Today I become an official resident of Los Angeles!!!

This week I celebrated my two year anniversary of living in California... But according to my standards I was still not an official resident. Let me explain:

Ever since I moved here I have said the following: "I won't be an official resident of California until I see Zac Efron or Lauren Conrad live in person". It might sound silly... But I've said this plenty of times.

Right now... I am in Laguna Beach (where LC's fame began) waiting in line for a book signing with Ms. Conrad!!! I'm so totally stoked. I'll get to meet her in just about an hour! I'm posting a pic of the book and my ticket now... And I'll be sure to post a pic of me with her once I get inside!!!






Although this isn't officially on my Life To- Do List, it still feels like I'm checking something off that I've been looking forward to for a while! I love it!!!!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Pacific Coast Hwy,Laguna Beach,United States

Very touching video

This is a lengthy video... but one of the most touching I've seen surrounding the gay suicides lately.  As homophobic as Texas is... let alone an official government meeting in Texas, I applaud this courageous councilman for his message: 

Pink Honored at the HRC Benefit

As I mentioned in a previous post, Pink was honored by the Human Rights Campaign with their "Ally for Equality" award.  I am ecstatic for her and so happy she is being recognized for her contributions to the the LGBT community. 

Here's a clip of her acceptance speech at the Benefit this weekend.  She claims that she isn't a public speaker, but she sure does have a way at crafting words skillfully and presenting them with her I-Don't-Give-A-F attitude... and I LOVE it. 

(The beginning is her introduction by Bette Midler.  You can listen, or just fast forward to the 5-minute mark for Pink's actual speech)

Fantastic Apps: Nike+ GPS!

So starting this morning, Rich and I decided to wake up at 5:00am and go to the gym before work.  We both want to get healthier, and with 10/10/10 yesterday, it seemed like it was a good time to start.  Hopefully I'll start to see 10lbs fall off... and another 10.... and another 10.  :-)

Just this weekend I downloaded the new Nike+ GPS app.  For those of you unfamiliar, you can get these special Nike running shoes that you put a little sensor in the sole of them... then it hooks up to your iPod and tracks your time and distance as you walk, jog, run.  You can choose any playlist on your ipod and listen to your favorite tunes while you workout.  If you run outside, it can track where you run using the GPS function on your phone!  It's pretty sweet technology.  I already had the Nike shoes for it (thanks to a Christmas present from Rich last year), and just a few weeks ago I purchased a new sensor for the shoes... so its seemed like a logical purchase to upgrade to the new app and try it out.  Rich and I got up to work out this morning, and even though I was on the treadmill, and it couldn't track where I was going with the GPS, I still decided to give it a whirl...

...and it was SO awesome!

So with the new app, you can update your facebook directly through the app to let people know that you started a workout.  Then... for each person who "likes" or comments on your status, it gets sent directly to your phone and you literally hear like 10-15 seconds of cheering!  It's so cool that your friends and family can cheer you on.  Luckily for me, living in California, when I work out at 5:30am... its really 8:30am in Michigan, and I've got lots of dear friends back home who (were awake! and) commented on my status.  It was such fantastic motivation!!!!  Between those cheers and the Glee sountrack blaring in my ears, I was so pumped to be at the gym and work out... even at 5am!

So... I have to share... this might seem like nothing to some of you, but to me, it was a big deal.  During this workout, I ran constantly for 10 minutes for the first time that I can EVER remember!  Usually when I'm on the treadmill, I'll do 2 minutes of running, 2 minutes of walking, running, walking, and so on.  I'm a big guy, and thats all I can really do.  But this morning... I said to myself, "I'm gonna run for 4 minutes today".  I got to 4 minutes and I felt like I could go for more... so I stopped looking at the time and just watched the TV's in the gym (thankfully, that early in the morning they were playing TBS reruns of Saved By The Bell!  lol)...  Next thing I looked down and I was at 7 and a half minutes of running... so at that point I said, "you can make it to 10 minutes!"... a couple Nike+ Facebook cheers later, and I made it all the way to 10 minutes.  I haven't been that proud of myself in a very long time. 

So to Bonnie, Brian, Sue, Aaron, Lisa, Cassie, and my Sister... THANK YOU for cheering me on this morning... even from thousands of miles away!  It really helped me!

It Gets Worse

So.... I don't want to make light of the situation regarding all the teen suicides lately... but I found this video and I thought it was very witty.  It is a reply to all the "It Gets Better" videos circulating the internet these days... and although this guy is clearly joking, I think the point is made very well.  Enjoy!


IT GETS WORSE
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My Favorite 4 Minutes of Music This Week- October 8th

So it should come to no surprise for people close to me that Pink is my #1 favorite musical artist.  It's hard for this talented woman to release a song that I don't like.... but recently she just released a song that I LOVE!  It's going to be a new single that will a part of her Greatest Hits album (which even though I already own ALL of her songs, I will HAVE to get it!)

