HIV/AIDS

If you think AIDS is a gay disease,

you need to start thinking straight.

Several years ago, I saw this on a billboard in Dallas near Northpark Mall. I can't remember if it was a Kenneth Cole billboard or if it was posted by an agency. It obviously made an impression upon me.

Tomorrow is World AIDS Day and I wanted to give you some stats. These are from www.until.org:

Vital Statistics

Worldwide

• Over 22 million people have died from AIDS.
  
• Over 42 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and 74 percent of these infected people live in sub-Saharan Africa.
  
• Over 19 million women are living with HIV/AIDS.
  
• By the year 2010, five countries (Ethiopia, Nigeria, China, India, and Russia) with 40 percent of the world's population will add 50 to 75 million infected people to the worldwide pool of HIV disease.
  
• There are 14,000 new infections every day (95 percent in developing countries).
  
• The UN estimates that, currently, there are 14 million AIDS orphans and that by 2010 there will be 25 million.
  
• HIV/AIDS is a "disease of young people" with half of the 5 million new infections each year occurring among people ages 15 to 24.

United States

• An estimated one million people are currently living with HIV in the United States, with approximately 40,000 new infections occurring each year.
  
• 70 percent of these new infections occur in men and 30 percent occur in women.
  
• By race, 54 percent of the new infections in the United States occur among African Americans, and 64 percent of the new infections in women occur in African American women.
  
• 75 percent of the new infections in women are heterosexually transmitted.
  Half of all new infections in the United States occur in people 25 years of age or younger.

World AIDS Day - Dec. 1

www.worldaidsdayhouston.org

Something You Should Know

aussieBum Gets Bigger and Bigger!

Australia's favourite underwear company breaks the Guinness World Record for the World's Biggest Underwear

SYDNEY, Australia, Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- It's official; this morning in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens, aussieBum revealed the world's BIGGEST underwear!

aussieBum has successfully broken the Guinness World Record by producing the world's largest pair of underwear on international Guinness World Records Day.

The underwear, constructed from a dazzling red Sensitive(R) fabric provided by leading Italian fabric firm Eurojersey, took over two months to produce.

Measuring in at 15.9 metres (50.85 ft) wide and 10.55 metres (36 ft) high, with a waist circumference of 32 metres (105 ft), the mammoth underwear includes 300 metres of fabric(985 ft), 500 metres (1640.5 ft) of wide-width elastic, 5000 metres (16404 ft) of cotton, a 1.5 x 6 metre (5 x 19.6 ft) logo, and they weigh in at a whopping 180 kg. The statistics smash the current record of 14.4 metres (47.2 ft) wide and 10.48 metres high.

Producing the undies was no small feat. Eurojersey, aussieBum's long-term partner and major name in the international textiles industry, put its faith into aussieBum and provided the 300 metres (985 ft) of Sensitive(R) fabric necessary to produce the World's Biggest Undies. The
incredibly soft, light and easy-to-handle nature of the Sensitive(R) fabric helped aussieBum achieve this challenge.

The garment was so large that even sailmakers could not help with the production. The aussieBum team spent hours on their hands and knees, hand stitching the underwear, with a team of people feeding the fabric and elastic through an industrial sewing machine.

Sean Ashby, aussieBum founder and Director, says, "The World's Biggest Undies project has been loads of fun! We're thrilled at this new milestone in our company. Whilst some may suggest that we are heading towards being world's biggest underwear company, we can now definitely confirm that we have, in fact, made the world's biggest undies!"

aussieBum is the all-Australian company that has pushed the boundaries of what is acceptable in the fiercely competitive world of fashion underwear. aussieBum has established an envied reputation for continually producing cutting edge designs and styles that men around the globe are quick to embrace, such as the aussieBum Wonderjock

World AIDS Day - Dec. 1

www.worldaidsdayhouston.org

Inspi(red)

Regular readers of St8 Up With A Twist know that for the past several months I have volunteered some time to work with World AIDS Day Houston. Realtor Alan invited me to a meeting and the timing of it was appropriate.

Last December when I was iJacked I decided that I would replace the iPod nano with a red iPod nano. I figured Apple could give a few dollars to Product Red. And of course I had to have a (RED) t-shirt from The Gap. Should I get TI(RED), BO(RED), ADMI(RED)? I purchased DA(RED).

And while I felt good that I was a part of a campaign that is endorsed by Oprah and is co-managed by Bono and that the money was going to fight AIDS in Africa I began to wonder what is being done locally? It was pointed out to me by someone that Oprah sees the world as one community. Good point. I still wanted to feel like I was making a difference on the local scene.

And yes, Legacy is a part of the fight against HIV/AIDS so I know I'm making a difference there. However, something was still missing and that is where World AIDS Day Houston filled the void.

A group of people came together to put the red ribbon back on the map in Houston. We have identified over 25 events that will be occuring this weekend. World AIDS Day is actually Dec. 1 and because it falls on a Saturday this year, it gives organizations and agencies the opportunity to schedule events over a three day period. The events are located under the EVENTS tab on
www.worldaidsdayhouston.org.

There is a performance on Saturday that I am going to attend. The Illumination Project will be presented at The Hobby Center at 800p. (The arts have probably been the hardest hit by HIV/AIDS.) Several performance groups in Houston have stated that they will do a moment of silence before the beginning of their performances and will distribute information about HIV/AIDS.

I hope that you will consider joining us on Saturday evening. If you can't, please consider attending one of the other events. At a minimum, take a moment wear a red ribbon on Saturday and/or take a moment to remember those who have passed away and those who fight HIV/AIDS everyday.

And as a reminder...HIV/AIDS isn't just a gay thing. The face of HIV/AIDS has changed over the years. As an example, 1 in 20 people in the District of Columbia has tested positive for the virus.

Also, take a look around town starting today. AIDS Foundation/Houston worked with Clear Channel to get 40 billboards for us.

Montrose Blvd @ Fairview (facing south)

And BTW, following The Illumination Project, we will be going to Meteor for a cocktail or two. Hope you can join us.

If you need more information, please contact me at:

absolutrunnr77007@yahoo.com

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 6.4

Belated birthday greetings to Neighbor Nina! Neighbor Nina's birthday was yesterday but I found out late in the day and then forgot to include it when I was doing the post last night.

Neighbor Nina is another good egg in my life. She is a little ball of energy and enthusiasm.

Neighbor Nina *hearts* Calvin. :-)

Dancing With The Stars (the drama continues)

Associated Press is reporting that Helio Castroneves (winner of Dancing With The Stars) is no longer engaged. It seems that the engagement ended a couple of weeks ago but wasn't announced until last night.

I was sorta wondering what was going on. During the finale, they showed snippets of friends and family wishing Mel B. and Helio good luck. They showed Helio's sister but not his fiance. Hmmm. At the end of the show, Juliann even said that she was going to teach Helio's fiance a few dance steps for the wedding reception. Hmmm. Yesterday on The View, Helio even mentioned his engagement. Hmmm.

I think Helio and Juliann make a cute couple. However, both of them are saying that there is nothing more than a Samba and Cha-Cha going on.

I think Helio delayed the announcement of the broken engagement because he was afraid the women of America would turn on him (even if it is a no-fault broken engagement) and he wouldn't get the votes.

