Overheard at a different party (today)

"If Justin Timberlake needed a shot in the ass, I'd be happy to fill him up."

Overheard at a party (today)

"I was having so much fun at the parade last night I fell off of the float."

Show me your...

money, dinero, dollar bills, euros.

Normally when I have beads in my hands I'm asking people to show me something in exchange for the beads. Today is a different story.

Today I am selling beads. Yes. The bead whore is whoring for money. All for a good cause. Proceeds from the bead sales will benefit the Krewe and its designated charities.

Krewe of Olympus is selling beads at at the Houston Pride Festival today. We will have a booth with plenty of baubles to be purchased.

If you want to meet Str8 Up With A Twist, I will be there from 12:00n - 2:00p.m.

The parade is this evening starting at 8:45p.m. and will go down lower Westheimer. Str8 Up With A Twist hasn't decided if he will be on the sidelines or walking with Legacy.

Have a fun and safe day everyone!

What would you do for a Klondike Bar?

I'm always amazed at actors and actresses who will change their physique for a role in a movie or on the stage.

The latest actor to do this is Matt Damon. He is in Hawaii filming The Informant. Here is Matt as we are accustomed to seeing him:


And here is Matt showing his muffin top:


On the other hand, Robert Buckley must not be working much these days 'cause he's been hanging out on the beach.

Where The Hell Is Matt?

I ran across a video the other day on another blog (can't remember which one) and when I first started watching it I thought, "What the hell?" As the video played on, I sort of got a warm, fuzzy feeling (and no I wasn't peeing on myself).

There's something about watching people dancing for no reason that put a smile on my face. Considering the language barrier, I'm really wondering how he was able to convince to people to join in the dance.

It reminded me of that line from Baz Luhrmann's Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen:

Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

It also made me think about the art of travel. It is always fun to go somewhere new (or return to a favorite place) and meet people. It also made me think of Thomas Miller who traveled the U.S. and documented his travels. I met him in New Orleans during Mardi Gras a few years ago. (I didn't get featured in his book because I'm not a roadside attraction...yet. Freak show at the circus? Maybe.)

To find out more about Matt, click here.

High Anxiety

In the big scheme of things this probably doesn't matter to you but it matters to me. The war ending in Iraq doesn't depend on this. The patient will not die on the operating table because of this.

Since May 20 I have been having problems with my iPod (red) nano. Some days are good; some days are bad.

However, the other day was AWFUL!

I plugged it in to synch it and I got an odd message that something or another couldn't be found and I had the option of hitting CANCEL. I let it run but it would never DO ANYTHING so I hit CANCEL. Rut Ro!

I lost all of my playlists and there were no songs on the device. The library was intact on the laptop and iTunes/laptop recognized the device and then it wanted to load every song but there wasn't enough memory and I was freaking out over my lost playlists. ARGGGGGGGGGGHHH!

So the past few days I've been trying to remember what I had as playlists. Today I figured out how to create a Smart Playlist. OY!

I swear this is an Apple conspiracy. Seriously.

nnnnnnnnnnnnn

BTW...I can't remember who I told but I do want to give you an update. My mom's sonogram and second mammogram came back with good results. Whatever they saw on the first mammogram last week didn't show up on the sonogram or the 2nd mammogram.

I'm thinking that God is getting really tired of me praying and asking for things. And if God isn't going to answer all of my prayers (which actually, NO is an answer), at least the prayers for my mom and several others with health issues are getting answered.

In case you missed this

What is this? A normal looking guy hit the Milan runway during the Vivienne Westwood show. For the full story, click here.

I guess there might be hope for some of us! In fact, I think I'll sign up at Page Parks tomorrow and start my new career. I'm just saying.

In case you missed America's Got Talent

Last night I wasn't up for watching 2 full hours of America's Got Talent so I was sort of watching it plus I was watching I Survived The Japanese Game Show (which I thought was hysterical). Anywho...

There were two acts that I thought were really good and I hope they make it far in the competition.

First up, Brokeback meets Broadways, The DC Cowboys.


I'm not big on Elvis impersonators but this guy was good. Better than his performance were the comments by Sharon Osborne.

P P Wednesday

pet peeve

Function: noun
Date: circa 1919
: a frequent subject of complaint

1. People at Memorial Park who walk or run left when they should be walking or running right.

2. People who stop in the middle of the running trail at Memorial Park and decide to have a chat.
3. People who don't clean their table at Starbucks on Memorial Drive.

4. People who plan a first time event and deem it 1st Annual. OK. It's not a 1st annual event. It is an inaugural event.

5. People at FIT who will sit in the parking lot waiting for a parking spot near the door. Uh...you're going to the gym to exercise. Will it hurt you to walk across the parking lot?

