The Caribbean cruise I’ve been enjoying this week comes to an end tomorrow when we dock in Fort Lauderdale. I’ll be able to review and approve any comments once I’m back home in freezing Boston. I hope you have not missed me too much.
I’ll resume blogging as usual on Monday.
I’m currently away celebrating Sergio’s birthday on the Atlantis Caribbean Cruise. While travelling I have no internet connection so I thought I’d feature some of my favorite and most read posts from the past year. I’ll be back to active blogging when I return in February.
Originally Posted November 2011
For those unfamiliar, Elie Wiesel is an holocaust survivor of Hungarian decent who moved to the US after WWII. He is also an author, political activist, Nobel Laureate and professor at Boston University.
Last night we attended the final of a three part lecture series open to the public by Professor Wiesel.The lecture was entitled, Today: Reflections on Good and Evil.
Elie Wiesel’s life and experiences could not be more different than mine. However, one of the reasons I enjoy evenings like this is because I draw a great deal of inspiration and respect listening to a man like Professor Wiesel who is willing to share his thoughts. The lecture started with an introduction from B.U.’s rabbi that included Anne Frank’s famous quote at the end of her diary.
“It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl
As we all know, Anne Frank’s story is not a happy one and she was ultimately taken to the Nazi death camp, Buchenwald, where Elie Wiesel and his family were. With her famous quote still ringing in my ears, Professor Wiesel started his lecture on the difference between good and evil. His lecture on good and evil was partly allegory, partly references to other great thinkers, partly theological, and 100% thought provoking.
The lecture closed with an impressive story, which left no doubt in my mind that whatever your religious convictions or feelings are with regards to good and evil in this world, we are all individually empowered to come to our own conclusions. Despite our incredible differences, despite the incredible atrocities history has recorded as well as ongoing injustice in the world, I share the same conclusion as Elie Wiesel – I believe in the innate “goodness” of all people.
I’m currently away celebrating Sergio’s birthday on the Atlantis Caribbean Cruise. While travelling I have no internet connection so I thought I’d feature some of my favorite and most read posts from the past year. I’ll be back to active blogging when I return in February.
Originally Posted October 2011
David Samuel Levinson writes an interesting article in the current issue of Out Magazine entitled, Are you interested? The article addresses what is salvaged when a relationship you never thought you wanted ends.
The brief article is an interesting read and I couldn’t help but identify with the “untrusting and cynical” single David – I meet various forms of that David (both male and female) here in Boston all the time.
The introspective article addresses how the author does meet someone (not the man of his dreams by the way) and how the relationship evolves. There is no storybook ending with this particular romance but its hardly a tragedy either. I think many people can personally relate or have witnessed this drama play out with friends and family. Although there are no real answers provided by the author, it doesn’t detract from the story which concludes:
“But I had become someone else, someone better for knowing Markus. I was finally and, I hoped, inevitably the kind of guy who could look beyond tight black jeans and pink T-shirts — beyond his own bad habits and his gory past — and love.”
I’m currently away celebrating Sergio’s birthday on the Atlantis Caribbean Cruise. While travelling I have no internet connection so I thought I’d feature some of my favorite and most read posts from the past year. I’ll be back to active blogging when I return in February.
Originally Posted September 2011
Last week I was invited to join my friend at 40-something life blog for a dinner with Opus One winemaker Michael Silacci and France Posener, the winery’s East Coast Sales representative at one of Boston’s premiere restaurants, L’Espalier. I loved the Summer Degustation which we ordered. It included 4 savory courses, followed by their grand fromage, signature sorbet and dessert. All told the 6 plates each accompanied by a different wine took us approximately 5 hours to eat – if you’d like to read in more detail what we ate, please link to my friend Tracey’s blog, here.
However, I would like to write a bit about the dining experience, starting with the exceptional service and attention we received due to Michael Silacci’s presence. The chef and proprietor of L’Espalier, Frank McClelland came over to meet us personally and chatted briefly with France and Michael. After seeing so many raging chefs on these quasi-reality cooking shows, chef McClelland’s calm, polite demeanor was a welcome dose of reality. We were also well tended by the sommelier, Erich Schliebe, who poured a new wine with each course and freely joined in our ongoing dinner repartee. Lastly, the restaurant’s Captain, Daniel Floyd, provided us with the most attentive service I can recall in recent memory. I know this was all for the benefit of the well respected winemaker to my right, but I enjoyed being privy to the opportunity.
One of the reasons Michael and France were in Boston was to premier the Opus One 2008 vintage. It was pretty cool to be among the first to try this new vintage. They brought a bottle of the award winning 2007 and the new 2008 and poured both for us to try side-by-side.
Between courses and wine, conversation flowed easily from start to finish. Michael is quite interesting and is equally comfortable talking about subject matter completely unrelated to his areas of interest or expertise. He is an attentive listener and has a dry wit. One of the things I really enjoyed learning about my dinner companion is that he’s allergic to chocolate – it causes him to sneeze. He joked the better the chocolate the more he sneezes. I was able to witness this reaction when dessert was served and it caused all of us to laugh (again).
