Strictly Dangerous

The Occasional Foodie: Real Mac and Cheese

2010-04-04T18:30:00.000-04:00

        Macaroni and cheese is one food that is purely American. I can’t think of anyone that I know who doesn’t like mac ‘n’ cheese. The problem is, the delicate dish that most people know is bought off the shelf. Sure pasta is pasta (more or less), but what is up with the “cheese” sauce that we are being fed? It’s either a power to which one is instructed to add butter and water or its a highly-processed hydrogenated oil based cheese product. Gross.

        Just like with the alfredo, it doesn’t have to be this way. Really good mac and cheese is just as simple to make as chicken alfredo, perhaps even easier.

        Again, you will need
                1 quart cream (heavy whipping cream is the best)
                1 cup butter (clarified if you have it)
                1 cup flour
                1 lb.         macaroni
                4-5 cups cheddar cheese (shredded. Also, make sure you look at the ingredients of the cheese you buy. The main ingredient should be milk! If it contains a lot of oil, you might as well have just bought the stuff off the shelf.)
                1 cup breadcrumbs (crackermeal, not crumbled slices of bread)
                seasonings and extras to flavor.

        First let me explain what I mean by extras. Mac and cheese is a classic dish—it doesn’t need to be fancy. However, there are plenty of ways to dress it up. I have seen recipes that call to use thyme and rosemary in the roux for flavor. I’ve also seen a recipe which includes a dash of truffle oil added to the roux. None of this is necessary, but it does make for an interesting and flavorful experience. Personally, I like to use Italian breadcrumbs and include a dash of basil and oregano in my roux. I also include Italian cheeses like asiago, provolone, or romano instead of cheddar at times. It’s up to you, experimenting in the kitchen makes for a better cook.

        Lets get right down to making the mac and cheese now.

Preheat your oven to 350—do it right now!
Bring about 5-6 cups of water to boil in a medium to large stockpot. When the water comes to a boil, add a pinch of salt and throw in the macaroni. Stir the noodles every couple to minutes to make sure they aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pot or to each other. After about 8-10 minutes, the noodles should be done. They should be soft yet firm—I’m sure you’ve had macaroni before so if you’re unsure, just taste it!
Spread your macaroni out in a baking dish. I prefer to use an 8 in. x 24 in pyrex baking dish, but any baking dish in which the macaroni can be spread out will do.
To start the sauce, we are going to use the same steps that we did to make alfredo. We are going to heat the cream up over medium-low heat until it is hot, but not boiling. When the cream has reached temperature, slowly fold in the shredded cheese a handful at a time. You can use as much cheese as you want; the 4-5 cups is a guideline only. Just remember to melt it into the cream very slowly so that it doesn’t clump. You might notice that the adding the cheese thickens the cream considerably. If you use enough cheese, you might even be able to skip the next step as a roux might not be needed. NOTE: save a portion of the cheese, at least one cup, to spread over the mac and cheese before baking.
To thicken the cheese sauce, make a roux by combining equal parts butter and flour, whisking in a sauté pan over medium heat until it bubbles. NOTE: you will likely not not need to use the entire roux so be sure to add the roux to the cheese and cream mixture slowly—use only a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. ANOTHER NOTE: If you would like to add spices such as thyme, rosemary, basil, paprika, or oregano to your mac and cheese, you may add them to the roux. Many spices release their flavors more efficiently in a fat such as butter. You might also use a tablespoonful of truffle oil in your roux.
When your sauce is complete, pour it over the macaroni. You might toss the noodles around a bit to be sure that the cheese sauce is throughly incorporated. When you’re finished, sprinkle a generous amount of breadcrumbs over the surface of the macaroni and cheese as well as a generous portion of shredded cheese. This will form a crust when baking.
Bake the macaroni and cheese for about 10 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Personally, I like to cook it for a bit longer to ensure that the macaroni is nice and soft.
Eat and enjoy. I like to pair this with a ham sandwich on some crusty bread toasted with some olive oil.

Remember that cooking is not difficult. Eights steps might seem like a lot, but they are each very simple. Now you can say that you’ve made the best mac and cheese your family has ever tasted.

The Occasional Foodie: Using Roux in a Béchamel; or Making Alfredo

2010-04-03T20:18:00.002-04:00

I love chicken alfredo. When many people make it at home, they cook the pasta, sauté the chicken and then turn to Prego or Ragu to dress it—it doesn’t have to be this way!

Using the steps I outlined in my previous post, you should understand how to make a roux—just combine flour and fat with a whisk over medium heat until it bubbles (this will happen very quickly, btw). Now I would like to introduce you to one of the 5 mother sauces of French cuisine: Béchamel sauce. A Béchamel is simply a sauce made with cream and a roux. I’m sure a French chef would say that there is more to it than that, but in reality—it’s that simple.

Now lets imagine that chicken alfredo for a moment. Isn’t alfredo a creamy sauce? Why yes, yes it is! Lets quickly run through how to make a basic alfredo:

You will need:
1 cup Olive oil (extra virgin)
1 cup Flour
1 quart Cream (heavy whipping cream works best)
2 cup Parmasian cheese (the kraft grated kind works as well)
Garlic (power or granulated)
Parsley (flakes will do fine—it’s just for color, really)

You can adjust this recipe for your needs, but you will probably want between a pint and a quart of cream. In a small stock pot, heat the cream over medium-low heat. You mustn’t let it boil, but you do want it to give off a bit of steam—so remember: hot, not boiling!

When you’re heating the cream, throw in your parmasian cheese. You might need more if you want a strong cheese taste or less if you would like it to be more subtle. This is YOUR recipe—it should taste how you want it. It’s fine to see if your cream is to your liking as you are cooking.
You will also want to add the garlic while you’re heating the cream. About a tablespoon should suffice if you’re using the power, but again, this is YOUR dish; flavor it how you want. If you want to add a dash of salt, go for it!
Lastly, throw in some parsley for color. At this point, the cream should TASTE like alfredo even if it isn’t the consistency that one would expect.

Finally, make your roux. Use olive oil as your fat (this is Italian food, after all) and whisk in the flour over medium heat. You may not need a cup of each depending on how you’ve adjusted the recipe. Also as a reminder, the more roux you incorporate into the cream, the thicker it will be. Again, this is your recipe, you decide how thick you’d like it.

When the roux has come together, whisk it vigorously into the cream. If you are experimenting with thickness, you may incorporate small amounts of the roux into the cream at a time until you reach your desired thickness. You should notice that it starts to thicken almost immediately. If it doesn’t, you might need to add more roux. Also be mindful that when you use this process, the sauce will thicken as it cools as well. Your sauce should be very flavorful. All that’s left to do now is add your pasta and chicken (or shrimp) and eat. It’s as easy as that!

Now you’ve learned how to make a Béchamel sauce. This sauce can do a lot of things. I’m thinking that our next endeavor will be delicious homemade macaroni and cheese using a cheese sauce made from a Béchamel. I also plan to show you a couple of other uses to get you thinking—perhaps how to use a Béchamel in a seafood pot-pie or a lasagna. Stay tuned!

