Hamster's Wheel

23rd December

2009-12-23T00:01:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1888 – Christa Winsloe – German Author / Screenwriter / Sculptor / Murder Victim – Died ?? June 1944

1955 – Carol Ann Duffy – UK Playwright / Author / Poet

1979 – Summer Altice – US Model / Actress

???? – Andrew Justice – US Porn

And those who died:

1990 – Pierre Gripari – French Author – Born 7^th January 1925

1992 – Vincent Fourcade – French Interior Designer – Born 27^th February 1934

1998 – Pierre Vallieres – Canadian Journalist / Author / Publisher – Born 22^nd February 1938

Catch-Up

2009-12-22T23:52:00.003Z

I spent tonight catching up on some television that I've missed over the last few days.
I first watched Crimewatch, which I strangely feel like is my duty as a responsible citizen, just in case I have that one small piece of information that may help someone (a bit weird I know!).
I then watched the latest episode of Defying Gravity, thinking it was the last one. I got to the end and there was no real solution to the story. Then, after checking Wikipedia, I saw that there was at least one more episode. Thank god. I know the series has been cancelled, but I at least want some resolution from what has been made!
I also watched the latest episode of Paradox, which I am loving. But checking Wikipedia this time was not a good idea as it sort of gave away the ending. Then as a preview to next weeks program, the next message came through via the "wormhole," and this time it wasn't images. Fantastic!!
Off to bed now so that I don't completely waste the day tomorrow by sleeping through to the afternoon.

p.s. I spoke to my sexy new landlord, Oscar, earlier, as he was having trouble with his flat keys. It turns out that Kevin didn't give him the right keys to get into the flat! Typical. He is good looking, and not badly built, but not as sexy as I first thought. Oh well, it's not as if anything would happen anyway. Is it?

Christmas Starts Now!!!

2009-12-22T19:53:00.003Z

I have now finished work and do not go back until the night of the 27th, so I have decided that Christmas is starting NOW!! My gift to you!
I am staying in tonight and getting the last of my Christmas wrapping done. Tomorrow I hope to find a final present for one of my great-nieces (I've just realised that I've spent £12 less on her than her 2 sisters! Oops!). And tomorrow night I am aiming to go out into Soho for one last pre-Christmas dose of gayness before heading home on Christmas Eve to my sister's place in Essex for a sedate Christmas with her family.
I am not looking to having to come home on the 27th and going to work that night though, as I will be knackered. Oh well, hopefully I will be able to take my mind off of that over the next few days until I actually have to go back!

22nd December

2009-12-22T00:01:00.001Z

LGBT people born today:

1896 – Myron Brinig – US Author – Died 13^th May 1991

1899 – Gustaf Grundgens – German Actor / Director – Died 7^th October 1963

1900 – Marc Allegret – French Director – Died 3^rd November 1973

1938 – Martin Sherman – US Playwright / Screenwriter

1943 – David Parks – US Politician

1945 – Frank Israel – US Architect – Died 10^th June 1996

1947 – Maggie McIntosh – US Politician

1950 – Nick Enright – Australian Playwright / Author – Died 30^th March 2003

1956 – Erica Boyer – US Porn

1962 – Sister Roma [Michael Williams] – US Drag Queen / Activist

1967 – Martina Voss-Tecklenburg – German Footballer

1983 – Vicky Galindo – US Softball

And those who died:

1934 – Wallace Thurman – US Author / Playwright [or 22^nd December 1934] – Born 16^th August 1902

1939 – Ma Rainey – US Singer – Born 26^th April 1886

1988 – Tucker Smith – US Actor / Dancer / Singer – Born 24^th April 1935

1991 – George Stambolian – US Author / Editor – Born 10^th April 1938

21st December

2009-12-21T00:01:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1943 - Steve Abbot – US Author – Died 2^nd December 1992