When it's all said and done, he still gets the mirrored disco ball!

Tidbits

The Calvinator got away from me today. I had let him out before we were going for our mid-day stroll. When I went out to get him I couldn't find him. I could his tags jingling but I couldn't see him.

He forced his way through the wrought iron fence and was inside AttyHou and Everyday Italian's azalea bushes. He wouldn't come back through the fence and he was digging in his paws when I would try to pull him back through.

So I had to get the key to the gate next door and when he heard me he came running through the azaleas. OY!

I did get a 3 mile run in today. Weather was too nice not to be outside running.

World AIDS Day - Dec. 1

www.worldaidsdayhouston.org

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 6.3

So. Last night while I was working on my project I was also watching Dancing With The Stars. I was a bit afraid that the Osmonds and doll collectors would cast enough votes to get Marie Osmond into the finals. Don't get me wrong. I think Marie Osmond is funny. I LOL when she said she felt like Cinderella and the judges were the stepsisters. That was funny. Let's face it though. She couldn't compete with Helio and Mel B.

I was pulling for Helio but if Mel B. had won I would have been fine with that too. I was wondering what would have happened if Sabrina had not been eliminated so soon? Would it have been Sabrina, Helio and Mel B. in the semi-finals? Who knows.

I was happy to see Albert Reed again. He's another one who was voted off too early. If only I could move my hips like that! OK. Well let's start with, if only I had his body and/or his looks.

And as always, there was some sorta drama associated with the show. Mark Ballas was rushed by ambulance to the hospital after his performance. He had injured his arm and dancing last night made it worse.

And you know what, if I had Cameron Mathison's body and looks, I'd be walking around 1/2 naked on live television too! However, one must not forget that he is a soap star so that comes with the territory I guess.

And what is it with Wayne Newton's hair! It's getting worse. I believe the hair color is called Diner Waitress Jet Black.

In other news:

I think 48 degrees Fahrenheit is the point on the thermometer where I'm not sure what to wear when I going running. I went for a 3 mile jaunt this morning and wore shorts and a long-sleeve shirt. Might could have used some gloves. There were people out there all bundled up and there were people out there 1/2 naked.

And I think my fat ass might have been on the news this morning. Seriously.

I was finishing my run right before 700A and Channel 13 (the ABC affiliate) had a camera guy out there filming runners probably as the newscast was signing off; it was a beautiful morning. As I ran past him, I realized the camera was rolling. So it is quite possible my fat ass was on television. If you were home watching the news while eating breakfast, all I can say is seeing my fat ass run past the camera isn't a good way for you to start your day.

If you read I'm Not Fit To Run, you will recall that she ends her posts with a random thought. For instance, one day she wondered if they really give her what she orders at Starbucks (i.e. non-fat milk, etc.).

So that actually got me to thinking about some of my random fears and I will share one with you today.

After The Calvinator poops, he does this kicking thing that lasts a few seconds and there's grass and dirt flying. It's sorta like a Cha-Cha dance. He always steps away from the poop.

My fear is that one day when I am bending down to pick up the poop, he is going to kick it in my face. Is that a valid fear or WHAT?!

OK. I need to catch up with Project Runway. Looks like there is all sorts of drama going on.

World AIDS Day - Dec. 1

www.worldaidsdayhouston.org

Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction

I was going to title this Pay It Forward (revisited) but The Guy Who scared me into thinking that everyone associated with the story is going to die soon! :-)

There is no way I could make this up. Remember the story about me losing the notebook and someone finding it and calling a phone number in the notebook, etc., etc., etc.

So. Today I call Tony and ask him if I can come by and get my notebook. He told me I could pull into the taxi zone by the Continental building and he'd run out. I got there early enough to snag a meter spot so I waited in the lobby of the building. I actually miss working downtown. Something about the hustle and bustle and being a tunnel rat.

So. Tony meets me after I call him to let him know that I am waiting. VERY nice guy. He handed me my notebook and I could tell that several cars had run over it because the spiral binding is a bit warped. And there are a few tire marks on some of the pages.

I notice that Tony is wearing a Strake Jesuit sweater. Turns out that his son is a student there. I told him that I went to a Catholic high school in Ft. Worth.

I told him that I had told several people the story about him seeing the notebook and going back around to get it. That morning he was late to work. He said that he happened to say a prayer and hoped that someone would get the notebook and then he realized that if he didn't go and get it no one would so that is why he went back several blocks.

He said that once he got the notebook and saw some of the items in there he realized it could be important. So he said another prayer that he would find the owner. And as it turns out he only called one person and that was Elaine. Of all of the phone numbers in the book he picked the one that would actually figure out who the notebook belonged to!

So I told him about my prayer to Saint Anthony and he just smiled. I'm telling ya. There is something to saying a prayer every now and then.

We chatted some more and he had to get to a meeting and my meter was running. It was really nice meeting Tony.

I didn't tell him about my blog but wouldn't it be funny if somehow he stumbled across it. And to all of you wisenheimers who think you might be able to pull a fast one on me, I know Tony's last name so don't try to pull one on me 'cause I'll ask you for your last name!

In other news:

I had to miss a Krewe meeting tonight. I sorta had a panic attack this afternoon about getting something done and I knew that I would be a wreck sitting in the meeting worrying about it.

Didn't go running today. Didn't go to the gym. Instead, I pulled a homemade rum cake out of the freezer and had a slice. I'm gonna get as big as a house I tell ya!

World AIDS Day - Dec. 1

www.worldaidsdayhouston.org

If I only had a heart

Was I the last to know that Dick Cheney actually has a heart? It is obviously a bad one.

Dancing With The Stars

Because I was on the radio this evening, I had to miss part of Dancing With The Stars. So when I got home I watched the freestyle dancing.

I was a bit disappointed with Mel B. Don't get me wrong. She was good but there wasn't much pizazz.

Marie Osmond had me laughing because I couldn't figure it out. I mean I sorta knew what they were trying to do but it didn't quite work for me. I kept thinking that when he wound her up she would loosen up and do a good dance.

It was my man Helio that won the judges over with this freestyle. And once again, he put a smile on my face. OK...he sorta screwed one of the lifts when Julieann (sp) was coming out of it but other than that he did a great job. His smile is infectious.

I'm gonna have to miss most of the finale tomorrow night but I'll watch a tape of it.

And I'm curious about something. Does Victoria Beckham have to work hard at not smiling?

In other news:
I met up with runnerOne at Memorial Park tonight for some more speed work. We did 400m sprints and I actually surprised myself. I wouldn't start calling myself FloJo but...

World AIDS Day-Dec. 1

www.worldaidsdayhouston.org

On the radio (tonight)

Just had a brief conversation with someone.

I will be on the radio tonight with a couple of other guys talking about World AIDS Day Houston. If you are in the Houston area, you can tune into 90.1 at 800p. If you are outside of the Houston area, you can stream it at www.kpft.org.

Hope you'll tune in!

timmy

World AIDS Day Houston - Dec. 1

www.worldaidsdayhouston.org

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 6.2

This is an enhanced version of T 'n T for Sunday November 25, 2007.

Pay It Forward

On Tuesday night, when I left for Reef and then Cyclone Anaya's, I took my little notebook with me because it had some phone numbers in there that I might need. In that notebook were notes from various meetings as well as all of my physical activities and a grocery list. You get the picture.