6. People who read their Blackberry during Mass.

On the radio. oh oh oh oh

Today at 4:33 p.m. CDT I was at a stoplight at Shepherd & W. Dallas waiting for the left turn signal to give me permission to turn left. I had the radio tuned into 104.1 KRBE. Typically if I'm in the car in the afternoon I'm not listening to KRBE but today I was and so be it. I don't fit the demographics for their afternoon programming. The music is a bit too Hip Hop for my tastes.

A commercial came on that caught my attention. It was about the increase in numbers of people who are testing positive for HIV and Syphillis in Houston. In the background a guy is saying, "Houston. We have a problem." So the commercial continues and discusses using a condom to help prevent the spread of HIV and Syphillis. The voice in the background says, "Houston. We have a condom."

And I think these were the words that were used to end the commercial: "Wrap your rocket before you blast off." LOL OMG I bet some soccer mom in Katy who accidentally had her radio tuned to KRBE drove off the side of the road when she heard that!

The commercial was sponsored by the City of Houston Health Department and I must say it is an attention getter.

Catching Up

I know I've been a bit quiet lately. I really was disappointed that I didn't get the job that I really wanted. I guess it was best to find out early in the week rather wait and wait and wait and then find out later in the week. Disappointment is never fun.

So here are some snippets of what has been going on.

• A group of us met on Tuesday to start planning for World AIDS Day Houston 2008. We are still trying to figure out what it will consist of but there will be events on and around December 1.
  
  
• I'm not getting much sleep again. I was up at 4:30 a.m. today. I'm averaging about 5 to 6 hours of sleep each night and I've gone back to not eating much. Good news is that I'm getting back into clothes from 2002. This is also partially due to the fact that since I can't sleep, I get up and go run or workout and/or both.
  
  
• Friday night was a full evening. Montrose Counseling Center had an Open House and the dedication of rooms. People who supported the capital campaign and donated at designated levels have had rooms named after them. Kenny In Montrose (KIM) has a room named after him. We got a peek and I noticed a few things were missing. For instance, no bar, no vodka and no Elaine.
  
  
• Later on Friday night Gray Squirrel Micheal (yes, that is spelled correctly) celebrated his 40th birthday with over 100 of his closest friends. It was a fun evening full of chatter, gossip, cocktails and laughter. Plus it was a pretty crowd. Today is actually Micheal's birthday so a shout out to Micheal and welcome to The 40s. You're in good company.
  
  
• Saturday I didn't run because I was suffering from vodka remorse. Once I was finished being remorseful I made my way to St. Anne's for a class. On the 4th Sunday of the month I will be helping during the 5:00 p.m. Mass in the distribution of the Eucharist. I thought I had signed up to be a substitute but I am part of a permanent team. It was amazing what all came back to me from being an altar boy for so many years. My biggest fear is falling down the steps (which I did when I was an altar boy). Guess I'll be wearing rubber soled shoes on the 4th Sunday of each month. No leather soled Cole Haans for me!
  
  
• Saturday afternoon was the perfect afternoon for being out by a pool so I took my quasi-happy ass to a Summer Solstice Party that was being thrown by Bill and David. This was not an S&M Pool Party...you know, Stand 'n Model...this was a get in the pool party so I did. Once again, good chatter gossip, cocktails and pretty people.
  
  
• Saturday evening was a concert performed by Bayou City Performing Arts. It was a nice evening. I ended up going by myself which was OK because at one of their concerts I know I will always run into folks that I know...and I did.
  
  
• Sunday I woke up early and decided that I needed to go run...so I did. Then as punishment for not running on Saturday, I went to they gym and did an extended workout on the Stairmaster. OMG! I obviously picked the wrong settings because I was beat and covered in sweat when it was all said and done...or was all that sweat from the alcohol consumed on Friday AND Saturday? I'm just asking.
  
  
• Sunday afternoon Krewe of Olympus had a Rush Party. Ginger Grant hosted the Krewe at her adobe and fixed a wonderful brisket. I worked the bar (as a bartender) for a bit. It was a nice afternoon. While I was at the party, I found out that one of the costumes I will be wearing in February '09 will probably require me to lose about 50 pounds of fat and put on 25 pounds of muscle. GEEZ! LOL

During the weekend I found out that three couples I know have visited Splitsville. It really has me bothered. I guess it just goes to prove that what you see on the surface is just that...what you see on the surface.

At the same time, I found out that two couples I know are going to be wed in California. One couple will be married today and the other in September. I guess hope springs eternal.

A couple of other things are really bothering and I won't go into much detail. One is the guy who has not been formally charged with murdering his two children. Their burned bodies were found the other day.

