COUCH TIME

Something you miss. I guess it’s just part of growing up.  What I miss most is just hanging out a friend’s house. The best times are just sitting on the couch watching TV. This happened all the time, yet we were single. Now with commitments and obligations that come with being partnered it’s hard to find time to hang out with friends and talk.

Nicknames. This question is easy. Stevie B.

Impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here. This was question sixteen and seventeen.

PANCAKES STEVIE, PANCAKES!

Favorite Place to Eat.

If you hang around me, soon enough I’ll drag you do a diner that has a pancake as a logo. My favorite place is a regional institution called The Village Inn; my favorite location is just of I-25 and Colorado Blvd. If I need to think something through this is where I go. If I’m pissed off at the world and need to drown my troubles in maple syrup this is the restaurant. I spend hours trying to figure out my life sitting in the bright orange booths. My record was going through three new wait staff, two orders of pancakes followed by chocolate pie.

Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here. This was question Fourteen.

TRACTORS ARE SEXY

Something you’re looking forward to...

As I wrote about my dream house it began to stir in me how great it would be to live back in the city. Although, riding my bike past open fields of grazing cows and the hot farmers on their tractors is great. From the front porch you can watch storms rise up over the Rocky Mountains and roll down over the front range of Colorado. The hot spot in our tiny farming town other then the eight Mexican restaurants is the Dairy Queen (DQ) this is also the best place to rendezvous with the aforementioned farmers.

Even with all this country living that I love I’m beginning to look forward to moving back to the bright lights, big city. Although I think I’ll miss DQ, I think I’m ready for a ten minute commute and a dry cleaner. Not to mention that garage. A much bigger garage.



Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here. This was question thirteen.

THE STEVIE DREAM HOUSE

Dream House.

To avoid raising more eyebrows I won’t mention the song that comes into my head when I think of my dream house. Maybe.

When sitting around and playing the “if I won the lottery” game the last thing I think about is buying a house. Travel is the first thing I blurt out, travel to see everything and everyone. I guess I will need an address for my mail so; I really would need a house. The number one thing on the list before the size of the house or the high-end brand-name appliances is the garage. A huge oversized garage I can just hang out in and do nothing. I would want peg board on the walls so I can hang up tools and trace around each piece with a black marker. It also needs a basketball hoop so I can shoot baskets until the sun sets.

Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here. This was question twelve.

DAVID AND JONATHAN

A Bible Verse.

The answer to this question came very easy to me. I have a monthly dinner with radical theologians that love to discuss how the Bible has been hijacked by crazy devote followers. The favorite dinnertime topic being David and Jonathan. Old Testament first Book of Samuel.

Jonathan and David, on a Saturday night.

No story in the Bible is more controversial than the story of the sensitive and highly regarded musician, David. The dude from Goliath fame.  You can read about it here.

Were David and Jonathan lovers? That’s the question. The Bible states clearly that Jonathan loved David. The same Hebrew words used to describe opposite sex love are used to describe Jonathan and David’s same sex love. Jonathan loved David with an unquenchable, everlasting love, which caused them to form a lifelong covenant and partnership. The Hebrew words God uses to describe the Jonathan and David relationship indicate romantic, life-long, covenant, committed love. 

When Jonathan is gunned down by the Philistines at Mount Gilboa* it’s stated that David heavily morns Jonathan’s death. After this, David becomes the king of Judah and turns into a total Douche bag.  Like if Rupert Everett was made King of England. But, if my life long love got mowed down by a literal Philistine I’d be bitter too.

*Jonathan look out! That Philistine has a gun!

Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here.  This was question eleven.

DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT

Something you don’t leave the house without.

My iPhone. Hands down would be lost without it.  Other then the obvious the next thing would be my gym bag. The gay guys purse.

Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here. This was question ten.  

TELEVISION

My favorite TV shows.

I’m really digging 1 Girl 5 Gays lately. Although all the gays are like twenty, hate body hair and huge tools.
The premier of Doctor Who, Season/Series six was kinda cool. Rugby is a show right? It’s on TV. Seldom, but I look forward to every game.

