Love Mysterious

I think i was back in 2003 when my friend Brandon Sutton introduced me to Kaskade and his music. And ever since then I have been addicted. in fact, he is probably one of my favorite straight up house DJs with miguel migs coming in a close second. through the years, i have managed to incorporate at least some of his original productions or remixes into every set i spin.

besides the fact that he is incredibly cute, he is also a really nice guy. the first time i heard him spin was a few years ago on a thursday night at The Mark. The turnout was rather lame that night, and while waiting to hit the turntables, i spent a solid thirty minutes talking with him; about his upcoming studio work, remixes, and just music in general. what a thrill that was for me.

and ever since, I have been a huge fan of this very talented San Francisco DJ/producer. Most of his original work features lush guitar driven riffs and beautiful vocalists. Joslyn, one of the vocalists who has appeared on his earlier albums including "it's you, it's me", and "In the Moments", has one of the most beautiful voices i have ever heard. She has also recently released a solo album that is available on itunes and I highly recommend it.

Now Kaskade emerges with his third album titled "Love Mysterious". This time, he has left the west coast house label OM Records where all of his previous work was released and has joined with Ultra Records. The first release is a sweet vocal laden track called "be still" with remixes emerging just last month from Jay-J and Robbie Rivera. The next single that is due to be released this month is called "Stars Align".

Apparently, this album is said to have more of a "big room sound". and of course he is on tour with the new album as well, and if you have a chance, you should really check him out. The last time he came to Atlanta was back in February at Eleven50 and it was quite a show. And that is when I noticed that he did have a more progressive, big room sound, while still throwing down an excellent house set. He is the only DJ that could throw in Mylo's remix of Freeform 5 - no more conversation into a straight up house set and get away with it. and his mixing is some of the tightest i have ever heard.

Turns out, he will be back at Eleven50 on December 9th, and I plan on attending. check out his website for more info.

Touch me in the morning, and last thing at night

One of my favorite dance tracks has to be Rui Da Silva - Touch me. Originally released back in 2001, it has been featured on numerous mix compilations and has been regarded as one of the best dance songs in history, a classic. I mean it sold over 300,000 copies. Even Danny Tenaglia incorporates this song in almost every one of his sets. I can remember the first time I heard this track, the haunting vocals courtesy of Cass Fox. It gave me chills and almost brought me to tears.

There have been a few people to take a stab at remixing such a perfect track. And none have come close. Well, yesterday, the woman known as Cass Fox , who originally wrote and recorded the track with Rui Da Silva released new remixes to an already perfect song. This time the remixes come from X-press 2, Tom Neville and Spencer and Hill. And little did I know what kind of response I would receive after posting on VIP Guest List, a message board I frequent. The point I was trying to make is that even a track that one would consider flawless in its original form will eventually be remixed. and nothing may ever come close to the original, but I tell you, the spencer and hill remix would sound pretty damn good in a big room.

you touch my mind in special places

i hate to say it buy i am really glad that halloween is almost over. something about the pressure of finding the right costume that is innovative and creative and funny just makes me dread it. that and the fact that i am a procrastinator and usually score a back up costume the very day of the party. but not this year. my costume was Napoleon Dynamite, which i guess is sort of funny and practical for someone who is busy DJing a party. I didn't need to be foolin' with a mask or makeup.

friday night I intended to stay in and organize my music, but a call from 5th street summoned me out of the house, and soon i was drinking wine over at johnbrown's house. we later took a trip over to Amsterdam. We bypassed the dancefloor (which was completely empty, and made me wonder where people go to dance on a friday? heretic?) and congregated at the bar. I just don't love that place.

so i fixed breakfast for diane on saturday morning and then ran a few errands. the mayor stopped by for a quick visit and to borrow Davita's wig. He makes a beautiful Uma Thurman.

Now I thought the Halloween party on Saturday night was fun. and as expected, no one really showed up until 10pm, but they were there to have a good time. i looked up at one point and spotted a few guys dancing with their shirts off. (remember I was spinning outside under a tent in the 40 degree weather). one handsome gent named Gunther came up and entertained me with his knowledge of UK house music, only to find that i did in fact have the obscure request for Leg Soup - Wonderland. I apparently gave him and several others my phone number, but I am convinced he only wants me for my mind (or is it music) and not my body. I have, however, had calls for future gigs; a commitment ceremony (seems i am second choice next to Kimberly S) and two bat mitzvahs. nice.