The Occasional Foodie: Making and Using a Roux

2010-04-03T19:58:00.001-04:00

If you were to study French cooking, you would soon learn that there are 5 mother sauces in French cooking. I will not go into them presently, but they are certainly easy to find. I will say that 3 out of the 5 are thickened with a substance called a roux (pronounced ‘rew’). A roux is a simple thickening agent that can be added to a liquid to make a sauce. Many people use a roux to thicken a stew, others use it for gravies and some for creamy sauces.

Lets get started. You will only need 2 ingredients:

A fat (classically it’s clarified butter, but also olive oil, bacon grease, Crisco, etc.)
Flour

A roux is quite simple to make as you combine equal parts of these two ingredients— for every cup of fat, you use a cup of flour. You combine them in a skillet over medium heat using a whisk—it couldn’t be any easier!! It will combine easily and bubble when it’s ready to be used. The result will be a paste that you can add to any liquid you wish to thicken.
Different recipes that you may find will call for a blond roux or a brown roux. The only difference between these roux are the amount of time that you cook them. The longer you cook the roux, the darker in color it will become. For most purposes, a blond roux will do fine. Certain gumbos will call for a darker roux. The longer one cooks a roux, the more the fat molecules intwine with the starch and the harder it is to “break” the sauce.

I will address this problem in my next post. First, however, I would like to tell you my favorite uses of a roux. Check out the next post!

The Occasional Foodie

2010-04-03T19:29:00.001-04:00

I have been thinking recently—most notably after I watched Julie & Julia, that I have some cooking skills that I could share with people.
The reason that Julia Child was so revered is that she brought classic French techniques to the United States, many of which entered into the mainstream world of cooking—the cooking that was being done by everyone’s parents and grandparents back in the 50s and 60s. Something has happened since, however. Cooking in the home is starting to diminish. What was once a nightly occurrence has turned into a weekly ritual at best in many households. It’s a shame that after all the effort that Julia Child had taken, we forget her most valuable lesson: love the food you eat.
Not only did Julia Child prove to us all that the art of cooking is important, but she also proved that anyone could do it. She barely knew how to mince veggies when she began and now almost everyone is familiar with her accomplishments.

So I would like to take her message and begin to spread it once again. We are at the dawn of a new age of cuisine. It seems that there is a new generation of aspiring young gourmands who fancy themselves “foodies.“ As I understand it, a foodie is someone who takes pleasure in exploring taste combinations that they’ve never tried before. They are like the Christopher Columbus of the food world. But let me take this metaphor further—though Columbus ”discovered“ the new world, it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t there before. Like Columbus, foodies pride themselves on personal discovery. It doesn’t mean that people haven’t been eating these foods for generations, but that the foodie is discovering new dishes.
Another aspect cuisine on which the foodie prides himself is quality ingredients. This means different things to different people. Some people want only to explore ingredients that are unfamiliar to them—only recently did I discover the wonders of goat cheeses. Others want to try the best goat cheeses that farmers and artisans have to offer. The point is this: to be a foodie, one must explore within self-imposed boundaries. Perhaps you want to learn how to make the best balsamic vinaigrette, perhaps you would simply like to learn how to bake a cake from scratch—if it’s interesting to you, go for it!

Lastly, start from the bottom and work your way up. Understand the foods that you are working with. One must know what their ingredients are capable of before they can master cooking. Simply understanding simple concepts can help someone be well on the way to becoming a gourmand. It wouldn’t hurt to understand some of the things that Julia spoke of in her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The French are pioneers in the world of cuisine and understanding simple concepts of French cooking can take your endeavors to another level.
I plan to offer a few of these concepts on my blog occasionally. They will be simple concepts that you can form to your own needs and perhaps I will even throw in a few recipes myself. I hope you enjoy. Remember, there is nothing to be afraid of when it comes to cooking—anyone can do it.

"Spring Cleaning," or "I Hate Chores"

2009-05-17T19:36:00.001-04:00

So now that spring has officially pushed winter off the ledge, it's time for that yearly renewal that we all anxiously await. Did you detect a hint of sarcasm? It's there, I assure you.

I've been using this blog for about four months now. It began as a vessel of my Digital Writing class and has turned into something that I actually care about. I've had blogs before, but they fizzled. This blog, however, feels comfortable to me--it's kinda like home.

That being said, I've had a few visitors lately in the form of assignments that were to be posted to this blog. I had to open up my home and allow those horrible-looking assignments to be posted. Fortunately, they are now gone. Deleted. Spring-cleaned.

Also of note, I am going to be adding a lot more to this blog--not only will this be an outlet for my views on the world in text, but also audio. That's correct, the podcast has been revamped and as soon as I can find out how to fix the feed, it will be available here on the blog, or on its very own website.

I am hoping to stick with my original manifesto for this blog and really make my voice heard. I know people have to listen to it, but maybe if I scream loud enough...

For those of you who actually read this blog, please leave comments. I really appreciate hearing feedback. Thanks for putting your voices out there too.

Look, Ma, I'm Sharing!

2009-05-04T16:02:00.000-04:00

Check out the portfolio homepage I made for my collected works.

It might not be as interesting as my bitching and moaning about things, but if you have nothing else to do and it's raining outside... it might be worth checking out.

Manifesto Revisited

2009-05-02T19:21:00.000-04:00

Oh yes, it is spring once again and it's time to start anew! It's time to look into our closets and the nooks of our pantries and throw out everything that is old and tired. Away with the sweater you bought last winter that you will never wear again. Out with those old Justin Timberlake albums.

A wizened professor informed me that I also need to revise the manifesto that I posted at the beginning of this blog. The problem is, I don't feel that my manifesto needs revising. I am not sure how I feel about that--is it better that I haven't flip-flopped or have I not become enlightened?

I still stand by my original utterances--words are power. Words are ideas and words are change. I believe that everyone should share their thoughts and their ideas, I believe people should spread the word.

One day, someone will read what I've written and it will give them a new perspective. I am not saying that they will change their lives because of something that I've shared, but perhaps they will think twice. I believe this because I've had some of my perspectives changed by reading works from my fellow human beings.

At the end of the day, we are all strong influences on one another. I intend to spread my influence and allow others to pass theirs along to me. This is necessary for our society to grow--we must keep out minds open to new ideas.

We must spread the word.

In case of emergency...

2009-03-24T22:21:00.000-04:00

...please proceed to the nearest Apple Store.

((So I have to update my zero followers on a couple of points.

ONE: you may notice that there are some random things posted to my blog that don't seem to fit in with the usual format. Rest assured, it is only for my Digital Writing class. Once this semester is over, they will be hidden from the public view. Thanks for caring. Or not--it's whatever, really.

TWO: Apologies for my absence. I've been lazy. Sue me.))

Many of you may know that in all fantasy, I'm a vampire. That is, I sleep when the sun is out. I don't know why, but that has become my cycle over many years. It really sucks when I have something to do during the daytime. It will suck even more when I finally get that coveted nine-to-five.

