happenings, home improvement, shiny stuff

the reveal

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Well, the new counter tops are in, and they look AMAZING. It is incredible how much of an improvement they make on our kitchen. First of all, the original counters were not only a cheap imitation granite, but they were installed improperly; meaning the dishwasher couldn’t be shut properly without LIFTING UP ON THE COUNTER!!! AHHHH!! Needless to say, I have wanted new counters for a LONG time.

It is funny though, they seem to highlight how plain and frankly, quite dirty our cabinets are!! Oh well… I LOVE these counter tops, and I am glad that we were finally able to get them (after talking about them for FOUR years!).

First, I give you the gritty truth that was the before, boring counter tops:
before
before

Now, I give you the dazzling, amazingly beautiful new counter tops!
after
after

See the vast improvement?? I love ’em! I also love the new sink, faucet, and dishwasher that came along with this remodel. I feel like an HGTV remodel gone incredibly right!!!

flickr, friends, happenings, hotness, movie musings

weekend recap

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Well this weekend was a lot of fun.

A lot of drunken fun (Friday night at least).

John, Michael, Justin, and I decided to get shitty and head out to the local gay watering hole, Mary’s for ManShaft. It proved to be a night of drunken debauchery, however, being the modest one that I am (no seriously), I managed to maintain my composure enough to stay fully clothed; even though my fellow friends didn’t always manage to do the same (it was all fun though… I mean, no one got nude or anything!). There were sweaty, hot, mostly naked men, and needless to say, it was a FANTASTIC night. I love nights out like that… we closed down the bar, and had a lot of fun.

One “highlight” of the evening for me, was seeing my ex out, and the interchange that we had. As he was walking by in the crowded bar, I poked him on the shoulder, and he leaned in to me and said, “hey… do I know you?”. LOL! Well, I knew that I looked different, but not that different! My response to him was, “well, you should, since we dated for a year and a half”. Needless to say, he had a little egg on his face at the moment, but it made me laugh. I mean seriously. However, he seems to think that we only dated for 11 months, which I was quick to correct… the last 6 months of our relationship were definitely something I won’t forget (not in the good way), so let’s not make light of them, alright?

Either way, the night was fun, as was the rest of the weekend. We ended up going over to Rich and Darron’s for horrible movie night, where we were exposed to the absolute horror that is Xanadu. Wow, movies that bad really shouldn’t be allowed onto DVD, but alas, I am sure there are those out there that love it. It was really, really bad. However, one thing I did learn from watching it, is that Gene Kelly is one handsome man! I mean seriously, he was really hot for an older man in that film, and looking back, he is quite the looker. I have added some old musicals to my netflix so I can see him in all his glory. I guess it is fitting that a horrible “musical” could open my interests to older, more well praised musicals, right? Either way… Gene Kelly, hot; Xanadu, not.

After all of the excitement Friday, I am glad that Saturday night was tame, and that Sunday was even tamer. The new counter tops are being installed tomorrow, so expect me to squeal like mad over them for the rest of this week… seriously, I have wanted new counter tops since day one of moving into this house, so I couldn’t be more thrilled. Stay tuned for pictures!

How was everyone else’s weekend?

five song friday, music musings, music suggestion

5SF: july 25

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Well, this week has been wrought with frustration; who knew that applying to go back to school would be so complicated? While I try to take care of these things, I am lucky to have my ipod handy, and good music to get me through the head pounds to my desk. I have 5 songs this week, some of which weren’t discovered until this week, and some of which didn’t make the cut from last week; even though they are great in their own right. Either way, let’s just get to the music, shall we?

The Presets – This Boy’s In Love
I don’t know what took me so long to get into this song, because I instantly loved the first Presets song I heard, My People, and even posted it in a 5SF a while back. For whatever reason, it took a while, but now, I cannot get enough of it. The beat is so retro-80s when accompanied by the vocals, and something about this song just speaks to me. Turn it up loud and jam out to some Presets (the hard beat change at 2:45 is fantastic), because the whole record is worthy of many, many listens. If you like both of these songs, do yourself a favor and check this guys out already. I am glad that I came to my senses; because this is truly among the other great records to come out so far this year.

