And all of my Senses Tell me Danger

So today is the first day I have felt like a real person. I mean, I am still not functioning at 100%, but at least I can hear equally out of both ears. And that is a good thing, especially when you are a DJ and rely on your ears to help you spin.

Some random things I am diggin':

• my hand made Italian bowls I received for my birthday
• Anything produced or remixed by Stonebridge
• The double hair pump, hot, 6'3" sales rep in town from Portland, Oregon. He was Cruisey McCruiserton today and he's in town for the weekend......
• The new Fischerspooner CD...Quality.
• Steve Porter's new track "Drama Queen".

That's all folks. Oh, and remember, it takes more than one night to create a masterpiece, but I promise, new music is on the way.....ahem.

It's Gonna be a Lovely Day

Sunrise...

I know I have posted about this before, but only a picture can really describe what I am talking about. Words only go so far. This is the sunrise I witnessed upon return from the gym this morning. It is mornings like this that put a smile on my face and allow me to realize how beautiful our world really is.

Farewell to Tammee

You know, it's hard to believe that Tammee is actually leaving. It was almost one year ago when the infamous "night out" occurred, which ended with the sun rising over the "BYOB" pool on Melante. That was also the night that I was named Mistee Marinara. And to think it all started with a phone call from Walt saying "Wanna Purty?".




Mistee and Tamee

I think my connection with Walt aka Tamee McGriff centered around how much alike we are. He always tells me that if he had a younger brother (which he does, but is straight), I would be him. We can be devilish when we drink, but it is all in good fun. The only problem is we sometimes have no "off" switch, which can be scary. But it isn't just Tamee I will miss, as Philip will be leaving as well. Vickee can be the life of a party, and somehow, I have managed to patent his dance moves over the past two years, along with Marks, Walts, JohnBrown's, Bret's....well, just about anyone I know.

So, this isn't a goodbye to Walt and Philip, but more of a so long and see you soon. I will miss you two, but leave an extra bedroom available, because I will be down to visit soon.

Against my Window

Well, I thought I was on the road to recovery from this sinusitis/chest cold until the rain came. Now, my ear is stopped up again...again. And, I finally realized that I am speaking very loudly because of it. I am really tired of being sick.

If you get a chance, pick up Ben Watt's new CD compilation Buzzin Fly Volume 2. It rocks. Especially track # 5 by Sofian Rouge. The song is called "Wahrania", and it has violins and chanting in it. Me likey. You can purchase this CD here. Hopefully, tomorrow I will feel better...

Sippin' on a Tall Boy

Hold Please...

After starting off the weekend feeling sick and tired, I came to a realization. I am a terrible patient: whinny, and constantly demanding sympathy from others around me. And to think that I take care of people every day? Thank God I am rarely sick, or my friends and family would officially be over me by now.

Friday was rather low key. Spent the evening with an old friend. A delicious asian-inspired meal was served. I called it an early evening as I still wasn't feeling right, and I was beginning to lose my hearing in one ear.

Saturday was very deceiving. What start started out as a warm spring morning, quickly turned into a windy autumn afternoon. Met up with Anthony, Kelli, and CQ for a stroll through the Inman Park festival. We stopped by Su's table where I picked up a beautiful piece of art for Becky. Next, we checked out the InmanPalooza festival complete with Jam Bands, free beer (poured directly from the Sweetwater beer truck, and a plethora of cute gay boys dispersed amongst the noodling' hippies.

Saturday night I made the journey to Cumming, Georgia for Becky's birthday. It was breeder city, as we arrived just in time for the cutting of the cake. It was nice seeing all of Becky's family in attendance, and her friends were a riot. Her one friend Amy from Charleston is a 6'2" heavier version of Molly Shannon. I cannot wait to visit them in Charleston. Becky loved her new artwork, and we left just as the bottle of Yaggermeister went dry. Headed back into the city, and I couldn't believe that the entire trip was 86 miles. And to think that I work with people who make this drive everyday.

