What's Your Favourite Bit?

Backs?Faces?Chests?Arses?Arms?Abs?

Or something else?

31st March

LGBT people born today:

1872 – Sergei Diaghilev – Russian Art Critic – Died 19^th August 1929

1934 – Richard Chamberlain – US Actor

1940 – Barney Frank – US Politician

1947 – Stefan Olsdal – Swedish Musician

1957 – Alan Duncan – UK Politician

1961 – Jake Heggie – US Composer / Musician

1961 – Suzanne Westenhoefer – US Comedian / Actress

1972 – Alejandro Amenabar – Chilean Director

1978 – Romaine Patterson – US Author / Presenter / Activist

???? – Shane Rollins – US Porn

And those who died:

1996 – Dario Bellezza – Italian Author / Poet / Playwright – Born 5^th September 1944

2000 – Gisele Freund – French Photographer – Born 19^th November 1908/12

Noticable?

I just had to share this.
A little earlier I was in our (tiny) kitchen talking to my flatmate Alex. He asked if I was going to the gym now. When I acknowledged that I was, he told me that he thought as much because it really showed. I was really chuffed, because when a straight guy notices and comments you know that it is really working!
My mood is obviously much better than it had been.

WLTM - Ricky Martin

I’ve been thinking about Ricky Martin all day today, since the news that he has come out as being gay as of yesterday.

I first heard about him around 1997, when my then housemate Alexis gave me a tape of his to listen to. I was slightly dubious as it was in Spanish and I thought that I would hate it. Alexis told me that he had first heard Ricky (and seen him) while on holiday in Gran Canaria and thought that I would like him physically as well as musically. He was right. Though I didn’t understand the words of his songs on that album (A Medio Vivir), they were all beautiful songs infused with emotion. I made sure that I had a copy of my own immediately. I’ve just found them again on Spotify and still love them.

I didn’t hear anything else about him until a couple of years later, after I had moved away from Torquay and was living in Hertfordshire, when Ricky hit the worldwide big-time with the (mostly) English language “Livin’ la Vida Loca.” His sex appeal was apparent immediately, especially now that his hair was shorter.

A few years later, once I had my own computer, I discovered that rumours were rife about him being gay. Apparently something that Ricky himself was not ready to discuss, though I don’t think he denied it outright.

After over a decade of rumours Ricky has now decided it is the right time for him to be honest with his fans and the rest of the world. He apparently made this decision while writing his memoirs and deciding that he no longer felt comfortable hiding his sexuality.

I hope that he doesn’t receive any negative backlash, from homophobes or from the gay community for “hiding” it for so long. Everyone has to make the decision of when to come out for themselves and though I feel that celebrities have some responsibility to their fans to set an example, now that he is “out” those looking for inspiration need look no further for an example of a decent human being who works hard and provides for disadvantaged people too (having founded the Ricky Martin Foundation which works in several areas especially in combating child trafficking and relief aid).

I look forward to seeing and hearing Ricky’s music in the future.

Abs? Are You There?

I didn't manage to get up in time this morning to get out and shop for something to lift my mood, but, although still down, I am not feeling quite as bad as yesterday. Though I am very tired.
All I have managed to do is go to the gym and Tesco today. In addition to my normal work out at the gym I changed my work out slightly at home. I normally do some free weights at home first thing. I have cut out the triceps work outs (as my triceps are doing well, but my biceps aren't, making my arms look bottom heavy!). I added a few abdominal exercises which I had seen in Attitude. They have worked for Ronan Keeting (who looks amazing now with his ripped body).
I noticed today (obviously not due to the new abs exercise yet) that my stomach is just starting to reveal the abs underneath. About 15 years ago I ALMOST had a six-pack, due to heavy lifting at work along with some swimming in the sea and lots of dancing at the nightclubs in Torbay. Before joining the gym my stomach had expanded to the largest that it ever had been. I am so happy, and encouraged, to see my abs beginning to be revealed again, that it is all becoming worth while. They are aching a bit too, so I must be working on them somehow.
I've also added an extra exercise at the gym to work on my biceps, so hopefully my arms will start to blossom soon!
Also, I am beginning to think that my mood change could be linked to the change in weather from a nice Spring to (early) April showers (and wind and cold!). Seasonally Affected Disorder maybe?

