Expiration Dates

[nfotxn]

I have a lot of people on my friendslist. And for the most part I like to read what most everyone has to say, however impractical. I have delusional ideas that this all gives me a picture of some sort of zeitgeist. Mostly it's just confusing and tedious. But I digress...

So here's a crazy idea: you comment me and address me personally. How you're doing, what's new in your life or whatever you'd like. Especially if we haven't really interacted directly in some time. I'll address you back and we'll interact almost as if in person!

Too crazy? We'll just have to see.

Comments

[goofybearz.livejournal.com]

Hi, I'm from the sticks. After a 9 month dry spell, I have currently been re-beared. However, after that I come back to this LiveJournal thingy, at a fork in the road(so to speak). But, I renewed my account for another year so I guess I'll be keeping it up. I just don't know what to say anymore. That and I just downloaded to new remixes of Real Life's 1983 hit "Send Me An Angel" redone for 2004. So that is about it here.

[keanubear.livejournal.com]

Well it's the summer and I am not working. I do have my level 3 Orff Schulwerk course in august which will be grueling, but it'll be good.

Before then I have a bunch of gigs. I broke up my last band because I wanted to play with better musicians, and I have been playing with awesome players, but it's not like a band. Everyone is into playing and being real cool, but it doesn't have that gang feeling that a band has. But on the bright side, when I play the music sounds a lot better, and on some levels not having a band is easier because when one drummer can't make a show, I can just call another. It's something to get used to I suppose.

I am going to visit my folks the last week of July. Dad has Parkinson's and he is depressed, and my sister is feeling bad because she wants to get him up and doing stuff, but she feels bad when she gets mad at him. A dear friend told me that me and my sister are already going thru a mourning thing. He isn't "dad" anymore. I can only imagine what my mom is going thru. I suggested a support group foir everyone, I am going to go to one before i go home, but my family has this puritan/wasp work ethic thing where something like that is a luxury.

I imagine this is TMI, you just caught me in a melancholy mood. And I tend to get blabby.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

It's ok, I can relate.

[poohbearjim.livejournal.com]

We've not interacted all that much, but you're friends with people I know, and I've read things you've written and been impressed. I haven't been to Toronto in about 17 years, but my partner, Ray, spent some time there a few years back working on designing a restaurant.

I'm in a weird space right now, because my partner of almost 10 years and I are once again not living together. This isn't by choice. I moved to San Francisco for a kick-ass job, but he wasn't able to right away because of contractual obligations. Then he couldn't find a job of his own here. He did find a good one in LA, though (Professor of Graphic Design at Cal Poly Pomona), and we're preparing for his move there. Problem is that we have stuff to move from Minnesota (where he is now, and where I moved here from), and also from Orlando (where we own a house that we're getting ready to sell, where we moved to Minnesota from last August, and both of us lived for quite a while).

Everything is confusing, and Ray (my partner) is tired of being displaced. I'm assuring him by making sure we take baby steps through all of this, thereby making sure we don't get ahead of ourselves. Confused? We sure are. In about a month and a half, I'm hoping, though, we'll be all done with it.

[digibob.livejournal.com]

Hello, stranger!

I'm fine, you? Oh, same ol' same ol'. Work, work, work.

You look fabulous! So, you want to come up to my place and get our groove on?

Oh, come on -- what do you mean you need to go home and wash your hair? Please!!! Wait, come back! Stop!! BABY I LOVE YOU!!! DON'T GO!! Good seeing you again..........CALL ME!!!!!

[shawnsyms.livejournal.com]

Funny as it might sound, it's probably impossible for me to explain how I'm really doing via LJ. We can hang out next time you are in town if you want though.

[puckbear.livejournal.com]

Dear Brodie,

I have a crush on your musical taste. I was wondering if it was available for dating. Also, I have never been to Canadia, the great country to my north. What would be one reason I should go visit?

Thanks, it was lovely corresponding with you.

-Puck

[andywhobear.livejournal.com]

Hey Brodie, Well the biggest thing that has happened to me is that I have been promoted at work. I work at Trader Joe's here in the Detroit area. It's basically a little grocery store. I am working about 50 hours a week and don't have much time for anything else. My boyfriend Tanas and I went to Chicago two weeks ago for a work party and before that we went to see Kraftwerk. We do got out at times but it is few and far between.
Tanas (the bf) just finished a mix cd that a local store is selling and has completed two original tracks that we will start shopping to labels soon. Thats about all...

