Author Archives: Robert

Ray and I have a very good friend in Chicago named Cathy who we’ve known for many years.  Cathy started running the Chicago Marathon several years ago (I can’t remember if it was 8 or 9 years but I’m sure she’ll clarify in the comment section).  Right before Christmas a couple of years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Over the course of several months, she went through surgery, chemo, radiation and, um,  cancer.  That alone is hellish enough to deal with.

Cathy–who is such a trouper–made a full recovery.  I don’t know how she did it.  I would have been the biggest crybaby if I had to face what she went through.  I have to thank her for showing me that life is to be savored.  Seeing what she went through was a humbling experience to say the least.  Thanks Cathy!

Ray and I are very proud of our friend and were thrilled when we heard that she was contacted to do a commercial for a major sponsor of the Chicago Marathon.  I have the commercial and I’m going to show it off on my blog!

What’s a blog without a YouTube clip?

Speaking of You Tube clips; while I was working on Cathy’s clip, I happened upon this one that made me laugh:

Mary Poppins was the first movie I ever saw.  I was five and it had a profound effect that has lingered with me ever since.  This clip is an interesting take on Mary Poppins to say the least:

R, Maggie, Ruby and I piled in the car Sunday morning to get something to eat.  One of my favorite things in the world is to go out for breakfast.  I love the no-frills greasy spoon meal complete with sausage links.  Apparently so does Maggie and R (and Ruby) so I took them to a little place called the Lone Star Cafe.  It’s right on Hwy 92 going to Sierra Vista–and they have sausage links. 

I don’t usually eat much in the way of meat but when it comes to sausage at breakfast, it’s a must have.  While placing my order, the waitress and I got into a detailed conversation about how tasty links are and that patties were just a poor excuse for sausage trying to be a hamburger.

R asked me about blogging.  I was saying how you can find other blogs by clicking links on the current blog you’re reading (while I was eating my sausage links).  He whipped out his pen and in no time, I was immortalized on a paper place mat–links, blogs and all.   

After we ate, Maggie and I worked on some more music.  She had a poem from a gentleman up in Prescott that she set to music the night before.  I really love her voice.  She is a true musician.  It just flows out of her so naturally.  Maggie really encouraged me to just let it all out.  Let it go.  So I did.  She is my muse.  I will, however, spare you from the tracks we laid down together with my guitar playing and singing.  That’s for private listening only.  Here is her new song in all its glory (you may have to turn up the volume):

Lily (2:34)

[audio:Lily.mp3]

On Monday, they packed everything up and headed off for their next adventure.  While I admire Maggie and R for making sacrifices in the name of art, I don’t know if I could live out of the back of a Toyota earning money from playing violin on the street. 

R commented on how poorly they’re treated up in Prescott.  Part of me is sympathetic to them in a live-and-let-live sort of way but the other part realizes that most people don’t change their opinions easily when it comes to grungy artists living in a car with a dog and no shower.  Am I an elitist?  Not really.  I personally don’t mind if someone chooses to live the hippy lifestyle.  It doesn’t really bother me if people don’t bathe frequently either, in fact, I actually think this country tends to overclean itself.  The only time I mind is when someone is so ripe it makes my eyes water.  That’s where most people–myself included–draw the line.

It’s nice to have the house in quiet mode again.  This weekend Ray is either going to LA to see his mom or Chicago to check up on Leona (she’s not doing so well).  I’m staying home for a much needed mental vacation alone with myself.  I can hardly wait. 

Maggie, R and I met up this afternoon for lunch at the Bisbee Breakfast Club.  I love taking people there.  It’s one of those places where everything on the menu is tasty.  I was really impressed with R’s dog Ruby.  She’s such a good girl.  She just hung out by the door and waited for us to eat.

When we returned, R fell asleep on the couch.  Maggie produced a ukulele and just started strumming away singing as if she did that all the time.  I was taken aback by her sweet voice and natural ability.

I suggested we go into the studio.

Maggie had been playing around with this old Russian tune saying that she wanted to write some lyrics to it.  I grabbed a pencil and jotted down some words.  Together we came up with this little ditty:  

Somewhere Sleeping (1:20)

[audio:Somewhere_Sleeping.mp3]

After that, Maggie was actually able to convince me to sit down with her and sing whatever came to my mind while she strummed something in the background.  Having no idea what to say, I sang about R’s dog Ruby.  Ruby Doobie.  Listen at your own risk.