the party ended rather quickly, as everyone was in a hurry to get the The Jungle. and i went too, as much as i don't love that place. it was crazy packed, and I tried to find my groove in three separate places on the dancefloor but just couldn't. plus the music started to turn into sounds not songs so i exited without giving notice. guess i am getting old.

canned heat

is it friday yet? damn this week is creeping by. i awoke this morning with some serious back pain. i quickly remembered my near fatal fall in the shower last night. it leaves me wondering if i need to install emergency pull cords and safety bars in the bathroom? at this rate, next month i will be scooting around the hospital with a walker complete with cutoff tennis balls. you might as well ship me off to the Big Gay Retirement Home. where I suppose i could spin the Sunday T-Dances, with a slip-proof dance floor and oxygen stations for those suffering from emphysema. i guess this is part of getting old, but damn i am only 30.

i'm getting a little stressed as my halloween costume is not coming together, and i spent the last couple of hours in buckhead traffic without luck. i really do like halloween, but i'm not very creative and i always seem to wait to the last minute. and the last thing i want to do is find myself standing in a long line at Costumes, etc. on saturday afternoon only hours before i have to be at a party. been there, done that, and took a xanax for it.

at night, I lock the door where no one else can see

last night i spent the better part of the evening on the innerweb. no, i wasn't cruising online, just doing a litle preparatory work for the halloween party i am spinning on saturday night. and it still amazes me what you can find out there in terms of music, new and old. it just takes patience and a little inside knowledge.

and after a couple of hours and nearly an entire bottle of cabernet, i found the little gem i was looking for. (hey red wine on a monday is heart healthy and i felt much better when johnbrown texted me shortly after 9pm to proclaim that he too was enjoying a bottle or two..) anyway, without giving too much away, it's a track that David LaSalle always plays at one of his weekly sunday night "Plastic Disco" parties at the A-House. It turns out to be the original 12" mix and I can't wait to play it on Saturday.

work was unusually slow today, so after lunch, i stopped by the CVS to purchase some Claritin-D. little did i know that now all products that contain even the smallest amount of sudafed are kept behind the counter. but it doesn't stop there. not only do they have to check you ID, but you now have to fill out forms in a notebook with your name, address, and the item you are purchasing (even going so far as putting down how many grams of sudafed are contained in the 10 tablets). geez. I felt like I was doing something illegal, as the line behind began to back up. It was more embarrassing than purchasing a twin pack of Fleet's at the local Walgreens and seeing one of your friends in line behind you. thank god my condo board banned meth labs on our balconies or i would be in trouble.

nobody needs another stalker in your life

I suppose that I may be the only one that wasn't totally impressed by the Pet Shop Boys on Thursday night. and i will admit that I am not a huge PSB fan, but i do enjoy their music. that's not to say that i didn't have a good time though. our seats were in the reserved section in the balcony, and after 14 flights of stairs, i was ready for a drink. and drink we did. and the $14 double vodka-diet cokes did the trick.

they came out shortly after 8:15, and frankly, I thought the music was a bit too loud and overpowering the vocals. the first several songs were straight from their new album (which i do not own), but the crowd was fun and gay and everyone seemed to be having a good time. i guess in retrospect i would have felt more connected to the show had I been down on the floor.

i was really surprised to hear them call for a 30 minute intermission half way through the show. What? I have never heard of that at a concert. I mean even Aretha would have stayed on stage and threw herself up on a stool.

after the show, we (8 of us total) all decided to hit Wetbar for a drink. this is where things get fuzzy. i remember seeing a mayor look-alike who was very cute and word on the street is he knows how to use those pillow lips. somehow, i talked my way into the VIP area called "Fountain", which really isn't all that. just a lot of lights on the floor and a very nice lavatory.

but it all worked out in the end, cause I didn't wake up alone. in fact, there were three of us there. diane just loves to spoon.

friday started off rocky, but i made it through the day and the call gods were good to me on that night. which is great because i was exhausted and needed some rest.

saturday brought a great visit with the parental units, a trip to my sister's house to visit with my new nephew, a mediocre lunch at a mexican strip mall, and an unpleasant tour of atlanta's first Trader Joe's. the place was crazy packed, and every N. fulton FUPA in alpharetta came to see what all the fuss was about. my dad and i were nearly run over by carts of suburbanites eager to load up on jumbo tubs of hummus and bags of frozen potstickers. perfect for throwing in your fry daddy and whipping up a perfect asian-inspired meal at the weekly neighborhood "Bunco" night. how fancy....