Dinner was filled with both personal stories from each of us as well as some interesting insights into the Opus One winery. I started my dinner not knowing the two guests who were treating my friend and me to this decadent dinner but left with a deeper appreciation for the work and attention they bring to their wines as well as some interesting insights into what makes them tick.
I’m currently away celebrating Sergio’s birthday on the Atlantis Caribbean Cruise. While travelling I have no internet connection so I thought I’d feature some of my favorite and most read posts from the past year. I’ll be back to active blogging when I return in February.
Originally Posted August 2011
Last night I was on the Acela (the US version of high-speed rail) back from New York City to Boston. Upon boarding the train, I sat opposite a woman of similar age or slightly younger than me. We chatted off and on through out the ride vacillating between working and mindless conversation with each other. As we were approaching Boston, a young woman walked over to us and inquired “Are you familiar with Boston?”
Apparently she needed to take the commuter train from Boston’s North Station and was a little distressed she’d miss the train since the Acela from NYC had left 45-minutes late (due to the quake in DC earlier in the day). It sounded like she only had about 15-20minutes tops to get to North Station, purchase her ticket and get on board the train. I suggested that she not wait for the metro and opt for a taxi which would be easy to get and provide her with faster transport to North Station. She looked relieved after I assured her that the taxi ride would only be 5-10 minutes and they would accept her credit cards (apparently she had no cash)…
I thought that was the end of the conversation (and so did the she) until the woman across from me suddenly spoke up and said to the woman visiting, “excuse me – I noticed you said you only had a credit card with you and were afraid you wouldn’t have time to get to an ATM machine”… the young woman who had just turned to go back to her seat looked a bit sheepish and said, “That’s okay – I’ll use my card for the taxi”…
Without skipping a beat the woman across from me pulled out a $10.00 bill and said “please take this to help you with your commuter rail fare. They won’t take credit cards on the commuter train and if you’re running late this will help.” I think the woman visiting from NYC was so taken off guard by the random act of kindness she almost fell over. After a few more minutes of the woman insisting she wanted to give her the extra cash the woman accepted the offer.
It got me to thinking… $10.00 is not a lot of money. However, the gesture was a significant one. It helped this stranger visiting Boston immensely and it reminded me that people do choose to do the right thing. Should a similar situation arise again in the near future – I plan on being the person offering the stranger in need the proverbial $10.00.
How will you react when you find yourself in such a situation in the future?
I’m currently away celebrating Sergio’s birthday on the Atlantis Caribbean Cruise. While travelling I have no internet connection so I thought I’d feature some of my favorite and most read posts from the past year. I’ll be back to active blogging when I return in February.
Originally Posted June 2011
Dan Savage poignant “It Gets Better Campaign” came about because of a grim reality regarding how marginalized gay and lesbian kids feel and the bullying that further isolates them. This past weekend, I was reminded of the happier side of Dan Savage’s campaign – the part that addresses “The Better”…
There is a young man (18 years old to be exact) who lives in my complex. At first glance he looks like a tough city kid. His Boston accent, stocky build which mimics his gigantic father and cigarette permanently hanging from his lips makes him look anything like his friendly, easy-going personality. This kid (let’s call him Adam), comes from a solid blue collar, take no crap kind of family. We’ve been neighbors for a few years now and while I don’t know his whole story, I do know that he’s gay.
As far as I was aware, he was closeted (maybe he still is). However, the other day he told me with quite a bit of pride that his boyfriend was coming to visit him. I was happy for him and told him so, but it wasn’t until I saw him later this weekend that I realized how happy. On Sunday afternoon as my partner and I were driving through the courtyard we looked up and saw Adam with a friend. When Adam recognized us he lit up and started shouting as loud as he could pointing to the other young man. “This is Him!” I think he must have said it 2-3 more times at the top of his lungs. He was so excited and proud. And seeing this young, tough-kid from Boston all excited to be with his boyfriend and to be shouting it for all the world to hear made me think you know what Dan Savage is right, it does get better. And if you’re lucky like Adam – you don’t have to wait that long to realize it.
I’m currently away celebrating Sergio’s birthday on the Atlantis Caribbean Cruise. While travelling I have no internet connection so I thought I’d feature some of my favorite and most read posts from the past year. I’ll be back to active blogging when I return in February.
Originally Posted June 2011
Have you heard of the movie Beginners directed by Mike Mills and starring Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer? The movie is based on Mike Mill’s real life and his relationship with his Dad who at the ripe age of 70 (and 6-mos after his wife’s passing) reveals that he’s gay. The movie chronicles the father’s exuberant embracing of his ‘new gay life’ and Mike’s relationship with his Dad as well as his new girlfriend.
It got me to thinking when I first came out in my late 20s and the ‘exuberance’ or rush that I felt. I could totally relate to this 70 year old man played by Christopher Plummer. Watching an interview with Mike Mills, he referred to the phenomenon as a second or ‘gay adolescence’, which I thought was a perfect term. For many people who come out later in life it does seem like they go through a second adolescence filled with boy crushes, drama and a lot of emotional energy.
