It was a very early morning today... up at 4 am to get to airport to catch plane to New Orleans... arghhh... rough...but flight to Atlanta was good and from Atlanta to New Orleans...godd....

Jeff had pleasure of driving us to airport this morning....


I had pleasure of drinking a bit of "fresca" to help calm my nerves for flying...arghhh!!!


Ummmm....flying scares me...


Way too early on a plane...


I am calm...see my armpit...hehehehe


It helped me fly...really...it did...


And this is why we are here... Southern Decadence 2010.... it is about to get crazy...


My first Gumbo (chicken and sausage)...mmmmm, well real gumbo in New Orleans....

Now I am gonna take a disco nap and meet up with that studBrett  for some fun.... wooo hooo!!!

        

Okay... I am going to be silly again and just give my opinions as we cruise through The Emmy's... So bear with me... If I stay sober enough, I may make it through all 26 presentations... Go Glee!!!

Now on with the awards...

Opening: I love the opening!  Go Tramps... one of the best openings of an awards show yet... love it!!

Best Supporting Actor Comedy: Eric Stonestreet... holy cow!! Nice!! First gay character of the night winning.... sniff!

Best  Writing for a Comedy Series: Modern Family!!!!! great!!! Love it!  I think Modern Family is on a roll...

Best Supporting Actress in Comedy:  GLEE!!!! Jane Lynch!!!  Sweet!!!! Real gay person winning!!! Sweet!!  Loves her wife!!!

Best Director in Comedy Series: Ryan Murphy-GLEE!!!  woo hoo!!! and thanking his partner...are gays going to rule the night???

The Modern Family skit with George Clooney TOO funny, especially with him in bed with the gay couple!!

Best Actor Comedy: Jim Parsons- Big Bang Theory... I never watch the show...but it seems pretty funny...

Neal Patrick stab at Jimmy...nice!!

Best Actress Comedy:  Edie Falco? Comedy? hmmm... nothing to say...

Best Reality Competition Program:  Top Chef!... me likey Tom C....

Best Writing Drama: Mad Men... umm... yeah!  need to watch it... I guess

Best Supporting Actor Drama:  Erin Paul-Breaking Bad... never seen it... ummm... he is cute though

Best Supporting Actress Drama: Archie Panjabi-- I love when a first time nominee wins...but I really wanted Sharon Gleese to win... I love Burn Notice...

Best Actor Drama:  Brian Cranston-- Never seen Breaking Bad... should I watch this show?

Best Directing Drama: Dexter... another show I should watch....

Tribute to shows we lost---24, Law and Order. Lost.... pretty funny....

Best Actress Drama: Kyra Sedgwick!!!!  Awww my God!!! we love The Closer!!!  We have been a huge fan all along...

Best Writing Variety Show:  The Tony Awards? Really? oh yeah Neal Patrick... mmmmm

Best Directing Music/Comedy Series: Bucky Gunts... Olympics...  nice... it was nice....

Best Music.Comedy Series: The Daily Show!!!  Awesome!!  John Stewart is fucking awesome....

 Bob Hope Award: George Clooney...

Best Supporting Actress Mini Series/Movie: Julie Ormand.... I love when someone truly loves to win... and cries...Chick flick with bulls balls!! Nice!

Best Suporting Actor Mini Series/Movie: David Strathrairn.... he is one sexy older man...  aww temple

In Memoriam... I shed a tear... just one tear maybe two... Rue and Dixie....

Best Writing Mini Series/Movie... You Don't Know Jack.... and I don't

Best Actress Mini Series/Movie... Claire Danes!!!....She really appreciates it...
 
Best Directing Mini Series/Movie... Mick Jackson... Temple...I guess I will have to see this thing... hmmm

Best Actor Mini Series/Movie...Al Pacino... wow!!.... is he drunk?  I am...hehehe...Jack K...hmmmm

I guess it is time for big awards...hmmmm

Best Mini Series: The Pacific... hmmm again...don't know much about this... imagine Tom Hanks a part of it...hmmm

Best TV Movie:  Temple Grandin... I am gonna cry...

Best Dram Series: Mad Men.... that was not expected... well, by me anyway.... damn!!

