Jason's Room

3 Pics, 2 Ragans, 1 Party/Finale

Last Friday, the Disney Channel had a countdown clock in the corner of their screen all day, and as you can see, I was there for the last few seconds prior to the premiere.  Afterwords, we celebrated at Fubar with friends Ragan and Kerry,... but we didn't stay late, as we had big plans for Saturday.

Saturday, we drove down to Orange County for my boyfriend's 3-year old niece's birthday party, and of course, my boyfriend's nephews Colton and Logan were there, as well.---Now, listen... I haven't gone shopping in weeks,... but I was able to just wake up on the day of the party, open our guest room closet, and have several birthday presents (as well as multiple toys and games for the children attending) to choose from. *heheh*

(My favorite part of the above picture is little Logan's sly attempt to touch the cake, reaching in the frame.)

When we got back to WeHo, we were visited by our friend Reagan (pronounced "Ragan", just spelled differently), and so,... we went down to Fubar (Yes, I know, I know....) for a few (too many) drinks, before returning home, where Reagan crashed in our guest bedroom.

The next morning, all three of us went to The Griddle for breakfast, before Reagan drove home, and then, feeling as though we needed to focus on "recuperation," my boyfriend and I decided on a day in front of the TV...

Last summer, we had watched Six Feet Under for the first time... and became instantly addicted.  For several nights in a row, we watched nothing but episode after episode.---Unfortunately, just prior to the end of the entire series, we felt emotionally burned out,... we just couldn't take it anymore... and never watched the very last four episodes.---So, on Sunday, we spent the entire afternoon crying (actually, "bawling" would be more accurate) our way through those last shows, including the series finale.

So, in summary,... 3,... 2,... 1 wonderful weekend.

Rationalizing More Than Necessary

"I'm not afraid to admit it," I told my friend JT, over beers earlier in the week.  "This Friday night, I'll be at home... watching the premiere of High School Musical 2."

"It's a major cultural phenomenon for little kids!" I continued.  "Did you know that the original film's soundtrack was the best selling album in 2006?!  It was one of the most watched programs in the Disney Channel's history and was nominated for four (and won TWO) Emmy Awards.---In fact, during the filming of High School Musical 2 in Salt Lake City, the Utah State Governor personally visited the set because... he has a seven year old daughter who has the original film completely memorized."

"Now, as you know, JT, I mainly work with kids in their late teens and early twenties, who probably are 'too cool' to be fans of the film right now.  However, their younger brothers and sisters LOVE it, and when those kids get older, I'll be working with them, and I'll need to be able to relate to their experiences... So, in essence, I kinda feel obligated to watch the movie, career-wise, so I can work more effectively with future generations.---Does that make sense?"

"Um, well,... sure," JT replied.  "That makes sense, but... ya know, you really didn't have to go into the whole long justification."

"I didn't?" I asked.

Nope," JT answered.  "You could have just said,... `I'm gay.' "

*heheh*

SO excited for tonight,
your jason 

In the News

A nice, little news story on the church I attend, WeHo Church, on OutliciousTV, a newly launched gay internet-tv website. Watch the short, 3-minute story by clicking here.

The Evolution of Parenthood

I hear the question almost every week.

"You're so good with children.  When are you guys going to have a kid?"

And/Or

"You guys should totally get a dog!  Have you thought about getting a dog?"

And my response is always the same:

"Right now, we're just trying to NOT kill our plants.  If we're successful, then we'll consider going up the evolutionary scale."

However, to be honest, our plants have been doing pretty well for a while now.  So, recently, I decided to take the plunge.---I became the proud parent of... Sea-Monkeys.

Yep, you read that right,... Sea-Monkeys,... those amazing, mermaid-like creatures that, years ago, were advertised in backs of comic books and issues of Boys Life magazine (ads usually in close proximity to ones for x-ray glasses and the Charles Atlas exercise program).  Back in the day, I remember looking at ads like this:

Well, a few weeks ago, I was in Target (Surprise, Surprise) and saw a Sea-Monkey starter kit on sale.  I'd always wanted to send away for them as a kid (along with a pair of those x-ray glasses!), but my parents wouldn't let me,... and I really wanted to see how spectacularly they would "instantly come to life in water", as a potential trick for all the nieces and nephews.  So, I bought 'em.

