Absolute Tchotchke

2008-11-07T06:16:00.002-05:00

Barry and I were "unioned" on October 25, 2008. Thanks to the hard work, sweat and tears of several brave couples, we are able to formally get married on November 12.

The wedding exceeded our expectations. It was amazing on all levels - the best of which was the love and support of our friends and family during this adventure. Thanks to everyone who helped us get to the altar, especially our Consultzilla, Jill, who worked tirelessly to ensure that our special day was flawless.

Now on to Disney for the Honeymoon on November 15!

Follow Me on Twitter

2008-10-23T11:45:00.001-04:00

I set up a twitter account so that I can send updates on a more regular basis from my iPod. Since I have it with me nearly everywhere I go, I can send updates to my blog from any wireless connection. This way, I can post activities more frequently!

You will find the twitter updates on the right side under my profile.

Home for the Holidays

2007-12-05T18:55:00.001-05:00

Arriving in PTown

2007-09-15T11:12:00.001-04:00

Here's some video of the upper floor of our apartment in PTown for Carnival this year.

Trying Out YouTube

2007-09-14T23:04:00.000-04:00

I finally got around to playing with downloading video from my camera to my computer, then back up to YouTube. See what you think with this clip from our trip last year to Disney World!

Gay and Absolutely Fabulous

2007-05-06T07:54:00.000-04:00

This is Hysterical

2007-01-03T17:32:00.000-05:00

This is for sure the funnies WoW movie I've seen + it has the greatest catchy tune I've ever heard! Download it and you'll sing along very soon ;) Note that there is NO nudity or something like that in it!

The song is from the Broadway show, Avenue Q (www.avenueq.com) and the soundtrack is available on Amazon.

Please note that I (the uploader) am not the creator of this funny movie. Hence that I DO NOT take ANY credits what-so-ever for it, I just uploaded it so you guys at WCM could see it. The guys over at Argent Dawn (EU) made this clip and my guess is that Evilhoof and Flayed is the creators of it so ALL credits to THEM for this great music video! You guys rock!

Merry Xmas - Family Guy Style

2006-12-23T09:40:00.000-05:00

This Says It All

2006-11-07T17:46:00.000-05:00

And what character are YOU?

2006-09-08T12:58:00.000-04:00

You Are the Very Gay Winnie the Pooh!

Come on, he doesn't wear pants!
And he's a little too obsessed with Christopher Robin

What Gay Childhood Icon Are You?

Mmmm. Expresso...

2006-09-08T12:55:00.000-04:00

You Are an Espresso

At your best, you are: straight shooting, ambitious, and energetic

At your worst, you are: anxious and high strung

You drink coffee when: anytime you're not sleeping

Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Capoeira

2006-08-24T20:59:00.000-04:00

Heading to PTown!

2006-08-11T22:53:00.000-04:00

Off for PTown tomorrow with Barry and his friends from the Providence Gay Men's Chorus. It's always a great time as we really like hanging out with the guys. We laugh and laugh - a great week of relaxation during the color and chaos of Carnival week. I got a new digital video camera, so we'll see if I can actually post a video on the blog when I get back!!

It's a Girl!

2006-05-14T10:44:00.000-04:00

Abby McCartney-Ferris has joined our house! She arrived this weekend where she initially was very shy, but is now very affectionate and - as is the nature of all cats - curious.

Her initial hours were spent hiding behind the dryer in the first floor bathroom. We decided to put her litter box and food in there for now just to get her acclaimated to the house. She hid in there for a few hours before I was able to coax her out with a few Pounce treats. Needless to say, all cats LOVE Pounce. :)

Over her initial shyness, she immediately began to explore her new home. She went into every room, sniffed into every corner, and got comfortable with the surroundings. Barry read that most cats when introduced to a new home tend to hide for a few days, sometimes even a month, until they get used to it. Abby, however, was snuggling with us before evening, and even spent some of the night with us in bed.

Saturday was a bit anxious to start - I looked everywhere for her and couldn't find her. I knew that I didn't have any external doors open, so she needed to be somewhere in the house. But she was an accomplished hider. We eventually tracked her down under the bed where she was hiding once again. Barry was concerned about her staying under there, so we removed the mattresses and physically removed her from her new cave. We shut the door to the bedroom to prevent her from hiding under there again, which she was initially put off by. However, throughout the day, she was snuggling next to me on the couch as we watched movies, purring up a storm. She now takes to sitting on the arms of the couch and side chair, looking like an Egyptian Sphinx - all wise and knowing. :)

I'm sure you'll see more pictures of her over time!

The Big Wine Tour '06

2006-05-08T18:12:00.000-04:00

Barry and I just got back from a glorious weekend of drinking (and buying) way too much wine. It started with my asking Barry what he wanted to do for the weekend, and apparently it didn't involve yard work. So I booked a room at The Manor House in Norfolk at the last minute and we headed off for Western Connecticut to do the Wine Trail.

As we arrived at our first destination, the Hopkins Inn and Vineyard, we settled back for a relaxing lunch on the veranda. I realized I didn't have the good camera, but I did have my cell phone. At least there's something fuzzy to show you. The picture on the left shows you the view we had as we relaxed.