Last night (and by last night I really mean 3 a.m. this morning) I decided to ride around for a while. I was developing cabin fever and just needed to get away. My trip took me everywhere you could imagine in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

Along the way, my iPhone's battery began to die. I plugged it into the new car charger that I got--then it started acting foolish! The buttons (the physical ones) stopped working. When I reset the phone, the battery wouldn't hold a charge.

Jump to this evening when I went to the Apple Retail Store. I signed up for an appointment and raced to the mall. Surprisingly, I got there early. When I finally got called to the Genius Bar, the girl there (who didn't tell me her name) noticed that the case was cracked on the back. I told her about the battery. She did a diagnostic test on my phone. When she came back, she told me that she would just give me a new phone because my case was cracked and she could replace it just for that reason. Apple always amazes me.

The downside... iTunes doesn't back up your photos =(

Let's pat ourselves on the back!

2009-02-22T17:00:00.000-05:00

Are y'all gonna watch the Oscars tonight? I must admit that I won't. I will be reading about it tomorrow. I don't care about celebrities getting together in their rented dresses and wallowing in self-appreciation. I am sure that there will be some noteworthy performances to discuss... Heath Ledger maybe? We will see!

More to come!

Just for the record...

2009-02-19T21:53:00.000-05:00

I fucking hate Fox News Channel.

I happened to be surfing through the channels and came upon a show hosted by some guy named Sean Hannity. Not only did he have guests on his show that still referred to African Americans as "Blacks," but he wanted to talk about Obama looking like a monkey!

What the hell, is this the damned 1950s? Thanks for throwing some more gasoline on the fire that is racism, Fox News. You're about as irresponsible as that homeless mother with 14 children.

I also want to say that this Hannity guy plays his hate mail on the air. He complains that he and Fox News are the voices of reason. Seems odd to me that the voice of reason would receive hate mail. And if indeed they were the voice of reason, don't you think that voice would be able to deduce that playing hate mail on live TV is an idiotic idea?

Republicans and all of their let's-keep-our-heads-up-our-asses bullshit is really starting to wear on me. The Democrats won in many races across the country in droves. If I had a voice of reason, I think it would tell me to shut the hell up and stop whining already. Until Obama screws our country like Bush did, they have no room to talk at all.

I've been very rant-y lately, haven't I?

This doesn't feel quite right

2009-02-19T21:28:00.000-05:00

Remember the eight-year-old boy that shot his father and his father's roomate? You remember, the one that the cops interrogated without the presence of a parent or lawyer? Apparently, he plead guilty today!

The now nine year old (who has remained anonymous due to his age) has allegedly come to the decision on his own. He has not been sentenced yet, but it has been decided that the courts will have say in his life until he is at least eighteen.

The Associated Press broke the story today, and you can check it out here.

This doesn't sit with me well. From the beginning I don't think things have been conducted properly. As I said, the boy's questioning was suspect from the start. Now, I wonder, do the proceedings seem a little off to anyone else but me? What judge would accept a nine-year-old boy's guilty plea? I am not sure that a child of that age, if he has a full understanding of the trial and all of its implications, should be able to submit a guilty plea. Where was his lawyer or his mother? Why was there a trial in the first place? It seems as though there should be a different way to handle something like this. Regardless of what anyone else says, I don't think you can convict a nine year old because it is nearly impossible that he or she understands the affects of his or her actions.

This entire debacle is very suspect to me. What kinds of precedents will this set?

How low can you go?

2009-02-18T22:29:00.000-05:00

I haven't spoken a word about this woman thus far because, like mamma says, if you can't say something nice... well, you get the picture.

It's been a rough road for the mother of octuplets, Nadya Suleman. Not only does she have a total of 14 children, live in a three-bedroom home with her mother, and refuse to get a job; but now she's losing her home!

Perez Hilton reports that Nadya's mother has neglected to pay any mortgage payments since May 2008!

After digging around a bit, I've also found that this family has trouble paying for anything. TMZ.com has discovered that around two years ago, she got a boot on her van for having multiple delinquent parking citations while going to class at Cal State Fullerton. Not only was her car disabled, but she had left two of her children in the car while she was in class! Check out the story and the pictures here.

After all the headlines, I have something to say. Buckle up kiddies, it's time for a rant.

I would first like to say that I do not have issues with reproductive aids for those who need them. I understand that many times, one of two partners in a couple may be infertile. I am not sure what Nadya's reasoning is, but again, when it comes to her body, I believe she can do what she wants with it and face the consequences when they come around.

Regardless of my beliefs, however, she has crossed the line into irresponsibility. She is being a reckless mother. I am not one to judge as I am not a parent, but I cannot imagine under the current circumstances that these children will grow up with the resources they need to have a healthy, productive, and meaningful life. No matter what Suleman says, no matter how much love is in her heart, it will be difficult for her to provide herself emotionally to that many children at once.

This woman is being reckless financially as well. She knew that she could not afford her kids. From the looks of this recent website, she was looking to get donations to help raise them all along, just as many multiple-birth couples have had in the past. The difference is that those couples were trying to help themselves, Suleman is not. Allegedly, she has a nanny that takes care of the kids--for $500 a week! Five-hundred dollars a week for a nanny when they can't afford to keep their home? She's not even working to try to support them! This nanny is naive--where is this money coming from? She claims not to be getting help from the government, but recent revelations reveal those claims to be complete bullshit.

I feel sorry for these children and I hope that they are able to reach every goal that they set in their lives. I feel sorry that their mother is so irresponsible and batshit crazy. I can only hope that there is someone out there that will give the kids what they need to succeed. I am not one to advocate families being separating, but if things don't begin to straighten out, maybe the foster system would be a better option.

What this woman does with her life is none of my business--to each her own. My concern is for the children and her irresponsibility, I feel, is going to make lasting impressions on each of them.

Maybe it's just me, but...

2009-02-18T21:54:00.000-05:00

I am so sick of hearing about financial problems!

I don't mean to sound like a complainer, it's just starting to clog the news like nothing before.

We all have heard about the financial bailout, the car maker bailout, the economic bailout, and now we will have a homeowner bailout. Not only that but we hear about the scandals with Blagojevich, Burris, and now UBS. When is this crazy train gonna pull up to the station and let everyone off?

Can't we hear about something intriguing? I don't mean to complain, but I would rather hear about the missing little girl in Florida or the crazy chimp that mauled a woman this week. Those are the real stories, everything else is just a broken record with no humanity.

Blame it on Barbie!

2009-02-16T23:48:00.000-05:00

Mattel's internationally popular doll, Barbie, turns 50 this year.

After hearing comments about Barbie, I ask you--do you think that the ever-popular doll has shifted the focus from female practicality to female superficiality? Has she played a part in the explosion of materialism? Is she a beauty or a bitch?

Whether life is imitating art, or art imitating life, Barbie has certainly played a roll in the lives of many children for generations. It doesn't look like she's going to stop anytime soon.

It's a cover up I tell you!

2009-02-16T23:33:00.000-05:00

So what was the fireball that was seen plummeting to the ground through the skies over Texas on Sunday?

