Amtrak Online Reservations

So I am planning on doing some travel here soon. Well, soon the way I plan things. Took a quick look at travelocity and have a general idea of how much a plane ticket is going to run. But there are other ways of getting around the country, especially if you aren't in a big hurry and want the travel to be as much of the trip as the destination.

My choices from conventional choices are highway, bus or train. If I had a lot of time hiking might be an option, and hitch hiking if I had a death wish. Actually thats not quite right, because it seemed that hitch hiking in Hawaii was fairly common.

Something I have only experienced as a subway or roller coaster would be rail. Rail looks like it would be a lot of fun. So put amtrack into the browser address box and off I go from Google. NB, Firefox does good at that, "moviemovie" takes me right to their voting page.

Fern

St. Augustine College

This is the only college in the Raleigh / Durham area that offers a degree in film production.

NC Gay / Lesbian Film Festival

I'm really looking forward to the 14th film festival getting started today. I am again hosting an artist, this year it is director Branden Blinn. He created the absolutely awesome short film Thirteen or So Minutes. His film Chased is being shown at this years festival, and if past is any indicator it too will be great.

There is an opening stage performance tonight with Del Shores, creator of Sordid Lives, the movie and series about white texas trash. Joining him will be Run McClanahan who most know as Blanch on Golden Girls, and Caroline Rhea who played Noletta in the series.

The Saturday night feature film will be Make The Yuletide Gay by director Rob Williams. Rob has always been a fave at our festivals, and Yuletide marks the best movie yet. It makes a great date movie which mixes romance and some strife with a happy ending. (Good date movies always have a happy ending!

Redwoods has sold out of one showing, probably because Brandan Bradley will be on stage for the show. He is just gorgeous, and local to the triangle too!

Some feature films I'd like to see again if time and tickets allow are The Art of Being Straight, Patrik Age 1.5, and practically all the shorts. Some of the films I want to see that didn't get a chance to screen are Chicos Angels, starring the Salsa Chic latina, Mr. Right because I liked the poster, Chefs Special because everyone else liked it, and Drool cuz everyone needs to watch at least one womens film.

It's going to be a fun weekend, even with all the work I'll be doing there. It's rewarding, and the gathering on Saturday at the irish pub after the last show is seated is great. Plus my own ta da moment when I introduce films in front of an audience of gay men is a rush!

See you at the movies!

Joanie Loves Chachi - at 3800 Feet

Was climbing a trail, and found this park bench at its peak at around 3,800 feet. This is be where the local kids go to proclaim their 4EVER love.

Southern

This mural is of an engine with Southern emblazoned, but I'm not sure which one it means. Norfolk Southern maybe... (where is Gail when I need her?) Taken somewhere along US-70

Tony Toy

What is this toy? A co-worker (who has never been to K) has this on his desk. It looks like a top with its spinning base, but it just falls over and doesn't even come close to working. It's heavy plastic so it was never a box insert. If you know, let me know.

Jet Plane Signs

I come across those little signs on top of the post all up and down the Tennessee highways. The first few times I saw it, there was a smaller sign just underneath that said "Airport". So, without looking I associated the top sign with planes.

Okay, so now try looking cross-eyed at that sign for a moment....

Does it look like it might be a puffed chested Pan Am plane as it is in flight over a city as its going to the right? The tail is sorta the nose of the plane? The body and beak are the right-side wing? Okay, fine! It's what I see, anyway.

Tipping the Scales

Logged into my gym and pulled a weight chart for the past year. Since quitting smoking of tobacco 3 years ago my weight has tended upwards, exactly what this skinny boy needs. When I get a chance I'll put up the body fat chart showing 13% or less recently, plus my blood pressure coming down.

It's great being big and strong and healthy!

Jomo Lager

It's a good beer. Great cold but with the right heaviness for a dark beer.

Cleaning Day

It's cleaning day today and the focus is on wet stuff. Washing sheets, shower curtains, scrub brush the kitchen floor and all of the bathroom with lots of suds.

Happy Birthday America!

King Automotive

For any automotive doohickey or Thing...
make sure you only get it from King...

Tin Man from the mountains

This is a tin man I met on the way into the mountains. He didn't mention anything about trolls or gremlins ahead...