 

Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here.  This was question nine.



I, FEAR

Something you’re afraid of.

I’m afraid of most normal things. Snakes, clowns, and US Republicans top the list. My deepest fear in life actually spurred from the movie I, Robot. It’s not the robots I fear but, when the NS-5s round up the defunct robots I start to panic. When Will Smith investigates the robot storage containers I go ape shit. I’ve since realized that any story of a group being “rounded up” brings a primal fear out in me.

And yet I love gay cruises, go figure.



Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here. This was question eight.

MOVIES

Favorite movies.

Well, we all know that my favorite movies are Godzilla related.  My favorite film right now is Big Bang Love, Juvenile A I still don’t know what It’s about so don’t ask. This challenge just reinforces that I have bad taste in movies. Here’s the list…

Fahrenheit 451

Mildred Pierce

Fight Club

American History X
Alien
Amélie
The Pianist

Immortal Beloved

Slaughterhouse-Five

His Girl Friday

2001: A Space Odyssey

Logan’s Run

 


Anyone for popcorn?


 


Yes, Please.

 



You know you have JiffyPop on your head, Right?



 


At least she has something to eat!





Snap.



Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here. This was question seven.

PICTURE THIS

A picture of something that makes you happy.

The Fort Worth Water Garden is one of those urban parks in the middle of the city. I enjoy this place not just because it was featured in the film Logan’s Run but, because if reminds me of visiting Fort Worth with someone I love.

If I was going to choose a picture that made me real happy I would have chosen this….



Michael Phelps

 Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here. This was question six.

A SONG TO MATCH MY MOOD

Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here.

Question Five:
A song to match your mood

On my last lap on the running track somehow this song comes into my head.

PARENTS

Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here. God help me.

Question Four:
Your parents.

Last week I went to Boise, Idaho to stand next to my father as he buried his wife, my Step-Mother. This is also the first time I sat one-on-one with the man called my Dad. I found myself embarrassed drilling him with questions that everyone else in the family knew. He grew up on a farm in Iowa, went with his brothers into the Navy and served on the USS Valley Forge during the Korean War. Favorite Quote: “Your sister owns the Grand-daughter of Secretariat.”

My Mother grew up on Missouri and will tell you that family history that runs directly back to Anne Boleyn. Apparently, if you can’t claim that your linage traces directly back to Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saints church then why not a Queen of England? Favorite Quote: “Your sister Becky. She's the one with the Lexus, sauna, and room for a pony.”

My Father, top row second from the left.  

My Mother

FIRST LOVE

Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here. God help me.

Question Three:
Your first love

To make things interesting let’s talk about my first love that stomped on my wittle heart. This was the guy that made it impossible for me to ever date a guy with initials for a name. J.T. was an amateur bodybuilder and all-around muscle bound meat head. He was in his late twenties and I had just turned twenty. I quickly became enamored with his aura and soon became his doormat. As I couldn’t go out to bars I would give him cash so he could go have drinks then show up drunk in the early morning for a booty call.

This is when I truly grew up. No matter how attractive a guy is our how well they treat you in bed. It’s all about respect. For the other person and yourself.

BEHIND A NAME

Duly impressed with other bloggers* taking up the writing challenge, I have decided to take the blog writing challenge. See all sixty-four challenges here. God help me.

Question Two:
Meaning behind your blog name.

Thankfully I’ve answered this question lately. You can read it here. I spent a lot of time of my childhood with speech Language Pathologists learning to speak without a stutter or lisp.

Every day I would walk into a conference room filled with adults who wanted nothing more than for me to speak correctly. Every day the head of the program, Mr. Sena would enthusiastically announce to the group “Well… It’s nice to see Stevie B!”

