A Run of Bad Luck

Marc Jacobs is having a bad week. Hell, he's having a bad month. If you're not familiar with Marc, he's the head designer and creative director for Louis Vuitton as well as designing for his own labels Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs. He totally revamped the LV brand to make it the cash cow of the LVMH company. (LVMH is the parent company of Louis Vuitton and a fashion mega company) Lately though, his luck has taken a turn for the worse. It began when his (entire) Spring Marc Jacobs collection was stolen off a train traveling from Paris to London. That would ruin anyone's day. But now he has been robbed again! Mr. Jacobs tried to learn his lesson and this week flew his Louis Vuitton collection out from Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport. But 5 masked thieves where there again to take off with crates worth a reported $400,000+.  Is there an Ocean's 11 style band of criminals out to score handbags and shoes?

To add insult to injury, Marc also officially announced that he will not be accepting the job as designer for Dior. (also owned by LVMH) You'll remember famous Dior frontman John Galliano was fired earlier this year for making anti-semitic comments. CEO Bernard Arnault wanted Jacobs to move over to Dior but negotiations failed because the designer reportedly wanted to bring his current team with him and the salary wasn't enough.

Fun Fact: Austin Armacost from the A List New York dated Marc Jacobs back in the day and from what I can tell it's the only reason he got on the show.

There's Always Room For Jello

The Holidays are when desserts take center stage. In that tradition, I thought I'd share some of my favorite holiday treats.

Advice: When you're bringing food or munchies to a party, always think of how it will be eaten. If it's a sit down dinner party, cakes or pies work perfectly. However when the party is a larger gathering and the food is served buffet, try and make bite size snacks that can be eaten without a knife and fork. (Also it makes people uncomfortable if they have to be the first person to cut into a cake) I was once at a large party and a friend brought an expertly decorated cake. People took pictures because it looked so perfect. Come the end of the night, no one had cut into it yet. No one wanted to ruin it. There's a lesson there. Be practical. If the party is large, cookies, brownies and cupcakes are a better fit.

I have to start will Jello Squares. They're a jiggly snack that I remember from childhood. The recipes is easy but time consuming. So what are Jello Squares? They are bite size cubes made up of many different layers of different colored jello. Plus they're an easy treat to customize for the time of year. Red and green are perfect for Christmas and you can add alchol for a New Year's bash. The recipe is as follows:

You'll Need:

4 boxes of (any) color jello (3.4 oz. each)

8 oz. sour cream

Mix one pkg. of jello with a cup of boiling water. Mix well with spoon. Pour 1/2 cup of it into an 8x8 inch pan and refrigerate for 30 min. After 30 minutes mix the other 1/2 cup of jello with 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Mix well. Pour it on top of the jello in the fridge and let it set for at least 30 minutes. Repeat with other jello colors. When your done with all your layers, cut into cubes and keep chilled until serving. Add alcohol ass needed.

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Mirror Mirror On the Wall...

vs

Hollywood has Snow White fever. Ironically the fairy tale has been somewhat forgotten until recently. There are two competing movies about the poisoned princess.

First there is Mirror Mirror staring Julia Roberts as the evil Queen, Armie Hammer as the Prince, and Lily Collins as Snow White. This movie takes a less serious take on the classic story. Julie plays the queen with sarcastic bitchiness. Armie Hammer (The Social Network) and Lily Collins have the looks that make them perfect for their role

Second, is Snow White and the Huntsman. This film is much more dark and serious. Charlize Theron look FIERCE as the evil queen. She looks like the perfect evil bitch. The major problem is Kristen Stewart is cast as Snow White. I can't stand Kristen "Stink Face" Stewart. Chris Hemsworth (Thor) is titled Huntsman.

The final call: I think I'll like Mirror Mirror better. It's seems light hearted and not to complicated. Plus Armie Hammer is always nice to look at. However, Charlize is the gay man's fantasy for the queen. I just really can't get past Stewart as Snow White. The fairy tale's whole story line is based around the queen's jealousy of SW's looks. In what universe is Charlize Theron jealous of Kristen Stewart?

Mirror Mirror is set to come out in March, while Snow White and the Huntsman debuts this summer.


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Memorable Moments Vol 1

I wanted to start a semi-regular series featuring some of my favorite memorable moments from music tv, and film. I knew the perfect start would be Pink's performance of Glitter in the Air from the Grammy awards. I've always had a love-it or hate-it feeling toward Pink. (and currently I'm tending toward the hate it) But I have to give her props, this performance is simply amazing. An artist hasn't done anything as creative and different on an awards show in a long time. Enjoy!

