These Are The Words Of Love

I am obsessed with Emeli Sandé and think she is one of the most talented artists to have come out recently. She started off as a song writer and composed quite a few hits for some of the biggest UK artists. I am so pleased that she ventured out on her own. She's kind of like the UK version of Skylar Grey (look her up too if you don't know her cuz you should). Emeli' new album "Our Version Of Events" is only available in Europe right now, but one must be resourceful when it comes to new music. "River" is probably my favorite song off of the album.

If you're looking for the big adventure 
And gold is all that's on your mind 
If all you want someone to take your picture 
Then I won't waste your time 

See maybe I'm too quiet for ya 
You probably never noticed me 
But if you're too big to follow rivers
How you ever gonna find the sea 

So follow me, I'll be your river river 
I'll do the running for ya, follow me 
I'll be your river river, I'll move the mountains for ya
Follow me, I'll be your river river 
I'm here to keep you flowing, follow me 
I'll be your river river, river river, yeah 

If all you want are answers to your questions 
And you can't seem to find no love for free
If you're looking for the right direction
Then darling look for me 

See I can make the load much lighter 
I just need you to come finding me
But if you're too proud to follow rivers 
How are you ever gonna find the sea

So follow me, I'll be your river river 
I'll do the running for ya, follow me 
I'll be your river river, I'll move the mountains for ya
Follow me, I'll be your river river 
I'm here to keep you flowing, follow me 
I'll be your river river, river river, yeah 

Where ever you are standing, I will be by your side 
Through the good through the bad, I'll never be hard to find
So where ever you are standing, I will be by your side
Through the good through the bad, I'll never be hard to find

So follow me, I'll be your river river 
I'll do the running for ya, follow me 
I'll be your river river, I'll move the mountains for ya
Follow me, I'll be your river river 
I'm here to keep you flowing, follow me 
I'll be your river river, river river, yeah 

Where ever you'll be standing, I will be by your side
Through the good through the bad, I will never be hard to find

~A

Inspiration From An Unlikely Place

I think we can all agree that I am not a Burning Man type of guy, but I found this clip to be so wonderful and encouraging. It made me smile in all sorts of ways. The characters and the score are perfectly aligned to the story. "Oh, The Place You'll Go" by Dr.Seuss will always hold a very special place in my heart because it was a goodbye gift to me from a special guy I "dated." I still remember reading it with him the night we said goodbye, and tears that came with it. I know it's a children's book, but the message is so universal. Hope this clip brightens your day as it did mine.

Happy New Year my dear readers!

~A

This Christmas

Christmas gift suggestions: to your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.

Merry Christmas ♥

~A

My Friend

I found out yesterday morning from my friend Aaron that our friend Erin lost her fight with cancer.

Dearest Erin,

I am so grateful that I got to have you in my life. Thank you for the laughter, the good times and your wonderful energy. I love how you lived your life with no apologies and full of joy. You were a friend who knew how to make a person smile and feel at ease. I will miss you and want you to know that you touched so many people's lives. In my mind, you are some place better now: warm, peaceful, beautiful and most importantly, with an endless open bar. Erin, I refuse to mourn but will rather celebrate your legacy and all the happy elements of you.

~A

Heartbreaking

When I saw this pop up on Facebook this past weekend, I didn't want to watch it at first. But I finally forced myself and was very glad I did. I cried the entire way through. The video makes me humble and grateful for the life I live. This boy is so courageous for sharing his pain and raw emotions. Now there are all these haters on the web claiming that the clip is fake; it isn't. Jonah has updated the clip, and at the bottom of the video, he elaborates on his hardship and how he has evolved. It's truly great that there is a medium like YouTube that allows him to tell his story.
What is also amazing is the support he has received. Lady GaGa even tweeted his video to the millions of followers she has. But I think the best response of kindness came from "AcousticJohnson."

Bullying is not acceptable. Hang in there little ones! There are so many of us out here who are on your team.

~A

The Mood

Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play

And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues strong
It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I'm always dragging that horse around

And our love is pastured such a mournful sound
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
So I like to keep my issues strong
But it's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah

I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart
Cause I like to keep my issues strong
It's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah

And given half the chance would I take any of it back
It's a final mess but it's left me so empty
It's always darkest before the dawn

Oh woah, oh woah...

And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat
Cause looking for heaven, for the devil in me
Looking for heaven, for the devil in me
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah

It is the truth...

