My Fake ID Finally Matches My Age

Another fun quiz for you kids to try. I found this on Persian Guy's (dreamy by the way) Blog.

You Are 24 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

Foozer Rules!

grohl2
Originally uploaded by veryapeaz.

Last night I was rockin' like Dokken. Jay, Kevin and I went to the Weezer/Foo Fighters concert at America West Arena. I managed to score general admission floor seats, which meant we could get as close to the action as we wanted.

I've never seen Weezer perform live before and I have to say I was mighty impressed. They are notorious for not interacting with the audience or with each other on stage, but last night they did both and exceedingly well.

All of the guys took turns singing a song, which surprised the hell out of me. Rivers (the lead singer) is notorious for being a control freak. My buddy Robbie was there. This was his 8th time seeing Weezer. He said it was one of their best shows ever. He said that normally they don't do anything but stand apart from each other and play.

Fun moments: After the encore break, Rivers appeared at the back of the arena (where they have the sound/lighting section gated) and did an acoustic version of Islands in the Sun. They plucked a girl from the crowd and taught her the chords for Undone (the Sweater Song), she played it while they sang. I saw her walking out of the arena at the end of the show w/ her new guitar--she seemed stoked. At the end of the show they dropped confetti on us in.

Foo Fighters played one of the loudest sets I've ever heard (or didn't hear). After the first song, my ears were blasted. During certain songs the vibration was so intense it was making my heart beat funny. My entire body was shaking--cool but at times scary.

That was my fourth time I've seen FF play. They rule--they always put on a great show.

The funny thing was I saw four people that I knew. Three were from Skyview (my part time job). But the three weren't together and didn't know the others were there. Kinda weird how you see people you know in a crowd of 20,000.

In personal news... week has been busy. Tennis started back up. My wrist is getting better but it's still terribly weak.

Oh, I need to rant on something. Last week I went to the doctor's to start getting the immunization shots for Hepatitis A and B. If you're gay and you have sex and you are reading this--you should have this immunization--it's a series of shots but will protect you from transmission.

Anyway, the doctor had me take another HIV test. I told him I wasn't a whore and that I hadn't done anything that was risky. He said that they were concerned about my throat--when I went in last month for being sick they noticed some white goop on my throat that they thought was thrush.

Now thrush is something that occurs in people with weakened immune systems, such as HIV. But there is no test for thrush--doctors just "guess" if you have it.

I said that the white goop was probably from a combination of the strep (for which I tested positive) and my allergies (which give me very odd symptoms--such as loss of hearing, ringing in the ears, excessive phlegm, terrible headaches, etc).

But they wanted to "be safe" and test 30 days later. So... once again I had to wait 4 days for the results... and it was negative. I wasn't concerned but it kind of pisses me off. I'm glad that the docs are vigilant but they also need to listen to their patients.

If I said I hadn't engaged in risky behavior and I had two tests (one that tested for the antibodies and one that tests for the disease itself), a third was unnecessary!

OK. off soap box. I've got a lot of catching up to do... lots of blogs I haven't read in awhile.

I Learned Something Today

Journalism 101

It seems that every day of my life I'm learning something new. Often it's more than one thing but I don't have enough space in my reserves to store it all. My brain can only retain one new thing a day. In the spirit of Berly's Chengdu's and chengdon'ts, here's what I've learned so far this week.

Monday: I learned that rugby really hurts. Up until now, we've been "touch" scrimmaging. Monday we had our first contact scrimmage. My knees ended up bloody messes. Monday I learned that football players are big fat pussies because they get to wear a bunch of padding.

Tuesday: I learned that Jason Adonis is just freaking adorable. I don't know if anything meaningful will ever come out of my association with him, but I just look at him and melt. He's damned cute.

Wednesday: I learned that despite having bloody knees, another rugby scrimmage can be fun. Not only that, I learned that if I run fast enough I won't get tackled. I also learned that one needs to dress one's wounds before bedtime. Unfortunately, that was one of the learned things that my thick skull didn't retain, because I woke up a half dozen times Wednesday night. Everytime I moved, the friction between my knees and the sheets created sharp excruciating pain.

Thursday: I learned to roll with the punches and always carry Kleenex. I found out thatBuddy was supposed to interview a celebrity. Buddy was home sick and I had 30 minutes to do some perfunctory research and get to the interview. I did a little research, showed up and made the dude cry. He cried almost the entire interview. I think the guy was just a sensitive person, but I never learned how to handle that in Journalism 101. So today, I learned to always carry Kleenex, because you never know when you're going to make someone cry.

What did you learn this week?

Like a Cloud Dropping Rain, I'm Discarding All Thought

cloud
Originally uploaded by veryapeaz.

