Thursday, September 12, 2013
I have an article in the latest issue of American Ancestors magazine.
Send me an email if you want to read it.
Send me an email if you want to read it.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Always trying to lick me.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
I traveled east to North Carolina.
On the airplanes I recollected when it was fun to fly, way back when, back when it wasn't an over-sized bus.
Vest and tie.
I walked to the cell phone pick-up lot and Forrest and Travis were waiting and I was so excited to see them. Soon we were heading south to Georgia.
Friends of Travis and Forrest stayed in the tent next door and were very nice to chat with.
Forrest.
Large billboards promoted religious messages.
Leaves,
It was still hot and moist and I was drenched.
I told him I had never had such a handsome barber.
On the airplanes I recollected when it was fun to fly, way back when, back when it wasn't an over-sized bus.
Flying.
I dressed up. I only carry a carry-on, so I put on my bulkiest clothing. I sit back and watch as everyone's IQ drops by 20 points once they arrive at the airport.
I walked to the cell phone pick-up lot and Forrest and Travis were waiting and I was so excited to see them. Soon we were heading south to Georgia.
Travis.
We were going to a gay campground, The River's Edge, for a couple of days. It was a magical place with lots of mosquitos and gay men. I felt socially awkward because I had never been to a gay campground before.
Forrest slept in.
At the pool, I wasn't supposed to take pictures, which I was not aware of until the second day. I drank drinks and played a couple of games of pool volleyball. There was a cute redhead DJ, lots of fruity drinks, and people just having a good time.
Travis and his kitty shirt.
For various reasons I felt socially awkward. On Saturday night I donned glow sticks and we wandered around visiting folks.
Glowing.
This proved to be a theme for the entire trip- wandering around in the woods at night.
Travis showing me his guns.
Justin and Casey.
We rarely wore shirts because it was so humid, the moment you put one on it became covered in sweat. An unfortunate side picture and poor posture revealed that I really need to stop eating cookies.
Unfortunate.
I conked out early and lay in the tent making pretty pictures with the glow stick.
Pretty.
\
On Sunday we headed back to North Carolina. It was a long trip but we had fun talking and looking out the windows.
Large billboards promoted religious messages.
One of many.
Forrest and Travis live on the grounds of a former boarding school. It would be a great setting for a horror movie, but was also so pretty.
Boarding school building.
On Monday Travis had to work so Forrest and I drove to Boone for lunch. On Tuesday, they both worked so I read a couple of books and got lost in the woods looking for the cemetery.
Pretty flowers.
That night we went on a hike and I took many pictures looking upward.
It was still hot and moist and I was drenched.
Forrest and Travis.
The following morning was awful. A good friend of Forrest died in a motorcycle accident on Tuesday. I met Carl twice, we went to the the Avett Brother's concert in 2009 and when I was in NC in 2011 he was there as well. What can you say or do when someone young and full of life dies?
Travis and I went to the ABC liquor store and I bought an expensive bottle of tequila and we drank many shots "to friends." And headed out to walk in the woods.
Sparkler.
Hiking and drinking and talking. Colin, who lives next door to Forrest and Travis, was with us and I got to know him well over the course of a week.
The guys.
I had an alcohol-fueled meltdown and Forrest listened to me. Afterward we climbed through a culvert.
1:30 AM
Travis and I stumbled back home and on the way I had another melt down. A lot of things that have happened over the last couple of months tumbled out of my mouth and so on.
The next day Forrest and I drove to Asheville to meet up with Matt. We went to a really good Indian food restaurant.
Matt and Forrest.
Afterward we wandered around Asheville, described by one Republican politician as a "cesspool" because it is a fairly progressive, liberal, and hipster place. The downtown is almost all small businesses, little evidence for the big box garbage that dominates and humiliates our cities.
The next morning we wandered around looking for coffee and food. Then we drove back to North Carolina. A lot of music was played on the porch.
Matt says I am not tone deaf.
As the light faded the solar lights came on.
Dark.
I made mashed taters, cheesy cauliflower, a mozzarella-basil-heirloom tomato salad and then a lemon meringue pie. The food was good.
The company was better.
A fourth night hike, I came back and went to bed and the next morning decided I needed a haircut. Matt played the part of a barber.
Before.
After.
And then all vacations have to end and Forrest drove me to Charlotte and we had supper at Miguel's near the airport. And then it was time to say good bye to my best friend and climb aboard the aluminum tube and return to life in Tucson.
So long.
