DJ Adam 12

"The tranny was now on top of the booth dancing.
She was apparently one of the coolest people in the room.
She had tape on her balls.

Good times."

- Adam Bravin of She Wants Revenge

Recently Taken

Just down the street.
Joshua, 01.19.08
The top image is heavily filtered; the one of Josh, not so much.

In Focus

I rushed out the door this morning forgetting a few things I wanted to take along to the hospital. I knew I'd be early; I managed to remember my PSP but forgot to pack the camera. I could kick myself for forgetting.

The bus took me through an area of the city I hadn't seen in years. I finally found out exactly where Norton Furniture is located, which brought a smile to my face.

The lobby of the hospital provided some interesting vantage points for what could have been some great photos.

I was making my way to the walkway from the hospital to the parking garage when I saw my Mom and StepFather rushing towards me. Another photo op missed, crap.

The one thing I wished I could have gotten pixel proof of, was the smile on my Mom's face when we saw my StepDad walking with his new artificial leg.

It's been three years since we all smiled like that.

About Last Night

Josh and his lady friend.
I waited up until the kids got home from their downtown excursion, photographs of last night (and one hilarious video) were sent from various cell phones and were waiting in my inbox this afternoon.

I'll never get tired of weekend visitors of the family kind.

Alice Everyday

My favorite version of the song featured above is the "Sam The Butcher Mix".

Change

David made his way downtown a few days ago, camera in hand, for one last photo of "The Jake", now known as "Progressive Field". I'm not too keen on the new name, but it's certainly a sign of change.

My StepDad's first chemo/radiation treatment is Wednesday; I'll be spending that day at the hospital with him and Mama G.

I've seen people shave their own head as a sign of support for friends and loved ones who lose their hair as a result of treatments.

The clippers are already in my manbag, just in case.

Self Worth 01

Keeping true to my champagne skewed self and not making any unexpected resolutions for the new year; I did make a few personal promises I wholeheartedly plan to pursue. One of which, is to be more comfortable being, well, me.

This isn't the part of the entry where I inform you of the ugly duckling syndrome spent during my youth, the history I have with my body image, or the way I'm dealing with turning forty this year.

This is about being happy with who I am.

And this (plus one tiny photoshop filter, I swear), is me.

I promised myself to take at least one self portrait per month during 2008. Smile more. Less Posh, more Panettiere. Although I didn't exactly do that in this photo, I still like the way it turned out.

Perfect For You

I've mentioned a time or two that I spend my late Saturday afternoons (and well into my late Saturday evenings) working in Cleveland's Warehouse District.

Once in a while I'm lucky enough to have David accompany me to work. We leave early enough to enjoy the walk and a nice caramel macchiato, we catch up on work gossip, and just before I clock in for eight hours of culinary creating; we stop in and say hello to the boys at Brigade.

Today, was once in a while.

David enjoyed the day off and decided to spend the better part of it taking photographs of the city he adores. How many photos you ask? Over one hundred. (Thank GOD he likes the camera!)

We shared a light sushi dinner and walked around a few blocks talking and taking in the beauty surrounding us. Something about this year feels good. I don't want to jinx anything, but 2007 was rough.

Rough.

I don't know what a perfect life feels like. But this, this is good.

We Will Mock You

Last night, just after dinner:

David: "Those pants look great on you."
Frankie: "I feel like a sausage link in them."

I may have done my fair share of eating over the holidays and even my snuggest fitting jeans allow me to breathe properly. The low rise are happy to comply when I'm praying I make it sans struggle to the top of the button fly, the robin's egg blue Diesel hip hugging slacks cooperate in the most elegant of fashion by forgiving a pound or two; but the basic brown, lounge-around cords refuse to make me happy.

Sure, he thinks they look great on me. He kind of has to say nice things like that. No really, I pay him to.

And it's not like I don't have other things to wear. From the day we moved in, the spare bedroom has been known as the "walk in closet".

He: "Have you seen my pink polo?"
Me: "Check the closet. The big one."

The pants mock me. The pants remind me to walk to work in the morning. And home at night. The pants remind me to put down the doughnut and reach for the banana instead.

The pants are OK with my coffee intake, though. So I'm keeping them.

But only until brown is so over.

Just Beachy

Taking advantage of today's peekaboo sunshine day, David snapped a few photos en route to meeting me at my usual after-work bus stop this afternoon.

I added a few filters in Photoshop to create the version above. I think it looks a little more romantic this way.

With Posse In Tow

Aren't they adorable?
Younger Brother Joshua and friends (YBJ is on the far right, for those not in the know) are in town for the evening. After a rather taxing week of work, wondering and worry, it's kind of warming to not have certain family medical issues on my mind.

I honestly can't remember the last time YBJ was here. I am honestly that exhausted.

The gang asked David and I if we were familiar with any local gentleman's clubs and we promptly gave directions and names of beauties to ask for once inside.

Here's hoping they have an incredible evening. I already have.

Montana Mania

It's a good thing I'm not working downtown tonight.

Some tips for surviving tonight's event (which I would have seriously taken my nieces to, had I been able to get my hands on four tickets) from Kentucky.com:

"Who's performing -

This is a little tricky. You have three boys and three incarnations of one girl to keep up with:

The boys: The concert's opening act is the Jonas Brothers -- Kevin, Joe and Nick. The dark-haired dreamboats have appeared on a few episodes of Hannah Montana and are heard regularly on Radio Disney with hits like S.O.S., Hold On and Goodnight and Goodbye.

The girls: The real girl is Miley Cyrus. On TV, the young actress-singer plays Miley Stewart, who in turn has a pop-singer alter ego named Hannah Montana. Only Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana will be at the concert, we think.

Hannah will perform first, before Miley. Expect her popular, high-energy songs: If We Were a Movie, Nobody's Perfect, Pumpin' Up the Party, I Got Nerve, We Got the Party (with Jonas Brothers).

After a brief intermission, shedding the blond wig and singing in what some reviewers call a deeper, less pop-tart voice, Miley will take the stage. While Miley performs the hits Best of Both Worlds and Ready, Set, Don't Go, many of her songs will be less familiar to those who know her mainly from the TV show. These include Start All Over, Good and Broken and Clear."

The funny thing is I totally already know all of this. I am so gay. Or just a really cool uncle.

But not cool enough to get tickets.

First!

Every year my five siblings and I have a little New Year's Eve competition; the first one to call Mama Gumola wins. We've added a few rules this year to make it interesting; no phone calls are placed until:

1.) The ball officially drops and Dick Clark says it's official.
2.) A kiss is had with a significant other.
3.) A sip of champagne is enjoyed.

Rewind to five minutes until midnight and I'm sitting on the couch with David, glass bottle of champagne in one hand, cordless phone in the other with my index finger hovering over the number I have set to speed dial home.

He:"Comfy? *snicker*"
Me:"Wait. Have you seen my Blistex? Smooch. Gulp. *beep boop beep boop* DID I WIN? Am I caller number one?"

I swear, this year it felt like I was trying to win the adult equivalent of Hannah Montana concert tickets from a local radio station.