My New Husband

It's not a new video, but it's worth a re-post. He should never wear a shirt. Ever.

Occupation

I'll admit to my own ignorance, I knew very little about the whole Occupy movement. So I did a little research on their website (http://occupywallst.org/) They describe themselves as:

Occupy Wall Street is [a] leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximize the safety of all participants.

Their main target is the corporate and political greed that has taken over. That's a good point and a valid fight. However I think there's a break down from ideology to the action. Having a "leaderless resistance movement" leaves a lot of doors open for interpretation. Ever movement needs a figure head to help guide the way. Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Harvey Milk were leaders of their communities who furthered a social cause. I get the 'hippy earthy crunchy coombyah' idealism that their movement is about the people and a leader is the antithesis of that. But that idea has created a situation where any dreadlocked crazy can speak on camera for the whole Occupy movement. And as TMZ and The Soup has taught us, not everyone is always camera ready.

The other problem seems to be a focused message. I agree with what they ideologically stand for and it's true that the richest 1% in our country own 99% of the wealth. But as Occupy groups sprout up around the country the message is getting fragmented and localized. For example, was an Occupy Hartford group really needed? We're the wealthiest state in the country, by definition we are 'the man.'

So to all my Occupiers out there, here's a little advice:

Clean it up. You may not like it, but our culture responds much better to a polite and polished presentation. It's sad but true. It's not always what you say, but how you say it.

Get Focused. Pick a topic and stick to it. I sat at dinner last night asking friends, "What the hell are they protesting anyway?" The answers were mixed and vague. Injustice, Greed, and Equality are too broad for the average person to grab on to. Get some talking points. Increased regulation on lobbyists and restructuring corporate tax laws are two points that are clear and direct.

Best of luck. It will be an interesting election next year with the Occupiers up against the Tea Partiers.

Wrap It Up

A

B

My parents' Christmas present to me this year is a new iPhone 4s. The 16GB white model was an easy decision. Now for the hard part... the case! What kind of case do I get for my new toy? Here are my 6 top contenders.

What's your favorite?

C

D

E

F

The Chopping Block

I love television. Some shows can last for decades while others are gone after a few episodes.  Sarah Jessica Parker said she ended the very successful Sex and the City because she wanted to go out on top. (That was before she ruined the entire show's legacy with Sex and the City 2) There's been a mini uploar because NBC is taking Community of the air in January to make room for 30 Rock. Personally I think it's the best decision the network could make. It should have gotten the axe after the first season. It's not the only show on that needs walk the plank. Here is my pics for the best and worst of tv:

Cancel: The Simpsons- I've never been a big Simpsons fan, but according to my friend Mike it should've been cancelled 10 years ago. I can't say I disagree. The Simpsons was an iconic show that helped define the 90s.  But with non-aging characters, how can they keep coming up with interesting story lines after 20 years? It's time to say good bye and quit while you still have some dignity.

Watch Instead: American Dad and Bob's Burgers. American Dad has hit their stride and is a solid comedy. Bob's Burgers is a newer show that I've come to love. The kids are the funniest characters.

Cancel: South Park- See The Simpsons

Cancel: Community- It kind was 'kinda' good the first season... but the writers are trying to hard. They keep aiming for deep cerebral comedy and are striking out hardcore. Oh, and btw... Abed's character needs to be kicked in the head.

Watch Instead: Parks and Recreation- Also on Thursday nights, the people of Pawnee are consistenly HI-larious! Ron, April, Andy, Donna... amazing!

Watch Instead: Two Broke Girls- Created by Michael Patrick King (Sex and the City) and Whitney Cummings (Whitney) It's not cerebral or over done, it's just a cute and funny show. Plus they always make fun of Williamsburg hipsters.

On the edge: Glee- I'm putting Glee on notice. I don't understand why the writers make certain choices. For example, Jane Lynch's Sue Sylvester is a fan favorite. Yet the writers have wittled her part down to a couple lines each episode. Karofsky had a story line that could've been very intersting if it had played out. Instead he came back for a short cameo to inform us that he's switched schools and now comfortable as a cub. Where did that come from? With the news that several of the lead character will will writen off next season... Who's left? Britney and the Asian girl? Be care full Glee, your shark is within eye sight.