Now, as you might imagine, the whole "instant life" thing was actually less than impressive.  However, I did see the movements of baby Sea-Monkeys (no bigger than the size of the period at the end of this sentence) and decided to see how long they would last.

I diligently followed the directions and went online for tips.  (I am still amazed at how, on the internet, you can find die-hard fanatics for anything.)   After a few days, my Sea-Monkeys still seemed to be doing well, and I was surprised at how quickly they were growing.

The starter-kit only included a small, plain plastic tub, and so, I looked online at other mini-aquariums (all no bigger than an average soda can) to house my new little pets.  Finally, I decided on (wait for it...) The Magic Castle.

One Sea-Monkey fanatic had posted that "Your Sea-Monkeys will love the Magic Castle.  They can play hide-and-seek and chase each other around the castle walls.  They can even go to separate rooms, if they ever get in a tiff."  (Um, yeah... riiiiiight.)

Now, for the record, allow me to state that I know that Sea-Monkeys are merely a species of brine shrimp, they look nothing like the cartoon in the ads, and they definitely aren't complex enough to have specific desires/personalities,... but it is fun to watch them and pretend.

My Sea-Monkeys now look like this illustration to the right (click for a larger version), and they seem to be doing pretty well.  They're constantly swimming, as that's how they extract oxygen from the water, and due to their small size and constant motion, it's difficult to get a good picture of them.

To take care of them (Get this!), I only have to give them a tiny pinch of their "food" (included in the kit) once a week.---Yeah.  That's it.---Even a tremendously selfish, irresponsible person like me can do that, right?  :-)

So, this weekend, my boyfriend and I are attending a 3-year old girl's birthday party and inevitably, we'll get the same old question(s),... "Why don't you guys have a kid?"

And now, I have a new response.

"I'm currently just working on keeping Sea-Monkeys."

*heh*

Well, at least, I've gone a small step up the evolutionary scale.
;-) 

Times of "Change"

The first time that I saw the Levi's "Change" commercial, I looked over to my boyfriend after it finished and said one word,... 

"HOT."

In the unlikely event that you've missed the advertisement, the spot involves a young guy who, when he pulls up his jeans in his apartment, "pulls" the outside street UP through his apartment floor.---On his first attempt, after seeing the damage he's caused, he instinctively rushes to pull his jeans back down.  However, he quickly glimpses a young woman in a phone booth before doing so.

After pulling his jeans down and restoring his apartment to normal, he takes a few seconds to assess the situation and then forcibly pulls his jeans back up,... implying that seeing the girl again was worth the destruction of his home.

So, last night, I was watching something on the Logo network, and I saw the commercial again.  As it started, I simply thought, "Oh, it's that hot jeans commercial!", but I almost fell off the couch when, instead of a girl in the phone booth, I saw this...

I respect Levi's for making the commercial, but... I can't help but wonder... if the "gay version" is ever (or will ever be) played on a non-gay network.  Hmmmmmmmmmmm...

Both full versions below.
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Straight Version
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Gay Version
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*Hmm... Apparently, this dealio is old news, but... hey,...
it's news to ME.  :-)

Hilarious!

One of the "extras" on VH-1's website includes a fake infommercial from the cast of "I Hate My 30's", as well as their outtakes from the bit.---The outtakes are one of the funniest things I've ever seen!

It takes a couple seconds to load, and then, you have to sit through a brief (real) commercial first and then the fake infommercial, before the outtakes... but it's totally worth it!
Click here.

Just Watch It... Betch.

After falling in love with Liam Sullivan's video, Shoes, AND getting to see his alter-ego, Kelly, in concert last summer, it's only obvious that I'd love his latest project, I Hate My 30's, on VH-1.

The show is basically a "sitcom making fun of sitcoms" with voluminous references to pop culture from the late 1970's & early 80's.  Being from that generation, I absolutely adore the show, but if you're not "in your 30's" you may not be able to relate.  As one reviewer put it, "...its target demographic is so precise... some will dismiss it as trite, others will think it’s trying too hard, and most will just never give it a chance."

