Old like this

Sure it has over 7 million views, but I hadn't seen it until today.
I hope me and the guy still have this much fun when we're wearing diapers as big as theirs.



Have a lovely weekend!

Cover dude

My valentine to, uh, my valentine is on the cover of The Stranger! Sure, its upside down, but, hey, cover!

Can you guess which one it is? (Update: That link now puts you closer to the answer.)

Late than never

Monday marked the three year anniversary of the first date Phil and I had together (big ups to the Mecca!). We've lived together for almost a year, and it has been a great ride (in more ways than one!). He's met the folks. I've met his. Who knows, if Referendum-71 passes, I just might ask that guy to domestically partner me.

Oh, and because I posted this on my FB profile and only a few people caught it, I thought I'd post it again here:

Luke Harmon of Horse Meat Disco mixes and edits tracks from the Disco Discharge 4-disc

Associated

Congratulations to my super-swell boyfriend for receiving his Associates of Art degree from Seattle Central!

I owe you a dinner. We'll let the blog-world decide:
El Gaucho
Canlis
Ray's Boathouse
Anthony's Homeport
Blu Water Bistro
Crush
The Corson Building

Vote by commenting (feeling too lazy for a poll).

BtVS <3's VM 4eva

The best thing about a comic book-loving, nerd boyfriend?
He picks me up the latest Buffy and Angel comics.
How is Buffy doing?
Well, she's onto Season 2 of Veronica Mars which makes her pretty ok in my book.

Happy Birthday

To the handsomest guy I know--a mere 28 years young today.

Festivities include: trip to a mall, dinner a food court, and a (hopefully) really bad movie.

Individually raped

Phil and I went mattress shopping yesterday. Its something I've never done with the person who shares my bed, and its inherent awkwardness was compounded by our sexual orientation.
Fortunately, the sales team at the Seattle Mattress Company has found ways of easing those tensions, like the copy for one of the mattresses which reads "coils individually raped."
When the salesman came over and explained that the mattress contained individually wrapped coils, I was both relieved and disappointed. I also found it difficult to keep eye contact with him afterwards because the visions of him satisfying himself with each coil individually put me in schoolboy hysterics.

You're my double shadow

The long nights and cold weather has made me hunger for comfort food. First was the navy bean soup, then the Frito pie. I realize the latter may not be familiar to many of you. I have my youth in Texas to thank for acquiring that taste.

I think the psychological underpinnings of needing comfort come from learning how to share space with the guy I love. Phil moved in at the beginning of the month. Some of his stuff is still in boxes, but most of it unpacked. Half of the bedroom closet contains his clothes now. The laundry pile in the bedroom has (more than) doubled.

We need a bigger bed. Luckily (or unluckily) my graveyard schedule and his swing shift schedule means that he sleeps when I'm at work and vice versa. So its not a pressing matter . . . yet.

I need to say "our" more.

I want him to be comfortable, too.

The broader, social context of needing comfort comes from the residual Prop 8/Rick Waren madness that is nearly inescapable. In my 16 plus years of being an "out" gay man, it hasn't been until recently that I feel the societal ill-will toward my natural proclivities. The latest attack comes from the man that I helped elect to the presidency.

Last week the snow came and justified my agoraphobic tendencies. I had two extra days off work. This city does not handle snow well, which is fine because we only see it every few years.

I played lots of Warcraft. I looked outside to see if the snow was still falling (most of the time it was). We downloaded movies to Tivo. Movies we generally wouldn't watch, and definitely won't watch again.

Trivia:

What movie stars Academy Award winners Kathy Bates and Kevin Spacey, as well as Academy Award nominees Paul Giamatti and Miranda Richardson?

If you answered Fred Claus, pin a rose on your nose!

So that was one of the movies, along with the simply atrocious Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

So all this comfort has got me lazy. And all this being attacked has made me feel victimized.

Guess I'll just have to turn all this shit around in 2009. Who's up for being active and pro-active?

You're my disco

To the guy I've been dating for the past two years (as of Sunday),

You're My Disco, baby.