According to Twitter she's been filming the video for the last few days, and she's including a wedding ceremony of a gay couple in the video!  I think that's awesome.  She's always been an advocate for the gay community, and I think its great that she is showcasing the issue of gay marriage in her video.  Just a few days ago she was presented the "Ally for Equality" award at the Human Rights Campaign annual dinner and fundraiser.  She rocks!

Enjoy this song... its got a great party beat and is fun to rock out to in the car with the windows down!

Friday Funnies!

So Huffington Post had this video on their site today, and it gave me a pretty good laugh, so I thought I'd repost it for everyone out there who might need a laugh today!

Hope you have a weekend full of THIS much excitement!

Leave it to Sarah Silverman...

I think this says it best: 

Parents: WTF is wrong with you?

So I know that my blog usually contains light-hearted commentary about pop culture related things... so I hate to get heavy with content like this... but I'm seriously infuriated.


I posted something on my facebook yesterday about an 8th grader in Texas who took his life because he was ashamed of being gay and was continually bullied at school. Now today I read that there have been two other similar instances at different school across the country within the last week or so. SERIOUSLY!??!

Look at these faces:

 Asher Brown - 13 years old - Houston, TX

Billy Lucas - 15 - Greensburg, IN 

Seth Walsh - 13 years old - Tehachapi, CA

These three young boys, all of which are said to have been been happy, high-acheiving students in school, thought that the best way out to escape the torture they were recieveing was to take their own lives.  This is all because they were bullied and called "gay", "faggot" and every other homophobic slur known to man.  Middle school and high school was a tough time for most everyone... but can you imagine being at the point where you feel that the only way you can escape the torment is to remove your soul from this planet???  I am so incredibly saddened to even comprehend having a feeling that deep and dark. 

Each of these boys had their own story.  Their own set of parents... different school districts... different sets of friends and enemies.  But no matter what their situation, each story revolves around the same issue: homophobic bullying. 

Now we can water it down, by just using the umbrella term of "bullying"... but essentially it comes down to homophobic bullying.  Kids who for some reason feel that they have enough power and popularity over another kid that they can antagonize him over something so petty as sexual orientation if he happens to act or say things that may be interpreted as less masculine than other boys.  If we overshadow that issue by just calling it "bullying", then people interpret that as simply some sort of give-me-your-lunch-money, I'm-gonna-stuff-you-in-a-locker mentality.  It's more than that.  It's deeper than that.  It's rooted in discrimination and hatred, laced with an I'm-better-than-you-because-of-your-sexuality mentality.  It's causing other kids to take thier lives.  And... its disgusting. 

Who are the parents of these kids doing the bullying?  What sorry excuse for a human are you to raise a child with such a low level of tolerance that they would feel empowered to make boys like Asher, Billy and Seth feel this intense pain?  Wake the hell up parents!  It is 2010 and we need to be teaching our children about love, tolerance and acceptance.  The sadness of this, is that the parents of these students doing the bullying are either a) perpetuating the acceptance of homophobia in thier homes by setting such ridiculous standards and stereotypes of gender and sexuality... or b) just completely absent from their child's life and not teaching them important lessons that will make them compassionate citizens of our world. 

Not to stray away from the main topic... but it makes me even more upset to think that law will not let gay couples get married and have kids... when they would raise children who would be overflowing with love, kindness and tolerance.  We've been through this shit in middle school and high school, and we would do our best to raise children who would not inflict this sort of pain on others.  YET... the law allows any straight person to raise a child and put them in our public schools... even though there are obviously those people out there who are incapable of teaching thier own kin the most important lesson of all: love. 

The world needs a campaign against this issue.  Not just bullying... but homophobic bullying.  Let's treat it as it is, instead of putting money into anti-bullying campaigns which only mask the true issue.  AND... let's hold our students in public schools accountable for thier actions when they are antagonizing other students for stupid reasons. 

Thankfully, someone recently started a campaign on YouTube called the "It Gets Better" project.  It is meant for adult members of the LGBT community to post videos for our younger coutnerparts to tell them that: yes, dealing with your sexuality when you are young sucks, and bullying sucks... but it DOES get better.  This is the sort of thing that the world needs to grab a hold of and teach our kids of tomorrow that there is hope, and that there are millions of people in the world that you can reach out to for love and support.  (Check out the "It Gets Better" project: http://www.youtube.com/user/itgetsbetterproject )

So as I conclude with this rant... I ask you to share the stories of Asher, Billy and Seth.  Don't keep this taboo topic "in the closet" any longer.  It needs to be discussed.  Parents need to have these discussions with their kids and teach them tolerance.  The only way to elminate the problem is to eliminate the cause of it... and right now the problem is caused by parents who are either teaching their children intolerance or not teaching thier children at all.  DO YOUR PART PARENTS!  You only get one chance at raising a child correctly.  Don't screw it up. 

Gender controversy in Michigan

It was crazy for me to hear on the news out here in California about a gender controversy involving a high school student back in my home state of Michigan.  After doing some further research, I found this video online.. and I have to say, that I'm glad that issues like this are being brought to the forefront in such a conservative area as west Michigan.  I give mad props to Oak... and hope that the school finds an appropriate way to recognize HIM in the way HE deserves.

