Obscurity Knocks

Earnest, empathetic, industrious, unpretentious, gay Virgo in Milwaukee with a great life, amazing friends, and a wonderful family.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Online dating error

I was just looking around on Match.com for possible guys to email in the Milwaukee area. I was looking at all of these new profiles and couldn't believe how many interesting guys I was finding. I hadn't logged onto Match in about six weeks, so I figured that quite a few guys must have created profiles recently. I sent messages to three guys before realizing that Match had changed my search from "man seeking man" to "woman seeking man," so I was seeing all of the straight guys. Just my luck. And yes, I must be going crazy in my quest for a boyfriend.

In case anyone wants to reply, here are my current profiles:
Match.com
Yaoo Personals
Friendster

Pacific Ocean





Here's Nate and me at the Pacific Ocean (1) January 2007, (2) January 2006, (3) April 2005, and (4) January 2005. Hopefully we are aging gracefully.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Word Cloud


This is pretty cool.

Next Wednesday

Right now I am irritated and angry. I know that it's not considered healthy to be angry, but I'm allowing myself to be angry regardless. Earlier today I had this idea that I should organize a dinner with my single friends in Milwaukee for next week Wednesday, the "day which must not be named." I figured it would be fun for us single folks to get together and celebrate the advantages of being single. Sarah French articulated some of those advantages.

Sarah French wrote:
"I am very thankful for certain aspects of my single life: to come and go as I wish, to be able to spend more time with my family, to be able to spend more time with my friends, to decorate as I wish, not having to compromise on things I want, etc."

I agree with Sarah's insightful remarks. In any case, I sent an email to Sarah French, K__, J___, Ma___, and Mi______. Sarah will be in New York on business, so she can't make it. Fair enough. J___, Ma___, and Mi______ all more-or-less blew me off, especially Mi______.
Whatever. I thought that we single people should stick together, but I guess they don't agree with me. I admit it: I do mind being single. While I would much rather be in no relationship than in a bad one (and I know some people who are in bad ones), I don't particularly care for the fact that I'm 33, single, and have absolutely no prospects. I've felt no chemistry with the guys who have been interested in me in 2007. And the guys who I email from Yahoo personals, Match.com, gay.com, etc., aren't interested in me. In sum, there doesn't seem to be a guy in the metro Milwaukee area who can stomach me. I guess I am that unattractive. One thing's for certain: I'm not going to subject myself to seeing any of my friends who are "Smug Marrieds" or smug people in relationships on the "day which must not be named." Other days, I welcome it. But not next Wednesday.

Since none of my single friends in Milwaukee want to have dinner with me, my plan now is to hole up in my condo, make a huge pan of brownies, and buy a can of Betty Crocker frosting. Then I'll sit with the pan of brownies and the frosting on my lap and eat the brownies directly from the pan and the frosting directly from the can. I may eat the whole damn pan of brownies and the whole damn can of frosting. At least brownies have never let me down. Many men have. And I'll call Nate and Lesley, my fabulous and wonderful single friends in Southern California. They would have dinner with me if they lived here or if I lived there.

February 7, 2007

I want to have a record of what I did the day that Abby was born:

6:10 a.m., woke up. The temperature in Milwaukee is about -5 degrees.
6:20 a.m., ran 4 miles outside while listening to the awful and banal WKTI morning show
7:00 a.m., shower, shave and get dressed
7:20 a.m., watch beginning of "Today" show (on DVR) while eating Multi-Grain Cherrios with skim milk, pulp free orange juice, and fat free strawgerry yogurt
7:40 a.m., drive to work. Even though it's cold, it's sunny with no clouds in the sky.
7:55 a.m., arrive at work. Morning is the usual with emails, phone calls, writing, and projects
10:50 a.m., walk to gym. Swim laps for 25 minutes.
11:25 a.m., shower
11:40 a.m, walk to Subway. Order usual lunch: 6" veggie sub on wheat bread with all vegatables except onions and banana peppers, brown mustard. Original Baked Lays. Cost is $3,90. Walk back to office
11:55 a.m., eat lunch at desk while reading USA Today.
12:35 p.m., resume work
1:30 p.m., meet with boss
2:30 p.m., Dave calls to say that Sara is in labor and in hospital
3:00 p.m., meeting in another building, see quite a few colleagues
4:42 p.m., text message from Dave: "We're doing good here."
4:43 p.m., my text message to Dave" "Let me know if you need anything. Call when baby arrives."
5:30 p.m., leave work
5:40 p.m., go to Pick 'n Save Metro Market for groceries. I buy red seedless grapes, bananas, fat free strawberry yogurt, pulp free orange juice, skim milk, and some other items.
6:00 p.m., eat some leftovers and grapes for dinner
6:35 p.m., leave for Bradley Center. It's still really cold.
6:45 p.m., enter Bradley Center for Marquette men's basketball game vs. Rutgers. Watch game with Scott and Sarah F.
6:51 p.m. text message from Dave: "Text me some score updates from the game. Things here at good. She is making progress."
7:48 p.m., my text message to Dave: "32 23 MU @ half. Hang in there."
7:49 p.m., Abby is born
8:10 p.m., Dave calls my cell phone with the good news. I answer just as the second half of the game begins. It's a girl!
9:05 p.m., Depart Bradley Center. Marquette wins 67-47.
9:12 p.m., arrive home. Call my parents to talk about the baby.
9:14 p.m., My text message to Dave: "67 47 MU. Call me when she has a name!"
10:05 p.m., Dave calls with the baby's name: Abigail Kathleen
10:10 p.m., send out email to list Dave and Sara gave me announcing Abby's arrival
10:15 p.m., go to sleep as an uncle for the first time.

