PrivateTim

Metropolitan Community Church, groups at The Center in NYC and just about any coffee house (especially Joe, McNulty's, Angelique, Mojo and Starbucks) in Greenwich Village. You don't even necessarily believe in God to go to the MCC, but it is a good social environment. Here are other churches/temples in NYC. I'd also look into the GLB clubs at NYU, CUNY , Columbia and the rest of the universities in NYC. Being a student isn't a requirement for any of these clubs usually. PS Grindr, so 2010, Jack'd is where it is at.......

Will didn't keep him at an arms length. When they hung out, something Will was looking forward to, there was an awkwardness and from the one sentence about their time we don't really know the cause of the awkwardness. And yes, it was Lark I was thinking of, but couldn't come up with his name.

It can be depending on the club because you have gay scene mashing with the entertainment and modeling world and sometimes get the worst of both worlds. I think the Abbey is as snobby and pretentious and image obsessed as the media makes it out to be and then some, but spots like The Mother Lode is where guys who just want ice cold beer, a game of pool and some conversation and no attitude go. For even less attitude you go to Silverlake (an area, not a club).

We have no idea how long Will will stay at Menlo, nor where Ryan might wind up..... if his mother remarried Nor do we know where Ryan might wind up for college or hell..... we don't even know where he might be by the end of this story or in the next that only moves ahead a number of months.

There aren't any 18+ clubs where you live Matt? I was a senior in high school and it wasn't well known I was swinging from both sides of the plate. Another swimmer/water polo player I knew from a rival school (and knew like Adam knew Steve) invited me to Axis Nightclub in West Hollywood on a Thursday night during Spring Break since Thursdays was an 18+ club called Varsity (how appropriate for Blake and I). We parked and walked to the club. As we got to the outside you could hear the music thumping through the walls and actually shaking them. They were corrugated metal like old Army buildings and in fact it had been a bomb factory during WWII. There was a line and I was nervous as hell since I had no idea what to expect. We showed our IDs, but didn't get the cool, "hey I'm 21" wrist bands, just the bare wrists with a stamp that marked us as "kids". Walking upstairs the music got louder (of course) and my anxiety soared. The first room was a bar and pool table, but Blake the veteran kept on walking through to one of the two opening where the music was coming from. We stepped through the door and my life was never the same. Here in front of me were probably 400 men from 18-28, half or more were shirtless, sweating and gyrating to "Another Night" by Real McCoy. It wasn't just the fact that there were more gay guys than I'd ever seen in my life, more than I believed existed in Southern California, but the fact they all looked completely "normal" and completely happy. It was the first time it ever occurred to me that I could actually be happy as a guy who liked guys. It was the first time I thought, "I can do this". Now obviously Matt you've had the chance to grow up in a slightly different time, a bit more progressive and were dating openly (I think you and Camy were open) in high school so the club may not impact you the same way, but for me it was a turning point. I always enjoyed clubbing in WeHo and San Francisco, but never got into the "club scene" and even though I raved, would never have called myself a raver especially since I still wore my beachy attire whether it was a rave, club or whatever. I just liked dancing and still do. I wasn't much of a drinker ever so I drove a lot and don't have any cool stories about throwing up on people or waking up in strange beds and places that seemed to accentuate the club experience of so many of my friends. It also kept me alive. I have a lot of sad stories about dead friends that are the dark underbelly of the gay scene and club scene and all that the "club scene" implies. I dunno, maybe the clubs in Philly and NYC are different, but when I've been back there and visited them, they all seem the same, ditto for Dallas, Atlanta, Vegas, etc. Different cities, same scene. Hopefully you are going with Camy, but don't be afraid to flirt and enjoy yourself, ain't no harm in teasing the boys.

I love the Rocking R. It is one of my favorite brands. But my all time favorite brand is the John B. Kendrick Cattle Co.