Sunday was also beautiful, but the wind made it feel very chilly. My weekly gig at Shout started at 4pm, and we made the executive decision that I would setup inside. Although not as well attended as previous weeks, we still managed to have just over 200 people.

After hauling my equipment upstairs, I ended my weekend with a pint of PBR and a VJO.

Wheezy McWheezerton

So I made it through the 5000+ pollen count days without a problem..until now. When i woke up Monday morning, I noticed that my throat was a bit scratchy. I went about my regular work week of catching up on needed sleep, going to the gym, and trying to eat healthy foods. Then yesterday came and everything came to a standstill. I was congested, and coughing incessantly. My throat was raw from all of the coughing. So, I visited my doctor whose office is upstairs at Piedmont. "Sunshine", the woman who works the Nurseline, told me to come up immediately, as they had an opening. (It always helps to tell them that you work in the hospital for future reference).

My doctor is gay, and a good friend. He sat down and we chatted for a minute about what is going on in each other's lives. Then he started his assessment, which last all of 3 minutes. He told me my throat was red, but he didn't see any visible pustules. He decided it would be best to go ahead and test me for strep throat anyway. He pulled out the 10 inch Q-tip and proceeded to swab the back of my throat and uvula several times.

He says "This is really going to test your gag reflex". I reply, "Go for it". Now, I admit I wanted to gag a few times, but I didn't. I held back. When he finished, he replied "You are pretty good at that". I just smiled and said "I have had a little practice". We both laughed and he went to finish the test. This was very humorous to me, as I wouldn't ever have had this incident occur if my doctor were straight.

Turns out, I don't have step throat. And all I was sent home with was an inhaler. But I still feel like shit. Plus, I had to cancel my DJ lesson with the Assistant. Damn. Oh well, the weekend is upon us.

Practice makes perfect

Me on the decks

Yes it's only Wednesday, but Sunday will be here before you know it. Must get new music, must practice, must get new outfit.......

next up: dj 101 with my new assistant. That doesn't suck.

hey neighbor

I live in a rather large condo building, but after being a resident almost 2 years, I feel like I have seen almost everyone that lives here. That is, until this evening. On my way back from the grocery store, I parked in my assigned spot as I usually do. I decided that I could carry all of my groceries w/my hands, deciding to ditch the idea of using a grocery cart. As I was approaching the building to gain access to the elevator, I noticed him. He was talking on his phone, and he noticed that my hands were full of overloaded plastic bags, and he held the door for me. Once inside, I glanced over to see this tall, dark, and handsome man. Wearing a cute black T-shirt that advertised some gym, he looked like a DJ. Oh yes, that kind of Danny Howells look, complete with black leather wristband. Jet black hair, extremely tall (probably 6'3" if I had to guess), and then I noticed those big arms. I immediately became nervous, and was ready for the elevator door to open. Moments later, we entered the elevator, and he punched in a code, and guess what?.....he pushed floor 15...MY FLOOR. Now I was intrigued. Where has this guy been the past two years? Is he a resident? (note: he didn't use his key fob) Someone's boyfriend? Friend? As I exited the elevator and headed toward my condo unit, I glanced over......and he lives 3 doors down.

Let the Sunshine In

Well, another amazing weekend has come and gone. It has been a long time since I have had this much fun. Let's reCAP, shall we?

Had sushi with Scott on Friday night, then spent a few hours mixin' records at his place. You see, this was a big weekend for me (in terms of DJ'ing), and I was out of practice. So we hit the decks and took turns mixing back and forth, showcasing our new vinyl picks.

Spent the majority of the day on Saturday preparing for the birthday bash for JohnBrown. Bret and I were able to complete all assigned tasks, including stringing the disco ball outside in order to create a "dancefloor" on his patio. And it worked, trust me. Saturday was such a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, and still a little nip in the air, a crispness that felt nice. The air turned colder, however, once the sun went down. But I persevered and managed to spin from 8pm until almost 2am. The party was a huge success, hot boys, good music, great friends, good times. I really loved looking out on Bret's patio at 1am to seem 25 of my friends dancing like there were in a club.