U.S. Strategic Command tracks satellite debris and says that the fireball was not related to the Russian and American satellites that collided last week.

There goes the logical explanation. Others say that it could've been a meteor, through they normally aren't visible during daylight hours.

I don't know what it could be, but it is awfully fishy that it made news about a year after the Texas UFO sightings. I am not one to believe in the unexplainable, but that picture to the right sure does look blurry. Y'all know that's the first sign of a cover-up: low resolution! It's 2009 and it's getting to the point that we can't count the megapixels on our cameras on both hands. Did the photographer smear Vasoline on the lens?

Check out CNN's coverage by clicking on the picture.

Face to face

2009-02-16T23:08:00.000-05:00

With all the bad that we hear on the news, it's imperative that we celebrate the little victories.

Back in December, you may remember hearing about an anonymous woman who received the first-ever face transplant. She has suffered face trauma that had disabled her from doing simple things like drinking from a cup. As you can see from the picture to the left, such an injury would drastically change your way of functioning. She couldn't even smell anything!

CNN.com is reporting that the patient is now regaining confidence. Apparently people would call her names when she would walk down the street. How cruel! I can imagine that it would be shocking to see someone who had suffered such injuries, but taunting her is out of line! They should keep their mouths shut. I am sure the woman didn't ask for her face to be disfigured.

Be sure to check out CNN's full story here.

How did I miss this??

2009-02-16T21:41:00.000-05:00

I am sure that this is a mock-up by somebody (because we all know how secretive Apple can be), but this would be an awesome idea. I am in the market for one of the new aluminum Macbooks, and in my hunt for consumer reviews, I found this photo on Flickr. Apple believes that there is no market for such a device. I am not sure if there would be or not if it remained in the tablet form, but if it were a convertible touch screen (that is, a keyboard that would fold away), there would be a demand for such a netbook.

What do you guys think? Have you seen this photo before?--it is about a year old now. If you're an Apple fan like I am, what do you think something like this would do for the company?

Pay your bills Kansas!

2009-02-16T19:34:00.000-05:00

Kansas is broke, y'all!

The state says that it doesn't have enough money in its main account to pay the bills, nor do they have enough to give income tax refunds or to pay state employees.

This shouldn't be happening! It's a good thing that the bailout was passed, maybe Kansas can use their aid so that all the families that are dependent on state paychecks will end up all right.

Click here to check out the article from The Wichita Eagle to get all the details.

Time to sing "Kumbaya" y'all!

2009-02-10T17:12:00.000-05:00

The Senate passed its version of President Obama's stimulus package today. Now that both houses of Congress have passed the measure, it's time for them to reconcile the bill.

It seems that the package's future is just as uncertain as ever. Though it is now certain to happen, to what degree is yet to be seen.

Let's hope that this shiz works! Everyday we are hearing about new layoffs. GM announced today that it will be eliminating 10,000 jobs. These are hard times for everyone.

Check out the full report from CNN.com.

The plots thicken

2009-02-10T16:59:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems that singer Chris Brown and swimmer Michael Phelps are going through some similar trials. Both Brown and Phelps are both losing contracts over their alleged crimes. Brown has recently lost his contracts with DoubleMint and has had his "Milk" ads pulled.

It was announced today that there have been eight arrests in association with the party at which Phelps took bong hits--seven for possession and one for distribution. Apparently, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford sees no reason why the sheriff is prosecuting these people.

My opinion? In a word, the Phelps scandal is bull, the Brown scandal is sickening.

Would you like fries with that?

2009-02-10T04:02:00.000-05:00

We all knew it was only going to be a matter of time. I knew it when I first saw the spinach quiche at a local store. Turns out that frou-frou coffee giant Starbucks will begin to offer a breakfast menu.

Say what you will, Starbucks brews some damn good coffee--their lattes make me swoon. I am not sure how I feel about their new move--somewhat the inverse of McDonald's recent move to premium coffee offerings. I am sure it will beautify the company's bottom line, but what will it do culturally? Can't Starbucks just remain a coffee house?

The company single-handedly introduced Americans to otherwise unheard of coffee beverages (even if the names of these beverages are someone inaccurate). What will the new menu have to offer? Could be interesting.

Click here to check out the full story on U.S News .com.

Our prayers are being heard

2009-02-10T03:46:00.000-05:00

Mac geeks, lend me your ears!

It may have gone under the radar in the news today, but to those of you who find yourselves tied to your Macs and/or iPhones, you may soon have even more reason to stay tied to your televisions. It seems that Apple is considering producing a proper TV set.

Apple already produces a device called Apple TV--a set-top box that is essentially an extension of the iTunes Store. This is not to be confused with the alleged television that is rumored to be somewhere on Apple's drawing board.

Mac NN reported the story yesterday afternoon. Be sure to check it out here for the full details of this exciting story. Maybe I will be able to use my iPhone to change the channels on my TV one day. That would be sweet.

Note to self...

2009-02-10T03:37:00.000-05:00

Watch vintage footage of baseball games before all players started juicing. Must everyone in the public eye these days be a bad example for children?

Disgusting!!

2009-02-10T00:44:00.000-05:00

Firstly, to both of my readers, I am sorry for my absence, and perhaps my continued absence. I caught a horrible bug that is keeping me in bed. So while I wait for the Nyquil to kick in let me just say:

What I've caught is nothing compared to what former heartthrob Chris Brown is gonna catch.

Brown has allegedly battered his girlfriend, and equally-famous pop icon, Rihanna. There are reports that not only did he hit her (and quite severely I might add), but he also bit her! What a monster.

Violence is not the answer y'all.

What's more, PerezHilton.com posted a video today that shows Brown just before he began dating Rihanna. In the video, he speaks about women and says that he would never abuse a woman. He also keeps talking about the "hood." Um, Chris--last time I checked, Tappahanock, Virginia was not the hood. Way to keep it real buddy!

Though updates and reports will continue to fly in, this seems to be the end for Brown. To me, this is more tragic than the scandal surrounding Michael Phelps. What message does this send to a hip-hop community already plagued with misogyny?

What a way to tell a story...

2009-02-09T19:04:00.000-05:00

There is a really cool website called the Electronic Literature Collection which contains several websites that pioneers in creating hypertexts online. As part of my English 344, Digital Writing class, we were asked to critique one of these pages.

I chose one called Solilouy in which writer Kenneth Goldsmith records every word that he says within a week. When I first read the description, I thought "wow, it's like an instant nonfiction story." I couldn't imagine a better way to inspire further writings then to record your own words.

Goldsmith used a voice-activated recorder to be sure every utterance was captured. I must say, he got every word, but nonetheless, I was a bit let down.

Though the concept is wonderful, I am not sure that it was as useful in a hypertext as it could've been. Upon visiting the website, you'll notice that the words that appear are only his own--that is, you don't hear the other end of the conversation and therefore there is no context for a week worth of words. Also, the words appear only as the reader mouses over them, then they disappear. Again, we aren't even allowed the context of what was previously said.

The concept is great, but I believe this project could've been better realized.

Check it out guys, let me know if you agree!

