Rants & Pangs for Home

I’m trying to squeeze my babblings in before Stargate comes on. . . So I’m scrolling along thru my usual blogrolling, I stop by the Texan’s blog to get my weekly fix of his great Southern perspective. I love living here but I miss the ‘openness’ of people from the South. Reading the Texan’s blog always makes me a bit nostalgic. It’s mostly his writing style and approach to problems I think that clicks w/me the most. I’ve never met him but next time I get back to big D, I’m hoping we can have lunch or a beer together. Just as bloggers of course. (Tim, get your mind out of my gutter)

If you’re just dying to get yet another Southern boy’s perspective to life, stroll on over and check him out.

Hand Injury

I can’t remember if I mentioned it but I injured my hand a week or so ago. I went to the doc yesterday. I was a tad scared I had fractured it. As it turns out, I tore a tendon across my 3rd finger on my left hand. Nothing major apparently and the doc says while my hand may swell a bit from typing too much, its not serious enough to worry about any long term problems. Good news considering how typing I do w/my job. The fact that I have a mild case of carpel tunnel syndrome in that arm made it look worse than it was.

The odd part is it only seems to bother me while typing. I can work out and do most tasks w/o any discomfort. I wonder how many folks would kill for an injury like that! lol

Surreality

Ain’t made up words great? Sometimes the words that really exist just don’t sound as nice. So ‘surreality’ is my made up word for the day. Coming from white trash means, I’m allowed to do that.

So anyway, I was struck by such a sense of ‘surreality’ today while riding Muni. [1]Muni is our public transit subway. I’m riding Muni along looking at all the advertisements that had been defaced. Pretty much every ad from West Portal to Castro was marked up in one form or another. All except the gay one. I forget what the ad was for but it was the only one not marked up. The irony was so overwhelming I burst out laughing. I’m sure everyone thought I was nuts be thats another story. For all my previous whining about the breeder invasion, I forget sometimes what a surreal environment I live in.

SF has a huge gay/lesbian population packed into a very small area. On top of that, it is probably one of the most progressive and tolerant cities in the nation to live. From a personal perspective, I’d feel safe walking around in about 80% of the city. The other 20% I don’t think being gay would matter, I’d be in trouble either way. *g* I can’t think of any other US city I’d feel that safe in as a gay man. And lets not forget our straight mayor, whether you agree w/his tactics or not, who put a face on the struggle for equal rights. Equal rights not just for the thousands of gays/lesbians in California but for the millions of our brethern all across America.

So for all my whining about the Castro, there is still no other place I’d prefer to live.

References

References
↑1 Muni is our public transit subway.

To Blog or Not To Blog

Some days I only have one thing to blog about and others there are so many I have to write’em down and save’em as not to appear completely bipolar. Anyone else like that?

Breeder Invasion

Back to my own meanderings now that I’ve gotten that ugly monkey obesity off my back.

I know I probably shouldn’t be annoyed by this but I am. The Castro is being invaded by more and more “breeders” every freaking day. It has gotten to where you can’t walk down the street during the week w/o bumping into a whole gaggle of mommy/daddy combos w/kids in tow.

I know, I know, I should be glad the more and more straights feel comfortable being around so many gays. That I should be happy of the “barrier” breakdown between gay/straights. And I am. That said, I go to the Castro to get away from the straights. Sometimes, I just wanna be around gays. I wanna be able to walk down the street and see nothing but gay people.

I can hear it now, “Oh but thats just not fair Moby, now you are discriminating.” Well, yeah I am in a way. However, being straight has never been a minority. Straights have never been oppressed for being just straight. Gays have and still do. So that gives me the right to be just a little bit biased. And as long as being gay is considered unequal in this country, I will continue to want a place where I can go and just be around my own kind. I may not be the stereo-typical card toting fag but I am still gay.

Super Size Me Big Daddy

I’m a bit pissed. Mainly because this subject has always hit a nerve w/me. Straight from one of Dunner’s rants comes today’s madness. I had my own rant all ready to roll until I got distracted doing my usual blog rolling. And it’s not even the post that has me up in arms. It’s one of the comments to his post! The readers digest version, Dunner was ranting about a guy who was HUGELY obese and had an operation to shave off a huge chunk of himself. The guy, who is still overweight afterwards, was celebrating it. Not to mention, the government got stuck w/most of the bill. So basically, you and I got to pay for his new slimmer look. One person had the unmitigated gall to compare being obese w/being gay. I think someone needs an ole fashioned ass-whoopin.

Ok, ok, before WW (weight watchers) sends the death squad after me, let me clear up a few things. Yes, people who are overweight are often mistreated. I don’t condone that in any form. Making fun of someone who is overweight is not ok. On the same token, hiding behind a flimsy untrue excuse is just as “not ok”. Obesity is a huge problem (no pun intended) in the US and we need to start at the grade school level educating our children on how to eat better and healthier.