I'm at a loss. I don't know what to write about. The past two weeks have been so hectic and busy, I'm not exactly sure what happened. But I know enough to bore you with another post.

Sept. 10, I participated in the Phoenix Storm's Rugby Boot Camp. It was a blast. To read about it, head over to Jay's blog. He did an excellent play by play and included pix -- and be sure sure to give him an "atta boy" for working himself into such great shape. I think he's lost over 100 pounds and is still working at it. It's fucking amazing.

Sept. 11, I went to three different bars and interviewed people for a feature in Echo. I think the story turned out pretty well. I'll post a link on Thursday for everyone to read.

Sept. 12, I had the beforementioned end of bowling season dinner with the team.

Sept. 13 was the city council elections. The incumbents had a joint party. I got to mix it up with the governor and mayor. Actually, I just took their pictures. :-)

Sept. 14 was rugby practice.

Sept. 15 the rugby board voted me on to serve as a board member. That was really cool because they approached me to help out with PR/fundraising stuff. I'm really psyched to help out and have a lot of ideas and want to get moving on them all. We need to raise a lot of dough so we can go to the Bingham Cup in NYC and the Gay Games in Chicago. Both events are next summer and only a few weeks apart, so raising money is crucial.

Sept. 16 I worked at Skyview--ran the Coyotes game. I can't believe hockey is starting back up. I also got another X-Rated pic from Jeff on my cell phone -- we're both Verizon users which makes swapping pix and phone calls cheap and easy. Fortunately, he goes to bath houses where the really hot guys go. Thanks for the eye candy Jeff. OK--that was a joke. ;-)

Sept. 17 I went to the gym, Homo Depot and worked on updating a book on digital photography. I can't wait for that project to be done! Jason Adonis went to Tucson to watch the U of A game, so when I got a call from Brick House (I doubt that's a real porn name but it sounds good and provides an apt physical description) to meet for dinner, I took him up on it.

The dinner went well. In fact, I found it easy to talk to Brick. He's 5'9", 190 pounds and has a killer body. But he's not looking for anything relationship-wise really. Which is fine with me.

A funny moment occurred when I asked him if he had a big family. He turned bright red, almost spit out his drink and asked me to repeat myself. I did... twice... He just looked at me with this shit eating grin and stared at me in silence. Finally, when I practically shouted it across the restaurant, he busted out laughing. He thought I had said, "Do you have a big fat weenie."

I told him I usually reserve that question until after the second round of drinks. But I found out the answer to that question.

Sunday I cleaned, went to the grocery store, worked at Skyview and worked on the digital photog book.

Oh and I finally found out that my little blogging buddy "Berly's Blog" is alive and well and in China. Yeah! She promises pix as soon as she gets her computer fixed.

That's all for now kiddies.

I'm Hercules

Hercules

I'm supposed to be writing about a hate crime that took place in Ahwatukee right now, but I ended up checking out Jay's blog, which led me to David's blog, which leads me to this quick post.

Go take this little quiz--I think there are no more than 10 questions. It's fun. And impossibly incorrect. I don't have a big ego. :-P

Geh mal Kegeln!

Earl--The Echo Headliner's Mascot

August 29th was our last night of bowling. It was truly a sad night for me. I loved going every Monday night. It was exciting and fun and we laughed so much. There was always some sort of little drama at play. Which team would we play against? Would they have cute guys? Would we whip their butts or lose badly or split the games?

Although sad, our last night of bowling was also quite good. We came in 12th place out of 24--which isn't bad considering we were novices. And our own Paul Braun picked up a few awards (and CASH!). He was the most improved bowler in the entire league. And was he ever. The first couple of weeks, his goal was to approach 100. He would score in the high 80s or low 90s. By the end of the league, he was consistently bowling in the 130s and 140s and even a few games in the 180s!

At the end of the season, they award cash for different things, including giving a money prize to every team that played. We earned $210 for our efforts. So, we decided to go out to a nice and fancy dinner.

So tonight we splurged all of our earnings (and a little extra) at Durant's. It's this old steak house in central Phoenix. Jeff said it was very reminiscent of his grandfather's old restaurant in Tucson. It's very dark and red and expensive. Four drinks = $40 w/tip. It also seemed to have a lot of gay men. Either that or rich guys act gay.

Anyway, we had a great meal. We started with chicken livers and artichoke spinach dip. I never liked chicken livers as a kid and I can honestly say, I was correct back then. Back then I would say they're icky. Today, I would say they taste like shit unless you add atomic horseradish. Tim and Jeff got steak. Paul and I got seafood. It was YUMMY!

At the meal, Paul presented us all with ribbons of participation. He felt bad for sweeping the end of season awards and wanted us to have something. Which was so sweet and cute.

