Twittering

Oh, Those British

        They’re finding a new way to bring faggots back in vogue -- by crowning a family of faggots. More in Wikipedia.

Chicagoisting...

Lake Forest College Alumni Boat Cruise, originally uploaded by Timothy State.

Check out this weekend’s posts...

• Tunney Introduces Domestic Partnership Amendment - A technical change to the City’s domestic partnership ordinance to accommodate for the California Supreme Court decision on gay marriage.
  
• Mobster Movie Set Scene of Mobster Action - Life imitates art.
  
• Extra Extra - In Saturday’s wrap-up, the Cubs beat the Sox in the second cross-town challenge, and more.
  
• Rabid Bats in Waukegan and Deerfield - Avoid touching bats behaving badly.
  
• Hybrid Bus Confuses the Masses While Winning Fans - A hybrid is on the loose along the #8 Halsted line and it’s causing confusing and excitement that maybe, just maybe, the future has arrived.

Be the Person

Be the Person, originally uploaded by Barue2u.

Love the sentiment of this photograph.

Happy Pride Month

London, Day 2, originally uploaded by Timothy State.

        Kelly has offered up the Pride Month Challenge, challenging bloggers to post a photo in celebration of Pride and why we’ve posted this photo.
        I snapped this photograph during Pride while on the streets of London’s West End last summer. I think it’s a wonderfully intimate shot of two friends, enjoying the day together, and photographically, it captures the depth of friendship that exists between gay men. Our ability to love, and to continue loving as relationships evolve is admirable, and I believe our straight friends could learn a thing or two from gay men and lesbian women and how we choose to honor and respect our relationships. So happy Pride!

Twitty All Grown Up

Hanging with Jeff, originally uploaded by Timothy State.

        Growing up, Jeff Whitty would cast me in all types of roles when we would play together. This next week, three of his plays will be running at different theaters in Oregon. The Oregonian has written a wonderful article on his journey from Coos Bay, where we grew up together, to his current success of the day.

Sordid Lives comes to TV

Sordid Lives was one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Now it's coming to the small screen as a series. It premieres July 23 on Logo.

Creating at the Chalk Festival

Creating at the Chalk Festival, originally uploaded by Timothy State.

We took a bike ride along the lake today, and swung through Oz Park in the Lincoln Park neighborhood where they had the Chalk Festival taking place.

Out and Proud

        You might have spotted me earlier this week on WTTW, Channel 11, during their pledge drive and the airing of Out and Proud. I was answering the telephone.
        I did feel a little bit used, though. They told us we could take our time, and that we only needed to answer the phone during the breaks; all other times and overflow calls would go to their call center in Utah. Call center? Why then even bother with people on the phone? It just felt sort of old school fundraising--this is the way we’ve always done it, so let’s just keep doing it over and over and over.
        Regardless, it was a pretty good time. Even with the bomb threats and the occasional threatening call.
        The most exciting call I received was when I looked right into the camera. The masculine voice on the phone says to me, “I think that’s you on my screen right now.”
        “Oh really?”
        “Yes, it is you. In the blue and white shirt.”
        “That would be me. I should have shaved this morning.”
        “I think it looks nice on you.”
        “Well thank you, sweetie. Can I get your phone number and your credit card?”

        If you saw me, how did I look? Is television thinning on me? I practiced for a week in front of the mirror making my best telephone face.
        Out and Proud airs again on Monday, June 9 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, June 15 at 6:00 pm.

Starting the Day

        Just moments before I step on the train, I’m greeted by a man. He’s there every morning, wearing shorts and a polo shirt. This morning, he’s not shaved yet, and a heavy, masculine silver watch makes his bicep bulge, enhanced by his sleeve band.
        To say I’m in love with this man is an overstatement. But as I step on to the train, I look over my shoulder to see if anyone is looking. If anyone spotted me staring.
        His body is worth the risk, to stare at. To oggle and admire from afar. Every morning, he’s holds his shirt up, just a little, as if I’ve caught him putting it on from a twisted mess on the floor. Far from a washboard, it has a bit of heft, covered in a pleasantly thick fur--a belly that just begs to be rubbed. It’s a confident look that makes middle aged hotter than the svelte years that are now behind me.
        His blue eyes are electric and the pearly whites of his smile seem to convey, “Good morning, beautiful.” Hot and bothered, I blush as I walk past the billboard he’s pasted on, the backlighting only accentuating his eye-pleasing features.
        I suppose Joe Commuter has no idea the lust I feel for this bilboard man. I suppose, if Joe Commuter did catch me staring, he might simply think I’m reading this oversized advertisement for Nautica shirts at Macy’s.

Image of my Billboard Man via Nautica.com.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

An important message about health. A word of warning, though: you'll see scrotal sack.

