Iowa

spandoek1_aramhaagsman
Originally uploaded by aramh

So last night I watched the results of the Iowa Causus come in. I particularly like the way that the democrats choose a candidate. First you show up at the voting place. Then you go and stand in the area of the room designated to your candidate (a bit like Run-a-round) - you're then counted. Anyone with 15% of the attendees is viable - the rest are out but their supporters are in play. So there's debate and bartering and no doubt lots of looking for which group is closest to the heating and who has cookies in their pockets. Then it's Run-a-round and the votes are counted.

In this case it was Obama who took the night - followed by John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. The speeches were great. Edwards was jubilant and gave his stump speech. Hillary sounded resigned and talked about it being more important that a democrat win than that she wins (though she'd like to if it's all the same with everyone), Obama - predicatably - talked about 'Hope' and gave his "We are not a collection of red states and blue states... we are the United States" in a horse yet sexy voice that had people leaning in then on their feet.

On the other side the good Xtian voters of Iowa voted mild mannered preacher Huckabee ahead of shifty mormon Romney. Romney had all of the money and the good hair - Huckabee had Chuck Norris. Yes THAT Chuck Norris. It was odd to see him talking about mildness and concern and charity with my "My tears can cure cancer - but alas Chuck Norris cannot allow himself to cry". Weirder still was Norris and a blonde 'hottie' changing places mid speech - elbowing out the rather more substantial Mrs Huckabee in the process.

All eyes are now on Iowa - I do hope that Hillary signs up Mr T.

A weird bunch of searches

For tranny flickr's B&W week
Originally uploaded by Kat Sydney

I've had a whole bunch of people coming into the site from Canada - all looking for post-op trannies. My first thought was that I may have inadvertently linked to the popular website "Dick or No Dick" upon which Howie Mandell, Christopher Biggins and Dana International ask you to 'Open the box' of one of 25 lovely 'Ladies' after guessing 'dick or no dick'... the object of the game is to correctly guess the contents of as many 'black boxes' before 'The Wanker' sounds his horn.

Turns out that there's just something going on in Canada that's driving people first to Google and then to here.

So if you're here looking for Post Op Trannies you're in the wrong place - but for a small fee I could furnish you with some addresses and a range of passwords that might just help you find what you're looking for.

the road is long

>bit of a trek to the i-94 this morning as the good town of Ann Arbor seems more intent on subsidizing Birkenstocks for Lesbians than it does actually clearing any roads.

Still I made it in one piece and am now bracing myself for the coldest night of the winter so far. Have a trip to the dentist tomorrow - I'm hoping that my dental insurance has cleared by then - so hopefully I can stop tongueing the side of my mouth in such disgusting 'fashion'

weirdly they're predicting a thaw and 9c by Monday. I'm weather obsessed. It's weird. Actually when the cold is life threatening - it's not. It's sensible. But if the dog eats more snow and then needs out at 5.30am again tonight then she's going alone

Liars

road.JPG
Originally uploaded by stevenjude

When we first looked at Ann Arbor I was excited at the idea of having an excuse to buy a 4*4. Perhaps a Suzuki SX4 or something butcher... maybe a Subaru (okay not much butcher but the ultimate Lesbian car and therefore butch enough)

Of course the locals tsk'd and tee-hee'd. "Why do you want a 4*4?" they asked, over plucked eyebrows raised to comic levels. "We get snow here. We clear the roads. You don't need a 4*4"

I listened. I bought a 4 litre sports car with rear wheel drive and no ground clearance. And then it snowed. And the roads look like this. Not much evidence of snow plows here I think. Even our Hummer driving neighbor (gay of course, do you know a Hummer driver who isn't? Actually do you have a neighbor who isn't - or are only we living in a low rent version of Will & Grace?) gave up on driving home last night.

Of course I have work tomorrow - which means a 70 mile round trip. The forecast is for -14c. And more snow. So it's going to be a slog - though you do find that when you get to the motorway things get a little better.