Boring But Useful

I work in (non-health) insurance. It occurred to me that there are a lot of misconceptions about property and car insurance. No one cares or thinks about insurance until something goes wrong. *Note- These are not secrets or inside information. I'm not trying to risk my job for a blog. However there are some common questions that you would never know the answer to until you've been through the process. Hopefully you won't need the advice, but just incase... here are some tips:

Before we begin, here's a disclaimer: All of these tips are generalizations and ever situation is different. Especially when it comes to insurance. Everyone can have a different policy that covers different things. One company and policy can be very different from the next.

Trees- We always get calls that go something like this, "I'm so mad, my neighbor's tree fell in my yard and damaged my fence. They won't return my call. Can you go after their insurance company to pay for the damage?" For the most part, your neighbor (or their insurance company) is not responsible for the tree even though it came from their property. If it falls during a storm, it's usually considered an 'act of god.' You or your insurance is stuck with the bill. The one exception is if your neighbor knew the tree was dead and neglected to anything about it. Then you may have a case.

Renting a car- Car rental companies always try to get you to buy their insurance when you rent a car. Be aware, your own auto insurance may cover damage to a rental. But like anything else, if you make a claim on your insurance your rates can always go up.

Know your deductible- Your deductible is the amount of money you are responsible for before insurance will start paying. In the car insurance world, a common deductible is $500. So, if it's going to cost $700 to fix your car, insurance will send you a check for $200. Your deductible is important when deciding if you want to make a claim or not. If you make a claim, there is a good chance your rates will go up. It's a pro and con list of whether it's worth it for a claim. Sometimes people decide just to pay it out of pocket.

Car accidents- You can file a claim on another person's insurance. However, to do so you'll need some basic information. Whenever possible, be sure to always get names, phone numbers, policy numbers, and addresses for everyone involved.

Condos- If you live in a condo complex, you could be hit with a loss assessment. Basically that means you own a fat some of money to the condo complex to pay for upkeep and improvements. For example: my sister had an special assessment because her condo complex needed new roofs and siding. Call your insurance company because they may be able to help.

Power Outage- If your power goes out and you loose a freezers worth of food... guess what... you may have coverage under your homeowners or renter policy.

I Heart Tshirts

I love buying tshirts. It's the one item I buy more then any other. As I was on FB today, the fashionable Kurt Jo (http://kurtjo.com/)  posted a link and invitation to Fab.com. It's a site full of unique design items. That's where I found this uber aweson tshirt for only $15 on sale. From there, I visited the shirt maker's personal site (www.DPCTED.com) to find out more. He has a dozen or so AMAZING shirts. My other favorite (and future purchase) is the 'Rick Rolled' shirt shown below. Also designer Scott Hutcheson on FB for more details.

I have two other t-shirt crushes of the moment. First is Threadless' line of Muppet tees. I'm not sure if I've ever posted my deep love of the Muppet's, especially Mrs. Piggy. I haven't purchased it yet only because Threaless is known for their $10 tees sale. My second crush is the vintage inspired Japanese PacMan shirt from the Gap. That was purchased this afternoon for 30% off in store.

DPCTED.com

Threadless.com

Gap.com

 

P.S

 Also check out my friends' sites: sliceoflifetees.com and cubcouture.com

What's Wrong With This Picture?

 

There are two disturbing things about this picture:

1. The finger nail on his thumb is strangely long

2. His calf muscle is about the same girth as his cock. *Shudder*

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The Gay Test

How can you tell if a dude likes dudes? If (at least) three of the following statements apply, you've found a gay:

His online gaming persona has large muscular biceps.

He owns or has worn a cock ring

He uses the word Cock

You've seen him dance with his hands in the air

He and his friends share a flesh light. (Without washing it out)

He's bought tickets to Margret Cho and Kathy Griffin

He can finish the line "Have you ever had cum in your eye Gabriel?"

He can name the old women on the Golden Girls who wanted to chop down the old oak tree.

When you refer to the "cute guy" at the liquor store, he knows who you're talking about.

He owns regular underwear and separate underwear for special occasions. (aka fun undies)

When he sucks your cock, he always swallows.