[thafuzz.livejournal.com]

Where can I get Tanas's mix CD?

[andywhobear.livejournal.com]

Hey you can get it at Recordtime in Ferndale. His DJ name is DJ Lephtee. It is called DJ Lephtee Presents Seasons Change V.1

enjoy.

[fao.livejournal.com]

Howdy!

Well, We haven´t talk before personally before at all. It could be great to catch you online some day (as the distance doen´t allow me to invite you a coffee). I will try to add soon to my IM list.

About me, I´m really happy because this is the last week of autumn´ semester here. I´ve been working very hard all this 4 months, so I really need a holiday, and probably I will go some days to the beach when this frenzy ends.

Hugs, and have a kick-ass sunday!

[thefatrooster.livejournal.com]

Brodie!

Do you remember that time we talked on the phone? It was quite a while ago, so it's ok if you don't remember. It was right after my roommate at the time, Terry (lj user="bigrock"), visited you.

Also, I agree with puckbear. Your music taste is great. It should really get its own Bear411 page.

a!

[soul-spider.livejournal.com]

Hmm... For some reason it struck me as kind of funny that you're broadcasting a generic message asking for personal interaction.

I don't really have anything to say about myself. Same 'ol, same 'ol, I guess. But I saw that you're starting school in the Fall. What are you going to be studying?

[bfirrera.livejournal.com]

well, here in South Jersey, life is pretty much the same as it always is for me.

I'm beginning to get bored with my job (more bored than usual I should say). I work as a clerk in a major chain record store, as I've bitched about on my journal and the work is just frustrating 'cause we never seem to make any head way on any projects. As soon as we finish a job (sales pricing, for example), there's always a new job on the horizon that pretty much negates the work (different sales pricing). As soon as we finish alphabetizing a section, customers come in and mess it up again right behind us. etc.

However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. My partner owns a movie theatre (a second run four screener) in town. A real estate developer friend of ours is helping us to build a ten-screener first run theatre in the neighboring county, about a half-hour drive away (there are not theatres in that entire county). When it's completed, I'll be working there full-time.

This week, I'm getting to enjoy one of my favorite weeks of the year. One I tend to look forward to every year. The Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. I'm seeing ten films total. I saw my first film last night: "The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Greene" (I'll be posting a review later this evening after I see tonight's film "Happy Endings").

I've also finally been able to spend more time with friends. Kris and Becky are a married couple who we generally spend Tuesday nights with. They have a three year old (or soon to be three I should say) daughter, Maia, who we've known since the day she was born (Kris started working at the movie theatre about three weeks before Becky gave birth). We are planning a trip next year to Disney as a family (all five of us).

My partner, Paul, is currently working with Kris on his memoirs. Kris spent two or three years when he was a teenager as a homeless person. He lived under the boardwalk at the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey. His stories are equally funny and poignant and more people need to hear/read them (the fact that he is now married, a father, working, and going to college may be inspirational to others who are in that situation).

So, what's new with you (oh, and keep posting those music compilations when you get the inspiration)?

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

Wow, I feel like I know so much more about you now! This is really cool and appreciate you taking the time to go into so much detail.

My most recent drama I actually can't blog about just yet. I had a kinda terrible weekend in which lots of bad stuff happened. Nothing life-threatening to me particularly.

[thafuzz.livejournal.com]

I can't decide if my life is lost in the fog of depression; swamped by two jobs and too many men; or if I'm finally going crazy. Whatever the situation (perhaps not as dire as I dramatically present), I haven't been able to log it to LJ. No time, no energy, no hook.

I returned from a vacation Wednesday. I went to a friend's cabin outside of Ludington, a modest, Jesus-loving community on the easter shores of Lake Michigan. The beach was hot, as were many dads running around (whom I shamelessly and not very originally referred to as 'DILFs.' My attraction was dampened by the lack of possibility - the wife, the kids, the self-satisfied glaze over their eyes.) It rained on the Fourth, and there were five women and one homo crammed in a tiny, 1950s aluminum trailer in the middle of a national forest. It was hot, sticky and smoked out with the eternally-lit paraphenalia. I brought my back issues of Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and other magazines of interest for crafting (collaging, making mix CD covers, ogling hot guys in ads, etc.) Unfortunately the tiny dining table couldn't contain crafting, smoking, eating, bullshitting and the rest of it comfortably enough for perfect harmony...yet we made do. I sunburned the back of my calves at the beach one day, and made pornographic sand sculptures the next (pictures coming soon.)