1944 – Michael Tilson Thomas – US Conductor / Composer

1961 – Gordon D Fox – US Politician / Lawyer

1965 – Kecia Cunningham – US Politician

1965 – Andy Dick – US Comedian / Actor / Musician / Producer

1965 – Frank Rossavik – Norwegian Journalist

1974 – Karrie Webb – Australian Golfer

And those who died:

1921 – Camille Saint-Saens – French Composer / Conductor / Musician – Born 9^th October 1835

1964 – Carl van Vechten – US Actor / Photographer – Born 17^th June 1880

1970 – Anna Elisabet Weirauch – German Author – Born 7^th August 1887

2001 – Lance Loud – US Reality TV [An American Family] / Author / Journalist / Singer – Born 26^th June 1951

20th December

2009-12-20T00:01:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1865 – Elsie de Wolfe – US Actress / Interior Designer – Died 12^th July 1950

1929 – Zebedy Colt – US Actor / Musician – Died 29^th May 2004

1946 – Dafydd Jenkins – UK Club Manager / Editor – Died 27^th September 2001

1946 – John Spencer – US Actor – Died 16^th December 2005

1952 – Sky Gilbert – Canadian Drag Queen / Actor / Author / Playwright / Columnist / Critic

1957 – Stephen Bicknell – UK Organ Builder / Author – Died 18^th August 2007

1976 – Tista Das – Indian Actress

1989 – Spencer Duhm – US Reality TV [Survivor]

And those who died:

1961 – Moss Hart – US Playwright / Director – Born 24^th October 1904

2002 – Bernard King – Australian Actor/ Chef / Presenter – Born ?? March 1934

Gareth Thomas

2009-12-19T22:10:00.006Z

Today, while bored at work, I checked out my Facebook page and saw that one of my friends had joined a fan page of Gareth Thomas. Having not read a newspaper or checked the internet web pages beforehand I wasn't sure why. Yes he is a great player, but not known as the best looking in the sport. My friend had just purchased a signed Ben Cohen calender so I thought he would be more his type. Then, when I checked out the fan page I realised why.
Gareth Thomas, former captain of the Welsh international rugby union team had today come "out of the closet." Thomas is an incredibly highly respected player and has been on the international scene for years. He has only retired from the international game in the last couple of years and still plays at the professional level.
Coming out while still playing at this level is an incredibly brave decision. Being so highly respected, I think that he could change the opinions of fans and players of the sport when it comes to their views on homosexuality.
I applaud his bravery in his announcement, but, like him, I long for the day when announcements like this will be unnecessary. We are coming up to the start of the second decade of the 21st century, things should be so much different now. Opinions should be less harsh, less judgemental and less violent in this "enlightened" age. Lets hope that Gareth Thomas's coming out leads to many more from all walks of life so that we can get to the point where the announcement is no longer necessary, except for when it comes to chatting up.

To round up, we have had an Irish hurler (Donal Og Cusack) come out in October and a Welsh rugby union star in December. Does this mean we can look forward to a Scottish rugby league player and an English footballer in February and April respectively? Lets hope so.

19th December

2009-12-19T00:01:00.001Z

LGBT people born today:

1899 – Vander Clyde [Barbette] – US Female Impersonator / Circus Performer – Died 5^th August 1973

1905 – Robert Medley – UK Artist / Teacher – Died 20^th October 1994

1910 – Jean Genet – French Poet / Author / Playwright – Died 15^th April 1986

1910 – Jose Lezama-Lima – Cuban Author / Poet – Died 9^th August 1976

1957 – Cyril Collard – French Author / Director / Composer / Actor – Died 5^th March 1993

1958 – Limahl – UK Singer

1960 – Michelangelo Signorile – US Author / Presenter / Activist

1961 – Matthew Waterhouse – UK Actor

1980 – Gregory Douglass – US Singer / Musician

And those who died:

2001 – Hans Warren – Dutch Poet / Author – Born 20^th October 1921

Finished

2009-12-18T21:16:00.004Z

I finally managed to finish my Christmas shopping today. My initial plan, as it is every year, was to spend exactly the same amount on each of my nephews, nieces and great-nieces, which is something my mum always used to do. But they are all within about £6 of each other, so that will have to do. If I see any other small things then I will buy them, otherwise that is it. I do still have to get some batteries for 2 of my nieces presents (NO! I didn't buy her a vibrator!!), which I can do anytime.
I have also wrapped them all (except the presents that need batteries as I want to wrap the batteries with the presents), so I can relax. Now all I need to worry about is getting the presents to Essex. I normally either walk or get the tube to Fenchurch Street before getting a train from there. This year I think I will have to get a taxi as I have three massive carrier bags full of presents and I will also have a bag for my clothes etc, as I am staying two nights there!! I can get someone to pick me up at the other end hopefully.
It is a big relief getting this over and done with, I didn't think it would be so difficult to buy presents for them all, but teenagers are very tricky to buy for. I was easy at that age, just get me action figures (from the list I provided), hell, you can still buy me the same if you want to, I haven't grown up! But now they are all grown up before they need to be. My youngest niece is just 11, but I refused the temptation to buy her make-up, despite the fact that it would have made my life easier. I also refused to buy my great-nieces any clothing that was modeled on adult stuff. I hate it when mums dress their little girls up like themselves (i.e. tarts), and yes, I am thinking of Essex when I say that!
Four more shifts at work then I can "relax" for 4 days over Christmas itself.

18th December

2009-12-18T00:01:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1870 – Saki – UK Author – Died 13^th November 1916

1912 – Cliff Tucker – UK Politician – Died 21^st May 1993

1945 – Robert Eads – US Documentary Subject [Southern Comfort] – Died 17^th January 1999

1950 – Ed Flanagan – US Politician

1954 – Jan de Joop – Dutch Presenter

1957 – Randi Weingarten – US Lawyer

1961 – Brian Orser – Canadian Figure Skater

1975 – Sia Furler – Australian Singer

And those who died:

1985 – Xuan Dieu – Vietnamese Poet – Born 2^nd February 1916

2006 – Ruth Bernhard – US Photographer – Born 14^th October 1905

2006 – Daniel Pinkham – US Composer / Musician – Born 5^th June 1923

Miscellaneous

2009-12-17T00:23:00.006Z

Today, or should I say yesterday as it is now after midnight, was a bit of a nothing day. I was really tired still from the night shifts and so did not manage to get out of bed until after midday, despite waking at before 07:00!

I went into town, braving the snow, which was actually worse on Oxford Street than here in the Barbican. I wonder if it will continue, though I doubt that if it does it will last until Christmas itself.

I managed to get some more Christmas presents today, but am still not finished as I still need to buy another present each for 2 of my nephews, one of my nieces and for 2 of my three great-nieces. I have no idea for a couple of them, but hopefully will get a major one for one of my nephews tomorrow (and maybe some idea for one of my other nephews).

I also managed to wrap every present that I have bought so far, though I didn't have any tags, so I hope I can remember which present belongs to who!

This evening I had to say goodbye to Frank, aka the Cat in the Flat. Kevin and Penny are in the process of moving out of the flat, having handed over to the new landlord this week. So today they moved to their new flat and took Frank with them. I expected to be a bit more upset when he left, but I guess he will not even miss me. I certainly won't miss him scratching the carpet outside of my room at 04:30 in the morning wanting to get fed! I will miss the little bugger though. Where am I gonna get my hugs from now?

Bye Bye Frankie!

