While the cats away...

Its been months since I've contributed and I've let my partner in crime just take over. Well that stops now and I'm going to get away with some mayhem while he is in Haiti!  So I really want to title this...

Top 10 reasons every woman should have a gay hairdresser:

10.  He always has at least one story that he has to get real close and whisper when he tells you (juicy!!)
9.  He makes a hilarious creeped out face whenever you say "vagina"
8.  He sometimes calls his boyfriend twinkle toes
7.  He thinks he is the butch one......(we asked him today to stand in his most butch position....I don't think the ballet russe could pose more graceful....)
6.  He always can be counted on to say "you know what would look really good on you??" and proceed to tell you not only what, but where to buy it.
5.  He listens and remembers your deal and isn't afraid to give you strong advice
4.  When you tell him "Oh I'd like you to cut my hair like this or color it this color" he says "no" and then moves on to tell you a story about his bitchy relative and does what he likes.
3.  He looks more crestfallen than you do when you tell him something bad that happens to you.
2.  He calls flamboyant gays "fruity loopys".
1.  When he sends you out the door not only does your hair look great but your self esteem soars and you feel like a princess....now when has any other man done that for you???

Bow Ties – Latest Cool Trend for Men!

Okay, I'm going to admit it up front – I don't think this is true about bow ties being the latest cool fashion trend for today's men. I always figure contradictory statements drive more traffic. I personally think bow ties are cool just by their virtue of being somewhat un-cool, unless of course you are attending a black tie event and sporting it with a tux. I began wearing bow ties some years ago. I suppose it began for me as a fun statement, bucking the established convention of  fashion. Bow ties, when worn as casual dress are still largely considered the mark of a poindexter, a nerd first-class, an intellectual misfit or academic outlier. Although, Harrison Ford wore it  well in the Indiana Jones movies. I think I also possess a good measure of nerd, intellectual and socially awkward attributes to pull off the look. Heck, I even have a scar under my lip, the same as Ford. And coincidentally, both sustained by the same means - smashing our face into a steering wheel while crashing our car during our teen years.

A bow tie should never be a clip-on type (unless you are a child). Part of the whole bow tie experience is learning the art of tying the perfect bow – symmetrical and balanced. I always think that a bow tie looks equally cool when undone, taking on a new role and providing an altogether bold and spunky appearance. This of course happens at a later point in the evening after dinner is done, lights are low the drink bill is high. This is the point in the evening when most other men are loosening their traditional neck ties, opening their collars and in rare cases, wearing them as headbands (if they are excessively-tanked). It is at this time where I undo the bow, allowing the ends of the tie to dangle freely, providing that gritty look that Bond might convey after a good night at the tables in Monte, or maybe after a good chase across the tile rooftops of Istanbul and the Grand Bazaar.  At the same time, it's important to make the clear statement…this is not a clip-on bow… "yes, I tied it myself".

I'm going to leave for Haiti in a few days on a short-term service trip. I was asked to deliver a personal message and testimony to a congregation of about 400 or more. The Haitian tradition dictates that the nationals wear their very best while attending church. Out of respect for the people and culture, our team too, will wear much dressier attire than we normally would for our own church services at home in the U.S.. Our team leader also suggested that we might want to think of a way whereby we would be easily identified from one another by the people – something that would clearly set us apart as unique from the others in our group. He told us to think of something we will be remembered by, even on subsequent visits to the country.

To my Haitian hosts, I hope to be the one fondly remembered as, "The man with the bow tie". I must find out how that translates to French Creole. I bet it sounds very cool.

I'm On a Roll...Let's Talk Tamales!

So, this is one of those evenings where there is no planned dinner to speak of. These occasions are actually rare in my household, but they do occur about once a month, usually due to scheduling situations that force a late lunch for my wife. This results in a fast food alternative for her and kids, which leaves me hanging, as I come in later from a commute from the city. This simply means that I need fend for myself, whether it involves opening a can of soup, snacking on hummus and pita chips, or just noshing on an eclectic sample of food item stores available in the various fridge compartments.

Sometimes I can get very creative, but tonight I just wanted something quick, satisfying and relatively healthy. It suddenly struck me that I had a few dozen tamales in the freezer…perfect! When I say tamales, I'm not talking about those over-processed, salty, paper-bound junk food items that are a side item that you find at a Chicago-style hot dog joint. These are the real deal! My mom being Mexican does it right, the Mexican way…

And as any good Mexican will tell you, tamales are done around the holidays, are mass-produced and can be a family social event as several dozen can be prepared, with varying ingredients from pork, beef, cheese, chili peppers or any combination thereof. A real Mexican tamale is made from yellow or white corn masa, rolled in a corn husk and bound with a string of husk. They are generally grouped in half-dozen packages and given to family and friends as gifts.

Every year my Mom and Dad prepare several dozen and bring these gifts to our home at Christmas time. And every year I count on at least one of my brothers forgetting his dozen and leaving me with additional inventory. The rule is to always steam them – never microwave, as this dries them out. I love them and can easily make a meal by adding some salsa, sour cream, an avocado and some beans on the side. This is my dinner tonight. I realize my parents only have so many tamale-producing times left, so I must learn the art, keep up the tradition and keep rolling on…

Key to Keeping New Year's Resolutions is Ending the Old Year Strong

I'm feeling very confident about this new year. Generally, the beginning of each new year brings many of the same resolutions: recommitment to exercise and nutrition regimens, setting new career goals, renewing spiritual focus and commitments to faith and working on developing family and friend relationships. I might also add, learning some new things, reading more, watching less television and spending less money, while finding contentment in where I am, rather than in what I have.

This year I feel as though I've got a head start on many of these goals. I think this is due to the fact that I made an effort, beginning in mid-December, to launch some new behaviors and disciplines with the hope of building enough momentum to carry into 2012. What usually happens at the end of the year, when I have nearly 3 weeks at home, away from the office. I tend to get into a nesting mode where I watch a lot of television, eat and drink more indulgently and take a break from my regular exercise routines. This was not the case this year.

The end of 2011 had me finish reading through the entire Bible again (both Testaments), going to the local gym every other day (if there was any measurable snowfall, I would've been cross-country skiing the nearby woods on alternate days), learning the French Creole language through a wonderful (and free!) download that a company called Byki makes available. Incidentally, I have learned nearly 60 words or phrases in the language at the time of this writing. This is in preparation for an upcoming mission trip to Haiti in a few weeks. To also prepare for this trip, I've gone to the public library and checked out some books on the turbulent history, culture and geography of Haiti. I also checked out a new video documentary. I will no-doubt return from this adventure with a renewed appreciation for the many multiple blessings this country affords and are easily taken for granted.

I have also been working on a freelance copywriting service to hopefully help supplement my current income. This is also a means for me to get some fulfillment as a wordsmith, something that I very much enjoy. I have purchased the website domain and I'm currently working on the copy. A coworker friend has designed a beautiful logo for me and I am finalizing some of the details - business cards, portfolio samples and layout stuff. I hope to launch this initiative by March. I'm keeping my expectations moderate, in terms of a lucratively rewarding venture. If I can have a little fun, make some money and build some new connections and friendships, which would be good enough for a start. Oh, and I still have an award winning screenplay, Martin Eden, that I am still pimping out for representation and hopefully an option one day.

I figured if I put some of this out in writing that I might be more inclined to keep up my momentum. It's all about growing, learning, fulfilling, relating and giving back. Oh, and one other thing I need to keep up on…I must continue blogging…