Anders-Hayes would NOT have a pension plan (defined benefit). they would have a 401k plan (defined contribution) and that would be run by a Vanguard, FIdelity, etc. Very few companies have defined benefit programs unless they are unionized and there are far fewer union companies out there. Hollywood is unionized, but not the production companies like Anders-Hayes. Brad and Stef ARE responsibly exercising their duties as directors, they have Robbie in charge and they've done well by him. Even if they had Robbie in charge and the company tanked, an employee could not sue just because the company went under. Companies fail. Being incompetant is not actionable, fraud is. If Brad and Stef decided to pitch their shares to Wendy Finerman or Jon Felthheimer, there is no gurantee either would fire Robbie, it would just diminish his autonomy. It certainly wouldn't be actionableby by the employees.

While technically there isn't a legal difference in private and public companies, there is a huge difference in how it is enforced. The only person who could complain about benign neglect by Stef and Brad is the only other shareholder, Robbie. And what is the basis of his complaint? They left me in charge and I'm an idiot? Even if someone tried to make such an argument, neglect isn't the same as willfully making poor choices. Then given that the company has been performing okay against relative benchmarks there just isn't much there there. Brad and Stef are not motivated to sell, they are threatening to sell to someone, anyone, besides Robbie in order to shake up Robbie. Whether or not when push came to shove they would is another topic. We'll see how this episode intrudes into Robbie's psyche and makes him see the big picture of losing a kid, losing your partner, losing your family and losing your company.

All interesting stuff Westie, but isn't the same as a public company. You don't have the same leverage in making an unsoliscitated bid. And since it is a family business fiduciary responsibilities are entirely different than they would be in a public company. Even at that boards are seldom called to account except in cases of outright criminal fraud. I don't think we've seen the last of Ryan. In fact I can see a point where Ryan would reach out to Will because of a crisis in his life involving his parents or girlfriend. I mean he is tight with his GF now, but how long does a freshman romanca last? Especially so when they move to the "big school" next year. The upper classmen are on the new arrivals from the Lower Campus like stink on doo doo every fall and Ryan might find himself on the outs..... or he could get a new step daddy or mama that upsets the apple cart.... or what ever, I just don't think we've seen the last of Ryan and I hope not Alistair either. They are two of the more interesting characters and friends of Will that could pop up in the same sense that Brad's sufer dewd friend did (but hopefully in better circumstances).

It is always such a pleasure to open GA and see a new Paternity chapter. Sometimes I click on GA two or three times a day and more often than not I am disappointed, which makes the arrival of a new chapter that much more pleasurable. Kind of like "edging with literature". I don't find Stef's giving Will half his Anders-Hayes a big deal. As a percent of his portfolio it is certainly small bananas and when you are ungodly rich you can make dramatic, expensive gestures just because you can. Dang, where is Jeff Gillooly when you really need him? In my current frame of mind I am thinking JJ and Robbie having breakfast at Windows on the World with Tony as a waiter could end several irritants for me, but that is too easy. Maybe better would be having Will have a breakfast scheduled there that he misses, but no one knows that for several hours. Tragedy can clearly focus the mind on what is really important. But I really don't want the Robbie/Brad/Will drama to run for another 11 months and I don't think it will. I think this meeting opened the eyes of several people. Tony is being Tony and I hope Will relegates him to good FB status and moves on. I am really hoping we can find out more about Noah in the next Will chapter and maybe a little Alistair too. I think Alistair is too strong willed and independent to let JJ's whinings sway him.

Robbie, like everybody else, is the sum of his experiences. What he went through with his mother, Neil, Carter and Brad all have roles, but so did his time at Princeton, his job in Hollywood, the general zeitgeist of the industry, what he has gone through with his kids.... they all make up who he is. On balance Stef has been pretty darn good to him personally and professionally. Robbie's character is a bit overboard right now, but he'll come around. Maybe his assistant quitting to go to work for Harvey Weinstein (that is a funnier comment than you know) because she was so appalled that Will was banned from the building would cause the nickel to drop.