No engines in this drag race...

2009-02-06T04:47:00.000-05:00

But there are lots of trannies!

Famous supermodel, singer, and draq queen extraordinaire, RuPaul, has just introduced a new show on MTV's GLBT network, Logo.
It's called "RuPaul's Drag Race" and features a group of female impersonators all vying to be crowned the top queen.

One might think of it as "America's Next Top Model" for the gay community. RuPaul, seen in the photograph to the right, slightly resembles Miss Tyra Banks a bit, don't you think?

Thus far, only one episode has aired--and which they voted off the fat girl! Fat girls need to march on Washington or something because they're always being voted off within the first handful of episodes. With so few episodes having been run, it is difficult to pinpoint a definite format for the show. Aside from discrimination against robust women, the premiere episode consisted of the queens making costumes for their performances (a la "Project Runway"), runway walks, and all-important lip syncing.

The show is actually a lot of fun and holds promise for future episodes. Though everyone remained cordial during the debut, it is sure to get real within the next few episodes.

New episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race air Monday nights on Logo at 10 p.m.

Also, be sure to check out the RuPaul interview about the show on men.style.com.

When the fan blades are turnin'...

2009-02-06T04:10:00.000-05:00

You know somebody's gonna throw a handful.

Recently, several news sources are reporting that Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps has been suspended from the USA Swimming for three months.

Yesterday, USA Swimming had this to say:

USA Swimming has reprimanded Michael Phelps under its Code of Conduct by withdrawing financial support and the eligibility to compete for a period of three months effective today, Feb. 5, 2009.

This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated, but we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero.

And folks, it gets worse. One of Mikey's sponsors, Kellogg's, has decided not to renew his contract when it expires at the end of February. On a side note, how out of touch is Kellogg's with its consumer base? I think this sends a clear message to anyone that has the munchies.

As I said before, I think this is much ado about nothing. Again, I am not endorsing his drug use, but I believe people should do what they want--but they must face the consequences. Looks like the consequence in this situation is a pay cut.

USA Swimming does have a point though, all those children who looked up to Phelps must feel a bit let down. In the same regard, it isn't his responsibility to raise those kids to stay away from drugs. Phelps seems to be a genuine guy, so maybe he will use this opportunity to as a learning experience for the youngsters--Tony the Tiger will fire you if you smoke pot!

I wonder if the people on the boards of those two organizations have ever toked before. Just sayin'...

Stranger! Danger!

2009-02-05T21:54:00.000-05:00

CNN.com is reporting today on a couple of stories about identity theft and impersonation on Facebook. It is worth the time to go and read the story. Facebook isn't as secure as one might think, not matter how many features they add to try and make it so.

One man impersonated Bryan Rutberg's profile and posted a status update asking for "urgent help." Rutberg's friends ended up sending the impersonator money that they thought was going to friend.

In another instance, 18-year-old Anthony Stanci posed as a female to persuade high-school boys to send him naked pictures. He used these pictures to blackmail the students into actually having sex with him.

That's some shady shit! I do have to give it to both of them though, they had good plans. You have to be smart to pull off something like this, too bad they weren't smart enough to realize that they weren't smart enough not to get caught. Stanci has now been charged with 12 felony counts. Included within those counts is having sex with minors and possesion of child pornography.

Protect your Facebook ya'll! And don't do anything like these guys...

Get on your knees...

2009-02-05T14:28:00.000-05:00

I hope you didn't take the title to this post out of context, 'cause this is serious y'all! I was referring to prayer!

Seventy-five year old Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is again being treated for cancer, CNN.com reports. She had undergone treatment at the beginning of the decade for colorectal cancer. This time, it seems, she is being treated for pancreatic cancer--we all know what bad shiz that is.

Ginsburg is one of the more liberal judges on the court as she was appointed by President Clinton the year he took office. All we can do is hope for the best. Treatment for these kinds of things can be rather wearing on a person. Let's hope she makes it through safe and sound; homegurl ain't gettin' any younger.

She's been the counterargument throughout the Bush years and has contributed so much. She knows how to handle her conservatives!

Nope, haven't seen her.

2009-02-05T04:56:00.000-05:00

Though I really really really hate to admit it, the infamous YouTube celebrity Chris Crocker makes a really good point about the controversy surrounding Britney Spears's suggestive new single "If You Seek Amy."

Check out his video about the subject here. I am sorry if he is offensive to anyone (he can be quite vulgar at times). I am equally sorry that I've now mentioned him in two of my posts. I will try not to let it happen again.

Oh lord...

2009-02-05T04:29:00.000-05:00

She's all over the cover of nearly every magazine. The president has made comments about her. And here you have it folks, the new Jessica Simpson!!

I will admit that this is a very unflattering photo that I've chosen. She actually scares me a little here.

I would like to say, however, who gives a damn if she gained some weight?? I see the freshman here at my school blow up every fall and nobody puts them on the cover of a magazine. I don't wanna sound like Chris Crocker here or anything, but leave Jessica alone!

People couldn't stand to see Britney Spears fat either. You're all sex fiends and if it isn't svelte, it ruins your wet dreams. Get over it, my children.

I'm also a little pissed because I'm way fatter than Miss Simpson and I've never been on a magazine cover. Maybe I should put some sequins on my jeans too, or wear ill-fitting blouses.

On second thought, no; this picture really scares me.

Are they trying to start a scandal?

2009-02-05T04:06:00.000-05:00

So, I'm sure that everyone knows about the recent events involving Olympic goldenboy Michael Phelps and a certain piece of marijuana paraphernalia. And the pictures, must not forget the pictures. We've seen them, we've thought about how much of a dumbass he is, and we've moved on. I suggest that that the sheriff of Richland County, South Carolina do the same.

My reaction upon hearing the news about Phelps' drug use was initially, "I don't care." It then became, "Oh, there are pictures," and finally, "I don't care." I do believe that there is something to be said about him getting caught, however. Being that I am a strict believer that one should do what he or she will with his or her body, it's none of my business if homeboy wants to smoke a bong. But when you have million-dollar career riding on it, you should at least smoke it in the bathroom--with the lights off or something. That was what was so terrible about it. Hey Mikey! Cover your ass and protect your career!

This nonsense about the authorities getting involved is, to be frank, utter bullshit. I would love to understand how they plan to discern Phelps' location by using a photograph. Now, I admittedly don't watch a lot of CSI, but I don't remember hearing about technology that can definitively prove that the picture was taken within this particular jurisdiction.

On a side note, my mother grew up just across the river from the University of South Carolina in neighboring Lexington County. I still have family there. One thing that I can tell you about the largest city in the state is that it isn't that big. Another thing I can tell you is that there isn't a lot there and that outside of South Carolina, it isn't noteworthy whatsoever.

I think this is just for attention to be brought to the area. Can you remember the last time that Columbia, South Carolina was in the news? Me neither (actually, it was when Travis Barker and DJ Am's plane crashed just outside the city, but that's neither here nor there). The sheriff of Nottingham needs to untwist his thong and get over it.

Doesn't sorry mean anything these days? Jeez.