30th March

LGBT people born today:

1844 – Paul Verlaine – French Poet – Died 8^th January 1896

1903 – Countee Cullen – US Poet – Died 9^th January 1946

1927 – Leen Jongewaard – Dutch Actor / Singer / Comedian – Died 4^th June 1996

1933 – Jean-Claude Brialy – French Actor / Director – Died 30^th May 2007

1944 – Gerrit Komrij – Dutch Author / Poet

1964 – Tracy Chapman – US Singer / Songwriter / Musician

1967 – Richard Bluestein – US Entertainer

1967 – Gerald McCullouch – US Actor / Singer / Screenwriter / Director / Boxer

1967 – Cliff Parker – US Porn

1973 – Lazaro Carrera – Argentine Porn

And those who died:

1984 – Gaetan Dugas – Canadian Flight Attendant [Alleged Patient Zero for AIDS] – Born 20^th February 1953

1988 – Arnie Zane – US Photographer / Dancer / Choreographer – Born 26^th September 1947

2003 – Nick Enright – Australian Playwright / Author – Born 22^nd December 1950

2003 – Michael Jeter – US Actor – Born 26^th August 1952

2006 – Rupesh Mandal – Nepalese Hate Crime Victim – Born ?

Ricky Martin

I just had to share the news and send my congratulations and love to Ricky Martin who has finally decided to confirm the long-time rumours that he is gay. Ricky is in the process of writing his memoirs and decided it was time to be true to himself and honest with his fans and the world. Ricky is a very talented singer / songwriter, as well as being a sexy man and great performer, and I wish him the best now that he has come out.

Mood Swing

I really get fed up with my mood swings. I've been feeling great for weeks now and today, despite waking up thinking about PC Sexy my mood has gradually become more gloomy. I am now sitting here with the sides of my mouth drooping and I don't know what to do. Over the last 4 days I have been missing going to the gym, yet, when it came time for me to do today I didn't want to go. When I got there I just felt tired and bored, though I did manage to stay for over an hour, I think that was more due to the fact that I was dragging my heels between machines than anything else. Even chatting to Nick didn't raise my spirits, he was there on a day off just for a work out and looked fantastic with his surprisingly hairy chest. I found out that he is 24 in April, so slightly older than I thought, but still far too young for me.
I need a pick-me-up but don't fancy going out drinking on my own. If I am in the same mood tomorrow morning I think I will treat myself to a shopping trip to see if that helps. I shouldn't really as my rent and ALL my other bills come out this weekend, but I need something.
I wonder if it could be caused by my poor diet when I am working. Because the client doesn't like us using the staff canteen (and I've seen the mice that live here), I take my own food in. Tesco is the only store that is open before I go to work and they have very little variety so I normally end up taking the same thing to work every day. I am not even able to use a fridge at work, because my food is likely to go missing if I do use one. Therefore my diet during work days is terrible, usually sandwiches, crisps, biscuits and sweets. When I get home I am normally too lethargic from doing nothing all day to be bothered to cook and so I just have something simple: pizza, microwave meal, soup. I wonder if eating like crap for 4 days is what ruins my mood (because of the wrong chemical intake from the food)?
Damn! I am so disappointed as I have been feeling so good lately, the best I have probably ever felt. It is so disappointing, which, of course, make my gloom even deeper!