So I get to Ft. Worth and I can't find the notebook that I thought was in The Cal Mobile. And of course one of the phone numbers that I needed while I was in Ft. Worth was in there! UGH.

I get back to Houston and look all over The Cal Mobile again. No sign of it. I look in some bags from Target (from Tuesday); not there. UGH! Yesterday I even said a prayer to St. Anthony who is the patron saint of lost causes.

So this morning I get a phone call from Elaine. Elaine was one of the ladies who worked at Tropical Depression #46. I haven't talked to Elaine in about a month so I'm thinking, "How nice to hear from her."

Sidebar: If you live in Houston and if you ever need dependable help at a party, hire Elaine.

So Elaine starts to ask me if I've lost a notebook and I tell her that I'm going nuts trying to find it. She got a phone call from a guy named Tony who found her phone number in there and note about September 15 (which happened to be the day of Tropical Depression #46). He called her on Wednesday but until today she couldn't remember where she was on on September 15 and then it clicked.

So after a nice chat with Elaine (BTW...she is also looking for a job. She has experience with medical records and she also has cared for people who are home bound.) I call Tony. I introduce myself and mention Elaine's name and then it clicks with him who I am.

He said he was on his way to work on Wednesday and saw a notebook in the street on Brazos. He thought it might be important so he went back around and picked it up.

I'm going to get it from him in a few days.

So, a gold star to Tony and a gold star to Elaine. It is a nice reminder that there are some good people in this world. And I hope that one day, someone does them a big favor too.

I've commented on here about paying it forward. And it goes with that saying that I will misquote and I can't remember who said it, "The good that you do is the good that you will receive in return."

Grande Sugar-free Cinnamon Dolce Latte non-fat with no whip and with an extra pump and an extra shot

That's my new other favorite drink at the office these days.

It is actually much better if you don't do sugar-free and if you do whole milk and whipped cream.

Anywho. This morning I'm at the office at my big desk reading the paper, just minding my own business and a lady walks up to the table and lets out a scream of glee. Scared the sh_t outta me. Wait it gets better.

It's not me that she is happy to see. It is someone behind me. OK. That's cool BUT she throws her purse down on the other chair at my desk, puts her coffee down RIGHT in front of me, and lays down some sort of a plastic bag on MY NEWSPAPER and walks off!

Never acknowledges that I'm sitting there. She doesn't ask if she can lay claim to my big desk. She just does it.

Eventually she comes back to gather her belongings which I have rearranged, except for the purse, and still doesn't acknowledge me.

If it hadn't have been for the phone call from Elaine which happened after this incident at the office, I'd probably still be seething over it.

Oh. So on my way out of the office, I accidentally kicked her table. LOL I swear it was an accident!

Nanook Of The North

What are the chances of me hearing that name twice within less of 24 hours? LOL

So yesterday while I was working on cards, Unzipped comes on. I've seen this frockumentary umpteen times. I could watch it another umpteen times. Every time I watch it I still get excited when Isaac shows his collection.

In the movie he refers to Nanook Of The North for his inspiration. OK. So that was yesterday afternoon.
This morning as I'm leaving LeFittes I run into Cruise Director Tom. (Haven't seen him in awhile and he always makes me laugh because he usually has some good gossip about something.) We comment about the cold to the bone wet weather and he looks at the sweater I'm wearing and says, "You're all bundled up like Nanook Of The North." Go figure.

I've never watched the movie so I guess now it is time to do so.

Post-Thanksgiving/Holiday Party

So this afternoon I made my way up the road to the annual party given by Scott & Micheal and Steven & Grant. Can't remember why but last year I didn't attend.

A fun time was had by all. Many familiar faces and as always some new faces. Great conversation and many laughs. Embellishments to events and stories at the drop of a hat. For instance, I am now adding Hapsburg (EDIT: the correct spelling is Habsburg) to my name. Sort of a long story so just use your imagination.

I could have stayed another hour chatting and drinking but I left to go to the 500p Mass at St. Anne's because I thought it was the first Sunday of Advent only to find out it was the Feast of Christ The King which is the last Sunday of the year.

So I'm home now. The Calvinator has been walked and we're waiting for The Amazing Race!

World AIDS Day Dec. 1

www.worldaidsdayhouston.org

T 'n T (This and That for Nov. 25, 2007)

It's time to catch up and I'm not sure if I should go backwards or forwards or just ramble as I am prone to doing.

Belated Birthday Greetings

Saturday, Nov. 24 was JLo's Birthday. No, not THAT JLo. The JLo I'm referring to is the one who lives in North Carolina.

On paper JLo worked for me but in reality we worked together. She is another good egg in my life.

For her birthday, her husband gave her a dog but she can't get it until Dec. 24. So in the meantime they have to get the house ready for the new arrival.

Although I talk to JLo quite often, I have not seen her in awhile. Here is a picture of her.

Happy Birthday JLo!

Who Let The Dog's Out?

On Friday, Joe & Helen's house became Doggy Central Station. Here's what happened.

Joe & Helen have a Cocker Spaniel named Frex. He is almost 2 years old. Frex likes to steal The Calvinator's treats and food. With the exception of that, they get along.

Next on the list of players is Hogan. Hogan is a Golden Retriever that is the size of pony! He is very docile and he belongs to Richard. Richard is my red-headed quasi-adopted brother from England. It is a very long story but in a nutshell...when he moved to Ft. Worth to attend college my parents took him under their wing. He would attend Sunday Mass with them and join them for the family lunch. So in other words, when I left Ft. Worth, he took my place at the dinner table. He graduated and stayed in Ft. Worth and is now married and now has a dog. They came to visit on Friday.

So now we have: The Calvinator, Frex and Hogan.

While we were eating lunch and the three dogs were outside my brother arrives with his three dogs. He has two Schnauzers named Max and Buddy and little fluffy white dog named Fluffy. Those three dogs are hell on wheels.

Don't get me wrong. I like dogs but that was three dogs too many at Joe & Helen's house. Calvin had enough and started to rumble with Fluffy which made Helen scream. I was helping with the dishes and nobody would do anything so I had to crawl under the dining room table and break up the fight and even though Calvin didn't start it I took him to the other room to calm down. It was a bit much for both of us.

Speaking of Calvin

Joe & Helen had some of Helen's family over for Thanksgiving Day. Every time the doorbell would ring, Calvin had to run through the house to greet the new arrivals. So I'm sitting in the living room with him and my cousin Mario walks in.

Calvin is sitting on my lap being sociable. Mario walks up to him and says, "What's up dawg? That's D-A-W-G!" and he starts to laugh and shake Calvin's paw.

I see this look come across Calvin's face that says, "WTF?" and he starts to bark at Mario. LOL Mario walks off and I teasingly say, "Go get him." And he does! LOL He goes over to Mario and starts barking at him and tries to tear at his leather coat. Another cousin assumes that Calvin works for PETA. I think he was insulted that Mario called him a dog.

And speaking of Thanksgiving Day

It snowed. Yes, snow. It started with rain on Thursday afternoon and then it turned to sleet and then it started to snow. Big flakes.

Somebody commented that it never snows this early in Ft. Worth. While I agree with that, I reminded them that in 1992 (or 1993) on Thanksgiving Day it started to sleet around 1100A and it accumulated.