If you wake up in a tub of ice...

2009-02-04T03:24:00.000-05:00

Check your vagine!

Apparently, there is a new kidney removal procedure that doctors at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have successfully performed.

Click here to read the full article on PerezHilton.com

Can they make the grade?

2009-02-04T02:37:00.000-05:00

It was revealed yesterday that the D.C. City Council will soon be voting on a measure that would require restaurants in the District to post a grade given to them during health inspections on the front door.

And as always, I have questions.

I am curious about how stringent these inspections are going to be. I wonder if the restaurants would be able to appeal to the health department the inspection came during an inopportune time. I do believe that restaurants should be held to high standards or cleanliness, but I also understand that there are certain points during a health inspection that have little to do with the cleanliness of the restaurant overall. What's more, these points can drop an inspection by an entire letter grade.

I've worked in many restaurants before enrolling in college. During that time, there was one restaurant that was about as clean as a customer could hope for; it was probably cleaner than many of your own kitchens. This restaurant (the Landmark, for those in the know), constantly received the top grade when the inspectors came and did their thing. One time however, the inspector came during a delivery. The restaurant received a lower than usual grade because there were a few boxes on the floor, something that is in violation. These boxes did not contain food, but generally cleaning supplies and canned goods. Can we really post grades on a door that my drive away customers for having something as trivial as a box on the floor?

If a restaurant is required to post these grades, I believe that inspections should be frequent and that they should be able to be appealed (or reinspected withing a particular time window, say 48 hours). If a good system can be worked out that grade restaurants fairly, perhaps they could consider something more like a GPA system that calculates the good and the bad to give a better idea of the restaurant's track record.

I barely figure out my own taxes....

2009-02-04T01:59:00.000-05:00

Poor Tom Daschle. I am a little annoyed by his tax situation. Aside from the bickering that occurs on Capitol Hill as a result of partisan politics, the situation seems to be about as hypocritical as it can get.

How can Tim Geithner get away with not paying his taxes and Tommy face so much scrutiny? It is understandable that Daschle owed quite a bit more than Geithner, but I don't recall Geithner giving any sort of solid reasoning behind his failure to pay Uncle Sam--and he was going to be the Treasury secretary! Daschle explains himself and still the media takes him down like a gazelle in the grasslands. If he were stealing medical records, it would be a bit more understandable to me.

I am not gonna take up for the guy for not paying his taxes, but I am not sure I would realize that using a friend's car service would be taxable income. Hell, I can barely manage to itemize my college-expense deductions, much less organize all the expenses that would come with organizing a car service.

So far, President Obama has been off to a rough start. I find my self being very critical of him, that is, I hold him to a very high standard. The mandate he received in November after such an inspirational campaign makes me hold him to all the promises.

I wonder if Obama himself knew about the taxes that his appointees owed and if he assumed that everything would work out regardless. Perhaps he tried to cover it up the best he could. I trust this guy and I would be very disappointed if he were ever found to be playing unfairly.

Why does this feel like fascism?

2009-02-03T17:24:00.000-05:00

If you hadn't heard, I'm an Apple fan. The products that the company makes are nearly irresistible. You will hear from anyone who had been inducted into this cult that the products that bear the logo of the bitten fruit just work! That's all, I don't want to hear any arguments, they really do.

I am not going to preach about how wonderful these machines are, but rather, how sore I am with the company right now.

I am the proud owner of an iPhone 3G. I didn't buy the original iPhone because I had a feeling that a better one was just around the corner. When I finally purchased my phone, it really changed the way I keep myself organized and the way I communicate with others.

I was so excited about the App Store and its promises. Another thing I was excited about was the Push Notification Service. Since Apple won't allow applications to run as background processes, this system was in development to allow third-party servers to send notifications to your phone via Apple servers. It was due to come out in September.

EPIC FAIL! It's February now, and this still hasn't come to fruition. Mac NN reports that it may never materialize because now Apple is considering allowing the next version to allow background processes. iPhone 3.0, if we've learned anything from history, should arrive around June.

My beef with Apple (besides making false promises) is that it throttles the technology it has. It holds back a feature or two so it can include it on a future product. That makes Apple-hungry consumers upgrade before their current systems have worn out.

I am guilty. When I read today that a much better iPhone might be out in June, I began to say my good-byes to my current phone. I will be a smart consumer in the end (if I don't like the design or I have to pay too much for too little, I won't buy it).

I can't wait until the new aluminum MacBooks drop in price just a little. I am really looking forward to that big and beautiful multi-touch track pad. It continues to haunt my dreams.

Podcast!

2009-02-03T04:53:00.000-05:00

I have been working on creating a podcast for a few months now, and I think i finally got this stuff right. Before you go running off to listen to it, please understand that it will be the worst five minutes of your life.

Much like a child on Christmas, I just had to play with this thing as soon as I had it all up and running. As I mentioned in the audio itself, I am still trying to work the bugs out and develop a format. There is still a lot to be worked out (and a lot to be desired), but considering the number of hours I put into this think, I should at least get a B for effort (I did take a couple of breaks... so I guess my GPA will suffer).

I am proud of one thing though, I got this shit published on iTunes. Sure, it isn't that hard, but it feels nice to have the album art (which is craptastic at best, but hey, I made it myself) show up in the Cover Flow. That is a nice warm feeling, as though I'd released an album or something.

There is an RSS feed of the podcast in the left-hand column of this page, but for some reason, it isn't promptly showing the new shows as I post them all the time. Click HERE to check out the Feb. 3rd episode. Be warned, it's a trainwreck! Your comments are always welcome.

The Word: My Manifesto

2009-02-02T14:41:00.000-05:00

I intend to change the world with the utterance of a word. I will follow suit with the stroke of a pen and a peck at the keyboard. Words cause a domino affect that spread through the minds of others--a communicable idea, infectious humanity.

I have been given the power of the word, as have we all. The word can be used to convey dangerous truths and lovely lies, it can be used to turn one's heart sour or set it aglow. I intend, foremost, to be honest with my use of the word--to embellish as little as possible and to be forthcoming with my opinion. It is this opinion, one that we all possess, that causes the winds to blow in different directions from one generation to the next. Without these words, we have no voice; without a voice, we have no future and our present is stagnant.

I demand that you look into the past and gather your knowledge about the struggles and accomplishments that your forefathers have endured and achieved. This was not possible without the word--the idea, a spark to ignite the wildfires of revolution and change. This was only possible with the sharing of thoughts and the implementation of the desires in a collective people's hearts. We too have desires, we too strive to live in a better place, a place in which our families can rest assured that they will have a tomorrow and that our neighbor will have one too. This is only possible if we safeguard our ideals and put them down on paper, in hypertext, or whisper them to our closest friends.

There is nothing that we cannot accomplish if we keep an ongoing discussion--an open discussion. The words may be hard to accept, at times, but the only way that we can work through to challenges we will face throughout out lives is if we are honest with one another. Honesty is purity of heart and mind. The alternative is deceit, a vile heart and a clouded head.

