Tweets from the Trenches

@ItsMeAntoinette buhh , i do gotta pee; it's taking FOREVER to get off this plane. about 5 hours ago from mobile web

@SeaTweets Just landed in slc. Sitting near the back of the plane and I REALLY have to pee. Let's make this a speedy de-plane, fe
about 21 hours ago from twidroid

@everythingisaok I have to pee sooooooooooo bad, and people are getting off the plane like we have all night.
1 day ago from txt

@speckie721 Can I get off this plane. I gotta pee.
2 days ago from UberTwitter

@CandiceBarrans OMG I have to pee ane plane wont stop taxing!
4 days ago from txt

@ckcoburn LET ME OFF THIS PLANE I HAVE TO PEE

A Whole Lot of Nothing...

Wow. So I had some vacation days from work that expire at year's end, so I took off two days for some long weekends. Last week, I went out to the Opera with a beautiful 18 year old boy at FIT. I thought it was kind of a date, and I think we both had a good time. After the show, we parted and each began heading home in our separate directions. Somehow, about 15 minutes later we bumped into each other in Times Square. I don't know what it means. IT WAS SO RANDOM! But we hung out for a little bit in Times Square, and then went home. I was happy for the extra time with him. But this weekend he was pretty spotty with answering my calls or texts.

Friday night, a 20 year old from Parsons came over. I've known him for some time, but I'm not really that into him. We fooled around a little, but I didn't want to kiss or have sex with him. He kept asking why not, and trying to go in for a kiss. Like really kept trying again and again. Too much.

Hey, why do people ask the stupid questions whose answers they don't want to know? Like, "So how many boys have you brought back here?" I don't get it. You want me to say you're my one and only? You may one day be. But you can't erase my past, so what do you want? I should tell you all about how you're one of a long illustrious line of hot boys? Or lie and say you're the first? I mean, when you ask a question like that, what do you want to hear?

Now that awful Gaga song is stuck in my head. I'm almost afraid to tell you which one because you probably haven't heard it and if you go find it, the song's awfulness may become lodged in your head as well. It's called Monster, and the refrain "He ate my heart, he a-a-ate my heart" is pretty much the whole song.

I got a few cool items. A memory foam mattress topper which I'm lying on right now for the first time. Well, second. I lied it out on the floor when it came, but this is the first time I set it up on my bed.

Today in the city I got a few reed diffusers from Sabon (check them out - great stuff!) and put them around my room. I am now taking repeated deep breaths because with every breath I want to inhale deeply the fragrance.

I stayed at a cool hotel as part of my "staycation". But no one would join me, so I enjoyed it alone. But it sucked to be alone. I kept reaching out to people to come visit, but half the time they were busy or away or couldn't make it, and half the time they said they would come and then "their phone died" and I didn't hear back until the next day.

The hotel's fitness room was fairly small, but I had it all to myself. Felt like my own private gym. And they had a great steam room. The room was well appointed, and of a pretty fair size for the city. I had enough booze with me for a football team, but I didn't drink. I was feeling too good to drink by myself, but it still hurt that I was so alone. (Another giant breath of Sabon Bordeaux.)

I have a massive pile of unwashed laundry at the foot of my bed. By tomorrow morning it's going to be my freshest-smelling load of dirty laundry ever.

When I asked about the wifi, the guy at the hotel desk told me it was $12.99 for 24 hours. Well, what he didn't say is that the hotel's wifi is also available through Boingo, which charges just $10 a month. Think maybe that's something he could have mentioned?

At 3:00AM I called the desk and ordered a pillow. Whatever.

I got a haircut. But you might not even notice. I told him to leave it long. Partly because I want it long, partly because I didn't trust him. I think it was a good choice. New Yorkers who love their barber or stylist - please comment and tell me who you use.

The super sexy 18 year old bi boy who goes to school upstate is home for the holidays. I was looking forward to seeing him. He almost came over, but his "phone died" and we couldn't coordinate. I'm tempted to believe it's true. But it's been happening so often with different people...

The TV in the hotel was beyond useless. Nice big screen, 25 or so different channels. Nothing on. Ever. I think they do it on purpose to try to sell you VoD movies. But I decided to just stream stuff on my laptop, tiny screen and all. At least I get to choose what to watch. In the end I didn't spend much time watching anyway.