My brother had to take me downtown to catch a shuttle to the airport because I wanted to catch an early flight back to Houston. I was scheduled to leave late that night because I was the only in my office who was working on Friday.

Long story short, flights were cancelled at DFW and I did eventually make it back to Houston late that night. Lunch was pizza at the airport and dinner was some leftover Frito Pie that I had in my refrigerator.

And speaking of bad weather

It has been nasty here in The Bayou City. The downpour started some time after 430A and it continued most of the day.

I'm not sure the temperature ever got above 48 degrees Fahrenheit. It's the kind of cold that goes to the bone. YUCK!

So that catches us up. Except that I missed a party on Saturday night. I was laying on the couch and fell asleep and well...

Thanksgiving Day

This is a photo of some flowers that are at the entrance to the club house at Memorial Park.

The burst of orange and yellow is always a welcome sight when I'm out running.

I can't remember if it was Ann Landers or Dear Abby who said something like this:

Let us be grateful not only for what we have but let us also be grateful for what we have escaped.

I find that a bit humorous because I think of some of my antics, especially in New Orleans, and yet at the same time I find it striking close to home some times. For instance...

I was about 30 minutes late yesterday making my way with The Calvinator to Joe & Helen's. Not quite over the river and through the woods because I never really drove through the woods. I finally did cross the Trinity River; just barely.

Along the way, just outside of Calvert we came upon a serious car accident. The Jaws of Life were being used and Life Flight was on the scene. It wasn't a good scene.

It got me to thinking. If I had left 30 minutes earlier, would I have witnessed the accident? Would I have been a part of the accident? In case you can't tell it really bothered me.

This morning after walking The Calvinator I made my way to the local Starbucks. It was a bit cold outside (37 degrees Fahrenheit). I was listening to NPR and they were talking about a small restaurant (Norma's) that serves a free Thanksgiving Dinner. It reminded me of one particular Thanksgiving.

I was a member of the East Fort Worth Rotary Club. It was a club tradition to provide a Thanksgiving lunch for those who couldn't afford the meal. That particular year the family was doing dinner so I spent a few hours serving tea & coffee and busing tables. It really put things in perspective. It also reminded me that I need to be grateful for what I have.

Things may not always be coming up roses and daffodils, sunshine and Santa Claus, or bright lights and lollipops but I do have great set of friends and family, a roof over my head, a dog who loves me because I feed him and a pantry full of vodka and a wine collection that will see me through a few years.

It's sorta like that lyric, "And when we're weary and we can't sleep we count our blessings instead of sheep..."

Wishing all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving.

World AIDS Day - Dec. 1

www.worldaidsdayhouston.org

"Hey lolly lolly. Hey lolly lolly."

This is Wanda Adams. Wanda is in a run-off for Houston City Council District D. Up until last night I had never met Wanda but I had heard of her. Good Egg Kathryn (GEK) invited me to a fundraiser last night at Reef. Not one to pass up an opportunity to meet a candidate, I went to Reef. Nice group of people.

Of course Wanda was there and I'm glad I got to meet her. If I could vote for her, I would but you see, I don't live in her district so I can't. If you want to know more about Wanda, you can go to http://www.wandaadamsforhouston.com/. AND you can also make a contribution to her campaign.

I had to leave GEK and Wanda Adams at Reef and head over to the Hyatt to pick up a couple of guys. HA! Not what you think.

You see, Danny and John are visiting from San Francisco. The last time that I saw them there cocktails, beads and costumes involved because we were in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. What happens in New Orleans doesn't always stay in New Orleans and unfortunately Danny has seen me at my best(?) in the Big Easy.

We headed over to Cyclone Anaya's in Midtown for Mexican food, BIG frozen Margaritas (with frozen Sangria), and intoxicating repartee. Later we were joined by Ray & Bill.

Danny cracks me up. When he lived in Houston he lived in my apt. complex. He lived by the back pool and was always ready with his blender to make frozen adult concoctions for an impromptu party. Many good times were had with Danny at JRs for 99 cent vodka drinks and karaoke. Once again, he has seen me at my best(?) on a Sunday afternoon-evening-Monday morning.

Danny told John that I was coming to pick them in The Cal Mobile. He told John that my dog's nickname is Cal and John thought he said cow and couldn't figure out why I named my dog a cow. If I had a cat, would it be named pig? LOL

While we were having dinner, someone at the table asked about Wocky Molee and then asked about Enchee Lada. I was a bit confused only to realize that they were asking if I had heard from Kaye Sedilla! LOL I do know that Kaye is still on her world tour (The Hot Tamale Tour). I'm sure she will be pleased to know that people are asking about her. I informed our San Francisco visitors that if they could arrange it, Kaye could do a show in The City By The Bay.

I'm not sure (oh wait I think I do know) how it happened but at one point I found myself leading the table in a rousing version of "It's just an itty bitty pissant country place. Nothing much to see. No drinking allowed..." And at one point I was trying to remember the words to that Telephone Man(?) song. "I got it with a buzz and I got with a ring....I even got a dingaling...Hey lolly lolly. Hey lolly lolly." Danny + alcohol ./. show tunes = lots of laughs.

I left the bois on the doorstep of Cyclone Anaya's after singing "One hand in my pocket..." and "Big Mess..."(to the tune of Go West).

I had awakened early and did a jaunt at Memorial Park and was scheduled to meet runnerOne this morning for a speed workout on the track. So I needed to get to bed at a decent hour.

I got home in time to see Jennie(sp) Garth voted off Dancing With The Stars. She needed to go but at least she did it on a high note. The previous night she received a perfect score of 30 for one of her performances. I am happy that my man Helio is in the finals!

That sorta catches me up. I would like to tell you about an odd coincidence that happened but I'm afraid it might jinx me. I will tell you that the laughter I shared last night with GEK and then with the boys was definitely a mood enhancer.

Catch up with you soon!

I'm Still Here (Nov. 20)

UGH! I'm humming that song (I'm Still Here). Will probably have to play it on the iPod nano just to get it out of my head.

I've had quite a bit going on and once again, I can't blog about it. It's called an implied confidentiality agreement. Also, The Calvinator and I are preparing to go and visit Joe & Helen. Well, I'm preparing and he is sleeping. In addition to not getting much sleep last night because of stuff weighing on my mind, he decided to run through the house everytime he heard a cat outside. Let's see, it started at 200A and continued until 430A.

I did a good 3 mile run in on Monday and today. I haven't been eating much so maybe I'll lose some weight from running and not eating.

RichardP & BillS had a wonderful soiree on Saturday night at their new adobe. It was a good mix of people.

We got a huge @ss amount of rain on Sunday morning. I'm not complaining because we needed it.

G & Gidget are in town. It was fun to hang out with G on Sunday afternoon.

All kinds of parties are on the horizon and I plan on going to as many as possible. I really enjoy being around people.

World AIDS Day Houston events are all posted on the website (http://www.worldaidsdayhouston.org/). At a minimum wear something read on Dec. 1 or wear a red ribbon. There are free events and some not so free events planned for Nov. 30 - Dec.2. I'm planning on going to the Illumination Project on Dec. 1.