My favorite character is the coffee shop owner, Dr. Rod, who narrates each episode and expouses wisdom to the television audience in the same artificial style as that guy from the 1-800-DENTIST commercials, and of course, the fact that most episodes include a musical number doesn't hurt too.  :-)

You can watch the pilot episode free on itunes by clicking here... OR watch the first two episodes, commercial free, on Yahoo by clicking here... OR catch full episodes and outtakes on VH-1's site by clicking here.

I Hate My 30's airs Thursday's at 10:30pm on VH-1.  (For a other showtimes, click here.)

*No, I don't work for this show.  I just love it THAT much.  :-)
Give it a chance, okay?
Thanks,
your jason

Kelly's Hollywood Meeting

Pretend Like You Don't Care

Yeah, I've heard y'all mocking him,... but... come ON...

Admit it... The boy IS a tasty treat.  ;-)

How did I get here?

Where am I going today?  Nowhere.

Who am I visiting today?  No one.

How much alcohol am I going to consume?  Zero.

The past five days have been fun, but... whoo-boy, I feel like I've been run over by a truck.

It all started last Thursday night at Genghis Cohen, a Mongolian-Chinese restaurant/bar that I'd never visited but which was within walking distance of our place. (Yet another example of how cool places can be right in your own neighborhood without you even knowing it.)  They have an intimate performance space attached to the restaurant which features live music.

I went to see a rare performance by singer Vincent Slade (who I'm blessed to call a friend) who was supposed to take the stage at 9 o'clock, and so, I arrived around 8:45pm to start the night off with a cocktail.---However, the band before Vincent's show went 30 minutes overtime,... and then, they had to pack up all of their equipment,... and then, Vincent's band had to set up their own equipment,... and since I was drinking that entire time, when Vincent finally took the stage,... I was feeling pretty "good" to say the least.

After his amazing performance (which I also continued to drink through), I decided to head to good ole Fubar with friends for the evening's weekly "Big Fat Dick" event,... a choice I definitely regretted the next morning.  My friend Martin was flying into town from Austin, Texas, Friday evening.  Thus, my hungover butt had to clean house before he arrived.  (As if housework wasn't bad enough when you feel good. *ugh*)

I picked Martin up at the airport that evening, and after arriving to our freshly-cleaned abode, we (of course) sauntered down to Fubar for their Friday event called "Drunk & Horny".---Despite the name, we behaved ourselves pretty well, as we had big plans for the next morning.

Saturday, we at breakfast at the infamous Griddle and then headed straight for the Griffith Park Observatory, where we spent the remainder of the morning and a good portion of the afternoon.---The observatory recently reopened last fall after being closed for a four-year $63 million renovation, and it looked great!

The exhibits inside and the planetarium show were cool, as well, and... being a mature adult, I bet you can guess my reaction to this...

*heheheh*

The whole experience of just being there was fun.---Built in 1933, the site has been featured in numerous films.---For instance, in 1984, the man who would become the governor of our state appeared naked outside the buildings in the movie Terminator.

Of course, the Griffith Observatory is possibly best know for its scenes in Rebel Without a Cause.  They've even erected a memorial to James Dean on the property.---Being the huge geek that I am, I got chills standing there,... thinking about "the knife scene" and taking a picture of the specific spots where they stood.

I was absolutely in love with the art-deco architecture,... which I first remember seeing behind James Dean's shoulders.

Of course, the site's most recent appearance is in a little film about robots who descend on earth from outerspace... You may have heard of it... It's entitled "Transformers."  *heheh*

After the observatory, we did some shopping, got some grub, and then, headed to see The Bourne Ultimatum at the Arclight.  The movie was awesome, as expected.  (We went specifically because, the very first time that Martin visited us in West Hollywood, we went to the Arclight to see The Bourne Supremacy... So, it was kinda "full circle", ya know?

Saturday evening ended with (say it with me) Fubar's Saturday night event called Locker Room where we met up with some friends.