The Silver Fox in Long Beach





Nate and I went to the Silver Fox, a gay bar in Long Beach on a night when they had karaoke. Neither one of us sang. Ordinarily I'm game for foolishness like that, but these queens were a bit too Southern California-snobbish for my liking. Granted, we met quite a few nice people, as these photos attest. The younger woman took an instant liking to me. She said she thought I was "cute and interesting." How nice of her! The older woman kept talking with me about getting stoned, which is something that I don't do. Even though I told her as much, she proceeded to have a long conversation with me about the many, many times over the years that she was stoned. She was one of those women who had really lived life. She had tales to tell, and some of them were quite interesting. I loved her scarf, as you can see from the photo. Unfortunately, there were no cute guys there where there was any mutual interest. Oh well, I guess I don't need a long distance relationship.

California fun



Nate and I took a drive to Oceanside, California one afternoon. We walked on the beach and pier. There was a Ruby's Diner at the end of the pier, so we stopped and enjoyed a shake. Yummy! I wish that I was there today, since we're in the midst of a lengthy cold streak here in Milwaukee that started about eight days ago. Today it's "warmer" with a high temperature of about 14-15 degrees above zero expected. Here are our 2007 Pacific Ocean photos. Somewhere at home I have the 2005 and 2006 versions, which I will try to post later. Hopefully we are aging gracefully!

Game at Nate's party





Since there were numerous groups at Nate's party (Japan connection, Nate's work connection, Wisconsin connection, etc.), he had us play a game to bring the different groups together. It ended up being much more fun than I anticipated. Everyone had to write down the names of ten or more songs. Then we split into two teams. One person from the team got up and had two minutes to draw song titles from a bag and hum them. The other members of the team had to guess as many of the hummed song titles as possible in the two minute time frame. We had some huge laughs playing the game. Some were easy to hum and guess: "Toxic" by Britney Spears, for example. Others were more difficult: "Send in the Clowns," for example.

Mikel, Lesley, Nate, and me





My three fantastic, sparkling, fun, and wonderful Southern California friends are Mikel, Lesley, and Nate. On the rare occasions when we're gathered in one place, we make certain to memorialize the occasion with photos. Here they are. I would be remiss if I didn't say that I wouldn't know Lesley and Mikel were it not for our fabulous mutual friend Barbie. Mikel, are you ever going to link your blog to my blog? I'm starting to take it personally.
By the way, there could be a good joke here. It would begin, "three gay guys and a straight Jewish woman..."

Lesley at Nate's party


Lesley had a bit of a cold at Nate's party. So instead of an alcoholic beverage, she asked Nate for an orange. Yes, people in California are wackier than here in the Midwest.

More on Nate's party




I really enjoyed meeting Nate's Southern California friends at his party. They are all nice people, particularly the people he knows from when they lived in Japan. Here are photos of some of them.

Nate's party


Nate hosted a very nice party in my honor at his condo when I visited Orange County recently. It was great to meet many of his Southern California friends. Plus no one had ever hosted a party in my honor before so that was a real treat. Thanks, Nate!

