Question: birthday redos

Anon Question: If you had to live your 16th birthday or your 21st birthday over and over for a month, which would you choose?
I wish I remembered either one well, actually. I have a terrible memory and don’t recall what I was doing either time. That really is why I take photos and why I keep this blog; so I can look up what I did in the past because without a trigger I can’t recall.

I’d have to say I’d relive my 21st birthday, though, because I was certainly much happier than I was at 16. I was out of the closet, I had dated women, I had had sex. I think I was sorta dating a woman name Kim H. at the time; she was yanking my chain and probably fooling around, but I was deeply infatuated with her, and I got to be naked with her on a regular basis, so yeah, way happier. God was she cute.

I don’t think I really got drunk on my actual 21st birthday. After a great deal of thought, I remember now going out to the gay bar in Muncie, because I had been going out there with a fake ID for almost two years, and I remember presenting my real ID at the door and them laughing at it. I believe I got a free drink. It was summer, but I had stayed at Ball State to take summer classes and work – I was working full time in a factory making industrial gas valves. I think I went to get my license updated that day, and I think I had dinner with Kim and fooled around, then went out in the evening.

Lots happier than at 16 at home working full time during the summer and probably not doing much of anything with my friends.

Continue ReadingQuestion: birthday redos

Questions & Answers

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Memes
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Question from a friend: How risqué are we allowed to get with these questions? 😉

Oh, what the heck. As risqué as you want. Bring it, baby! I say that now, but watch me get bashful when you actually ask them.

Anon Question from Formspring: If you could spend three days (two nights) anywhere in the United States doing absolutely nothing but exploring (with Stephanie and without your cameras), where would you choose?

San Francisco. That city has been on the agenda for awhile, as well as Boston and Seattle. We’ve talked about hopping on a plane and going, but we haven’t solidified plans for this year. We’ve had some fun poking around Toronto and New York in the past, as well as some great road trips, so I know we’d have fun. I’d like to explore more cities we haven’t seen (I’ve been to Washington D.C. a lot, and Chicago and New York several times, and we’ve both made the road trip to Arizona/New Mexico several times. I haven’t seen enough of New England or the west coast.)

San Francisco because it’s pretty and touristy and gay-friendly and warmer than Indianapolis. And I’d like to see more of California. We’ve driven through LA and spent a bit of time there, but not much. Boston is on my agenda at least because of the history. I’d like to visit a New England city with a lot of past lives. Seattle because I think of it as young and urban and hip. And all of these places would be fun to visit with Stephanie.

It would be quite a feat for me to explore without my camera though. I’d feel as though I’d left my right arm at home. I think I’d spend the entire time thinking “wow, that would make a great shot.” Plus I love taking photos of Stephanie, and it’s always fun to capture her while she’s exploring stuff, because she can be really expressive when she’s interested in stuff. So photos of Stephanie + photos of site-seeing = cool photos.

Continue ReadingQuestions & Answers

Question: Have you bought any clothing in the last week?

Yes, I’m hunting around for things to write about, and picking random questions from the internet. My friend Matt has been doing a 30 day blogging project, and I was sort of interested in doing something similar except not the same. Possibly something that makes no sense. And that doesn’t obligate me to write everyday for 30 days because as we all know, I have no discipline whatsoever. So this is totally that something.

I’m also just that bored and avoiding things I should be doing. Want to make the monkey dance? Ask me a question yourself. Or in the comments here. Be nice. Be rude. Be intrusive. Ask personal questions. I don’t really care. If you don’t ask, I’ll just answer more random questions from the internet, except that I’ll pretend you asked them.

Question: Have you bought any clothing in the last week?
A: Yes. (And oh boy, am I in the mood to overshare. I’d turn back now, if I were you.)
Actually, I tacked an item onto an Old Navy order that Stephanie placed. She bought a dress and a pretty pink shirt. I bought these underpants. Why? Because they reminded me of these underpants:

Magic Underpants.
Which I hope did not actually sell because – underpants from a yard sale? Ew. Funny, but no.