I resisted the temptation to go to the Eagle on saturday night and stayed in once again. nothing wrong with that right? which left me feeling a bit stir crazy by sunday afternoon, so i joined my friends for some quality beer drinking and porch time on 5th street. and what a beautiful day it was. the smell of autumn, the changing of the leaves, the crisp blue sky, the way the temperature can drop by 30 degrees with the passing of the sun. it all reminds me of why i love atlanta so much. and no sunday would be complete without a stroll through the local watering hole, blake's. and fun was had by all. sweet jeff joined us and let me tell ya, that boy has gone from sweet to sexy in a matter of months. it's funny what going through a divorce can do for you.

I think i got the most pleasure out of seeing johnbrown "flip" his own switch and chat up the cutest guy in the bar. and i hear the feeling is mutual so i do hope something comes of it, as I cannot think of anyone more deserving.....

this week i must put together a functional halloween costume, prepare for my gig on saturday night, and follow up on a potential new career opportunity.

cheers.

i'm stuck inside a hurricane

here are a few random things on my mind today:

the new employee at work is super hot and guess who was asked to train him? turns out he is straight, married, loves bluegrass music, and met his wife at a "revival" in middle tennessee. i haven't had the heart to tell him that i am gay, and i find it funny when he picks out girls at work and in hospital that I should "ask out". he is very funny, and for that he gets big points. today i told him i was a dj, and he replied, "before i really got into bluegrass music (which i equate with findin' Jesus), I was into techno music and raves. "oh really, i replied? what was your favorite song?". He comes back with, "ever heard of the funk phenomenon?" WHAT? WHAT?

the weather in atlanta is hot and cold, then rainy, hot again. everyone at work is coughing and eating up the mucinex like pez candy. thank god i TOOK a flu shot at employee health today. thankyouverymuchbetty.

maybe the old lady next door didn't die. but i was surprised to see her navy blue dodge spirit to go missing over the weekend. maybe she was getting a tune up? not so lucky. a shiny Audi A4 showed up yesterday...... along with cute little couple in their early 30s. looks i will have to turn the music down...

i finally see things coming back to life at the space across from my condo where the restaurant named the Waterhouse was set to open almost 2 years ago. i heard that one of the owners ran off with all the money, so the place has been vacant and lifeless. but i'm not one to gossip, so you didn't hear the from me.....

Pet Shop Boys.......tomorrow night. 'nuff said.

Tune of the Day: Jamiroquai - runaway. Really into Grant Nelson's remix here. it's housey, it's groovy. check it out.

come catch a fire, don't let me fade away

Me and my new nephew, Carter Douglas Dunn 

it's amazing how quickly your life can change. take my sister for example. it seems like only yesterday that she told me she was pregnant again. and here it is nine months later. that's right, yesterday morning, we welcomed my new nephew to this world. Carter Douglas Dunn. and he really is beautiful. with a head full of fine blonde hair and blue eyes. i cannot fathom how different their life will be, just as i cannot fathom the idea of ever having my own child one day.

on my drive out to kennestone hospital this evening, i was heavy in thought about this very subject. and it was with mixed emotions. part of me is filled with happiness for my family; yet part of me wonders how my life would be if i ever had a child. i have sort of come to accept that it would never happen (hell, i can't even get a boyfriend....small steps, small steps). but it also saddens me to know that I won't ever have a child of my own, to rejoice in the milestones in his/her life, to love them, know them, to see them grow up......

i'll let you whip me if i misbehave...

and i really did behave this weekend. here is what happened...

friday night, johnbrown and i attended a cocktail party over at the plaza midtown. i tell ya, just when you think you know everyone in this town, twenty more handsome men pop up. and they did. terry's condo is really beautiful. and the party was real real nice, and johnbrown was fixin my drinks real real strong. and soon i found myself talking to a handsome boy fresh out of the army. i was flattered when he told me he thought i was 21 years old, What? but soon a chicken hawk swooped in and i just wasn't up for that battle. plus, i knew i had to be up early in the am. so the voice of reason told me to leave, and we stumbled home to our respective midtown abodes in preparation for a morning cuddle with diane.

