Archive

Archive for October, 2008

Tribute To Brodie

Friday, October 31, 2008 Steve and Warren 1 comment

-It was about 12:10 central daylight savings time, and I was just going to shut down my iMac to do other things when I learned of Greg’s sadness.

-Greg, over at Point and Shoot — posted this very sad message:

A Sad Day

The time has come. We’re going to the vet in 30 minutes to put Brodie down. It is heart-breaking, but I deep down I know it’s the right thing. I can’t bear to watch him suffer any longer. His spark is gone. I need to let him go.

My heart just about broke, because you see … I’ve had to that same thing three times in my life – and believe me it is one of the hardest tasks that a man ever has to do.

From my email, I sent him these words…

He’s just my dog.
He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds;
My other ears that hear above the winds.
He is the part of me that can reach out into the seas.
He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being.
By the way he rests against my leg.
By the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile.
By the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him.
When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive.
When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile.
When I am happy, he is joy abound.
When I am a fool, He ignores it.
When I succeed, he brags.
Without him, I am only another person.
With him, I am all powerful.
He has promised to wait for me…whenever…
In case I need him; and I expect I will—
As I always have.
He is my dog…Brodie.

-Our hearts go out to you Greg on this sad sad day.

Categories: about us

Californians Please Vote No On Proposition 8

Friday, October 31, 2008 Steve and Warren Leave a comment

Categories: about us

It’s Halloween – Trick Or Treat

Friday, October 31, 2008 Steve and Warren 5 comments

-Friday – October 31st – Halloween!

Good morning .. and welcome to our blog.

-Out in the back yard this morning it is a heat wave at 46 party cloudy degrees. Not to bad out there, as I stuck my head out the door this morning, to let our dog back into the house.

-Our northland weather forecast is: 48° Partly cloudy. Highs 45 to 50. North winds 10 to 15 mph.

-Yesterday was absolutely fantastic around here. The temperature in the afternoon got up to 67 degrees – it was a heat wave to say the least.

I was in the big city, getting my car oil change done – then I ran to Sam’s Club, and the mall and later on around 12:30 p.m. I met Steve for a lite chinese lunch.

By the time I got home, around 2:30 p.m. and got some gasoline in the car – I thought it was a July day. The weather was great!

- David Beckham was “proud” to be called the gayest straight and blackest white man in Britain.

“When people talk to me about being a gay icon I think of it as a great honour.”

David attracted a new group of fans after wearing a sarong in 1998, admitting he used nail varnish and being interviewed by gay magazine ‘Attitude’.

The 33-year-old sportsman insists he doesn’t regret any of his fashion choices.

-You and your partner thinking about adopting a small child?  Well here is a breakdown of how all fifty of our states stand on gay adoption:

Here it is, an individual breakdown of all 50 states and where they stand on gay adoption.

Alabama allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

Alaska allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

Arizona allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Arkansas Legislation is not clear whether single gays or couples can adopt, but they currently have an initiative on November’s ballot to make it illegal for anyone not married to adopt, and of course, gay marriage is far from legal in this state.

California allows single GLBT and joint adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed.

Colorado allows same-sex couple adoption. Also allows grandparents and other individuals helping raise the child to adopt.

Connecticut allows single GLBT and joint adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed.

Delaware allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

District of Columbia allows single GLBT and joint adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed.

Florida prohibits GLBT adoption.

Georgia allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Hawaii allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

Idaho allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Illinois allows single GLBT and couples adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed.

Indiana allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

Iowa allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

Kansas allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Kentucky allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Louisiana allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

Maine allows single GLBT adoption. On August 30, 2007 the Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled unanimously in their favor on grounds that prohibiting the adoption would be counter to Maine’s Adoption Act.

Maryland allows single GLBT adoption. Joint gay adoption unclear. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

Massachusetts allows single GLBT and joint adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed.

Michigan allows single GLBT adoption. Prohibits joint adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Minnesota allows single GLBT adoption. Joint gay adoption unclear. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

Mississippi allows single GLBT adoption. Prohibits joint adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Missouri stands unclear on all GLBT adoption.

Montana allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Nebraska stands unclear on GLBT adoption and prohibits second-parent adoption.

Nevada allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

New Hampshire allows single GLBT adoption. Prohibits joint adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

New Jersey Permits single GLBT and joint adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed.

New Mexico allows single GLBT and joint adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

New York allows single GLBT and joint adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed.

North Carolina allows single GLBT adoption. Joint adoption unclear. Second-parent adoption unclear.

North Dakota stands unclear on GLBT and second-parent adoption.

Ohio allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption not allowed.

