2000-2009

TIME Magazine has called the '00's the "Decade From Hell." You can read the fascinating article here. Also, now would not be a good time to die if you are famous, as all the Yearbooks and Decade Books have already been printed and you will be left out.

Black Friday

Thanksgiving with Nathan was just totally wonderful. Although I was saddened that I did not spend the holiday with my mom, this isn’t the first time I missed Thanksgiving. Nathan fixed the dinner because he is an amazing chef—we had a smaller bird that turned out to be just the right size for us. We did a contemporary, intimate dinner at his flat near downtown [Cincinnati] followed by a viewing of A Christmas Carol in 3D which I give an A+ and order you to go see this movie, in 3D, this weekend, even if you hate the cult of Disney. You’ll also get to see a 3D preview of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, which I was kind of on the fence about before, but after seeing the 3D preview I was hooked. 3D glasses are no longer red and blue, they are clear and this is also clear: 3D is the new digital. I wouldn't doubt that sometime in the next few years we see a 3D Michael Jackson movie because we all know the Jackson 5 Jackson 4 are milking their dead estranged brother for all they can at the smacks and beats of their evil father. I will also tell you that The Fame Monster, Lady GaGa's new CD is pretty good, but Susan Boyle's debut CD, I Dreamed A Dream, is just enchanting and absolutely great, in case you were considering making a CD purchase on this shopping death day.

Welcome to the Holidays!

Be Thankful

©2009 Montgomery Maxton Photography

Thankful

©2009 Montgomery Maxton Photography

The Good Queen Rises

Cincinnati has been constructing its new tallest skyscraper, Great American Tower at Queen City Square, since early summer and I've been documenting it in photography ever since. On top of the shiny blue-glass skyscraper is a 'tiara' that architect Gyo Obata was inspired to add, making it the cities tallest, after seeing a photograph of the late Princess Diana wearing her tiara. I personally think the design looks like a big jukebox, but Cincinnati has a very beautiful skyline (at night) and I think, if the lighting on the new tower is designed well, will make the queen city's long-awaited crown a beautiful addition to the city I love to hate. To see a design of it, go here.

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Cincinnati's tallest building prior to Great American Tower was Carew Tower, a prototype for the Empire State Building, that construction began on just one month prior to the 1929 stock market crash. Many locals remark on the similarities in the times of the 1929 economy and the 2009 economy and how both skyscrapers are a symbol of prosperity and hope.

86 and 29

Grandpa & I. November 21, 2009.

To live to be 86...

Today is my Grandfather's 86th birthday. Can you imagine? He's one of those rare men who live to such old age. Longevity is in his genes. His mother lived from 1907-1997, among other direct relatives, including his great-great-grandmother who lived from 1757-1857. As long-time readers know, I visit him almost weekly and have for much of this year been "interviewing" him about his lifetime. When I asked recently if his 85 years have gone by quickly his response was ... "Well, hmm, looking back on it all, it sure does seem like it has flown by." Flown, something he's never done.

A brief return to the center of the universe...

It's confirmed, I'll be in New York City at the beginning of December. SGW and I will be there for an audition he has. This will be my first return to the center of the universe since August 2007. I can hardly hold my pee in I'm so excited. You would think that having lived there I wouldn't get so excited over visiting there, however. In the two years Manhattan has not had my presence graced upon it my life has changed completely, 360, black & white to colour, or colour to black & white—and my art and writings have changed because of me having lived there and having left there so what will be come of me [and my art] walking in my old footsteps in a new body? Should I visit my old apartment in Washington Heights? What I do want is to see Eric, Aaron, Lorenzo, and Kryss.

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It's been quite the jetset year for me. Seattle, DC, Richmond, Chicago, Columbus, Charlotte, Atlanta, and now New York City. It's going be quite the year-in-review/decade-in-review here on the Montgomery Maxton blog.