After enjoying the wine at Hopkins, we headed north, skipping Haight Vineyards (I hate Haight wines), and visited the first of several new vineyards that are on the tour - Jerram Winery and The Land of Nod. For my taste, Jerram's wines were a mixed bag, but we were both pleasantly surprised by the Land of Nod. Odd name, good wine. The guy who was doing our tasting allowed us to sample a new blend they were trying. It wasn't even labeled yet (they only bottled 4 cases), and because I liked it so much, he gave me a bottle for free! I'll definitely be trying to go back in the future...

We then headed to the Manor House where we enjoyed a bottle of the Peach wine we picked up at Hopkins while soaking in a hot jaccuzi bath and nibbling on dark chocolate. Gosh, life can be so difficult sometimes. :) The picture on the right shows the front of the manor house. It was a lovely old Victorian mansion that had several original Tiffany stained glass windows throughout. Just amazing! And we had a balcony off of our room where we enjoyed the crisp night air after our luxury bath. That is, until we started to see our breath and came in before catching our death of cold.

The next morning, we arose to a wonderful breakfast at the inn, then packed the car and headed down the amazingly scenic Route 7. We passed through some of the most gorgeous hills and valleys in the state - Barry kept saying he couldn't believe we were still in Connecticut.

The picture to the left is of Kent Falls, right on Route 7. We almost went by it, but after seeing a glimpse of it as I was crusing by, Barry told me to turn around and head back - I'm glad he did!

We then finished with the rest of the wineries on the western trail, and ended with a winery on the Eastern Trail. We had about 2 cases of wine in the car when we finally pulled into the house, along with enough engraved wine glasses (you get your glass free when you pay for a wine tasting at most of the wineries in Connecticut) to stock multiple wine bars.

The Craziest Sight...

2006-04-14T10:55:00.000-04:00

This is what waited for me out the back of my house yesterday - it was POURING down rain when the sun suddenly came out. This rainbow just glowed across my back yard and I ran to get a camera to capture it before it went out. :) I was tempted to run where the rainbow ended to start digging for gold...but that would have entailed...well...WORK.

NYC and the Blizzard of '06

2006-04-14T10:49:00.000-04:00

So, this is LONG over due to post, but here it is! Barry and I went down to Toy Fair this year and got caught in the worst blizzard in the recorded history of the city. We got over a yard of snow - on the day we had to go from our B&B to the Javits Center. What a NIGHTMARE!
Fortunately, we were able to hail a cab almost immediately. Unfortunately, I was almost run over by it as the cab was unable to stop as it moved towards us. I saw my life begin flashing before my eyes - as brief as that was. ;)

However, we were able to make it with minimal fanfare once the cab picked us up. The picture above is out the Javits Center door - about half way through the blizzard. Throughout the day we got double the snow shown here...

Once inside, it was toasty warm and we were able to drop our sodden coats off at a coat check, allowing us to peruse the sites. :)

How Evil Are You?

2006-04-09T08:55:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my friend Stevo for this. :)

You Are 50% Evil

You are evil, but you haven't yet mastered the dark side.Fear not though - you are on your way to world domination.

How Evil Are You?

Blizzard Makes Right

2006-02-16T14:10:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems the Blizzard has finally seen the light and plans to address the problem instead of the victims...

Blizzard GLBT Gaming Policy Questions

2006-01-30T09:09:00.000-05:00

In Newsweekly -.- Gaming -.- Blizzard of GLBT gaming policy questions
Terra Nova Response

I'm a bit surprised at this news that Blizzard is interpreting what appears to be a policy prohibiting discrimination into something that is clearly discriminating. Blizzard's inability to distinguish between creating a GLBT-friendly guild and the homophobic remarks that will inevitably come in general chat from immature players is mind boggling. In my own experience, at the very start of the World of Warcraft game, I found it puzzling why the word "gay" was lumped in with other, more vile language that was blocked by the filters set up in the game. The response I got back was a vague "well, it can be used offensively" which led me to believe they just didn't get it. Because I didn't have the patience to educate an entire company (not really sure if they even wanted to be educated), I dropped the issue. But now I may, as a long-time subscriber to their game, have to take Blizzard to task again over this issue.

Editing Comments

2005-12-26T08:01:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been getting some unwanted attention lately. It seems that ad companies trying to lure unsuspecting people have finally found blogs to spam. The first time I thought was a fluke, but the second time made me realize that I had to do something.

I still welcome your comments, but I'm now requiring an additional verification when you leave your comments, just to make sure you're not a spammer. Sorry about the inconvenience!

A Philosophy to Live Life By

2005-12-20T15:16:00.000-05:00

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

New Laws of Physics

2005-12-14T08:03:00.000-05:00

Did you hear that they have redefined the Laws of Physics? Here's a sample:

Cartoon Law 1

Any body suspended in space will remain in space until made aware of its situation.

Daffy Duck steps off a cliff, expecting further pastureland. He loiters in midair, soliloquizing flippantly, until he chances to look down. At this point, the familiar principle of 32 feet per second per second takes over.