Regardless of whether you’ve heard the term second adolescence or gay adolescence. Did you come out after your teenage years? And if so, did you also enjoy an intense second ‘gay adolescence’? Do tell…
Thanks to Jen on twitter who alerted me to a NPR interview of the director you can watch here.
The handsome guy posted at the beginning of the post has nothing to do with the movie but would be just the kind of guy who would have stopped me dead in my tracks. I’ve been looking for an excuse to post this picture and it seems that although my ‘gay adolescence’ is some years behind me now; some things never go away. I like that I remain a bit boy crazy.
I’m currently away celebrating Sergio’s birthday on the Atlantis Caribbean Cruise. While travelling I have no internet connection so I thought I’d feature some of my favorite and most read posts from the past year. I’ll be back to active blogging when I return in February.
Originally Posted April 2011
Are you noticing that more gay men and their metrosexual brethren seem to be wearing what I can only refer to as underoos for adults. Whenever I’m at the gym I see men walking around in underwear that resembles the popular children’s brand we all had as kids. I don’t know why, but I find it unnerving to see a grown man at the gym taking off his shirt, tie and dress pants to be standing in some cartoonish boxer briefs discussing his plans for the evening.
Initially I thought it might be an age thing, but today at the gym I saw a guy my own age standing in Hello Kitty underwear. Everyone reading this must think I’m a crumudgeon, but I’m not. I really appreciate whimsy and have a great sense of humor, but this is one fashion trend that definitely escapes me. However, I will admit it was rather fun pulling down these photos from online. Now if only all the men buying this underwear looked like these models maybe it wouldn’t bother me quite so much.
I won’t even bother to comment on underwear that tries to be cute or make a statement, because I will sound like a grumpy old man. However, I may have to revisit this if only to find more photos to rail against in a later post -LoL-.
I’m currently away celebrating Sergio’s birthday on the Atlantis Caribbean Cruise. While travelling I have no internet connection so I thought I’d feature some of my favorite and most read posts from the past year. I’ll be back to active blogging when I return in February.
Originally Posted March 2011
The NOH8 Campaign came to Boston today w/ celebrity photographer Adam Bouska snapping photographs. For a brief while the W Boston Hotel had the vibe of a very friendly Tea Dance with hundreds of people mingling and dancing to great music as DJs entertained everyone. I arrived with my Partner, Sergio, just after 4pm. I quickly found out that I was to be #374 photographed and that they would not photograph more than 700 – glad I was not fashionably late!
It was a fantastic way to spend an afternoon and I enjoyed meeting and chatting with people. My phone really does not take great pictures and Sergio’s phone died early so I’ve only included a handful of pictures from the day. I’ll proudly post the photograph Adam took when I receive it in approximately 6 weeks. Until then, these will have to do.
NOH8 DJs played an excellent mix that made the time fly
Adam snapping photos of people at W Hotel Boston
Everyone was happy to strike a pose
All told it was a fantastic experience. If interested you can visit the NOH8 website to see when Adam will be visiting your home town.
On Friday I flew down to Fort Lauderdale, and today a group of nine of us will join 5,100+ other men on the Atlantis Allure Caribbean Cruise.
I’ve never been on a cruise before and wonder what I’ll make of the experience. I’m fairly certain it will be a memorable, and after I return, I’ll be sure to blog about it and share some photos.
In the days that follow, I won’t have access to the internet so I’m scheduling posts from some of my most liked / and commented upon posts over the past few years to fill the void while I’m “cruising” the Caribbean.
Back in September I wrote my first How to survive a Boston winter blog post. In that post, I encouraged people who live in colder climates to book a flight to a warm destination because airfares are (usually) cheaper if you make the reservation ahead of time.
Today I’m in Florida. Sergio and I flew down yesterday, Friday, and we will be boarding a cruise that starts out of Fort Lauderdale tomorrow. Having this trip to look forward to has made the month of January fly by, and when we return although I’ll probably hate the cold, I’ll be in a much better frame of mind.
If you are living in a colder climate – I hope you too have a trip to look forward to break up the winter months. I’ll be sure to tell you all about this trip.
Bored and looking for something entertaining to do? Check out what your Wu Tang Clan name would be. Simply Google “Wu Name Generator” or visit www.recordstore.com/wuname.
I wonder if this means that I need to sleep around with all those 99% protesters if the Occupy movement picks up again this spring. I hope not.
This morning Sergio and I are flying to Fort Lauderdale to start our vacation. We’ll relax poolside for the next two days at the W Hotel and be joined by a half dozen friends who arrive today and tomorrow before we all board the Atlantis Caribbean Cruise on the Allure.
I’ve scheduled blog posts that will publish while I’m away, but once we depart on the cruise I won’t be able to approve your comments until I return so please be patient, and as always thank you for visiting my little corner of the internet.
Worth revisiting and completely safe to view at work although you may need to stifle a laugh or two. The video actually ends shortly after 4 minutes.
BosGuy 