Oklahoma allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Oregon allows single GLBT and joint adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

Pennsylvania allows single GLBT adoption. Joint adoption unclear. Second-parent adoption allowed.

Rhode Island allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

South Carolina allows single GLBT adoption. Joint adoption unclear. Second-parent adoption unclear.

South Dakota allows single GLBT adoption. Joint adoption unclear. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Tennessee allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Texas allows single GLBT adoption. Joint adoption unclear. Second-parent adoption allowed in some areas.

Utah allows single GLBT adoption. Joint adoption prohibited. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Vermont allows single GLBT and joint adoption. Second-parent adoption allowed.

Virginia allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Washington allows single GLBT adoption. Joint adoption unclear. Second-parent adoption in some areas.

West Virginia allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption unclear.

Wisconsin allows single GLBT adoption. Does not clearly prohibit joint gay adoption. Second-parent adoption prohibited.

Wyoming allows single GLBT adoption. Joint adoption unclear. Second-parent adoption unclear.

-Things we’ve read…

* 20% of tuxedo rentals take place in May.
* A rat can go without water longer than a camel can.
* The sting from a killer bee contains less venom than the sting from a regular bee!
* Contrary to popular belief, there are almost no Buddhists in India, nor have there been for about a thousand years.
* The Dallas/Ft. Worth airport is larger than New York City’s Manhattan Island.

-Hello this morning, to our visitors from…

* Cincinanti, Ohio
* Dominican Republic
* Owosso, Michigan
* Farmington, Minnesota
* Goes, Netherlands
* Rome, Italy
* Winnepeg, Manitoba Canada
* San Diego, California
* Duluth, Minnesota
* Leavenworth, Kansas
* Brockport, New York
* Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Lincoln, Nebraska
* Don Caster, United Kingdom

Thanks for reading us and stopping by.

-Today is Halloween … do you plan on going “trick or treating” tonight? Let us know…post a comment, we’d love to hear from you.

Steve and I will be around home, watching the Chicago Bulls play the Boston Celtics at Boston. It’s game two of the NBA season for our Boston Celtics.

-Wow, it’s 5:45 a.m. and this guy has to get moving here and get some breakfast. Steve will be up in about fifteen minutes to shower and get ready for another day at work.

Steve and I hope that each of you – our readers have a great day – please take time to post a comment and let us know what your doing on this Halloween 2008.

We’d love to hear from you. Have a great day!

-Until next time…

-Until next time…

Bad Things Happen To Good People

Thursday, October 30, 2008 Steve and Warren 1 comment

-Good morning and welcome to our blog.

-Out in the back yard this morning we have clear conditions with 37 degrees. It’s actually about 10 degrees warmer than it was at this same time yesterday morning – which is a good sign.

Color weather radar shows clear conditions across all of Minnesota this morning.

-Thursday’s weather forecast for our part of the nation is:

Mostly sunny. Highs 55 to 60. Southwest winds 10 to 20 mph.

-It’s going to be so nice around here today, that if I didn’t have to take my car into the Ford garage in Duluth for an oil change – I’d slip on some jean shorts and get out for a nice hike. Perhaps when I get home this afternoon, after meeting Steve for lunch around 12:30 p.m., I can just do that.

Hey summer is my best time of the year … after all, it’s warmer. :-)

-Well did you see the big Obama infomercial last night? I sure did, and I have to say Barack Obama looked to be 100% plus “presidential”.

MSNBC asked the question, “Will Barack Obamas 30 minute infomercial influence your vote?”

Here is just a random selection that I made of some of the responses:

  • No

    i already voted for him

  • No

    I am voting for obama no matter what. Nothing can change my mind.

  • No

    I have already decided to vote for Obama, although I will still watch the infomercial.

  • Yes

    Nothing negative. 30 minutes. Nothing negative. No candidate bashing. How absolutely refreshing!

  • Yes

    It was great, I thought it might be foring but the time flew by.

  • No

    ..He’s the MAN. Look at my state(something BUSH NEVER DID!!) I’m unemployed as many many Michganians and Americans…$11,000 medical bills

  • Yes

    That was damn good! Even my 16 year old was impressed!

  • Yes

    It just reinforces the fact that I voted for the right man!

  • Yes

    I JUST WATCHED IT! IT WAS AMAZING! GREAT CONTEXT AND SPECIFIC PROPOSALS! BEST OF ALL: NOT A SINGLE MENTION OF McCAIN! HISTORIC!

  • No

    He had my vote in February. I did watch it and cry with emotion (and I’m just a middle aged Jewish woman). He’s going to bring us back

On and on the list went, and as I told Steve I only saw one negative comment out of all the pages of “comments” that I read.  How refreshing to see that people – just like you and I – regular people who have worked all of our lives are so in tune with Barack Obama.