Monday, September 09, 2013
3:30 AM in the tent, with glow sticks.
I am back to Tucson after spending nine days with my bestest friends. More later.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Leaving on the airplane.
Going off for a week to North Carolina to see Forrest and Travis. Wonder what kind of trouble I can get into?
Going off for a week to North Carolina to see Forrest and Travis. Wonder what kind of trouble I can get into?
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Nature.
Something catches my eye outside my office window. I tap on the window and the coyote pauses to peek at me.
Something catches my eye outside my office window. I tap on the window and the coyote pauses to peek at me.
Coyote.
Later, another movement.
Hummingbird.
This afternoon a big gay rainbow appeared in the sky.
Gaybow.
Inside my house, a wild cat appeared.
Puff.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Keeping busy. In between work, cleaning my perpetually messy house (thanks cats), and genealogy research, I have been doing things to keep myself occupied.
Buddy comes in the house every night to hang out with me. The cats are safely locked up in the bedroom and he comes in and sits in front of the fan. Tonight as I type this he is busily chewing on his blue rubber chew toy.
The conservation and restoration work is ongoing, right now at the back of the church.
Bob in front of a saguaro.
There are 300 or so planes on exhibit, as well as a lot of pictures and other plane-related artifacts.
Buddy comes in the house every night to hang out with me. The cats are safely locked up in the bedroom and he comes in and sits in front of the fan. Tonight as I type this he is busily chewing on his blue rubber chew toy.
Senor Buddy.
The cats get a lot of attention too. Lately I wake up every morning with my eyes swollen from allergies. It has been awful and I guess I need to start taking that darn allergy stuff.
Joey.
On Friday Bob arrived from Washington, DC. His partner Mike played rugby with Jimbo and Bob and Jimbo have been to Ireland together. Bob does Classical Archaeology in his spare time. He was surprised at how hot and humid Tucson was.
We went to the Mission of San Xavier on Saturday morning.
Jesus and a lamb, I think.
Every time I go there I am amazed that a church like this could be completed in 1797 in faraway Tucson.
Bob stands in front of the altar.
The front looks really nice.
Bob tried the fry bread and a friendly roadrunner hung around hoping for some bits. I don't think I have ever been this close to one.
The coyote's after you!
We went to the Mission Gardens and the Presidio Park afterward, with lunch at El Charro. I ate too much. The next morning I went to Sweetwater Wetlands and walked around, looking at the few birds and a cotton rat.
An American coot is hiding in this picture.
In the afternoon Bob wanted to go to the Pima County Air and Space Museum. It was still very hot.
There are 300 or so planes on exhibit, as well as a lot of pictures and other plane-related artifacts.
This Polish plane has an interesting name.
We went on the one-hour-tour and saw all of the planes outside. The driver knew a little something about each one.
TWA.
I was glad to show Bob a little of Tucson. Next time he and Mike will have to come when it isn't so blisteringly hot.
Yesterday was Tucson's 238th birthday and I attended the annual birthday party at the Presidio Park.
Flag team.
About 275 people attended, including the mayor and various politicians. The cannon was fired twice, setting off car alarms.
Presidio garrison.
I enjoyed a strawberry popsicle, which is something every Victorian gentleman should have had back in the 1890s.
Homer, Esq.
And in other news, I did not have my camera when the bobcat walked by my window yesterday, which was very unfortunate because following her was a baby bobcat. Which climbed a tree and was super cute. Hopefully I will see it again sometime in the next week or so, before I head off to North Carolina to see Forrest and Travis.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
People email me asking me if I am alright.
Yes.
I made a strawberry-rhubarb pie.
Buddy is very licky.
We had a nice week and it was below 90 degrees, oh that was nice. Now it is back to being over 105 and my house is so hot. The humidity is high, but there hasn't been much rain.
Yes.
I made a strawberry-rhubarb pie.
I ate most of it.
Doug got one piece and liked it. He comes in everyday and gives Puff some love.
Puff's laser eyes.
We had a nice week and it was below 90 degrees, oh that was nice. Now it is back to being over 105 and my house is so hot. The humidity is high, but there hasn't been much rain.
Monsoon sunset.
There are reminder moments that I could do without. Sometimes things don't happen the way you expect them to. I guess that is what being human is all about.
And don't get me started on the fucking Olympics. If a country passed a law banning an ethnic minority, does anyone honestly think the Olympics would still be held there? But it is still okay to hate LGBT people. Of course, I didn't bother watching any of the last Olympics because it is such utter bullshit anyways.