You're out of touch, I'm out of time

I saw The House Bunny starring Anna Farris this weekend. Phil and I had talked about going to see it. He likes Anna Farris quite a bit, and I like her well-enough especially in Gregg Araki's Smiley Face. [This scene rules.] I had other movies on my 'To See' list that ranked much higher, and probably would have opted for an Unbox rental or Netflix of The House Bunny. However, Friday morning I became the guardian of my 13 year-old niece, and since I am the reed that bends in the wind when my niece is around, we saw the movie.

Some of you know that she was in town for the week. Her 81 year-old great-grandmother lives in West Seattle, so Lauren and her aunt and uncle from Fort Worth came to spend a week with the octagenarian. I had planned to keep her occupied on Thursday.

So I picked Lauren up from the airport on Saturday. She was an unaccompanied minor. USAirways managed to keep me detained at the kiosk check-in for over an hour. I didn't have a confirmation number or pass because I was picking up a minor, so the ticket agents kepts shooing me away. My niece called me agitated--was I ever going to come to the gate? After the two ticketing agents checked in three flights, they asked me if they could help me. Yes, I informed them, my niece is waiting at the gate for me to come get her.

"Really," asked one of the ticketing agents, "Why didn't you just tell us that you were picking up an unaccompanied minor?" I muttered under my breath that I had, and that this "service" cost my brother and sister-in-law two hundred dollars.

After standing another half hour or so in security, I made my way to the gate where my niece was waiting. She was wearing the same outfit that she wore to my aunt's funeral. It was very formal and, I later learned, very uncomfortable. She had her iPod and issues of MinX, Seventeen and Cosmo Girl.

We descended to the baggage claim as the piece of luggage that read, "Final piece for USAirways" made it way onto the carousel. Of the luggage still in rotation, none belonged to my niece. This put her nearly over the edge. "It'll be fine," I told her. "It probably just got on the next flight. We'll go to Target and get you some sweats, pjs, and a toothbrush." And that's what we did. I left her with her great-grandmother, and returned home for a few days of work.
I met Lauren, her great-grandmother, her aunt, and her uncle for lunch on Wednesday everyone's favorite, Blue C Sushi.
Thursday, I came over around noon and Lauren and I bussed into the city. This was my day to show her the city. We got sandwiches at Salumi and took them to the UPS/Waterfall park. Then we went to the library, and then we made our way to the Seattle Art Museum. Her fingers were rarely away from her phone, furiously texting a battery of friends back east. I showed her her first Warhol, Rothko, Pollack, Manet, Monet, Degas and others. Between pieces, she texted.
Somehow, I doubt the texts looks like this, "omg! pollack sux da big one!!!1! lol!" or "rofl warhol wtf?" or "manet ftw!!1111!!!!"

Then it was up to Seattle Center where she had been before, so I didn't have to waste precious money on a trip to the top of the needle. For dinner, we went to one of my favorite places, 611 Supreme. Lauren only had soup. The topper for the evening was the world-premiere of Shrek: The Musical at the 5th Avenue theater. The show is Broadway bound and I was happy that my niece and I could see it together.

Needless to say, Thursday really wiped me out. Her great-grandmother had mentioned taking us to Tillicum Village on Friday, but I told Lauren to get me out of it. So when the phone started ringing on Friday morning, I ignored it, rolled over, and went back to sleep.
I could not, however, ignore the knocking at my door Friday morning.

Lauren's aunt was standing at the door with Lauren. "Guess what! You just gave birth to a 13 year-old girl," she said as she pulled Lauren's suitcase onto the porch. I was still out of it and didn't really understand what was going on. It turns out that Lauren's great-grandmother had a bout with dementia and accused all of them of stealing from her. There was name-calling, and overall it sounded like a pretty crummy time.

I removed The Big Penis Book from the coffee table and tidied up as best I could in a short amount of time. So I got to spend a couple extra days with niece. My niece who likes Guns'n'Roses and Marilyn Manson and Celine Dion and Shania Twain. We talked about video games and I let her play some of my World of Warcraft characters. She's the first member of my family to meet Phil. "Phil's really great," she told me on our car ride to the airport on Sunday.