I’ve been thinking about underpants lately because I came across this tumblr of girls wearing boy’s underwear, and was struck by the awesome therein. (this might have something to do with the fact that all these girls look great in boys underwear.) And some hours later, I was editing photos came across this image I took in the Apple Store last year:

Seriously? Is this a thing?
Which I guess is not all that risque or anything, compared to a swimsuit, but was still rather surprising at the Fashion Mall.

All of which prompted me to buy some underwear. In order to write about it? I guess possibly. I don’t know.
Speaking of photo editing, which I just was a moment ago, right in the middle of the underwear conversation (did you notice that at all?) I’ve finally broken through the logjam of photo editing in which I’ve been stuck for months, and I finished editing all the photos I took in May last year when we went to England. And then I finished editing photos from June of 2010, and photos from July of 2010. I’m now in the midst of August of last year, which was a busy month, too. So I’m mentally 7 months behind the rest of the world, and not even into the winter yet, at least as far as photos are concerned, which is the only way I remember what the hell I was doing in the past anyways. (Was that a run-on sentence? Should I break it up? What the hell, I’ll leave it. Stephanie will tell me what to do with it later.)

The trouble with being perpetually 7 months out-of-phase with reality is that I’m not posting pics of cool photos as they happen… like say this funny thing we saw the same day as the Superman underpants at the Woodruff Place Flea Market

Woodruff Place Flea Market
Not so much as it turns out.

Or this photo I took on the fourth of July:
July 4th Party

Or even this accident we saw on I-65:
Car Accident
That was scary

I’m hoping to get my two universes synced by up by March, at which time I will be available for various social events. If the two universes don’t collapse into one another, that is. Please mark your calendars.

Continue ReadingQuestion: Have you bought any clothing in the last week?

Overdue Crushable: My Wife

Since I’ve been talking about crushable women a bunch lately, I realize I’ve been remiss about writing about the most crushable of them all – my beautiful wife Stephanie. I know I talk about her occasionally and post photos, but I haven’t really gone all out very many times, have I? I know I’m probably being selfish because I don’t like to share. But in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I’ll be nice and let you see how cute Stephanie is. If only to make you jealous.

She a total bookworm, much like a real-life Hermione Granger. She figure skates, so she’s hot in those short skate dresses. She’s a bad-ass editor for a publishing company who is completely fearless about correcting chalkboard menu misspellings in public. And she’s totally into me – which is the most attractive quality a woman can have, in my opinion.

Check out these photos of her being awesome.

Lisa and Jason's Wedding
At a friend’s wedding

Scooter Riding
On the scooter

Stephanie
Talking on the phone about how awesome I am

Wheel of Fortune Tryouts
Trying out for Wheel of Fortune with our pal Melissa because she’s a word nerd & WOF brainiac.

English Telephone Booth
Popping into a phone booth to change to her super hero identity

Stephanie and giant squirrel
Taming wild beasts

Stephanie and Lion
Taming more wild beasts

Skate Indy 2010
Winning one of many gold medals at skating competitions

Downtown Photo Walk
Making cute faces at the camera
Downtown Photo Walk

Downtown Photo Walk

Downtown Photo Walk

Downtown Photo Walk

Downtown Photo Walk

Downtown Photo Walk

Downtown Photo Walk

And of course, my favorite thing my wife has done: marry me
Our Wedding - Becki's Photos

Now aren’t I the luckiest duck ever?

Continue ReadingOverdue Crushable: My Wife

I’m Free to do what I want any old time

Finally out of the house after the crappy ice storm. Sadly, I’m thrilled to be at work. My life, she is so exciting, yes? We made it through three days being stuck at home, although not without casualties. Eddie (that would be Stephanie’s Rabbit, for those who may be joining us late) suffered a flat while we tried to get him out of the ice and had to be towed to the shop to get his snow tires put on. He’ll need a replacement tire for is summer tires, I’m sure.

And I’m official over this effing winter. And since I’m sure I’m that boring ass blogger who talks about the weather and lunch and blah blah, let’s move on.