Dancing With The Stars: Season 11

OK... so let me make this clear upfront.  I do not follow Dancing with the Stars regularly.  Back in the day, I was a fan.  Back in the Drew-Lachey-Cheryl-Burke-SaveAHorseRideACowboy days.  But I've given up in the last couple of years and stopped watching.  I've sort of kept up to date online... seeing who was participating and who was eliminated, but I stopped watching the actual episodes.  Not DVR'ed.  Nothing.

But... for some reason, I decided that for Season 11, it was time to check it out again.  After trying to determine why I tuned it, I developed this graph:

So I watched the premiere last night... and I was actually entertained (as embarassing as it is to admit).  There were some surprisingly great performances (Jennifer Grey: WOW!) but also some hardcore trainwrecks (Bristol... I don't care what the judges said, you were a hot mess!)

The Situation was exactly what I expected: entertaining.  I just need him to not be so super cheesy.  Margaret Cho was hilarious... and although she was making fun of herself and tripped on purpose, she was WAY better than Bristol and deserved higher scores.

I was a bit saddened to see Margaret and the Situation in last place after the results... because they were my two main reasons for watching in the first place.  I didn't want them to get eliminated so early.

So then... I tuned into the results show tonight.  I admit I fast forwarded through most of it... (with the exception of the Santana/India.Arie performance... she is one of my faves!).  I really just wanted to see who got eliminated.  In all honestly, I really thought Audrina would go.  She didn't have the lowest score, but I think she is SO boring and vanilla, and I cannot possibly figure out who on earth would be such a "fan" of Audrina that they would call in and vote for her.  So.... I was quite surprised when she was declared safe early on in the show.  Margaret was safe early on too!  That made me happy! 

It came down to the final three: The Situation, the Hoff, and that black kid from that Disney show (is he really a star?  I honestly have never seen him before in my entire life).  I figured it had to be the Situation because of his low score... or the Disney kid because of his low popularity.  But.... to my complete and utter surprise... the first eliminated was The Hoff!  REALLY?  I thought he was one of the biggest stars that this season had.  And... he had "the pimp spot" as they call it on American Idol, by performing last.  He was the easiest one to remember to vote for, with him being fresh in everyone's minds.  So.... all in all, it was quite shocking.  I think he would have been pretty fun to watch, with his high cheese factor. :-)

So after tonight, I changed my DVR from "Record this Show" to "Record this Series".  I need more Situation.  One hour on Thursdays is not enough.  Plus I can't wait to see Bristol Palin fall flat on her face.  It's going to happen America.  It's going to happen.

Betty White Hoodies!

I know what else is going on my Christmas List for this year!  :-)

Catfish? What's the secret? I'm dying to find out....

Have you guys seen the trailer for this movie "Catfish"?  Ever since the first time I saw it, I've been hooked.  (two drums and a cymbal crash)

According to imdb.com, here's the plot:  In late 2007, filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost sensed a story unfolding as they began to film the life of Ariel's brother, Nev. They had no idea that their project would lead to the most exhilarating and unsettling months of their lives. A reality thriller that is a shocking product of our times, Catfish is a riveting story of love, deception and grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue.

So maybe its because I'm a reality show fan... and I have always loved documentary movies... but I'm trying to figure out if this is another Blair Witch where they promote it as being real and then it ends up being fake... or not.  I just saw another trailer tonight that says "Not based on true events.... just true".  Another tag line I've seen in the trailer is "The best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never directed".  With both lines, I'm in.  I have to see it.

I have two worries.  1: It's gonna scare the bajeesus out of me.  The tension leading up to the end of the trailer already gives me butterflies.  I'm worried I may be scarred for days (and nights of nightmares).  And, 2: It's gonna be a HUGE letdown.  This movie is all about the building tension.  If it gets to the end and is a big flop, then all this promotion was worth nothing.  I guess I will have to see to know.

Several things I've read have said "Don't let anyone tell you what it is".  I'm sure I could poke around online and figure out what its about.  But I don't want to.  And if any of you do.... don't you dare tell me... because at this point, the marketing team has done such a great job that I want to reward them with my ticket fee... not matter how horrible or horror-filled it may be. 

Here's the trailer.  Let me know what you think:

My Favorite 4 Minutes of Music: Week of September 16th

I'm SOOO happy that iTunes has finally released Rihanna's new single! I just downloaded it, and intend to do that "first-day-play-continuously-on-repeat" ritual that I tend to do. I've been listening to it from this link on Ryan Seacrest's page... so I thought I would share it with you all too.

I'm thankful for this single because I think it takes us back to old school Rihanna, while somehow still sounding current. The Rated R record (for the most part) was too dark for me. I like light, poppy, dancey Rihanna and this single really brings it back. Have a listen... and go download it on iTunes if you're interested!

Click Here: Listen to Rihanna's New Single