I helped Nate make four pizzas using Boboli pizza crusts: Pizza #1: fresh mushroom slices, pepperoni, and onion bits with a tomato sauce and garlic powder and lots of melted mozzarella cheese. Pizza#2: the standard pepperoni pizza with slices of pepperoni with mozzarella cheese with tomato sauce. Pizza#3: Stevie special vegetarian "junk" pizza with fresh mushroom slices, black olives, green pepper, orange bell pepper, fresh onion, tomato sauce and a hearty helping of Italian spices, pepper and mozzarella cheese. Pizza #4: mystery Asian chicken special which had chicken tenders sauteed in olive oil atop a orange hoisin Asian sauce with ginger and hot pepper flavors. Accent flavors included fresh pineapple and orange bellpepper and mozzarella cheese.

What happens when I drink too much


This is what happens when I drink too much. It's a good thing I don't have plans to run for elective office. Note from the photo: Nate, Lesley, and I had eaten an entire pan of brownies by this point in time.

Nate's typical pose


This is Nate's typical pose: workin' it. He works it so much, I get tired just looking at him. Nate always has that phone stuck to his ear. The only thing missing in this photo is his huge-ass water bottle. He is so Orange County.

Michelle's favorite pose



Michelle has a favorite pose, which you can see above, using her glasses as a prop. She adopted this as her favorite pose recently when her entire family had their head shots taken as a spoof because her brother Paul is a theater/singer person who gets professional head shots taken. Nate couldn't resist doing his best Michelle imitation. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Michelle.

Nate's hospitality





Nate made a wonderful Chinese stir-fry for Lesley and me. We got into the wine a little heavy, and it was a wonderful evening. Nate is a great cook. I wish he didn't live so far away so I could enjoy his cooking more often. Thanks, Nate!

Nate's new sweatshirt


I saw this sweatshirt at Lucky Jeans and had to buy it for Nate. It is so him. He's been to Bangkok twice, and he evidently got himself into quite a bit of mischief while there. Plus he is an ambassador to Asia - he being associated with the United Nate-ions.

Abby's hair color

There was much speculation about whether or not Abby would have red hair. Dave, my brother, and I both have red hair. Well, Dave has red hair and I used to have red hair before I lost most of my hair in recent years! I wrote about how I was praying to my Grandma Edna in heaven that the baby would continue the red hair tradition in our family. Alas, Abby has dark brown hair, taking after her mother. From what I understand, babies lose the hair they're born with, so I guess she could end up having red hair down the road, but I'm not counting on it. Abby's hair color doesn't matter, though. I love her with any color hair.

Poem about Abby written by Nate

Nate wrote this poem about Abby, my new niece. I love it!

ABBY POEM
by Nate

Not too long ago, in last summer forlorn
When Dave and Sara got giggy,
We never thought there’d be a baby born

A baby [last name]!! A baby [last name]?? We were all in a shock.
How exciting! How wonderful! We all looked at the clock.

Nine months we would wait and count patiently we did
To find out the sex of this little [last name] kid

A Boy? Or a Girl? We did not know…
Some of us waited a long time through the winter snow…

We made many wishes to heaven
And just waited and waited until 2007.

All pregged-out and ready to pop
Mamma Sara cruised by her due date faster than Uncle Stevie could mop

Meanwhile Papa Dave talked lots of shop, and bought a house new
As Bill and Judy in retirement bliss, prepared for grandbaby, too.

And then all of a sudden, in a February evening of cold
A little [last name] baby popped out, in her first moment—so bold!

Yes! Yes! Yes! It is a girl!
She’s so cute, adorable, quite the little pearl!

Finally she made it! She let out a big cry.
We all celebrated and began counting all the pink bows we could buy.

For our dear little Abigail, "Abby" for short
Was here in a big way, (like Marquette basketball was on the court!)

[Last name] family fun has only just begun
Grandpa Bill with a guitar song on the left.
Grandma Judy with a tennis racket on the right.
Uncle Stevie adoring his niece with all his fierce might!

Proud parents they are, Sara and Dave
A tsunami of love they gush, bigger than all the ocean’s waves.

Happiness we feel, Miss Abby, you should know
We will watch you get big and grow and grow!

Be healthy, be safe, be happy and have fun.
Learn to walk, talk, play and run.

Welcome ABBY! (Just please don’t be crabby).

Welcome Abigail Kathleen!





Abigail Kathleen, my niece, was born on February 7, 2007 at 7:49 p.m. 8 pounds, zero ounces. 20.5 inches long. Abby and Sara (her mom) are both healthy. I'm so happy and excited to be an uncle. Isn't she adorable? Welcome Abby!