Really liked the chapter a lot. I do think that Robbie's character is a bit over done, I think he'd have figured out by now that he has done fucked up, since that is his plodding way, but the drama and tension makes good reading. Even Shakespeare went overboard with his characters sometimes to make a point emphatic, so I figure if Bill can do it, so can Mark. Love Nana's untainted view as well. That is what Robbie should ponder the most, the view from someone outside the family. Happy New Year dewd, thanks for the chapter.

Geeze, I'm starting to hope Robbie is NYC in Sept 2011. And intercourse Granger.... he died 150 years ago, he can wait...... the Crampton Hayes Schulters Danfields are still with us and much more interesting! Happy New Year Mark!

There have been too many replies and too many details to respond to each one, so here is the gist for me. I don't expect Will to say no to sex, although in 2000, a lot more young gays were willing to wait for a variety of reasons, AIDS being one, the chances to be more open about being gay and in a relationship for another and a few more factors. But I do expect some men to say no to Will and mostly due to his age because that is realistic and realism is something that Mark goes to great lengths to create. Some men might say no because Will isn't their type, but someone who found Will completely hot and still said no because of his age would add more realism, more drama and a chance to explore Will's many moods and psyche. There are gay men who would turn Will down because he is young. There is another whole element that would seek him out because he is young. At a gay club few people think about the guy you are hitting on being underage because in theory everyone is 21+ or at least 18+ in 18 and over clubs like Tiger Heat and Rage. But when I first started going out in LA, Arena was an all ages club. You'd see 13 and 14 year old boys in there. I had friends (on both sides of 18) who came away much worse for the experiences they had that started at Arena. Eventually there were enough problems that someone (LAPD? LADA?) told Arena it was a bad idea to allow under 18 people to mix with adults and alcohol and they changed the policy to 18+. Of course kids sneak in with fake ID's, but a JJ or Alistair would never get in. I agree with the comment, I think it was MJ, that without the realistic "no" to Will once in a while we descend towards Niftyism

You keep missing the point. It isn't that someone should go to jail or a trial, it is that someone should say no. It would add a whole new mind blowing dimension to Will's world that someone would have the intelligence/moral fiber to say no.

Christmas Eve is Mexican. Christmas tamales, enchiladas, carne asada, carnitas, pollo asado, rice & beans, Caesar salad and corn and flour tortillas, Noche Buena cerveza. Christmas Day is prime rib au jus with Yorkshire pudding, roast goose with apple/sage/oyster dressing, red potatoes, slivered almond green beans, sweet & sour cabbage, tomato Caprese salad, bread pudding, figgy pudding, and ice cream.

"Well he looked 18" isn't an affirmative defense.

On a different topic, why does no one over 18 (now Paulo) say no to Will, a 14 year old, when it comes to sex? I had a friend who when he was 15, only liked guys in their mid to late 20's (especially Asain, especially Japanese). Nine out ten, maybee ninteen out of twenty, would turn him down flat. Even though they knew he was gay, he knew his gay, his mother was pretty accepting of his choices and all that, they still had enough fear of the law in LA & CA that most would not go there. This friend (Esteban we will call him) was also one of the ones who was dating a guy who so in the closet that despite the fact they had been dating for close to a year, he would never introduce Esteban to his family and said flat out he never intended to. The BF was Chinese and said he'd never "shame his family" like that. Only the fact that Esteban was heading off to college broke up the relationship. The Chinese guy, a 27 or 28 year old in the financial world was one of that "one in twenty" that said yes to dating a youngster. I think he found a young guy, who was totally into him, less threatening than another 20 something and someone he could control and manipulate more.