Mystic and Merry

2005-12-03T11:19:00.000-05:00

I'm off to Providence this weekend to help out at Barry's concert with the Providence Gay Men's Chorus. It's their semi-annual show, and only their second holiday concert. It's "Mystic and Merry" and should be a good program. Visit the PGMC Website to learn more!

This picture is from the Wednesday night concert, and yes - they are wearing tuxes for this concert. Nice and formal!

Politics

2005-11-20T16:18:00.000-05:00

Well... I was surprised by THIS result!

You are a
Social Liberal
(71% permissive)

and an...
Economic Liberal
(16% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Socialist

Link: The Politics Test on OkCupid Free Online Dating
Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

Disney World!!!

2005-10-01T16:23:00.000-04:00

Piglet gives Barry a hug.

Well, our trip to Disney World for 2005 has come and gone. I'm still not over my PDD (post-Disney depression), but I do have some pictures to remind me of our good time.

We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge, which was very nice. Beautiful theming throughout, and a great pool. Mom and Dad came down to join us for the first two days, and had a room right across the hall from us. We went to Epcot the first day, then the Magic Kingdom the second, where I insisted on a character breakfast to start off the day. You can see the results from the picture above.

Tag Sale!

2005-07-30T18:23:00.000-04:00

Missy and Barry Keeping Cool

Well, we've had our very first tag sale. Our neighbors, Rick and Judy, decided to "cull the herd" of their overstocked house, and graciously invited the neighborhood to join in. So, we put some stuff that we knew we wanted to sell and added it to the impressive collection of items for sale. In addition to Rick & Judy, Todd and Missy also joined us with a bunch of stuff for sale, too. It was hot, but not as bad as last week, and we were able to keep cool (the wine coolers broke out by 10:00 am - hey - it was noon somewhere in the world).

We were joined by Rick & Judy's daughter Amber, along with her daughter Alexandra, by mid afternoon, and finally ajourned to their backyard about 4:00 to enjoy a cookout. Eventually, we were joined by Amber's husband Greg, then our neighbor Jean before we headed home for a nap. An excellent day!

Check out the pictures!

New Driveway

2005-07-07T19:17:00.000-04:00

New Driveway

Well, the picture is finally here. I've been procrastinating about getting it on the site, but no more! We had it done in May, and have loved every inch of it. There's nothing like heading up a smooth, level stretch of asphault over a bumpy, dusty gravel driveway. And it eliminates the whole raking the gravel out of the lawn syndrome in the spring - I NEVER want to do that again!!!

Don't Push the Red Button

2005-04-29T13:29:00.000-04:00

I dare you to not push the red button.

Pictures from New Hampshire

2005-04-28T17:50:00.000-04:00

The Kinsman Suite

A bit later than promised, but here are the photographs from our trip to New Hampsire. The picture above is of our suite. The king sized bed had a feather mattress topper which made it oh so comfortable, but the size of the bed was problematic in the middle of the night. Seems that I would awake a number of times thinking that Barry had gotten out of bed when in reality he was sleeping soundly about 3 feet away. Very bizarre.

You can see the rest of my photos at my Yahoo Photo Album. In addition to pictures of the Inn and our suite, you'll see pictures of our side trip to The Basin (the water was RUSHING that day due to snow meltoff from the mountains) and to an adorable gift shop in the small town of Jackson Village.

She Gets It!

2005-04-28T08:37:00.000-04:00

Hartford Courant columnist Helen Ubinas gets it. She is able to put in words what I can't.

Soapbox Time

2005-04-20T21:11:00.000-04:00

Forgive me if I rant a bit, but I have been receiving a lot of questions from friends who, while meaning well, end up pushing one of my hot buttons. The question is innocent enough. "Connecticut passed Civil Unions! Isn't that great?" But the question aggravates the snot out of me.

Yes, it is nice to finally be able to pledge my love to Barry in a way that is legally recognized. We will, in all essence, get almost all of the same benefits that straight couples do when they marry. So, why am I mad?

Well, the first reason is that the Connecticut House succeeded in amending the bill to include wording to "defend" marriage as between one man and one woman. CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal already stated that CT law prevents that. So amending the Civil Union bill to add that language is only spiteful.

Second, it's ALMOST the same benefits as marriage. Barry and my relationship will ONLY be recognized in Connecticut. If we were traveling outside of Connecticut - say to Florida and Disney - that relationship would NOT be recognized. So any power of medical attorney that I (or Barry) might have in an emergency is null and void. Second, tax time becomes a MAJOR headache. From what I understand, we would have to file 4 (yes, FOUR) returns - separately for each of us federally because our beloved asshole of a president (have I mentioned that my dad voted for him? ARGH! Where have I gone wrong?) continues to promote a theocracy that demonizes same sex relationships, a "practice" joint return to see what we would have filed IF the federal gov't recognized us as a couple BECAUSE Connecticut's return will require the filing numbers as if we HAD filed jointly (which we can't).

Third, our Republican governor - bowing to the special interest of the religious right - urged that the DOMA language be included.

"Passage of this bill will extend civil rights to all couples, no matter their gender, and send the unmistakable message that discrimination in any form is unacceptable in Connecticut," Rell said.