PC Sexy

Yesterday, my last day at work for that set of shifts I spent at least 3 1/2 hours dealing with the police over an external incident. The second officer who came in was much friendlier than the first, who didn't understand that I had to get permission for them to take footage away.
The second officer was good looking, though the first wasn't bad either. He reminded me a lot of a gorgeous, sexy and masculine guy I used to work with Elliott. He too had short dark hair and they even have similar accents. This PC indicated he was straight though when he commented on the female we were watching on the CCTV, so I never tried to do anything about it, except for being my usual charming self.
A couple of hours after leaving he phoned my personal mobile, which I had given as a secondary contact number. There was a minor problem with the statement (he had written some numbers wrong and needed me to sign to the corrections or something). He introduced himself by name when he called, which I had noticed earlier though he hadn't told me himself. I found that intriguing and it fueled my imagination. He said he would phone back and let me know what he needed to do. He hasn't phoned yet, but, as I am off work for 4 days now, I expect that he will call me again soon.
Last night I had a dream (whether it was a daydream or a normal dream I am not sure), but he and I, shall I say, got to know each other intimately!! I wonder if I will in fact see him again, I hope that he doesn't get a colleague to do it.

29th March

LGBT people born today:

1893 – Dora Carrington – UK Painter – Died 11^th March 1932

1936 – Sir Richard Rodney Bennett – UK Composer

1950 – John Laird – US Politician / Activist

1958 – Victor Salva – US Director

1960 – Paddy Chew – Singaporean Choreographer / Actor / Activist – Died 21^st August 1999

1966 – Matt McCoy – US Politician

1971 – Aaron Lawrence – US Porn

1975 – Thomas Bickman [aka Tomboy] – Danish Reality TV [Big Brother] / Presenter / Singer

1982 – Jay Brannan – US Actor / Singer / Songwriter

???? – Lex Sabre - US? Porn

And those who died:

1974 – Karl Meier – Swiss Entertainer / Director / Editor – Died 16^th March 1897

1985 – The Singing Nun – Belgian Nun / Singer – Born 17^th October 1933

1995 – Antony Hamilton – Australian Actor / Model / Dancer – Born 4^th May 1952

2001 – Hollis Sigler – US Painter – Born 2^nd March 1948

WLTM - John Partridge

John Partridge is another celebrity that I have been aware of for a while but had not known much about them. I had a video, yes VIDEO, of the Cats anniversary "film," in which he performed as the Rum Tum Tugger (unfortunately, one of my least favourite songs of the set), but from that I couldn't even tell what he looked like.

He first came to my full attention, as he did to most of the population of the UK, when he first appeared in the soap Eastenders. It was immediately apparent that he was a gorgeous-looking man, with a nice build and it was known that he was a gay man playing a gay man. Despite his character's initial shallowness and stereotypical behaviour I liked the character, in the few scenes that I saw (not being a big fan of the show).

I eagerly anticipated watching the first television interview that I saw, but was a bit disappointed that he came across as more camp than I liked and more camp than his character was. I wasn't sure whether this was a performance of his real self, either way I was disappointed at the possibility of him being camp as this isn't my type of guy.

I have just watched the first episode of the new BBC1 series Over The Rainbow in which John is one of the celebrity judging panel hoping to find the new Dorothy for Andrew Lloyd-Webber's new version of The Wizard of Oz. In this, although there was not many opportunities to hear him talk, he did not come across as being as camp as I had seen previously. I was also made more aware of his incredibly sexy deep voice.

He has also just appeared in an interview and photoshoot for Attitude magazine in which he sounds interesting and surprisingly normal (for a scene-queen) and the photos, though incredibly homosexually arousing, are beautiful and masculine.

As you may have guessed I had been attracted to John from first seeing him (sans body suit and cat make-up). The campness that I may have perceived had put me off, but this latest photoshoot has shown that he has an amazing body, with a great hairy chest, amazing arms (always a plus with me) and is still gorgeous.

Why would I like to meet him? Well, I believe that he is happily partnered and I have no interest in splitting a couple, so the relationship / sex reason is out. After reading his interview in Attitude and learning about his travels and careers struggles I believe that he would have a plethora of stories to tell and gossip to spill. John, dish the dirt.