And now here is a list of things that I have been reminded of the past few days:

• Sometimes doing the right thing isn't the easiest thing to do.
• If you made a mistake, own up to it even if it was from two years ago.
• When you stick to the facts and take the emotion out of things, it makes things much clearer.
• God does answer your prayers but remember, "No" is also an answer.
• There are good people in this world. You may have to step in sh_t when you're trying to find them but remember that they are there.
• Bad communication can make a situation worse than it really is and good communication can clear things up.

Catch up with y'all later!

Frito Pie

What are the origins of the frito and frito pie?

The San Antonio snack started in a kitchen

By JOHN MACCORMACKSan Antonio Express-news

If the 75th anniversary of the commercialization of the fried corn chip went largely unobserved by Texans this year, the regional cult of the Frito pie quietly thrives.

You can still buy a bowl of chili, corn chips and cheese— onions and hot sauce optional — in eateries around the state. At least one public school district, San Antonio's Northside ISD, still serves Frito pies for student lunches.

"I make about 10 Frito pies a day. It's the only thing we sell after the kitchen closes at night," said Rick Naylor, a cook at Casbeers, a funky enchilada and live music joint on Blanco Road in San Antonio.

Most Frito pies are served out of doors, at high school football games, rodeos and county fairs. The recipe is simple: Just dump some chili and cheese into an open bag of Fritos, grab a plastic spoon and dig in.

The official company history of the Frito begins in 1932, when Elmer Doolin, owner of a confectionary company in San Antonio, expanded his product line by buying a fried corn chip snack business from a Mexican expatriate eager to return home.

At first, Doolin, his brother Earl and his mother Daisy made the chips in the kitchen, hand-rolling masa dough and frying up the chips. A bag cost a nickel. Profits at first averaged $2 a day, according to the company account.

But Fritos caught on, and Doolin soon moved production to his garage, using a "hammer press" which could knock out 100 pounds an hour. The rest, as they say, is history.

Eventually, the company moved to Dallas, merged first with the Lay Co. and later with the Pepsi-Cola Co. (now Pepsico) in 1965. The company now sells more than a billion bags of Fritos a year in the United States, using 230 million pounds of corn annually.

As for the Frito pie's origins, credit is often given to Daisy Doolin, although competing claims are still heard from diehard fans of the Woolworths in Santa Fe, N.M.

Back at Casbeers, $3.95 will get you a nice bowl of the concoction, served on a doily. Local custom calls for a Big Red on the side. Some folks just can't kick the habit.

Waitress Michelle LaGue said the ladies from the print shop up the street often stop by for a bowl, as does a guy working construction nearby.

"He always orders his with an extra bag of chips in the bowl," she said.

I woke up this morning with a bit of an upset tummy which doesn't set well with running. What to do? I gave it a little while to settle down and then took The Calvinator for his morning stroll.

On our stroll, I saw Neighbor Mike & Jack. You may recall that Jack *hearts* Calvin. Neighbor Mike is a good egg. Talking with Neighbor Mike is always a nice way to start the day. Most of our conversations take place at 6something in the morning when we're both 1/2 asleep and both have bed head.

I made my way over to the park and some man gave me a Go To Hell Look because he thought I was giving up my parking spot when actually I was just getting there. You see, I leave my running shoes in the back of The Cal Mobile and don't put them on until I get there. Then I have to put Body Glide on my thunder thighs so that I don't get chafing. Then I have to make sure that I take precautions not to get bloody nipples. And then get the iPod nano.

So I'm not even paying attention to what is happening around me and this guy is waiting for my spot. When I finally realize that is hovering over me with his Toyota FJ Cruiser (blue with a white top), I wave him on and then I get the dirty look. I have to remind myself that the day started off with talking to a good egg so I can't let him get to me.

(Oh. And speaking of not paying attention to what is going on around me. I forgot to tell you something.

Thursday I was preoccupied with how to handle a frustrating situation. I went to LeFittes and had a good workout. Sitting in the steam room and sauna always seems to relax me so I did that too. So I'm leaving LeFittes and it is dark and I'm parked on the side of the building. I get to The Cal Mobile and out of nowhere a man pops up next to me and wants some money or something.

I say something because he scared the beejeezus outta me and I didn't hear what he was saying. I jumped in the car, slammed the door, locked it and sped outta there. It's a good thing I wasn't packing heat. I did drive around looking for the security guard and ended up driving back to the front desk and telling them what happened.

So be careful out there. Seriously.)

Anywho, prior to my run I ran into another good egg, RichardP. I congratulated him on winning his age group in the HMSA 25K last week. He was running a gazillion miles this morning. Good for him. :-)

He is trying to increase his speed so that he can be an invited runner for the marathon in January. Uh, you'll never see my name on the invited runner list so at least I can SAY that I know an invited runner.

I couldn't decide if I should run 9 or 10 miles this morning. Mile 8 was tough. I lost my concentration. At around 8.5 I decided to top it out at 9.5 miles. Well, that was the plan but somehow I missed my 1/4 mile marker to turn around after I finished 9 miles. When I realized what happened I knew that I was somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 so I turned around. So I'm guessing I did 9.75 miles or so this morning.

The morning brought me another good egg. Just as I was heading toward The Cal Mobile I saw G. She is in from St. Louis. She was at the park with Gidget. Chatted with her for a bit. I was a bit wet with sweat so we bid adieu and made tentative plans for brunch on Sunday.

So it was a morning filled with good eggs. A nice way to start the day.

PS I did have to take a long nap this afternoon. I ain't as young as I used to be. :-)

World AIDS Day Houston

Community Advocates Shine Spotlight on World AIDS Day

by Reviving Red Ribbon AIDS Awareness in Houston

Houston—A group of community advocates began convening earlier this year to plan activities around World AIDS day 2007 and is looking to revive AIDS awareness in Houston for this year’s internationally recognized day on December 1. The group wants the formerly commonplace symbol of AIDS Awareness – the red ribbon – to be as ubiquitous as the yellow ribbon for support of U.S. troops and the pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness.

The group, called World AIDS Day Houston, was born out of one person’s frustration with the continuing worldwide pandemic. Jane Weiner, artistic director for Hope Stone, Inc. a local theater and dance ensemble troupe, read about the numbers of children in Africa and Bosnia with HIV/AIDS and at the same time saw the focus shift off of the devastating disease.

“I got mad and fed up,” says Weiner, whose Hope Stone dance troupe participates in the annual World AIDS Day benefit performance, The Illuminations Project, now in its sixth year. “AIDS is gaining numbers but losing steam in the public eye. Today, more than ever, AIDS needs to be brought back into the spotlight so we can eradicate it.”

Weiner was involved in the artistic scene in New York City in the late 1980s and saw so many young dancers get HIV/AIDS and die. When her dance partner, Ben, found out his husband had AIDS and subsequently died, Weiner promised herself and her friends that she would always work toward ending the pandemic that has now taken the lives of 25 million people worldwide since 1981, according to UNAIDS.

“AIDS is not going away,” says Matt Harris, chair of the Illuminations Project who has been helping Weiner organize and mobilize this group of community advocates. “It's amazing that we, as a society, still cannot have an open and honest discussion about HIV/AIDS. We are talking about human beings who deserve our compassion and care, not our contempt and disregard.”