Then, when the House passed that DOMA language, praised the bill showing that Connecticut doesn't accept discrimination in any form. Huh? If you create a separate - but equal - situation, aren't you discriminating? Isn't that why we abolished segregation in our schools? It's like we were back in the 1960's and we told Blacks that they could sit anywhere on the bus that they liked, as long as they were on THEIR bus. We whites have our own, you can ride yours. Isn't that discrimination???

So, when you see me, don't ask if I'm happy that the Civil Union bill passed. Wait until Barry and I have had our ceremony and simply congratulate us on pledging our love for one another in a way that symbolizes that we just want the same thing everyone one else has - to love, to live, and to have the legal recognition of that relationship without all the hassle of expensive legal paperwork.

Can't Wait For Episode III To Hit Theatres?

2005-04-13T13:30:00.000-04:00

I nearly laughed myself off of my chair watching this Star Wars spoof. Click on the link for Star Wars III: The Lost Hope, pick a size to download, then sit back and enjoy.

And For My Mother...

2005-04-03T18:31:00.000-04:00

It was a garbage can that started it all...

My New Ford Escort Hybrid.

Another Angle.

At my mother's insistance, here are pictures of my new Ford Escort Hybrid. I traded in my wonderful Sebring Convertible (whimpering the entire way). At the point that I realized that I needed a new garbage can for the house, and that there was no way to get it home in the middle of winter without popping the top, I caved.

It was a moment of cruel clarity that I no longer was living a single, carefree lifestyle of the not-quite-rich and infamous. I was a home owner, was driving a HECK of a distance to work, and living in the backwater of Connecticut where snow and treacherous driving conditions were the norm during winter.

So, doing my research, I discovered that I needed the room of an SUV with the gas mileage of a Hybrid. Guess what? Ford has the only Hybrid SUV on the market today. So, the choice was pretty cut and dried.

But, on the positive note, the car is fun to drive and it's a hoot when I'm able to drive several miles in traffic in the morning completely on battery power. I'm getting about 5-6 MPG more than my convertible, and I have the room to haul the items I need for the house.

A Day in NYC

2005-04-02T07:39:00.000-05:00

Barry sympathizing with a local.

As you can see from this photo - Barry was ready to take a break after 2 days at Toy Fair in late February. Since we were in NYC, we decided to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I got to indulge in its fabulous Egyptian exhibits:

Egyptian Temple

Barry had lots of fun with the statuary, but this was his favorite one, though:

Statue at the Met

I know there's some sort of mythology behind this, which Barry knows, but I just can't remember what it was. Something about the guy being condemned to starving to death and his sons insisting that they be eaten to save their dad. Quite twisted, if you ask me.

After spending a great morning and early afternoon at the museum, we were museum'ed out and decided to head south to his favorite place - Tiffanies! Along the way, I convinced him to allow us to talk through Central Park after PROMISING him that we weren't going to be mugged... After all, it was during the Gates exhibit (which no one understood, but it was still neat to see).

The Gates.

During our walk through the park, we had a celebrity moment - we walked right past Dianne Wiest who was taking an afternoon stroll. I told Barry about it as soon as I could without looking like a complete tourist loser, and he was ready to run after her to say hello. Fortunately, I was able to convince him not to do that since she probably didn't come walking through the park to be accosted by passersby.

Finally, though, after a delightful walk through the park, and passing by the Bronx Zoo, we made it to Barry's Mecca:

Why is this man smiling?

Yes, we stopped off in Tiffanys, where Barry was more than helpful in picking out future Xmas, anniversary and birthday gifts for him. After a quick run around inside, we continued on to see the Disney store, St. Pats Cathedral, and Rockefeller Square before heading back to the hotel. A full day that resulted in BOTH of us collapsing exhausted in the room!

Accessory for EVERY vehicle!

2005-03-25T16:32:00.000-05:00

Do YOU have YOUR Trunk Monkey???

World of Warcraft - Vindicated!

2005-03-16T22:02:00.000-05:00

My Dwarven Hunter flying to a new destination.

So, I've taken a LOT of ridicule for my geeky ways. Well, that can finally end - it seems that my passion and obsession has been legitimized!!! Check out NPR - how much more legitimate can you get from that???

Toy Fair 2005

2005-03-13T19:48:00.000-05:00

In late February, I went with Barry, his brother and his father to Toy Fair in NYC. Toy Fair is a very important event for any retailer of toys or related merchandise; you get to see the latest gadgets, dolls, games, etc. for the upcoming season.

Clown Band Opening Toy Fair.

Javits Center teeming with people on the first day of Toy Fair.

The vendors pull out all the stops, with extravagant displays, and celebrities to boot! Why, even Marie Osmond turned out for this event - of course, she owns a very successful doll company that features many dolls of her own design.

At Toy Fair meeting Marie Osmond.

One vendor even had one of the original munchkins from The Wizard of Oz. It was very surreal to see this withered gnome who is still recognizable sitting behind the folding table of a vendor in the back end of the Fair where many of the companies were from Hong Kong...

This is March Madness...

2005-03-12T13:41:00.000-05:00

View from the back.

