Bacon Bits

...anyone ever said to me was "You are so judgemental! Judge! Judge! Judge!"

Actually, it was more like they screamed it at me. This was about 10 years ago. I had recently come out, so it's hard for me to imagine myself as applying excessive scrutiny to others.

I guess maybe that sometimes, in some ways, I can be judgemental. I kinda prefer "doesn't suffer fools gladly" as my pal Heather once wrote in a Friendster testimonial about me.

I think I've always had an open mind, and probably my biggest complaint about other people is them not having the same. But having "Judge! Judge! Judge!" screamed at me certainly made an impression, and I've tried even harder since then to give the benefit of the doubt, the second chance (and third and fourth) and so on.

But this last weekend I found myself in two positions of judgement: at a talent show and a chili cook-off. And I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I can't sit through or stomach American Idol, The Swan, The Grammys or any of the other horrific judge-fests that our society has gone bonkers for. But when it comes to chili and acts such as two dudes in bunny suits performing Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" while a guy in a Batman outfiit does an interpretive dance, I am definitely ready and willing to pass judgement.

Just the fact that I found myself in these two judegement positions within 24 hours of each other made me almost want to call the person from 10 years ago and say, "You were right. HA!!!!!"

But this is one of those situations where I know the truth about me, and that's plenty good enough.

....last night I dreamt that I went to Burning Man with Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie.

!!!!!!

Somehow we managed to get around the no ins/outs rule and holed up in a big hotel suite for our stay. In the spirit of creating our own theme camp, we pulled sheets and blankets over tables and chairs in our room.

I think my laughing actually woke me up!

Burning Man was my plan for this year, but I just sold my ticket last week to a woman who was buying it for her 14 year old daughter.

Instead of Black Rock City, Brad the Boyfriend and I are planning to head down to Bend, OR to see The Pixies & Death Cab for Cutie at this cool new riverside venue. After that, who knows: maybe some camping down there, up in Washington or some other adventure. Anything as long as Paris and Nicole* aren't included.


*("She is made of garbage," says my pal Dave Schmader about Ms. Ritchie. Once again, Dave makes sense of unbelievable horror.)

A lot of people have asked me what it was like celebrating Morrissey's 40th birthday in his hometown of Manchester back in May.

Here then is a peek at part of the party. Good times.

"quicktime clip"

Swung down to Olympia with Brad the Boyfriend to check out this music/film/art festival. Never been to Olympia before, aside from a brief stop years ago when Paula, Katy, Fred and I toured the Olympia Brewery... and that is a whole different hysterical story. Anyway, the downtown area was cool but fairly quiet, it being a schoolnight when the college-age kids were mostly gone for the summer. Lots of dark, old timey, semi-scary bars and taverns that were a little ghostownish.

Maybe it was just due to the festival, but one thing Olympia did seem to have a lot of is a very lesbian vibe. Bagel shops and Subarus and big-boned gals. Weird little trinket gift stores with names like Pizzazz and Faerie Majick. Body odors galore.

We only saw two bands, but they were both awesome and highly recommended if you like a little art angst and irony with your not-even-indie rock.

"Veronica Lipgloss & the Evil Eyes"

"Screamclub"

"Homo A Go-Go"