diane sure did make the drive to chattanooga unpleasant on saturday morning. but thanks to a cup of coffee and an western egg press panini compliments of the wild bean cafe on wade green road, she finally quieted down and went to sleep. we met up with todd and brad at the puzzle queens's house, then departed for a nice hike in the mountains. after a late lunch, and a stroll through "culture fest" in the park, we made our way to the entrance of the walnut street bridge. you see, we were here for Wine Over Water, an annual wine festival benefiting historic preservation in Chattanooga. 48 tents of wine and food from local restaurants, all along one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world, that goes over the tennessee river. it was a lof of fun, drinking, socializing with random people, and an excellent place to people watch. as the sun began to set, the festival came to an end, and we realized how tipsy we were. dinner at Hennen's was good, it think. the bar was cool i remember. hmm..

sunday's drive back to atlanta was fun as johnbrown and i listened to the entire Grease soundtrack. even going so far as to change the lyrics to summer lovin' to a cheeky little number about our FUN in ptown.....what?

and what a beautiful day it was in atlanta. after a 15 mile bike ride to emory and back, we had a late lunch at Moes & joes and then a little porch time at johnbrowns. bret and i might have ridden our bikes to blake's for a drink or four but i was home by 8pm. now, that sounds respectable, don't it? thanks betty.

sunset on the tennessee river 

drink much?

as the sun began to set, and the festival came to an end, the one ounce pours became eight... 

 

 

The new addition to the Hunter Museum of Modern Art 

now i just can't stand being turned on my head

i should have known that this just wouldn't be my day. my decision to pop a couple of advil pms for some minor muscle soreness brought on crazy dreams, restless sleep, and general fatigue today. why did i dream about having sex with my ex-boyfriend in the basement of someone's home with two coworkers in the adjacent room smoking pot? even worse, i am greeted by the very aforementioned coworkers upon arrival to work today.

you would think that after two weeks of vacation, i would be able to see past all the problems at work. but not on today.

the only thing that has saved this day is seeing salty mcdadderton at the gym. you know, the uber-hot-extremely-rare-second-series-limited-print-pocket-gay-artist that moved to new york and has returned to the a-t-l. with a head full of salt 'n pepper. he just makes me weak, and i could even get past the fact that he is shorter than I am. there is something about the way a man carries himself that is extremely sexy, and this one has a strut that exudes confidence. i'll take one night stand for $1000, alex....

now i am off to dinner with one of the most beautiful women i know. bye.

i went off the deep end for the weekend....over my head

so many things going on in my head today.........

i have solidified the promise to my self that I won't get into a relationship where i have to clear my every move i make with my boyfriend. there is something about losing your identity and becoming "john and _____" that just makes being single seem so much more desirable. hell, i would settle for a lousy date. boyfriend? who's talking about a relationship, i hardly know what that is.

should i make a ptown revisited cd? going through the music last night, i realize once again how many times artists, djs, and remixers sample old basslines, riffs, and melodies from old songs. take Axwell's remix of bob sinclair - world, hold on (or werque, hold on according to toddsharley), you could easily throw the acapella of Cyndi Lauper - time over time and it would become a fun mashup. would it be called, "world, hold on to your time?"

so flattering to be cruised at the CVS by the local pharmacist. you know, eye contact and all. but for him to come from behind the counter and start straightening the rows of orbit and eclipse gum, well that is plain obvious. but i ain't complainin'.

what i thought would be a quiet week without call is starting to make me nervous. birthdays, dinner parties, cocktails. a recipe for disaster cake.

i received one of the most sincere thank you cards from a dear friend today that almost made me cry. such a wonderful and charming person, i do really love him. and don't even get me started about his sense of humor......"WHAT? FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS? WHAT?"

gotta go, cause i'm damn' thirsty

I'm lost without your love

so it was a very low key weekend for me, as I was on call friday and saturday, and I have some ptown bills to pay. after a 15 hour work day on friday, i finally ventured out to a cookout on 8th street on saturday afternoon. the food was great, kelli made a fantastic guacamole and I, of course, made the frozen margaritas. we listened and (sort of)watched the UGA/Colorado game. until the 4th quarter when UGA made a big big comeback. i never saw that coming.

Sunday was all about food, friends, and family. John Brown hosted a fabulous brunch with the six guys that stayed in our house in ptown, plus the gracious hosts two doors down, joel and brad. we had scrambled eggs (what's the secret peter, mine are never that fluffy), sausage, fruit salad, cinnamon rolls, ......oh and of course, mimosas. as we sat on the porch eating breakfast with the raining coming down, we laughed and reminisced about our trip to ptown. i know i say it all the time, but i am really lucky to have such great friends in my life. It made me think about this picture that johnbrown and i saw in an art gallery up in ptown.