"Yeah, he is, isn't he," I replied. So maybe this is that summer for her--you know the one like in those coming-of-age stories--the kind that change your life. Maybe its that kind of summer for me.

Riced potatoes

I know my guy loves me. He's bought me a meat tenderizer and, more recently a potato ricer. Maybe he just loves me cooking for him. I've been talking about making gnocchi forever, but all the recipes I read recommend a ricer for good consistency. And isn't that what good gnocchi's all about?
I'm also excited to make mashed potatoes with it. I loves me some mashed potatoes. Plain. With roasted garlic. With bleu cheese and caramelized onions. With pancetta and parsley . . .
But the mashed potatoes will come later, this Saturday I'll attempt my first gnocchi run.
Maybe I'll video it and post the results up here.

If I weren't being hermit this year, I'd probably be going to the Northwest Film Forum to see Crispin Hellion Glover present his film What Is It?

Instead, I'll be at home playing with my new cooking gadget. Maybe I'll flatten out some chicken breats and make chicken parmigiana with gnocchi in marinara.

Oh, I'll probably also watch this documentary that I've wanted to see for a while called Red Without Blue. Its about these twins from Missoula, Montana. One is transgendered, the other is gay, and I guess they have a lot of other family issues piled on top of that. It won the audience award for best documentary last year at Sundance. (Man, my life is exciting! Dinner at home AND a movie!?!?)

Speaking of Sundance--this year's festival starts in 6 days. During the run, and even a bit after if they operate the site like they did last year, you can view many of the short films in competition. Also, many of the workshops and lectures are podcast. So check that site next week for all kinds of movie goodness.
Films that sound interesting this year--
Adventures of Power, written, directed and starring Ari Gold with Michael McKean and Jane Lynch tells the silly story of an "air drummer."
Be Kind Rewind, the Michel Gondry flick starring Jack Black and Mos Def as they try to recreate all the films that got demagnetized at their video store.
Donkey Punch--its a horror film. That title and its a horror film? Sign me up. Interesting fact, another film called Donkey Punch came out in 1992.
I'm most looking forward to Tom Kalin's return to feature length cinema, Savage Grace starring Julianne Moore. His debut feature, Swoon in 1992, was a great crime-drama based on the Leopold and Loeb murder. He also penned the underrated Office Killer starring Molly Ringwald and Carol Kane.

There's some more, too, but go check 'em out yourself.

Dina dong merrily on high

Phil and I hit up the Dina Martina show this weekend at the Re-Bar. It was as spectacular as I had anticipated. To simply call Dina's show a drag show would do it a great disservice. Phil had never seen her before. Check out his reaction over here.

After the show, we talked briefly with Marcus/Ursula Android. He indicated that Dina might be getting too big for this little town. That would be a real shame. We also talked about his final show at Pony (which bumped poor Terry).

And now the news that the Showbox has been purchased by AEG Live out of Los Angeles and the Crocodile Cafe has closed its doors.

And, of course, the Re-Bar is still for sale--Carla can't seem to dump that place.

Five years ago, I went out at least three nights a week. Now, going out one night puts a strain on my schedule. I'm more excited about my foam matress topper than I am about Alex Smoke coming town.

I think I've fleetingly mentioned that next year will be very boring for me.

I'll take the time to elaborate.

Over the course of the next year, I am going to be on a very strict budget. I am not renewing my membership to the Henry or going to SIFF or the Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. I will not go out to hear live music. I will not see a film in the theater. My diet will be as boring and monotonous as my days, but the silver lining/goal I've set to myself is saving nearly half of my gross income. It sounds ambitious, and I guess it is, but at this time next year, I want to be searching for my home, or at least well on my way to putting down 20% on a ridiculously priced Seattle area home.

Man, things do change.

Other things I'm looking forward to next year? M.A.N.D.Y.'s Fabric mix which is due out January 14th, and Scott Heim's newest novel We Disappear.

I've had Scott's first novel in the sidebar for sometime but I just realized that I don't have Scott's blog listed in my Linkage section. That will be rectified shortly.