The other thing that is bothering me is about a guy who literally ran his dog to death at Memorial Park and left it there. It happened a few weeks ago and I was finally able to put all of the pieces together.

Not to be judgemental but I think there is a special place in Hell for people who don't protect children and animals. And as always, I have a song. It was recorded by The Carpenters when I was a young kid and it is titled, Bless The Beasts & The Children.

So that's about it for now. Calvin is fine and is getting in some long walks. And I need to scoot.

Kaye Sedilla Update

Rumors have been circulating that internationally known performer Kaye Sedilla is going into seclusion. Kaye is currently in Mexico City doing her lounge act but she did return my phone call yesterday afternoon.

In speaking with Miss Sedilla, she did confirm that July 20, 2008 will be her final appearance. Kaye will be returning to Houston to perform one or two numbers at the Miss Mint Julep Contest. Miss Mint Julep is a benefit for Legacy Community Health Services. It was at this event in 2003 that Miss Sedilla stepped onto the stage and rocked the world. She feels that it is only appropriate that she return for this benefit to bid her adieus to her loyal fans. She had been in talks with Beyonce to perform a duet during the Latin Grammy Awards in November but Miss Sedilla has stopped the discussion.

Miss Sedilla told me that she feels she is being pushed off of the stage by Bette, Cher, Tina and Madonna. All of these divas are resurrecting themselves in 2008 and rather than get embroiled in a bitter cat fight for fans and top billing, being the lady that she is, Miss Sedilla told me that is graciously bowing out and leaving the stage. She wants to leave the stage with her head held high and her big red hair intact.

Check back for more updates from Kaye Sedilla.

WTF Wednesday

Last night was not a good night. I had trouble falling asleep. Calvin didn't want to have anything to do with me. Guess he was picking up on my vibes.

So after tossing and turning I finally fell asleep but was up at 4:30 a.m. I putzed around (having trouble with my internet connection), walked Calvin and went to the park for a run.

I'm not in the best of moods and already little things are p!ssing me off. Do I care that Michelle Obama is going to co-host on The View today? Not really. Do I care that it might rain today? Not really. Do I care about much today? Not really.

I've turned off my phone and maybe I'll turn it on later. It's not ringing much these days anyway so why bother.

So while I'm in my bad mood watching a delivery truck block traffic on Memorial Drive, a barista takes his coffee break and two HPD cops come out to talk to him. They ask him what would he have done if Hillary Clinton had won the nomination. He says that if she stole the nomination (whatever Mary!) he would have protested and they probably would have arrested him. So one of the cops says that everyone has the right to free speech and the right to assemble and blah, blah, blah...

I tune them out. The cops leave and the barista who is at least 25 years younger than me says, "blah, blah, blah." He was talking to me and I really wasn't listening. I get the feeling that he is looking at me so I look over and he says, "Are you a Hillary supporter?" I say, "Yes." He says, "Well I didn't mean to offend you." I say, "I wasn't really listening to you and why did you assume I supported Hillary." He says, "You look like you fit the demographic and statistics don't lie do they?" I give a polite fake laugh and went back to my paper.

So I must ask, "WTF was that about?"

Update on mojo

Thank you to everyone who sent me positive vibes and good thoughts. Unfortunately it didn't work out.

I applied for a job that I really wanted and I found out a few minutes ago (after some prodding) that they have selected someone else.

I know how she must feel.

(I borrowed that pic idea from another blogger who recently found out he didn't get a job that he wanted.)

Hey

I realize that I have left you hanging. I asked for some good mojo and I sort of feel like I'm watching water waiting for it to boil or Waiting For Godot or waiting for a piece of luggage that was lost in 1997 that still hasn't been found. As soon as I know I something, I'll let you know and then I'll tell you whether the good mojo worked or not.

I actually had a good night's slumber last night but it was at price of sleeping on the couch.

I think I figured out the combo to get some sleep:

Walk Calvin really early +

Go for an intense 3 mile run @ 5:45 a.m. +

Don't eat much for lunch +

Walk Calvin again +

Do a spin class +

Don't eat much for dinner +

Walk Calvin again +

Watch The Mole on ABC =

falling asleep on the couch watching The Mole and wake up at 6:15 a.m. the next morning still in your clothes!

It is the most sleep I've had in awhile.