I've returned to my 'normal' life. I received a small raise at my full-time job, which will give me about twenty more bucks in my paycheck each week. The men are still coming at me like cats to catnip. I try shying away from Manhunt, Bear411, Gay.com, but that instant gratification of 'You're ADORABLE!!!!' is quite a bit for me to give up, I suppose. It doesn't mean much in the end. I don't believe it for a second. Ignoring the men of subpar attraction is difficult (I don't want to be a dick, but I don't want to let them down or encourage them), and the attractive ones just seem to end up on an ever growing list of 'friendly but not friends' that I have to say hello to if I see them online, or there's DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA. Like lamprey feeding off each other. Ugh.

But my friend Kate is here with me in Ferndale. We're scoping out the hot guy across the street, waiting for a hairy, bare chest shot of his delectible body. We're going to the DIA in a little while (my first time) for artistic inspiration. I'm also going to rip her copies of the second and third Freaky Folk collections, Something Fresh, and From Scotland with Love before she goes home - she has really taken to the first Freaky Folk...

[sassy-fae.livejournal.com]

Craziness!
Life's been good, hectic without any actual big events. I work the 5 weekdays, and Ian works a few of those and nearly always the weekends when I'm home. We're still pretty much joined at the hip when we're not working, and we're making an effort to take more walks. We took them up on that employee discount dealie for the camera, and we took it along on our latest walk, trying to get shots of fireflies. It almost works! Oh well, I'll give camera technology another 10 years. :)
Other than that, I've spent my time at home, wrestling a fatigue that's probably heat related, and a malaise that's anyone's guess.
Any word about your uncle? He reminds me of my uncle, also a truck driver, also stubborn as anything.

[bigreddee.livejournal.com]

Brodie,

It's been a long time, it has. I caught recent pics of Toronto's Pride and thought that maybe next year we'll come up and check it out. It looked like a good time. If we can make it happen, I'll be sure to drop you an e-mail so that we can meet. If nothing else, I give good hug.

Back in my neck of the woods, yesterday, I jumped out of an airplane at 6,000 feet with a man strapped to my back. It was awesome, and despite my initial fears, I didn't die. I highly recommend everyone do it once in their life. Other than that bit of zaniness, life is good. We're prepping to go to Lazy Bear on Wednesday, where there will be much alcohol and BBQ cookin' imbibed. I'll be sure to say hey to the Bears Gone Wild for you. It's too bad you can't swing down this way for it...we always have a good time and we'd love to meet you in the flesh.

Any new tunes catching your eye these days? I can't seem to get the Nouvelle Vague and Annie albums out of my iPod, but I think Deep Dish' new mix disc George Is On will change that. Hope all is well with you in your neck of the woods.

[satarnion.livejournal.com]

Sup.

I'm just home from another two day trip in Manchester. It was very fun! My masters project on American communes is going slowly but steadily. There's a lot of statistics stuff I need to learn yet.

This astrology thing I've been doing recently is kinda freaky but fun. Meanwhile, I'm starting to realize I'm gonna miss England when I have to return in September. Hopefully Denver will be a happy place with happy things happening.

How are you?

[dogdaze1980.livejournal.com]

After spending almost a year as a minimum wage-slave at a place I can't stand (the only upside is working at night when usually no one bothers me), I hope to finally bite the bullet and move on to find a job that's even remotely better than what I'm doing now. I find I say that too often though, and find some excuse or other to put off doing what I should.

One of the few bright spots lately was being able to take a night class over the last few months. I think it's helped to re-inspire me as to what I want to do, and hopefully find the way to get there. With another milestone approaching for me (25), I'm feeling a need to try to restart things.

[sonoranbear.livejournal.com]

Hi Mr. Chree.. I'm Kevin a burly, partnered fellow from the deserts of the American southwest. Things have been pretty standard operating parameters lately with work and the husband and such. I'm also hep to your manipulative ways and will not be party to this group hostaging of emotions.

You think by tossing out an invitation to interact with you via this digital arena with the subtly inferred consequence that the lack of compliance will lead to a severance of access to your mediate personality that folks will come aflocking in with little missives about how their lives are, who they are, and how far they can stick their noses into your anal crevasse.

No sir, I don't like it.

By the way *SNIFFF* you're having a bagel and lox tomorrow for breakfast.

[iahklu.livejournal.com]

hey...did you ever have a chance to do any work on that design project i talked to you about?