View from the front porch.

While Barry was complaining about yet ANOTHER snow storm this season (and on his birthday, no less!), I took the time to snap these pictures. I don't know about Barry, but I think THIS is the reason I love to live in the country. Now to get a car that can actually DRIVE in it...

Let the Season be Bright

2004-12-20T22:20:00.000-05:00

Xmas Lights in Snow

So here's the promised picture of the house decorated for Xmas. Strand of lighted garland draping across the front acting as an achor to the lit artificial tree decorated with silver garland. To top it off, a white light in each window!

I'm feeling festive!

Land of Misfits

2004-12-18T08:37:00.000-05:00

Xmas Tree and Village

In many ways, the fact that we have set up a small Land of Misfit Toys Christmas village in our bay window is a fitting reminder of how out of place I sometimes feel in the country. Yes, I love my house and, yes, we have been (mostly) accepted into the neighborhood. But still - to have so much fashionably good taste in the middle of Windham country? Truly misfits. :)

Anyway - the tree is just lovely. Crystal and silver garland, white lights and ornaments colored in various shades of purple and white. And its my first live tree in many years - thanks to Todd and Melissa to letting me know when they were going out to cut their tree - I was able to hitch a ride and we went to a local tree farm in Brooklyn.

We even bought some pre-lit garland for the front of the house - it is draped across the front of the farmer's porch - I'll see if I can get a picture to come out of that. We also took my artificial tree, strung it with lights and silver garland and put that to one side on the porch. We even have white lights for the windows in front. Very pretty indeed!

Now all we need is for a good snowfall before Christmas. (I know - I know - becareful what you wish for!!!)

Our First Snow

2004-11-13T07:36:00.000-05:00

The House with Its White Coat

Our Neighbor Jean's House and Barn

This is the scene we woke up to this morning -- Winter has arrived a bit early! I'm running around all romantic like, thoroughly enjoying the beauty and splendor of first snow in Chaplin CT. Barry's grousing about how much he hates snow and how on EARTH is he going to get out with over 6 inches on the ground (it's probably about 2 inches, but the TV News said Chaplin got upwards of 4).

Regardless, my good spirits are NOT dampened and its absolutely GORGEOUS.

Greetings from California!

2004-10-27T23:34:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm in California this week for a convention on Knowledge Management. KMWorld/Intranets was the conference Kaye, Jeffrey and I first formed this wacky notion of ours to actually imbed KM processes into The Hartford. As a result, we've spent 2 years of our lives (a lot of it AFTER work!) in order to try and create something meaningful. We're making *some* progress, but not as much as we'd like (or as fast as we like). But someone somewhere must think that we have something with this whole KM thing because I'm here at the convention once again trying to soak up as much information on implementing KM successfully as I can.

I was able to get away for *some* time to visit Paramount's Great America amusement park this week. I've got some pictures I'll upload later to amuse you with.

My key problem this week has been trying to find something to eat that DOESN'T cost an arm and a leg. The restaurant in the hotel is way expensive. The Sushi Bar attached to the lounge is reasonable for sushi, but for anyone who's had sushi, that's not too cheap either. :) But the lounge serves up a MEAN cosmopolitan - hmmmm. Speaking of which - I think I'll go get another...

A Weekend in Ogunquit

2004-10-14T21:40:00.000-04:00

Ogunquit's Marginal Way

Another Marginal Way Shot

Along the Shore at the Marginal Way

Barry and I spent a wonder "quick" getaway weekend just before the 4th of July in Ogunquit Maine. It was a long shot, but Barry was able to get some time away from the store, courtesy of his mother, brother and co-workers, so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity to get away. Neither of us had really been to Ogunquit before, often considered a more sleepy and out of the way version of PTown. We stayed in a very nice Gay B&B, with the most incredibly SMALL shower we dubbed "The Coffin." In fact, I think a coffin would have been roomier. At one point, Barry joked about not being able to get off the toilet because he was stuck between the walls on either side.

Anyway, the quick trip was exciting and wonderful. We found the most lovely shadowbox with 3 dried maple leaves in the same colors as our living room (sage green, yellowish tan, and maroon), and had the most amazing seafood the entire time. We did a LOT of walking, which helped with keeping the calories down.

Fall is in the Air...

2004-10-14T21:33:00.000-04:00

The house decorated for fall.

Well, it's been a LONG time since I posted anything here, so I thought I would at least put out a picture of the house decorated for fall. We bought some great mums at a country garden place, along with some pumpkins. We even have a "Happy Halloween" banner hanging from the door that annoys me most evenings. It's not anchored so well against the door, so it seems like someone is knocking on the door in the middle of the night.

I've got a lot of other pictures to post, including those from the housewarming in August! I'm so behind!!!

Finally! The inside pictures!

2004-07-18T09:10:00.001-04:00

Well, I finally got off my butt and decided to publish the pictures of the inside of the house. Hope it was finally worth the wait!!

Kitchen in Ivy/Grape/Wine theme

Kitchen Detail

Bay Window with more Grape and Ivy

The kitchen and Bay Window areas have a grape/ivy/wine theme going, and I think Barry did a great job putting up the accents. We had a great time finding stuff to put into the kitchen - apparently the theme is very popular because we had no trouble finding accents at discount prices.