28th March

LGBT people born today:

1921 – Sir Dirk Bogarde – UK Actor – Died 8^th May 1999

1931 – Jane Rule – Canadian Author – Died 27^th November 2007

1933 – James Bidgood – US Artist / Photographer

1951 – James E West – US Army / Politician – Died 22^nd July 2006

1962 – Alexandra Billings – US Actress

1964 – Faith Soloway – US Singer / Songwriter / Musician / Comedian

1974 – Scott Mills – UK Presenter

1980 – Hunter James – US Porn

1986 – Lady Gaga – US Singer / Songwriter / Musician

And those who died:

1929 – Katharine Lee Bates – US Author – Born 12^th August 1859

1937 – Karol Szymanowski – Polish Composer / Pianist – Born 3^rd October 1882

1941 – Virginia Woolf – UK Author – Born 25^th January 1882

WLTM - Russell Tovey

I've written before about Russell Tovey and my wish to speak to him just the once to confirm a theory I have. I wanted to expand on this, to explain it a bit more.

I can't actually remember when I first heard of Russell, but it was a few years back. By the time he appeared in the Christmas special of Doctor Who, "Voyage of the Damned," he was already known to me. This was 2007 and the next year he was one of the stars of the brilliant Being Human. It felt like he was already an established star, and his talent was undoubtable.

My interest in Russell first came when I first heard that he originated in Essex, not from the fact that he is gay. I was intrigued because I am from Essex too and I used to work with a woman whose married surname was the same as his. Tovey is not a common name and I was further intrigued when I learned that he was from the same general area that this woman lived at the time I knew her.

I have seen him drinking in Soho, usually at Rupert Street bar, several times and have been tempted to go and speak to him and ask him the simple question:

"Are you, in any way, related to Denise Tovey?"

I am always reticent to approach anyone I recognise as a "celebrity," especially when they are not "on duty." It just doesn’t seem fair to me to bring them from a private moment back to a work state of mind. I even feel guilty when someone famous realises that I have recognised them. With just my glance, and maybe a second take, it feels to me that I have intruded in their personal time.

I'm not a great conversationalist, especially when it comes to people I do not know already, but with my recent increase in confidence and my "breaking the ice" with my first celebrity last week, when I spoke to Gareth Thomas (albeit very briefly), I hope that, should the right opportunity arise, I will have the confidence to speak to Russell and ask him the question that has been on my mind for the last few years.

I don't even think that the answer matters, just that I know what it is. Once that has been dealt with and I have opened the "encounter doorway" I hope that conversation can be more diverse and I can enquire about him personally as well as professionally.

WLTM

I was at work on Thursday on my break reading this months Attitude magazine. I came across an article entitled simply "WLTM." I had an idea. I thought that I could come up with a list of people that I Would Like To Meet and write about the reasons why, what I would say to them etc. When it came down to it though I was struggling to come up with a list of people that I genuinely would like to meet. After two whole days I only had a list of about 10 people, not really enough to facilitate a regular slot on this blog, let alone my potential idea of having a blog just for that! I decided that I should expand the parameters and so added WLTMAgain, and WLTHaveMet. I am still struggling to come up with a long list, but I intend to give the idea a spin and see where it takes me. I hope you enjoy. If nothing else it will shed some more light on me and the way I think.

27th March

LGBT people born today:

1915 – Denton Welch – UK Author / Painter – Died 30^th December 1948

1952 – Maria Schneider – French Actress

1960 – Reed Gusciora – US Politician

1960 – Johannes Kerkorrel – South African Singer / Journalist – Died 12^th November 2002

1960 – Renato Russo – Brazilian Singer – Died 11^th October 1996

1963 – Dave Koz – US Musician / Presenter

1971 – Thom Barron – German Porn

1975 – Stacy Ann Ferguson [Fergie] – US Singer / Songwriter / Rapper / Model / Actress

1975 – Jeff Palmer – US Porn / Singer

1987 – Sanne van Kerkhof – Dutch Speed Skater

And those who died:

1625 – James I – English Monarch – Born 19^th June 1566

1988 – Gordon Merrick – US Actor / Author – Born 3^rd August 1916

1993 – Ed Savitz – US Businessman – Born 22^nd February 1942

Events in LGBT history:

2009 – Japan acknowledges its nationals same-sex marriages to foreigners from countries or states where same-sex marriages are legal