Queens Parking

Queens parking is out back...this us where the Fun People Shop!

Appalachian Trail

This was out in the western part of the state and up into Tennesee. While driving on the way back we saw a sign that said "trail" and so we hit the brakes. If I had continued to follow Guinan on this trail, we would have ended up into Maine and we could also head south from here, down into Georgia. Now that is a long walk!

Liberated Gardenia

I liberated this gardenia from the other house last year. It was almost dead and only 1 real branch, and now I think she likes the sun.

Real Reel

Saturday Matinee time!

1932 Roadside Diner

This is along US-70, somewhere between Durham and Statesville. As always click image for a bigger version and to see the inset of the interior.

Grilled Apples

Today is my first time grilling steaks on the new charcoal grill. I'm going to have some yellow squash from the garden plus tomatoes from the farmers market. I looked around the kitchen to see what could grill with the steaks and I spotted the fruit dish. What follows is how I fixed some granny smith apples using the grill. I'm writing this as I invent this dish, good or bad :)


Ingredients:
- Granny smith apples
- citric wash (1 tbsp of lemon, lime, etc juice in water)
- Oil, corn or other vegetable
- Honey or sugar
- Salt
- Pinch of cinnamon

Peel and core, slice into rings and put the apples into the citric wash. Why the citric wash? The acid in the juice will keep the apples from turning an ugly brown. Just a teaspoon to a couple cups water will leave no taste in the apples, adjust up for more lemon or lime flavor. Tip: Peel the apple, dunk in wash, core, dunk, slice, dunk. Apples: You should try granny smiths, because they will hold together under handling.

Marinate in oil and honey or sugar. So here is my logic for the oil, probably false. It will allow the apples to come to a very high temperature without burning too fast. And the honey will carmeliz along with some apple. I love carmelization, the browning of sugar with high heat, its like the absolute best sweet flavor in the world when you do it on the grill. In hindsight next time I'm going to marinate longer in the wash and skip or seriously reduce the oil.


Sprinkle a bit of salt on the apples and Grill. 2-4 minutes per side but make sure a good sear happens in the first side.

I ate about half the dish, then thought I'd try some cinnamon. Both ways were good.


PS: Carol gave me the idea to blog this after posting her recipe. Sans green peppers :)

Killians of Conover

Pictured is the business of Killians. Way back when, there was a hardware store next door, and that eventually turned into...something, tire dealer I think. Supposedly one brother or another got it, and the other got this place. And even if I am on a first name basis with the Craters of Conover, I still don't know.

Anyway, it makes for an interesting picture to me. Dad refuses to do any business whatsoever with the Killians. He says they lied to him and he won't even stop to take a closer look at the plane up top or the train engine. I seem to remember this, vaguely...

I'm a Pepper Shirt

Okay, is this shirt a shade of red, or is it pink? What do you think?



Here it is closer. I wore this shirt to my sisters husbands memorial weekend cookout. I like the shirt, it has a message that comes across loud and clear. Don'cha think?

Mountains

Here is a collection of pictures from my excursion into the mountains.

A pleasant looking valley...


Started with the first trail that I followed into the mountain forest...

Mountain Stream...

Dark Skies...

And even darker skies...

This is why they are called the Smokies....it looks like smoke billowing out from the trees


Townies...

I was told the rhododendrums were in bloom...

Memorial Cookout

It was Memorial Day, the beginning of summer, and the start of many cookouts. Rick has a cookout each year, and it looks like it just keeps getting bigger. I've posted pictures from the day complete with horseshoes and kids, dog and food over at flickr. It was a nice relaxing day, just what I needed to get away from it all for awhile.


I don't have a picture of me in any of them, that being the curse of the photographer. I was wearing a Dr. Pepper shirt that said in big ol' letters across my chest "I'm A Pepper." Now I thought the shirt was red, but mom tells me it was pink. She gets confused about things sometimes, and I aint so great with colors, so who knows? And anyway I've come to decide that I like or don't like a color based on what I see, not by the name it goes by.

The real eventfor me was finally meeting my brothers son. He is only 4 years old and already I can see a kindred spirit. I think I just might watch out for that boy, make sure he grows up to all he can be.