The boys also got me a card with a free movie ticket (WHO LIKES MOVIES! - as Tim would say). They also provided me with a gift certificate to a bowling shop that we frequented. It's enough to purchase my own bowling ball! Isn't that fucking amazing. They did it because of the "trouble of being the team captain." Basically, all I did was enter our names in the automated scoring machine, tally up our scores and sign the sheet. So it wasn't that big a deal. Basically, I think they were embarrassed at me always using a house ball. :-P

Regardless, it was such a cool and sweet gesture. I was really touched. :-)

Here's Tim, Earl (our team mascot) and Jeff. And here's Paulie and me.

I've got lots more to blog about. My weekend was great. We had rugby boot camp on Saturday. And Sunday I went out to a bunch of different bars to talk to people for Echo. So, I'll post pix and info on that tomorrow.

It's Been Seven Hours and Fifteen Days

Shaving Is FUN!

I've been wanting to get a haircut for the past couple of days.

Unfortunately, I knew this was going to be a very expensive weekend. Normally, I have $40-$60 of play money per weekend. This is perfect for a night out on a Friday or Saturday. Since I usually work one night during the weekend at Skyview, it's worked well. I get to blow it all on one night.

However, this weekend is different. I have to pay up rugby dues -- $40. And I need some rugby equipment. I need to get a good mouth guard ($20) and a jock to protect my boys ($15). I was going to get compression pants but they feel less sleazy but they're twice as expensive. Plus, I've found out that I can make a lot of money selling pictures of myself wearing only a jock -- but I'll leave that post for another day. ;-)

Saturday day is our "boot camp." Boot camp is the first official training day of the new season. We have four hours of classroom instruction and four hours of field training. It will be over at 4PM, then we go home, eat, sleep and meet at Padlock at 9PM for our official after party. That means I'll need another $20-$40. Unless they have one of their typical classy drink specials -- like half priced drinks if you don't wear your pants. I can get really fucked up on whiskey sours with no pants and five bucks.

Then on Sunday, Buddy and I are going to three different gay restaurants/bars for a feature story. The feature story will be written as an essay instead of a straight up news story. The subject? What's on the community's mind, whether it be why someone likes bloody mary's, if someone is in love, if someone is pissed off at the country. Whatever goes. I'm going to talk to strangers and write down whatever they say. But this is going to happen from 11AM-6PM. That means I'll need another $20-$40 for the day.

As you can see, this is way over my normal entertainment budget, so I've got to cut some corners. Cut corners. Hmmm. Cut corners by cutting my own hair. Okay. That makes sense.

Today I convinced Kevin to buzz my head. I think it turned out well. I like it. It's a different look. I can even look menacing. I'm gonna have to wear a lot of sunscreen on the field Saturday. Otherwise I'll have one red and peeling head.

Don't Say Goodbye

Oh NO!

Anybody who knows me, knows my love affair with Lindsay Davenport. I love to watch her play tennis. It hurts me each and every time she loses. I know this is irrational but it's true. When she lost 8-6 in the third at the Wimbledon Final this year I had to practically run out of Mr. X's house because I was on the verge of tears.

I don't know why I get so fucking emotional when this girl plays. But I do. I mean I have a tennis ball signed by her sitting on my desk.

Tonight she lost in a horrendous quarterfinal match against Dementieva. She played like absolute shit. She just wasn't there mentally and couldn't get out of her funk. She managed to lose in a tie break in the third which isn't bad. But if she had play just 2 percent better she would have wiped Dementieva off the court.

Mr. X called me after the 2nd set started. He's in Dallas flying back to Phx. He wanted to know the score. I told him. He said he'd call me again for an update when he switched planes in Albuquerque. After Davenport lost I called and left him a voice mail saying not to call me because Lindsay lost and I was pissed and I'd talk to him later in the week.

He called.

I didn't pick up.

He left a voice message saying that it was only a game and not to get so upset.

Well, no shit Sherlock. I KNOW IT'S ONLY A GAME.... I KNOW I'M IRRATIONAL ABOUT CERTAIN SPORTING EVENTS... BUT THAT'S ONE OF MY MANY (yet lovable) QUIRKS!!!!

So.... Lindsay's out and another day will occur. But this might be her last slam. I'll miss watching her--she's brought me a lot of tears (both of joy and anger) and I loved every minute of it.

Oh... it looks like Andre's going to lose in the fifth. Just not a good day for me.... :-(

P.S. I know there are worse things going on in the world--I can't help the way I feel.

Now that we have electricity, where's the cable?

Iwantmy
Originally uploaded by veryapeaz.

Remember that game telephone we played as kids? One person whispers something into another's ear and so on. The last person generally ended up hearing something different than what was initially whispered. The following account is third-hand, so it may not be completely accurate but it's close.