Sunday morning was church, followed by lunch at Greenblatt's Deli where (for the 2nd time!) we sat in a booth next to Michael C. Hall... who (and you'd never guess this) is actually pretty extraordinarily good looking in person.  (I, now, think I love him.  *heh*)

That afternoon involved the usual "Sunday pub crawl" from Fiesta Cantina through Motherlode, the Abbey, etc.---The only bar we didn't visit?  Fubar.  ;-)

Monday morning, I took Martin to Sprinkles in Beverly Hills for one of their famous cupcakes, before heading to the airport for his departure.---Then, I could rest, right?  Wrong.---That afternoon, I prepared for my evening plans with my friend Dan.

As a belated birthday present, I took him to dinner at the Arclight AND (wait for it) a special "+21 Screening" (meaning that you can bring your cocktails into the movie theater) and "sing-a-long" of... GREASE!---I know, right?!?!---It was SO much fun.  I even made myself a shirt for the occasion.

Get it?  Get it?---Okay, I'm a dork.  Shut up.

Which brings me to today,... sweet, sweet Tuesday,... a day without visits from dear friends, without famous celebrities/locations,... without any plans at all... And I'm fine with that.

Even the part about not having any alcohol.  :-)

-your jason

A Thumb-raising Experience

"Raise up your fist at the end of the movie preview, and then, give it a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down," I whispered to 5-year old Logan, as the trailers began before the feature film.

*It's a game I remember playing with my parents at movies as a kid,... and yes, I still do it. *heheh*

This past Saturday, we got to take my boyfriend's nephews to a movie for the first time.  (Oh, their parents came too, but in accordance with the boy's wishes, they didn't sit with us.---We're cool. *heh*)

I had informed their mother that I was a little uneasy about taking them to see Transformers, even though the boys really wanted to see it.  "Do you think it's too scary?" she asked.  "No," I answered, "but there's a scene when the kid's parents ask him if he's been masturbating."

"Oh, they won't get it," she sighed.  "It'll be fine."

And with their parent's seal of approval, we drove off to the theater, the boys in our backseat and their parents in a separate car.---Of course, on the way, I gave the boys some Transformers stickers and party favors, getting them even more excited for the movie.

Their favorite item was a little 2-inch "all-sparks cube" that, when you folded down different sides, displayed different pictures from the film.

5-year old Logan was particularly enraptured with the cube.  He just kept turning it and turning it,... from the car-ride... into the theater... and even after he'd taken his seat (which, by his request, was next to me).

Of course, after the movie, I had several different Transformers toys to give to the boys.  Unfortunately, at five and seven years of age, the Transformers were just a little too difficult for them to easily "transform" from one "mode" to the other... and frustrated them a little more than I had anticipated.

However, the boys (especially Logan) loved the "Transformers Undercover 4-piece set."---It includes a wristwatch-like contraption (which contains a flashlight, compass, and telescope), a motion-detector, AND (the coolest part) a listening device (that makes it capable to listen to conversations up to 20-feet away).

*Sidenote: When we drove down to Orange County to visit with my boyfriend's nephews that Saturday morning, did I know that we'd all be going to the Transformers movie that afternoon?---No.---Yet, I had brought all of that Transformers stuff with me in the car "just in case"???---Yes.  Yes, I did.  :-)

Sitting in a movie next to a 5-year old is a fascinating experience.---You quickly realize that the only scenes of interest include special effects and explosions,... and those dialogue scenes intended to advance the plot... are a lot longer than I remembered when I first watched the film... and to a 5-year old, kinda sound like "blah, blah, blah, blah, blah."  (Luckily, Logan had his cube to entertain him during the "boring" stuff.)

As you might expect, during the movie, I got increasingly nervous as the film got closer and closer to the "masturbation-mentioning" scene,... and when it finally happened, I was terrified when I felt Logan lean towards me to say something.

"I think this is the same car as in the movie," he whispered, pointing to his toy cube.

I sighed with relief and confirmed his suspicion.---He'd totally missed the whole "masturbation-thing".  I was in the clear. *Thank God!*

The whole day (totaling around 11 hours!) was awesome overall, from stopping at Carl's Jr. for lunch before the film to watching the movie to playing with toys afterward to the pizza dinner and goodnight-hugs as we tucked them in.

But of all the things we did,... I smile remembering a little hand tapping my arm during one of the big battle scenes in Transformers.---Logan was trying to get my attention,... and when I looked over, he smiled... and gave me a thumbs-up.  :-)

grateful as always,
your jason