~A

Manhattan Lifestyle

I am alive and well. My first summer in NYC has passed, and fall is upon us. Life has been interesting. I wish I had it in me to go into the details, but not now. I wish you my dear readers all the best. Hope you are laughing and drinking. Cheers to that!

Lots of hugs and kisses. We shall chat soon!

 ~A

Country Heart

If you don't know by now, I am actually a big fan of country music. Strange that a Gaysian guy from Southern California digs country? I don't think so...

I loved this song when Beyonce came out with it as her lead single for "I Am...Sasha Fierce." B's music video was amazing. Reba does the song justice, and I love the country spin on it. She is such a legendary singer!

Is it weird that I can totally relate to this jam even though I AM A BOY?! LOL!

~A

PS: I totally dig the super long emerald green gown Reba wears, so couture!

So Called Life

New York is...

I am still kicking my dear readers. Hope you are enjoying your summer!

~A

My Kind Of Romance

I want this song played at my wedding for my first dance, and the video is just so beautifully done. It's also SUCH a cute story line!

Lying here with you so close to me
It's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe
Caught up in this moment
Caught up in your smile

I've never opened up to anyone
So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms
But we don't need to rush this
Let's just take this slow

Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight
Just a touch of the fire burning so bright
And I don't want to mess this thing up
I don't want to push too far
Just a shot in the dark that you just might
Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life
So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss good night

I know that if we give this a little time
It will only bring us closer to the love we wanna find
It's never felt so real, no it's never felt so right

Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight
Just a touch of the fire burning so bright
And I don't want to mess this thing up
I don't want to push too far
Just a shot in the dark that you just might
Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life
So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss good night

No I don't want to say good night
I know it's time to leave, but you'll be in my dreams
Tonight
Tonight
Tonight

Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight
Just a touch of the fire burning so bright
And I don't want to mess this thing up
I don't want to push too far
Just a shot in the dark that you just might
Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life
So baby I'm alright, oh, let's do this right, with just a kiss goodnight
With a kiss goodnight
Kiss goodnight

Amazing...

~A

PS: And can we talk about how sexy Charles Kelley is!

Emotional

As many of you probably have heard, New York passed its marriage equality legislation last night despite a Republican controlled Senate. The joy in my heart when I found out the news at dinner was overwhelming. I still remember the night when Proposition 8 passed, and the huge sense of defeat I felt. Today is a new dawn. I am so proud to be a New Yorker and hope that California gets on the same page soon. Luckily, New York doesn't allow for voter initiatives so there can't be a recall. Love and equality for all!

I have been reading Kathryn Stockett's "The Help" recently because the movie is coming out soon, and I wanted to read the novel before seeing the film. The story focuses around two black maids and a white woman dealing with civil rights while living in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s. I can't put it down! It also feels so relevant to the current struggle we face in society relating to gay rights. One section of the book surprised me in a wonderful way. It is told through the perspective of Aibileen:

"I looked after the Dudley family for too long, over six years. His daddy would take him to the garage and whip him with a rubber pipe trying to beat the girl out a that boy until I couldn't stand it no more. When we started working on the stories, Miss Skeeter asked me what's the worst day I remember being a maid. I told her it was a stillbirth baby. But it wasn't. It was every day from 1941 to 1947 waiting by the screen door for them beatings to be over. I wish to God I'd told John Green Dudley he ain't going to hell. That he ain't no sideshow freak cause he like boys. I wish to God I'd filled his ears with good things like I'm trying to do Mae Mobley. Instead, I just sat in the kitchen, waiting to put the salve on them hose-wipe welts."

I teared up when I got to that passage in the novel. This struggle is timeless, and I pray that one day no gay child or person will ever have to experience that kind of pain.



Take care of yourself my dear readers. Till next time...

~A

Just A Quick Note

Life in New York has been going well. I am meeting a lot of wonderful people and enjoying a lot of new experiences. Of course, I already have hilarious stories to share. I also caved and downloaded Grindr, but not THAT much has happened on there. Summer is in full swing here, and there is still lot for me to see, taste, touch and enjoy. I don't miss San Francisco; I felt that I did everything I wanted to do there in my four year residency. What I do miss is the Working Gays. As great as my friends are in NYC, they aren't the same as my SF boys and girls. Perhaps it's because I've only known the NYC folks for such a short amount of time. Also in NYC, I do a lot more 1:1 hangouts rather than roll with a posse. People tell me that is how it is here.

I wish you all a great summer and lots of hugs and kisses.

~A

PS: Come visit me in Manhattan!