Just before the food was served, the girls joined in the Space Room to chat...



That was the start to me memorial day weekend. There's lots more that happened, such as being enroute into Maine, and the tin mans brother from Oz. Just keep watching here for the next few weeks.

Red Roof Inns

Kinda like them, but the rooms could do with a bit more of the indirect lights. But that might be from the handicap rooms I get, with their bigger bathrooms I can use for the puppy. They really could use a lamp with a shade next to the bed, though. Even handicapped people like lamps.

This one here in Johnson City is the third Red Roof Inn I've stayed in the past year. Twice now at the Hickory one, and a really crappy one in Roanoke.

14th NC Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

Announcing the 14th Annual North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, presented for you by the Carolina Theatre in downtown Durham, NC, August 13-16, 2009.

Every year the film festival brings to the Southeast's premiere festival the best, brightest, most diverse and truly entertaining films devoted to the LGBTIQQA community. Every year the festival continues to break records in attracting the best films, and ever increasing numbers of audience attendance.

Visit the Carolina Theatre festivals web site to explore the titles for this year Best Ever Film Festival at http://festivals. carolinatheatre. org/ncglff/ today!

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Okay, so this is not official anything. Some of the films I've screened so far are good, but theres no telling what will actually show. Fairly certain to get a showing is Make The Yuletide Gay with local fave Rob Williams directing. Then we get together tomorrow night to discuss what we'd like to keep and what to jetison, and I personally have enjoyed watching the shorts Thirteen or so Minutes; The Golden Pin; and Babysitting Andy. The only feature I like of those I've seen (still many to go, tho) is The New Twenty.

You Came to Mind Recently ....

Just a little bit ago, I was talking with a co-worker about some problem or another and some management decision that we could expect to be seeing soon. You know, the usual stuff.

Then he mentioned he watched a food show the other day and it reminded him of me. I like to cook and experiment, so it seemed natural. Food, me, okay. But that's not where I came to mind.

He was explaining about some chef on a show who goes out and tries various types of foods. Exotic meats and veggies and just plain odd foods to the typical westerner. Things like monkey eyes. I asked "Monkey brains too" and oh yes, that too. Like I said, I like to experiment with food, and try pretty much any food at least once, so that must be when he thought of me. Nope, not yet.

He continues to tell me about the show. This episode had the chef visiting Costa Rica, going well into the non-civilized part of the country. Came to mind because of my stance on hispanics in the U.S.? Nope, not that either.

So the chef is dragged into the middle of some cave, slogged through mud and grime and wet and uncomfortable and just plum tuckered out. So he goes to sit down and rest for a moment. The guide grabs him before he can sit down and tells him, "No, there are parasites all around here. They are anal seeking parasites. You do not want to get them in you."

And THAT is when I popped into his head.

But on a positive note, Ms. California, whose religion makes her not approve of gay marriage, has photos floating around on the internet of her flinging her titties for the camera!

Found It

Today was a very busy day. Went bike riding, walked the pup down to the store for treats, and watched the softball game. I think I'll root for the Flamez, since the Riders had a not so nice dog with them.

And, I found the right path, in this picture.

Apple Fan

And the bumper sticker said Los Angeles

Train Trail

You know I love following trails, will hit lots this summer with a tent. But a trail doesn't always have to be through the woods in state parks. In this case, it's was the railroad tracks with my whistle.

Spur line where I entered...



Bridge to go down to the greenway...

Blooms

The azaleus are in full bloom right now, and they are beautiful. I wish they would look like this all summer long....

Fairy's Homes

This is why I've always believed that my birthplace is a land full of fairy and elves and lots of magical creatures. Fairy-tale homes of Los Angeles.

Auto Repair by Jesus

This is the pronunciation I've been using for Jesus for many years now, too.

Superman

Found in the back storeroom of Father & Sons antique store

Triangle Gay Mens Chorus

Went to see the Triangle Gay Mens Chorus perform in their annual fundraiser on Saturday.



It was a very good concert, and I was surprised by the number of men that I knew in the chorus.



I was also amazed by the Doris Duke Center, it is a beautiful building:

Shoes

At the Paws For Cause store in Zebulon. The thrift shop is owned by a lesbian, too.