That’s why my blog is called Nice To See StevieB and not Nnnnnnicethhhhss ttttto thhhhhhhhhhees thhhhhhhteeeevie B. B. Bbbbbbbbethhhh

BLOG CHALLENGE NUMBER ONE

Duly Impressed with other bloggers taking up a writing challenge, I wanted to join in on the fun. See all sixty-four challenges here.  God help me.

Question número 1:
Introduce yourself with a recent picture and 15 interesting facts:

1. The only cake I will eat is chocolate.

2. I am completely phobic of snakes. Even rope that looks like snakes. Even snake-skin boots.

3. Youngest of seven and the third son.

4. Love to go running and will always chose to be either in the gym or in the park at any given moment.

5. Hate roller coasters.

6. Thought the second Darrin was better than the first.

7. Love Sci-Fi and Godzilla. But only the low budget kind of movies, too many computer graphics and I’m done.

8. Cannot watch people die in a movie.

9. I grew up on a Quarter Horse ranch in the middle of nowhere.

10. I stole a The Fall Guy lunch box in fifth grade. I still feel so horrible about this that when I see Lee Majors I start to sweat.

11. Most of my diet is vegetarian yet will never give up meat.

12. I'm quickly going gray.

13. HATE Glee because I know I’d like it way…. to… much.

14. I learned what gay was from Steven Carrington on Dynasty. I knew in a second that Sammy Jo was going to be trouble.

15. I have odd obsessions about cleanliness. My hands sometimes bleed from cleaning my car, bathroom and my hands.

BLOG CHALLENGE

Duly impressed with other bloggers* and their tackling the 30+ day blog challenge I wanted to join in on the fun. Yet I knew I'd have trouble sticking to the daily format. So I’m committing to the challenge but most likely it will be when I damn well please. Take a look at the sixty-four questions. God help me.

1. Introduce yourself with a recent picture and 15 interesting facts

2. Meaning behind your blog name

3. Your first love

4. Your parents

5. A song to match your mood

6. A picture of something that makes you happy

7. Favorite movies

8. Something you’re afraid of

9. Favorite TV shows

10. Something you don’t leave the house without

11. Bible verse

12. Dream house

13. Something you’re looking forward to

14. Favorite Place to Eat

15. Something you miss

16. Nicknames

17. Favorite Picture of yourself ALL TIME Why?

18. Something you’ve learned

19. Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs

20. Your Dream Wedding

21. Something that stresses you out

22. 3 Wishes

23. 5 good things that happened since you started the challenge

24. Your favorite song

25. Your favorite book

26. Your favorite quote

27. A photo that makes you angry/sad

28. A song that makes you cry (or nearly)

29. An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)

30. A talent of yours

31. A hobby of yours

32. A recipe

33. A website

34. A YouTube video

35. Your day, in great detail


36. Your week, in great detail


37. This month, in great detail


38. This year, in great detail


39. Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days

40. Something you ate today.

41. Your idea of the perfect first date.

42. An animal you’d love to keep as a pet.

43. The item you last purchased.

44. Your favorite place to eat.

45. A TV show you’re currently addicted to.

46. Your celebrity crush.

47. Something you crave a lot.

48. A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.

49. A photo of something that means a lot to you.

50. How have you changed since last year.

51. Something you could never get tired of doing.

52. Talk about a regret you have.

53. Share a story from your childhood.

54. Explain how you got one of your scars.

55. How do you think others view you?

56. A poem you wrote.

57. Tell us about your best friend.

58. A talent of yours.

59. Your deepest fear.

60. Reveal your most guilty pleasure.

61. If you have tattoos, show them. If not, talk about the tattoos you want or why you don’t think they are right for you.

62. Talk about the last “random act of kindness” you encountered.

63. The last thing that made you cry.

64. Say something to your 15 year old self.

*Check out the other brave blogger that have successfully completed the blog challenge.
 Tony over at West of Mayberry

John from Progressive Patriotism

Davey Wavy at Break the Illusion

Ted from Dead Robot

Iain writes about Life the Universe and 42

Robb has a Mostly UnFabulous Life

Dale over at Pull to Open

If you have taken this challenge please let me know so I can link to it.

