What A Croc!

Let me first state these facts:

1) I *heart* Tim Gunn

2) I *heart* LoneStarSteve

One of the good things about *hearting* people is that you can agree to disagree and not be offended when comments are made about your attire; just so long as they are willing to accept criticism about their attire.

Tim became popular during the first season of Project Runway. Along with super model Heidi Klum, designer Michael Kors and Nina Garcia Fashion Editor for ELLE Magazine (you have say Nina's name and title all in one breath and with a German accent like Heidi Klum otherwise it doesn't work), Tim offered their opinions about the designers' creations. "Make it work." and "Carry on." are Tim's signature phrases. He is quite eloquent when he speaks and I would love to have dinner and cocktails with him one night and watch him cut loose.

The other day, the Houston Chronicle published a Q & A with Tim Gunn. There were two things that I had to read twice because I just don't agree with Tim:

Q.: What fashion trend should never come back?
A.: Crocs. They're just appalling.

Q.: What's the least fashionable item in your closet?
A.: A pair of cargo shorts.

WHAT????!!!!

I *heart* my Crocs! They are so comfortable. They're great for walking The Calvinator in the rain. They're great for slipping on to run some errands. They're great for slipping on before and after a run so that I don't have to wear dirty running shoes in the car. They're great for wearing to the Spin Room so that I don't have to walk (and sound like I'm tap dancing on the gym floor and who knows WHAT would happen if I was heard tapping in the locker room...thanx Larry Craig) in the cycling shoes.

So I send LoneStarSteve (another Tim Gunn aficionado) an e-mail about how I disagree with Tim Gunn's opinion of the Crocs. In part, this is what HE says...

...all i can remember thinking was: they need to collect up all of those 'alleged' shoes and burn them in a big pile. and then they need to destroy the original molds so that no more can be produced.

You win some and you lose some.

Here are my Crocs.

And I don't know how many pairs of cargo shorts I have but they're quite handy when you have to carry around different gadgets. They're much more accepted than a man purse.

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Weekend Plans

I was supposed to go on a road trip this weekend but that has been delayed until later in the month. Nothing wrong with being flexible with your plans, right?

Will definitely get up tomorrow morning and do a 7 or 8 mile run. Putz around during the day and then do dinner with some friends.

Sunday will probably consist of my normal Sunday morning routine and then I'll catch the matinee performance of Whistle Down The Wind and then attend an evening Mass at St. Anne's, St. Theresa's or St. Michael's.

CORRECTION on 9/9/07: I found out this morning that the show starts it previews today and actually opens on 9/13/07.

SIDEBAR: When I purchased my ticket for Whistle Down The Wind, I didn't realize that the national tour is starting here in Houston and the 200P performance will be their first performance. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

When Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? The Musical premiered here in Houston, I was there on opening night and it was uh...hmmm...pretty bad. A stage hand got caught on stage and stayed there through the scene. Some of the props didn't work. Cues were missed. And we were laughing at parts that I later found out weren't supposed to be funny. Plus parts of the story didn't make any sense.

I thought it was a campy musical...the director, the producer, the lyricist and everyone else associated with the production had other thoughts. If memory serves me well, it never made it to Broadway.

I'm Still Here

Do you remember that song from Follies? I *heart* that song.

Anywho...I've been extremely busy the past few days and the rest of the week I might be a bit incommunicado. No worries. All is OK. Just quite a bit going on.

Saturday night was the Krewe party at Bering & James and yesterday I was with Kaye Sedilla all day. Today I'm cleaning up the aftermath of both and trying to pay attention to The Calvinator.

I'll be back in touch (hopefully with some pics of the weekend events) later.

TTFN

The Weekend in review (Part II)

7/7/07

My post for 7/7/07 pretty much tells you what I did during the day. Let me tell you what happened in the evening and it may “esplain” why I’m muy cansado.