Film review: 2012

F-

Working Men, Women, and Cadaver Dogs

I am reading, finally, Cadaver Dogs by Rebecca Loudon. One of the best books I've read. The three poetry books I've read this year have all been by fellow bloggers whom I've followed for years. It's always a delight to hold their books, their creation that you somehow got to witness the creation of, or a part of its creation. The First Risk by Charles Jensen and The Brother Swimming Beneath Me by Brent Goodman are the other two books I've read. Read them all.
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Today, Tuesday, is my first day off from work in 8 days. I worked seven days straight, a first, which included two nine hour shifts this weekend. I'm not complaining, I'm simply saying it's tough. I don't know how workaholics do it.

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I saw the Sarah Palin interview on The Santa Oprah Show. I still don't like her and never will and will always look at her as a complete fuck-up and liar. It's one of the best shows O has done because you can tell O doesn't like her and had her on to say "na na na na naaaaa na." Sarah Palin will be here [in Cincinnati] on Friday, just an exit or two up the freeway, at a very gay-friendly bookstore. She'll be there at Noon and while I think it would be funny to see her in person, I rarely get up by Noon and when I do it's for something or someone special and Sarah Failin certainly isn't one of those special somethings.

The Last

autumn was colorful.

Thursday

I have always been very brutally honest, candid, frank, and heartfelt on this blog. As someone who is kind to strangers and goes beyond the call of duty to let people feel loved and welcomed (something that is rarely returned) I am often taken advantage of by people who feel that because of my vulnerability combined with my kindness (often mistaken for shyness) they can get away with a treatment that is in reality inhumane and immoral.

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Unbeknownst to me the house I am living in is in foreclosure and I was made aware over the weekend that I have until December 1st to find somewhere else to live. From what I can figure out the house is too far into foreclosure to be saved.

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I will be homeless in three weeks.

Veteran's Day

I had no idea so many people died in the Vietnam War until I went to the memorial last month in DC. The Vietnam War was before my time and as a child in the 80s and 90s whenever the Vietnam vets would call or come around asking for stuff, they were never treated with respect (in our town). When we came upon the wall I said to myself "holy god, look at all these names." I had no idea. No idea.

Happy Birthday!

to my one and only love

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Copyright Montgomery Maxton Photography

Film reviw: This Is It (A+)

Tonight after dinner at Bon Vie in Columbus, Nathan and I checked out Michael Jackson's This Is It film. Oh my god, oh my god.

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This would have been this best concert performance the world has yet to see. With Michael's creative and musical genius, and modern technology coming together with the world's best dancers, what is seen in the film is amazing, but what would've been seen in person could very well have been an out-of-body experience.

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Even if you're not much of a Michael Jackson fan, which Nathan wasn't but wound up extremely liking the film, I'd say see this movie. It is a work of art. You'll come out of it with a greater appreciation of the artist that MJ was.

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It will win an Oscar and a Golden Globe. Mark my words.

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I continue to stand by my statement that half the world loved Michael Jackson and the other half knew who he was. After this film, I bet most of the world will love him, a world that once seemed to have been very cruel to him because of simple hearsay. But like I've always believed, we beat, abuse, and kill those of whom we love.

Columbus Twenty O'Nine

I'm off to Columbus with SGW for a fun-filled weekend. It's his birthday weekend, too. Saturday night we'll get checked-in to our hotel and then take in dinner somewhere and a movie (I'm hoping to see This Is It) and probably check out Gallery Hop in the Short North. If I have my way Nathan and I will dance somewhere, Tradewinds or Q bar, but not too late because he has business to attend early Sunday and I have to meet up with two of my favorite Columbus girls, Aarthi and Gisela whom I worked with for a year at AOL.

Old Haunt

This photograph of poet Evan J. Peterson and I arrived yesterday via mail from Germany.

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All the leaves are gone. The fields harvested. The snow will soon be here. Winter will set with a vengeance. The raw cold January will be upon us. The ugly and menacing February. The merciless March. The fools of April.

