Blabbeando | johnozed

The day after St. Patrick’s day. No hangover here. All is calm, all is bright. Another beautiful day today, enough so that I headed into the city and looked into getting some new eyeglasses.

Not that my eyes are getting bad, it’s just that the lenses have some light scratches in the which can be annoying. I’m on Bill’s insurance and it has an eye plan so I thought I would check it out. I did stop by at the end of January and they gave me a coupon for 50.00 off frames.

I walk in and look over the 99.00 frames. That is when they expertly direct me to the more costly frames. I have a problem with the price of frames. I just don’t believe that an average plastic frame does not cost 250.00 to make. It was their hard sell that ultimately got me out of there.

It must be the main method of the store. But I’ve been lightly browbeaten by them in the past and wasn’t going to go for it again. And they weren’t in Bill’s insurance network anyhow. I made an excuse that I wanted my partner’s input on the decision so the girl suggested that I take a cellphone pic and send it to him that way.

Not the frames I had in mind

Gigi was her name and she took the photo for me. Then I said I was going to call Bill and get back to her. I walked outside and did leave a message, then went back inside and told Gigi that I was going to talk to him and take a walk while I waited.

She told me I had better come back.

I walked over to Lens Crafters and had an exam there. They were in Bill’s network. It turns out my vision hadn’t really changed since my last exam 2 years ago. And my left eyelid was a little droopy which was the first I ever heard of that. I think if it is, it was always that way.

I took over 300 pictures when I was in Manhattan. I went crazy. A lot of people out and about. I think they came out good. Not much different than photo I’ve posted in the past from Manhattan, just about 280 more than usual.

Currently trying to upload them in Facebook. But that’s not working out as well as I hoped. Maybe it’s the amount of pic that causing the trouble, but I continue to try.

From my notes the past week: I’ve decided to write about the blogs I read every day. They’re all in the blogroll to the right. I usually read at night, hours after most of the entries have posted. Most f the blogs report news of some sort whereas mine is mainly news about me.

I usually open tabs for Rod2.0. Jockohomo, JoeMyGod and Towleroad as well as Blabbeando. Rod 2.0 is news from an African American and gay slant. Lot’s of news for everyone as well as the occasional side of beefcake. Rod was the first blogger to ever comment on this blog, almost 5 years ago.

Then there’s Jockohomo who has turned m onto a lot of great music. I credit him turning m onto Girl Talk.. Lot’s of fun Pop Culture stuff as well as beefcake and great links. Joe.My.God is great, a lot of fun, and mainly political info but lot’s of fun stuff too.

Bill and I have met Joe a few times at various demonstrations and I remember seeing him outside the Highline Ballroom having a cigarette during my ill fated ecstatic trip to Blow Off last June. I don’t know if he recognized me and I’m not really sure if I recognized him, being an an altered state of mind at the time.

Towleroad is the most newsy of the the first for, and least daily newsy. A many layered cake of information, videos and pictures. It takes a while to get thorough it all so out of the first four it’s the last one I read.

Blabbeando is a personal favorite of mine. Written by a really nice guy, Andres who I’ve also met at demonstrations around Manhattan. A political and cultural blog which offers a Latin view point. He’s also very supportive, we collaborated on a blog that’s also in the blogroll. Won’t say which one, I’ll let you guess.

I use Google Analytics every now and then to see where my blog is being read and since the beginning of March I’ve had 658 visits, the most visits being from New York. The surprising thing is no one in Hoboken reads it. I found that out yesterday. Since I’m been analyzing the stats, it was quite a surprise.

Still having so Facebook problems uploading pics. In the meantime here are but a few.

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Late posting tonight. Just got back a little while ago from a demonstration showing the NYC area disappointment of the California State Supreme Court and their upholding of Prop h8. The demonstration was planned if it went either way. If the court overruled, then it would have been a celebration.

But they didn’t and there we were, Bill and I and hundreds of LGBT people and our straight allies shouting and chanting from Sheridan Square, across the street from the Stonewall riots 40 years ago and the start of gay liberation, all the way to Union Square.

The police did an excellent job, keeping traffic away from the marchers as we walked on the side lanes

I also saw the wonderful Andres again, he of the blog, Blabbeando and finally got a chance to meet Joe Jervis from the blog, JoeMyGod. He’s a nice guy.

Andres was busy snapping photos and I was surprised to see him, even though I knew he would be around, I forgot to take his picture.

Still, he posted his pics on Facebook and he will probably post onto Blabbeando. Joe Jervis will probably do the same and so will I. It was great marching side by side with Bill. We were in our suits which probably made other people think we were conservatives. If they only knew.

I just think Democrats and Liberals dress a bit shabby and we’re doing our bit to change that. We were also interviewed in Union Square for Our Scene Networks, an online broadcasting channel by 2 guys named Matt.

They asked us how we felt about the California decision and we told them, and also mentioned that a march on Washington should be in the works since the White House had no comment on the decision today.

The LGBT people are a bit upset with Obama dragging his feel on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell as well as the Defense of Marriage act, both which were instituted by that Bill Clinton guy. And a march on Washington is planned for either Columbus Day weekend or in November.

Bill and I plan to be there.

I marched on Washington in 1993 when Clinton was in the White House, which should go to show that just because a sitting President was someone I voted for, does not exempt them from scorn or criticism.

Last night, Bill and I watched A matter of Life and Death, starring David Niven and Kim Hunter. I had never seen it from start to finish but oddly enough the timing seemed apt since it was Memorial Day and this was a movie that takes place during World War II and made in 1946.

Lot’s of extras in the cast that were actually in uniform and active service people. It really is a good movie and definitely worth checking out.

I enjoyed it so much that I moved Black Narcissus to the top of my Netflix queue. I also have another Powell & Pressburger film nearby, from 1969- Age of Consent which stars James Mason and features Helen Mirren in her first major screen role.

Work was actually OK today. I hope and I think I have a handle on things. Perhaps having 4 days off in a row was what was needed.

I had a talk with Vivek and Sanjay. I told them that things were stressing me out and they were somewhat reassuring. I mentioned that I would like to be able to leave at 5 or 6 each day and they were fine with that.

I also brought up the fact that my sister was coming to town in July and I would like some time to spend with her and that was OK by them. So, so far so good. Of course we will have to see what happens come July. But for now it’s good, and that’s the name of that tune.

And congratulations to Judge Sotomayor! Good luck!

And here are some pictures from this evening’s demonstration.

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