It Takes A Long Time

        Ira Glass has some great thoughts on the creative process. Take a look:

Dog Gone Good Time

Jesse on the Brink has been blogging his experience at IML. He’s got a great sense of humor, and this story about a run-in with security is a hoot. Or I should say, a woof.

Happy Memorial Day

Hoosier House, originally uploaded by Timothy State.

        Wishing everyone a relaxing day. Take a moment to remember those who gave their lives to set up this day for relaxing.

Wishbone Morning

Wishbone Morning, originally uploaded by Timothy State.

        Some mornings when I walk the dogs, the morning sunlight is at just the right angle to make the colors explosive, and the shadows appear to make the street not so flat. I thought you'd enjoy this snapshot I captured in the seven o'clock hour this morning, looking directly across the street from our building. if you like this, you might also enjoy other shots I've captured in the year-and-a-half we have lived here in the West Loop.

Michael Reese Hospital Discovered

Michael Reese Hospital, originally uploaded by Timothy State.

        This morning, we headed out to Lake Shore Drive at 31st Street on the South Side to snap a few photos of Bike the Drive. While in the neighborhood, we stumbled on Michael Reese Hospital, which upon first glance, appeared to have died. It’s a collection of buildings--the oldest very ornate in their architectural detail--spread out amongst a rather large campus. Some of the buildings are no longer in use, and their repair is falling.
        It’s a bit sad, really, as Wikipedia indicates a vibrant history of medical teaching and advances right here in Chicago. The hospital was founded in 1881, and has historically serviced the poor and immigrant communities. Check out some of the photos in a new Flickr set I’ve posted today.

Indiana Jones Can't Save You From This Tired Movie

        Save yourselves, people, and avoid seeing Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. We went to go see it Friday night, thinking it would be an excellent holiday weekend diversion. Instead, found it tedious, unimaginative with an weak and undeveloped plot. I remember a few years back, when the first episode of Star Wars came out. Harrison Ford had been asked if he would ever consider a starring role in the modern-day Star Wars franchise. His reply was something akin to Star Wars being the perfect stepping stone in his career, but he has now moved beyond such movies, preferring more complex characters and roles.
        Ironically, this episode of Indiana Jones is far from complex.
        Nearly an hour into the movie, I found myself thinking, Oh, now that’s interesting, as the characters exchange dialogue setting up the entire plot premiss. It was delivered in such an unsophistication fashion, they might just have well said, “Ladies and gentlemen, from this point forward, this will be the tension that we came up with in order to tap into this money-making franchise one more time.”
        Honestly, the woman sitting next to me making calls on her cell phone was significantly more engaging than the plot, the characters, and at times, the action. Under normal circumstances, I would have called her out, but finding out what was going on with her baby daddy while she was on a date was far more interesting than Harrison Ford.
        A few weeks ago I heard a report on NPR that focused in on the buying power of us cynical Gen-Xers now that we’ve achieved financial security. Unfortunate for corporate America, we’re not consuming at the rate our predecessors have when they were at the life stage we are now in. As a result, corporate America is going to have to find new ways to entice us to part with our money, and one anticipated strategy: nostalgia. Particularly nostalgia we can share with our children.
        In Hollywood, this means pulling out movies we grew up on, dusting them off, and making them fresh again. Live Free or Die Hard did this with expert brilliance. In fact, I told my Old Man that if he really loved me, Daddy Santa would bring me a copy of the DVD for Christmas. Sure enough, come Christmas morning, I found the bomb-proof tin container of the “Collector’s Edition” wrapped nicely at the foot of the Christmas Jesus.
        That’s the type of movie Indiana Jones could have been--one with smart, savvy dialogue, a brilliant plot that pays homage to the original, all while being packaged within the capacity of today’s special effects. Unfortunately, watching the latest iteration of Indiana Jones is not even worth waiting for DVD.

David Reduces me...

Jenna + David A 4evr!
Originally uploaded by BuckheadJohn.

...to a 16-year-old girl.

