Tom Cruise is insane

In case you're interested, here is his 6-minute "interview" with Matt Lauer about why psychiatric meds are evil. Is it just me, or does he sound totally crazy?

I wish I had found this

.

Stick Figures in Peril is one of the funniest groups on Flickr. This is one of the many hilarious photos that people have uploaded.

I'm bad at telling stories

As I'm getting home from an interview today, I notice a young couple unloading their U-Haul in front of the building. Not a big surprise, the other half of the building closed on their units just a week or so ago. They're nice, we introduce ourselves. "I'm Andrew, nice to meet you." We shake hands, and I think nothing more of it.
Then several hours later, Liz is outside meeting her friend Joelle at the door. "Holy shit, that's Andrew Firestone."

I have a D-Lister in the building! He seems like a down-to-earth guy though. Will post pictures as soon as I can take some without him noticing.

I will also try to scam some wine. Or tires.

There will also be pictures of those.

Bachelorette party fun

.

I went to a bachelorette party in Indiana for my friend Jessica over the weekend. Her sister hired a stripper, who was much more shall we say, interactive, than strippers that I had seen in clubs. Not everyone was so into the idea as you can see from this photo, but it was a lot of fun overall.
What really got me was that he said "God bless you" to us when he was leaving. What?

Those signs? They also describe Unfocus Group

From Pride Parade Chicago 2005.


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Coming to terms with past physical flaws

So, I ran into an old roommate from college when I was hanging out at Roscoe's with Eric Saturday night. This old roommate, a twenty-something gay gentleman, acted as though he had seen a fucking ghost. He also kept staring at my, ahem, chest.

Old Roommate: "You look fucking amazing!!! Oh my God!"

Eric seemed puzzled by this, so Old Roommate asked Eric how long he's known me.

Old Roommate (stunned): "She just looks so hot and fabulous and so different!"

Old Roommate proceeded to wonder out loud if I had been on the television show The Swan.

So, I ask you: Did I really look that bad in college?

Shock and Awe Robbery

From a Northwestern security alert:

The offender was described as male Pacific Islander, 20 to 25 years old, with a muscular build. He was wearing a Speedo-type swimsuit.

Catching up with...

"Noam Milner (C99) of Los Angeles, an actor known as Connor Donne, has worked on local cable and foreign market commercials. In January he appeared in an Independent Film Channel promo as French movie star Jean Paul Belmondo. He also had the supporting lead in Lions Gate Films' In Enemy Hands, starring William H. Macy."

--Northwestern magazine, summer 2005 issue.

Connor's IMDB page and publicity photo are here.

And from elsewhere on the Web, noting his role this past winter in Sleeping Beauty: A Comic Panto in the British Style, we catch up with...

"Billy Wheelan (Jack) was recently seen in the New York Musical Theatre Festival as 'Taru' in the premier production of Tusk. Other recent credits include Our Leading Lady with Frances Sternhagen and Martha Plimpton, Spinning Into Butter, Sweeny Todd, The 60's Project, Tartuffe, Thick and A Salute to Jerry Herman. Television viewers may have recently seen Billy in Things I Hate About You on the Bravo Network."

Oddly enough, I've seen an episode of Things I Hate About You -- the Brian and Gina episode, according to the guide -- and kind of enjoyed it. I think. Can't totally remember. But I'm pretty sure Billy wasn't one of the jurors.

Summer reading recommendations?

Hey Unfocus folks, I'm stuck in a literary rut and could use some book recommendations. Has anyone read anything good lately? The last thing I read was the Time Traveler's Wife, and I picked up yet another Isabel Allende novel at Printer's Row the other week. Help!

Joel T., BS

As you may know, I finally graduated from college this weekend. My hilariously crazy family was in town, and of course, they, along with others, left some fabulous quotes.

My grandmother, after putting her arm around my waist for a picture:

You've got some lovehandles!

While in my apartment:

My Grandfather: Where do you hide the girls?
Me: Uh, well, the bedroom's in there--I guess you could hide people in there.
Grampa: *laughs* That's my boy. As long as you aren't going fruity on me.

