Life's little time capsules

Saturday night at the gay cafe we stayed at it way later than we we're supposed to. No one wanted to go home.

I'm in charge of music at the cafe. I'd run through my play list, so I asked people what they wanted to hear. The requests were all pretty predictable, and some were funny.

And then one young man asked if I had Bronski Beat.

OMFG. Bronski Beat. Love and Money. Hearing it after all these years was like cracking open a time capsule from a very brief but very intense time in my life.

It was 1985. I was a struggling grad student on a six-month stint in Columbus Ohio, at the Ohio Data User's Center, doing population projections. I was befriended by the Center's librarian, Jean, a thirty-something divorcee (I was a very tender 24). Let's just say she expanded my world.

She loved Bronski Beat and that song. And I don't think I've heard it since then. In fact, I haven't thought about Columbus or Jean the librarian in all this time. When my time at the Center was up I returned to grad school and that was that.

Sheesh! I'm so fucking old because that was 25 years ago. And Saturday night at the gay cafe Love & Money brought it all back like a life-flashes-before-your-eyes movie trailer.

Here's your girlfriend

Her personal ad reads:

"This third daughter is 24, a farm girl at heart. Doesn't want to get too far from her milk cow or the other animals for that matter."

Embarrassing

I was reading back through posts, and came upon this image. I clearly didn't see how much it looks like a penis when I first posted it.

How embarrassing.

Speaking of embarrassing, I had to make a consulting group sales presentation at one of East Jesus' private universities. Three hours later, while sitting in the waiting room of my daughter's psychiatrist, the financial aid director of that university, who was present for my 90-minute sales pitch, showed up.

Such is life in a small town.

Gay man's rendezvous?

Court and I suspect the cul-de-sac near our house has become a gay man's meeting place.

A few weeks ago, while watching NASCAR, we noticed a red SUV drive by our house, to the cul-de-sac and back, at least a dozen times. We saw the same vehicle doing the same thing Monday afternoon.

Yesterday we saw a white compact car in the cul-de-sac. We drove by and there was a guy just sitting there in his car, as if waiting.

One of these nights Court and I may go on a stakeout to confirm our suspicions. Then again, if that's what is going on, maybe I don't want to know.

Searching for Jesus

Should I be scared?

This is a man?

I was all set to do a "here's your girlfriend post," and then I realized I was looking at a man.

Meet Elwood "Bunky" Bartlett, winner of an estimated $49 million in the Maryland lottery last month, who intends to use his money to set up a school for witches -- a real-life Hogwarts.

ETA: Had I watched the video (click the picture) with mute *off* I'd have known s/he was a guy the second s/he opened his mouth.

Triggers

Triggers. We all have them. They make us recall memories-- sometimes horrible, often good-- from the deepest recesses of our brains.

Many of my triggers are songs. I heard Al Stewart's Year of the Cat while watching a movie the other day and instantly I was a junior in high school in the driver's ed car, enjoying the spring breeze, free from the bondage of the classroom. In my memory, Year of the Cat was always on the radio during my twice-a-week driver's ed outings.

This morning's trigger was the single-serving carton of Tropicana orange juice that came with my Chic-fil-A breakfast. I don't think I've had a carton of Tropicana since the days long ago in San Diego when Amanda and I used to visit the Jack-in-Box drive-thru nearly every morning on our way to her school. In those days, the #9 combo was the only thing I could get Amanda to eat for breakfast. It didn't hurt that the drive-thru attendant was a hot young thing named Cat. Seeing her was usually the high point of my day.

I rarely reminisce about the five years we lived in San Diego. Those were not happy times for me. Thanks to my orange juice this morning, I was able to recall something pleasant from that awful time in my life.

Running With Scissors

Have you seen this film?

Court and I watched it last night. Talk about odd! These are the wackiest characters I've seen in film in a long time.

It's really funny. As always, Annette Bening gives a superb performance. This had to be a fun film for the actors for the script's brilliant lines. There are plenty of gems.


Here's just one example:

Dr. Finch: Everyone! Come quickly! Wake up! Wake up! A miracle! A miracle! A miracle has occured!

Agnes Finch: What're you looking at?

Natalie: Dad's morning shit.

Dr. Finch: See? See how the duplicoil is breaking out of the surface of the water? Holy Father.

Agnes Finch: Doctor, let me draw you a nice bath.

Dr. Finch: Agnes, go get a shoehorn. A shoehorn, Agnes.

Hope: But what does it mean, Dad?

Dr. Finch: It means our financial situation is turning around. It means things are looking upward. Literally, the shit is pointing out of the pot! Towards Heaven, to God. My turd is a direct communication from the Holy Father.

[Augusten and Natalie try to hide their laughter]

Dr. Finch: No, no, no, no, children. No. Laugh. Laugh! God is... He is the funniest man in the universe. Agnes, I want you to carefully remove this, take it outside, and let it dry in the sun. We're starting a shrine, Agnes. A shrine. Hope, let's prepare.

[Bathroom humor gets me every time.]

The movie features a pretty good soundtrack [if you like seventies music].

Mission Impossible

We have a new minister at our church. Court was on the search committee and was not in favor of hiring this particular reverend. He's just... weird.

Anyway, the committee recommended him to the congregation, and in July the congregation voted to hire the man. Since then, members have been encouraged to get to know the reverend and his wife by hosting them for dinner. We opted to take them to one of East Jesus' finer restaurants. Court extended an invitation, and this was their reply:

Yay! What a fabulous offer. We would be delighted to take you up on it. We are a little limited on menu since Krista has to avoid flour and wheat (gluten). We need meat-eating and vegetarian options. We mostly love “interesting” food, ethnic or creative foods, and interesting ambiance. We don't do chain restaurants; they tend to lack creativity. If it’s off the beaten track and has character, we would love to try it.

A little limited you say?