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 13.1

World AIDS Day Houston 2008

The first meeting to start making plans for World AIDS Day Houston 2008 will take place tomorrow (June 17). The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at Montrose Counseling Center (401 Branard Street, Houston, TX 77006). If you are interested in helping make plans for December 1, please attend or get in touch with me. Bring your ideas and suggestions

Tony Awards

OMG! Patti LuPone (La LuPone as I like to call her) cracks me up! I am so glad that she won for her role as Mama Rose. The reviews that I have read say that she knocks the socks off of you. Her intensity last night in Everything's Coming Up Roses made me ooze just thinking about what she must do with Rose's Turn.

photo: Jeff Christensen AP

What had me laughing though was when she wouldn't shut up! LOL Sort of like Elaine Stritch a few years ago. La LuPone said that she had waited all of these years to finish thanking people. You see...

Her only other Tony (hard to believe she only won one other time) was for Evita in 1980.

It was great to see the original cast from RENT. I need to do some research but I'm sure all of them were in the show when I first saw it on Broadway. Watching them perform put a lump in my throat. The enthusiasm of Laura Benanti for her winning an award for her role in Gypsy also put a lump in my throat. I just love live television!

photo: Jeff Christensen AP

Speaking of live television...Did anyone else see the stagehand run out and pick up Stew's microphone? You see...

At the beginning of the performance for Passing Strange, Stew was jumping up and down. He isn't light on his feet and the vibration made the microphone fall off of the stand. I wondered if Stew was going to pick it up but instead a stagehand ran out and put it back on the stand.

And I really liked the comic relief that Whoopi brought to the awards. I think she needs to be put on the rotation for hosting the show. They haven't had a real host since Hugh Jackman.

photo: Jeff Christensen AP

It was fun watching the show and emailing and texting Running My Mass Off. We had comments on everything!

OK...last night in the production number for Xanadu, Cheyenne Jackson was wearing Daisy Dukes and not knee length cut-offs. Running My Mass Off took notice of his legs. I thought I had nice legs until I saw him. Guess I'll start wearing Clam Diggers.

And just for laughs, they rolled out Liza. Poor thing. Seriously though, I'm glad she was able to walk out on her own.

photo: Jeff Christensen AP

For a list of all of the winners, click here.

Conversation
This is how my day started at 5:45 a.m.

Me: Hold on. I need to tighten up my shorts. They're falling.

Running buddy: How old are they? They look new.

Me: I bought them after Tropical Storm Allison. Jerry at RunSport had placed an order for a track team and part of the shipment got damaged so he had them on sale.

Running buddy: So the elastic is all stretched out.

Me: You could have said, 'You've lost some weight, guess that's why they're loose.'

Running buddy: LOL

Me: Thanx

There's A Little Bit Of Broadway In Everyone

Don't have much time to say much of nothing. I do want to remind you that tonight at 7:00 p.m. (CDT), CBS will be airing The Tony Awards!

Although I have not viewed any of the nominated shows, I will still watch because the awards can help determine which shows get an extended run on Broadway and which shows will also go on tour. Plus, they're doing a tribute to RENT since it is closing in September.

Oh...and La LuPone will probably win for her role in Gypsy. I like her. :-)

Conversation

Stranger: Are you from New Orleans?

Me: Nope. Have spent quite a bit of time there for pleasure and business.

Stranger: Ah. I guess that's why you look familiar. I saw you earlier and thought I knew you from New Orleans.

Me: You probably saw me many times! LOL

Those of you who know me really well know that I *heart* New Orleans and I have created many a memory there. I think it's funny that a native of New Orleans actually recognized me. LOL I guess I've spent WAY too much there.

The conversation then continued about him living here only 6 weeks. I told him that I consider New Orleans Houston's biggest eastern suburb. You see...

It seems that everytime I go there I run into someone from Houston.

Which reminds of one of my favorite Designing Women quotes:
"I have seen every form of debauchery allowed under Napoleonic Code!" -Julia Sugarbaker

Flag Day

In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.

Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, though on June 14, 1937, Pennsylvania became the first (and only) U.S. state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday. -from Wikipedia

Caption This

Me again. I just remembered there was something that I wanted to show you. I found this on Kenneth In The 212.

Kenneth says, " Mario Lopez, as close to an Oscar as he will ever get..."

Sorry About That

Yesterday was a busy day. I wasn't going to post anything and then something happened last night that got me p!ssed off.

So if you happened to read Str8 Up With A Twist between the hours of 10:30 p.m. (CDT) and 5:30 a.m. (CDT) this morning, you will know I thoroughly p!ssed off. Not sure that many people have ever seen me that upset.

Anywho...I do need to go buy some tonic and some lemons & limes so that when I do need a good strong drink I can either have a Vodka Tonic with lime or a Martini Straight Up With A Twist. I resorted to cheap wine last night (not out of box).

I haven't been sleeping well this week. I awaken at 4:00 a.m., 4:30 a.m. or 4:55 a.m. I don't take any naps during the day and I'm usually up until 11:00 p.m. or so although I did fall asleep watching the news on Tuesday night.