Sikorski gave me a ticket to the Astros game. He was going to sing the National Anthem. He also invited AttyHou and Everyday Italian. Well…we had to get there around 530P to get our tickets and get seated. Just as we were loading up The Cal Mobile, the heavens opened up. High winds. Torrential downpour. Sheets of rain coming sideways.


We’re not that far from Minute Maid Park but the traffic signals were messed up downtown and the lightrail was slowing things down. And while the typhoon was swirling around us, Rihanna’s Umbrella (Rafael Lelis Radio Mix) started playing. Too funny. We found street parking about five blocks away and ran with our umbrellas. They didn’t do much good. We were soaked! Not sure if you can tell how wet I got from this photo. Look at my shoulder.

Can you see how wet I am????

The game went into extra innings. We left at the top of the 11th. The Mets won in the 17th…yes, as in 8 extra innings.

Here is Sikorski singing before the game.

Brad Ausmus at bat.

Sikorski, Everyday Italian, AttyHou & Steve

We went home and did costume changes (changed out of our wet clothes) before heading over to Quadra-3. Trevan, Dan, Gary and Ray throw a joint b’day party. It was fun to catch up with people that I haven’t seen in awhile. There was some buzz going around the party about Kaye Sedilla returning to town on July 15 at Miss Mint Julep. I sure hope she knows to expect a crowd!

So I had every intention of calling it an early evening but I was hungry and so were AttyHou and Everday Italian. We load up The Cal Mobile again and head over to House of Pies (aka House of Guys). Can you believe they were almost out of pie? Granted it was close to midnight but still! Puhleeeze. I wanted Bayou Goo Pie and all I got was Italian Dream Cake…oh and a chicken fried steak sandwich.

I didn't take this photo. THIS photo has pies in it.

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 2.1

Daddy's Day Out

Due to the July 4th holiday, doggy daycare was closed so we rescheduled for today. The Calvinator was so excited to get away from me today and I must say the feeling is mutual. He tried to maul me Wednesday night. (Maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration?) Not sure what set him off. Maybe it was because I left him alone and went to two parties? I honestly thought he broke the skin...it hurt.

Karoake Spin Class

Due to inclement weather and a bit too much to drink on Wednesday, I didn’t feel too bad about missing my run. I decided to go to Connie’s spin class at LeFittes on Thursday afternoon. I was actually sorta dreading it but I was ready to give it my all. Connie wasn’t there. *sigh of relief* Jerry was the instructor. I have seen Jerry teach aerobic classes and ab crunch classes…didn’t know he could spin.


Even though I was a gruntin’ and a groanin’ through part of the class, he had me laughing. He was singing along to some of the songs. Sorta like Karaoke Spin Class. I talked to him after class and we laughed about doing a class where you pass the microphone around and have people sing along. LOL I’d be able to do it but would prolly pass out from lack of oxygen.

The Weekend

Any big plans for the weekend?


I have a b’day party to attend on Saturday evening. Several guys who have birthdays in July throw a joint bash. It has become an annual event on the party circuit.

Sunday is the 30th Anniversary of Christmas In July. Once again, Romeo says this is his last performance. Uh huh…sure.


St. Louis Lynne (SLL) is scheduled to make an appearance in The Bayou City this weekend. Haven't seen her in a few months so hopefully I'll be able to see her for a bit.

And of course, I’ll get a run in on Saturday morning and get some workouts at LeFittes.

Scotland @ Roy Sculpture Garden

The bois next door have acquired a piece of art for the front yard. Adds a bit of class to life in NoRO. It took 4 of us to get it off of the truck. Everyone has an opinion about which angle to display it....friends and neighbors all weighed in with their thoughts last night. As soon as it finds it permanent home, I'll post a pic.


It is actually quite nice. It is a stainless steel abstract piece that was created in 1969 by George Cutts. Due to the acquisition, I ended up with a relocated Sago Palm.