The Weepies – Can’t Go Back Now
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_725_theweepies-cantgobacknow.mp3]
I’ll start by being honest about this song; I only downloaded their record because of how cute the cover was. Well, after listening to this song, I am glad that I took a chance, because they are fantastic!!! The lead singer almost sounds a bit like Paul Simon, although at times, he sounds more like the lead singer of Fountains of Wayne. Together with the female vocals, and the sweet melodies and gentle guitar, they craft a truly beautiful sound, and weave it throughout the record. I’ve only had the chance to listen to it a couple of times, but I am definitely liking what I hear with each subsequent listen. A great random find, if I do say so myself!

Lee Brice – More Than a Memory
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_725_leebrice-morethanamemory.mp3]
If I could describe Lee Brice in one word, it would be GORGEOUS. I don’t normally fall so hard for country songs, but this one is sweet, and beautiful; just like the singer. This boy is MORE than easy on the eyes, I am literally in full on swoon mood when I see his pictures. Whew, this boy makes me weak in the knees, and he has a great voice too. I found this song on iTunes randomly, and downloaded it right away. It’s funny how many things I find because I think the singer is hot… well, I guess it pays to be beautiful, doesn’t it? *swoon*

Jake Walden – For Someone
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_725_jakewalden-forsomeone.mp3]
This song is so simple, and so beautiful, and Jake’s voice is so hardened by contrast, that it is surprising when you first listen to it. His voice has this worn quality that really makes you listen to what he is trying to say. As he sings about his heart, and how he longs for love, you really get the sense that he has had some heartbreak in his life; which is again echoed in the well-worn nature of his voice. I love simple piano tracks like this one, and I am glad that I found this one to add to my music collection. Great song.

The Roc Project and Tina Arena – Never
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_725_therocproject-never.mp3]
Oh man, I can’t believe that I re-found this one recently. This song was one of those break up songs for me, because the lyrics completely summed up how I felt, “you’ll never see me trying, because our love is so past tense.” Damn. I love Tina Arena’s vocals in the song, and love the beat. It was a moderate dance hit back when it came out, but I prefer this original version much better, because there is an emphasis on the lyrics, which are completely awesome. This is the ultimate kiss off song, so all of you that think I am hating on Katy Perry’s half-assed-bigoted attempt at the same, listen to this one and take note. Just the line, “I don’t even want to be your friend”, is the ultimate fuck you, ex-boyfriend. This song got me through some hard times, and I was glad to recently rediscover it in my music that was gathering too much dust anyway.

Well, there’s your five for this week. I hope that you found something that you can enjoy, and as always, please let me know what you are digging, because I am always looking for the next best thing. I am like a music sponge, so give me something to soak up, will ya!?! Have a fun weekend, y’all.

hotness, listen up!, mixed media, pegg and frost, show the love

spaced

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If the summer drought of good television is making you sad, well you are in luck, because one of the best shows ever made is now out, for the first time in Region one DVD goodness, as of today!!! That’s right ladies and gents, the one and only Spaced, starring the loves of my life Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, has finally crossed the pond, in a format that the less than tech-savvy masses can ingest.

If you enjoyed either Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, you will love Spaced, because both had roots in the show. The show is only two seasons long, but it is chock full of laughs, and is one of those programs that you can literally watch over and over again. Each episode has so much to it, that it really feels longer than a 30 minute comedy romp. Also, for all of you geeks out there, this is THE show that will speak to you; it is written by geeks for geeks pretty much.

While I already have it, because I bought it a while back on Region 2 DVD (when I got my fancy schmancy region free DVD player), I am more than pleased to see it is finally out on this side of the pond. (Speaking of formats… if someone could hook me up with the ipod version of the entire series, I would be ONE HAPPY CAMPER… hint hint…).