Track No. 9

        I got on the wrong train the other morning. Folks who don’t know the city have no idea how that is possible. Which direction could it go? they ask. Doesn’t it go one direction with no variation. That’s the case if you get on the train in any other spot than the originating station. Where I get on the train, I have to find my train amongst sixteen different tracks. Trains are coming and going every five minutes, with crowds of suburban people running every which direction, oblivious to people in their paths.
        My train leaves from Track 9. Every morning. Track 9.
        So I walk through the station. Go to track 9. Look at the board. First stop, Clybourn. Get on the train. Get out my laptop. Get comfortable. Start working. I’m 15 minutes early. All is well in the world.
        But my peeps are not here. In fact, other people are sitting in their spot.
        An announcement.
        “This train is departing to Crystal Lake... ”
        What?
        I gathered up my stuff and hopped off the train. Check the watch. 7:25. My train leaves at 7:25.
        I run downstairs and check the board. My train is no longer on it. It’s 7:26.
        I sit down, trying to figure out what to do. Trying to figure out what happened. That’s when it occurs to me that the Crystal Lake line stops at Clybourn as well. What went wrong? There were not announcements of a track change. No message scrolling across the message boards. Any time there is a change, it’s well publicized. But not this morning.
        There was another train leaving in 15 minutes, but it was only going to Highland Park. The next train to Lake Forest was an hour and ten minutes later. So I decided to get the train to Highland Park, and call someone for a ride. And by the time I got into the office, word had spread. Through the office, across campus, that Tim got on the wrong train.

Cookie is a Star!

        My friend Cookie Crumbles stars in this video. Check her out. She’s the smashing one in the green suit.

This American Life, Season 2

        Season 2 of This American Life begins on Showtime this Sunday. I’ve got mixed feelings about the TV show because I love the radio show so much. I love the radio show because it’s so unique in how it is delivered. Almost as if you, as a listener, is sitting around a dinner table, listening to these very real, touching stories. And while the TV show accomplishes the same storytelling technique -- and does so very beautifully -- it looses the intimacy of radio.
        Instead of a voice, clear, crisp, coming to your ear, you look into a box and see visual images that coordinate with the story line. There is a certain distance created between a viewer and the images on a TV, almost as if they are not really happening. Like 9/11. When the Towers came down. It just wasn’t comprehensible.
        Because the radio show was so unique, the TV show, while different, just feels ordinary, like everything else.
        Still, I’ll be downloading the show from the iTunes store on Sunday.

Vote for David

In our household, we're in love.

Love Me, Love My Doll

Tonight on BBC America, 10 p.m. Eastern. I love when he launches into the "used to be sex, sex, sex, but now we're just there for each other all the time." Thanks, Buckhead John for the heads-up.

Leno Apologizes

        Following up on an earlier post with my gayest look, it seems that Jay Leno has apologized for his failed attempt at humor when he asked guest Ryan Phillippe to give the camera his “gayest look.”
        There is a great article posted on Edge that summarizes the drama that unfolded, and points to the site that Melissa McEwan and Jeff Whitty created to give gays, lesbians, and straights everywhere to give Jay Leno their gayest look.
        GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) is taking credit for the apology, but they waited a week before speaking out -- long after the blogosphere hopped on the story. Whitty calls out GLAAD as well.

Ugh.

        I had to contact iPowerWeb support. They transferred our e-mail and web hosting to a new platform. The help files regarding changes have been less than adequate, and I finally reached the point where I had to spend the time waiting for Tech Support to get them resolved. I first tried their live chat.

