: Event planner, Sandra and Joan Crawford's grandson, Casey LaLonde holding two of the Joan Crawford prototype dolls!

My friends Sean and Jamie notice something is going on (for some reason they didn’t smell the fumes) and urge us all to move. So we moved to another area but my fits of laughter kept coming and going because it was so damn funny.

Next t day, we all were screening two Joan films. We sat in the same seats and we were hoping that the same man would not sit in front of us. Instead a woman did and Donna and I looked at each other and were like – please God let her not have pissy pants. All smelled well and we were smiling. After the first movie ended, the women in front of asks us what happened in the movie because she fell asleep and then she started going on a rampage about something completely off topic and we realized she was missing a few marbles. So, we were just trying to ignore her but she kept on babbling until the second movie started.

Above: Me Sandra and Casey.

As we are about ¼ of the way through the second film I hear a loud SNORE. It was so loud that it boomed through the theater, someone a few seats over from Donna fell asleep and was snoring so loud it filled the theater. Here we go again! I lost it – I was howling laughing I couldn’t stop. Sop throughout the film the snoring would come and go and I couldn’t look at Donna without going into hysterics. Ah, see how much fun all of you missed at the Joan films – you would have either laughed your ass off and possibly wet yourself OR had a few good movies to fall asleep to!

ZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

How we met...

2008-12-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

Paul and I have a really cool story on how we met. We met on a chat site called gay.com and we were recently contacted by gay.com to be featured on their website telling our story. It's a very cool story. For me, this is only part of my story about my life - meeting Paul was a huge turning point in my life- H U G E! I was 30 years old and things were just starting to come together for me in many ways. Anyway, THAT'S another story that I am working on - fingers crossed it's finished by end of 2009. The story of how we met can be viewed by clicking on the photo above or the link below. Thanks Lonnie!

How we met...

The Most Beautiful Place in America

2008-11-30T19:49:00.000-08:00

This past weekend Paul and I went on a hike to the famous Lands End cliffs in San Francisco. We have lived here for 2 years now and we have not hiked down these trails yet and I am so glad we finally did this past Friday! We started off at Ocean Beach, which is an amazing place to visit and look at the grand Pacific Ocean. This particular area on Ocean Beach had huge deadly waves that only some of the surfers dared to brave. It really is an amazing place to just walk along and clear your head and enjoy it with someone you love. I plan on going there a lot more often - looking forward to taking Zach there too.

We then hiked along the rocky cliffs that dance along the Pacific Ocean and look out over the Golden Gate Bridge and some beautiful scenery, it is all so breathtaking. We were there for hours and got some amazing pictures of he coast in all it's glory. It's nice to be able to still do things outdoors in November and not have to worry about it being too cold or worry about the rain or snow. The temperature always seems to be just right here during the day and nice and cool at night making it wonderful for sleeping. It hardly rains and never snows - San Francisco is really the place to be!!

Happy Thanksgiving 2008!

2008-11-27T21:09:00.000-08:00

Above: Zach giving thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving! This Thanksgiving was one of the best. We all shared a delicious feast at Carrie & Iggy's house. Zach's grandparents Nanny & Pops were in San Francisco with all of us from Boston to enjoy the day. It was great seeing Nanny & Pops and we look forward to seeing them in a few weeks in Boston for the Christmas holidays (Lois hide your cookies.) below are a bunch of pictures of our Thanksgiving. As you can see, we all have a lot to be thankful for.

Above: Ciara's beautifully decorated Thanksgiving table.

Above: Yummy cookies by Ciara.

Above: Paul and Zach.

Above: I love this picture of paul & Zach.

Above/Below: Carrie took these two photos of Zach & his dog Snoopy - very cute.

Above: Iggy carves the turkey.

Above: Zach shows off his plummer's crack while Snoppy is enjoying the smell of Thanksgiving.

Above: Carrie and Nanny dig in!

Above: Chef Ciara gets dessert ready.

Above: The two "dishwaser" clean the plates!

Above/Below: After the feast, we all took a walk on the beach.

Above: A beautiful shot of the boats on the bay.

Above: Golden Gate Bridge on Thanksgiving Day.

Above: Carrie, Zach & Paul walking along the beach.

Above: Carrie, Zach & Snoopy play football on the beach.

Above: Paul & Zach playing football.

Above: Zach really enjoying himself on the beach.

Above: Zach & Pops

Above: Snoopy trying to save the ball before it goes into the ocean.

Above: Carrie and Zach in a great sunset on the beach.

Above: Love this shot of the sunset.

Above: Everyone resting on the couch after great Thanksgiving Day.

Above: Me totally crashed out on the couch.