Living Room

Front Door to Back Slider

The living room has a dark sage/maroon/tan color scheme. Originally we had a theme idea of TUSCANY! (it's important to note the exclamation point - think of Will & Grace and "JUST JACK!" when describing the theme). Since then, we're still pondering what we want in there, but so far there's only color, no theme. We have a great mirror with faux copper finish that will hang above the couch - the copper will pick up the copper in the coffee table frame, so that should be really nice when it gets up on the wall.

Dining Room with Countertop Table

For the dining room, we picked out a gorgeous countertop table. Actually, while Barry loves this table, it's the only room where we have had disagreements. He wanted to turn this space into a TV room, leaving the living room for guest entertainment. But I really wanted a nice dining space for when we had family over for dinner. At the moment, our theme for this room will be Japanese/Oriental; he's gotten a really nice Geisha doll for the centerpiece, and has some wall hangings that we got at Disney that would look nice in here. Needless to say, our dinnerware will probably end up being black japanese-style plates.

Garage - see Barry's new car on the right?

To finish off the first level, here's an inside shot of the garage, complete with both cars. Barry's brother, Steven, helped him purchase his new Toyota Corolla, which was a huge help. Having a car he can rely on for distance travel to and from work has sped up our discussions about Barry moving into the house. And if it wasn't for Steven, I would NEVER have gotten the garage door openers up! Thanks, Steven!!!

Master Bedroom - a mix of themes.

Master Bedrom from the other side.

And finally, here are the pictures of the master bedroom. The furniture we got at a Rhode Island chain called Cardi's, and we just love it. It's sort of a art deco style in a cherry wood, but we pulled a polynesian theme from the painting hanging over the bed. So we have a polynesian/palm/bamboo/English Colonial thing happening that's quite pleasant. The palm tree theme carries over into the master bath as well.

That's it for house pictures! Hope you enjoyed them.

Ahhh. The Sweet Smell of ... Roadkill?

2004-07-07T06:41:00.000-04:00

UConn's Titan Arum - the Corpse Flower.

My neighbor, Melissa, in front of the Corpse Flower.

Why am I smiling? It smells like 3 day old roadkill in here!

Well, I got to see the Corpse Flower that is blooming ridulously close to my house. UConn's Life Sciences Department has grown this unusual tropical flower from a seed the size of a Lima Bean. It flowers VERY infrequently (it was planted 10 years ago), and when it does, it's amazing. The flower grew from a small stalk to over 5 feet tall in less than a month. When the base of the flower opens, it emits a NASTY stench that smells like something died several days previously on the side of the road. In the middle of summer. *gag*

But this was a once in a lifetime chance to see something unusual. :) More information can be found on UConn's web site. If you don't see the link directly, you can search on "corpse flower" to find articles on it.

Where'd the Postings Go?

2004-07-01T08:12:00.000-04:00

I think at some point you'll see many of the articles disappearing off of the web site. Where did they go? Well, blogging tools often "archive" older posts to a special area once a month. If you look on the left side of the web page, you'll see (eventually) a set of links for "Archive". If you click on June 2004, you'll get to all of the stories posted for June 2004 (duh).

Pictures of the House

2004-06-29T23:32:00.000-04:00

For those who demanded it!!! Here are the long awaited pictures of the house. Pictures of the INSIDE of the house will be posted later when I have more time.

The Front from the Driveway

The Back Yard

Other Side Showing the Garage
Here's a shot of the house and garage...you can almost see my convertible tucked away inside the garage...

The Other Side of the House

Detail of the Front Farmers Porch
Here are details of the side of the house, including the Farmer's Porch. I can't wait until we can find something to put on it to sit on! There's a Chimenea sitting in the basement, just waiting to be used, but we have nothing to sit on.

House as Seen from the Driveway Entrance
This is probably my most favorite shot - that the house is almost hidden from the road. It provides so much privacy! For those of you who suck at playing "Where's Waldo", the house is sitting in the upper left of the picture behind the foliage... The North 40 is to the right. The picture is taken just as the driveway starts at the road - the mailbox would be on the cameraman's right...

View of the North 40 in the Distance as Seen from the Porch

Close Up of the North 40
Here are pictures of the infamous North 40 where I spend all that time mowing. :) So far, I've run into 2 snakes, a large ant hill, and a bunny burrow (yes, the bunnies are OK - I got to them in time - but not before my inner red-headed school girl shrieked when she saw something moving under the hay...).

Things to do - CT Wine Tour, Part 2

2004-06-28T08:59:00.000-04:00

Barry and I took in the most fabulous winery this past Sunday - Priam Vineyards produces some of the best wines I've tasted so far - in Connecticut and in general. Their whites are fruity and smooth, and one of their reds puts most Cabernets or Merlots to shame. For $5, you get to taste seven of their wines, and keep the engraved wine glass as a souvenir! Plus, if you want, you can take a glass of wine ($5 for a full glass) up through their vineyards to a gazebo to relax and take in the beauty of the area.

Take Action - Write Your Senator!

