Saturday, April 26, 2008

Getting jiggy with it


Sniper friendly
Originally uploaded by stevenjude
Woke up this morning with my back killing me and a refusal on my application to take shots of fetish models in an abandoned Detroit hotel. It's a professionals first event and all of the spots are now filled - so I got turned down. Never mind - there are other women in latex out in the world, I'm sure.

It's graduation weekend here in A2 - so lots of parents in posh frocks and not so posh suits wandering around campus in the unusual warmth. It makes for a lovely atmosphere actually - though the sudden stopping without warning on the sidewalk gets wearing after a while.

Another venue with no tickets for me is The Ark - a lesbian folk haven staffed by muscled women with cropped hair wearing wifebeaters (is that PC for lesbians?). Wanted to see The Proclaimers there - will now have to take my chances with Craigslist. We'll see.

Not much of a plan for today. Erotic Expo in Detroit has a seminar on piercing parties (a la Janet Jackson) which has perked my interest, I have a massage booked for later to try to beat this pain in my back (I can feel the vertabae grinding) and then maybe a jackie chan . jet li movie later.

Tomorrow is a vintage car auction with Andy - a friend of Jude;s. Should be fun - I even have my eye on something for our vacant parking spot.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Good day yesterday...


winn discount summer
Originally uploaded by themexican
...started when I got up at 7am, showered and set off for the hospital on a route that took me right through central park. Then blood work done straight away (the lab tech still knows me) and across the road for scans... alas posh facility booked so back to the old building and the corridor of long waits to drink liters of bloating drinks and generally kick my heels whilst watching "Mad Men" (excellent btw) on the i-pod.

Then back to the Park to meet up with Jude, lunch with a friend then on to a leaving party for my friend Kajsa who's leaving the US to learn about hat making, dress-making and 'trimming' and then moving to Brazil. Gotta love that.

From there it was on the the Theatre to see a performance / read of another friend's play - The Beauty Project. It was actually rather good.

Then on to a bar where low cut tops, a tertiary grasp of English and hotpants to make a Camel Chiropodist blush were much in evidence.

Ride home today was uneventful. My evening will be spent with data.
Happy

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

back in the old routine


us/nyc/synagogue/03
Originally uploaded by Hagen Stier
I'm writing this from Touchdown 4 - the computer used for visitors and floaters at my old company in New York.

After blood work and scans delayed by paperwork I met Jude in central park where we watched tiny kids playing baseball and a movie being shot (an old woman walked a small dog - it was thrilling!)

Then we split up. I headed to Grace for lunch with my friend Gareth whilst Jude headed uptown for lunch with our mutual friend Ali.

I have drinks with a futurologist this afternoon (weirdly she sensed I was in town and invited me) and thought that I'd fill in a little time with a visit to the office and a cup of tea.

It feels very different here to Detroit. The people are younger. And more energetic. And less afraid. The music is playing out loud. Two people just left to buy fruit for a 'cooling' sangria that's being made. And generally the vibe is one of 'we're enjoying this'

Of course the atmosphere in the office was never my issue. The work was. And I LOVE what I do now. Weirdly I've worked out that I'm an ad guy - by trying to leave advertising twice.

It's good to know that some decisions you got right

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Weird morning


Euston is Broken
Originally uploaded by  blech
First the decidedly grannish woman who was appraising my Mustang for damage told me that removing the dent from the hood of of my car would mean removing the hood, stripping it, beating it and respraying it. Total cost $400.

Then my New York hospital told me that I may not get scans after all because they don't have recent blood work. Well that would be another $1000 in flights wasted. Much haggling and pleading led to a morning blood bath - I'll be phlebottomized, analyzed and certified at 8am for 9am scans. Maybe.

Bought two 'space chairs' for the balcony (it's 24c and sunny today and on the roof it's 10c warmer) - noit sure I'm fully adepyt at shifting my weight and levering my legs as counterbalance yet - but it will come.

And finally day 2 of the pre Cyprus shirt off diet has me feeling strangely full at all times. Jude's saying fiber, I'm saying tumor.

Suddenly spring


Suddenly spring
Originally uploaded by stevenjude
suddenly in A2 it's spring,
but we don't really care because today we leave for New York

yup it's Cancer Scan time again

which means admitting that somewhere amongst all the blooming, sprouting and growth of daffodils I may also be sprouting malignant cells and growing tumors.

not that the scan causes that - but it does bring up the issue.
that said if I'm clear today then it's getting very close to the 2 year - 'safe' mark. The point at which relapse becomes less likely and we can breathe easy again (bar the spring pollen)

So fingers crossed

Monday, April 21, 2008

A word on Love from my friend Gareth


My Friend Gareth
said this about love today

"For me, love means doing something terrifying and not being terrified at all."


Check out his adventures - and send a check if you can - here

Sunday, April 20, 2008

The Dalai Lama is in town


P1030858.JPG
Originally uploaded by stevenjude
... so I thought that I'd try out Buddhist 'hair' for the event

Whaddya think?

More Idol Nonsense


So I missed Idol for a week and it seems that they booted the Castrated Hutchence wannabe Michael Johns. Shame - the benchmark seems to have been - "Well I have to last longer than Kristie Cook" and of course he didn't.

This week's guest coach was Mariah Carey - who came across as a slutty Oompah-Lumpah, only a tad more orange. She loved everyone, they loved her, the show was duller David Cook's eyes (and they're DEAD)

What did people do, I hear you shrug half heartedly.

Well Cut Priced Whitney (I like to think that she'll be a Crystal Meth Gal married to a backing singer) Syesha coasted through that well known shoulda been a B side "Vanishing" and promptly vanished from memory.

The Bruiser kept the bat wing wobble in check as she attacked "Without You" and I mean attacked. The song later reported the assault to the police and is recovering from the severe bruising she gave it. All credit to the girl though - she did attempt a full 'power squat' at one point.

David Cook did his angsty thing on "Without you" and just failed to recognize that it could be the most awesome stalker song of all time done right. He was getting there but as ever the bigger picture evaded him as he tried for a vibe that's Radio Friendly.

The Mormon's magic pants were working as he did something soppy to immediately forgettable effect

Jason Castro on the other hand is turning into a poor man's Sanjaya. "I don't wanna cry" was sung with such tender virginity that you could hear hymen in the audience tearing. Either that or he missed a couple of notes horribly.

Two left - Kristy Lee Cook did an adenoidal version of "Forever" (which FINALLY sent her home) and Brooke White piled in the vanilla with her anodyne version of "Hero"

It's all toe curlingly wondreful