The World AIDS Day Houston group has been meeting for the last six months discussing ways to bring about AIDS awareness in Houston. Committee members have been collecting information on World AIDS Day-related events and plan to produce a postcard and website that will list a variety of events that will take place from November 30 through December 2. These events include health fairs, HIV testing events, remembrance ceremonies, religious services, art installations, and, of course, The Illumination Project.

World AIDS Day Houston has also been buying up red ribbons by the thousands. Committee members plan to have them available at community centers, HIV/AIDS organizations, coffee shops, theaters, and bars, as well as at every World AIDS Day related event.

World AIDS Day Houston is comprised of representatives from a variety of nonprofit organizations, including Bering Omega Community Services, Catholic Charities, Montrose Counseling Center, Center for AIDS, Houston Area Community Services, Houston GLBT Community Center, AIDS Foundation Houston, Planned Parenthood, the Gay and Lesbian Latino Organization, and Legacy Community Health Services. There are also representatives from churches, including Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church and First Unitarian Universalist Church, and charitable groups like the Empire of the Royal and Sovereign Imperial Court of the Single Star, Bayou City Boys Club, Bunnies on the Bayou, and the Imperial Court of Houston. They have a website at http://www.worldaidsdayhouston.org/.

“I realized some time ago that there are so many others doing so much on a daily basis to fight this disease and I think this committee is just an extension of that,” says Harris. “AIDS is not just about tragedy but about triumph and above all else...about remembering.”

Started on December 1, 1988, World AIDS Day was created to increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education about AIDS across the planet. According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 39.5 million people living with HIV, including 2.3 million children. During 2006 some 4.3 million people became newly infected with the virus; around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35. World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.


Hope Stone, Inc. is a not-for-profit arts organization that strives to create the joining of dance/theater in the traditional performance setting, coupled with the teaching of art in the lives of children. Founded in 1997, Hope Stone’s goal is to present performance art in some of the varied ways, shapes and forms. Hope Stone, Inc. has a 2,300 square foot studio at 1210 W. Clay, Suite 26.


The Illumination Project is an annual dance and music performance event held each year on World AIDS Day benefiting a local HIV/AIDS service organization. Now in its sixth year, The Illumination Project is lighting the way for Houston HIV/AIDS organizations by raising much needed funds for community outreach and assistance programs. This year’s unique collaborative event will be held on Saturday, December 1 at 8:00pm at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts and will feature performances by Two Star Symphony, David Neumann, The Elements of Vogue, Andee Scott and Hope Stone with the Houston Boy Choir.

Five Things

UGH! LOL I got tagged by Margo. So I need to put down five random things about me.

1. On my 37th birthday I wanted to see how much I could do in NYC in 24 hours or less. I went by myself. The highlight of the trip was talking live to Katie Couric during the 830A segment. She wished me a happy birthday and then asked if I was 40. Hence, I had to return when I turned 40.

2. I went to parochial school for 12 years. The first 8 I was at a school run by The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and the next 4 I was at a school run by the Marianists Brothers & Priests along with the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur. I went to college at a Methodist institution and received a C in New Testament Studies. Go figure.

3. As a kid my parents had to purchase my clothes in the Husky Department at Montgomery Ward. Throughout my life my weight has fluctuated. Oprah and I could be BFF.

4. I'm looking for a job in Special Event/Meeting/Conference planning or Development/Advancement work. If you're hiring, let me know.

5. Back in the '90s I started hand painting note cards. I stopped doing it for awhile and I've started doing it again. So if you need a unique gift for someone, let me know.

I'm having a really frustating day today. That's about all I can say about it. Can't and don't want to go into details. I haven't felt this way in a long time.

Adding to it is that I think I'm a wuss. I woke up this morning and could hear the wind gusting at about 23 m.p.h. A cold/cool front blew in which I really appreciate. However, I wanted to go running this morning but didn't want to be out there in windy conditions. I did get a short run in yesterday.

I'm either going to go spinning or do weights and see if I can work out some of this frustration.

I'm also very disturbed by a story that I saw on the news last night and again today. On Sunday morning while The Calvinator & I were watching the HMSA 25K I heard an explosion and then remembered that they were imploding a hotel in the Texas Medical Center.

Well as it turns out, there could (repeat: could) have been a person in the building. Someone was filming the implosion and right before it was ignited a door was opened and the image looks like someone could have been standing in a doorway.

Yesterday and today they've had the K-9 units going through the rubble. Let's just hope the wind (although the wind wasn't blowing on Sunday morning) caught the door and created that image.

So the other night before I knew about this, I had a dream that a building in Denver where my former place of employment is located was having explosions in the building. The only people who were able to get out were those of us who were visitors. We ran across the street as the explosions continued and I was calling people but no one would answer.

I swear I haven't had any alcohol since Saturday night!

The Calvinator slept really well last night. :-) I gave him an adult Benadryl to see if that will stop his scratching and licking. He was still a bit drowsy this morning.

Project Runway Season 4

"Hello old friend." Remember that line from Monster-In-Law? That's how I feel about Project Runway on Bravo. Season 4 premieres tonight at 900p CST/1000p EST. I can't wait! It's been way too long.

I haven't looked at the bios yet on the designers. I sorta wanna be surprised. I'll wait until after the show. Full disclosure though. Somehow I found about one of the guys and then looked at his MySpace page but I didn't dwell much on it. The less I know the better off I'll be watching tonight with an unbiased mind. Full disclosure though. He is cute. :-)

Here is a card that I found eons ago that I have been saving for tonight. Enjoy! and Make it work!

The Un-Gala

So last night I met with a group of people to talk about some stuff. I saw Barista Brandon who always makes me smile.

During our conversation about stuff, I was asked about the dinner on Saturday night. I expressed my disappointment in Ru. One of the guys commented on how we are always so critical of the event (which isn't totally true because in previous years I have given kudos for them bringing in Judith Light, Kathy Griffin and Leslie Jordan) but yet we continue to go.

This then morphed into a discussion about the good work that the group does, etc. and how we will always support them even if the entertainment is a bit questionable.

So on the heels of that conversation, I run across this,

From Page 6 @ http://www.nypost.com/:

November 11, 2007 -- JOHN Waters, the demented genius behind “Hairspray" and “A Dirty Shame," has come up with a new way to raise money. Instead of a black-tie dinner filled with boring speeches, bad music and worse food, he's dreamed up what he calls “an un-gala. You have to prove your outfit cost less than $200. You have to have been photographed in it one time before and bring the picture," he told Lisa Phillips, the director of the new Museum of Contemporary Art on The Bowery, in an interview in the new issue of Bergdorf Goodman magazine. “The cleaning crew . . . gives the speeches. You draw a ticket to which table you sit at. There are no power tables." Phillips wondered, “Would anyone come?" Waters: “You don't tell them till they get there! And you let everyone in free and make 'em pay to get out. That definitely would work. You could have fun with the whole thing. And un-raise money."

In other news...

I decided I didn't want to get as big as a house so I got up this morning and had a good 3.5 mile run. Maybe I'll just get as big as a condo.

Monday funny

I saw this the other day on Kenneth In The 212 and it made me laugh. Don't get me wrong. I thought Sarah Jessica Parker was great as Carrie but this cracks me up.

Who was it that said something like: Time is the only enemy of the beautiful and the innocent.

Spread the cheer

and no I don't mean the laundry detergent.