2004-06-28T08:46:00.000-04:00

The blatantly discriminatory Federal Marriage Amendment is coming up for a vote in the Senate. It is CRITICAL that you write your senators to tell them to vote AGAINST writing discrimination into the constitution for the first time EVER.

The Human Rights Campaign has provided a VERY simple way to write your senators online. You don't even have to know WHO your senators are to participate - the web site will figure all that out for you.

It only takes a few minutes, and the results will be historic.

Walking along Mansfield Hollow Dam

2004-06-27T21:13:00.000-04:00

Mansfield Hollow Dam

Mansfield Hollow Dam

Mansfield Hollow Dam

Mansfield Hollow Dam

Here are some pictures I took with my picture phone while Barry and I were taking a 4 mile walk along an earthen dyke surrounding Mansfield Hollow Lake. The dyke is a very popular walking destination, and with views like this, you can see why.

You've Got Links!

2004-06-25T08:14:00.000-04:00

Hey! Great achievement - I found out how to create and use a links section. :) Be afraid...I'm learning HTML... Ack!

Things to do - CT Wine Tour

2004-06-23T18:53:00.000-04:00

Barry at Sharpe Hill Vineyard, June 2004

Here's a picture of Barry when we set out on a gorgeous day to take in 4 of Connecticut's 13 wineries. There was nary a cloud in the sky, the temperature was perfect for an outing in the convertible, and we started with Sharpe Hill Vineyards right near our house in Pomfret CT. For $5, we got to sit in the outdoor courtyard, trying each of their fabulous wines (there were 6 in our tasting - one label had already sold out), and we got to keep our wine glass, embossed with the winery's logo. In addition, you can help yourself to walking through the vineyards while sipping a glass of their wine - I highly recommend this because at the top of the hill there is a breathtaking view of eastern Connecticut.

We also visited Heritage Vineyards in Lisbon, Jonathan Edwards in North Stonington and Stonington Vineyards in...gasp...Stonington. All in all, we really enjoyed Sharpe Hill the best (bought a case there!) and are seriously considering having our wedding there next year. Their restaurant is only open on the weekends by reservation, and boast wonderful wood-grilled meats. Can't wait to try that out!

Wacko Neighbors, or Beware the Mirrors

2004-06-23T10:08:00.000-04:00

So my initial reaction to the house when I first was shown it was that it was perfect in all aspects - land size, house size, location - except for one: the wacko neighbor. Here I was, standing in this cute house with an open floor plan, cute farmer's porch on the front, and a gorgeous bay window in the dining area...that looks directly into a KEEP OUT sign painted in red letters on a white background. In addition, he had 3 full length mirrors propped around his yard, all pointing to the new house. "What's up with that?" I asked my realtor. She shrugged, as baffled as I was.

Neighbor's Keep Out Sign

Needless to say, my initial reaction was to avoid the house. But 3 weeks later, when Barry and I were going from house to house in the area with my real estate agent, I stopped by - mistakenly thinking in my blur of properties that I had seen that it was a different lot than it was. So when we pulled up, I apologized, saying that I must have switched lots in my mind and didn't want to bother him with the house that had the wacko neighbor.

Well, Barry would hear none of that. The house was too cute and too perfect for us, and basically he emphasized that the neighbor wouldn't be a problem because he could "take care of him." I didn't want to know what he meant by that because I might find out one day. :)

In the end, we bought the house, despite the sign which continues to face the property. But as summer creeps upon us, it becomes less and less visible as the overgrowth between our properties takes over. And the mirrors? Well, the neighbor finally moved them and assembled them into a screen-like contraption and placed it within his garden that actually looks really pretty there. I still haven't met them, but then again with the signs, I don't expect I will anytime soon...

Ninja Squirrels

2004-06-22T10:42:00.000-04:00

So, I learned a valuable lesson the other day - don't leave your open sliding door unattended when you live in the country. Otherwise, Ninja Squirrels will prance about, seeking nuggets of nutty goodness - and anything else that might be lying around.

I was upstairs engrossed in a video game (many of my friends reading this are probably saying "so what else is new?"). During a break, I came down to get something to drink and the screen to the sliding door was ajar. Immediately, the worst scenes from every horror flick I'd ever watched streamed through my conciousness, making it VERY difficult to contain that inner redheaded school girl. I closed the screen, then carefully stalked through the house, looking for ANYTHING that might have gotten in.

Ten minutes later, my blood pressure was returning to normal when I determined that nothing was in the house with me, when I saw the kitchen garbage can had its lid askew. Then it dawned on me that something had smelled the rich aroma eminating from the repository (OK, OK - give me a break - trash day was 2 days away!), got the screen open, then plunged head first through the trashcan lid to retrieve a prize before scampering back through the screen when they heard me coming down the stairs.

I just want to know where the squirrels have their black ninja outfits made...

Getting to Know Us

2004-06-18T16:58:00.000-04:00

Jeff and Barry at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

I figured I would take some time to introduce ourselves. The picture is that of me and Barry, taken as we were about to end a fabulous 10 day vacation at Walt Disney World. We were sitting waiting for the taxi to take us to the airport when we realized that after 10 days, we didn't have ONE picture of us together. So, this one was hurriedly put together. I'm the tall one. :)

There will be plenty of posts on us later, but I really wanted to try out getting a picture out here, and thought this would be a great one to start with. In the future I hope to have pictures of the house to share.

