Thad1527 - Archived Blog Posts

[Thad1527]

I'm taking a couple trips.

Tomorrow I'm going to Washington, DC with my brother and nephew.

Wednesday I'm taking my annual hockey trip - I like to see a new (to me) NHL arena each season. This year it's Philips Arena in Atlanta.

 

[Thad1527]

and I'm working way too hard. But it's nice to have things to look forward to and I'm planning some fun.

 

[Thad1527]

I don't have much planned yet for this summer.
Maybe I'll be able to enjoy some of it like a kid -
doing whatever comes my way. And loving it all.

There are things I want to do:
Gay Day at the Phillies August 4
Q Fest (the Phila. gay film festival) starting 7/9
my birthday (8/20)

And there's a lot of unplanned time. I hope work will fill some of it - hey, I like being paid. But I want a life otherwise!

 

[Thad1527]

My aunt Ruth passed away this Sunday. She was my last living aunt.

I'm feeling sad because all my aunts and uncles (and my parents) have now passed on. My mother was one of eight children, and my dad had a brother and a sister. Each of them was married, so I had a pretty full set of aunts and uncles.

All gone.

There are lots of cousins, of course, and both my brothers are nearby. But it's a loss to me. I know, I'm old.

 

[Thad1527]

It was my birthday Thursday. I had fun.

I worked pretty much as usual, with the day before off...but I went out more than I regularly do. It was all good.

 

[Thad1527]

It's that time of year for the Philly Fringe and Live Arts Festival. There are interesting performances going on everywhere and at all times, almost. It's almost too much...so many choices, but I love it.

I've seen two shows so far. "Salesmanship for Life and Limb" is a rather dark but very funny comedy that asks: would you risk life and limb for a bonus? In some ways, it hit very close to home for me, as my company went to a pay-for-performance plan that seemed ever-so-slighty ike the "incentifications" offered in the show.

My second show was "The Dark Heart of Meteorology," a one-man show featuring the character of a meteorologist from a long line of meteorologists who has some personal issues.

I can't wait to see more.

 

[Thad1527]

I hate it.

Partly because my father suffered severe burns as a boy when his Halloween costume caught fire.

And partly because I don't much like being what I'm not.

 

[Thad1527]

I went to Montreal for a hockey game last week.

Sitting in the game, there was a moment where I just knew I was totally, completely happy.

Oh, it's not like I'm always depressed. Or even usually.

And even though Columbus lost...the whole experience was great. But, oh, that moment.

It was just clear and wonderful.

I hope all of you reading this have something similar this winter. Best wishes!

 

[Thad1527]

Merry Christmas to all who read my blog. Or have ever read it. Or will ever read it.

Although December is usually a bad time of year for me, since my work dries up and I have almost no income, I still love Christmas. I'm thankful for Christmas cards and lights and carols and peace on earth and goodwill toward men.

 

[Thad1527]

Well...that's an exaggeration.

But I finally have some money.

December is a very difficult month for me, every year. My job is somewaht seasonal and December is the slowest month. I had to make a very few dollars stretch very far.

But I DID! And today was a decent payday.

 

[Thad1527]

Sometimes it seems like I'm not making a lot of progress in my life.

There's so much that's just the same.

Not that I should complain. But I thought getting ahead in life was the usual thing. Here I am stuck.

I'm not unhappy or blue. Just not moving.

 

[Thad1527]

It's here.

In full force.

Well...the flowers are yet to come. But suddenly we have blue skies and quite warm temperatures.

I love it!

 

[Thad1527]

I love this time of year. Not only is it beautiful springtime, it's hockey playoff time and the start of baseball season.

 

[Thad1527]

on May 5!

Mostly for the JUB meet...and partly for a couple other passions of mine.

I'm going to see the Twins at their new ballpark, Target Field, on Thursday May 6.

And I plan to ride trains. The new Hiawatha light rail line will take me from the airport. And I'd like to ride the new Northstar commuter rail line.

I'm a great tourist. I seek out local culture: theater and museums usually get some of my time. For example, last November in Montreal I went to a modern dance performance. And I shop, but very judiciously. I love local transit, breakfasts out, and happy hour!

I can't wait to meet fellow JUBbers and enjoy their company.

 

[Thad1527]

It's a very cool word.

Unfortunately, it means I'll be offline for a week.