Best Comedy Series: Modern Family.... AWESOME!!!!! 

That's all... I am done (half drunk)

        

The Fleur de Lis .  What has been and now has become a major symbol of New Orleans.  The people of this city have gone through so much as others along the Gulf Coast.  From Katrina to the BP oil spill. It is just one thing after another.  So I am proud to be heading to New Orleans this week for a vacation and my first visit to The Big Easy.  Yes, I am going for fun and frivilous fun, but my trip will also add some money to a city that needs it.  Me and 150,000 (or more) people will be decending on New Orleans Labor Day Weekend to wind up summer and help the economy of a city that needs it.  Though it is a coincedence that we happen to be going down (hehe) to New Orleans around the 5th anniversary of Katrina, we are proud to be a part of a celebration that is one of the largest for the city (3rd, behind Mardi Gras and Jazz Festival).  I can't explain how excited I am to be heading to New Orleans, and after all the coverage of the 5th anniversary of Katrina... I am so glad we can be there and be a part of a great city and a great event.

        

All in all this was a pretty fair weekend... the weather was nice (though Saturday clouds kept me from getting tan)... but it was good...

Saturday morning I did make it to the gym... at 7:45am no less... here is fuzzy pic of proof... though I am trying to slim down for Southern Decadence, I am afraid it is a too little too late... though plans are to go gym  Monday and Tuesday, maybe Wednesday of this week... We have to be at airport by 5am Thursday morning and we will likely be packing up to the last minute... as we always do...hehe...


I did manage to sneek in a few rays on Saturday, then a few more on Sunday... though I think Sundays rays will be hurting me Monday... arghhh...

So I am getting a bit stoked about watching Emmy's tonite... Yes.. gonna bypass True Blood (Yikes!!) to watch the Emmy's... I can catch True Blood tomorrow night on demand or when we get back from New Orleans... Glee and True Blood are up for awards tonite, so I have to watch... now I am just debating on whether to haul laptop into living room to update on here as things happen... hmmm... 

Well... if I do, you will know... otherwise... Happy Almost Last Weekend of Summer 2010!!

        

Blog hopping this morning I ran across a link that I really never expected to see anytime soon.  Rainbow Over Richmond  is an outreach by the Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau to focus on the GLBT Community here in the Capital City and right under the nose of our wonderful Governor (I say that sarcastically)... It gives you information on where to go for entertainment, food and much more.  I may have be aware of this site before and just let it slide out of my brain, but this morning I was able to look through it, and they have done a great job of putting it together and really showing you all that Richmond has to offer to the GLBT Community... While we may not be a Gay Mecca like San Francisco or NYC, we do have a bit to offer anyone who may be visiting for business, seeing family or just passing through.  There are places to go around here where you don't have to hide who you are.  Yes, we are in a pretty conservative state, but Richmond, I believe, is one of those areas where you do have options to hang out and be yourself.  I would say to anyone, please throw some of your travel dollars to any of the businesses or organizations who advertise on the site  or support our community and cause.  And a big KUDOS to the Convention and Visitors Bureau for coming to the table with a GLBT link on their site.  Color me impressed.

Thanks to Michael  for pointing out the link! 

(and yes, that is my cheesy ass in the upper left grinning from ear to ear)

        

I have not ranted about something in a while, but I have two things today, and both happened when I went to the gym after work. 

First... you go to the gym to work out, build muscle, burn calories and that kind of stuff, you know, to get HEALTHY.  Then why circle the parking lot looking outside trying to find the spot closest to the door?  I mean it was a nice day out today, parking at the far end of the parking lot would have made for a good walk.  Fresh air and few more calories burned.  Yet people, like today, will sit and wait for you to pull out, just so they can be closer to the door...(by the way, I rarely take a front row spot, I park a bit of a ways from the door, but not too far, but I don't hover for a spot). 