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I'll be in my old haunting ground of Columbus this weekend. Always a bit of an out-of-body experience when you return to a place that was once everything in your life.

Novel update

I have not written an update on my novel-in-progress in awhile. I know a lot of people find it mundane and pissboring to read about writer's progress in their projects, but oh well.

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I'm within the first quarter of draft two -- I know exactly where the story is going and am thickening the novel with details and subplots. I remain in love with the story and find myself escaping into the world and people of it. Today I took my laptop to work and before my shift sat in my car in the north parking lot and wrote for an hour. Then I thought about it all night at work. Then I thought about it some more while sitting in the Wendy's drive-thru to get my dinner.

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I suspect I'll finish sometime in mid-2010, probably around my 30th birthday in June. I plan to allow very few, exclusive first reads once draft two is complete to people I greatly admire the intelligence and feedback of. I will not release the title and synopsis until the project is finished so just deal with it.

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Writing this novel has been the bravest thing I've ever done.

Mark Your 2010 Cute Puppies, Marilyn Monroe, Great Bridges, or Farmstead Calenders

Tentatively I'm scheduled to be in the following cities next year, 2010 (twenty ten, not two thousand ten). I'm going to try and squeeze in some kind of poetry reading in each of these cities to, you know, promote my book and become the best-selling self-published poet of all space and time and timewarps and time-slips. I'm still trying to figure out who's paying for all these aeroplane tickets. If you're in one of these cities I'd love to have a joint poetry reading with you. I will not be censored in my poetry readings, so if you do not like adult topics like EVERYDAY LIFE THAT INCLUDES SEX, BEING HOMOSEXUAL, DEATH, DYING, MY EIGHT INCH PENIS, LYING, BURNING MY DAD'S WIFE AT THE STAKE, then do not come to my poetry reading and continue to go to church and believe your helter skelter holy bs and pray for the beautification of my blessed soul. See you soon. Love, Montgomery
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Norfolk, Va.

Richmond, Va.
Washington, D.C.
Sacramento, Ca.
Vancouver, maple leaf.
Seattle, Wa.
San Francisco, Ca.
Philadelphia, Pa.
Los Angeles, Ca.
Cincinnati, Oh.
Columbus, Oh.
Chicago, Il.
London, Eu.
Frankfurt, Ge. (02/2011, but it still counts in the Chinese calender)

Film Revue: Amelia (2009) (B-)

Tonight I saw Amelia, another role that H. Swank can add to her tomboy resume and the first film of her's that I saw that made me a fan. She's spot-on Amelia Earhart and I smell an Oscar for her (at least a nomination). This film is choppy (turbulant, teehee), but it's visually stunning. I noticed a few mistakes, like how the 1929 air show was taking place in 1935, but again, a visually stunning film. I do think they have Hollywood-ized Amelia's life, yet she was at one point the most popular woman in the world. It also briefly hints at her being a lesbian. I had no idea Amelia was an author and if the voiceover in this film of H. Swank reading is from Amelia's actual work, then I'm going to Border's tomorrow to find it. Not to ruin the ending or anything, we all know she doesn't make it, but it hints at her plane crashing in the ocean, the most accepted scenario of her fate. I say see this one in the theater.

Bacon Flu Pandemic Update

Since my four month old niece lives with me I'm in the "tier 1" priority group to get vaccinated against this national emergency pandemic flu, however there is no place to get it in my area or in Cincinnati, really, in general. Or Ohio, actually.

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Pictured is me petting the lucky golden pig at Seattle's Pike Place Market.

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Hospitals are no longer testing to see if patients with flu-like symptoms are carrying the H1N1, as too many folks are coming down with the Bacon Flu. So they're just pumping them full of medication and turning them back out the door.

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My employer has warned against anyone coming to work with flu-like symptoms and have ordered us to stay home until we are fever-free for 24hours without medication. However, we will be penalized up to termination for the absence from work.

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I've yet to know someone with the swine flu, aside from my favorite Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell.