If you're a reader, then please take the time to pre-order Scott's book from Amazon now. His debut was wonderful, and his sophomore effort sounds equally as magnificent. Also take the time to swing by Scott's blog. You won't be disappointed.

Dogs are barkin'

Went hiking Saturday morning.
Shot a cover for our upcoming folk album.

Big thanks to Earl and Bucko for letting us tag along.

Watched Perfume on Friday. It was ok. I just couldn't hook into the tone.

Watched the pilot for the new Bionic Woman. It is many layers of crappy.

Played the game on Saturday night. My boyfriend rules the universe.

Monday. Really? Yuck.

Kirk Cameron + Howard K. Stern =

This guy from this video my guy sent to me last night. Tell me he's not a ringer for the love child of the aforementioned.





I'm sure Charles would like it. Hell, I'm sure 88.4% of gay America will like it.



And, because it's been pushed back like 50 times and all I have is this picture to keep me going, here's my girlz, yo!

Dog fight tonight!

I know I don't write about him very much on here,--I guess that's cuz he can speak for himself (and does so through several outlets)--but my boyfriend rules the school.
One drunken evening, while standing on the patio and smoking (so it was over six weeks ago because I haven't smoked in nearly six weeks), Matt, Steve, Phil, and I somehow got into a discussion about a boxing match with little dogs, like pomeranians or pugs, as the boxing gloves. Yes, I realize that we were talking about fisting little dogs, but it was drunken conversation so we are all relieved of nearly all accountability.
Anyway, Phil gifted us with this lovely watercolor which now hangs framed on the wall next to the kitchen.


Awesome. Damn, my boyfriend is talented and smokin' hot!

And for some reason, this painting reminds me of the Julie Brown song 'Girl Fight Tonight'. So you get this for today, as well:



Oh, also you'll notice that I changed out the tracks in the Vault. I recently recieved a cease & desist from an artist and his label, so I won't be offering direct downloads anymore. Instead, if there's a track that interests you in the vault, shoot me an email and I'll send you the link.

Have a lovely weekend!

May all your wishes come true

Happy birthday to a great guy!



Please do not use the baler.

Oh, please!

Don't even front! You hardly even noticed that I hadn't posted in a while. Most of you are just curious about my next mix and when I'm going to put more music in my top secret download spot just for you.
Well, for your information, I do have a lot of music to (slowly) post to my top secret download spot. You guys have been burning through my monthly allotment of GBs. And the next mix is (even more slowly) coming together. It starts off with a remix of that Lady Sovereign track. You know, the one at the beginning of your favorite show, Girls Behaving Badly, and features the always amusing antics of Missy Elliot.
But, come on! Give a brother a breather! I've been OCCUPIED! There is a life away from the keyboard.
This past weekend was Risa and Keith's wedding. In case you haven't been keeping up, I officiated the ceremony. The feeling of the entire thing was amazing, but my performance, I must say, could have been better. The ceremony, when I practiced it at home, took around 15 minutes. On the actual day, I think I burned through it in around 7 minutes. Score one for brevity!
Aside from that, the venue was great. The food was amazing--Kobe beef, pistachio encrusted ling-cod, bacon wrapped steak--I think there were at least ten entrees from which to choose. And Risa looked absolutely STUNNING!!! I'm sure I'll have pictures soon enough.
I can't believe that I've known Risa for 12 years. I can't even begin to tell you the sets of circumstances that led her to meet Keith (Montana, Poland, New York, Denver), or how a guy from Denton, TX who went to school at Texas A&M met a teacher at a clown party. Hell, I can barely even relate the story of how I chose to move to Montana after growing up in Fort Worth, TX only to decide that Seattle was the place I wanted to live.
So, I married them. They are now Mr. and Mrs. Keith Harris as result of my ordination.
I didn't allow Phil to come to the ceremony. I know, it was completely silly, but I just didn't want him there for that. Our hotel was right across the street and I ran across to get him before dinner was served. He was still privy to the open bar, so I'm sure that suited him well, if not better.
When I booked the hotel room, I was a poor bachelor. What care I, I reasoned, if I should share a bathroom--there is no need for privacy! Then, I went and found myself a dude and, I suddenly saw the need of a private bath. The front desk replied to my urgent request with a disheartening no, but after I arrived, the adorable front desk clerk informed me that he might, indeed, have a deluxe room.
I was so taken with the room's design that I forgot to tip him for his trouble. (Read: I was so taken aback with the cost of having one's own restroom that I deemed tipping an out-of-the-question expense.) The upgrade, however, was worth it.
Here's Phil's camera phone's picture of it.