Ruby Doobie (4:13)

[audio:Ruby_Doobie.mp3]

Today we’re going to play around a little bit more with the music.  I want Maggie to get her violin and lay down some secondary tracks from last night. 

Halloween in Bisbee is always a trip treat.  Even though it was on a Wednesday this year, there were lots of people out and about. 

Ray, Jon (the cute guy who lives up the road from us), Maggie (my cool cousin from Prescott), R (Maggie’s man) and I spent the evening going to parties and bars in Old Bisbee.  Ray wore my pirate costume from last year and looked totally hot in it (that bitch).  I just dressed like a cowboy because I did not feel like putting in too much effort year and when all else fails for a sexy costume, anything involving a tight pair of 501’s and a cowboy hat always does the trick.

First we went to Jonathan and Theresa’s house for a little party.  They are both artists. (what a surprise!) Jon does jewelery and Theresa paints.  Check out their site!

Next up we headed out to Old Bisbee for a pub crawl.  We stopped at the Grand and St. Elmo’s before landing at the Stock Exchange for, you guessed it, karaoke!  I sang two songs and stayed out way too late. 

Ray and I were like zombies the next day but it was well worth it.  Next year, because of leap year, Halloween is on a Friday!!  I better get working on my costume.

I posted the photos to my Flickr account.  Check ’em out!

Lately, I have been making an effort to read other blogs and after careful review, I have come to the conclusion that I may not be blogging correctly.  I think I write-write long posts about one subject as opposed to a random review of the latest and greatest current events. 

My problem situation is that I am fairly disconnected from most all of what’s going on.  I don’t care to write about current events because nothing is all that interesting to me.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I have my head in the sand (or up my ass) when it comes to the major events of the world.  I read a lot of periodicals and have high speed Internet which keeps me pretty well informed.  I just don’t like to saturate myself with news–especially if it’s on the TV. 

News is, for the most part, very important to me but the media always milks the fuck out of the latest headline to the point of, well, fear.  Today’s news is all about scaring the shit out of you.  Case in point: MRSA.  Ever since that story has hit the forefront, I’ve noticed our teeny-tiny grocery store in Bisbee now has complimentary sanitary wipes for the shopping cart handle. 

Shopping at Safeway in Bisbee is deadly.  Film at 11.

I like to read my news thank you very much.  That way, it’s delivered to my psyche in my own voice and not sensationalized by some ratings monger with big hair. 

Yes, MRSA is everywhere but it’s been everywhere for a very long time.  If we let our kids eat dirt like I did back in the day,  we wouldn’t have turned ourselves into the boy in the plastic bubble.  Oh, and this just in: antibiotics don’t kill viruses so taking them when you have a cold doesn’t do anything except perpetuate drug resistant diseases and, in my case, make you constipated.

By golly, I think I’m ranting.

This is good!  People rant on their blogs.  OK, I’m going to rant.  Why not?  I think it’s time for a list!

THINGS THAT BUG THE CRAP OUT OF ME

Politicians:
Politicians are all supreme assholes who are more interested in the photo op than serving their constituents.  If they are cool now, they will eventually turn into an asshole.  I tend to vote for the least assholy one unless it’s voting against Bush in which case, I would vote for a lima bean.

Television:
When I tell someone I don’t have TV reception, they launch into what happened on the last episode of Lost–as if I need to know.  What’s worse than watching a dumb TV show episode?  Having someone describe it to you in great detail.  Yes, it’s hard to believe, I don’t have TV on purpose.

Gay Pride Festivals:
From an episode of one of the only shows I do watch–The Simpsons (Netflix),
Crowd:  We’re here!  We’re queer!  Get used to it!
Lisa Simpson:  We are used to it!  You do this every year!

Yes, I’m gay and proud of it but I have nothing to prove anymore.  I get along great with straight people–as long as they don’t try to push their straight stuff on me.  Pride festivals always depress me.  They’re full of totally hot fantasy guys I can’t have who are only interested in other totally hot fantasy guys that don’t want me.  My frail ego can’t take that kind of abuse.  My penis is shrinking.

Britney, J-Lo, and the other slutty talentless hos:
It’s our own fault.  We keep paying attention to them–and no, I don’t feel sorry because they’re always being chased by paparazzi.  Put yer panties on and keep your legs shut. Yes, being rich and famous is very stressful.  You get compensated for that stress by getting to fuck anyone you want and having millions of dollars in the bank!  Like, duh.