And then there was Sunday. This had to be the most beautiful day Atlanta has seen this spring. My gig was a Shout from 4-8pm, and after some technical difficulties with the sound, everything was okay. The crowd started filling the upstairs terrace by 5pm, and I remember looking out at everybody standing along the railing, talkin', drinkin', and socializing. And, for a moment, it ALMOST felt like we were standing at the Boat Slip in P-Town. I guess this party is the closest thing Atlanta could call a T-Dance. And it was fun. Beautiful crowd. A few dancing queens where were having a big time. Then there was my hot DJ assistant who assisted me several times during the afternoon. Couldn't get any better than that.....well, maybe a little better.

After breaking into the 16 minute extended Thunderpuss mix of Miss Houston's "It's not right, but it's okay", I had several people request Deborah Cox. And I thought I was introducing house music to these people? Go figure.

Do I look Like a Slut?

no way, no ma'am, no how. This week has flown by for me. maybe it's because I have had 8 hours of sleep a night. maybe it's because I haven't had a drop of alcohol...well, except for Monday night at Bret's. maybe it's because i have gone to the gym each day. maybe because i have been masturbating regularly. whatever the reason, i just feel great this week. and the weekend is upon us, and I couldn't be happier. the forecast is beautiful, and i am ready for some fun.

this weekend marks the return of jolene, a birthday party for johnbrown, and my weekly gig at shout. i think tomorrow calls for a full day of beauty: a mani, pedi, and a cut. watch out boys.

One Word

To this day, it still amazes me how much music is really out there. And I mean all genres. I keep up to date on house music by perusing music message forums. Here, people from all of the world discuss new pieces of vinyl they picked up at their local record stores, hot remixes from the top producing djs worldwide, and obscure, white labels that are often difficult to find. And still, there are thousands of records and tracks that go unheard.

I have been reading a lot about Kelly Osbourne lately. Seems that her next record will be a dance album, as she is ditching the rock n roll for an entirely different sound. Her first single "One Word" has already been remixed by Chris Cox among others. If you remember Chris Cox, he was 1/2 of Thunderpuss, a very successful DJ duo that included Barry Harris as his sidekick. They remixed hundreds of songs that later became gay anthems in clubs across the world. Remixes of Whitney, Madonna, and Mary J Blige. In 2003, they decided to split apart and pursue solo projects. And to be honest, I have never cared for any of Chris's remixes...until now. One word is simply a beautiful track, and Chris has taken a nice "house avenue" and straying away from his signature "harder, diva style" sound. This track will have to get much play this weekend, so listen out!

Back in the day

I know it has been a while since my last post. And I have had much to talk about, but I guess I was just taking a break. Trying to figure out where I was going with this blog. After talking with Erik last night, I realized that this is a web log of my life, however funny or sad or stupid it may be. If you don't like what i write, don't read it.

I awoke this morning feeling quite refreshed, despite the 4+ glasses of white wine I consumed last night at Bret's. The group gathered for a spring cookout to celebrate his 39th birthday. The topic of conversation of the night centered around the festivities that occurred on Sunday. And the general consensus was that Monday was a bit of a struggle....

I have been in the medical field for almost 6 years. And, I have seen some really outrageous things. You wouldn't believe the conversations that take place during lunch in any hospital lounge. Today, I was involved in a highly specialized procedure called an Alcohol Septal Ablation. We perform about 15-20 of these procedures a year. On my way to the Pharmacy to pick up some of the medications we needed, I look down to see written on the pharmacy slip: (2) Amyl Nitrate.....hmm.... I knew exactly what that was. In fact, I believe one could purchase this from a vending machine at Backstreet many years ago. After much attitude from the lispy Pharmacist, I returned back to the Cath Lab with Amyl Nitrate in hand. As I walked in the door, I said, "Well, I have the Poppers". The physician scrubbed in on the procedure just laughed.