It read, "Friends are the family we choose for ourselves". and that couldn't be any more true for me.

i spent my saturday afternoon out in scarietta with my family. it was really nice catching up with my sister, brother-in-law, and my 5 year old niece pictured below. who by the way has lost her second tooth and she is real real proud of that. she has also given up ballet to pursue
soccer, and according to my sister, the games are a real sight. imagine 10 little girls running around the field in a huddle with a soccer ball. they finally scored a goal in last week's game.

my poor sister is pregnant and due in the next two weeks, and couldn't appear more miserable. this is their second (and probably last) child so they chose to keep the sex of the baby a secret. they have chosen the name Carter if it is a boy and Kendall if it is a girl. when I asked my niece whether she wanted a brother or sister, she replied, "I want a brother, but if it is a boy, well, I will deal with that".

mom cooked a traditional southern meal: fried chicken, green beans, butter peas, macaroni and cheese, rolls, and for dessert, chocolate cake with buttercreme icing. I left their house extremely full and with leftovers in hand.

and so a quiet weekend comes to an end.

next up: Wine over Water in Chattanooga. I hope the weather is nice.

loosen up my buttons baby...

...from a broken heart. joel thinks i should take a picture of myself in the above shirt that beaux sent me, and sent it to LaSalle.....

well after the boyscout and i enjoyed a few margaritas and an escherichia coli free dinner early last night, i dropped him off at hartsfield-jackson to fly out west to see his family. it was entertaining because he is as nervous to fly as I am, even having to go so far as to pop a couple of Zaynecks before getting on the plane.

and with the weather staying as beautiful as it has, i donned a smart wrap, jumped on my bike, and met joel in the park. of course, after a few laps the only thing i could think about was a smart cocktail, and joel was getting hungry. we rode past joe's only to run into an old boyfriend and a mutual friend. it was clear they were on a date, so I capitalized on the moment and put them on the spot. sorry.

we rode on looking for a place with outdoor seating and a scene and found that fresh2order was the place to be. several members of the big bicep club were already there. joel told me all kinds of old dancefloor stories involving the aforementioned club members, and we had light salads and a bottle of wine.

being a gentleman and all, i offered to follow the lady home on my bike. for some reason, we stopped by jm's house on 8th street for a pop in (and i for one know some people don't like that) only to find he and his mom up having a late night drink. well, she was quick to inform me that she had been up for 22 hours, had recently taken an ambien, and was having a scotch before bed. lord, someone keep her out of the pill box. she was tore up, and started asking me thinks like "do you still luuuv jeffrey". but she did pull out the cheese and crackers and put together quite a spread at 11pm at night. we quickly departed, and it was home for me. neat.

I call it love

 

I think you're wasted......Probably.

nothing like misheard lyrics.

i have no idea why I would schedule myself to be on call the monday after returning from a two week vacation, but i did. everyone at work was glad to see me, saying i looked well rested. if they only knew of my sunday evening shennanigans. geez. but i do have a nice tan so it covers my rosacea well. thankfully, i wasn't called in for FUPA duty last night and I rested quite well.

the boyscout is in a much better place, and for that I am thankful. I thought i was going to have to put him on suicide watch there for a minute. it seems that he got his GROOVE back as well, and had quite a prosperous back to back weekend at the WetBar. guess it just takes getting laid sometimes to break someone out of a depression, sadness, or just generalized funk or dry spell. in fact, he was kinda randy at work today which was fun and stimulating. i tell you it's hard to hide arousal when you are wearing scrubs and boxer shorts. yikes.

work was slow today so i had an opportunity to visit a friend who traveled with us to ptown and came in today for an unplanned surgery. thankfully, she cruised right through surgery and i found her in the recovery room to be pain free and actually quite jovial. she told me that i looked cute in scrubs, and when i asked her if i could do anything for her, she replied, "yes, grab my bag over there and get me my makeup". get well soon Lee.

i caught up with a friend at work who actually grew up along the cape as a child, and still has a house up there. as I was telling her my plan to try and spend more time in Ptown, she informed me that Cape Cod Hospital just started up an open heart program. Can you say travel nurse? food for thought for sure.

and then there is the weather. i wasn't sure it was going to clear up after the cloud cover i encountered this morning. nothing felt more like ptown than the hour bike ride through the park and ansley with the temp right at 73 degrees. it is days like this that reminds me of how beautiful atlanta really is.

