For the sake of those living in the northeast my message is very simple – bundle up. It is FREEZING. Think I’m exaggerating? Check out the weather in Boston. 30 F is approximately -1 C and tonight’s forecast 11 F is equal to -11 C. OMFG
The Boston Globe reported today that the local company, Zipcar, which has expanded rapidly over the past decade has been sold for nearly $500 million to Avis. According to terms of the deal, Zipcar will become an Avis subsidiary and and will continue with its planned move to new headquarters in Boston’s Innovation District. Zipcar CEO Scott Griffith as well as Mark Norman, president and chief operating officer, will stay with the company.
Will this successful, hip, young company lose it’s coolness factor now that they’ve been gobbled up by Avis? I’ve asked a friend who works there if he was given an Avis name badge and clipboard when he walked into the office today. It seems that many believe while this might make sense on paper, Avis is sure to destroy what made Zipcar so admired. Check out the Washinton Post’s scathing blog post How Avis will ruin Zipcar.
Hunter College in New York collected data in 2010 from nearly 500 gay and bisexual men and the findings of their report will be published in the February 2013 issue of Archives of Sexual Behavior.
The study asked gay and bisexual men if “the comfort and fit of a condom has an impact on them having safer sex.” The study concluded the larger the man’s penis size, the higher the rate of condom failure, and the more likely he was to forgo condom usage. Most gay clubs / bars in the US already make condoms available for free, but the study suggests taking an additional step of including larger sized condoms to help encourage safer sex.
A new study from Hunter College’s Center for HIV Educational Studies and Training determined there is a correlation between the size of a gay man’s penis and the likelihood he’ll use a condom.
More findings from this self-reported study included:
• Nearly 50% of men reported condom slippage during sex.
• Almost 33% reported condom breakage in the past 3 months.
• 40% reported that they did not have a problem finding condoms that fit properly.
Now that the holiday season is over, it is time to get back to work. I hope that these past few weeks were relaxing, and I want to wish you all the best in 2013.
Maxine Blomberg is an artist living in Boston who I became friendly with a few years ago when she started working at the neighborhood cafe, Green Light.
Each week at the Green Light Cafe Maxine creates new chalk art on a chalk board by the register. I really like her unique style and each week look forward to seeing her illustrations at the cafe. Her employer, The Aquitaine Group, recognized her talent as well and has encouraged her artistic illustrations. They asked her to create a replication of the Trevi Fountain all in chalk for their new restaurant, Cinquecento, a Roman-inspired trattoria. You can check out the chalk art, which is on display at the trendy new South End restaurant, or you may visit Green Light Cafe to see her weekly creations. Under the Cinquecento chalk drawing I have included a video my other half created that includes nearly all of her 2012 chalk board images from The Green Light Cafe. Maxine’s first love is working with sculpture and headdresses which you can see some of on her website, enixvw.wordpress.com.
Cinquecento Mural by Maxinne Blomberg
I’m hopping on the bandwagon featuring Chris Salvatore after blogger Alan Ilagan dubbed him “hunk of the day” last week on his blog. Alan has a few more photos of this guy here.
Past Temptation Tuesday posts
Year in rewind: BosGuy’s favorite posts from 2012
The photo below comes from my post, Praia Mole: Where the gays are. It is my favorite photo of Sergio and me in 2012 and precisely how I’d like to remember this year where so many good things happened.
Wishing you all the very best in 2013.
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I thought Meryl Shcenker’s photos of Randell Shepherd, 48 and Larry Duncan, 56 in Washington State getting married was one of the most touching images of 2012.
I suppose our personal bias makes us see what we want, but I can’t think of a more compelling / touching image that explains why I believe the right to marry who you love is a basic civil right.
Equally touching was the photo of the happy couple arriving at the Seattle First Baptist Church to be married in a group ceremony with 24 other couples; photo also by Meryl Schenker
President Obama’s response to Clint Eastwood’s routine at the 2012 Republication National Convention was the coolest dis I’ve seen on social media.
More about it here.
Year in rewind: BosGuy’s favorite posts from 2012
After reading about The Seattle Times editorial team “I do” campaign to show your support for the marriage initiative on Washington State’s ballot, I asked people to be photographed with the “I do #74”. Thanks to my sister in particular who sent photos of many neighbors and friends I collected nearly 90 images through September, October and the first week of November.
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Show your support for Referendum 74 in Washington State
Yesterday I wrote about The Seattle Times editorial team’s “I do” Campaign. Washington State has a ballot initiative asking its residents to support same sex marriage. To show their support, The Seattle Times has taken the unprecedented step to create a social media campaign supporting the ballot initiative.
I may not live in Washington State, but I wanted to show my support and hope you will too. If you email me your photos holding this sign I’ll publish your photo.
The sign and directions on submitting your photo to The Seattle Times is also included in this link. Be sure to send me your name(s) and where you live (city / state and if you don’t live in the US include city / country).
Email your photos to BosGuymail@gmail.com.
According to tradition, the color underwear you choose to wear tonight signifies the change you want in 2013. For those who like the status quo, I suggest going commando.
Year in rewind: BosGuy’s favorite posts from 2012
This year Boston’s museum, Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), invited two Brazilian street artists to Boston to feature their work in their first showing in the US. They also commissioned this public art installation in downtown near my office. This was originally posted in September 2012.
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My enthusiasm for public art and funding these initiatives is not always shared, but I think commissioning public art installations is essential to any city and community. So I was thrilled to see the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA-Boston) have two famous street artists from Brazil create larger than life murals in the city of Boston.
Os Gemos – identical twin brothers and street artists from Brazil – are currently hosting their first museum show in the United States at the ICA-Boston. While the show is here in Boston this large temporary mural will dominate Dewey Square in Boston’s financial district.
You may read more about the installation and view a slide show of the creation of the mural as well as the show at the ICA-Boston here.
The 2013 No Pants Subway Ride in Boston is in two weeks on Sunday, January 13th.
If you would like to participate, “Like” their facebook event page The No Pants Subway Ride or visit, BostonSoS.org to register.
I started doing this with my other half a few years ago and each year its a great time. Last year Sergio and I opted for a superhero theme. I’ll write a bit more about this as the event date approaches, but I’d encourage you to register if this sounds like something you’d enjoy.
Year in rewind: BosGuy’s favorite posts from 2012
In August my brother was married on Cape Cod. It was a fantastic ceremony and although this photo isn’t from their wedding (its actually at Fenway Park – how appropriate), this was the image I had at the time I wrote the post.
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I’m down on Cape Cod to attend my little brother’s wedding, which is actually tomorrow afternoon. I couldn’t be happier for them, and I’m looking forward to the celebration. I love them both dearly.
Year in rewind: BosGuy’s favorite posts from 2012
This was one of those “gotcha” moments. Sergio totally surprised me with this quick video message that he sent me in June.
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Work brought me into New York City for a couple of days. My lunatic boyfriend emailed me this video of himself to make me laugh and remember to call. I thought I’d upload it to YouTube so everyone could see my crazy partner; and by the way I called him – definitely.
The Harvard Baseball team video that inspired his cute message
BosGuy 