I had to walk out of the room as not to burst into laughter.

And later that same day...

Grampa: You need to find you a rich girlfriend.

After dinner at Hugo's Frog Bar (which was fabulous and I highly recommend), a brand new Bentley Continental GT was parked out front and the valets were all abuzz. I approached the valet at the booth:

Valet: What kind of car is it?
Me: A Buick.
Valet: *in a disappointed, childlike manner* Oh.

During dinner at Morton's (also fabulous), my stepmom, Marta, made the following toast:

Here's to those who love us. To those who don't, may God turn their hearts. To those whose hearts He can't turn, may He turn their ankles so that they'll limp and we'll know who they are.

Perhaps my favorite quote came from the Tech commencement speaker, Jeanne Beacham, President of GEL-PAK (paraphrased):

Some people believe that they should go into the afterlife with a pristine body and a untarnished soul. I, on the other hand, believe you should slide in sideways, with chocolate in one hand and a martini in the other, with a worn out body ready for the relaxation of death.

The Miracle of Science

Danish tax dollars hard at work, or having sex in the fMRI scanner...

Study shows faked orgasms look different on brain scans than the real ones.

Americans in Europe are Stupid, Part 3

From an internet cafe in Venice, left over on the computer I used, an unfinished email from someone....


Hey Honey,
I miss you! Why did you have to be all smart and get an internship
without me? Damn you and your brain! lol So yeah, I am in Venice and I
am
leaving this afternoon for CROATIA with Nathan. It has been a
whirlwind
of a trip so far which has been great but I already have a tan which is
pretty cool. So far no real disasters, though there has been some
pretty
big running trips every once in a while. Venice is beautiful and
finally
somewhere truly affordable, Nathan and I just got our best espresso yet
for 0.80 for two! Yaaaaaaaaay Italia! It is amazing here and I cant
believe how lucky we have been so far. I might be seeing Amelia today
as
we are both in the same city but we didnt have a chance to actually set
a
time so I might have to also meet up with her in Rome.
Huh......strange.
I think that I have trouble again though as she keeps talking about me
coming over and visiting Van. Goddamn how many of these talks do I
have
to have in Europe? One would think that a phrase spoken as often as
"what
happens in Europe stays in Europe" would hold true. Oh well.

Im glad the stagiere thing is working out for ya, it sounds pretty darn
cool. See if you can find me a job/husband over there eh? What are
you
working on right now? Details man details!

I'm Going To Party Like It's My Berfday

In keeping with this blog's recent photos-of-birthdays theme, here's one of me celebrating a quarter-century of Casey with my friends on Saturday night. I included the delicious rear view so you can all experience the majesty that is my green pleather "Shake it" belt. I bought it at the 2005 Scottsdale Pride festival, also known as the Nordstrom Men's Half-Yearly Sale.

Anyway, as you can see from the picture, I took the belt's advice all night. Unfortch, the evening came to an abrupt end shortly after this hottness was snapped. It seems that one of my fellow dancers was shaking it a little too hard, causing her to slip and hit her head on the DJ booth before collapsing in a pool of her own blood on the dance floor. Suffice to say it was something of a buzzkill. The crazy part was that when it all went down, the DJ was spinning "Danger! High Voltage" by the Electric Six. So you've got Jack White bleating "Danger! Danger!" at an insane volume as some poor girl cracks her gourd, and all the drunks are looking around at each other like, "How do we dance to that?"

Hey everybody, do the Massive Head Trauma!

Birthday...

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Belated...

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Happy...

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Yeah, I'm a little slow with the picture posting thing...

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Why I Can't Wait for Cleo's Wedding

They'll probably have to fill it with gin and tonic though.

I Think I'm Becoming Midwestern

It's hot. I don't say that.

I Wish the Real World Would Just Stop Hassling Me

Well folks, that's it. As soon as I turn in my last paper, I'm done with Northwestern! Assuming I pass Materials Science 201 (I could fail my other two classes with no negative consequences), I'll get my long awaited diploma next week.