As far as I am concerned the “infomercial” was brillant – but most of all – it touched home, it touched my heart – because it was genuine and it was about me … a middle class male … whose been there, who seen and experienced some of the same issues as many many American’s have.

Obama is my choice for change in America.

-Steve and I went for a nice hike last evening, when he got home from work.  It was the first time we’ve been out for a number of day (due to the nasty weather) so it really felt good to walk and get some exercise.

-This morning I have an appointment to get the oil changed in my car.  Then a bit later, around 12:30 p.m., I’m going to meet Steve at his place of employment and go out for lunch together.

If the weather is still up around 60 or so when I get home – you guessed it … off come the jeans and on go the shorts.  I could wear shorts all year long – except for the extreme cold we get in December, January and February.

-Locally yesterday, another 75 people were laid off at the Duluth Cirrus plant.  Despite the difficulties right now in the larger economy, CEO Brent Wouter said, Cirrus is optimistic for the long run. “There is an amazing level of activity going on out there that people wouldn’t believe.”

Cirrus like so many other companies are forced to lay people off in view of the present economy in which we find ourselves.

-Things we’ve read…

  • Some ribbon worms will eat themselves if they can’t find any food.
  • People in nudist colonies play volleyball more than any other sport. ( I wonder why?)
  • A watermelon is a vegetable not a fruit.
  • By 3,000 B.C. there were at least six different types of beer in Egypt.
  • There are more nutrients in the cornflake package itself than there are in the actual cornflakes.

-Our own Michele Bachmann has done over 20 major television appearances since the beginning of September — far more than any member of Minnesota’s congressional delegation. How does a freshman Congress member from the minority party find herself in the limelight so often?

Hopefully this homophobic Congresswoman will lose her election bid next Tuesday.

-Equality if not an American value … The so-called “Three Tenors” of talk radio — conservatives Michael Medved, Hugh Hewitt and Dennis Prager — spoke before a crowd of 3,000 at Minneapolis’ Orchestra Hall in an event attended by Republican candidates Michele Bachmann, Norm Coleman and Erik Paulsen as well as Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

And though embattled Minnesota Republicans have been steering to the center of late, the event was full of right-wing red-meat rhetoric — like Prager’s declaration that “Equality, which is the primary value of the left, is a European value, not an American value.” Video of Prager’s talk inside.

-Yesterday I met my cousin “Jo” for lunch at a local eatery.  We just had a couple of soup/chili respectively … but it was good to visit her.  She had been into a Duuth hospital for an MRI, and then next Monday she has more tests.

If you recall, a few days back – after being in the hospital for a week – doctors told here that her blood profile indicated the possibility that she may have pancreatic cancer.

We are hoping and praying that is not true.  Her spirits were good, she was laughing and seeming to be her old self – which is a good sing.

Why is it that potentially bad things happen to good people?  I guess we’ll never know the answer to that question.

-Steve and I wish each of you a great Thursday … hopefully where you live, it’s a nice day and whatever you do this day – make it fun, make it profitable and enjoyable. Most of all, be kind.

-Until next time…

We Have A Life

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 Steve and Warren 6 comments

-Hello everyone and good morning. It is Wednesday … hump day around the world.

-Out in our back yard this morning, it is cool again. The sky is clear with 28 degrees at this hour. Color weather radar around the state shows clear conditions this morning.

Today’s northland weather forecast is:

Partly cloudy. Highs 43 to 48. North winds 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.

-Please tell me why so many homophobic people refer to gay as a “life style”?  I was talking to a so-called friend of mine yesterday, David…and

I’m offended by his term.

I mean, what the heck do people think we do with our free time?  Just because I’m gay … I am no different than anyone else.  Now of course David doesn’t know I’m gay … but the way he talks about gay men, it really doesn’t matter.

When I was working, prior to my retirement – I worked my butt off at a some times very unfulfilling job. I paid my bills. I paid my taxes. I did then and do now my best to keep my house in order.

I try to be a good citizen. I try to be a good neighbor. I worry about the future of the planet. I recycle my paper, cans and plastic every week. I’m usually in bed by 10:30 PM. I give to charity when I have extra. I help others in need and those members of my family.

I just want to have a comfortable home. I feed the dog. I’d visit with any elderly relatives – if I had any living, but their all dead now. I’d go to church, if they weren’t all such hypocritical homophobics. I work around the yard a bit in the spring, summer and fall. I support education and all forms of government by paying my taxes, voting and participating. I just want to have a few good friends who understand and appreciate me. And on the weekend, I go to a movie every Saturday with Steve and watch a film, drink a Pepsi, eat some pop corn, and go home.