As I told Running My Mass Off the other day, I am very distracted. There a few things weighing heavy on my mind and if one or two them would get resolved, maybe I'd be able to get a good night's slumber.

So. If you read my rant last night, sorry for the foul language that I used.

Changing the subject. In a previous post I mentioned The Heights Fun Run this past Saturday. I said how hot it was. Well, at some point after mile 2 I was miserable so I stopped and took off my shirt and when I did my sunglasses got covered in sweat. So I had to clip the iPod nano to my shorts and run with the shirt in my left hand and the sunglasses in my right hand.

A few days ago I was thinking, "I don't remember seeing anyone taking photos. I hope the camera wasn't between mile 2 and mile 3." Well...

I went to the website yesterday and rut ro! There are two pics of me without my shirt! Two comments:
1) I have a double chin like Lisa from Top Chef;
2) I don't have as big of a muffin top as I had imagined.

Still, I would have preferred no shirtless photos and no double chin.

So. My second apology for the day: Sorry for subjecting y'all to that!

Cutie Pie

Do you ever have days when you just don't want to get out of bed? You know. It's hard to keep your pecker up?

Fortunately, this is the face that greets me every morning and gets me out of bed 'cause he needs to be walked.

I woke him from a nap today to take these pictures. Oh, don't worry. He received quite the reward. I was bribing him with pieces of his favorite treats. :-)

Greetings from The Energy Capital of the U.S.!

Travel Tips

The Inconspicuous Tourist
Wearing a fanny pack? Don't do it if you want to stay safe and blend in
by Richard P. Carpenter
Boston Globe

Money isn't the only thing you should try to save while traveling abroad. You also want to save your possessions, and perhaps your neck. One way to do that is not to look like a tourist. Mobal Communications recently surveyed its phone subscribers and came up with some suggestions:

Ditch the white athletic shoes
There perhaps is no surer way to announce, "Look at me! I'm an American tourist!"

Editor's note: OK. So in 1994 I made my one and only trip to Europe. The former friend I was traveling with was/is a control freak.

I had some trendy black shoes that I was going to wear and he told me they were too clunky and no one in Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam wears those type of shoes. An argument ensued and I left the shoes behind.

We get to Paris (after missing our connection at DFW, getting routed to London, landing at DeGaulle instead of Orly, and no luggage) and after being there a few hours he says, "You should have brought your black shoes. Everyone is wearing them." UGH! I did have my white athletic shoes though!

Ditch the fanny pack
"I've never seen a non-American wearing a fanny pack," writes a Mobal contributor.

Editor's note: So. It's 2002 and I'm in Sydney. The two friends that I met there had left for a few days and I was on my own. I was really needing some type of murse/man purse/fanny pack or something because my backpack was a bit too big.

So. I'm having dinner with Sydney Mark (friend of a friend) and I tell him that I'm looking for a fanny pack. Food came flying out of his mouth! He said, "What?" and I said, "I'm looking for a fanny pack." He says, "Shhhh." I start laughing 'cause I can't figure out why I have to lower my voice.

It seems that the correct term in Australia is waist belt or something like that. You see...

fanny is slang for vagina and he couldn't figure out why I needed a vagina pack and besides what is a vagina pack?

I never purchased a fanny pack/murse/man purse

Wear black
As one observer notes, "Folks in Paris, London and other European capitals tend to wear lots of black, and as a tourist you tend to blend in if you're wearing it, too."

Editor's note: I stood out like a sore thumb on my first trip to San Francisco. I know. It's not in Europe but my point is, do your homework before you leave home. I was walking around San Francisco in bright colours and the residents were in black, brown, gray, taupe, etc.

Put on a few local accessories
Wearing a scarf in Europe, for instance, helps women blend in.

Use hotel concierge services
Having a good idea where you are going prevents you from looking like a lost soul.

Don't forget the basics
These almost go without saying:
Avoid piling on the jewelry;
Wearing shorts & t-shirts in cities;
Studying maps in public;
Wearing your camera around your neck.

Editor's note: So. On one of my many trips to New Orleans for Mardi Gras with AttyHou we're sitting in a restaurant/bar in the French Quarter waiting for our food and adult beverages.

A group of high falutin' people from Memphis (of all places) come in and sit next to us. As it turns out, this was their first trip to Mardi Gras and New Orleans. The women were dripping in gold and jewels and the men had on nice watches and big rings.

Being a good citizen, AttyHou told them they all needed to go back to the hotel and but glitz & glitter in a safe. They looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language. Well, he was speaking English and they were from Memphis so...

So then I chimed in and told them they were setting themselves up to get mugged. They finally got a clue.

