L O V E

You know that feeling, when everything feels right? Where you don't have to worry about tomorrow, or yesterday. Where you feel safe. And know you're doing the best that you can? There's a word for that feeling. It's called love. 

L-O-V-E.

-Akeelah

Fools Fall in Love

CLASSIC!

I've been looking for this for some time now -- and it's finally on YouTube. Jennifer Holliday on Ally McBeal -- a song she only performed here and never released on any soundtrack album. Check it out...it's amazing (ok it's mushy but I love it!).  [Update: the actual footage was taken down, but this is the recording. Enjoy.]

NEW YORK

I think I just realized that I live in New York…

Yes, I’ve been here since I returned from my sabbatical. Yes I had all my belongings moved here and gave up my apartment at the end of January. But it’s not until now, on the train from Rensselaer to Penn Station — running along the beauty that is the Hudson — that I realize, I’m a New Yorker!

Friends ask me “Do I miss Boston?” and the answer is, no, yes, and sometimes. A friend said it best “it’s bittersweet”.

For the last year and a half (maybe longer) I started to long to live outside the ‘city’. To have a detached house, a yard, a driveway. Perhaps it was my 40s calling “settle down.” Or maybe it was growing up in Marblehead, a suburb 20 miles north of Boston that is the picture perfect New England town, calling me back to my roots.

But in any case, I’m truly appreciating many things this move has afforded me. And yes, there are things I’m missing (and will begin to miss) about my life in good old Bean Town.

I was in my apartment in the South End for 10 years, and in Boston for 15. The South End had become my home. Living within a 10-block radius, it had all that I needed. Work, shopping, Starbucks, a gay gym, a florist, a dry cleaner, and (most of all) an abundance of friends. But over a 15-year span the South End had begun to change — as did I. No longer was I the 25-year-old 'twink' running from party to party and event to event. I had matured. And along with friends moving out of the Gayborhood came my desire to move out of Boston and into the next phase of my own life. But where would that be?

My Sabbatical was in part a much-needed rest from 17 years of work. But it was also an opportunity to see friends across the country — as well as many cities I had never visited (or not previously with the lens of possibly living in one). But never did I expect NY, upstate no less, to become my next home. But what comes love…

And as far as NY — I couldn’t live here without the Hudson. Without Washington Park. Without Empire Plaza. Without establishing a strong friend base and a landing place for my 12-step work.

So today I am on the train running along the Hudson…one gorgeous vista after another. So much unscarred land, a few towns and houses scatter the landscape. Campgrounds. Farms. An occasional bridge. A tugboat pulling a barge. Geese lingering by the riverbed. It’s beautiful, even though the sky and thus the river grey. I can’t imagine how beautiful it will be when the trees are in full bloom and the sky crystal clear, as it will be later in spring or summer.

Today I will visit with friends in NYC, and tonight Denny Camino’s art opening in Tribeca. DJ will drive and meet me in the city tonight after work, and he’ll take tomorrow off for some ‘big city fun’.

And after our time in good ole New York, back we will go upstate, home to our house, our yard, our friends, and our life in the Capital City.

JOE-TO-HELL

I'm not one for political commentary on this blog, just not what i'm about (playful, optimistic, etc...) but I had to post something that struck my eye (thanks to my good friend Joe).

His blog is joetohell.blogspot.com and on it he posted his own rantings about the Imus controversy. Well he posted the (of all people) Harvey Fierstein OpEd Piece in the NY Times about how to get fired from TV (Imus) by saying the N-WORD...yet how it's OK to say the F-WORD (Isiah) and not get fired.

It's REALLY worth the read...both the piece and Joe's blog.

Thanks JoJo!

FIRST RIDE - PART DEUX

So I woke this morning to realize that I did in fact make it into the Times Union today. DJ woke me up at 6:45 to tell me "it only took me 3 months to make the COVER!"

I had no idea that my bike ride would result with me stretched out on the cover of the Capital District's newspaper—but so it is...

(click the photo for a larger view, or see the whole front page below!)