Takin' it back

so nice of diane to welcome me back to reality this morning. just in time to go back to work after a two week hiatus in ptown. it was truly an amazing trip. and my friends are the reason I had such a great time.

here is what i remember, as we are planning a Ptown Post Partum Recovery and Piece Together the two weeks Party next week.....

i danced my ass off at Red Lobster, I mean the A House...almost every night, got my GROOVE back, drank a lot of skinnys (somehow only caught a glimpse of diane), ate some amazing seafood, shopped, drank, experienced many beautiful sunsets, talked to olivia, laughed incessantly at varla jean, went to the atm every night (it grows on trees, right?), turned the light switch on and left it there, drank some more, cried with a very close friend, laughed until my side hurt, went on long bike rides, dressed in drag (hey davita and cmb), caught the showgirls finale awards with none other than debby downer aka jack osbourne, made some really great musical connections, met some of the greatest guys, and generally tried my hardest to relax......and that was real real tough.

ptown doesn't suck.

happy monday.

 

 

the pilgrim monument. 

much like myself, coco really had a hard time relaxing in ptown... 

Who is the pretty girl in the background? 

and there is jack, one of the many handsome men I met in ptown. 

Lovin' some David LaSalle. 

Oh, Flavio, my favorite bartender. 

 

I'm back with an 808 cause I'm Bossy...

apparently, I am not the only one gearing up for a wonderful trip to PTown. As you can see, Stan and Barry have been real busy. They picked up this handsome hunk while cruising this weekend at the Wal-Mark Supacenter near the Perimeter. You know, because three-way and open relationships are so the in thing right now....at least for the gays. And they almost always work out. ...

Here is how it all happened.....

johnbrown and I ventured out on Saturday for a full day of shopping and preparing for PTown. We did in fact visit a newly renovated Wal-Mart over near Perimeter Mall. lort, why go anywhere else? they have a vision center, grocery store, hair salon, nail salon, and a massengill Refill station for the environment friendly folks. or really hungover teachers who want to stay uber fresh after a late night at the swinger's club Trapeze out on fulton industrial. yuckt. the journey was fruitful and without even trying, a theme to the week was created and the gift bags were finished. creative minds think alike i guess.

next it was lunch at Six Feet Under where I finally had one the city's top rated hamburgers. the bartender is incredibly cute in a very Jake Gyllenaalesque sort of way. so we may have stayed a bit longer and have about 4 beers with our lunch. and then we headed east for a stop by DJs beauty salon where I purchased the most beautiful wig. it's very wynonna judd meets Samantha Fox with just the right amount of blond without looking like a bottle job. and i can spot a bottle job from 20 paces. I had to have a new outfik to accompany my new locks so on to value village where my drag costume finally came together. as did my drag name, "Davita Dialysis". how fitting for someone who works in healthcare. having big feet and all, we stopped by Payless shoes where the outfit was completed. johnbrown picked up a lovely pair of freesparks to round out his Ponce De Leon Barbie number.

cut to my house an hour and a 6 pack later, where we were dancing in full drag to Gnarls Barkley.

only 5 days until we leave..........there is much to be done. thank god i am only working 3 days....

Rouge

 

and i miss you....

johnbrown will find this funny. i saw my horoscope this morning in the local fag rag and it says, "It may take some effort, but Caps can dazzle like nobody's business when they want to." we shall see......

The flight staff served the curry chicken

I have had this strange craving for Lasagna over the past week, so I left work early yesterday and went to work in the kitchen. I wanted to make real Lasagna, with italian sausage and fresh ingredients, rather than using spaghetti sauce. I invited the Mayor over for dinner, and he arrived almost a six pack ahead of me, as he had been at the Vans Warped tour with his boss earlier in the day. The recipe i printed off of some random site seemed easy enough; browning the meat, simmering the sauce, baking the final product. (note: i don't cook very often so this is a big deal to me). While the lasagna was baking, the mayor and i took advantage of the beautiful evening and sat out on my balcony admiring the new condo building across from me. We sat there trying to figure out the dynamics of the guys living on the 7th floor of the new glass building: two guys in their mid-thirties and one in his late 60's. And I know this by peering through the pair of Bushnell binoculars that my mom gave me. Is it a 3 way relationship? An ill parent? Still, every afternoon, the three of them sit out on the balcony together, staring into the bright afternoon sun.