Next stops. Sephora, Bloomingdales, H&M. At Sephora, I was overwhelmed by the vast numbers of tiny bottles and jars with exhorbitant price tags that, as far as I could tell, all do the same thing. Or nothing at all. Who knows, right? I went over to the men's fragrances and sprayed them all on those little tester paper strips (which Sephora actually named "Scenta") and smelled them. I wasn't a fan of 212Men, but I liked 212SexyMen (it's different, dark, not your everyday scent) and Gucci Pour Homme (more classical). Givenchy Play Intense was interesting. Not bad, but probably not for me. Some of them just reeked bad. Malodorous. Interesting that I liked the sexy men but not the plain men...

I also saw the brand of toiletries they had at the hotel. That was cool. A lot of hotels have hotel-branded "specially made" stuff that you can never find in a store (probably because in the store it's sold under the Procter & Gamble label...)

H&M was a hot mess. I would so go there to shop for boys, but it seems the boys aren't for sale. But I digress. So there was a shirt I wanted. I own one, and I wear it all the time, and I want to get a few more just like it. Maybe in a few different colors. Why is this so difficult? So the shirt is $40. But they have another line of shirts for $20. The difference? The $20 line is cut wrong, made from cheap materials and generally just a pile of trash. So why do they adulterate their clothing with inferior stuff like that? Maybe it's a good thing. I don't know. It has happened before. Two vests. Same style and color and everything. One is 100% cotton, the other ersatz polyester. But what really threw me is that when I found the shirt I wanted, it was covered with dust. Looked like it was still there untouched from that last time when I bought the shirt that started this journey. Wow. Dusty clothing on store racks. Big no-no. I didn't buy it.

At Bloomingdales, the dressing rooms were so big and spacious I thought it might be a good place to hook up. Cheaper than a hotel. That idea was dampened when after a few minutes inside an attendant called out, "Eveything fit okay?" But I still think it could work. Hey, it beats the johns in the college library...

I feel like every one of my friends wrote a tweet or a status raving about how awesome the movie Avatar is. I'd never even heard of it until this deluge of viral.

Well you're all caught up now. And as for making my posts more explicit, well, maybe that will come later...

Collected Screenshots

Cute Marc Jacobs model. This guy is the definition of a top model: He makes whatever they dress him in look good. I had to catch myself and think about how they would look on me before rushing to buy a bunch of clothes because they looked great on him.





For a brief time, Google searches for NY Senate described the chamber's website as "Marriage Equality: New York State Senate". We know that didn't last.



$100,000 for the Norton Internet Security suite, Netbook edition. A bit pricey, methinks. Especially for the netbook user on a budget!

Senate Fails to Grant Marriage Equality #NYMarriageDebate

This morning, the New York State Senate voted down a bill that would have granted equal marriage rights to gay and lesbian citizens.

Accountability 2010!
Regular readers may have noticed there's a new Donate button in the sidebar. After being deeply disappointed by this morning's failure of the same-sex marriage bill, I am scrambling to organize a campaign to hold those Senators who voted NO accountable for their actions.

The next steps will be to identify which of these are the first up for re-election, which of them we have the best chance of defeating, and then which opposing candidate to support - be it a same-party candidate in the primaries or the opposing party candidate. Your support, in any way you can, makes a difference.

To all those Senators who voted in favor, thank you for being, as President Obama might say, on the right side of history. Special thanks to Senators Tom Duane, Eric Adams, Toby Ann Stavisky, Pedro Espada, Malcolm Smith, and John Sampson, for your leadership in support of the bill.

The Blacklist:

Joseph Addabbo (D)
James Alesi (R)
Darrel Aubertine (D)
John Bonacic (R)
John DeFrancisco (R)
Ruben Diaz (D)
Hugh Farley (R)
John Flanagan (R)
Charles Fuschillo, Jr. (R)
Martin Golden (R)
Joseph Griffo (R)
Kemp Hannon (R)
Shirley Huntley (D)
Owen Johnson (R)
Carl Kruger (D)
Andrew Lanza (R)
Bill Larkin (R)
Kenneth LaValle (R)
Vincent Leibell (R)
Tom Libous (R)
Elizabeth Little (R)
Carl Marcellino (R)
George Maziarz (R)
Roy McDonald (R)
Hiram Monserrate (D)
Thomas Morahan (R)
Michael Nozzolio (R)
George Onorato (D)
Frank Padavan (R)
Michael Ranzenhofer (R)
Joseph Robach (R)
Stephen Saland (R)
James Seward (R)
Dean Skelos (R)
William Stachowski (D)
Dale Volker (R)
George Winner (R)
Catherine Young (R)

Thanks to Irene Jay Liu from timesunion for providing the roll call.