Second... nothing rakes my nerves more than two 'macho' guys talking about sports so loud that it resonates throughout the whole fucking locker room.  I mean seriously.  WTF!  You are standing next to each other, no need to yell.  Hell, no need to talk.  Take it outside on your way home.  I mean, I know you two were leaving together anyway.  I know everyone is so happy to hear that you went to Miami earlier this year and that you are not taking anymore trips by plane this year.  And your buddy... yeah, happy you are going to your cousins in the "ATL" in September for a huge fucking cookout.  Also, not everyone in Virginia has to like the fucking Redskins... and they don't to fucking respond to you when you ask them who they like.  The guy asked and thought did not hear you, well, he heard you loud and clear and just wanedt to grab his bag and get the fuck out of there.  And when you finally were dressed and leaving and I got a look at your face... I know just how macho you are... I see you on Adam4Adam a lot... and I mean A LOT... yes, I window shop...

SOOOOO... to you folks at the gym today I leave you with this:

        

        

So Friday afternoon, I got off work at 12:30ish... hit the gym, then came home to do a little house cleaning a get the pool set up for the weekend.  Decided, what the hell and spent a little time getting some sun since the weather was so nice.  Not the horrible humidity we have been having all summer.


So after some sun and then Jeff getting home from work... and many cocktails later... Jeff(pic above) threw down the gaunlet on some naked Wii bowling... the loser having to ... umm well...  we will just leave that to the imagination... and I won by the way... but I reversed the bet...mmmm


The pups in the chair watching some naked asses bowling.... they are just too cute sometimes...


After a night at home whipping some ass in bowling we headed to Kitchen 64 to see one of our favorite bartenders, Alex... Jeff looks too cute here... awww!!!


Of course this meant we had to have cosmos... mmmmmm.... then we had to get to our appointment....


We had to see the sample wedding cake we are ordering.... imagine this, but square and three tiers... love it... David (who is making the cake) did a great job with the design and colors we asked for.... we brought it home, but have yet to taste it... will do that Sunday... but the main thing is that it looks great!!! (and will match our ties for the wedding)...

The rest of the day included a visit from Stacy and more time in the pool...and of course grilling of steak and early evening nap... now lets see what the night brings

        

...Hibiscus we have... we have taken over two HUGE Hibiscus plants from Joe and Laird... what started as a, "can we borrow your plants for back drop at reception" became, a "take these huge ass things off our hands" deal... which we like... they are huge and beautiful and Joe and Laird have pampered these things for years.  Obiviously taking good care of them since they are at least 8 feet tall... now, lets hope they stay full for another month.. then we have to put them in the ground and hope they come back in the spring.  Anyone have ideas on how to keep these thing healthy through the winter?

        

Saturday was my niece's 2nd birthday... so Jeff and I headed out to the birthday party at her mom's mom's place in the FAR West End of Richmond...  for us it seems like a long ways, but my Mom and step-dad hauled it from even further out...

The birthday girl (Cadence) and my Mom... all in pink...oh, and the big stuffed frog between them...


Cadence is ready for the opening of presents... she is going to Kung-Fu our asses if we don't get to it...


Giddy up girl!!!


Jeff and I got her a stuffed doggie and the batch of rubber duckies she seemed to love (Todd/Amanda, I want pics of these in the pool and or tub with her)


We are both thinking "take the damn picture so we can get these silly hats off our heads"


You would think most 2 year olds would not give a shit about clothes, but she got  a lot of new clothes today and she actually liked them...hmmmm...


When she got the coloring book and crayons, she had to stop opening presents and sit down and sign each page of the coloring book... kids are soo cool sometimes..


When it was time to sing "Happy Birthday" and we all started (well, maybe not me)... Cadence wanted her daddy to make it stop...PLEASE!!!  look at that face... like Simon Cowell judging American Idol...thinking, what in the hell are these people thinking... give me some dance music...


So, today, I basically rolled out of bed and actually made it to the gym early...(pic of proof above)... then came home and trimmed the big ass tree in the backyard ... we are in full reception planning mode...arghhh... but after a little romp, Jeff and I picked up things at Kmart and headed to party for Cadence... afterwards, we stopped at Total Wine to get all the  wine for the reception next month... we are trying to financially spread out cost... lets hope we don't drink the wine before the party... Well, we then stopped by my office to print off some cards for another wedding project and then headed home...


And surprise!  I got a drink and hopped in the pool... short lived though... sun went in and then Stace came over for drinks and dinner... we had other plans and they got cancelled due to health issues, but they will happen another day just get some rest guys.