2010 – First ever Exeter Pride

26th March

LGBT people born today:

1859 – A. E. Housman – UK Poet – Died 30^th April 1936

1911 – Tennessee Williams – US Playwright – Died 25^th February 1983

1953 – Billy Lyall – UK Musician – Died 1^st December 1989

1936 – James L White – US Poet / Editor / Teacher – Died ?? July 1981

1954 – Dorothy Porter – Australian Poet / Librettist / Author – Died 10^th December 2008

1961 – Leigh Bowery – Australian Performance Artist – Died 31^st December 1994

1962 – Paul de Leeuw – Dutch Comedian / Actor / Singer / Presenter

1966 – Bonnie Curtis – US Producer

1971 – Rennae Stubbs – Australian Tennis

1973 – T. R. Knight – US Actor

1978 – Ben Damon - US Porn

1979 – Daniel Boys – UK Actor / Singer / Reality TV [Any Dream Will Do]

And those who died:

1892 – Walt Whitman – US Poet / Author / Journalist – Born 31^st May 1819

1902 – Cecil Rhodes – South African Politician – Born 5^th July 1853

1923 – Sarah Bernhardt – Dutch / French Actress – Born 23^rd October 1844

1973 – Sir Noel Coward – UK Actor / Author / Musician – Born 16^th December 1899

1983 – Anthony Blunt – UK Spy / Historian / Professor – Born 26^th September 1907

1990 – Halston – US Fashion Designer – Born 23^rd April 1932

1993 – Anselmo Feleppa – Brazilian Fashion Designer – Born 21^st August 1956

1997 – Marshall Herff Applewhite – US Cult Leader – Born 17^th May 1931

???? – Myl’ne – Ecuadorean Murder Victim – Born ?

Events in LGBT history:

2009 – Lawmakers in Serbia give final approval to ban discrimination whether based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender or other factors

2009 – New Hampshire House votes for same-sex marriage (after first voting against it) (USA)

25th March

LGBT people born today:

1922 – Tobias Schneebaum – US Artist / Activist – Died 20^th September 2005

1929 – Cecil Taylor – US Pianist / Poet [or 15^th March 1929]

1934 – Bernard King – Australian Actor / Chef / Presenter – Died 20^th December 2002

1947 – Elton John – UK Musician / Singer / Songwriter

1958 – Susie Bright – US Author / Presenter / Activist

1958 – John Maybury – UK Director / Screenwriter

1962 – Thom Bierdz – US Actor / Author / Painter

1971 – Sheryl Swoopes – US Basketball

1976 – Ramon te Wake – New Zealand Presenter / Singer / Songwriter

1983 – Andrew Goldstein – US Lacrosse

And those who died:

1979 – Beauford Delaney – US Painter – Born 30^th December 1901

1980 – Roland Barthes – French Literary Critic / Philosopher – Born 12^th November 1915

1988 – Robert Joffrey – US Dancer / Choreographer / Director – Born 24^th December 1928/30

2006 – Joop Admiraal – Dutch Actor – Born 26^th September 1937

2 Months And .......

I've been going to the gym for 2 whole months now, averaging 3.5 times a week, and I've compared my measurements to those before I started there. I was very disappointed, and surprised, to find that most haven't changed, despite me thinking there had been a visible difference. The only measurements that have changed are my waist, which has reduced by 4cm; My unflexed biceps have increased by 0.5cm each (though when flexed they haven't changed!); My right thigh and calf have reduced by 1.5cm & 2cm each, and the left calf has reduced by 1.5cm.
I think that some, if not all, of the original measurements may have been wrong as I didn't have a proper tape measure until today, so I will pay more attention to the next set of measurements in another 2 months.
We will see what happens then (and I think I may try Creatine too, to see if that helps boost my visible results).