An Autumn Day

Tonight is the first night I've been home since Wednesday night of last week. It's been a very fun week.

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Richmond, Virginia is a very nice small city. The east coast isn't quite as "autumn" as Ohio is, so it was nice to get a 75 and sunny day or two in again. Richmond is very old. It's odd to see places in America that date back four hundred years. We also drove by Bowling, Virginia - a town named after one of my ancestors. It's this lineage that gives me my "distance cousin" claim to Bette Davis, Nathanial Hawthorne, and Emily Dickinson, among many others.

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Nathan gave a great performance in La Bohème. I cannot even begin to testify to the amount of beauty he holds in his voice, but major companies and people are starting to take note of this. He auditions with major companies in New York City in just a few weeks. I've also decided that I prefer male opera voices over female opera voices.

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The first review of my forthcoming book This Beautiful Bizarre is in and it's very positive, very praiseful. I'm very happy about this because no one has read this book/manuscript until now. I trust the reviewer's thoughts because he is himself a great seasoned poet and was also mentored by W. H. Auden. There will be more information on this blog next month about how you can buy this book.

The End

is nearing.

The Poet Goes to Washington

Montgomery Maxton in Washington, D.C.

24 October 2009.

Washington DC

My trip today to Washington, D.C. was absolutely great, aside for a few serious downpours. Picture Nathan and I running through the streets of downtown DC huddled under the same umbrella. While I didn't get to go to any museum, which I didn't suspect I would, I did get to explore the National Mall and go to the Wa. Monument, Lincoln Memorial, saw the White House, the Capital Building, the WWII and Vietnam Memorial(s), and the Pentagon.
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There were a lot of WWII vets in wheel chairs at their memorial. It was rather moving. This was a serious moment for them and there I was, witnessing it. I can't imagine the whole world at war - sounds depressing, especially in this era. My grandfather, the one still living, was drafted for WWII to go to Normandy, but he failed his physical and they never told him why. These old men reminded me of him.
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What I found most moving was the Vietnam Memorial. Holy god. I'll admit, I know very little about the Vietnam War. However, when I saw all those names of the dead, I was floored. Absolutely floored. I had NO idea 58,000+ American soldiers died in that war and that it lasted for over a decade. Think of all the mother's who lost their children. Wow. We found Nathan's great-uncle's name on there. It was near the start -- he was one of the first deaths of the war.
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I'll write more when I have a better wifi connection.
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Foolish me, I left my flip video camcorder in my car at the airport.

Field Report

I know some of you have been coming to this blog since the getgo ... your loyalty cannot be described in words. So I can't help but feel like I'm letting you down by not blogging as much as I normally do these past couple of weeks. I'm greatly focused on writing my novel and, also, I've taken on a new job that is requiring me to be top game. I dress in business clothes, you guys.

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I'm flying to Richmond, Virginia to see Nathan very early Friday morning — the earliest I've ever taken an outbound flight —5:30am. Then he and I are driving back late Sunday into Monday morning. I will also get to spend some time with his parents, whom I adore. I love driving at night, but with deer season here, ugh. Three deer ran out in front of me on my drive home last night. Need I remind you what happened last year at this time (pictured - the first time I've ever released a photo of that accident, the truck was totaled).

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I've never been to Virginia, though some of my ancestors were some of the founding families of that state and several towns are named after them there. I'm hoping Virginia at this time of year is lovely — the mountains, the autumn foliage.

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There's rumors I'll be in Washington D.C. on Saturday.

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It's harvest season, as well, and that means the fields out here have become dust bowls. Wheat, soy, corn — chop chop chop. With the trees shedding their leaves and the fields going down, soon this will be a frozen tundra of raw bleak. I hate it. They were combining the field across the street until 2:30am last night. Gigantic machines that have eight or so huge bright lights on the front. If you didn't know it was a field being combined you'd think the balloon boy family was pulling another UFO stunt.