I spent most of my early adult life in Houston, TX. Which in case you missed it, is the #1 fattest city in the US. If you don’t believe me check out this month’s men’s fitness along w/consumer reports mag for the last 5 years. SF also has a large “bear” population which is just a fancy way of saying overweight gay guys.

Moving on. It is a documented fact that some people are born predisposed to being overweight. It doesn’t mean they are born fat or that they need to be fat. It just means genetically, their body LOVES food. Said people, can lead normal healthy LEAN lives w/just a bit of extra oversight. Now, for a reality check. Less than 1% of the population suffers from this sort of genetic booboo. What annoys me is more and more people try to absolve themselves of any sort of personal responsibility by blaming all their woes on someone or something else. Lets cover a few more facts.

1) The US is and has been the worlds fattest country for the last 10 years.
2) If you add the #2 & #3 runners up together, the US is STILL #1.
3) If it was just genetics,then you’d see a much more global dispersion of obesity.

It boils down to simple math folks. Genetic or not, if you take in more calories than your burn, you are gonna gain weight. I can’t explain it any simpler than that. However, there is no cure for being gay. I can’t diet or get a surgery to become “not gay”. Anyone comparing the two gets my full uncensored wrath. So for all you folks out there in “denial”, I’m here to give you a wake up call. Trying to pawn off your lazy behaviors on genetics ain’t holding water. Close your chops, get off your ass and do something about it! I’m happy to give you workout tips!

Itty Bitty Details

Forgetting the depressing stuff for a moment, I’ve noticed I have this horrible habit of giving out extraneous details during conversation. For example, I’m having lunch today w/some friends in the Castro and I needed to go to the restroom to wash my hands. Instead of just saying “pardon me for a moment“, I had to give out all the details. “Excuse me, I need to run to use the bathroom and wash my hands.” Like they really cared WHY I was going. And not an hour later I did it again. We were walking by Walgreens and I’m like “I need to run into Walgreens real quick as I need to pick up some face cream and finger nail clippers”. I’m sure they could care less exactly what I needed. I can’t help but giggle here.

While I don’t necessarily consider this a character flaw per say, it can be annoying habit. I think part of it stems from the fact I am unconsciously a very open person. Unlike a lot of people, I don’t automatically erect personal barriers when around other people whether it be friend or stranger. I only do so when given a reason. Most people pick up on this and respond in one of two ways. They either tend to open up a bit more on their own or completely shut down.

Going psychotherapist for a moment, I’m sure it has something to do w/my childhood traumas. Well cancel the page for Dr. Phil, I think I figured that one out all by myself. Maybe the traumas added to my already open id, who knows. As far back as I can remember, I’ve had the same openness to me. Even as a child. (Thankfully, no one bad was around to take advantage of it) As an adult, it taught me some painful lessons about trusting too soon and being gullible. Lessons that probably would have been avoided had I been just a tad bit more cautious. Tell my friend Eric this story, he agrees all too readily it’s a character flaw. I choose not to see it that way. I think my openness adds to my overall appeal and value it. For all the times its hurt me, it has helped me four or five times that much in good things.

B’day Boy

First off, thank you to everyone who sent me birthday wishes. I”m totally flattered. I woke up to an inbox just bursting w/emails this morning. Started my day off right. If I don’t get back to you quickly, be patient, I have a quite a bit to get thru. *G*

I’ve never really been big on birthdays for myself. My parents never made a production about it as a kid so I guess that has carried over into my adult life. I spent the day w/an old friend that I haven’t seen in a while. We had a falling out of sorts a while back and haven’t been on good terms lately. Very recently, he owned up to some issues that really plagued our friendship and I couldn’t help but forgive him. (I’m sure some of my issues drive him nuts too) So we just spent the bigger part of the day goofing off. We worked out together and then had a nice long lunch. He got some things off his chest that had been bothering him.

I think renewing an old friendship is an excellent way to spend a birthday. Tonight, I’m headed to dinner w/my Tim and then off to the Powerhouse. Its the first preliminary for the 2006 Bare Chest Calendar contest and Tim and I are volunteers. Should make for an interesting evening.

Poor vs Pride

With mixed feelings, I write todays blog. I’m coming up very short on finances for the trip home to see my father before he passes. None of the airlines offer cheap fare for last wishes blah blah blah. The few who do offer bereavement fare only do so AFTER the person is dead. Well, what good does that do me. So, my buddy suggested I solicit donations via paypal. My first response was no. However, as his condition gets worse I’m forced to reconsider. I figure if guys can solicit money to cover their blogs then I can do it for a much more worthy cause.

So without further ado, I have added a paypal button. If you can afford it and donate, I’m forever in your debt. If not, don’t feel bad about it. It is what it is, nothing more.