When we saw them later in the day, they were naked. Not really but you know what I mean.

And yes, I know. New Orleans isn't in a foreign country but it is still an applicable rule.

Learn a few words of the language
This won't camouflage your tourist identity, but it may be appreciated by the people you deal with and even get you better service in restaurants.

Editor's note: Una cerveza por favor is all you need to know.

T 'n T (This and That for June 8, 2008)

UPDATE: OK. A few days ago, I posted this. I probably won't know anything until sometime this week. I don't want to tell you what is going on (it's not a health issue so don't fret) because I am so afraid of jinxing myself. I even picked up a penny tonight in the church parking lot. Just keep good vibes coming my way. Thanx.

Heights Fun Run: Yesterday was an anniversary of sorts. AttyHou and I did The Heights Fun Run. I told the story a few months ago about what we did 11 years ago prior to the run.

As expected, it was hot and humid. I did OK. My PR for a 5K is 23:58 and I did that back in 2000 or 2001. Trust me. I wasn't near 23:58 yesterday. I'm not as young and thin as I was back in 2000 & 2001.

I saw but didn't have a chance to speak to Running For Gold. I've never met him but I keep up with his running prowess. He was probably cooled off and in his car on his way home by the time I crossed the finish line all hot and sweaty.

I know it sounds like I was miserable but it was fun. It did make for a long day though. You see...
I had to get up early to take The Calvinator for his morning stroll prior to the run. After the run, I did a weight workout then it was time for Calvin's mid-day stroll at the park, then I went to AttyHou and Everyday Italian's to sit out by the pool. Then we went to a wonderful soiree at Joel & Arnold's in the 009.

I guess I got home around 1130p and then passed out on the couch. I woke up around 330a and went to bed.

Don't Get Around Much Anymore: Last night at the soiree, I spoke with several people that I haven't seen in a long time. There was a period of time in my life when I was out and about Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Sometimes, I'd throw in a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday just for good measure. Don't forget those Sunday brunches at La Strada!

I'm not sure what happened. I know cigarette smoke started bothering me. I really didn't like coming home from being out and smelling like I had been in a bar even though I had been in a bar. Also, I started getting more involved in organizations and associations. Plus, there was a period when I was doing quite a bit of business travel so when I was in Houston, I wanted to just stay home.

During the period of me being out and about I did meet quite a few nice people and last night I saw several who said the same thing, "I don't go out much anymore." What none of us said: "We're old, bitter, jaded, cynical and alcohol sodden." LOL It was good to see some old familiar faces.

Show Dog (not Showgirls): Last week I took The Calvinator for his summer cut. He looks really cute with his lion coiffure. Well ever since then, people keep wanting to pet him or they smile at him ('cause I know it ain't me they're smiling at), etc.

Today we went for a 27 minute walk at Memorial Park and we were sitting in the jungle gym area cooling off. (The Tim-o-meter guesses it was in the low 90s.) One guy comes over and wants to pet Calvin. Then another guy comes over and asks, "What is his breed?" I replied, "He is a mix of Wheaten Terrier and something else." He says, "He looks like a show dog."

No one has ever given him THAT kind of compliment. It made my day. The comment was lost on Calvin.

Tagged: Idle Random Thoughts has tagged me. At least she didn't tag me for HNT (Half Naked Thursday) or Nude Vlog like some bloggers have done to each other! So here are my answers:

4 Jobs I've Held:
Waiter
Shoe salesperson
Bank teller
University Director of Admission

4 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over:
Young Frankenstein
Dick
Camp
Unzipped

4 Places I Have Lived:
Haltom City, TX
Fort Worth, TX
San Antonio, TX
Houston, TX

4 TV Shows I Like:
Top Chef
Amazing Race
Ugly Betty
Today Show

4 Things I Do Everyday:
Shower (usually more than once)
Walk Calvin
Go to Starbucks
Read blogs

4 Favorite Foods:
Mexican (from just about anywhere)
Annie Marie's homemade rum cake that my parents ship to me from Ft. Worth
cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, swiss, smoked gouda...just to name a few)
Jambalaya (made by me)

4 Places I'd Rather Be:
San Diego
Sydney
New Orleans
in a big house (not the big house) on a beach surrounded by friends and Calvin

Yes It's Over

I'm disappointed. I also sort of have an empty feeling. I'm confused.

I don't expect everyone to understand. I don't expect everyone to agree. What I do want is all of the Hillary Haters to not comment. Is that so wrong?

Hillary officially conceded today. If I remember correctly, she had 17 million votes in the primary. 17 million people supported her and yet she lost. Tactical error for underestimating the power of the caucuses? Probably so.
What I do hope is that Obama doesn't take the 17 million Hill Raisers for granted. There are those who say he doesn't owe us anything. To them I will use the name of Sandra Bernhard's movie, Without You I'm Nothing. She (we) should get a seat at the table.