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We also have a horse out here now, Icy. She is the great-great-great-great granddaugther of Secretariat. I went back to the pasture this afternoon with some butterscotch-flavored horse treats and she was my best friend. She kept trying to come over to my side of the fence so she could just eat the whole damn bag. The world without animals would be a tragic place. I'll blog more about Icy in the coming weeks I'm sure. I've yet to ride her and not sure I will, though she is fully broken in for that and has been for years. Actually, I've only ever gone horseback riding once, age 13, and it resulted in a smelly mess... all over my leg. The horse did it. Not me. I did not shit my pants. The horse shit on my leg. It was somewhere in the Ozark Mountains, in Missouri.

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Last night around 3am I went outside to catch some of the Orionid meteor shower. So lovely. So majestic. I wrapped myself in a blanket and went out near Icy's pasture. I could see her off in the distance, watching me — hearing me (she has the most uncanny hearing). I saw a few shooting stars, made my wishes. I'm hoping maybe I'll get to see some from the plane tomorrow in my pre-dawn flight since it's just a day or so from its peak.

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The most beautiful thing, though, is not a shooting star or a horse, it's when I get to see Nathan performing on stage, which I will be seeing, Good Lord willing, Friday night.

Thank You Google

Google directed someone to my blog when they searched:
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"major events in homosexual history."

Star

Tonight while driving home I saw a shooting star, barely, just barely, I saw it for its brief appearance in the sky. I made a wish.

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Until November.

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Love save the empty,

Montgomery

One Year

It's been one year ago this Sunday, October 18, 2009, that I met (and greatly photographed) our future celebrity president Barack Obama. Here are two never before seen photographs. The shot you don't see, that I don't have, was when I was meeting him.

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Not too long after Obama did the "holdin' babies line" that I call these photo-ops/handshakes that politicians do, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland came grumbling through. A democrat, duh, but he could pass as Donald Trumps older brother. Ted shook my hand and I yelled "Ted, support gay marriage!" I probably should not have addressed him by his first name, but then again, he shouldn't deny me my rights. He goes "What's your name son?" "Montgomery Maxton." "Ohhhh yeah." WTF?

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Barack Obama's handshake was very firm. He shook mine with his left hand to my right. The "two for one" handshake. Getting twice as many done at the same time. Quickly after this I zoomed in really close on his forehead with the camera and photographed the sweat. After he won the presidency I titled the photograph "Presidential Persperation." It's in my portfolio.

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I will continue to not blog much. My apologies. Don't take it personally. Things are different.

Last Year

in October.

The Unlucky 13th

I am tired and think I am coming down with something. Not Pig Flu, not that. I think I've exhausted my body and mind and have caught something that had I not been exhausted I would've been able to fight it easy peasy but nope, not now, my body feels like warm mush and I can't sleep. I will be ok, just let me be here in my princess tower.

It will be too late

..........................................

A Mother's Anguish

Judy Shepard as photographed by me on 22 Oct. 2001

Happy Birthday, Bugsy

The Poet and the Soldier, 2007, digital

©2009 Montgomery Maxton Photography

Mission: Moon Crash

I've long been fascinated by space and our moon. Last night it was a gigantic orange ball rising up over the cornfields out here - the first harvest moon - the pumpkin moon. I've known for awhile now that NASA was planning to crash twin crafts on it to see if water/ice is just under the lunar surface and by this time tomorrow it will all have taken place. "Bombing the moon" the media is calling it. Mission: Moon Crash, I like to say. I've no doubt we'll someday (this century) start the first colony of humans (hopefully not just Americans) on the moon, so this moon crash mission is important. If water exist on the moon it will make it a hell of a lot easier to colonize there. There are a lot of complaints about this costing the taxpayers $79 million dollars, but you know what, what's going to happen when we have to evacuate earth? You know it's eventually going to happen. We're going to either out-grow this planet, it's going to become too uninhabitable, or something else and we'll need to move somewhere else. I'd prefer to have that colony started before it becomes too late. So, in my view, this Mission: Moon Crash is an effort to save the human race from it's own self-destruction.

