methodwriter85

Okay, so to take things back to a light-hearted tone...check out these Los Angeles dudes talk about dating in Los Angeles: I'm not sure how accurate this is, but watching it kind of made me miss the simplicity of the white wifebeater on guys. It seems like it's all funky patterns and graphics now.

No, Satchel Farrow changed his name to Ronan.

It's kind of what Tiffany said to Will when he wondered why it's such a big deal being gay in figure skating when they were at the junior Grand Prix in Norway in November 2000: "No, it's being OPENLY gay." It's been rumored for a very long time, and with lots of anecdotal evidence backing it up, that Troy Aikman is gay or at least bi, that he's been seen quite often around the gay Dallas neighborhood, and that his former marriage that pronounced no kids was just a sham. We can have Zack be gay and have very closeted relationships. We just can't have Zach being OPENLY gay, not if he's still trying to head to the NFL teams. There's artistic license and then there's just things that flat out contradict the time period, which is this case, is still technically period until the next NFL season starts. As for Will and Zach having a monogamous relationship...I don't know. What hallmarks of a committed relationship can they really have? They can't live together- it'd be suspicious as hell for Zach to have Will live with him being that Will's a trust fund kid...it's not like you could wave him off as a personal assistant. Will in general is pretty damn high profile, and high-profile as a openly gay rich guy who looks like a 19-year old Abercrombie and Fitch model- it's not like Will can sufficiently fade into the background. Will seems like a guy who'd want to have kids by his mid-20's, but that would be impossible for Will and Zach to pull off and still stay in the closet. And don't forget- we're now heading into the era of social media, camera phones, which means they've got to be even more careful. If Zach gets himself consistently photographed around Will, a gorgeous openly gay guy from a very rich family but who doesn't seem to have any kind of boyfriend...bloggers are going to start to wonder, and tongues are going to wag. As Barry said, if they're not seen dating other people, it's going to make people wonder. Will probably would have to get a "beard" boyfriend at some point, but that seems like something where I can see Will eventually developing feelings for the guy, since it's not a beard in the traditional sense.

It's pretty sad when you think that of all the gay rights advancements in the 2000's that occurred, this is one that didn't move forward at all in that decade, and it took until the mid-part of the next one to see any kind of forward advancement. Will and Zach, unless Zach decides to give up his dream of being an NFL player, can't really have any kind of happy ending until at least 2014 in CAP World. And if Zach did give that up to be with Will, I can't see where that wouldn't evolve into bitter and angry resentment on his part. It's a completely doomed relationship, and everybody knows it, but they're just trying to enjoy it while they can.

Steve's girlfriend posted on Facebook tonight saying that today was the six-month anniversary of his passing. It's pretty weird- I didn't even think about that at all today. I just went about today like it was any other day- I spent the evening working on my case statement. I didn't think about Steve for any concentrated period at all. The grieving process is a weird, uneven thing. Right now, I feel oddly calm and accepting about it. Every couple of weeks or so, I get a flare up and it gets pretty bad- I had a bad case of it I believe in April, but it's not an every day, every week thing anymore. I just don't feel like the same guy I was before it happened, and I'm getting used to the new version of me more. I feel a little more serious, a little less like a bouncy kid, and a little more willing to accept the fact that I'm not 23-year old rager lovin' Jerms anymore, and be okay with that. I'm starting to get used to the fact that I can't call up Steve anymore...even though I still haven't brought myself to delete his number from my phone. I don't know if I ever will. Since I don't have him to call me out on my bullshit now, I kind of have to do it myself and try and cut it out myself. It's just crazy to think that life really does go on, even though he doesn't get to. His 28th birthday is coming up in early July, but he won't ever be older than 27. I'll turn 29 in six months, but I won't get to bitch with him on the phone about how much I hated that we were all going to be 30 so soon. The fact that I'm able to talk about him at all without sobbing hysterically drives home the point that time really has passed, and I've moved on, even with the occasional flare-ups. I feel like I've emerged, in some way, from the big haze that I was in during the winter when I was struggling with this. I've even accepted the fact that I'll have these flare-ups, and it'll be okay to have them- times when I feel absolutely lousy and pissed off and I can't do anything about it. Certain songs I can't listen to anymore without feeling my eyes tear-up, but that's okay as well. Part of me thinks that I should be a sobbing mess on the floor right now and feels guilty that I didn't even think of Steve until I read his girlfriend's post, but the other part of me has Steve's voice in my head going, "Remmy, stop being such a bitch. It's alright. Live your fucking life already. You'll see me when you see me." So yeah, it's alright. I'll see him when I see him, just like before, only instead of being measured in summers or in vacation breaks, it'll be in decades. (Hopefully, anyway.)