An interesting result from a simple bike ride thru Washington Park...but not bad for a day's work, I guess!

[ click image for full size ]

FIRST BIKE RIDE OF SPRING

So I took the bike out today. Amazing weather in NY, just before it starts to pour on us again tomorrow thru the end of the week.

I've been waiting for a day like this, dying to get outside after so much winter. I broke out the Gstar cutoffs and took to the streets. So, OK the streets are still messy with leftover sand from melted snow piles. And the trees are all gray (who ever said trees were brown?) without leaves on them. But it was beautiful.

After lunch and a chai with the Toddster, I did some on and offroading thru the park. All the tulip plantings in Washington Park are peeking thru the dirt. Everyone was out with their dogs...it was great. Once exhausted and sweaty I laid down on a picnic table to rest for a while...about 20 mins or so. I wanted to feel the sun on my face, and chill.

Just after I got up, my eyes adjusting from the light, I turned to see woman walking toward me. Turned out she was a photojournalist with the local newspaper, and asked my name. She had just taken my pic while I was laying / sleeping in the park! Too funny. So my pic might be chosen of the dozens she's taken all over town today. Fluff 'a taste of spring' photos for the paper.

Of course we then spoke for about 20 mins the two of us (as Anthony says "Christopher can talk to a bowl of nuts"). She's a very lovely lesbian, who's lover moved here for her from Boston after meeting in Ptown -- just like DJ and I. We're going to do dinner the four of us. Again, too funny.

Came home, threw open all the windows, and sat down to do some more work...and scribble a bit about my first bike ride of spring '007.

COUCHSURFING

Thought I'd shout out to a new concept for me that proved interesting and possible (if not actually utilized) during some of my travels. CouchSurfing was a not exactly a new concept to me when a friend mentioned that I consider doing some while on my journeys, but the website Couchsurfing.com was. From their website:

"After your first experience of either surfing or hosting, you'll find out that what you get out of it is so much more. We help to create a better world by opening our homes, our hearts and our lives. We open our minds and welcome the knowledge cultural exchange makes available. We create deep and meaningful connections that cross oceans, continents and cultures. CouchSurfing changes not only the way we travel, but how we relate to the world!

CouchSurfing.com helps you make connections worldwide. You can use the network to meet people and then go and surf other members' couches! When you surf a couch, you are a guest at someone's house. They will provide you with some sort of accommodation, a penthouse apartment or maybe a back yard to pitch your tent in. Stays can be as short as a cup of coffee, a night or two, or even a few months or more. When you offer your couch, you have complete control of who visits. The possibilities are endless and completely up to you.

The friendships made through CouchSurfing enhance members' lives and contribute greatly to making the world a better, safer, more peaceful place. Signing up for a free couch and ending up with amazing adventures and a global family--that's what CouchSurfing is all about!"

So if you are ever traveling and in need, or are just interested in checking out the site to offer a bed, a floormat, or a futon -- check out CouchSurfing.com. It's an interesting concept, and one that's timely in this ever widening world of ours.

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

So Paul and I made a quick dash to Joshua Tree National Park. Paul lives in Desert Hot Springs, just above Palm Springs on the Little San Bernardino Mountains. From his house it's about 20 minutes to Joshua Tree, just around the hills, thru Yuca, CA and you're there. The irony is that Paul lived in Palm Springs for 3 years (before moving back to LA for 5 or so) and he's now been back in PS for 5 months -- but had never been to the Park!

Once there, we joked that it was literally his back yard -- because if you look on Google at Paul's neighborhood, if you hiked (or dune buggied, which Paul would like to do) you'd be in the Park in just a couple of minutes. Literally I'd say it's about a 1K yards from Paul's House, just up over the Little San Bernardino Mountains that line his well, actually, front yard -- because Paul's backyard / pool overlooks Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.

Joshua Tree is amazing. And the topography really does alter just 20 minutes up from Palm Springs. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a Joshua Tree growing in Palm Springs or along the route from L.A. to the Valley.