I call to you today to be compassionate with your words, with your thoughts, and with your deeds. The opposite of compassion is indifference and indifference leads only to inaction and a deferral of our chances to fix the things that plague our lives. I promise to accept my own challenge and fight in the hearts of my brothers and sisters, my neighbors and theirs. I will stir the passions of a generation, even if that be only a few. Join me! Pick up your pens, dust off your keyboard, and clear your throats. There is much work to be done and nothing will be accomplished by being silent.

Craigslist...enough said

2008-12-06T00:50:00.001-05:00

I was wondering if there was anyone out there who has had either good or bad experiences with THE LIST.

You know what I'm talking about... cruising for guys on the internet late at night, during your lunchbreak, or just when you have time.

I must admit that I've participated, but I'm just not sure that i don't feel like a complete whore after everything transpired.

Feelings, comments? Antibiotics?

Antichrist Superstar

2008-09-25T00:25:00.000-04:00

I cannot believe all the shit that has hit the fan about Sarah Palin. I know half of it might be fabrication--The Enquirer isn't really the best source (though Douchebag Edwards was discovered through their constant hounding).

In a way, I am glad that it is all coming about. I don't want the Republicans to win because they will take my gay behind and hang me from a tree or something. Mr. Obama might let me get married or have kids or some other American-dream type bullshit.

Does anyone else think this women is completely unqualified? Though I know it is nothing to sneeze at, but Alaska is smaller than most counties in the area where I live in terms of population. It is an insult to women--it's like holding a carrot in front of a donkey and making him run for it.

You can put lipstick on a pitbull or Sarah Palin, you are still gonna end up with a bitch that can't run the country.

Finally!

2008-09-25T00:03:00.000-04:00

After several years of speculation... Clay Gayken has finally come out of the closet, making it much much less embarrassing for him to be alive. It's bad to see someone who is so gay and doesn't even know it. Aiken says that he told his mom some four years before... that would make him about 25 when he came out. It is a shame that people are so scared to make such a thing public in fear of what it might do to their celebrity. I say 'way to go;" that goes for you too Lance Bass (and congrats on the Dancing with the Starts gig. Too bad they made you go PC and dance with a chick.

The photo is courtesy PerezHilton.com, though the writing is mine =)

Ok so... I Have A Confession... I Need a Life.

2008-09-23T15:27:00.000-04:00

This will be an unusually short post as I have become a very busy beaver (no fun there... right?). I haven't been able to actually sit down and say much of anything--or maybe I just didn't have anything to say. I must also admit that I've been in a bit of a drought and have little that was going on that I thought was blog-worthy. I now have a class assignment that is going to require me to blog, even though it is going to be on another page... a little page called Motime.

It is going to be a blog about dance music and the entire experience of going to the club. Everyone goes to the club, especially if you're a big ol' fag. I would love to get some stories about going to the club and your experience... anything would help.

Nextly, I need a damned life. Anyone who can help me? Just sayin'...

Awkward Summer!

2008-06-09T20:52:00.001-04:00

So we are well into out summer vacations already, but I am still left feeling that it hasn't really begun. That's a shame because it won't be too long before it is all over. Being that I'm not a commuter student--I actually move my life to Fairfax, Virginia from my quiet beach-side town, I must literally adjust to leading what could be considered a double life.
The thing is, coming back home is downright awkward. Sure, you get to see your family and friends, but you leave a big part of you back at school. I have plenty of friends at George Mason University that I am dying to see again. My friends back home are great, don't get me wrong--there is just a part of me that knows being here with them isn't going to last forever. One friend went away to a college in Tennessee and now, it is as though we have a lot to catch up on. I am sure the same will be true when I get back to school and find that I have been out-of-the-loop in regards to their lives too.
I must confess that I am having a hard time getting back into the swing of things here at home. I started back at my old job that held a spot open for me. I am a security guard, but now, I am a part-time security guard making far less than the forty hours that I was accustomed to. I find that I have PLENTY of time to lie about the house and do absolutely nothing. Quite a switch after a busy semester, and frankly, it really sucks. Further, my friends are working a bit more than I am, and when our schedules do align, it is like a celestial event for all to witness. Things can be quite exciting one minute, and then completely dull the next. It is very hot and cold...
I know this must sound like whining, and I assure you, it is. I am currently trudging through one of those cold moments where I have exhausted all of my other options aside from doing a small load of laundry and figured that I would go ahead and strike up the band at my pity party. The thing is though, I am sure that there are others like me out there who are already packing their belongings and marking the calendars for the day when we can return to out beloved school and get on with our lives-on-pause. This is a cry for help, for those who are walking the same paces to be able to vent. Those people are probably in a boredom coma right now, however, and I doubt I will wake them with a simple blog post.
I will admit that I have made a new friend since I've been back. Though we knew each other previously--he was my co-worker before I left--we have brewed a new-found comradery that is refreshing. He is straight and I am quite obnoxiously, well, not. It is beautiful to have a supportive friend that comes at things from a different angle and is so unabashedly nice! So I suppose all isn't lost this summer. It's too bad that I will have to leave my new friend behind. It is also too bad that my new friend is quite the looker and is unavailable as a boyfriend. Oh well!
Whatever you are doing out there, just be sure to do it well! Have a wonderful summer everybody, I can't wait to catch up when it's all over.

It's a Lonely Road Without Friends

2008-05-04T22:40:00.000-04:00

For some reason today while I was in the Johnson Center eating, I started contemplating the diversity of the school. I know I have touched on this in previous postings, but I wandered off into deep thought. As mentioned, Mason is a school of all colors and creeds. That being said, there are some nationalities that hold prejudice beliefs. Perhaps a generalization, but Jamaicans, for example, do not view homosexuality in a positive light. However, they are here at campus. Diverse doesn't necessarily mean liberal. Diverse just means different, variety, an array of conglomerated experiences.
That being said, diversity is closely related to minority. The different groups that make up Mason are mostly minorities on the national scale. Gays are a minority--a suggested ten percent of the overall population. How then, are we supposed to secure our minority rights among the remaining ninety percent? I believe, and I am sure that many will agree, that coming out as gay is the road to take.
Just look around today. There are so many more people who are out compared to, say, ten years ago. It is wonderful for me to see. When gay men and women let the world know who they are, and get to know them better, it helps to break down prejudices. If more people knew a gay person, then they might change their opinion of homosexuals. They will realize that they are the same as they are. Of course, for all the gays reading this blog, what I am saying is old hat.
The gay population is small and we need allies to accomplish what we need to accomplish. 30 million people is far from the majority of the American population, and if we are to sway the majority of our legislatures, we must get the heterosexual population to better understand who we are. I know many gay folks, most of my friends included, who hang out with a predominantly gay group. Now, saving heterosexual women (who seem to be our greatest allies) we must befriend more of the straight male population. I must say, I love my girls, but when it comes down to being friends with a straight male, it can be quite rewarding.
I have two wonderful friends, Jason and Ben, who are both hetero. Jason and I were best friends throughout high school and we lived together for a while. I was terrified when I was 18 and decided to come out to him. I didn't wanna lose his friendship. Eventually the secret came out behind my back. I knew his was mad at me, but I didn't realize why. He was mad because I didn't tell him first. He couldn't have cared less that I liked guys. We are still close to this day (his younger brother and I dated for a while =)>. Ben is a little bit of a different story. We have only gotten closer since I came to Mason. He is a bit metrosexual himself. He is the closest thing to gay without actually liking guys. The point is, guys will accept gays if they actually know one. It is mainly those who have no gay friends that have negative things to say.
If you come out, though it seems like a daunting task, it will only make you feel better. Sometimes people fear what their friends and family think of them. There are plenty of people who would react badly at first, but it is assuredly better than having to live a lie. Coming out will also help breakdown the walls that exist among certain groups, such as the Jamaicans that I mentioned earlier. Instead of keeping the idea of homosexuals removed from daily life, being out and about will help make the issue real.
We cannot succeed without allies. The world heading toward acceptance, but we still have a long journey ahead. It would be nice if we can brings friends.