ANOTHER PICTURE ON ANOTHER WALL

Wandering around your parent’s house you start to notice your footprint left behind. As I looked at the pictures on the walls of my Dad’s house I started to think about the people that have seen me staring back at them. What did they think? Well, here’s a photo from my Father’s fireplace mantle:

Google, The Hoist.

I started to realize that everyone who is invited to look at these pictures tucked in next to four sisters worth of wedding photos will get a clear idea of who I am. Like the year I instead on only wearing turtlenecks…

Or Mickey ears…

That I would sit with my ankles crossed with perfect posture…

Or spent the entire 1980s in really, really short shorts…

I guess it’s true; we are made up of a bunch of moments. Mine just happen to be gayer than most. Really gay moments.

MORMON JELL-O

Last Wednesday I received a text from one of my sisters. Our Step-Mother had just passed away. The question then was if I’d go with the siblings to Boise, Idaho for the service. The family was assembling to be by his side.

I hadn’t interacted with my Father in…. six years. Maybe more. I texted back that I would go stay with my Father; to be with him as he buried his second wife. I responded yes without thinking of the past. Without any thought of the Mormon Church or the religious oppression attached to our relationship. This was a good sign.

The conversations and threats of Aversion Therapy, of realignment back to the core Mormon values by the use of ice baths and other insidious devices decreed by church elders are now nothing but decade’s old dust. The specter of a “straight” realignment had been exorcised.

If you’ve never been Boise, Idaho is a picturesque mountain city in Southern Idaho. The state has “Famous Potatoes” as their license plate slogan. It also has a Mormon Temple and a Starbucks on every corner. Like most western US cities is started as a Fort, and then grew into a farming community. The step-siblings I was introduced to at the service were all very nice and welcoming. Each person I met at the funeral went into explicit detail of what a great man my Father is and how the relationship with his wife made them the pillar of the church. It’s funny how people in your life can be complete strangers. I’m sure that goes for a Dad towards his son as well.

Even as I overheard someone ask him if I was married and his response was a short “No” I was unfazed. What others think of me is none of my business. I was unapologetic when telling my story:

I am the seventh child

I am the third son

I work in HR

I have one dog

I have a partner; he has a beard and drives a motorcycle.

I am an unbelievably happy and content individual.



The only down side the memorial service was the complete lack of Jell-O. What self-respecting Mormon Church has a funeral without Jell-O?

DEAR DIARY...

Thanks to Jim from Jim’s Stuff for the question… "How are you different in person from your blog persona?”

In sixth grade, Mrs. Wilson gave our class an assignment. Write a diary. Sitting in the front coat-closet at home I opened up my new spiral bound notebook and started to write. But what does the undersized runt of a Mormon litter have to write about? Well, quite a lot actually. At the time, being a fay Mormon boy made my life mirror that of Jane Eyre. One of quite service and self-denial. In my first weeks of writing I weaved a tail of composed yearning. One day I would be just like the men in the Sears Catalog. Spend my days in high wasted white briefs without the need for pants or shirts as they would cover up my washboard abs. Causally leaning against my Formica kitchen countertop I’d pour a cup of morning coffee for my “buddy” who happens to be sporting a thigh-length hooded robe.

“What? We have to turn in our diary to be graded on our composition skills?” Gulp!

I received an “B” on my writing and Mrs. Wilson added in red ink that maybe Mr. Plate the gym coach could help me on my physical dedication. A comment that I took as more in the coffee pouring aspect then the doing sit-ups field. As Mr. Plate tossed a basketball into my face later that day I pondered, maybe she’s setting me up with Mr. Plate?

Since Mrs. Wilson’s class I’ve always written down my thoughts, keeping countless notebooks as I’ve grown. When I started to read online journals or blogs my thought of moving my writing to an online was quickly countered with the understanding that my head doesn’t belong in a format to potentially bore people to death. Yet, something kept dragging me back to the idea. I believe it was the Durban Bud blog, that got me started. Sunday, November 11th. 2007 I began to talk about the beginning of a new chapter in my life.