I am, however, sad that I wasn’t in NYC this week, because apparently, Nick and Simon are doing press tours, and NYC is one of the stops (I think that I would go into a gay frenzy if I got to meet either of them). Oh well… maybe some day. Either way, do yourself a favor and pick up one of my favorite shows on DVD, so you can make it one of your favorites too… it is truly a masterpiece of television.

all about me, that is so gay, tragic, venting, wtf?!

the wrong way to act take two: bitchy old queen of a bartender edition

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What happened last night can only be described as surreal. Trying to order a drink at a bar got me yelled at, to which I walked away from, and then the bartender came after me for more, which led to my ultimately leaving the bar. I think that what I wrote for my yelp review is pretty expressive of the experience, so I felt that I should let that tell the story (with minor edits):

To the bitchy, old, full of herself queen that works the bar:

Just because you are bitter that you have to work Saturday nights, instead of getting your party on, doesn’t make it okay to take it out on the patrons of this clearly “second tier” establishment. You clearly have some anger issues that need professional attention, and I suggest that if you are going to continue to be a bartender, that being a complete and utter ASSHOLE should be something that you should work on, stat.

Basically, here’s the story. I have been to Oscars several times, but never have I thought anything other than, “oh, we have to go there… ugh”. Mostly, because the bar is a bit tragic, and as far as gay bars go in ATL, it was always very close to the bottom of my list of choices. Well, after last night, it is now the last place I would EVER step foot into again.

A good friend of mine was celebrating his birthday, and we decided to go to Burkharts, which is right across the parking lot from Oscars. After becoming annoyed with the ever growing crowd at Burkharts, it was decided that we should move on to Oscars, because, as expected, it wouldn’t be as crowded (it never really is… which is probably reflective of why I will never set foot in there again). After paying tabs and making our way over, we settled on the patio outside, which was empty except for our group.

I went back inside to get a drink, and found an empty place at the bar to lean in and ask for a drink. There were two bartenders standing directly in front of me, one mixing a drink, and the other just standing there. They both made continual eye contact with me, and taking that as a cue, I simply leaned in and said, “can I have a miller lite?”, assuming that their eye contact meant that they were curious as to how they could help me. What I wasn’t expecting was the aforementioned old bitchy asshole’s response. He was the one making the drink. His response literally took me by surprise, because he said in a very derogatory way, “well, I will, if you can WAIT YOUR TURN“, literally yelling the last part at me. Being the person that I am, who doesn’t really put up with bullshit, especially in situations where I am paying for a service, I put my money back in my pocket, said “fine then”, and walked back outside to my friends. I was a bit taken aback that he would be so rude, but just decided that this place wouldn’t be getting any of my money, and tried to move on.

Then, about 5 minutes later, the other bartender came outside to “cool me off” I guess, and stated that the asshole bartender was “just like that”, to which I told him that it was really rude, and that I wasn’t going to be going back in there to deal with it. He asked me if I wanted anything, and I told him that I didn’t appreciate the attitude, and that I was fine, for him to leave me alone. The whole conversation was civil, but still awkward, as the asshole had sent someone else out to feign a half-hearted attempt at an apology.

What I thought was over, can only be followed by a situation that ranks near the top of the most ridiculous, immature, and completely unacceptable experiences I have had in my life. The asshole that had been rude to be decided that he was going to come out and “straighten me out”. He came out on to the patio, and loudly declared that he was “looking for the idiot that couldn’t take a fucking joke”. I thought I could avoid the situation by remaining silent, but after continual demanding shouts of the same demeaning request, my blood was boiling, and so I told him that I was not an idiot because I didn’t want to put up with his attitude.

This quickly escalated into an all out shouting match between the asshole and myself; with every attempt I made to get him to leave me alone was met with him insulting me over and over again at the top of his lungs. It was clear that this asshole was 100% asshole, and there was no way that he was going to back down. I kept asking him to just shut up, and leave me alone, and he would not back down. I kept saying that I couldn’t believe that I was having such a ridiculous conversation with such an immature individual, to which he kept saying that he couldn’t believe how he was talking to such an idiot. I told him that he must be talking to himself, because I am not an idiot for decidedly not putting up with some asshole’s rude behavior. Finally, I told him that what he was expecting was for me to just put up with him being and asshole, and if that is what he wanted, that he could fuck off, and at that, he demanded that I leave the bar.