24th March

LGBT people born today:

1930 – Kenneth Nelson – US Actor – Died 7^th October 1993

1942 – Margarethe Cammermeyer – Norwegian / US National Guard / Activist / Politician

1947 – Jose Perez Ocana – Spanish Painter / Drag Queen – Died 18^th September 1983

1950 – Andrea Goldsmith – Australian Author

1960 – Grayson Perry – UK Artist

1967 – Mark Anthony – UK Porn

1976 – Ivo Chundro – Dutch Singer / Actor

1981 – Cory Koons - US Porn

And those who died:

1996 – Bob Mellors – UK Activist / Murder Victim – Born 1950

2004 – Dominic Agostino – Canadian Politician – Born 14^th October 1959

Gays the Word

I finally decided to make a trip that I have been meaning to do for ages now. I made my way to Gays the Word, a gay book shop near Russell Square. It has a special place in my heart as it is the first ever gay establishment that I ever visited, about 19 years ago! I had just met up with a gay pen pal that I had and he and his boyfriend took me there, before going on to First Out and then the King's Arms. It was the start of something for me. The beginning of me discovering exactly who I was, rather than who I was trying to be for my family and "friends."
It isn't that far away, but it isn't near anywhere I normally go or on the way to anywhere I normally go, so I kept putting it off. A while ago I heard that the shop was in trouble as business wasn't going well, and I intended to visit to show my support, but never got around to it. It turned out that support from the community managed to stabilise the business, until recently when their rent went up extortionately.
I managed to find the book that I was looking for, a companion to one that I already had. I also bought the latest Attitude and GT magazine, as I hadn't bought either for years and wanted to see what they were like now.
I did a few other chores too, like picking up my dry cleaning, putting my boots in to be fixed. And I went to the gym again. Nick was there again and as friendly as ever.
I was intending to go out tonight but I really don't have the energy and I should try and save some money. I have just one more day off before I go back to work. It is always disappointing to go back to work with no news of any possible new jobs. I am going to have to explain why I didn't apply for the helpdesk job there too, which will be difficult as I don't even know myself why!

Captain America

I've just learned, via BBC News, that gorgeous Chris Evans is to play Captain America, in the upcoming film First Avenger: Captain America. If it is indeed true then he will inevitably play the same character in the Avengers film which is set to follow this one. I think it is good casting, but I am disappointed because it breaks a rule I have for superhero films. I do not believe that any actor should be allowed to play more than one character for the same comic book companies film. He has already played the Human Torch in the first two Fantastic Four films, so I don't think he should play any other character in a Marvel film. I was even disappointed when James Marsden played a character in Superman Returns after playing Cyclops in the X-Men films, even though the films are from 2 different franchises. I guess it's another example of how weird I am!

I guess we shall have to wait and see if it actually happens, and how good the film, and it's follow-ons, turns out to be!

23rd March

LGBT people born today:

1874 – J. C. Leyendecker – German / US Illustrator – Died 25^th July 1951

1896 – George Hopkins – US Set Designer – Died 11^th February 1985

1920 – Jimmy Edwards – UK Actor / Scriptwriter / Musician – Died 7^th July 1988

1947 – Diane Sands – US Politician

1948 – Bruce Bastion – US Computer Programmer / Businessman / Activist

1951 – Jac Goderic – Dutch Presenter / Columnist

1956 – Steven Saylor – US Author

1958 – Pekka Haavisto – Finnish Politician

1960 – Terry Sweeney – US Actor / Comedian / Screenwriter

1962 – Marc Cherry – US Producer / Screenwriter

1968 – Mitch Cullin – US Author

1975 – Collin O’Neal – US Porn

1978 – Perez Hilton – US Blogger / Cultural Commentator

And those who died:

1555 – Julius III – Italian Pope – Born 10^th September 1487

1972 – Cristobal Balenciaga – Spanish Fashion Designer – Born 21^st January 1895

1992 – Shaun McGill – Canadian Figure Skater – Born 1961

1997 – Benno Premsela – Dutch Designer / Activist – Born 4^th May 1920

2006 – Eloy de la Iglesia – Spanish Director – Born 1^st January 1944

2008 – Shaun Fitzpatrick – UK Hate Crime Victim – Born ?

Events in LGBT history:

2009 – Vermont Senate passes a bill legalising same-sex marriages (USA)