So…"How are you different in person from your blog persona"?

I have always approached my blog persona as the kid in the front coat closet. It is my safe spot to decompress from life without shoving my narcissistic tendencies down the throats of real life passersby. I would start each entry with: Dear Diary, Tonight was really my night… If it didn’t smack of Veronica Sawyer. I believe that my StevieB persona verses my Steve persona is one of clarity.

BLO ME

What? He said please.

STEVIE SMASH!

I hit my head pretty hard yesterday doing Overhead Dumbbell Extensions. They look like this....




Since I don’t really use my head for anything I wasn’t really concerned other then when I smashed the dumbbell against my coconut I said:

“Hit head. Ow. Steve hurt.”

I guess that shows that I don’t use my head for anything.


*Check out more of Billy2918 on YouTube here. Him hot.

FUN WITH FACON

Last night was one of those nights that rarely happen. Like when you where living at home and you spent the evening just hanging out in your room. After work I spent a lot of energy convincing myself that I was going to the gym, but I was not going for a run afterwards. Lazy sod. This “deal” got back home earlier then my normal to which the dog seemed appreciative.

I then spent the remains of the day wandering around the manor house. I synced the iTunes to the stereo that “shall not be touched as to change a setting” and proceeded to dance around to music I’ve not heard in months. About this time I rediscovered my love for tiny Asian girl music.*

Dancing around in nothing but gym shorts and texting away to Patrick the dog began to get embarrassed for us both. I stopped dancing in hopes that his judgmental glance would stop when I turned to see what he was really looking towards. The neighbor blatantly staring through the entry sidelight window. I guess tiny Asian girl music is an acquired taste.

Speaking of dinner, four English muffins and a can of peaches in water with three slices of facon* for dessert.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

*Puffy AmiYumi

*Fat free turkey bacon.

MANIC MONDAY

Insomnia strikes again. Great, and this time it came for no real reason. Sunday morning I went for a run Über early, even as I ran I could see a cold front poring over the mountains. By noon the sun had turned to snow here in the Rocky Mountains. I quickly realized that breaking out the cargo shorts was a bad Idea waiting in line for lunch with BFFs Carl and Will at our local vegetarian restaurant. So after freezing in the spring snow I was in bed and watching movies by 4PM.

I realized around midnight that I was in trouble; too late to take an Ambien I got up and tried to get the TV to induce sleep, it didn’t work. But the kitchen is spotless. Drifting off at 3AM to wake at 5AM is not fun let me tell you. Although, all I did at 5AM was call the boss and tell her I was dead, grab the dog and head back to the 500 thread count bliss. For about three hours.

I found myself pumped full of energy by mid-morning with a day off, a clean kitchen and nothing to do. Gym, Tan, Laundry minus the tan part, because that’s just creepy. Then I did a major amount of research into “suit porn” for academic reasons. In a returning sleep haze I then went online to http://www.slickitup.com/ * and other….. “clothing” websites. This might be when I looked down and saw my credit card in my hand that I realized I was sleep shopping.

The rest of the day was up and down from madly detailing my car to somewhat sleeping all the time wishing my brain would just leave me alone. Around midnight last night I finally drifted off to Steve-slumberland.

This morning I’m back amongst the living, with an immaculately clean car, sore abs from pushing too hard at the gym and two weeks of monitoring my credit card to ensure there aren’t any more surprises.







* I canceled the orders this morning. So don’t ask. Two words: Viper Suit.
   But a thanks goes out to the bud who turned me on to this site.

Late '90s Sodomite Style

Over the years we've given all of our old furniture to the single Mom next door. Today she's moving out and I have to say it's strange to see all of our old stuff on the lawn. "Ooooh! Remember the blonde Armoire? And the Ansel Adams prints. How many silk ficus trees did we own?"

Turns out her entire house was decorated in '90s homosexual.