Actors and Hollywood:
Today’s movies are regurgitated formulaic crap that are judged on how much money they make.  Ray always said “It ain’t show art, it’s show business.”  Most all movie stars suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder and are not worthy of the adoration of millions–except George Clooney (oh please God, don’t let it happen to George).  There is a very blurry gray line between politicians and actors.  Freaks!

Text Messaging:
What the hell?  My nephew laughed at me when I got flamingly pissed off when he said he does it while driving.  Ray and I went to a bar in Tucson and most everyone was sitting there staring at their phones pushing little buttons instead of talking to each other.  I go online and a thirty-four year old white guy from the suburbs writes, “sup…how r u”

Sup!?  SUP!?  Fuck you, that’s sup.

Littering:
The most ultimate pet-peeve of mine.  It’s low, classless and disgusting–especially tossing a cigarette butt out the window of a car. 

Ranting On My Blog:
You know…I could go on but this is not as fun as I thought it would be.  It’s just making me tense and I’m being totally pedantic.  Who cares what I like or dislike?  Besides, I’m totally the odd man out.  Most people like texting, Lost, Gay Pride and Britney’s lack of panties.  I need to get over myself and get off my soap box but before I do, I will say one more thing:  Be a leader.  Dance to the beat of your own drummer.  Say whatever you feel and fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke.  OK, so that was more than one thing.  I’m going to bed…

Colleen and Dan got married last Friday.  The ceremony was classy and well executed, which is no surprise because Colleen is an excellent artist and designer (I could swear her bridesmaid’s dresses were the same color blue as the typeface on her wedding invitation).

I have always been quite fond of Colleen.  It was a blast to see her and several of the old Zefer people at the wedding.  I finally got to see Marie again (I am on the warpath to get her to come visit us in Bisbee).  It was also nice to meet some of Colleen’s other friends and family members.  There is something to be said about a person who has such a dynamic group of people surrounding her.  Everyone was very nice and there were several hot guys too—an added bonus if you ask me.

The reception lasted six—count ‘em six—hours.  They had a live band that kicked major butt.  I danced like a total dork all night long.  Someone finally had to start flicking the lights off and on like closing time at a gay dance club (I love watching all the gay guys scatter like midnight cockroaches at the sight of the kitchen light being flipped on).  Even though I’ve been back three times this year, I was glad we made the trip back out to Chicago for the occasion.

We also checked up on Ray’s elderly aunt Leona in Itasca.  She’s been in and out of hospitals and nursing facilities since slipping on the ice and breaking her elbow last February.  When we lived in Chicago we would go see her frequently.  She referred to us as “The Boys”.  I have known her for almost fourteen years and think of her as my own aunt.

Leona has not been doing so well these past few months.  It’s distressing to see her in such a state.  Ray has been handling her affairs and making sure she’s getting the best care possible.  She beams when his name comes up and says she doesn’t know what she would do without him.  I don’t know what I would do without him either.

On Saturday, we met up Cathy and some other friends to eat at Trattoria Dinotto.  I had—actually we all had—pumpkin ravioli.  It was delicious.  I mentioned in an earlier post that Cathy was running the Chicago marathon to raise money for breast cancer.  She did a totally cool commercial for the Chicago marathon sponsored by Energizer.  When I figure out how to convert it for the web, I’m going to put it on my blog.

Sunday we went shopping.  I initially set out to find a cheap pair of sweats. I could not find anything of the sort so to reward myself for my hard work and failed effort; I went to a high-end running boutique and bought a pair of sweats for $75.00—because I’m worth it.

Sunday night was a blast as well.  After my purchase, Ray and I met up with Paul and Johnnie at Marty’s wine and Martini bar for a drink (I know…I’m supposed to be off drinking for a while but technically I’m on vacation).  After that, Ray’s neice Gretchen and her man Jim came up and we all had a yummy Mediterranean dinner at a place called Andies.

Ray and I had a really good time in Chicago. The October leaves were lingering in Autumnal color.  Even though it was cool and the flowers were a little long in the tooth, the city was charged with the oncoming holiday season. 

We’re on our way back to Stolen Horseshoe as I write this entry on the plane.  I have traveled every weekend this month and I’m ready to stay home and pet the kitty who is beside herself with loneliness.  Might have to get the fireplace going as well.  A cup of hot tea sounds nice…