Albert Lewis: Hi Timothy, I apologize for the wait time. My name is Albert, how are you today?
Timothy State: Hi Albert. I'm having all sorts of e-mail troubles.
Timothy State: The help files on the new platform are not very helpful.
Albert Lewis: Can you please hold while I review your account and get back within 2 to 3 minutes?  
Timothy State: Sure.
Albert Lewis: Thank you for holding.
Albert Lewis: To protect your account from unauthorized changes, can you please verify for me the answer to the Security Question:
Albert Lewis: SECURITY QUESTION?
Timothy State: SECURITY ANSWER.
Albert Lewis: Thank you for the authentication.
Albert Lewis: I apologize. What exactly seems to be the issue?
Timothy State: I have a couple of issues with e-mail -- and the help files on the new platform are of little use.
Timothy State: The first is that my e-mail box tim.state@barnesplace.com is "full". The sender gets a message saying it's full.
Timothy State: When I look at it, it says I've used 15 MB of 25 MB. What gives? And how do I fix this?
Albert Lewis: Okay.
Albert Lewis: Can you please hold while I look into this for you? I should have some more information regarding your issue in 2-4 minutes.
Timothy State: Sure.
Albert Lewis: Thank you for holding.
Timothy State: No problem.
Albert Lewis: Can you please test your mailbox tim.state@barnesplace.com now?
Timothy State: Send a message to it?
Timothy State: Sent a message.
Timothy State: Okay, it's come through.
Timothy State: And there was no bounce error.
Timothy State: Was there a problem on my end?
Albert Lewis: Please note that there will be a file size set on our backend for your mailbox.
Timothy State: What does that mean?
Albert Lewis: I have updated it and fixed your issue.
Albert Lewis: It is certain size limit set for a certain mailbox on our end.
Timothy State: Does that mean that there is a limit to the size of the e-mail people can send to me?
Albert Lewis: However, you can increase your mailbox size following the steps provided below:
Albert Lewis: 1. Log into your vDeck 3.0 going to: http://ipower.com/controlpanel .
Albert Lewis: 2. Click on 'Details' under Disk Usage.
Albert Lewis: 3. On your Disk Usage page click on 'Set mailbox quotas individually' increase your mailbox size to that you wish and click on 'Save changes' button.
Albert Lewis: Yes, you can receive a 25 MB large e-mail from your client.
Timothy State: I have my e-mail program set to delete the mail files when it downloads them from the server. So my mail box should never get full. I download e-mail daily. So is my mailbox filled with messages?
Timothy State: I don't understand why this problem occurred. In theory, I'm emptying the mail box as it fills up.
Albert Lewis: Yes, your mailbox is 15.10 MB out of 25 MB available.
Albert Lewis: Okay.
Timothy State: So it's not being cleared out as I download then, correct?
Albert Lewis: Currently, I have updated the changes and you will not experience any issue further.
Albert Lewis: Yes, if you have configured your e-mail client and unchecked the option Leave a copy of message on Server then as soon as you download the e-mails will be deleted from the server.
Timothy State: That last sentence is not grammatically correct and makes no sense.
Timothy State: What are you saying?
Albert Lewis: Okay.
Albert Lewis: I have just provide you with the information.
Timothy State: My e-mail client is set to "remove copy from server after retrieving a message right away." So why did the box get full? And why does it have 15 MB in it?
Albert Lewis: If you have receive any large e-mail then you may have experienced this issue.
Albert Lewis: This may have be one of the reason why you have experienced the issue.
Albert Lewis: Please test your mailbox once again on your end.
Timothy State: It came through fine. But according to the control panel, there is 15 MB in my mail box. Why? There should be no messages there.
Albert Lewis: Yes, it should be.
Albert Lewis: Please check logging into your mailbox via WebMail and confirm this.
Timothy State: Yes, what? It should have 15 MB in use even though there should be no messages?
Timothy State: "Inbox has no messages." Again, I'll repeat the question I'd like answered: why does the control panel say there are 15 MB of space used when there are no messages in the account?
Albert Lewis: Please check the folder option on your WebMail and confirm that there are no e-mails associated with any of the folders.
Timothy State: There are 2 in the deleted folder and 2998 in the spam folder. Why are the deleted ones not deleted? Why are the spam ones not deleted?
Albert Lewis: I am not sure.
Albert Lewis: While upgrading the accounts to vDeck 3.0 we had backed up the mailboxes.
Timothy State: And?
Albert Lewis: Because of this the backed up e-mail were not deleted.
Timothy State: Okay. That was never mentioned in the help files for the transition.
Albert Lewis: You can delete all the email associated with your mailbox.
Albert Lewis: Oh okay.
Timothy State: I have opened the two messages in the deleted folder and I have individually deleted them. They are still there.
Timothy State: The spam folder messages don't want to load.
Timothy State: What do I have to do to get the spam folder to be deleted regularly?
Timothy State: I am loosing confidence in your knowledge and your ability to communicate clearly. Would you please pass me on to a supervisor who has more experience?
Timothy State: Are you there?
Albert Lewis: Thank you for holding.
Albert Lewis: Can you please provide me with your mailbox password.
Timothy State: No.
Timothy State: You can't get to my password?
Albert Lewis: However, non our our supervisor is avilable currently at our Chat support Department you can contact our Phone support and ask them to forward your call to our supervisor.
Albert Lewis: No.
Timothy State: So you are saying that you can't help me?
Albert Lewis: Timothy, I have already resolved your issue and I am trying to resolved all your issues.
Albert Lewis: However, I need your mailbox password to log into your mailbox.
Timothy State: Every internet service I've ever been associated with has instructed me that a service representative will never ask for a password. I don't feel comfortable giving you the password. Please contact your supervisor so that he or she may assist you.
Albert Lewis: Unfortunately, as I have mentioned you above non our our supervisor is available currently at our Chat support Department.
Albert Lewis: Please contact our Phone support and ask them to forward your call to our supervisor.
Timothy State: This is outrageous.
Albert Lewis: You can contact our Phone support at: 888-511-4678 . International customers can call us at: 602-716-5399 .
Albert Lewis:
Timothy State: Aren't you logged into my e-mail account?
Albert Lewis: No.

Jesus and Gay Orgies

        An etching that depicts Jesus Christ and his disciples having a gay orgy during the biblical Last Supper?
        Well, of course. Get 12 hot guys in a room together, feed them only bread and wine, offer it up with statements like, “This is my body, eat it,” and what do you think’s going to happen.
        Wow. Why didn’t we see anything like that at the Vatican Museum?