In case you can't tell, that's the shower head behind a pane of glass with the head of the bed located directly on the other side. Um, it was kinda hot. Ok, it was totally hot.

Sunday we saw Ghost Rider (avoid at all costs, read Phil's review here). Then I went home and crashed. When I awoke, I hauled ass to the hill to meet up with Bill. We went to the Re-Bar and shook our asses. It was really, really nice. I haven't danced in a really long time, and I got to see a bunch of the old crew. The music isn't exactly the sound I'm into right now, but it worked.

Monday I had brunch with the ever-effervescent Janice. And, Christ Almighty, you can get off my back now. I might update more frequently; I might be taking some much deserved time off.

How have you been? What have you been up to?

His space holiday

You know that cold commercial where the animated character's head is a baloon and its floating above his body? That's sort of the way I feel, only not congested, or with a fever or cough. I just feel disconnected.

Maybe its because I had a wonderful couple of days with the guy. On Friday, I met him downtown at the Starbuck's in front of Westlake. Then we walked through some of the stores to find our outfits for the evening's party. It was a pretty painless affair, and, don't laugh, but the Gap came through again. Cheap-ish. Stylish-ish. A shirt from Banana. Then shoes from Payless--hey, if its good enough for Star Jones-Reynolds, its good enough for me. And finally a tie from the Rack. Cheap, definitely, but you have to keep in mind that the outfits were purchased with the expectation that some drink, food, vomit would spatter onto them during the course of the evening.

So we left the Rack and it was time to reveal my big secret. "One more stop," I said. And we made our way to 5th avenue. I'm pretty sure he had no idea where we were headed, and as we neared the Ramada, I said, "Oh, by the way, we don't have to go all the way back to my house because I got a room here." Champagne and beer was in the sink. We showered and got ready. The monorail passed occasionally in front of our window. I think we took entirely too long getting ready, but we kept getting distracted.

Then it was off to the employee party at the swank Hotel 1000. We had a few. We mingled. I introduced him as my boyfriend and it was only a little awkward at first. And it got easier as the night went on (for him, too). I shook the CEO's hand and I wanted to say, "Thank you for continually championing gay rights," or, "Thanks for being such an in-touch corporate leader," but I only said my name and shook his hand. He really is a good guy. He's a big homo. Been with his partner for a while. They're raising a kid. Plus, he's a board member of PATH. Anyway, two of my employees showed--which is 50%, not bad. The bad part is, both were totally lit. One was saying, "Oh yeah, Jeremy? He's a great boss. He lets us drink and make our own hours." Both statements are marginally true. Thankfully, they are both refutable. The food at the party ran out quickly so Phil and I left. It was happy hour across the street at McCormick & Schmicks. $1.95 burgers and $1.95 fried mozzerella (and not mozz. sticks, either). Then it was back to the hotel, where we talked about our feelings and really got to know each other on a deeper level.

The next morning, the sweetest guy in the world ran to Top Pot and grabbed a doughnut or three and some OJ and swung into Bartell's for some Advil. We checked out at noon. Left our bags at the front desk and went to see Casino Royale at the Cinerama. It was ok, but way too long and I was expecting more Daniel Craig exploitation--ok, ok, he was naked tied to a chair, but there was something completely missing in the film, and I think that thing was a good editor.

So then it was back home to a Tivo'd Battlestar. Phil came with me and we had a whole 'nother night together, which was nice. And I think that he only left me yesterday morning, and it feels like a world away because . . .