Stand By Your Man

It will probably come as no surprise to anyone who reads this blog that, despite his critics, I continue to stand-by President Obama and how he is handling everything from the economy, unemployment, and the twin wars. I also continue to standby him in regards to the progression, or lack thereof, of civil/LGBT/gay rights (whatever it's called nowadays). President Obama is speaking Friday at the Human Rights Campaign annual dinner and this is huge, HUGE, for a sitting President. He's the first to do this - he has not forgotten us. While he has not yet put the repeal of DOMA and DADT on his immediate agenda (why would he, the world is falling apart), I do think it's on the agenda for as soon as the economy and unemployment begin to stabilize, which I think will come after he wins reelection. I'm always quick to remind people that he inherited this mess. He may be an American hero, but he is not a super hero, don't expect overnight/first term miracles, but expect the continued ally he is to the American working class, those without healthcare, and the minority people.

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*DOMA - Defense of Marriage Act

*DADT - Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Dinner with JR, not in Dallas

This evening my friend Justin "JR" and I met in Hyde Park for dinner. We hadn't seen each other since my birthday was it (June!)? Regardless. Always a pleasure to catch-up. JR and I were born just a month apart in this strange life and equally strange world. Justin lost his mother in August to breast cancer and I cannot imagine, at 29, having to bury your mother. Justin is now one of my idols for his strength. I also highly appreciate it when my friends ask me about my writings and photography, not because I want to talk about myself, but because it is my passion — talk about banking on brownie points. With the holidays quickly approaching (first snow predicted for next week), I'm trying to get facetime in with friends (and by facetime I do not mean writing something on their facebook wall) before they hustle off to their respective old haunts because before you know it next summer will be here and SGW and I will be moving away and these friendships will fade like a pair of white shoes —although my intention has always been to keep my friendships fresh and strong.

Old Navy FAIL!

Dear Old Navy —

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I was writing to briefly lodge a complaint.

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I recently purchased a sweater at your Mason, Ohio store. Upon checking out the polite cashier asked me if I wanted to receive a $10.00 coupon in my email. I said that I would like that so I could come back and buy another sweater. I provided him with my email and we made small talk over my business card which reveals I am a photographer.

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The next day I received the email and the catch-22 that I am complainingabout. It's a $10 coupon, but only if I buy $50.00 worth of merchandise online. So not only do I have to buy $50.00 worth of your merchandise, I also have to do it online (which will cost shipping thus virtually wipping out the $10.00 off) and I find both of these restrictions misleading compared to the original pitch that mentioned nothing of the sorts. Since the cashier was not clear I feel Old Navy should correct this in a way that isn't just a generic email apology. I have been shopping at your company for over a decade now and feel this is no way to treat any customer.

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I can be reached at this email address and the address below.

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Sincerely,

Montgomery Maxton

(mailing address)

(sent via custserv@oldnavy.com on 10.4.09)

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Dear Montgomery,

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Thank you for the message to oldnavy.com. We are sorry for any inconvenience you have experienced. Unfortunately, we are unable to resend another promotion code for just $10 off, nor change the terms and conditions with the promotion you received. Montgomery, we want you to know we truly appreciate your patronage and never want to disappoint our great customers like yourself.

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Thank you very much for shopping with oldnavy.com, and we invite you to shop with us again soon.

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If we may be of further assistance, please contact us at custserv@oldnavy.com or by calling 1-800-OLD-NAVY.

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Sincerely,

Brett

Customer Service

(10.05.09)

The First Photograph Was Snapped in 1825

For the past three weeks I have been gathering all of my professional portfolio photography into one file. Pulling copies stored on email account(s), websites, CDs, and DVDs. So far I've almost made my way through all of my digital files, yet haven't even begun to scan and document/label the 9 years of 35mm film prints — that number in the tens of thousands — of which maybe, at best, 100 will be official portfolio'd of the ones I haven't already. When it's all said and done, thirteen years of being a photographer has so far given me nearly 3,000 photographs. I also have 45 rolls of undeveloped film, some dating back to 1998 — which most likely will never be developed so there are photographs I'll never see. I've also lost a few photographs on last year's laptop crash.