Not to be surprised there is no mobile phone service while in Joshua Tree. And just as well if you ask me.

I was most surprised by the huge rock formations. Were they left there by glaciers? Did the sand / desert once reach to the top of the formations, but years of erosion exposed them? Some of the formations actually look like piles of rocks. Were they stacked by ancient settlers (or Martians...)?

All and all it was a great quick jaunt. We only spent an hour driving thru the park as we had to be back down in the valley to meet our other friend Paul due in from L.A. for the week.

Since DJ wasn't able to make it to Joshua Tree 'cuz he had left for home by the time Paul and I went :-( we hope to come back together sometime soon. And hell -- when you've got great friends, warm weather, and a 50% gay population awaiting you, Palm Springs (with its Gay Mayor) isn't too shabby a place to visit.

J'ADORE STEVE JOBS & APPLE, INC.

OK so every other blogger across the country will have said it better than I, but I have to make note of yet another Apple first, the iPhone. If you haven't watched Steve Job's address from this weeks MacWorld SF, you can do so here. It's worth the watch...because you won't believe what this phone can do.

You think you are carrying around a phone? You think you have an iPod? You think you have a PDA or a Palm device? Think again.

No keypad. That's ridiculous. No stylus. That's so last miliennium. Just use your finger dude...and it's running the full Mac OS X platform for iTunes, movies, and Web graphics.

I know, I know...as gadget hungry as I am, I will wait and not be the FIRST one with one, as it always pays off to see if there are any bugs to get out.

But one thing I will say...they've done it again. Until, that is, the iPhone Mini!

GRAUMAN'S CHINESE THEATER

DJ and I woke early his first morning in Los Angeles (despite his very late arrival the night earlier). He and I were both counting down the hours until he came to CA -- as I'd been traveling for over a month prior. So needless to say we were both very excited to embark on an adventure that would include two nights in LA and the rest in Palm Springs.

As soon as we awoke I surprised him. He didn't know where we were going. We quickly threw on (likely black) T's and khaki shorts. I told him we needed to go out for coffee and some orange juice, his favorite drink...


Of course the stars were the first to be seen. Dick Van Dyke. Mary Tyler Moore. Stars of radio, stage and screen. Then the theater. It was a fun little detour... The nostalgia. The names of times gone by. And all the names we've come to love.

Yep, you guessed it, Grauman's. Kind of a guilty pleasure you might say. Although neither of us had ever seen it, my main excuse (if I need one) is that it was literally a block from where we were staying at my friend's in West Hollywood. We took it all in for what it was...and now we can both say we've been there, together.

HAPPY NEW YEAR; WEST COAST

Happy New Year!!

I have to admit, being in the California Time Zone I paid more attention to Time Square at 9pm than I did just 5 minutes ago when it became midnight here in Palm Springs. (Of course that could have something to do with the fact that the man I love was back East, and 9pm for me was Midnight for him!)

Paul Schruender (my friend, host, and former roommate from back in Boston...see pic below), Jason, Dan, Flip, Roger and I were a posse tonight and went from one (fabulous) mid-century modern house-party to another. There was a (kinda quiet) dinner on Cabaleros and Chia (beautiful house, some funny guests) and then we went to the Hot and Dry party on Camino Real. Unbelievable house. Saw about five people I knew from Provincetown. Saw a couple actors (one from 'Noah's Ark' on Logo) and the friends I've made while spending time at the local AA clubhouse here in Palm Springs.

We dashed into a club after (The Barracks -- a local leather bar) but it was mostly a walk-thru. Paul and I were home at midnight West Coast, hugged (I wished him a happy 13th anniversary -- yep he's a New Year's Resolution baby), we're now eating turkey hot pockets and heading to bed.

So 2007 is upon us. It is going to be a great year, I can just feel it. It even sounds better than two thousand six...TWO THOUSAND SEVEN. You can tell, can't you? It's going to be amazing.

Love to all, now, at the 8th minute of the new year!!

Christopher