Speaking with a southern accent and living in upstate New York, and only a month into a new job, I get quite a few inquiries asking, "What brings you up here?" I am seriously so tired of answering this question time after time, and not because I don't want to answer it but because I hate to hear myself or anyone else tell the same story over and over again. I guess that's why I could never be a salesman. I tell the story and usually I refer to Duncan as my partner. I don't use the word husband because he is not my husband in any legal form and of course he is much  more than a boyfriend. I think it's the best word for the way I feel. Once again, today I was telling the story and after I finished he asked, "Do you mean roommate?" "No partner." (Who moves 750 miles with their roommate?) "Do you mean partner or partner?" While holding up quote fingers on the second partner. At the top of my voice, "I mean partner! I am gay! Do you understand now?" "Oh, I new what you were saying man."...

The vice-presidential debate last night was a hundred times better than the presidential debate last week. It seems to have put some excitement into the whole process for me. I wish they'd start the debates earlier sometimes. Remember, this area of the country doesn't get a whole lot of presidential television advertising or visits from the candidates so a lot of the back and forth between the candidates just doesn't happen here. And has John Edwards had Botox?

..........

Doing a little house keeping yesterday and I decided it was time to move some of the old bank statements to the box in the basement. I opened the box and I couldn't fit anything in there. I dug down and discovered I have bank statements going back to January 1991. Why, I don't know because I'm not really a keeper of all things. I decided to see what I was spending my money on in 1991. This was a time I was living by myself.

January:
Power $35.22,
Car insurance $229.29, must have been an installment
Phone 26.79
Cable $15.50, yes only $15.50
Property tax $84.61
Sprint $1.75
Rent $399.00
Dominos $11.00
Target $18.53
Dominos again, $11.50
Petland, $6.80
Car payment $228.06
and numerous ATM withdrawals for $20.00

February:
Car payment, $228.06
Dominos again, $11.30
Food Lion, $37.93, groceries finally
Car payment, $228.06
Food Lion, $22.87
Rent $399.00
Cable, $15.50
Sprint $0.21, yes, a check for 21 cents
Dominos again, $11.30
Food Lion, $12.04
Home Quarters, $9.90
MasterCard, $400.00
and numerous ATM withdrawals for $20.00

etc, etc...

This is a page I made sometime last year and I thought that I made a link to it but I guess I forgot. I was searching tax records and downloading pictures from them and made this page for no good reason.

Today:
*Took Kaleb for walk
*Watched a cat catch, release and catch and tease a
 chipmunk
*Went to breakfast
*Went to the mountains to look at leaves
*We both ate at Bennigans for the first time since the
 80's and listened to 80's music while we were there and
 were waited on by a waiter with big 80's hair.
*Started tearing up the kitchen
*Cut my hair
*Watched no sports
*Made an entry to my site

..........

This is my accomplishment this week. A little constructive destructive behavior never hurt anyone although every day when all is done, you gotta clean up which kind of spoils most of the fun. We actually haven't made the final plans for the finished kitchen but we thought we should start tearing it up to see what we had to work with. The area above the cabinets was covered up so we've exposed that area and it makes the kitchen look twice as big already. The next step is to remove the tiles on the ceiling to see what's under there. Hundred year old plaster covered for the last 50 years, should be nice. Still better than what it used to look like.

Duncan's left this morning for L.A. for a few days so it's just me and the dog for a while. If I haven't mentioned it, Kaleb has been off of her prednisone for three weeks and her skin and fur have completely healed. This ends and almost ten month saga of, "What the hell is wrong with this dog?" Now that she's better, she'll be on a diet soon because she gained a lot of weight on the prednisone. Our dog is a fat ass.

Now, the yard is mowed and instead of leftover lasagna (which I made last night for the first time and was quite good) I need some Chinese take out.

..........

We live the exact same distance to either New York City or Boston. The big news story is game seven tonight. The Yankees won the first three games and The Red Sox came back to win the next three. Who will win tonight and be on their way to The World Series? Actually, I don't care. Is there a more boring sport to watch on TV than baseball? Maybe golf but at least that's supposed to be boring.

I guess it's good the premiere of West Wing is on tonight and of course, there's always SouthPark, and then there's Maude...

Lady Godiva was a freedom rider
She didn't' care if the whole world looked.
Joan of Arc with the Lord to guide her
She was a sister who really cooked.

Isadora was the first bra burner
And you're glad she showed up. (Oh yeah)
And when the country was falling apart
Betsy Ross got it all sewed up.

And then there's Maude.
And then there's Maude.
And then there's Maude.
And then there's Maude.
And then there's Maude.
And then there's Maude.
And then there's

That uncompromisin', enterprisin', anything but tranquilizing,
Right on Maude.

..........

I'm watching The American Gigolo right now and I remember the first time seeing this movie. Richard Gere was so hot and I remember vividly watching the scene where his character was trying to get another character to tell the truth so he offered to do fag tricks or anything else if he would. He didn't, instead he went out the window I think, but that scene was forever etched in my memory.

I was in line waiting for a slice pizza the other day when the lady in line in front of me asked me and the young guy behind the counter what would possess guys to shave there heads the way they do. I told her that my reason was it was starting to thin and the last thing I want is some loser comb over and besides, it helps when you get up at 5am and all you have to do is brush your teeth. I can't believe I didn't even think to give her a smart ass answer until I got out of the shop. My dad always said, ask a smart ass question, get a smart ass answer. He will be disappointed.

Fall has begun in earnest today as the yellow leaves are falling out of the trees like snow. Mums are everywhere and raking is in the near future.

..........

The leaves, they are a falling. Fall is beautiful but fall basically sucks. The flowers die, the trees and grass go dormant, and the weather turns cold. The gargoyles actually look upset because they're covered with leaves but they should be thankful because in a couple of months, (or sooner) they'll be covered with snow.

We were gonna go to Manchester, NH today for a John Kerry rally but when I found out it was almost a four hour trip, I lost interest pretty fast. I get more excited every day about the election, not so much about having John Kerry in office, but not having George Bush in office. The race is so close though, I really don't try to predict the outcome. All I really know is I miss Bill Clinton. Seeing him on TV so much this week has made me realize this. If it weren't for his dick, I'm sure he'd go down in history as one of the great presidents. We'll just have to wait to see how history looks at his tenure.

Today is Halloween. Duncan has bought a shitload of candy for tonight and I think I've devoured a good portion of it. Baby Ruth bars were always my favorite but I've discovered how good the 100 GRAND BAR is. You know, the bar formally known as the 100,000 DOLLAR BAR. I've gotten below 200 pounds so unless I want to put on about 25 more, I better stop.

Congratulations to all pardoned on this All Hallows Eve and if today is All Hallows Eve, is tomorrow All Hallows Day?

.........

Kaleb loves to bark at trick-or-treaters.

..........