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My Friends Look Great Naked

I started this post with the intention of writing about my type... the type of guy I'm sexually attracted to. The more I thought about it, the more I realized there was a direct correlation to the people I'm friends with and the people I want to have sex with. Basically I'm sexually attracted to most of my friends. (and hopefully vise versa) This shouldn't come as a big surprise because gay men posses the unique ability to have casual sex without harming a friendship. In some cases, sex between friends can help a friendship. A good friend is someone who'll be there for you in good time and in bad or when you simply need a warm mouth. :-)

 But I'm curious, is this common amongst other gay men? Or is it unique to the bear community? (or maybe I'm just over sexed) I have the impression that non-bears are judgmental and cold toward each other. Kind of like a hairless cat on her period. I'm probably wrong, but I can't think of anyone to ask. At any rate... I've collected a group of friends with whom I'd happily get naked with (again).

*A side not on the pictures: Each person pictured makes me horny. As you can see I tried to find a picture of me with the person. However I apologize because not all the photos are the best shots. (Sorry Chris, but this is the only picture I could find of us together) It also made me realize that I don't have pictures with some of my close friends. For example there definitely needs to be a pic of me and Dan. But the only shot I could find of us together is from 5 years ago. (and for Dan 30lbs ago) Also, Joe Hooch and I have no pictures together at all. What's up with that? Ad that to the To Do list: Get updated pictures with hot friends. Clothing Optional.

Will You Not Marry Me?

With the growing trend of second boyfriends and blurry relationship rules, I can't help but wonder what it's like to have a long term partner. As I've said before, relationships fascinate me. I'm always curious what happens behind closed doors. I'll tell you up front that this post will ask a lot of questions but provide very few answers. I know as much about relationships as Tyra Banks knows about humility.

I met my good friend Justin for coffee the other night and he brought up a very good question. Why are so few gay couple getting married? Gay marriage is legal locally in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York and 85% of my friends are in long term committed relationships. However I only know of one local pair that is engaged. (Congrats Jeff and Ollie) Like Justin, the few married men I know had plans before the legalization. I thought couples would be lining up to officially pledge their commitment. Especially because many of my friends have been together for 10 years or more. So why is the New England (bear) community ignoring marriage? Is it a modern choice or a sign of deeper disconnect and complacency. It's totally understandable that they've been together for a long time and simply outgrew the idea.  But I still wonder if there is a hidden fear of commitment in everyone.

The gay community has always been very good at adapting. I love that gay men have found clever 'work arounds' for the common pitfalls of marriage. Most notably the prevalence of open relationships. It's widely known that after many years a couple's sex life can slow down. Hot and Heavy is replaced with Quiet and Comfortable. But when you have every cock available to you, how often do you suck the one at home? With no basis in fact, I've always assumed that many relationships turn into a romantic roommate situation. Nonsexual life partners. Is that true? My friends may be more hot and heavy then I give them credit for. What's your story?

Who do you have sex with more?

_Your husband
_Your second boyfriend
_A hookup
_Yourself (hand, dildo, fleshlight etc)


Do you see yourself ever getting legally married?
_Yes
_No

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Weekly Update

I've been away for about a week and a lot has happened. Lets dive right in:

Kim Kardashian- She's getting a divorce and the public is up in arms. How dare she! You'd think she was a no talent fame hungry reality star. (That's sarcasm btw) I like Kim and I always have. In my opinion she's one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood. However, I don't expect morals, virtue and honesty from her. Remember her career started with a sex tape. Everyone seems to be angry because she made so much money from her wedding. Duh! Every move she makes is a calculated strategy for income. I say we move on focus on more important.

An October Snow Storm- Connecticut had an unseasonably early snow storm last weekend which caused record power outages. More people lost power from the snow then from Hurricane Irene. Connecticut is no stranger to snow, but this time the leaves were still on the trees. Who knew having leaves on the trees could make such a difference? Apparently that makes the limbs much heavier and they came crashing down everywhere. (taking power lines with them) Surviving without power and heat hasn't been to bad. With plenty of scented candles from my past career, my apartment is cold but freshly fragranced. I can last without lights or heat, but no tv or internet has driven me crazy. You can only read so many magazines by candle light... ya know. To make things worse,  cell service has also been shitty. The power company says everything will be back to normal by this Sunday.

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Black Out

Sorry for the lack of posts in the last couple days. I'm currently without power and there is no estimated time when it will come back. Not having power isn't as bad as I though. The main problem is boredom. At least I have hot watertown shower in the morning before work.

I'll post a full story once everything is back up and running. (I posted this from my phone)

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