Right now I'm in the midst of this volunteer project I'm doing with the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. I'm basically writing a paper showing why this one site should get more funding, and I've been going down to Dover once a week to research in the archives. It's been a lot of fun, and it's great to dust off my old writing skills. The project deadline is June 15th and it should be relatively easy. The other thing that I've been a part of is helping the new president at the museum I've been volunteering with...she's trying to streamline the museum, and de-clutter the place, so I just spent 6 hours going through the place and figuring out things we can ditch to try and free up space in the upstairs where the collections are stored. She's also having the volunteers come up with ideas to try and get more visitors, so it's been pretty fun doing that. Our old president, god bless him, was a nice guy but didn't really let us do more than collections care or moving around exhibits. I just feel a pretty big sense of accomplishment right now.

Chapter 24 -At the club, when Josh is found out and Cam rails at Matt for stuff he did four years ago. "Days Go By" by Dirty Vegas I'm positive Blue shook his 18-year old bootie to this tune at a club in 2002.;-)

I gotta agree with you on the first bit, Tet. I mean, don't get me wrong- I have friends who totally want the surbuban life ideal. But a lot of people I know really want the urban lifestyle- lots of friends are moving into Philly, Baltimore, or other big cities, and more and more people are putting off having kids and the like. Hell, even Matt K even backed up the idea that more people are wanting to live in Downtown L.A., and Los Angeles is moving towards a more dense, urban-like development as opposed to its historic suburban development pattern: I'm guessing Matt K is from the Los Angeles area like Private Tim is...sounds like he knows what he's talking about. Yeah, I can see that for Philly. I really hope Comcast Tower II does a lot for the city and brings more tech jobs here. As for Wilmington, yeah. Gentrification is never going to happen here unless they get a handle on the violent crime. We have Trolley Square and that's about it for hot inner-city neighborhoods. It's gotten better but it's never going to become a happening town barring some miracle. It's at least better than Chester.

Come on, I can't be the only one who pictures Geoffrey as like a younger, cuter version of Carson Kressley: [meda] [/media]

I wonder if Will's going to be one of those guys who always look older than his age- like when he's 20, everyone will think he's about 25 or so. When he's 25, he'll look 30. That could be a nice contrast to Brad, who is 39 but apparently still looks 28 or so. Most of my friends who looked like full-grown men at 15 tend to stay older-looking because they were never boyish. Anyway, the bit where Geoffrey turns into a fanboy around JJ and JJ immediately likes him was hilarious. His '01 season ended relatively well after the disasters at Skate America and Skate Canada, so I imagine he's probably becoming pretty well-known among those who follow figure skating. As for Cam, it was interesting for him to vent at Matt for stuff that happened like four years ago. (CAP time.) That's high school for ya...those slights and hurts tend to reverabate way more than the stuff that happens to you in your 20's does. I can't see JJ with loud, flamboyant, in-your-face attention-getters like himself. I think he'd go for cool, refined, articulate guys, like Anderson Cooper or Nicholas Hoult.

Good points, Mark. I think I figured that because UD, at the time I went there, was only 18 percent Greek, and the Greeks that were on campus were pretty strictly regulated. There was no big, out-of-control frat scene complete with frat wars at UD in the late 2000's. We also had events like Walk A Mile in Her Shoes and I never picked up on some big msygonistic vibe there, as opposed to the vibes I've gotten from real party schools like Penn State. Which makes sense, because the school was about 60 percent female. But you're right- that's something I can't really know. In any event, it's a crazy story.

CollegeHumor put out this funny sketch that makes fun of the whole Millennial phenonmeon of 20-somethings who bitch about feeling old. I am SO guilty of this. [media] [media] The ones that really nailed it for me: "Did you know that Eminem is 41 years old?" "Blake Griffin is 25. I'm 26!" "I read on Buzzfeed that if Bart Simpson were a human, he'd be 37 years old." "Do you guys realize that we've been out of college almost as long as we were IN college?" "When I smile now, I have like, lines." "Kids born in 2000 are TEENAGERS now." Was this like something that has always been around, or is it just particular to my generation? Did 20-somethings in the 1970's bitch about the fact that Beach Blanket Bingo came out 15 years ago and that made them feel old?