Yesterday I was feeling like I had a bad case of jet lag. Didn't get much sleep so I was up early and took The Calvinator down to the HMSA 25K course to watch the runners. I was really feeling for those people. You could see the sweat flying off of them and that was on the first loop. I've done that run before and it is an unforgiving three loops from downtown to Shepherd (@Memorial). Sort of like doing the Hokey Pokey "...and turn yourself around..."

It was way to warm of a morning to be running a 25K. It almost seemed like a Summer morning. Montrose RichardP was looking good. He ended up winning his age group. You geaux Montrose RichardP.

I finally took a 2.5 hour nap while I was watching a story about Jimmy Hoffa. When I awakened it was too late to go to the 500P Mass and I wasn't feeling so chipper. That all changed when I watched The Amazing Race (TAR).

Well let me get the unpleasantness out of the way. There is a father and daughter team who are competing and he is an @ss. He is VP/Sales for some company and I can't imagine what his employees must have to put up with. He was making his own daughter cry. He wouldn't shut up.

What got me laughing was the Detour. One team member had to pole vault across a drainage ditch to get the next clue and then vault back. OMG I was laughing so hard because a few of them were landing in the muck and would have to try again. My laughter turned to complete horror (not really but sorta) when the grandfather of the grandfather/grandson team stripped down to some over sized bikini brief underwear. LOL I'm sure the townspeople were thinking Crazy American right before they went blind from looking at him.

So laughing that hard perked me up a bit.

I had every intention of getting up and running this morning but well it didn't happen. And I resigned myself to the fact that I will become as big as a house.

However, this morning something really nice happened. I walked into the office to get my Iced Grande Sugar-free Gingerbread Non-fat Latte and one of the folks there said it was on the house! WHAT?!?! FREE?!?!

He said he wanted to spread the cheer and for me to spread the cheer today. So while I was sitting there drinking my Iced Grande Sugar-free Gingerbread Non-fat Latte he brought me a piece of Gingerbread. What does HE want I kept thinking? (I do have a cynical side.) So once again, he said he wanted me to have a good day and to spread the cheer. UGH. A double whammy of cheer I have to spread?

I took The Calvinator to the vet and when I got the bill I wasn't feeling so cheerful. Please start looking for me at the corner of Shepherd & Memorial (in the afternoons) and please put some quarters in my jar when I beg from you. I'll be dressed nice so that I don't frighten you.

Rather than make some snide remark about "This is the big one Elizabeth. I'm coming to see you." I took it in stride, thanked them, smiled, walked into the parking lot with Calvin and vomited. (OK, not really. Just trying to be dramatic.) While I didn't exactly spread some cheer at the vet's office I figured we were all better off by me not saying something about the cost of the visit.

So the best way for me to spread the cheer today is to make you laugh. This is a portion of an email that I received today from Kenny In Montrose (KIM). It had me LOL!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I walked into Kroger Saturday morning & the store was jam packed with employees and management (local & district). All were busily preparing for Santa's imminent arrival.

Everyone was wearing elf hats. Poinsettias flooding out of the floral shop, garland & wreaths were on all walls. Fake snow covered the Healthy Choice cooler. Jingle bells was blaring on the muzak, & I could hear live performers with hand bells.

The meat section was loaded with hams & turkeys. Employees were handing out gingerbread cookies & holiday beverages on almost every aisle. The floor to ceiling Christmas tree by the main entrance is grand. It's Christmas!

I felt awkward. How did Christmas just sneak up on me? I just posted Halloween pictures. Sure - my Walgreens has been celebrating Christmas since the 4th of July but no one pays attention to that. As I was leaving Kroger & the cashier wished me Merry Christmas, I was a little disoriented but once I stepped outside & saw that the entire shopping center is covered in Christmas decorations, I realized that it is November & that I am late.

So please allow me to wish you a belated Merry Christmas 2008 & also allow me to wish you a slightly early Merry Christmas 2009 (you can never be too early where Christmas in concerned.)

So in the spirit of the day, I guess I should say, "Don we now our gay apparel."

OH! Before I forget...the radio interview from the other morning is already on the station's website. It can be found at http://www.kpft.org/. Select Archives. It will ask if you want to register as a user (it is optional) and the look for After Hours 11/11/07. At the start of the show is some banter and announcements, followed by an interview with Shy Anne and then we're on.

Saturday Night Recap

So I got home from The Houston Black Tie Dinner a bit after 1100p. As I had stated in a previous post, I usually partake of too many adult beverages at this event but tonight I kept it in control. Don't get me wrong. I still had a few but because I drove myself downtown I knew that I couldn't be a lush tonight. Dammit!

It was a very nice evening. I'm gonna be honest with you. I was a bit bored with Ru. Just my opinion. I had a better time visiting with folks. Met a fun couple who own a couple of bars in Houston. They were late getting to our table because they went to the wrong event in the Hyatt. So they sorta ate dinner twice. Sounds like something I would do. (Remind me to tell you what I did yesterday.) Had a fun time talking with Bill and Tony who were also at the table with me.

It's funny that when I was a kid I was very shy. People would talk to me and I would hide behind my mother. People also would tell me I had the prettiest eyelashes. Haven't heard THAT in awhile.

The reason I bring up the shyness is because tonight when I was standing in line waiting for a Martini (str8upwithatwist) a guy behind me introduced himself to me. I thought he looked familiar and it turns out he runs at Memorial Park and is training for the marathon in January. He said he is usually a shy person and doesn't talk to strangers. Considering we were in that Martini line for awhile we could have met, dated and broken up by the time we got our drinks.

So it got me to thinking: when did I get over my shyness? I really don't know. I think it was when I discovered the stage and lights and applause in high school when I played Linus in You're A Good Man Charlie Brown.

Every now and then I do find myself reverting back the 5 year old who clams up. I do know that a few cocktails erases the shyness.

I did the radio interview this morning at 100A at KPFT for World AIDS Day Houston. I'm a bit wired right now not from the flow of adrenaline but from the 1.5 Rock Stars that I had when I got home from being downtown.

I was drinking the purple one with guava.

I didn't want to fall asleep talking on the radio. I may have over done it on the Rock Star though. Maybe I should fold laundry or something. The Calvinator is passed out.

The radio show went really well. And no I didn't have to get naked. Falcon, Matt, Bryan and I were interviewed by Jimmy. I'm not sure how many people were listening but when I got home I did have an email from someone who stayed up to listen to it and Bryan's bf called from SD (he was listening to it via the web).

So yes, once again it is in the wee hours of the morning on a Sunday and I'm blogging. Wish I had some sleeping pills! At this rate, I'm still gonna be awake when the 25K run starts at 700A. I should just plan on going down to Memorial & Shepherd and cheer them on. Actually I'm getting hungry but how pathetic would it be for me to walk into House of Pies (aka House of Guys) by myself at 230A? I'm probably better off folding laundry.

On the radio. Oh oh oh oh On the radio (singing like Donna Summer)

So this morning before I go and do my 9 mile run, I read this email:

Subject: RE: radio interview
Hey everyone,

OK, the address is ______, one block south of _______. The closest cross street is ____.
Plan on being there around 12:45-1:00. I doubt the interview will actually start until 1:20 or so.