Now I just have to deal with the real world and find a job, a place to live, a boyfriend, etc... If you can help with any of these, please send me an e-mail ASAP!

On a side note, I think Socks has put herself on a diet. She's still enormously fat, but she hasn't eating as much lately and looks like she might have lost a few ounces. Maybe she finally got tired of all the harassment people were giving her (and she doesn't act at all sick, if that's what you're thinking).

Dork Confirmation

Those of you who are not Brendan and Ellen have not had a chance to see the new place Liz and I moved into a few weeks ago! Especially with you the mostly non-Californians in mind, I made a little video tour and posted it online.

Now stop asking to see pictures. :)

The hand

The hand
Originally uploaded by nonnyV.

Two of Lindsay's fingers were broken during the DIY Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind show she was in on Saturday night. You know how they jump and grab numbers from a clothesline? One of the jumpers landed on her hand as she picked up notes from the ground after her play.
An x-ray and a few splints later she was back in business

The Suspension Was Particularly Insulting Given The Man's Demonstrated Proficiency At Driving A Stick

A Sicilian court has condemned road authorities for suspending the driving licence of a man after finding out he was gay.

The court on the Mediterranean island said being gay was merely "a personality disturbance" which had no bearing on a person's ability to drive, Ansa news agency reported.

"Americans are Dumb" Dispatch from Abroad Part 2

Overheard from a 30-something woman in the Paris train station sitting on an as-yet-undeparted train speaking entirely too loudly on a cell phone:

"No, no! No, you'll never guess where I am. I'm in Europe! Yes! I'm in Germany right now."

"Americans are Dumb" Dispatch from Abroad Part 1

The depth of American interest and knowledge in Europe is staggering. Staggeringly low. Staggering is a good word for it, since that's basically what most American travelers do, drunk, usually. There are museums here, you know. Anyway, when I logged on in a cafe in Paris, the browsers of the last person to use it popped up, complete with a live AIM chat that I saved and am posting here. If anyone in the Group is bored on instant message this week, why don't you drop these people a line and mock them or something?

thechanman99: hey frayday
thechanman99: i can't talk long
Frayday: hey man
thechanman99: did you get my email
Frayday: how's London!!
Frayday: yeah,
thechanman99: it was awesome
thechanman99: i'm in paris now
Frayday: heheh glad u like it
thechanman99: do you think you could meet up with us?
Frayday: i should be able to meet up with you guys
thechanman99: lol
thechanman99: awesome
Frayday: hehe
thechanman99: hey i only have 2 minutes left
Frayday: haha
Frayday: cyber cafe
thechanman99: but email me your schedule
thechanman99: yeah
thechanman99: lol
Frayday: sure thing
thechanman99: they cost a butt load
Frayday: hehehe
Frayday: yeah England is expensive
thechanman99: lol
thechanman99: yeah
Frayday: eating well?
Frayday: ;-)
thechanman99: yeah
thechanman99: lol
thechanman99: i'm in paris and i love the crepes here
Frayday: so what's next?
thechanman99: Rome
Frayday: nice nice
thechanman99: i leave tomorrow
Frayday: watch out with those italians
Frayday: ;-)
Frayday: or should i warn them?
Frayday: ;-)

International Correspondent Log I

From: Mark
To: Cleo
Date: June 4, 2005 10:39 AM
Subject: Girls!

So in Amsterdam last night, this fattie prostitute with the largest fake breasts ever tries to proposition me. Some Irish guy actually went for it and paid her fee (couple hundred Euros, I think). It was the skankiest thing ever.

Kind of made me want to go to Vegas. We should plan another trip.

How's things?

It was pretty too...

Given all the silliness that's been posted, I thought I'd add
this shot to remind us of the other parts of the weekend...

A photographic representation of my weekend in Cape Cod.

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Prince Charming is Gay

This cute article from the NY Times is for all the gays among us that went as prom dates, and for those lucky ladies that went with them.