It's her again!!!

To your left, you see exhibit "A", a.k.a. Public Nuisance #1. (By the way, that dress makes it look like she's one of those she dogs in the Triumph the Insult Dog video, with a bikini that covers a row of nipples. That's probably the greatest wordrobe malfunction since Janet "Nipplegate" Jackson).

Two days in a row with Kelly Monaco featured in the Seattle Times!

Apparently at the network press junkets for ABC in Hollywood, executives are being inundated with questions regarding "Dancing With the Stars," most having to do with the questionable practice of them not revealing the home voter tallies, and second with the whole issue of a known "star" from ABC, who was always near the bottom of the judges list, winning over a "star" that is most well known as a recurring character on an "NBC" show, who was favored by all the judges. (P.S. Shame on you, Carrie Ann Inaba, for giving Kelly a "10" on her final rutine, on the basis that she's "most improved".)

Seattle Times journalist Kay McFadden writes, "a weary network rep announced that "Stars" would add a special half-hour results episode next season." Though this may help alleviate some issues (by making things long and drawn out like "American Idol", because most people I know will skip most of the Wednesday, non-competitive portion and go right to the results), who's to tell if ABC won't make up mock numbers? I think ABC should not offer any "stars" that are readily connected to shows from a particular network, especially their own, for the next installment of "Dancing With the Stars." But the damage is already done with me. I really don't plan on tuning in to any of next season's episodes, unless two of the stars just happen to be Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Anyways, click here to link to today's article.

RIP...

My condolences to "Beyond the Closet" bookstore, Seattle's only dedicated gay and lesbian bookstore. After many years in business, it closed it's doors for the last time today.

It's sad to say, but I'm not surprised at this decision. Small independent bookstores (not just gay and lesbian) are closing down everywhere. Everything seems to be upsurped by something bigger these days. I like to call it the "Walmart" effect (like how I include Walmart in the same paragraph as gay and lesbian issues?). Bigger companies are able to buy in bulk, offer products cheaper, and expand into areas that are easier for people to access. Bookstores such as Barnes & Nobel and Borders even carry a sizeable gay and lesbian section. Then there is the internet, where at the click of a button, you can buy nearly anything to your heart's desires that used to be sold at bookstores like this, from literary books by gay and lesbian authors, to porn. People don't need to go to specialty stores anymore just for a certain genre of books (the bookstore next to "Beyond the Closet" called "The Play's the Thing" closed down many years ago in 1997, a few months after I found out about it, which is a pity). It is very much like the closing down of specialty bakeries and butcher shops. Why bother making a special trip to two stores, when you can just hop down the street to a supermarket and get it all. Or go to Amazon.com and get almost anything imaginable, now that they seemed to have partnered with every company that offers anything imaginable (though I can't really throw stones, as I am just as guilty at purchasing their wares).

It's the end of an era in Seattle's gay/lesbian/bi/transgendered (and whatever) history.

As a post script, I also kinda hope they don't move the parade to Seattle Center, and keep things on Capitol Hill, but Broadway is really due for some changes anyway.

Oh, and before I forget, there is the business of Monacogate. For those who have been following, this is the latest installment of my tirade against Kelly Monaco winning "Dancing with the Stars." How I hate her and her "glib" attitude about this whole event. And I see that other people are into this "conspiracy theory" that I suggested a couple of posts ago. It's all here in today's "Seattle Times" article:

"Monaco and the producers of the ABC series were peppered with questions, with some reporters saying they received complaints from viewers who were confused by the voting process that relied on both the audience and judges.
Questions also were raised about possible network favoritism for Monaco. The runner-up was John O'Hurley, who played catalog king J. Peterman on NBC's "Seinfeld."

- By Lynn Elber, The Associated Press (Seattle Times, July 28, 2005)

How I hate her! Read the full article here.

And just so I don't sound like a complete sourpuss today, I finally finished reading Chuck Palahniuk's Survivor. While not as good as his excellent book Invisible Monsters, I liked it's delicious portrayal of how everything can be spun around to be made hip and famous. You could be the dumbest and ugliest guy on the block, but with the right spin by the right people, even you too can be a celebrity if they can find the one thing that is marketable about you. Because in the end, it's all about who can get the most money, even if it is at other people's expense. OOPS! I'm headed into negative territory again. I better stop now.

Steal this record!

OK, so my sister and I just picked up the new Jason Mraz CD from Best Buy (by the way, this is not a shameless plug, as you will soon find out). I think I'm a little Jason Mraz crazy, as I bought the CD, and I also pre-ordered the download from iTunes (now this one is a shameless plug) so that I could get the two exclusive pre-order songs and video download for "Wordplay." What can I say, I kinda like the guy's music...

Anyway, back on topic...

So my sister opens up her CD (I haven't yet, since I have it downloaded on iTunes, but it will make me not have to burn a backup copy). And lo and behold, it has that electromagnetic anti-shoplifting sticker in it. But not the easily removable one with the magnetic strip encased in plastic that they stick to the inside of the plastic tray. Those I don't mind because, as I said, they are easily removable without a trace that they were even there after you legally acquired the CD. No, it is one of those nasty paper ones with a thin wire that coils around on the paper that are super sticky and never come off that the people at the label decide to stick on the back paper insert, obscuring the artwork (it seems like black trays are out of favor, and everyone is doing clear trays, which lets you place photos/artwork/credits on the inside back insert, but this is all covered up by the paper sticker, which is approximately the size of a large square postage stamp).