My parents arrived yesterday afternoon. They picked me up and presented me with their Christmas gifts. Every year my mother asks me what I want and I send her an explicit lists--a click-and-buy-list, a nearest-retailer-list--but I should have learned by now that those lists are completely pointless. Brand names, styles, cuts and color mean nothing to my mother. Her shopping consists of taking my list and finding the closest approximation at Wal-Mart. This year, I asked for an Adidas gym bag. The one I got has so much crap all over it (climbing rope, key chains) that I'm not even sure I can get into it. Then, I also get the other present--the one I didn't ask for, but for some reason, she thinks it would make a good gift. This year, that present is a waffle iron. That's cool. I'll use it. I'm sure the roomies would enjoy a nice waffle now and again. Its better than my 30th birthday M&M dispenser. But I make it sound a lot worse than it is, they also give me cash.

So then we went to dinners at, surprise, surprise, McCormick and Schmicks. The place has that 50's feel with white linens, napkins tented at each seat, and dark wood everywhere. Plus, besides having one of the best happy hour food menus in town, it also serves some of the freshest seafood. The conversation had that strange affectation of separateness that is hard to convey. I will say this, when the Cowboy game came on in the bar, it became much harder to keep my father's attention. I will also say that for two people so far out of their element, it is nice that they at least make the attempt to step outside of their box.

So then they went to the show, and I think they actually enjoyed it. My father said he liked the Rockettes--which, of course, was guys in drag. I mean, dude's old and senile, but I think he realized that it was guys in drag. My mom commented on Jesus being taken out of "In This Very Room." But, like I said, they were outside of their comfort zone, and I think they had a good time.

Huge thanks to Janice, Risa, and Keith for showing up and saying, "Hey" to the folks and me. What was your perception of my parents' reactions?

Oh, and speaking of friends, Maggie, I can't wait to see you next week for the show! Drinks after for sure. I'm calling you this week.

Oh, and speaking of being a bad son. Lynnie, I'm SOSOSO sorry I didn't get you those discs. I hope your party went well and I'll get you music very, very soon.

So, we're drinking tonight in the vault. Maybe that's why I'm spacey. But really, its more the worlds colliding and dust settling feeling. You know I'm having a bloody tomorrow with the folks at breakfast.

Singin' in the rain

Damn, the rain was flying sideways yesterday. This year has easily been the wettest since I've lived here. I enjoyed the Pineapple Express, however. Well, maybe I just enjoy the name Pineapple Express. All aboard the Pineapple Express!!

I'm a little bit busier than usual. Work is crazy. Say a tiny prayer that I still have a job in January, m'kay?

Choir is ramping up. I can't believe that the first performance is in two weeks. I still haven't bought my tux. I still haven't bought my parents tickets to the show. (They'll be here in three weeks.) We had our taped rehearsal on Monday and it went pretty well. I think we still have a ways to go, but now we have a good idea of where we are. More importantly, we have the recordings to help us get to where we need to be.

Oh, you want to hear what we sound like?

Ok. Just remember, this is a rehearsal. We only have a piano as accompaniment. You can hear pages turning and people coughing, but whatevs. Oh, and both tracks have a little glitch.

The first track is called "Betelehemu" and its a Nigerian Xmas song. I just think its a pretty song. (listen/download)

The second track is "Over the Skies of Yisrael." Its gorgeous and the soloist (not me) has a great voice. My favorite part of the entire arrangement is the dynamics. The crescendo at "Never abandoned by our God" gives me chills every time we sing it. (listen/download)

And Thanksgiving is next week. I can't believe it. Lynnie has, once again, graciously opened her house to me. Perhaps I will show my pink underwear at the dinner table. Perhaps I won't wear any underwear.

The rest of my time has been spent with the guy. He's pretty swell. I wish our schedules were more conducive to chillin', but you make due. Get in where ya fit in, if you will. Tomorrow is his day off, so I'm gonna take him to one of my favorite restaurants after we (finally) see Shortbus. I would point to his blog, but I've gotta get his permission first. Did I mention that he's pretty swell? Cuz he is.

In common

Facial hair
Glasses
Ballard
Twin Peaks
The Simpsons
Hank Hill impressions
Midday drinks
Midday naps
Comic books