I discovered this blog over the last couple days. Effing Dykes. Proceed at your own risk, NSFW. But some of the funniest damn writing I’ve read in a long time. Let me repeat the warning – NSFW. But I will be ashamed to call you my friend if you don’t read some of it. Don’t be a tool. There will be quiz later. I will know of your truancy, mark my words.

Continue ReadingI’m Free to do what I want any old time

Ringing out 2010

Father Time Yesterday we had a mini earthquake here in Indiana and this time I actually felt it, because I was still lying in bed like a lazy person on vacation, because I was a lazy person on vacation. It felt like a harbinger, a bellwether.

I have been significantly lackadaisical lately about nearly everything except work. I’ve been focused there. And I have been focused on reading lately – a LOT. Particularly on writing that has a transporting effect on me. There’s something in particular I’m looking for, and I’ve been deconstructing and pulling apart what I’m reading to get at the heart of what has that transporting affect, and how I can bend, alter, focus and create that in my own writing. I feel like I’m poised to jump off a tall cliff and I’m waiting for the right moment; for the breeze to gather strength and help carry me off.

Today we need to get the house clean because we have a few friends coming over to play board games and watch the ball drop. Tomorrow; nothing to do. I have plans for the new year, I just don’t feel like sharing; they tend to falter when I do. And I’ve never been good at resolutions. So this year, a priority instead: transformation.

Continue ReadingRinging out 2010

My grandfather and I in 1971

Leroy F. Mineart
Dec. 10, 1918 – Oct. 27, 2010

Me playing with my grandpa in January 1971

Me playing with my grandpa in January 1971

Leroy F. Mineart, 91, of Brighton, died at 4:15 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010, at Halcyon House in Washington.

A funeral mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Saints Joseph and Cabrini Church in East Pleasant Plain, with the Rev. Charles J. Fladung officiating. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in East Pleasant Plain.

Open visitation will begin at 4 p.m. Friday at the church, with the family present from 5-8 p.m. and Prayers For A Christian Wake at 7 p.m.

Memorials to St. Joseph Cemetery may be left at the church or may be mailed to the family at 1022 Spruce Ave., Brighton 52540.

Arrangements are in the care of Gould Funeral Home of Brighton.

Mr. Mineart was born Dec. 10, 1918, in Brighton, the son of Henry and Grace Lamansky Mineart. He married Kathryn Wehr July 30, 1941, at St. Joseph Church in East Pleasant Plain.

My grandfather grew up in Brighton, Iowa and was a farmer there his whole life. He also worked at Louden Machinery Company in Fairfield, Iowa, where they manufactured farm equipment.

He was a pretty amazing guy – farmer, welder, woodworker, skilled mechanic – astonishing what he could do with his brain and his hands. He was the father of six children, 22 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. My grandfather and grandmother’s marriage of 69 years is for me the model for “happily ever after.” He was funny, happy, kind, mild-mannered and he radiated goodness. I have been blessed all my life to have him as a role model for how to live life. He brought such abundance into the world.

Me, with a cupboard that my grandpa made for my play kitchen - December 1971

Me, with a cupboard that my grandpa made for my play kitchen – December 1971. I still have this cupboard – it’s in my guest bedroom. Our house is filled with little things he made for me my whole life.

I will miss him so much.

Continue ReadingMy grandfather and I in 1971

Electric Tea Kettle Heaven

Hamilton Beach Electric Tea Kettle
Hamilton Beach Electric Tea Kettle

A couple weekends ago, I was out with my mom and we each bought an electric tea kettle like this.

I used to think this was a superfluous item; you can heat water in the microwave or in a kettle on the stove. But after using one at the B&B in England, I warmed to the idea – the electric kettle is much quicker to make a cup of tea and with so little cleanup. This tea kettle lets you know how much water is in it, and super heats the water in less than a minute. It will shut off automatically after it boils so you don’t leave it on. And I’ve used it more than any other counter-top appliance in our house in the past two weeks. Tea – my new drink of choice.

Continue ReadingElectric Tea Kettle Heaven