Which seems to go hand in hand at party schools. UD's a semi-party school- absolutely nothing like UCSB, and thankfully sexual assault wasn't a huge problem on campus. It happened, but I wouldn't say it was an epidemic on campus. Of course, University of Delaware by the late 2000's was pretty strict on their fraternities. I know that back around 2003 or so, TKE got kicked off campus for a lot of bad stuff they did. My older sister said that there' a rumour that they raped a girl after roofying her, then left her at the train track, where she was ran over and died. I think there's a permanent ban on TKE at University of Delaware, so who knows? I think it's entirely possible. It's crazy when you look at that kid- this good-looking guy in a BMW who has clearly been handed every advantage in life, yet he was a raging sociopath with a deep-seated hatred for women. What a stark reminder to remember that the Boogeyman doesn't always look like it. I seriously don't get how women deal with all this msygonistic crap in society and guys like this- milder version, yes, but it seems like there's no short supply in guys who really do expect that women "owe" them sex because they dare to look pretty.

Holy shit. I know you don't go there anymore and it's unlikely you know people who still do, Blue, but I know I'd be shaken if someone had shot up the UD or IUP area. My condolences. Crazy world.

Well, to be fair, Los Angeles IS embarking on a high-rise building boom, just like most cities that are not D.C. It probably sees some benefits of Manhattanization. *Manhattanization is a term for cities that started to build denser, higher buildings, changing the apperance of the city in a significant way. It was perjorative term used by critics of the 1960's and 1970's highrises that were built in San Francisco. Yeah, but you're playing to live in San Francisco or New York City. That's the trade-off. I would totally be down for Austin, though. They're a cool city that still has afforable real estate. There is a trend towards living in the city as opposed to living in the suburbs. Not that suburbs are about to die off, but Millennials seems to prefer a nightlife and walkability as opposed to suburban living. That's probably why it seems like Los Angeles is doing what they can to revive their downtown and lure that 25-36 year old age group with shiny new high-rise condos. I do have friends that are doing the "house in the suburbs and 2.5 kids" deal, but probably not as many as it was for Sharon and Mark's Baby Boomer generation, back when you were expected to start families by age 25. And of course, suburban living was built on the idea of cheap gasoline, and these days...you do a leap of joy if you find that the gas is at $3.25 a galloon as opposed to $3.75 or so. Damn, you think that Philly might actually get 2 million people again? I can't see that happening. I think that Philly might eventually be able to stabilize at a 1.6 population, possibly even get back up to 1,700,000. Right now it's about 1,553,000. The 2013 growth slowed a bit from 2011 and 2012, but at least it's not a decline. I do think Philly's better off than Pittsburgh, which is actually pretty nice but people are still leaving that area in droves. You're way more optimistic than I am, but I like it. Philadelphia needs people to stay invested in it. Too bad we can't get more optimism for Wilmington. LOL.

You know, I heard someone say that Phoenix currently resembles 1980's Los Angeles, which is why they filmed this 80's nostalgia film called "Take Me Home Tonight" there, which was set in 1988 Los Angeles. Tim, as someone who was an adolescent in 1980's Los Angeles, can you deny or confirm the similiarities? Austin and San Diego seem like pretty cool places, though. Although San Jose...seems like a pretty boring-looking place and it's basically what you said- a few skyscrapers and a bunch of suburbs. I think the one thing Philly really has going for it is getting all those hipsters that were pushed out of living in New York City. I hate Comcast but I'm glad they're there- Comcast Tower II is going to be a big game changer, especially if they can get more tech companies to locate here. Anyway...for a "2002 pop culture moment"....does anyone else remember the Mountain Dew Guy in those commercials from 2002? Holy shit, he was hot. I wonder what happened to him? I think he was an Abercrombie model or something. In all seriousness, I thought Channing Tatum did a good job of representing that shaved head, urban styled white guy, as opposed to jocky boy next door type. I think that's why he stood out to me back then. Kinda thuggy enough to be the bad boy, but not TOO thuggy. It's crazy to think that 12 years later, Channing Tatum's probably one of the biggest male box office stars in Hollywood right now. He just kinda quietly plugged away for ten years, slowly taking his dues, and then just exploded in 2012 with The Vow, Magic Mike, and 21 Jump Street. I never would have predicted 5 years ago that he'd become an A-list movie star.

It's still got a long, long way to go, though. The city needs more white-collar, high-paying jobs, and it needs a desperate overhaul of the school system if it wants to maintain being a growth city and not slip back once all those hipsters decide they want to start families. I think they estimated that within the next 15 or so years, Philadelphia will fall out of the Top 20 of most populated cities, because while it's holding up way better than it used to, it's nothing like Phoenix, San Antonio, Austin, San Diego, etc etc....I think Phoenix has already overtaken Philly. Of course, Phoenix for damn sure doesn't have a cool skyline like Philly does. Although I think the best Pennsylvania city skyline has to be Pittsburgh. Hands down. Western Pennsylvania may be a bizarre time travel trip back to the 1970's, but it sure is beautiful.