Now I'm not saying that they should outlaw anti-theft devices in CDs. These do provide a valuable service (for example, letting the record company be able to sponge as much money out of you as possible by making you buy an overpriced album that could easily sell thousands of more copies if they actually had a nicer price point. But I'm not going to discuss economics/red tape/bottom lines with you all today). But as such, please only place them on the plastic tray. I still believe in buying actual CDs, mostly because a lot of musicians/artists nowadays incorporate the album art, liner notes, and music all into one artistic experience (come on, it's there for a reason besides giving photographers like David LeChappelle and the like tons of money). Don't' ruin it for us by covering it up with a hideous white sticker!

Now I have to deal with my sister, who is spit mad because of this. She is actually trying to wrap the CD back into it's protective little cellophane as we speak, and making plans to get the CD off of Jason's Website, which hopefully does not have to worry about shoplifters.

Summersun...

Yay!!! The summer has finally begun! And how can I tell? Is it the 80 degree Seattle weather? Is it Coldstone's Ice Cream becoming really busy? Is it the mass of pasty white people (even the non cucasians) flocking aound all local Western Washington parks and beaches?

Nope! It's a little thing called the "Summer Fruit Cobbler" found now at most local (and non-local, I guess) Starbucks Coffee Shops.

I love this thing. I first found out about it a few years ago, and every summer, it is the thing I look most forward to (it certainly isn't the heat and humidity!) Last year, it was Tonia and mine's little summer getaway from the hospital. My condolences to Tonia since she can no longer have this scrumtious summertime treat since she has been diagnosed with a gluten allergy. Misery loves company I guess, since she suggests that I too may have a gluten alleregy, which could explain my intermittent bouts with IBS. And here I was, thinking that I was just an ordinary guy, with a suspicious amount of "female" related problems (i.e. gas, bloating, cramps, hot flashes, etc.) I don't need this on my plate! If anyone ever tries to tell me that I cannot have pasta, I will seriously kill myself. All those other mentions of suicide were merely a cry for help and attention, but without spaghetti, linguini, orzo, and all of that, I will end it all.

Between pasta and pizza, you would think that I was an Italian in a past life.

P.S. Now that it is summer, here are a few summer song suggestions:

-"Summersun" by Koop
-"Ride" by Jem
-"Everyday is a Holiday (With You)" by Esthero ft. Sean Lennin (buy her album NOW!)
-"Wordplay" by Jason Mraz (make sure you pick up his album on July 26!)

Kelly!!!

Oh my GOD!!!

In all of my reading, I totally forgot to make a long, hateful rant about how Kelly Monaco must have slept with every man, woman, and child that watches ABC in order to win "Dancing with the Stars"! I can't believe that she won!!!
It's a conspiracy I tell you. The show is on ABC, so of course the person who actually stars(I use the term loosely) in a show on ABC has to win versus a star (again, I use the term loosely) who is primarily known as a recurring guest on some little show that was on NBC ages ago. ABC let Trista go to throw off the scent, but now that Kelly won, I'm on to you ABC, and I WILL NOT be watching the inevitable "Dancing with the Stars 2" that you will be milking for all it's worth when the new network TV season starts up in the fall, just like you milked poor Regis Philbin with that horrible "Who Want's to be a Millionaire" scam that you had going a few seasons ago!

Uh oh!

OK, I'm a bad boy!

Just as I promised myself to be using this blog as my own personal journal by writing in it every day so I can keep track of my thoughts, I go and not write in this for two weeks! Shame!!!

I promise it's for a good reason though! I finally finished reading three books, and I started on a couple of new ones.

The Alchemist was pretty good, if a little contrived. It reads like a non-demoninational inspirational tale, which I thought I would not be into, but the story did touch me, and though one can clearly see what was going to happen, like the book says, it's about the journey more than the outcome.

Tommy's Tale by Alan Cumming read like a summertime beach read should. Sex, drugs, partying, and a revelation about how one's life should be as you hit the milestone of (gasp!) turning thirty! Coupled with a thin plot, stilted dialogue in many areas, and very contrived plot devices (spoiler: I still don't know how someone can get knocked up, find out they are pregnant, and have an abortion in a I think (I'll have to double check to make sure) two week period. Oh well, it read quickly enough.

And I finally got through David Sedaris's Barrel Fever. At first I was confused, but then I noticed the heading of "short stories" in the first part, and "essays" in the second part, and then it was all clear, like a revelation. The "short stories" were kinda strange though. The "essay" parts though were thoroughly enjoyable (especially "Santaland Diaries." Anyone who ever worked in a retail establishment can totally understand, even if it is in the middle of July).

So now I'm working my way through Stiff, a fascinating book about the fascinating lives of cadavers donated (and sometimes, in history, not donated) to science (or at least some interesting, and at times questionable, research), and My third Chuck Palahnuik book, Survivor.

I have also read the first chapter of the Virgin Suicides, but I really need to concentrate and read only one or two books at a time. Reading four books was a little daunting, and at times, overstimulating.

OK, so I promise I will keep up with my writing as well as my reading.