Assembly Passes Gay Marriage Again as it Waits for Senate Action

The New York State Assembly has passed a gay marriage bill for a 3rd time in 2 years, early this morning, as it continues to wait for the State Senate to take action.

While I'm here, about my life. I've met so many amazing people lately. It's what makes life great. It's funny, because I've said before how true Sartre's definition of Hell rings (*Hell is other people). But that just depends which people. Anyway, it's hard to talk about details without anonymity (see Matt at DTB's explanation - I'll get the link up when I have a moment).

So much I want to say, but it's become a lot harder to say it. Anyway, no time now. Back to work. Ttyl.

P.S. Now would be a great time to call and write legislators in New York and New Jersey to demand marriage equality.

It's Back on the Agenda: Yes on S4401

Please take a moment to call the New York State Senate and urge them to vote YES on S4401 to support marriage equality in the State of New York.

Put on your boxing gloves: It's baaaack.





English boy band Take That pose in combat boots, boxer shorts and red boxing gloves, circa 1995. L-R, Mark Owen, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Call now 518-455-2800 and tell our Senators you support fair marriage rights and they should too. You can also access the Senate website and share your support for same sex marriage.

The language of the bill states, in part:

Same-sex couples and their children should have the same access as others to the protections, responsibilities, rights, obligations, and benefits of civil marriage...

It is the intent of the legislature that the marriages of same-sex and different-sex couples be treated equally in all respects under the law...

No application for a marriage license shall be denied on the ground that the parties are of the same, or a different, sex.

And perhaps my favorite part:

This act shall take effect immediately.

They were there. Don't let them forget their committment.

New York Governor David Paterson, second left, a supporter of gay marriage, and Michael Bloomberg, second right, mayor of New York City, participate in the Heritage of Pride Parade on June 28, 2009 in New York. (UPI Photo/Monika Graff)

He wasn't there. Don't let him get re-elected.





Anti-Gay Senator Chooses Opposition to Marriage Equality Over Party





P.S. If you live in Diaz's district in New York (32) and want to run against him for his Senate seat, please let me know.

P.P.S. I am deeply ashamed of portions of the Orthodox Jewish community that has taken upon itself to oppose this much-needed legislation. After Jews were persecuted for so many years, we of all people should understand the plight of those who are discriminated against and not join their oppressors.
















These people went to Albany to deny your civil rights.

Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz, Rabbi Mordechai Biser, Chaskel Bennett, Rabbi Mechel Deutsch, Tzvi Gluck, Leon Goldenberg, Rabbi Yakov Horowitz, Chaim Israel, Mendy Israel, Yoel Lefkowitz, Sender Rappoport, Avi Schron, Rabbi Moshe Schwab and Yerucham Silver.

“Here,” said Rabbi Lefkowitz, “was a group of sincere, polite and impressive Orthodox Jewish citizens, well-spoken and clearly not bigoted - but whom this bill would turn into pariahs.”

This same logic they apply to their denial of gay rights and same sex marriage argues in favor of slavery, too: The abolition of slavery turned sincere, polite, and impressive, well-spoken, and clearly not bigoted slave owners into pariahs.

In fact, when the Allies won WWII, sincere, polite, and impressive, well-spoken, and clearly not bigoted German National Socialists were turned into pariahs.

In other words, their argument is that as long as your inhumanity is directed towards sub-humans, you can be a fine upstanding citizen. But raising your sub-human victims to equal standing means your oppression of them is now vile. Which is something you'd rather not have to deal with.

I urge Agudath Israel and Orthodox Union members to read Rabbi Michael Broyde's excellent article, "Jews, Public Policy and Civil Rights: A Religious Jewish Perspective," in which he eloquently argues that "In order to vigorously protect our rights, we must be prepared to defend the rights of others even others we do not agree with." And then contact Agudah or OU and tell them to stop endangering your equal rights with their reckless opposition to an extension of civil rights.