The lasagna turned out to be quite good, though it could have used a bit more sauce. I was thinking that we would walk down the street for dessert, maybe some ice cream from the new place over at Spire. Instead, a few bottles of wine later, I found myself engaged in a full-fledged-above-the-waist-make-out-session. Which was just fine in my book. I awoke this morning, 10 hours of restful sleep later, with my jeans still on and no sign of diane. So I wonder, will something as simple as a home cooked meal end this drought?

on tap for the weekend: some pool time with johnbrown. i wonder if the assistant is receiving?

and when all your dreams have turned....into dust

No, I didn't take this photo out in Paulding County, it was actually taken in Athens, Georgia. Go figure, a college town with southern boys, so the above sign is real important if you 'dip snuff....

You see, I was there for a wedding. And it was a big weekend, it being Pride and all, so there is much to discuss.

Friday night, I spun an A-List Pride Party hosted by LittleJohn and his crew over at the Plaza midtown, complete with rainbow decorations and a couple of middle-aged bartenders that I presume were straight. Though I did catch them bouncing side to side to the beat later in the night. In true gay fashion, no one really arrived until after 9pm. but when they did, they marched in like the doozers on fraggle rock. geez, I couldn't believe how many handsome men were packed into that clubhouse. Though my set wasn't planned, I just fed off of the energy in the room and I feel that everyone enjoyed the music. i even spotted anderson cooper in the crowd, and word is he flew in just to hear me spin....or that is just what I keep telling myself.

I drove to Athens on Saturday for a wedding for a college friend. With Diane in tow, I had to nap before heading off to the wedding with Becky as my date. Now never having been a bride, i just don't understand why someone would have an outdoor wedding in the middle of June in Georgia. It is safe to say that I didn't stop sweating until almost midnight. and it was a highly emotional wedding. The bride, a girl i dated in college and have know for over twelve years, cried throughout the ceremony. afterwards, food was served (again outside, at least it was under a very large tent) and later a band inside? we danced and i continued to sweat.

me and Beckyeah

I drove back on Sunday s it was time for me to get my Pride on and spend some time with the gays. Eric and Johnbrown hosted a wonderful party on 11th street. I showed up at 1pm with Pride tunes in hand only to be greeted to a packed condo with just about all of my friends. And just like clockwork, the rain came, only this time the lightning was close by and later caused the closing of piedmont park. that was fine, as we just continued to be Proud on the porch. it was much fun indeed. we later walked through the drizzle to Brad and Joel's for more porch time. and without planning, we did make it to Eleven50 for the T-Dance but I left after only about two hours. The place was entirely too dark, and unlike Backstreet, they don't have lit staircases. oh, and I was wearing shorts and wet sneakers from the aforementioned walk through the park and just wasn't feeling too cute.

And then there was the music. I was interested in hearing Chus & Ceballos but I am not sure that their progressive Iberican Sound from Portugal is the appropriate type of music to be playing at a closing Pride Tea Dance. What happened to Classics? Pete Heller - Big Love? Fun? Happy? Half the people there were all chewed up from partying all weekend, and the other half were just having trouble getting into the groove with the theater filled with reverberating sounds. I walked home around 9:45pm and called it a night. There is always next year.

Me and La Rose at "Bagels and Bloodys" 

Making love to you is a habit

Last night, I went with Mark and Chris to hear Bonnie Raitt at Chastain. One of my many new years resolutions was to attend more concerts, instead of going out to the same clubs to hear the same DJs. Believe it or not, I do enjoy other types of music. Hell I was a spreadhead at one point in my life. So we packed several bottles of wine and headed to north buckhead in the blazing afternoon heat. parking was an issue, and we drove past several of the reserved lots, and even asked one of the uniformed officers where we could pay to park. She asked, "how much you willin' to pay", and when I replied with "$20" she laughed. so i drove on and later found a free spot that required some very skilled parallel parking.

it was damn hot outside and so we started drinking the white wine, being sardonnay shipping queens that we are, and soon I had a nice buzz going. nevermind the fact that we didn't plan well like all the other suburbanites with the full spread of light bites and chicken fingers. Mark brought us all back hotdogs that managed to soak up some of the alcohol.

Bonnie came out and I was really impressed with how beautiful a voice she really has. Even in her Late 50's, she was stunning, both visually and acoustically. The majority of the show featured new tracks from her 18th album, yes 18th, with a perfect blend of rock, blues, and even country. Towards the end of the show, she did break out some of her signature tracks like "something to talk about" and "I can't make you Love me" which gave me chills.

It seems that everyone caught a brief glimpse of Diane this morning. I wonder why?

...spinning the rhythms in 331/3 servings preaching the sound of our new gospel..