Chapter 21 (Revised) -When Brad makes his last, final, loving gesture to Robbie. "Make You Feel My Love" by Trisha Yearwood I was avoiding this tune, because frankly, hearing the Lea Michele version absolutely guts me, but since Mark didn't seem to like my other tune...I thought I'd go with this one. Chapter 23 -When Wade tells Matt that he's lonely, and realizing that the freedom comes with a price. "Harder Now That It's Over" by Ryan Adams -When Brent shows off Robbie's 1968 El Dorado, the car he drove as a teenager. "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf -When the 2002 4th of July event gets underway, and Matt and Wade joke about the rednecks. "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" by Toby Keith This was number 1 on the country charts at the time. Damn. People were out for blood then. No wonder the Iraq War happened.

Thanks. That was a good one. I've lived just an hour south of Philadelphia for most of my life, but I didn't actually step foot there until maybe 2003 or so, so I missed out on seeing gritty 90's Center City. I do remember when the National Constitution Center was just opened, and the streets seemed pretty vibrandt and cool. I also remember seeing Moliere's School For Wives at a theater on Walnut Street in 2007, which seems to be Philly's regional theater district. Also, I used to go with my swing dance club to hit up UPenn's fish frys...although that's University City, not Center City. That campus is GORGEOUS. It'll be interesting to see if Center City will finally be able to do something about the Gallery at Market East. I first went there in 2003, and even then it was pretty much a dump, although I did like the bourbon chicken at the chinese place in the food court. It seems insane that a place that centrally located, in an area that's becoming rich, is still so low-rent and downmarket. They're apparently going to renovate what used to be the K-Mart, and a New York City retail store called Century 21 is going to move in. I think Century 21 is supposed to be similiar to H&M? In any event, it's pretty cool to see how well Center City is doing, and that it's the third most populous downtown in the United States.

This week in Throwback Thursday...watch as the Philadelphia Flyers win the 1974 Stanley Cup: The Flyers were a bright spot for Philadelphia in the 1970's, which was frankly going through hell as industry and population were fleeing. The Eagles and the Phillies were in a down era, and the city was starved for a champion, which the Flyers provided. That must have been a magical moment to watch in real life. Tet, does your father remember the 1974 Stanley Cup?

He's cute as fuck. And a nicely developing comedic supporting character actor.

Yeah, Mark, I know they're called Freeways in California, due to the very funny scene in Clueless: "WE'RE ON THE FREEWAY!!!!", but I prefer to use "Expressway." I'm just trying to figure out how comments about earthquakes prompted Private Tim to talk about hippies. Anyway, I don't associate L.A. with hippie-dippies...that's for NorCal...if anything...this is how I view Los Angeles living: I'm going to admit right now I've always had a guilty pleasure lust for Brody Jenner. He seems like a vapid meathead, but what a looker. And he's always kind of pinged my "generally straight but willing to play on the other side if you get him drunk enough"-dar. This is the other way I view Los Angeles living: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_J7kPNe7fI ;-) BTW, I learned that Dangerous Minds was not based in South Central L.A. like I thought, but in East Palo Alto, which was the big ghetto of the 1980's and 1990's, but the soaring property values of the Bay Area has even managed to hit there and cause gentrification. It went from 60 percent black in 1990 to about 15 percent now, and is now 65 percent Latino and 28 percent white. Pretty interesting. East Palo Alto Facing the Gentrifcation Wave Having Facebook right outside their border does seem like a big gamechanger for them.

Valerie Bertinelli as Brenda Hayes? She played a bible-thumping bitch once in a t.v. movie where she was a rabid pro-lifer who refused to get an abortion even though the fetus was non-viable and threatening her life once, and turned on her sister because she dared to be against her contining the pregnancy. I do picture Brenda having big hair. Evangelical Christian women always seems to have big hair. Valerie does have that "Middle America" look to her.

Not really. Although to be honest, it seems like Riley is traveling with Tiffany, JJ, and Maddy most of the time. Riley's not that huge a part of Wade's life, either. That will change a little when they move to Boston, but they'll still be traveling a lot.

I love it when I'm driving 75 on a 55 mph in the slow lane, and I still get passed. Or when I get honked at when I used my turn signal to make a legal turn. Not California, but I did hear that Virginia is actually a really big stickler for speed limits- like, they'll literally pull you over for going 5 miles over the speed limit. Here in Delaware, the only time I was pulled over, I was 17 miles over the speed limit...15-20 miles over tends to be when you might get pulled over, but you almost HAVE to go at least 10 miles over the speed limit in Delaware.