Still I have a theory on a car and a category that I'm really excited about - and evidence that as each car in the segment has been launched so too has the percentage of people ordering 'beige' as their choice. Hoping to prove that a category that once managed to move the mainstream and make the avante garde acceptable is now the surest way to say that you've given up on life. I love that a once vibrant category can now stand for 'resignation' and am geniunely excited about doing something to turn that around.

Work cannot come fast enough tomorrow

As if by magic

newyear2
Originally uploaded by stevenjude

So last night we had some people over. Ate too much, drank a lot and looked up to see that it was almost time for the comedy thing. So we put on our coats and we ran down uncrowded streets to the venue. 90 mins later (I know what a rip off!) we came out into snow. Lots of snow. Lots and lots of snow. So I grabbed the old camera (don't care if it gets wet these days, it's now a workhorse) and ran down with the dog to grab a pic of Jude.

2007 was a good year I think. It wasn't an easy year. We moved. We switched jobs. We left a city that feels like home for a town that feels like the ones we moved to a city to avoid. We were by turns frustrated and doubtful and impatient and stressed to the point of American but as the years ends things look good.

I've realized that in a town this small you have to 'do rather than view'. We're 'hosting' much more often, meeting some fabulous people and having a good time doing it. The house is great. The town is full of little surprises and we;re slowly chancing across them. Summer looks to be spectacular. And my new job is both exactly what I want AND need to be doing right now.

We look forward to seeing more of you next year (we're going to be traveling more) - Michigan in the summer is spectacular. We have the space, we can help out with flights if need be and we'd LOVE to see you.

wicked New Year

jude7.JPG
Originally uploaded by stevenjude

So we suddenly have a bunch of people for New Year... which means dinner (bruschetta, butternut squash soup, a potato crusted halibut and Jude's keylime pie - this time with tequilla) and lots of mad vacuuming.

Then we have a 'comedy' show with Cash Levy ===> a man for whom there are still tickets, in a small town, with no other place open, on New Year's Eve. YouTube shows that he thinks that he's good with audience banter... giving me the chance to try out my "What do I do for a living? I'm a gynaecologist... and I reckonized you straight away" heckle. It's not great, but it's an opener. The man needs taking down.

And judging by the look on Jude's face here she's ready to do it...

Happy New Year all

Any excuse

I've been thinking about how I'd justify posting this pic. I could talk about how after weeks of begging I've finally managed to sign up for a photography class. Trouble is only the second part is true - I didn't beg, I just signed up. I could talk about needing absolution after weeks of eating too much and consuming liquids like an early 1990s VW (my 2001 Golf ate oil, it was ridiculous) - instead I'll just post the thing and have done with it.

Jude hard at work the last couple of days - it seems that Academy deadlines loom over the holidays; so she's either nose in a book, typing furiously, asking 'what do you think of this?' or canvassing friends for an opinion on what she's doing. We'd planned on being in Vegas - but deadines are more important so instead we'll do New York as soon as she's submitted and then Vegas when she gets back from visiting her mom in Belgium.

Of course having seen Alex and Christianna's pictures from Miami - where the sky is blue, the temps bikini warm and Christmas is spent on the beach we're both wishing that we'd headed that way. It's not so much the cold here that gets to you, it's the grey. On the days when the sun shines all is fantastic. Steps have spring in them. Strides have pride. But when it greys over then you really do have to make an effort.

Having the dog helps. Yesterday she dragged me around two parks and then ran like a mad thing at the 2acre dog run. Of course the dog run should have been renamed the dog rink as the one day of above freezing temps had melted the snow only for the -11c temps to turn it back into sheet ice. She did well though. No falls, no tumbles, no submissions.

Other stuff. I'm due more scans - but can't make the appointment until my new medical card arrives as the doctor needs the number. The gym is easier nnow that I time the cardio part of my workout to an episode of the really rather good Prison Break and we finally have plans for New Year's Eve. Still a ghost town out there (the students go home for the holidays) so getting tickets for everything but James Blunt (weirdly) is easy.

Okay enough blog-moping - time to do some work myself.