Sunday morning my dad was checking the hundreds of different message boards out there for information on my aunt and uncle in Biloxi and cousins in New Orleans. He ran across a message from a customer service person at a cable company in Biloxi stating that Marge and Bill Rybka are okay.

It turns out that sometime Saturday evening or Sunday morning the electricity came back on at my aunt and uncle's house. My aunt immediately called the cable company to see when she would get service again. (I mean honestly, forget about food and water -- we want our MTV!)

The customer service lady asked my aunt if her family knew she was okay. My aunt said it never dawned her to call everyone. So, the customer service lady put Aunt Marge on hold and looked up Aunt Marge's name on the Red Cross Web site and said, "Ma'am. Your family is looking for you. You need to give them a call."

So, my dad finally got to talk to his brother Sunday. Uncle Bill told my dad that he and my aunt tried to board a bus to New Orleans on Sunday to ride the storm out with my cousins. The bus driver talked them out of going to New Orleans (thank God!). So my aunt and uncle went to a shelter instead.

The day after the storm hit, Aunt Marge and Uncle Bill got a ride from one of the shelter occupants to their house and decided to stay there. There wasn't much damage to the house, except for wind damage. They've been living off of tuna fish for the past week. I don't know what they've been doing for water. Although they do have running water, it's not potable.

Monday, my dad got a call from a shelter saying that my cousins are alive. I don't have much more information than that. I don't know which shelter they are in -- if they are in the state of Lousiana or Texas or what. But I know that they are okay!

Today my dad is on his way down to Biloxi to pick up his brother and sister-in-law. I'm so relieved for him. I can't imagine what it must have been like for him. He's been wanting to drive down there for the past week but my sisters and his wife have been telling him to stay. He said he could hear his brother asking, "Teddy, why haven't you gotten me?" That's heart wrenching.

I know if the situation was different and if it were one of my sister's missing or whatever, I would have gotten into my car and driven into a war zone to get them out.

Thanks to everyone for sending the good positive energy. It worked!!!!!

Upon Us All a Little Rain Must Fall

Swan Song

Quick Katrina update. First, thanks for all of the kind words. Just keep Bill and Marge Rybka and Adam and Linda Sandroni in your thoughts and prayers. A friend of my stepmother's sister is on his way to Biloxi. Apparently his mother is still alive and taking shelter in her attic and 2nd floor (the first floor is flooded). Amazingly, she was able to get through to him on the telephone. Although the Red Cross told him he won't be able to get within 75 miles of Biloxi, he's on his way to pick up his mother. He'll find a way. He also knows exactly where my aunt and uncle live and will visit nearby shelters in the hopes that he can find them.

Since the last two posts have been way heavy, I thought it would be fun to do the assignment with which ZeppGoddess tagged me. First let me say, every morning for the past two weeks I start my work day with The Rain Song by Led Zeppelin. I love this song so much. I tried to make it available via streaming. Click here, but I don't know if it'll work. I can only get it to work in Internet Explorer and not Firefox. Hmmm...

On to the fun!
Seven things you plan to do before you die:
1) Live in a European country for one year
2) Move back to the east coast
3) Take a job for the money and not because I like it
4) Fall in love again
5) Purchase a Mustang AND a hybrid vehicle
6) Bowl a 300
7) Be as good as humanly possible

Seven things you can do:
1) Say the first part of the Hail Mary in French
2) Forgive but not always forget
3) Have opposing views on the same subject
4) Feel simultaneously skinny and fat
5) Every year think that this is the year the Suns will win it all
6) Be compassionate
7) Sing out of tune

Seven things you can't do:
1) Tolerate intolerance
2) Stay angry for long
3) Turn my mind off at bedtime
4) Not share my opinion
5) Not help someone in need
6) Keep a neat desk at work nor at home
7) Make a meal that tastes good

Seven things that attract you to the same sex:
1) Intelligence
2) Sense of humor
3) Sense of humor
4) Lips
5) Athletic body--not muscle bound and not crack skinny
6) Spontaneity
7) Kind eyes

Seven things you say most:
1) Fuck!
2) What up, yo?
3) Hey dude
4) Okay
5) I'm sorry (apologetically, I piss people off a lot)
6) I'm sorry? (said in an irritated manner)
7) Cool

Seven celebrity crushes:

	Ed Vedder, Singer, Pearl Jam
	Jeff Ament, Bassist, Pearl Jam
	Angelina Jolie, Goddess
	Dave Kushner, Guitarist, Velvet Revolver
	Kurt Cobain, Singer (Deceased), Nirvana
	Ed Norton, Actor, No I don't like white supremacy nor Nazi symbols, but he looked hot in this movie despite being despicable and he redeemed himself at the end, so don't give me shit in the comments section
	Henry Rollins, Singer and Poet