Very funny, Jonny

Yeah.  This guy is HILARIOUS.

Thanks, man.  That might be the first (genuine) smile I've had on my face since I saw Kirsten and David last week.

Game on

This is how the conversation went, more or less:

Her: What's going on with your blog?  You haven't posted anything in like three weeks, and before that you were getting sporadic at best.  I check that damn thing every day, and I'm continually disappointed lately.  I rely on you to entertain me and you're letting me down.

Me: You rely on ME to entertain you?  Wow.  You need to get a life...

Her: It's true.  Seriously though, what the fuck?

Me: I don't know.  There's not a lot going on right now.  I don't really have anything to say.

Her:  Bullshit. I've known you way too long.  You've always got something to say.  I think there's too much going on right now.  I think you have too much to say.

Me: It's true.  Seriously though?  I don't really feel like it right now.

Her: Fuck you.

So basically the conversation continued on a downward spiral until I was challenged to post something, even something about nothing, every fucking day for a solid month, and apparently just posting a really cool photo doesn't count, which I think is total bullshit because sometimes you can tell an entire story with just a photo or two, but what-the-fuck-ever.  You got it.  Four weeks, starting tomorrow, which means I win on December 5th.  Game on, bitches...

Change of scenery

Rural Hall, North Carolina

I'm settling in beautifully here at Leigh's.  It's gorgeous here, and being around that woman is like slipping into a nice warm jacuzzi.  It's been far too long since we've been able to stay up until four in the morning talking about everything and nothing.  She's got a nice big house in the woods with funky stuff on the walls and a cute car in the driveway.  Can you tell a New Orleans girl lives here?

What a difference a day makes.  Twenty-four hours ago I was in a studio apartment on the upper west side in the middle of a concrete jungle.  I woke up today surrounded by this:

              

    

        

I think I'm going to like North Carolina.

Road trip

Had a busy week in New York.  Had lots of fun, saw lots of friends.  Spent a lot of time Getting Things Done.  Life is looking good.

In the middle of a long drive back to New Orleans.  Resting here with Leigh for the weekend in Rural Hall, North Carolina.  We're going to visit Wooo Bobby tomorrow.

I had fun on the road today.  Got into a long conversation about rolling papers with the cashier girls at a gas station in the middle of nowhere, Pennsylvania.  Folks are so darned friendly in that state.

I got hungry in Virginia.  I saw this sign somewhere off I-81, and was skeptical:

                  


Truck stop BBQ?  Could be hit or miss.  I've had some pretty good truck stop food before.  I still dream about that chicken-fried steak from that greasy spoon off I-10 in Texas.  So I decided to give it a shot.

I recommend the pulled pork plate, Carolina style, with applesauce and coleslaw.  Douse it with some BBQ sauce and a little hot sauce.  Mix some applesauce and coleslaw in with the meat.  I don't know if it's the best in Virginia.  But it's pretty fucking good when you've been in a car for seven hours.  Maybe it was the rolling papers.

          

Things I miss about San Francisco

These Two.  So, so much.

            


I've been scheming.  Looks like These Two might have some company pretty soon...

Two asses

Marin County Fair
Fourth of July, 2006
San Rafael, CA

The minute I took it, I knew that was the perfect title for this picture:

          

Oh, calm down.  It's just a joke.  I would never insult an innocent donkey like that...

Seriously though, I miss that dude.  His parents are going to buy my car from me when I move to NY, which is one less thing I have to worry about now.  Love when family takes care of things for you.

He's living in Oregon now, in the mountains, on a farm.  Waking up at the crack of dawn to feed the animals and, uh, tend the farm, I guess.  Crazy how things can change.  It's a far cry from managing the French Quarter Bar at the Ritz-Carlton, I'll tell you that...

My current rock stars

Wow.  Now that I've left San Francisco and have had a minute to breathe, I am amazed at how many people came together to make this one of the easiest moves I've ever had.  Much love and sincere thanks to:

The Acme crew (Watson included) who came together to drink wine, pack, move and ship boxes. 

The J-Lounge crew who came together for food, booze, and fun.

Melissa, for taking my mattress off my hands.  THE Seany Kilf, for moving said mattress in his truck and taking me out to dinner after.

Those people from Craigslist who took my beloved couch and gave it a good home.  Jen for taking my table and computer desk.

These people, for packing and loading up my car:

KKV and Ty, for food, wine, love and rides to and from the airport.

LJ, for being such a sheepfucker.  Lauren, for motivating my ass.

J and G.  For everything.

Am I forgetting anyone?  Yes.  Lots of people.  Holy shit!  How could I forget...

Stone.  For taking the hooks off my shower curtain rod because I wasn't tall enough to reach.  More importantly, for bringing the old grapes and contraband dead pig.  I can think of no one I'd rather spend my last evening in town sitting on the floor with.  See you in New Orleans soon, yeah?  NOWFE, perhaps?

                        

Janson Janson

This man...

                                                                               
is my best friend.  We have been joined-at-the-hip best friends since 1996.  We have been to hell and back together.  Repeatedly.  At different times over the past thirteen years we have been many things to each other.  Best friends, lovers.  Sister, brother.  Guidance counselor.  Heartbreaker.  Caretaker.  Psychiatrist.  Safety net.  He brought me food when I was too broke to buy any myself.  I can’t imagine my life without him. 

We have quite a history.  Lots of stories.  We’ve had some really funny fights.  The best is when we fight via email.  He never wins those fights.  He’s the musician, I’m the writer.  But he tries.  Bless his heart.  Once upon a time we didn’t speak for almost a year.  Worst eleven months I can remember.  Wandering around, missing my right arm…

Janson is the most talented piano player on the planet.  Period.  End of story.  You should go hear him play when you go to New Orleans.

Sometimes I think that Janson is a little unsure about where he stands in my life.  So let me set the record straight.  I love this man.  More than you know, more than he knows.  More than anyone knows.  I’m afraid of what I would do to someone who hurt him.  I’m also afraid that he’s going to die first when we’re old and gray.  Then what the fuck am I going to do?  He stands in the very center of my heart, the deepest part of my soul.  No one else can even come close.  And that’s not going to change.  Ya heard me?

Here we are at Mardi Gras in 2008...
             

                                           
And here we are last week.

                                                      

  I miss you already, baby.  See you December 10th!

Bon voyage

They sent me off in style last night.  There are going to be seven people at this dinner party.  Is this going to be enough wine?

Here we are, warming up…

                                   

                                                         
Dinnertime.  Mmmm, meat…

 

                                                         

Things got animated…
                                                            

                                                                               

Turns out it wasn’t enough wine.  Some of us wound up on Rampart St. after for a nightcap.  Or three.  Hey, whose hand is that next to my head?  And whose jacket am I wearing?

                                                      

Motherfuckers.  I miss you already.  I’ll be back.  Twenty-three days and counting.  Laissez les bon temps rouler!