So let me wallow in my sad emptiness for a bit. And I will leave you with this song.

Ramblings of A Caffeinated Mind 13.0

Hey. Did you notice? 13.0

Significance? This blog is a year old. Yes. 1 year old. Happy Birthday to Str8 Up With A Twist!

While Str8 Up With A Twist was on hiatus for a few days the milestone passed. (BTW...hiatus always makes me think of Hyannis which makes me think of the Kennedy's but more on them later.)

I would like to thank all of you who read this either on a daily basis or on an occasional basis. I didn't set a counter on it until August and then I accidentally deleted in November so I can only assume how many hits I have had.

I looked at what keywords have brought people to this site. This doesn't include those of you who have me booked marked or have used a link from a Comments section or from another blog. Here are some of the top keywords:

attyhou

str8up

erik barajas

ryan korsgard

mardi gras party at rich's

world aids day houston

get into the groove

santa speedo run 2007

last night

Interesting huh?

Spunk

My horoscope for Thursday, June 5 said:

Though you might be serious, you have spunk and resilience. Your sense of humor comes out when dealing with someone you care about deeply. A relationship could go from very serious to simply silly in a few hours.

It made me think of the Mary Tyler Moore show (I believe the first episode):

Lou Grant: You know what? You've got spunk.

Mary Richards: Well, yes...

Lou Grant: I hate spunk.

That always makes me laugh because she thought it was a compliment.

I used to get a daily horoscope sent to me but the service is no longer available. I would forward it to Friend Janet and we would try to figure who it was more applicable to. You see...

Our birthdays are just a few days apart. So we would try to figure it out. I mention this because one day in December of 2003 I received an e-mail that said, "blah, blah, blah and look in the mirror and congratulate yourself on how fabulous you are." It applied to both of us and that is by far the most fabulous horoscope I have ever received!

Flasher on Memorial Drive

I'm Not Fit To Run has been trying to acclimate to running in the heat. I used to be able to run in the heat but then I switched to becoming a morning runner and became accustomed to running in high humidity.

So. Being inspired by I'm Not Fit To Run, I decided to give it the old college try. Wednesday and Thursday I was at the park around 500ish/530ish and let me tell you bois and gurls, it was hot!

According to the Tim-o-meter (LOL I just thought of that), it had to be in the low to mid-90s on both days. And it was WINDY on both days. According to the Tim-0-meter, wind gusts had to be at least 20 m.p.h.

Well, I need to issue an apology to anyone who might have been driving on Memorial Drive. You see...

The wind was catching my running shorts and was causing them to fly every which way. So I'm sure you saw my butt and my kibbles and bit. I was doing my best Marilyn Monroe impression to try and keep them down but it wasn't working. Please don't call the cops. There was nothing I could do.

Quote of the day

Everyday I get an email from Runners World. It is called Daily Kick In The Butt. This morning when I opened the email it hit me right between the eyes.

"I think some of the most celebrated moments in human achievement should be those times when everything is going against a person and they are down in the dumps but they simply choose to get up. That's real greatness!" -Ryan Hall

This is Ryan Hall in Houston setting the U.S. record for 1/2 marathon.

Heights Fun Run

I have not done a 5K fun run in 2008 so tomorrow I will be in The Heights doing The Heights Fun Run.

Some of you may think that is an oxymoron: fun/run. It is a run and it is fun. The thing that I like about it is that it has the feel of a neighborhood party even if it starts at 730 a.m.

There is still time to sign up. For info, click here.

Hillary

I haven't given up on her yet. I still have my sign in the window.

I honestly wish things had worked out differently but it is what it is.

There are people out there who are not pleased that she didn't concede the other night. There are people out there who don't want her on the ticket with Obama.

I'm sure deals are being brokered that we won't know about for awhile and if you're naive enough to think that alliances and deal brokering only happen on Survivor, I've got some $4 bills I'd like to sell to you.

I am a bit perplexed as to why Caroline Kennedy is part of the search team. Don't get me wrong, I like Caroline. Being a quasi-conspiracy theorist, I have some thoughts about what has transpired and what is going to go down. Just remember something. Caroline's dad wasn't too thrilled about having LBJ on the ticket and LBJ was too thrilled about being on the ticket but they both knew it was a winning ticket. I'm just saying...

Clouds

The weather today is a bit odd. Still windy. Still hot. Dark clouds sometimes. Vice President Dick Cheney is in town. Coincidence? I'm just asking.