After all, I’m just a small town guy, living in a small town close to a big city, with another guy, making my way the best way I know how.

I don’t have a “life style” … and neither does any other gay guy.

I have a life.  We have a life.  Steve and I have a life.

What is a gay “life style”?

-Well, my partner Steve went out after work last night.  One of the gals where he works, resigned under mutual understanding with Steve’s boss.  Like so many places around the area and around the nation – there was a need by Steve’s boss to cut back jobs – this gal was out the door just a few days ago.

So the members of Steve’s office decided to get together last night at Grandma’s and have a few drinks and something to eat.  He got home around 8:00 p.m. or so.

Steve brought me a small portion of some left over chicken and noodles … and heated it up for me, and I had a lite mini supper.

I was laying in bed, eating this small left over portion – as Steve was taking off his clothes.  Much to my delight, he walked over to the edge of the bed and allowed me to have dessert … penis!  As usual, Steve was hard within moments of my tasting his delightful dessert … and then within a “flash” he was naked and on top of me – like paint on a wall.

Well what ensued was fun, erotic and very loving.  Hmmm, maybe his office should have these little after work parties more often?!?! :-)

His sex level was higher than yesterday’s temperature.  LOL … and I loved ever single moment and oh yes…inch of him. ;-)

-Stevee and I are both Christian guys … having been raised in Christian homes and attending church all of our lives.  But today there is a new movement … we all know it.  It’s call the “religious right”.

The religious right never goes down without a fight, and given the dwindling chance that their candidates, Sarah Palin and John McCain, can win the White House race, they’re taking their fight to extreme new vulgar low levels.

Have you watched those two on television in the past two or so weeks?  Prominent private and political figures who support McCain and Palin – are comparing supporters of Sen. Barack Obama to the Nazis.  Their running around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off warning that God will condemn American and it’s citizens if we as Christians don’t vote for McCain and Palin  They have the “balls” to accuse Obama’s family of witchcraft and foretelling a future when Christianity is criminalized by an Obama administration.

I found this horrible little website yesterday … The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission who’s putting out htis kind of garbage.  They have a write up called “7 Reasons Why Barack Obama Is Not A Christian”.  I mean, you talk about “dirty politics” .. I can’t believe these people.

“With political polls showing Barack Obama pulling ahead of John McCain in the US presidential race, the Republican party’s hard-right evangelical allies are starting to panic. As the political elites in the movement freak out, they’re sowing the seeds of grassroots anxiety that God will punish America for electing Obama.”

What a bunch of garbage!

Read this article by Sarah Posner called “Obamageddon“.

What the heck kind of man is John McCain and what the heck kind of woman is Sarah Palin – that they would stoop so low to think that Obama is anti Christian?  For many on the religious right, the prospect of an Obama presidency represents the end of life as we know it.

What absolutely horrible scare tactics!  Guys, I hope when you go the election booth on Tuesday November 4th, 2008 – you really think through your choice for President of the United States and vote for Barack Obama.

When you hear harsh, negative, hate-filled right-wing rhetoric and God’s name is attached to it, rest assured that He would not say “I approved this message.”

-Today is:

-Does a presidential election mean that someone has opened the doors and let all the stupid people out?

-Things we’ve read…

  • 20% of tuxedo rentals take place in May.
  • A rat can go without water longer than a camel can.
  • The sting from a killer bee contains less venom than the sting from a regular bee!
  • Contrary to popular belief, there are almost no Buddhists in India, nor have there been for about a thousand years.
  • The Dallas/Ft. Worth airport is larger than New York City’s Manhattan Island.

-Today is also “hump day”…meaning that as of 12 noon today – we are all on the downward side of the work week, and headed toward Friday.

-Hello this morning, to our visitors from…

* Cincinanti, Ohio
* Dominican Republic
* Owosso, Michigan
* Farmington, Minnesota
* Goes, Netherlands
* Rome, Italy
* Winnepeg, Manitoba Canada
* San Diego, California
* Duluth, Minnesota
* Leavenworth, Kansas
* Brockport, New York
* Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Lincoln, Nebraska
* Don Caster, United Kingdom

Thanks for reading us and stopping by.

-Wow, it’s 5:35 a.m. and this guy has to get moving here and get some breakfast.  Steve will be up shortly and hitting the shower and getting ready for another day at his office.

Steve and I hope that each of our readers have a great Wednesday and “hump” day – please take time to drop us note via email.

If you can’t email us – post a comment – we’d love to hear from you.

-Until next time…