[xbearxrx.livejournal.com]

I wake up late every day. I go to class every Tuesday and Thursday evening. It's a "History of Jazz" class, but it isn't as interesting as I imagined it was going to be. I chat with a couple of friends from Italy (now that I'm home in the morning). One is really depressed, the other is in love and makes mix-CD-r(s) for her new girlfriend all the time. I'm looking forward to see Sufjan Stevens live in SF in a week from now. I'm going to Lazy Bear for the weekend, but things didn't go the way I wanted them to go. I imagined to pack and go with friends, but it seems I was left out by my closest friends' plans. It's ok... I still want to check it out and take pictures in b&w of the the bears by the pool with a wide angle lenses. I don't listen to much new music lately... lots of shoegazing oldies. I guess it's nostalgia. I have a bear411 profile now. I created one a week ago, but it doesn't do much except for keeping me in contact with people that live a few blocks from my house. I fell like I have too much time on my hands and I'm looking forward to be a full time student again from mid-August.

[mr-flux.livejournal.com]

How are you enjoying the Sufjan Stevens so far? Since I got it, I think I've been listening to it at least twice daily. Doesn't happen too often with records. The other day, when London had the terrorist attack, as I was going to work, The Green line on our Subway system, the affectionately named 'T' was closed down and I had to take a shuttle bus. As it turned out, it was just a freak acident on the line, one train colliding with another, not a terrorist attack, although police presence was huge, state troppers, city cops, T police, you name it. Anyway, as we were slowly drudging through congested morning traffic, at a snail pace, I put on Illinois. Just made me happy. All stress vanished. Little timely anecdote, I guess.

xpD

[the-niallist.livejournal.com]

Hey Brodie, Niall here, we exchanged some pleasantries when you were in Scotland but didn't actually meet. What has changed with me? The most visible is the new website by me and some mates (www.discopia.com). Check it out and let me know what you think. I'm at niall@discopia.com. The radio show is still going, there is info on it on the site. Also lots of music has been made and is awaiting release, loads of electro/disco but also the 4 track "Horrorotica" EP by The Evil Eye, a tribute to horror soundtracks from Carpenter to Goblin to Badlamenti. This was originally to sountrack a short film we made where some people run around and get stabbed called "Chateau of Doom". We have done some, and will do more, live screening/soundtracking shows. Gigs have been happening as the Niallist too, which is fun, especially for people who go to a club to hear techno and end up watching a fat guy jumping around to disco-metal. A Niallism website is also being worked on, but in terms of writing it is all a lot less analytical/philosophical and much more journalistic. I have the Prince of Wales to thank for most all of this as his "Trust" was gracious enough to lend me some money to get started. I have met a load of great people, some famous, others not, but as yet I am still stony broke and have not been offered a multi-million pound recording contract. Apart form that? Fuck all, really. Take it easy!!
N

[xtc-cub.livejournal.com]

Hey there Brodie :

All is well in KW. Me and the hubby (John) are finally working on the basement. The entertainment unit is built and painted. We did it from scratch. Now, were working on the fireplace to even out the other side of the room. We've been having many difficulties on artistic vision. But with much yelling we're working it all out *g*

Work is good. Still waiting for CP to kick in at a normal rate. For the time being I'm working at a video porn shop. Nothing exciting to report there.

So, it's all home and work with not too much in between. Hoping work and home are going well for you as well. I'm sure Hamilton is treating you well. I misss Hamilton and really need to make a trip.

Have a good one!

[http://users.livejournal.com/speedy_/]

A lot happening lately, Jeff and have been togheter for a year and a half (which makes me wonder when will you get a boyfriend, you dereve a good guy. if it is what you want). Well, I movd with him two months ago and things are doing fine, it hasn't changed much from before, when we used to hang out together all the time.

I moved my office to downtown Montreal, after two years of being on the center-east side of the city. Still doing Graphic Design and Web Development. Doing fine on that side, but looking for stronger clients.

I am planning to go to France in September with Jeff, and as we'll be in Paris I am going to have a new tattoo done on my left shoulder, and my both my nipples pierced after my birthday in October.

Still doing music, but this is going on kinda slow, as it is more a hobby that a professional thing. I'll ost some of my music as soon as I finish the mixes. What about your music mate?