I told the people I was with that if they had rode with me, that I was clearly leaving, and the asshole even continued shouting at me as I tried to get out of the bar as fast as I could. He just wouldn’t stop. Needless to say, I left, and will NEVER return to Oscars again.

What really bothers me looking back on the situation, is how it escalated to a point where I was standing in a group of my friends trying to get this old fucker to leave me alone, and NO ONE spoke up, or defended me. Even after I left the bar, only one of my friends came outside to see how I was, and out of a group of almost 10 of my friends, not a single person inquired as to how I was after the obviously ridiculous and intense moment. I can say that without a shadow of a doubt, that if the same thing had happened to one of them, I would have spoken up, or at least seen how they were after the situation, but none of the same was afforded to me. That really bugs me, but there is nothing I can do about it, I can’t dictate the actions of others, which is clear when I couldn’t diffuse the bitchy asshole’s misplaced rant on me for not putting up with his bullshit.

I honestly wish I had never set foot in that bar last night, but I can’t take it back; just know that asking me to go back there is completely out of the question. And a final message for the bartender who acted like a complete asshole/child: grow up and learn how to deal with your anger, I am sure that it has ruined many relationships in your life, and you probably spend a lot of your time wondering what happened… well, I think I have an idea of where things might go wrong; stop being a douche to people that don’t deserve it, and perhaps people will be affording of your feelings in return. Just a thought.

five song friday, hotness, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, music suggestion

5SF: july 18

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After a week off, which I admit was a little weird for me because I have been doing these for so long now, I am back with 5 fresh as hell songs for you guys!! This week was a great one for music, because it was one of those weeks where I had more than 5 songs to choose from, and as such, had to push other songs to next week. I love it when it is rainy music season!!! Alright, on with the show!

The Veronicas – Untouched
From the beginning, the violin riff literally sends chills up spine; it is infectious. Then the beat comes in and gets me bouncing in my seat. If you watch So You Think You Can Dance, you may remember that some kids danced to this a week or so ago, and I remember hearing the song and thinking, “that is a pretty nifty track”. Well, I was watching TV the other day, and the video came on for this song, and I was blown away upon a second exposure. Seriously, I can listen to this song on repeat, it is fantastical. This is a seriously fun song, and totally one you will want to blast in the car. I love the passion in the lyrics and the intensity of this song; I love when I find songs like this one!

Jamie Lidell – A Little Bit Of Feel Good
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_718_jamielidell-alittlebitoffeelgood.mp3]
I actually stumbled upon Jamie’s new record JIM by accident; the cover looked interesting, so I downloaded it. I wasn’t expecting to hear what I did, however, because this guy has a ton of talent. There are jazzy, hip-hop influenced, and even soulful bluesy songs littered throughout his record. His voice reminds me a lot of Marc Broussard, but with a touch of Jay Kay from Jamiroquai mixed in. In fact, there are a couple of songs that sound like they were influenced by Jamiroquai, and they are fun, and well executed. Overall, the record is a great listen, and this is my favorite song from it.

Uh Huh Her – Not A Love Song
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_718_uhhuhher-notalovesong.mp3]
I seriously cannot get enough of this song. I randomly looked up something else (I can’t even remember what), and I saw a mention of Uh Huh Her, and how it was Leisha Hailey’s new band. Well, I LOVE her on the L Word, so I had to see what the buzz was about. What I found was a fantastic song, and upon listening to their previously released EP, I found a band that I am definitely interesting in getting to know more. This song is interesting, because of the distortion that they used with the synthesizers, it’s almost a little eighties, but at the same time, it isn’t. I can’t explain it. All I know is that I fucking LOVE this song, and I am having to stop myself from pressing repeat every time it comes up on my ipod. I cannot wait for their CD release, which is only a short time away; August 19th.