Making Love in the Club

2008-05-03T16:05:00.000-04:00

So last night officially began the weekend. Though I spent it eating Haagen Dazs, about which I cannot complain, I would have liked to have gone to the club. I mean, there is plenty of time to eat ice cream through the week. Clubs, at least the good clubs, are only in full operation on the weekends. So I thought to myself, why do I like going to the club so much? What is it that allures people to pack into a building full of drunk and sweaty folks? I think it must be a primal urge...
A little background info, a couple of weeks ago, I finally got the time to visit Apex in DC at a decent hour with a friend who loves to dance, like myself. I accidentally got drunk while I was there... the bartender gave me a drink that I didn't request and I couldn't refuse. It put me over the edge. It made the dancing so much better. The lights were playing tricks with my eyes... it was FABULOUS! I will admit though that I had a hard time dropping down low and sweeping the floor with it while keeping my balance, but I seriously had a great time.
The thing is, I haven't been since then. I haven't had the delight of staring at a go-go boy across the room while dancing to the latest Madonna remix. I am having withdraws! It truly is addictive. I have to bitch for just a second though: I despise when guys use the club as their sole outlet to getting laid. I understand that's the reason many people go, but it is a little skeezy. What ever happened to bumping into someone at a cafe and proposing a lunch date or catching a flick together? Does it always have to be drunk, dance, then get laid? I think that people should stop selling themselves short. It's a bit degrading, in my humble opinion.
I understand the urge, however. It is a very intense sexual experience, clubbing. You are surrounded by hot, sweaty, and half-naked guys--it is admittedly hard to resist, but there are other ways.
Bring your girls to the club and they will have a killer time and keep you focused on having fun. Folks bitch about having the 'fruit flies' at the club, but they are just there to have fun too. That being said, I guess I should get on the phone and try to get some of them on the line. It is my last weekend in the DC area before summer break. I've got to do something, it would be sinful not to go out without a party.

A Hot Tranny Mess

2008-05-03T02:15:00.000-04:00

Let me just start off my clearing the air--there is nothing better than sitting around a pint of Haagen-Dazs with the girls, absolutely nothing! Funny thing is, when you let your inner fat-bitch have her way, it seems that your inner intellectual decides to run her mouth. Ever have that happen to you?
Tonight my friend Liz and me decided that we needed a night on the town. Not the swanky kind, but the rather low-key dinner and drinks kind of thing. The drinks never happened (that's where the ice-cream came in) but we still felt at ease. Ben & Jerry's was closed, so we headed over to the supermarket and stocked up. Let me mention that Rum Raisin Haagen-Dazs is Christ incarnate, I promise you.
We decided that, being such a pleasant night, we should share the wealth under the stars. That being settled upon, we proceeded to find the neared cul-de-sac that included a park area in the center of the circle. This wasn't a challenging task as there are McMansions strewn about the city. For some reason, after settling down and digging-in, we started discussing the oddest topic--transgendered people.
Now, I won't disclose personal aspects of the conversation; however, we concluded that it must be an extremely difficult choice to make. Transgender individuals, especially pre-op transsexuals, have a difficult time finding someone to confide in and support them on their journey. It seems as though they have no home. They feel as though they aren't part of the gay community (despite having a letter on the marquee: GLBTQ), yet they don't quite fit in with straight culture either. Imagine not having a cultural home.
I am glad to be a part of the ever-expanding queer community. We have a total of FIVE letters now. I swear the gay community is eventually going to include everybody. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning. Eventually we are going to add people who have Looked at a person of the same gender. The point is, we are still a community, and many times, we forget that "T." We forget to support those who are by definition, just as queer as we are. Those who are making the decision to go under the knife to align their bodies with their souls are making a much bigger decision than any of us who have had to simply come out to our friends and family. They are adopting an entirely different lifestyle. I think it is time to share the love.
Even people in the gay community have odd feelings about people who wish to switch genders, but it shouldn't be like that. It is quite hypocritical to judge people when we are always yelling that we don't want to be judged. I suppose that is my point overall, love, don't judge. Hell, tear down that wall and hug a tranny! I am sure any support is good support.

This is the Big Gay Bang

2008-05-02T20:11:00.000-04:00

I was told that I should definitely start off my blog with a big gay bang. I take that to either get excited about something "cute" or just get down to the gossip and drama. I would rather blog about the gayest thing in my life, my friends.
Since I came to George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., I have gotten more and more comfortable with the diversity of the school. It's nice not having to walk around all day defending your lifestyle. There are plenty of queer folks around here, not to mention people of every other culture one could think of. If there are any "haters" around here, I guess they just have to get used to it.
One such person recently wrote to the school paper about how he believes that homosexuality is a mental illness; that when the APA took it off of their list, it was politically motivated. I dunno, but it starts making me feel the stares again. You know, the stares of people burning through you with judgmental eyes. I had almost forgotten what that feels like.
I am almost finished with the semester here. I transfered in as a Junior at the beginning of this semester. Because of the notorious cliquey-ness of the school, it was a rough start. Eventually I made some wonderful friends and started making this sleepy DC suburb finally feel like home.
Home. Home is a crazy concept. It is a concept that has different meanings to different people. The place where I grew up will probably always be Home (with the capital 'H'), but I find that it isn't hard for me to make a home wherever I go. Still, I am looking forward to the summer when I can finally go back to what I thought was normal, and now, of course, it will feel completely foreign. I get to see my two uber-gay friends, however, which is something I am lacking here. Though I friends here, one is a metrosexual, the others are girls. That's great, of course, a gay's gotta have his fruit flies, but there is nothing like fellow queer companionship! Fags Unite!
I am planning to have a wonderfully queer summer with my bestest-es Patrick and Zahk. I cannot wait to go Home. Actually being able to have a sleep-over and watch movies without having to worry about university rules is going to be great. Of course, in June we will be back here in DC for Gay Pride. If it is anything like what it was last year, it is going to be a FABULOUS time. Maybe I will see some of you shakin' at Apex or Town Danceboutique. Who knows who I may meet on my maiden voyage into the blogosphere, but I know one thing for sure, it's gonna be a gay ole time!