[deathlessdialog.livejournal.com]

Hey Brodie, Jonathan Cohen here. Still haven't settled on a blog I like :)

Looking for work continues. A recruiter tells me I may be SOL because I've jumped around a lot in my career, have gaps in my employment, went to law school but never practiced, etc. etc. Easy to undo with a time machine, no?

The only prospect is a 6pm-2am copy editing job that will pay less than my last gig, which paid less than my previous gig. I'm downwardly mobile, yet I don't live in the U.S. Not sure what gives there.

Meanwhile, I continue to attend bear nights at O'Gradys and work on the self-consciousness/self-esteem thing. Working on the eating disorder too.

Writing. Got a positive review of BLM in the mail. Very nice, especially since it was published in 2003. Reading up a lot on medieval village life. Thinking about peak oil and apocalypse fiction.

Err...that's about it.

[teljanin.livejournal.com]

Things on my end are going alright. I'm 25 and still have a year in undergrad. I just started working in a yeast cell biology/genetics lab. I'm not really sure if I like it. I say it's because of the not being paid part, but honestly, I feel that the research is not relevant enough to anything important. yes, I see the importance in signaling in organisms, but I do not feel that studying sporulation in yeast is quenching my interest.
I think I'm in the lab for molecular techniques, like Western Blot, PCR, Microscopy, tagging stuff. I have little time to decide what I want.

along the same lines Matt started taking a graduate course. He was a graphic designer/computer science/art person in undergrad. This class is going to help him decide if he's going to start the computer science program at boston university metropolitan college. This is both a great oppurtunity and a stressful one for me. I had always planned to go into grad school right after undergrad which would be next august. However, Matt has at least 2 years and that is a long time to be away from someone you love. So, I may take a year off and work in a lab in Boston to get more experience.

That said, it's not that Matt is holding me back. I want to do molecular something, and so far I am discovering that I still love neuroscience (not sure about yeast) but for many programs I have to take the GRE general and probably the subject test in biochemistry and molecular biology. I haven't taken either of those classes and I won't finish them until the spring. So, I can't really apply to any schools that require them. So, that brings down my choices to 2 in the boston area which is my best bet if I want to start next august and stay in the same house as matt. Who knows. Things are up in the air. I know I love Matt and as dumb as it may sound I don't feel like I could be away from him for an entire year. 6-8 months I could do since I'd be a fresh new grad student...

So that's that part of me. Another part of me wants to just do nothing, play WoW, Read, watch battlestar galactica, and start writing again. I am zipping through multiple scifi and fantasy books. I feel like I don't have enough time. Sometimes I feel like I'm being pulled in multiple directions by myself. I want to do too much.

[foodpoisoningsf.livejournal.com]

you comment me and address me personally

I smell "comment whore" :)

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

No, I'm pretty sure I smell "jaded bitch" right now. What's so wrong with catching up with people?

[evanrude.livejournal.com]

So...I should ramble on here instead of on iChat like normal?

[teddyb.livejournal.com]

Hey there, Brodie

I miss seeing you, bud. I used to run into you at the Toolbox from time to time, but now that it is gone, I just don't seem to get out much.

I hope we'll cross paths sometime this summer, but in the meantime, I am glad to be able to keep up with you via LJ.

Big hugs, buddy!!!!

[guesroc2002.livejournal.com]

Um....I went on a quest for Sufjan Steven's new CD the other day. I almost drove three hours away to get it because it was the only place who had it that hadn't sold out yet. Then my friend called me and told me he didn't want his...so I bought it from him. I am very happy now. Okay your turn...heh

[dirtyglamour.livejournal.com]

Like you totally should have been at the party this past Saturday, Becky. You were missed, actually. Where were you?

Any best new music of the moment recommendations of the moment? I have about 14 dollars to spend, after buying the Desapereidos (i can never spell it right).

[gusmacroy.livejournal.com]

We caught up recently, but to recap or update since then... I am really unhappy at work, looking for a new job, still having fun with the boyfriend, getting into what trouble I can during the weekends, planning to go to Lazy Bear, Burning Man, Reprise the Death Valley ride without hurting myself, and then go to motorcycle track school the next weekend in October. Smooches!

[kj.livejournal.com]

I'm me. There's not much that's new, and not much of interest that's old. I'm just me.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi. It's always interesting to see people's blogs. Yours are intelligent and give a good glipse into someone's daily life. 37 yr old bearish guy myself, it's fun to sometimes see what other guys like myself have on their mind. Speaking to you live from the midwest here. Maybe we can share thoughts occassionally if you like.

JT