Hard Candy

For the past couple of weeks I have been sucking on Hard Candy and I think I'm addicted.

I can't stop listening to Give It 2 Me in the car or on the iPod nano. I think I've become one of those people that I despise...you know, they dance and sing at the gym and are oblivious to laughs and stares. THEN, the other morning I woke singing Incredible. And I find that every time I have to be somewhere, I start singing 4 Minutes (you know, like in four minutes I'm gonna save the world whenever I get to wherever I have to be?). WTF is wrong with me? LOL

Well, that sort of catches me up for the past few days. Catch up with you soon!

¡Hola!

Hey. I'm back for just a minute.

Remember this?

OK. It worked BUT I need you to do it again, OK? Str8 Up With A Twist is asking for you to send good vibes his way. Ramp it up a notch if you don't mind. So like if you only did once, do it twice or thrice (does anybody really use that word?). Thanx in advance for your help!

This blog will resume it's normal programming tomorrow sometime during the day.

Adios

Hey bois and gurls.

Str8 Up With A Twist is going to be inactive for a few days. Hopefully I will resume posting later in the week.

Have a good week everybody.

Check back soon! Check back often!

In The Closet

A few years ago I was invited to a fundraiser at a swankienda in RO (River Oaks). The event was to be held outside on the terrace of the swankienda but it rained all day was still raining when the event started.

The event had to be held inside of the swankienda. The owners of the swankienda were some of the nicest most gracious people I have ever met. They told us we could walk around the house and to make ourselves at home. (I'm sure there was control room for the security cameras). Anywho.

This house was so big it had a basketball court off of the kitchen. Off of the main foyer was a movie theater. Upstairs had huge, HUGE I tell ya, bedrooms, bathrooms and closets.

I was trying to figure out a way to hide in one of the closets and live there. I figured I could live in the house for awhile and they would never find me. Should they find me, I would start speaking in the language of my people and tell them I was part of the cleaning crew and that I was new and that is why they didn't recognize me. I had it all planned out.

So the other day, I read this story on Yahoo! I guess this lady had heard my idea either that or great minds think alike.

Japanese woman caught living in man's closet
By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press Writer Fri May 30, 3:21 PM ET

TOKYO - A homeless woman who sneaked into a man's house and lived undetected in his closet for a year was arrested in Japan after he became suspicious when food mysteriously began disappearing.

Police found the 58-year-old woman Thursday hiding in the top compartment of the man's closet and arrested her for trespassing, police spokesman Hiroki Itakura from southern Kasuya town said Friday.

The resident of the home installed security cameras that transmitted images to his mobile phone after becoming puzzled by food disappearing from his kitchen over the past several months.

One of the cameras captured someone moving inside his home Thursday after he had left, and he called police believing it was a burglar. However, when they arrived they found the door locked and all windows closed.

"We searched the house ... checking everywhere someone could possibly hide," Itakura said. "When we slid open the shelf closet, there she was, nervously curled up on her side."

The woman told police she had no place to live and first sneaked into the man's house about a year ago when he left it unlocked.

She had moved a mattress into the small closet space and even took showers, Itakura said, calling the woman "neat and clean."

Taco Cabana

My eating schedule was a bit off today. After a run to IAH, I decided cheap Mexican (go ahead and say it, "look in the mirror") is what I needed. So, I went to Taco Cabana on Kirby near U.S. 59.

Went through the drive-thru, placed my order, paid and returned to NoRO. When I got home, I didn't have all of my order. hmpf! What to do?

I wasn't going to drive back 'cause I was hungry. I didn't feel like just blowing it off. I did realize that mistakes happen.

So, I called and I think I spoke with the manager. Told him what happened and told him I wasn't driving back 'cause I was hungry. All I'm gonna say is that he more than made the situation right.

I'm amazed when that type of customer service is delivered. I've had some bad situations at some nice restaurants where they didn't give a rat's ass and didn't try to make the situation right. I've seen good customer service also happen at Starbucks.

So, before I retire to my slumber on a full stomach of Mexican food, I'm sending out two thumbs up to Taco Cabana on Kirby near U.S. 59. Thank you!

Sordid Lives Party (recap)

A picture is worth a thousand words.

All I'm gonna say is that it was a fun time last night. Thank you to everyone who came out to support the Krewe.

The ribbon on this side says: God Called
and the ribbon on this side said: Peggy Answered

BTW...Has anyone tried this product by Alka-Seltzer? It reminds me of some stuff I purchased in OZ several years ago. The stuff from OZ had a citrus flavor and was fizzy. Just asking cause I'm feeling really spent today.

EDIT: Thanx to the blogger formerly known as Bobby Vanquish, I figured out that the stuff from OZ is named Berocca.