Only 1% of Hospitals Are Below Average*

*In the opinion of the people who chair hospital boards. (WSJ Health Blog)

A Definition of "Chutzpah"

Health care wonk Bill McIntruff explains that key elements of Obama's Health Care Reform Bill are designed to take effect starting 2013 so that Obama can be safely re-elected before the whole health care system collapses:

"This thing doesn’t even happen until 2013. So we need to understand that, on purpose, that we have this “major reform” but the major reform is meant to happen after Obama’s re-election. This means he gets to run on “We passed a major reform and boy, it’s coming soon,” and not “Oh my God, this whole thing is collapsing and it’s my fault,” if that’s what happens. Who knows, maybe it will be successful, but the point is that no one has seemed to want to gamble his or her own re-election on that outcome. So it’s more likely, whatever happens, to be stuck in a drawer to wait until the next time, which is after the re-election campaign." (Health Affairs)

Adopt a Gay Today

The election results are in: People still hate the gays. In New Jersey and Maine, voters went to the polls to support insensitivity and discrimination. Anti-gay groups scared people by saying things like "gay marriage will be taught to your children." So instead parents opted to teach their children that the principles of equality on which this nation was founded are no more true to them than they were to the pigs in Orwell's Animal Farm. Remember when Michelle Obama angered the media by saying she isn't proud to be an American? Well, I kinda know how she feels. #democracyfail

Oh, now that I'm here, I'll throw in a quick personal update. I met a guy online, and we met for a weekend. I had a great time, I don't think he did. It's pretty rocky going.

Halloween was fun, party at the club.

Shirtless! At The Disco

OMG I was in heaven. We were even walking on clouds... A foam party. Hundreds of beautiful boys, everyone stripped to their underwear on the dance floor, suds and bubbles and young flesh everywhere moving to the beat. The crowd was great, the energy was high, people were smiling, happy, having fun. It was unreal. People let down their barriers and just enjoyed the night. Like it was another era. A simpler time. Full of innocence and pleasure.

The club is moving soon, so they get to throw a few awesome parties and wreck the place before they go...

When I walked outside, it looked like it had snowed. The foam oozed out the door and blanketed the whole sidewalk out front. It was incredible, the whole night.

I met a few really wonderful people too who I've actually been keeping up with :)

Looking Sinister

Artist puts a face on email viruses:

Thanks to a new Dell e-zine Motherboard.tv for the find.

"And then the police officer added 'you know, he's homosexual'"

The HRC had its big gala black tie dinner with all the rich old gays and their hot young escorts. President Obama addressed the gathering. They applauded and cheered and practically promised to support his re-election in 2012.

Meanwhile, the people outside on the streets marched in outrage at the administration's inaction on gay rights issues. The HRC is proud of Obama's vague promise about gays in the military. The real gays outside could care less about the army, they just want to get married. Obama said nothing about marriage, nothing about health insurance, and nothing about the 150,000 angry people who just happen to be gathered on his lawn.

Obama spoke about "the day when no one has to fear being gay in America, when no one has to fear walking down the street holding the hand of the person they like." This is important, of course. What the marchers outside were saying is: we have that. We are not afraid. But we are still disadvantaged. Protecting our bones from bodily harm is important. But it is not enough. It falls short of offering fully equal status.

Anyone who listens to Obama's speech at the dinner cannot help but be wowed by his aura, his delivery, and his seeming commitment, but it still falls short of where we should be.

UPDATE: Actually, the more I listen the more I am wooed by the extent to which he went in his oratory. True, he spoke about most of it in the language of "his beliefs", not in his capacity as President. He told a nice story about the history of PFLAG. But many people have decided it is time to judge him on his record, not his audacity, his hope, his aspirations, or his speeches.

Suicide is painless, it brings on many changes

Disregard the title. Suicide has nothing to do with this post. It's just a cool lyric from a fun song (which I admit to having set on repeat when feeling down).

Had a week off from work for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Got some rest. Did some networking. Became an honorary ivy league alumnus, scoring contacts worth a lot more than the donation that earned me the status. Watched the movie version of Chicago.

Continued an SMS dialog with P, wherein I ask to meet and he says he has to work. And I always question myself whether he appears disinterested, but so far my conclusion remains that he would like to hang out but truly is busy.

Once again had to ditch M for a random cutie I just met. I felt bad, but what should I do? M could have had me but seemed to want a pretty unconventional (read: sexless) relationship. So I interpreted that type of relationship as "friendship", which is not normally meant to be exclusive...

Another night I had a whole bunch of guys all over me, but couldn't pick one and left without any. That's the classic "always looking for something better" syndrome.