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The oldest surviving photograph, View from the Window at Le Gras (La cour du domaine du Gras), taken in 1826 by Nicéphore Niépce, had an exposure time of 8 hours.

Ink Art - The 2005 Collection

Get out much?

So I was getting an iced coffee the other day and this man (pictured) was in front of me trying to put coins into the drive-thru speaker! Click the picture to enlarge it to see. No joke.
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What a total idiot.

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You know what he ordered? A soda! Just a soda. That isn't a vending machine, you dumbass.

Welcome to Borders, where can I direct you[r penis]?

I was sitting at Borders Books this evening reading the glossy newsies (I'm such an old man going to the bookstore and reading Newsweek and TIME ... what the fuck). Soon I noticed a man come around the corner and stop in front of the "Men's Interest" section which I think is totally sexist because not all men are interested in what they have in that section. Bless this old man because he tried to do this quickly and descreetly but he FAILED.

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He went to grab a magazine in the "back row" -- one in plastic wrap -- and apparently they were all stuck together (I don't want to know why) and since he grabbed it fast they all came out and fell down onto the floor. JUGGS, PENTHOUSE, PLAYBOY, HUSTLER, SCISSORING SLUTS, MILKY MILFS, COUGAR CULT, BACKDOOR BAMBI'S, TRAMPS 'N TRANS AM'S, GRANNY'S BLOOMERS. They were all splayed out on the floor ... pun completely intended.

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Grandpa turned so red I thought he would cardiac arrest right there under the news ticker and his ticker would tick out on a pile of plastic wrapped STD-free porn. I've never seen an old man move that quick to pick them up and rush, with two tucked under his arm (pictured) to the check-out.

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Dude, get the internet = free porn and endless hook-up's. Or so I've heard.

The Pains of the First Frost

My prime of youth is but a frost of cares,
My feast of joy is but a dish of pain,

—Chidiock Trichborne, poet, executed 1586

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Overnight we received the first frost of the season and sure enough when I woke-up this morning my right hand was hurting. Last fall, 2008, I noticed my right hand started hurting when it got cold and I thought, reluctantly, that it was ... arthritis. With the return of cool/cold weather and the return on the knuckle/joint pain in my right hand there's really no more denying if it really is arthritis. I'm not so surprised I have it in the right hand, though.

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While I'm left-handed, I use my right hand for everything except for writing and holding my fork. I cannot use chop-sticks because of this left hand / right hand issue. I'm a right-hand dominant left-hander. I've long expected to have arthritis, and carpal tunnel, because I've been typing since I was 15 — 70+ words per minute — and using my right hand for my photography (they never make left-handed cameras). I also use my right hand more when I drive, I'm guessing most do because of the design of American cars: the shifter, the radio, the mirrors, the wheel (when I drive with one-hand), the Starbucks cup in the center holder.

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However, I proudly vote left.

Heaven on a Wednesday Morning

Yesterday afternoon my beautiful, amazing partner was informed that his amazing Uncle Raymond was killed in a motorcycle accident on the 405 in Orange County, California—pronounced dead at the scene.
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From the time I met Nathan, nine months ago, he had spoken often of his love and appreciation for Raymond as he was the first person Nathan came out to and found great support from. Raymond leaves behind a wife and five school-aged children. I was looking forward to meeting him in December.
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The Orange County Register has ran photographs (post removal of the deceased) and an article on the accident (I am not linking it). What I find utterly disgusting is the 70+ comments on the accident, of which a majority are insensative and uncalled for — bringing race and motorcycle-stereotypes into argument. What the fuck!? A few people, I've found, have Tweeted about the accident:
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"Damn you accident on the 405, I have naked treats to deliver! But that being said, lord bless the motorcyclist" -@ink_blots
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"OMG! I just saw a motorcyclist dead from a crash on the 405!!" -@momo_radio
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"I've seen 4 dead bodies on 405 in one month, all riding motorcycles, all riding up the lane dividers beside HOV lanes, between lanes. STOP." -@shadedegges
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Rest in peace, sweet Raymond. Thank you for helping make my guy into the amazing man that he is.