You will be interviewed by ________ and _______. _______ will most likely provide most of the questions.

It is a very relaxed atmosphere and they tend to cut up a bit. I will be there also since it is also _______ night to be on the program.

As far as clothing, they prefer naked, but I have never obliged.

I am not sure if either of you have ever been on the radio, but it is easy. They make you very comfortable and you are usually talking to _______ face to face and you don't really notice the microphone.

Thanks,
_______

OK. Did you read the part about being naked? LOL I guess if you're on the radio it really doesn't matter what you are wearing but uh...hmmm....I'm gonna opt for casual attire or I might still be in my tux.

If you live in the greater Houston area and you're up at 100A Sunday morning (as in tonight going into tomorrow), listen to KPFT 90.1. I'll be there with a few other guys talking about World AIDS Day Houston.

Koala Kronicles

(EDIT: If you're new to this blog you may think that I just returned from Australia. The trip was 5 years ago and I was reliving some good times.)

I know that one should never have regrets about things that have happened in the past. We all have our "I should have done..." lists.

Well, one of the things I should have done was print out or save to a diskette my Koala Kronicles. You see, everyday I would send an e-mail to family and friends and tell them what I had done the day before which according to their calendar was actually the same day of me writing my column. So if on Friday I was writing about what I did on Thursday, they were actually reading it on Thursday. Confusing isn't it?

From what I recall, my columns were quite funny. I even had a contest one day and offered prizes to the first three people to answer the question.

And since I promised my blog readers I wouldn't spend all week boring you with my trip Down Under I thought I'd do a recap at the end of the week. So here ya go with some highlights...not Nina Garcia Fashion Editor of Elle Magazine highlights...just highlights from the trip.

I went to the zoo and I wanted to see a dingo. Well the dingo wouldn't come out to see me. So for a day I kept saying to myself, "The dingo ate my baby." Can you name the movie that the line came from? Cute David from SFO was the first to reply followed by runnerOne and then JKaye.

One of the weirdest things that happened was when I was in the hotel and was getting ready to head out for one of my field trips and I had the telly on in the background. They interrupted the broadcast to bring live coverage from the States of Winona Ryder in the court room getting ready to hear her verdict in the shoplifting trial(?). My column for the next day was titled Koala Interrupted (get it? Girl Interrupted...her movie.)

The people in SYD were awesome. However, they were still reeling from the bombing in Bali that killed a bunch of Aussie nationals who were on holiday. It was the equivalent of our 9/11 and it was like they were our brothers in arms. Sydney Mark who is a friend of a friend kept me entertained part of the time I was there. The perfect host.

I do think I spent too much time thinking about koalas and hanging out at Starbucks. I had a dream one night and I kept saying, "No more koalas. No more koalas."

The beaches in SYD are beautiful. I didn't make it to the famous Bondi Beach. There was one too many bus transfers to make and I was afraid I'd end up in the outback rather than on the beach. So instead I went to Manly Beach. It sounded like the butch thing to do.

I ran a 1/2 marathon while I was there. I'm glad I didn't plan on doing the whole marathon because it was hotter than Georgia asphalt that day.

The chocolate macadamia nuts were yummy. I forgot how many boxes I brought back with me. I did give some away but I ate most of them.

I first saw Mamma Mia! in SYD. So every time I see Mamma Mia! I think of SYD.

One of my favorite quotes is this:

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." - St. Augustine

Sydney Opera House

Manly Beach

You pay $2AUS to visit with the koalas. However, they're only awake a couple of hours a day so there's no guarantee they'll be awake when you're there. So there's a mad rush off of the ferry to get in the koala line. Well it's only a mad rush if you're hellbent like me to have you're photo taken with the critters.

Those claws look like they would hurt.

This is a tasmanian devil.

OK. Maybe, just maybe I was in Oz a bit too long and spent too much time visting Starbucks.

And the name of the movie was A Cry In The Dark starring Meryl Streep.

RuPaul (revisted)

So this morning, I get this message:

Black Tie Dinner Ticket Holders: Important Information

Important information about the
2007 Houston Black Tie Dinner

RuPaul Performance:
Photography and/or the use of any recording devices will not be allowed and is strictly prohibited during RuPaul's performance.

Wait until Kaye Sedilla hears about this! What's wrong Ru? You aren't aging so well? You should HOPE that people would want to take your picture.

As I told someone earlier, Kaye Sedilla and Shy Anne live for the flash bulbs!

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 6.1

<---- <---- <---- <---- To the left To the left hmmm To the left To the left (singing like Beyonce)
You will notice that to the left is a small graphic and the website for World AIDS Day Houston. (EDIT: OK...as the posting has moved down, the graphic is no longer to the left to the left. You can locate it under the masthead on the left.)

This is something I've been helping with since this past summer. I hope that you will take a moment to peruse the website and find an event or two to put on your calendar.

The face of HIV/AIDS may have changed a bit but it is still with us. We want to remind people that it is still with us in Houston/Harris County.

My Left Leg
Met up with runnerOne this morning. We ran 3 miles at a fast clip...well, fast for me. I mentioned to him the voodoo doll, ice pickesque pain I've been having in my left leg. He said he thinks it is sciatica. So I looked up the definition and he and Everyday Italian could be correct.

Of course I'm not going to follow the remedy because I was a bit insulted when I read this:

It may happen as a result of the general wear and tear of aging...

Screw it. I'll just walk around and yelp.

Spinning
I didn't go to spin class this evening because of the general wear and tear of aging. Why make it worse? I did do some weights this evening but nothing for the lower torso.

George W.
So this morning I was trolling around NoRO and I noticed a bevy of cops. They were frickin' everywhere! They were on Memorial, Shepherd, Allen Pkwy, and even at the bottom of my little NoRO hill. And one point I could hear a helicopter circling.

So I called Everyday Italian and he told me he thought George W. was in town but it still didn't make any sense because Air Force One lands at Ellington Field which is south of the city.

Turns out George W. was doing something downtown and then was going to a fundraiser at someone's mansion in RO (River Oaks). It was for Senator Cornyn who is gonna have some 'splainin' to do when it comes to why he didn't vote for the insurance for children. So yep, he's gonna need a war chest.

From RO, George W. was going to San Antonio. Shouldn't he be in the White House dealing with Pakistan? What a frickin' mess that is!

You know...I didn't vote for him when he was running for Governor of Texas and I didn't vote for him when he was running for President so you can't blame me for putting him in office.

You'd Better Work
I had been wavering about going to see RuPaul this weekend. Yes. RuPaul.

Well it's not just about RuPaul. Ru will be at The Houston Black Tie Dinner. I just couldn't get excited about going this year but I decided on Wednesday to suck it up and buy a ticket and I took my tux to the cleaners.

(The last time I wore the tux was in New Orleans during Mardi Gras at the Orpheus Ball. I'm sure a few cocktails were spilled on it that night as I tried to catch beads with one hand and sipped my adult beverage from the cup in the other hand.)

I usually drink a bit too much at The Houston Black Tie Dinner and I'm a bit concerned because I think I'm supposed to be talking on the radio at 100A on Sunday morning.

I'm afraid this is going to rank up there with Don't Drink and Dress; Don't Drink and Dial; Don't Drink and Blog; Don't Drink and Talk On The Radio.

So that's it for now. More later.