Was once again told to get a car. Thing is, I still believe it would come in handy, even be a lifesaver, a couple times a month but be a total drag the rest of the time.

I thought I was off for Columbus day. Found out last minute that I'm not. I wouldn't have minded coming in, except it was annoying working the logistics after finding out so late. Anyway, it's good to be back. I feel better when making money. I think that's what I'll tell the next guy who asks why I'm not drinking: "Actually, I'd rather just have the money..."

Round 3. Fight!

Best. election. video. ever!
I know it's old, but I just saw this now... on... wait for it... Uncyclopedia
By the way, don't you just hate that "wait for it" bit? I was reading something last night and there was that "wait for it", and after I read the next line and saw what I was waiting for, I asked myself: Why did I just have to wait for that?

Iranians Get Their Green - From the Wizard of Oz!

The Wall Street Journal reports: Iranian activists — trying to blanket New York City with their trademark green color — lobbied to bathe the top of the Empire State Building in green light all this week during their rallies against Iran’s president, who is visiting the United Nations.

The request was rejected. But on Thursday, to the protesters’ delight, it will be green anyway, for another reason: an “Emerald Gala” for the 70th anniversary of the film “The Wizard of Oz.”

Organizers have notified their email lists, and many demonstrators plan to stand under the building and cheer when it lights up in the evening. Photographers documenting the protests plan to post the view online for inspiration around the globe, organizers said.

“The universe is smiling and the stars are aligned!” wrote one blogger, named Anonymous Iran. “I’m so happy I could cry!”

The green lighting will happen the same day demonstrators plan to unfurl a nearly mile-long green banner across the Brooklyn Bridge. Sadra Shaba, a 24-year-old graduate student and protest organizer for Voices for Iran, said protesters “consider anything that’s green part of our movement. Even the Statue of Liberty is green.”

Updated Musings on Me

I got to spend some time enjoying the unspeakably beautiful weather in Central Park. Gotta soak it up before old man winter arrives.

I went out with P again. We met "for coffee", but we didn't actually have coffee. We went shopping instead, and then had dinner. It was fun.

Trying to figure out my taxes. The catch is: to get all your deductions and credits and minimize your tax burden, you need to be making enough to justify hiring a tax professional.

I considered taking a certificate course this semester in business administration, but after talking it over with my brain trust I decided to spend a few hundred on books for now instead of a few grand on the course. I'll reconsider more formal education again later.

Baucus Tells Health Insurers to Shut Up

"We cannot allow government officials to target individuals or companies because they do not like what they have to say," McConnell said. "Is this what we believe as a Senate -- that this body should debate a trillion-dollar health care bill that affects every American while using the powerful arm of government to shut down speech?"

more by Mitch McConnell - 13 hours ago - Huffington Post

Hmmm.

ARM Reveals Faster Chip - and Odd Pic

Wow ARM, I gotta hand it to you...
(Image courtesy of Engadget)

Fashion's Night Out NYC was HOT

It was a fun weekend. I tried to leave work ASAP on Thursday evening to get back to the city for Fashion's Night Out. The plan was to hit the Fifth Avenue shops first, and then meet some friends in SoHo to check out the goings on there. Well, as soon as I walked into one of the couture shops a super cute guy came over and asked if I wanted to get a drink with him. (Conveniently, the stores were offering complimentary drinks. It was a very party atmosphere for the occasion.) At first I wasn't sure if he was for real or he was a model hired for the occasion and this was the way they were treating all their guests! We hung out in the store for a while, met the label's founder, then went for a few cocktails at a restaurant on the block before heading downtown in a limo to a cute little wine bar in Chelsea.

Saturday night I was back in Chelsea at a club where I have been crushing on a cute new gogo boy. I find it kind of embarrassing to go tip gogos when I'm with my friends, especially if said friend might kinda have a crush on me... Is there an etiquette to this?

After that, I met up again with the fashion guy I met Thursday (Call him P). I think I really like him. Then I rushed home to get the car back before my Mom or Dad wakes up and realizes I was out past 3:00AM. ("You're old enough I can't tell you what to do, but the car must be back...")

Sunday I went to a housewarming party a friend was making; he just moved in with his boyfriend to a new apartment. I told P about it and he considered coming with me, but then he had just gotten back from exercising and was tired.

Memo to PR Department

Important announcements should not be scheduled for April 1. Thank you.