I'll always happily and proudly be your "Uncle Mike." I'm glad GOD gave me you for three months and that I was able to be there for you when your mother couldn't. Thank you for letting me feed you, hold you, and soothe your tears when you were scared ... or pooped your diaper. Goodbye sweet little prince. May the angels keep you safe wherever it is your mother takes you in the world.

Rain [Hu]Man

It has been raining for one hundred years in Cincinnati as of today and to commemorate this glorious event Noah sailed up the River Ohio yesterday and much to the surprise of all the know-it-all Christians there were dinosaurs on his flying dutchman yacht Ark and also some animals from other planets that bore a striking resemblance to the "missing link" in the mammal/human evolution chain. I have fucking had it with all of the rain that we have been having. I don't even bother checking the 7-day forecast or even the extended forecast because it's always just going to be rain or cloudy with a damn-good-chance of rain (I wish they'd say that on the news), or flood watch or flood warning or kill yourself there's going to be so much rain you'd wish you'd killed yourself before the storm came and drowned you in your Chevrolet. People are trading in their mega-ton SUVs for those Land/Water Tourist Duck Vehicles that you find in places like Seattle, "Worsh"ington and Branson, "Misery" as a lot of people in this area call those places/words. Of course how could I forget "Illennoise."

True Kennedy

The other day I was at Borders—about once a week I go there to read the glossy newsies and browse books that I'll most likely never read because there's just too many books being written these days. Anywho, I HAVE been wanting to read the late Senator Kennedy's memoir, True Compass, which he completed just weeks or days before his death last month. However with a $35.00 price tag I'm opting out on this purchase for quite sometime. Plus the Kennedy's are already filthy rich and I've always had a problem giving money to an artist or writer who's already a millionaire while I struggle day in & day out to just get by with one meal. The same goes for concert tickets which is why I've only ever been to two concerts: Dolly Parton (1992) and Alanis Morissette (2005).

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So I read the Prologue to this book and was floored by Mr. Kennedy's poetic and smooth-flowing prose. I think he wrote the Prologue last, and the chapters of the book had been completed or nearly complete for quite sometime, as the Prologue takes us up until the month of his death. But the writing was superb, enchanting almost. A captivating storyteller that Mr. Kennedy. I'm not sure why the fates let him live so much longer than his brothers and nephew—he himself surviving that plane crash—but thank God he did because I bet this book is a very well-written account of his amazing life and will be read and required reading for generations to come.

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I'll put it on my Christmas list so maybe Santa Nate will hark my herald with it.

If only we lived twice...

This afternoon I swung by my Grandpa's convalescent fortress and gave him an index card with Deal or No Deal's address on it because when I was there last time he asked me to get it for him so I said okay that I would and so today I fulfilled my word. I am not sure what he wants the address for, I think he wants to go on the show, but he turns 86 in November and I think if he made it on he would film in early 2010 in Culver City California and would probably be the oldest contestant but I can't be for certain of that because I've never seen the show because I don't watch television much but I know Howie Mandell host the show and he is annoying and a coke-face so I wouldn't watch it anyways but Grandpa and his roommate watch it everytime it's on, on their tv's that are side-by-side in the room but they both watch it on their own TV because when you don't have much and you're waiting around to die like waiting for McDonald's to open for breakfast on a cold winter morning and your exhaust is foggy in your red brakelight I guess you use what you have. PS my grandpa, pictured, can walk just fine so he is using that wheel chair to fake people out.