It was a rather low key weekend for me. I did get to see my parents twice this weekend. First, Robert and I met them Saturday afternoon for lunch, and just like clockwork, they ordered the same thing...again. i don't know why I find that so amusing, I guess all of us become creatures of routine as we get older, but come on....live a little. and getting older is a definite. my dad turns 67 this year and is really beginning to age. I noticed at lunch he as all these bruises on his arms where he just bumped into something. It really made me feel sad as I know he is in good health, but you can't expect him to live forever.

so being Father's Day on sunday, I drove out to east cobb (said in a snooty voice) to visit with my parents and have a perfect southern meal. Mom caught me up on all the gossip and drama with the neighbors living around them. The "supper" consisted of barbecue ribs, corn on the cob, and baked beans. And my dad's favorite: Key Lime Pie. It was a nice visit, only I wished my sister and her family were there.

So no going out for me as a busy week lies ahead. as john brown has said, I suppose it is just the calm before the storm, with Pride coming next weekend. Though I am a little disappointed that I won't be spinning at the Woodruff Arts Saturday night, I am excited about spinning over at John Flippen's condo friday evening. It seems necessary to play some crowd favorites, you know, so everyone can sing aloud and be Proud. It's funny to think about how I spent Pride weekend through the years, and how I now find it only necessary to be among friends to have fun, rather than attending the circuit events and t-dances. Not to say that I may never end up at one this year, it just isn't a priority anymore. Erik and Johnbrown's "bloodys and bagels" party will surely be a blast.

'cause I got jesus as my copilot....

I just love when my monthly meeting with the nurse practice council finishes early for the day. it seems that we had exhausted reviewing all the policies and procedures for chest tube insertions and tracheostomy care by 1 pm. or maybe it was because there was a uniform scrub sale taking place in the Rich Auditorium today. all the ladies were looking forward to being fitted for the new window-pane-patterned- flair-leg Landau scrubs. apparently, they provide a slimming effect and make the thighs appear smaller, ifyouknowwhatimean. I ain't complaining as I get to work a half day in the middle of the week which is a refreshing change.

Plus, it allows me time to get ready for my date tonight with Eric. It's been awhile and I am all jazzed about manscaping with my new Norelco Body Groomer. Seriously, we are heading over to Actor's Express this evening to see The Last Sunday in June, a play about a group of friends that get together to celebrate NYC's gay pride. And what a perfect piece of theater considering that Atlanta's own celebration will take place in less than two weeks. Did I mention that I am putting together a PRIDE megamix for Sunday's "Bloodys and Bagels" fete over on Erik's terrace? I am thinking something anthemic, happy, bouncy, slightly poppy, and even a bit cheesy. Suggestions are appreciated.

Here's one: Rozalla - Everybody's Free (to feel good). I just came across the DJ nick's extended mix on Beatport, this cheeky little number may just be the perfect start.

all around that's me, many troubles

if there is one word I could use to describe this past weekend....it would be.....Typi.....er....HOT. and i mean that in many different ways. here's why....

friday night, i went to the Buddy Guy concert at the Botanical Gardens. this was my first time at this venue, and it is really nice to be sitting out on the lawn listening to blues with a view of the midtown skyline in the background. the crowd was extremely diverse, from hemp-wearing Spreadheads to salt and pepper daddies from garden hills to the occasional middle-aged gwinnetian in a woven leather belt. buddy put on a show, but my favorite part of the concert was the keyboardist. incredible talent. i just cannot wait for Taylor Dayne later this summer.

then is was a stop by midcity cafe where jefferson was spinning house music all night. i just love that place.

Chris Heard's cookout on Saturday was very nice.....and hot. no one else could pull off grilling burgers and chicken for 40 people and make it seem so effortless. I caught up with a few people I haven't seen in some time, and then it was off to work for FUPA duty. definitely not my favorite part of the weekend.

And then there was Shout. I was a little disappointed when I heard that I would be spinning inside due to noise complaints in the past, until I saw the new DJ table. plus it was hot as hell outside and I was in the perfect place to spin and watch the beautiful boys arrive in clans. the greats, the near- greats, the junior league, the big bicep club. they were all out in their $90 stretchy t-shirts from bloomingdales.

As much as I like to play obscure white labels and tracks you may never hear in a club, I know that these boys still like anthems. This became clear when I put on Mariah's new "say something" and one guy took his shirt off and danced in front of the giant fan on the patio in a real seductive kind of way. that's hot.....