City and Colour – Body in a Box
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_718_cityandcolour-bodyinabox.mp3]
Alright, this one totally caught me by a huge surprise. Those of you that use iTunes know that they randomly feature people on the main page, and occasionally, I will go and see what they are all about. Well, this guy had done an iTunes exclusive, and I saw his picture and though, “hey cutie… I want to see more of you!”. Well, I checked out his most recent record, Bring Me Your Love, and what I found was one of the best records of 2008. Seriously, there isn’t a bad track on it. His acoustic style is one of my favorite types of music, and I love the tenderness in his voice. This is my favorite song from the record, even though the subject is a bit macabre. Overall, I am glad my appreciation of a hot guy with a beard has led me to fantastic music… who would’ve thought?

Jay Brannan – Can’t Have It All
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_718_jaybrannan-canthaveitall.mp3]
I am very pleased to feature another out gay artist today (Leisha Hailey of Uh Huh Her is an out lesbian), especially being that it is Shortbus star Jay Brannan. After seeing Shortbus, I heard that Jay was a musician, and even heard a few songs by him, but nothing substantial was released until recently. His recently released CD goddamned is out on iTunes as of a week or so ago, and this song, which is the first on the CD, has me CAPTIVATED. I love the simplicity of the rhythm, and I love his tender and sincere voice. This song is great not only because it sounds great, but because of the realization that he can’t have it all, and the frustration from that he explores in the lyrics. Just a note for those of you listening at work, he does say fuck a few times in the song, so just be aware of that, okay? Man, I love this song.

Whew, it’s good to be back, bringing the music that tantalizes my ears to the masses. I hope everyone found something they enjoyed amongst this week’s tracks, and as always, if you have something you think I should hear, please let me know!! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

flickr, hotness, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, music suggestion, photography, show the love, the catch-all-egory

welcome delta! (and other thoughts)

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I just picked up the third release by Australia’s best selling female artist EVER, Delta Goodrem’s amazing CD titled simply Delta, from Best Buy. It came out earlier this week, and I wanted to welcome Delta to the US (finally), and I wish her all of the success here that she has had down under. Delta is one of a slew of amazing artists that we don’t get to hear about over here, even though they are major in their home country of Australia. If you remember, the CD made my top 31 CDs of 2007 (it was number 6), and it is definitely worth picking up. In other music related stuff, I saw Jennifer Hudson’s video for Spotlight (which I featured in the 5SF on June 6th), and I am going to solidly say, that a diva has been BORN! She was flawless in Dreamgirls, and now she is strutting (and singing) the shit out of that video/song and looking fantastic while doing it. I can’t wait for her record.

Also, I don’t know how many of you are on Facebook’s iLike application, but I decided to head over to their website and check out the “full” deal today. My iLike profile name is duanecmoody, so feel free to add me if you are a part of that business.

Not much else is going on with me, other than trying to wrangle transcripts together in order to apply for nursing programs (I’ve already applied to one), and other such mess. I am still hacking from this head cold, but it seems like it is moving on, albeit, slowly. Speaking of slowly, I am still sorting my MANY NYC pictures, and I will be uploading them on flickr in small batches, as to prevent one massive picture dump that no one will pay any attention to.

Oh yeah, one more thing, speaking of flickr, James is now on flickr, so go over and add him, because all of his pictures are for friends/family only. (not sure why, but it isn’t my account, so it isn’t up to me). Hope everyone is having a great Thursday; I am just looking forward to the weekend!

all about me, friends, happenings, mixed media, near and dear, photography, show the love, that is so gay, venting

new york city: the trip, the story, the post that follows

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As I mentioned in my previous two posts, we went to NYC for a little vacation, and despite a horrible 10+ hour delay in LaGuardia, we are back. Fun was had, sweat was shed, feet were hurt, subways were ridden, food was eaten, money was spent, and all of that made for some great stories and good times. I have decided to give you a list of the highlights of the trip, so here we go:

downtown

  • I got engaged. James proposed to me on the top of the 30 Rockefeller building, also known as the “Top of the Rock”. It was amazing being up there, and seeing all of NYC, and then being surprised by a beautiful ring (which I picked out), from a beautiful man. I don’t know when the date is going to be set, but I need to ask him in return, so I need to come up with something as romantic as his proposal (which was uber sweet).
  • When I say above that sweat was shed, I meant it. NYC is fucking HOT in the summer. Top all that heat off with the lack of A/C in a lot of places meant that I took no less than 3 showers a day, and changed clothes at least 2 times as well. All in all, we started to acclimate by the end, but that was pretty much pointless, as we were headed back to ATL at that point. I would like to go back to NYC in the fall next time; I have only ever been when it is scorching hot, or freezing cold… I would like to see it during a happy medium.
  • When we got to our hotel, I committed a bit of a gay snafu, if you will. Upon arrival, we checked in at the desk, and I needed to ask the clerk something, so I addressed her by name; or so I thought. Her name was Liza, and I thought, “it can’t be pronounced Lie-za, it just can’t be”, so I called her Lee-za. The best part, was that she corrected me by saying, “no no, honey. It’s Liza. With a Z.” Needless to say, we got a big laugh out of that one, even though I probably lost a few gay points for not knowing the correct way to pronounce Liza.
  • As a result this trip, I’ve pretty much given James and ultimatum; the beard has got to go back down to a van dyke. The reason being, that while we were in NYC, almost every place we went, people asked us if we were twins. Now let that sink in for just a second; not just brothers, but twins!?! I know that we are both guys with beards, but seriously, twins?? I don’t see it. Either way, I don’t want to look just like my lover, so I want him back in the goatee ASAP, so we can curb this “brother” nonsense.
  • We saw two shows while in NYC: Legally Blonde the Musical, and RENT. First of all, Legally Blonde was AMAZING. It met and greatly exceeded my expectations. I saw it on MTV last fall when they broadcast a performance of the show, and when I found out that Laura Bell Bundy was still in the show on Broadway, I HAD to see it. SHE. WAS. AMAZING. If you like the movie, you owe it to yourself to see the musical; it is just as fun, and the songs are delightful. I am so happy I got to see this show with the original cast. Also, we saw RENT, which I have loved for many, many years, but I had never seen on Broadway. As with all traveling shows, they just don’t compare to the Broadway version, and as such, I had to see RENT before it ends on September 7th. RENT was one of the first musicals that I got into, and it was great to see it on Broadway. It too, was excellent.
  • As I mentioned before, walking around really was painful on the old feet. I realized that I need to get back in shape, and I am committed to doing so; especially after suffering during the trip. I hope that I can make a permanent foray back into working out regularly; and if anything good comes out of our trip, that would definitely be a great one.
  • While there, I got to hang with one of my best friends, Steve Yockey, which was awesome. I also got to meet a fellow flickr friend, Michael, for the first time, who accompanied us to a sunny afternoon on the pier, followed by dinner. I wish I could have spent more time with each of them, but time didn’t permit.
  • Overall, the trip was awesome. John was great, and a lot of fun to hang out with. We got to see pretty much everything we wanted to, and felt like we saw it all (even though we really didn’t). It was awesome seeing such spots as the Stonewall Inn and the Brooklyn Bridge, and took a lot of pictures (expect them to trickle onto flickr in the coming days!). I had a lot of fun in NYC, but I am so glad to be home; it was a great vacation, however, I need a vacation because my vacation tired me out so much! Oh well, that’s how it happens, right?

all about me, happenings, venting, well?, wtf?!

delays and cancellations

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First of all, our trip was amazing. We saw so much, and did even more.

However, it was almost ruined by the 11 hours of delays and cancellations we endured today as a result of a thunderstorm in ATL. We got to the airport around 1, and didn’t take off until after 11. Then, upon arrival in Atlanta, we had to wait almost an hour in a line for a cab, because the city’s “amazingly” “efficient” and “effective” transit system closed down at least an hour before we touched down.

Needless to say, I have had a bad day, but I am glad to be home (albeit, at 3:05 am). Details on the trip to follow. I promise.