Lions and Tigers and Bears - Yes, Bears!

2004-06-17T10:18:00.000-04:00

News article on local NPR this morning indicated that a young black bear was spotted roaming the streets of Willimantic yesterday. While they *attempted* to sedate him, they apparently didn't give him enough because he simply ambled off and disappeared into the woods. It seems that the bear population has grown recently in the area, and spottings are becoming very frequent.

Things to do - Putnam CT

2004-06-14T10:15:00.000-04:00

Here's a great idea for a beautiful day. This weekend we went with friends to The Harvest restaurant in Putnam CT for Brunch. Aside from being reasonably priced, the place served a fabulous meal with the best coffee I've had in a restaurant in ages. After brunch, we went down the road to the main section of town to go antiquing. Aside from the fun of poking around a large collection of tchtchkes, the town also has their variation on the Cow Parade (most recently seen in West Hartford) where calves are painted, decorated, and scattered throughout the town.

And don't forget to walk down to the bridge near the dam - what a beautiful site!

Not in Kansas Anymore

2004-06-09T08:49:00.000-04:00

Lions and Tigers and...Coyotes?

Yep. I was nearly home the other night when a really, really scruffy dog ran in front of my car, heading away from my house. Then I realized that it wasn't a dog, but instead a coyote.

Better not leave the cat out.

Is Blogger Mocking Me?

2004-06-09T08:44:00.000-04:00

I just noticed that the ad that appeared above my blog was for both a) self-propelled lawn mowers and b) lawn mower repair. Something tells me that Google is examining a bit too much of my web site for it's targeted ad campaigns. I mean, OK, so I've run over a few roots, branches and rocks while mowing my "lawn"...Alright, I've run over a LOT of them.

Hmmm... perhaps I better write down that link before it disappears...

Jeff vs. The Spider, or How Keanu Reaves Saved My Life

2004-06-07T09:17:00.000-04:00

"There is no spoon."

This was my mantra when attempting to bestill my rapidly beating heart. My inner red-headed school girl gleefully leapt out as I screamed in horror at the monstrous hairy spider that was sitting on the floor in front of me, waving it's front legs as if it were Morpheus taunting Neo into attacking him one more time in the training simulation.

It took only a moment to glance around, looking for the right weapon in which to vanquish this hideous foe. Spying a worn sneaker set against a door to prevent it from slamming shut (the windows were open since it was a nice spring day), I leapt into the air, everything slowing down so that I was painfully aware of every detail, every moment. Each of the spider's eight beady eyes trained on me as I passed overhead; it jumped to the side in anticipation of something, but not apparently this.

I landed, grabbed the shoe, and tossed it unerringly at my opponent. When time returned to normal, I was left staring at a scene of carnage. The sneaker was coming to rest against a wall, and the spider was twitching in death, mangled by an orthopedic projectile.

Where did I put that leather trench coat...?

Donating Blood, and other Mowing Hazards

2004-06-03T11:12:00.000-04:00

Why did I think I wanted to mow the yard?

First of all, "yard" is really stretching the meaning of the word when it comes to my property. It's mostly straw with strands of green poking through it. But there is one area of the North 40 that was getting pretty wild. I probably should have had someone come in to slash it down for hay.

But there was something intoxicating about having a mower. I actually spent two weeks thinking about what I wanted in a mower. It wasn't until my first 5 minutes of walking behind my new shiny self-propelled red mechanical menace that I probably should have gotten something I could RIDE on. DUH. Whatever.

Now, exercise really isn't in my vocabulary. So after 10 minutes, I'm sweating in a way that might unduly compare me to a Richard Simmons work out video and noticing that I'm gushing blood out of my arm. Apparently a mosquito the size of a VW Bug didn't get the memo that gay men aren't supposed to donate blood.

So on I went, trying to keep my new 7 horsepower walker moving in the right direction when I run over the reminants of a black plastic sheet. The noise was atrocious, but nothing compared to the results - a squirming green and tan snake letting me know how annoyed it was to my ripping up his perfectly nice home. Suddenly, I'm dancing around in a blind panic screaming like a red-headed school girl. Yeah - THAT's an image sure to invoke machismo with the neighbors.

Time to call up a lawn service...

Green Acres Revisited

2004-06-03T10:46:00.000-04:00

I'm convinced that I'm channeling Eva Gabor, even though I know that she is alive and well in some corner of the world. But the fact that I, a suburbanite (not quite urban - I never got that sophisticated) gay man, have purchased a home in the country. VERY country. But you'll learn more about that in future postings.

I decided to create Absolute Tchotchke as a way to diary my experiences in home buying and ownership. After 43 years, I have finally given up my renting ways and purchased a home of my very own. And has it EVER been an awakening. Given how many times I've had friends call me naive, I just had to start journaling my "adventures."

Welcome to that corner of my mind where all the dust collects on trivial and inconsequential tidbits...