I'll have my phone, of course. And I'll be doing things that I can tell everyone about afterwards.

Probably.

 

[Thad1527]

I'm so glad I went to Minneapolis for the JUB meet.

It was great to meet people I've "known" here for a while - and to meet new friends as well.

We ate well, did fun things together, and just enjoyed the company.

I'm sorry I didn't get to sing with/for everyone at karaoke. Consider yourselves blessed or cursed, taste considered.

 

[Thad1527]

I was off last Thursday and went to my brother's house in the afternoon. While I was watching TV and my brother was on the computer, a violent summer storm passed through our area.

It was nice being safe in the house as the rain poured and wind blew...until the electricity went out.

The phones still worked, and the rain stopped. My brother decided to go see his son at his in-laws' home and left me in his home with no power.

It was daylight. No big deal.

But I got hungry. So I went to the local shopping area to get something to eat.

The power was out on one side of the street. The other side was OK. But, of course, the side with the conveniene store was powerless.

I decided to go into Philadelphia to get something to eat and spend some of the time. The bus had to detour around some streets with fallen trees.

In the city, everything was normal. Apparently the storm there was minor. Everyone had power; the subway-elevated ran as usual. I had dinner at Darling's Diner, one of my go-to places when I'm hungry and alone, then went carousing in town.

On the way home, the suburban bus again was detoured. I was not happy to have a few extra blocks to walk home. But going down Burmont Road, things seemed normal; Trophy Tavern was open andI could hear music from inside.

Then I noticed that on the other side of the trolley tracks, everything was very dark.

McGillicuddy's was closed. There were no street lights or traffic lights as far as I could see.

The moon was full. It was a pleasant walk through the darkness. I was hoping that bu the time I got to my home I'd reach the zone of electricity again.

No such luck. All was dark.

I set my cell phone alarm since I had a job the next morning, and I went to sleep.

I woke up with no power and went to work. The water was fine.

Power was restored to both my home and my brother's early Friday afternoon.

 

[Thad1527]

Weird lead-in, I know. But I've always loved Lisa Loeb's song "Underdog," and one of my favorite lines from it is "Wondering where I'll be on my birthday."

Some years, I do wonder.

This year, I've made plans: Pittsburgh.

Why? Well, it's incredibly cheap to get there. $4.50 round trip. I'm not kidding. www.megabus.com

There's a beautiful ballpark there that I've never seen, and the Pirates are at home, playing the Marlins the day before my birthday and the Mets on the actual day.

I Priceline'd a reasonable place to stay: I got the Wyndham University Center. It's across from the Pitt campus in the Oakland section of town.

I've been memorizing the Pittsburgh guidebook. (Some people know how I am.)

I have been there before but it's been many years since I've done anything more than pass through town.

I can't wait!

 

[Thad1527]

I'm home!

I had a fun-filled birthday weekend in Pittsburgh. I saw the Pirates lose to the Marlins, but it's such a nice ballpark it was almost OK. The Pirates did make some fine plays...just not well enough to keep the Marlins off the scoreboard.

I rode practically empty trains in Pittsburgh. I think the rail line doesn't go where people especially want to go. It doesn't go to the stadiums, or the university, or the airport. It does connect downtown with some rather boring south suburban communities and an OK mall.

I went to two gay bars in town. OMG, I had no idea there were nude go-go boys anywhere in Pennsylvania bars. I'd have thought the Liquor Control Board would have them shut down within minutes. Well...it IS dark...and you can't touch them...but they're definitely nekkid.

Pittsburgh feels like a totally different state from where I live. Yet the political TV ads were the same. My congressman, Joe Sestak, is running for Senate and he needs their votes as much as mine. (Oh, he's got mine. I do not like his Republican opponent.)

 

[Thad1527]

Many of you know that I try to visit a National Hockey league arena that is new to me each season. If money and time allow, I will even do two.

Well...money is kinda tight now. Things may get better. So it's likely I'll add a late-season trip.

But tickets just went on sale...so I've bought my ticket for October 11...in...

Washington.

I'll be seeing the Ottawa Senators.

That's coming up soon! I can't wait!

I've seen the Caps in their old arena, but that's been very long ago. (The old Capital Centre site has been redeveloped, and I've been to the stores there since the redevelopment!)

I've been told that it's fun to go to the nearby DC Eagle before and after Caps games, so OF COURSE I'll be there too.