Frida Kahlo

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Frida Kahlo.
(from ArtCyclopedia) Born July 6, 1907 in the town of Coyoacán in Mexico, Frida Kahlo survived many difficult events in her life, including contracting polio as a child, a long recovery from a serious car accident, two failed marriages, and several miscarriages.


She used these experiences, combined with strong Mexican and Native American cultural influences, to create highly personal paintings. Kahlo used personal symbolism mixed with Surrealism to express her suffering through her work. A viewer might classify her paintings as Surrealism or Magic Realism, but she considered her art to be realistic.


Kahlo died July 13, 1954 of pulmonary embolism.

iPod nano Mostly Recently Played 6.10.07

Heaven’s What I Feel (Love’s To Infinity’s Classic Paradise Mix), Gloria Estefan

Pandora’s Box,OMD

Before He Cheats, Carrie Underwood

Big Time, Linda Eder

On Silent Wings, Tina Turner

• Irreplaceable (Irreemplazable) [Nortena Mix], Beyonce


• One Day In Your Life, Anastasia


• Addicted To Love (Live), Tina Turner


• Flawless (Go To The City), George Michael


• I Beg Your Pardon (12” Remix), Kon Kan


• Midnight, Robin S.


• U + UR Hand, Pink


• Candyman, Christina Aguilera


• Without Me (Album Version), Eminem


• Get Here, Q Featuring Tracy Ackerman


• If Everyone Cared, Nickelback


• Wonderwall, Oasis


• Say It Right, Nelly Furtado


• Rehab, Amy Winehouse


• Into The Ocean, Blue October


• I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind Of Thing, Pet Shop Boys


• Losing My Mind, Pet Shop Boys


• Killer/Pappa Was A Rolling Stone, George Michael


• Above The Clouds, Amber


• Hips Don’t Lie (featuring Wyclef John), Shakira

Sunday was another fun-filled day. Fun in the sun amongst other things. :-)

What are your weekend plans?

So last night at LeFittes, one of the part-time trainers (his real job is being a chiropractor) comes into the locker room just a hummin’ a tune that I didn’t recognize. He started talking and I thought he was talking to someone else and then I realized it was me he was talking to while sorta hummin’.

He was so happy that it was Thursday because that meant the weekend was almost here. He has no plans for the weekend but he just loves the weekend. I’m not sure that he was this happy but he was one happy dude!

It’s gonna be a busy one for me.

Saturday morning is the Houston Pride 5K at 730A in Downtown Houston at Sam Houston Park. Will be having breakfast afterwards with Doug & Scott.


Saturday afternoon I may go to the Winter Street Lofts to see which artists have their studios open. I need some creative inspiration so I’m hopin’ this will ignite the flame.


In keeping with the creative inspiration theme, I’ll be at M2 Gallery in The Heights for an artist reception. Jolie and Aimee are planning on being there. Proceeds benefit Legacy. There is also a benefit for Legacy at Rich’s-Houston…Jocks In Dresses.


Not sure how Sunday will shake out. I haven’t been to the 500P Mass at St. Anne’s in awhile (I’ve been going to Saturday evening Mass at St. Theresa’s.) There is a Pride Partyon Sunday evening but more importantly the Tony Awards will be televised on CBS! Hope everyone has a fun weekend. It’s gonna be a hot one in Houston.





SIDEBAR: I actually slept well last night. I didn't even wake up until 600A. I had an odd dream that I really don't remember all of the details other than I was going to be in a parade and there was talk within the group that I needed to be Jesus on the float. The exact words were, "There's only one person who can be Jesus and that is you." (HA! Talk about a subconscious Holier Than Thou Attitude.)

Speaking of getting up early. The Calvinator and I went out for our morning walk and I actually saw Neighbor Mike and his dog Jack. (Hadn't seen him in awhile.) Jack *hearts* Calvin. Mike gets up just as early as I do and is always pleasant to talk to. He is a good egg.