I think there is a very fine distinction I am trying to point out in my views of Tony and as with everyone, my view of Tony is shaped by my life experience. I also understand that not everyone has the same life experiences so they are going to view Tony, the world, everything, through their own filters. But here is the distinction. There are not only two extremes, out and proud or closeted and banging chicks as cover. I had a lot of friends who were gay, knew they were gay, but couldn't or wouldn't be out for a variety of reasons. But because they were in the closest, and some for a variety of very legitimate reasons, didn't mean they had to pretend to be straight and keep their gay friends out of sight and only see them behind closed doors. They just didn't behave in such a way as to call attention to themselves. I knew I liked guys in junior high and high school, but because I was a wrestler and water polo player, two very close contact, physical sports where you inevitably come into contact with others nasty bits, being open about it wasn't an option. I did, and do, like girls/women as well (but the whole bi-sexual topic is another discussion for another day) but I never kept my gay friends, or hook-ups at an arms length and I never pretended to be so straight that I said disparaging things about gays and never avoided contact with the guys I knew, and everyone else knew, were gay. I never really struggled with who I was. Tony I see differently. He's moved a little from the self loathing of his first encounter with Will. I've known and been with guys like him. As soon as climax is achieved, some how you are at fault for corrupting the guy, he didn't want to do it, you just tricked/seduced, etc to get him into bed. He didn't really want to do it (despite the fact he practically tore you clothes off and muttered sweet nothings while still in the throes of passion). So I think Tony has moved off that stage of the closeted gay male onto stage two, the one where you acknowledge you like it, but want to do it on the down low and usually with late night encounters. When Matt and I first started dating he'd get phone calls on his cell at midnight or 1AM from his "straight" fireman, policeman or candlestick maker looking for a hook-up. We'd laugh and Matt would tell them he was off the market and they'd move on to the next number in their cell phone. That is where I see Tony for now, stuck in that stage. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't, but that is the lenseI view him through.

Merry Christmas Mark, thanks for the chapter. Looking forward to the Noah chapter, Tuesday with Ryan and what is next with Alistair. I like it when Will has age appropriate encounters

Well I signed in with the intent of starting a "Thank You Mister Arbour, Wherever You Are" (ala Jimmy Durante) topic, but saw this topic, so this is as good a place as any. Thank you Mark from the bottom of my heart for your tireless efforts at your craft. Your body of work is impressive by any standard and I wish a much larger audience was available to appreciate it. Have a very Merry Christmas. Hugs and kisses, Timmy

It isn't about being judgmental about Tony if he decides to be in the closet, it is being judgmental about wanting to have your cake and eat it too. If the extent of your gayness is getting it on behind closed doors with guys you find hot and then only late at night after you've gotten your straight groove on, it is wrong. It is doubly wrong with someone you know likes you a lot and is maybe hoping one day you'll come around. I've seen a lot of great guys get strung along by these kind of guys, sometimes for years and even AFTER the guy has married a woman. A couple of friends of mine in particular went through this, passing up a lot of guys they could have been happy with. In one tragic case, my friend eventually swallowed a mess of pills and whiskey to end the pain of seven years of this kind of relation. Yes, he was responsible for his own actions, but the guy who was stringing him along certainly saw all the damage he was doing and didn't care, he was all about his own pleasure. I see Tony through this jaundiced lense.

Actually I think it shows what a total wimp Robbie is. When JJ whines to him about Will being at a FAMILY party, not the Saturday friends party, it is time to start attitude adjustment with JJ and start telling him about the dark, lonely future he is setting up for himself with his diva attitude.

I really hope ANYTHING besides Tony works out for Will. More and more he is showing signs of the classic closet case, go out with the girlfriend until 11PM then head over to your FB's house to get your gay on. Even if Tony has a legit reason for not being available until 11PM, I still think he and Will are light years apart in their sexual identity maturity. Noah may not be certain where he is yet, but that would be normal for a 16 year old, less so for a college freshman, especially one with his background.

Wow, Will has a second possible age appropriate sexual enounter possible! I don't like that Robbie & Brad let JJ dictate that Will couldn't go to the Friday dinner. I kind of get the Saturday party (but not really given that they are in the same class at the same school), but Friday night is family and even though it is JJ's birthday that doesn't mean he gets to decide who is invited. What if he didn't want Brad there? Stef? More bad parenting from my way of thinking. Children need and want direction and more and more studies are showing that and more and more courts are recognizing the inability of children to made good decisions as mitigating circumstances.