17th December

2009-12-17T00:01:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1904 – Paul Cadmus – US Artist – Died 12^th December 1999

1937 – Bertha Harris – US Author – Died 22^nd May 2005

1940 – Bing Davidson – US Actor – Died 18^th July 1965

1950 – Michael Cashman – UK Actor / Politician / Activist

1959 – Gregg Araki – US Director / Producer / Screenwriter

1964 – Paul Koering – US Politician

1964 – Maciej Nowak – Polish Journalist / Author / Theatre Critic / Chef

1968 – Fabrice Neaud – French Comic Book Artist

1975 – Sarah Paulson – US Actress

And those who died:

1987 – Marguerite Yourcenar – French Author – Born 8^th June 1903

2008 – Jennifer Gale – US Politician – Born 1960

Just Because

2009-12-16T00:13:00.009Z

16th December

2009-12-16T00:01:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1899 – Sir Noel Coward – UK Actor / Author / Musician – Died 26^th March 1973

1901 – Margaret Mead – US Anthropologist – Died 15^th November 1978

1915 – Hazel Barnes – US Philosopher / Author – Died 18^th March 2008

1917 – Arthur C Clarke – UK Author / Presenter – Died 19^th March 2008

1923 – Gerald Glaskin – Australian Author – Died 2000

1946 – Barbara Smith – US Author / Activist

1946 – Beverly Smith – US Author / Activist

1948 – Christopher Biggins – UK Actor / Presenter

1951 – Bonnie Dumanis – US District Attorney

1958 – Edward Barnes – US Composer / Music Producer

1961 – Ron Athey – US Performance Artist

1974 – Kanako Otsuji – Japanese Politician / Activist

And those who died:

1965 – W Somerset Maugham – UK Author – Born 25^th January 1874

1988 – Sylvester James – US Singer – Born 6^th September 1947

1991 – Pier Vittorio Tondelli – Italian Author – Born 14^th September 1955

1997 – Richard Warwick – UK Actor – Born 29^th April 1945

2003 – Alfred Lynch – UK Actor – Born 26^th January 1931

2005 – John Spencer – US Actor – Died 20^th December 1946

Worried

2009-12-15T17:41:00.003Z

I've been thinking about Tim today quite a bit since I woke up. I checked out Facebook and he had written his latest blog entry on there. At the end there was a section where he said goodbye to everyone in case someone "drops a scalpel on his brain." Hopefully he is just joking, but he also said that he has been lonely lately. I know depression and hope that he is okay.
I also realised that, when I spoke to him yesterday, I forgot to ask which ward he will be in. I would ask his boyfriend but he has deleted me from his Facebook friends. I guess I will have to ask his ex, Richard, he is bound to know and doesn't live far from the hospital. Tim is only meant to be in hospital until the 19th but I think it would be nice to visit him while he is there, especially as I haven't seen him for ages.

15th December

2009-12-15T00:01:00.001Z

LGBT people born today:

1861 – Vida Dutton Scudder – Indian / US Author – Died 9^th October 1954

1904 – W Dorr Legg – US Landscape Architect / Activist / Author – Died 26^th July 1994

1913 – Muriel Rukeyser – US Poet / Activist – Died 12^th February 1980

1941 – Tom Ammiano – US Politician / Teacher / Activist / Comedian

1958 – Alfredo Ormando – Italian Author – Died 23^rd January 1998

1959 – Donna Brazile – US Politician / Activist

1974 – Ion Davidov – Romanian Porn

1978 – Will Wikle – US Reality TV [Big Brother] / Presenter

And those who died:

1962 – Charles Laughton – UK/US Actor / Director – Born 1^st July 1899

1986 – Serge Lifar – Russian Ballet – Born 2^nd April 1905

1991 – Floris Michiels van Kessenich – Dutch Activist – Born 26^th August 1957

1997 – Jack Robinson – US Photographer – Born 18^th September 1928

Tim - Latest

2009-12-14T17:39:00.003Z

I got up later than usual, considering I'm on night shifts, today at around 16:00 and immediately felt guilty as I had wanted to phone Tim before he went into hospital for his cranioplasty tonight. I called him once I was fully conscious and the call went through to voicemail, so I left a message and then sent him an email.
He phoned back a little while later and explained that he hadn't gone into hospital yet, he was just in the shower when I had called.
He is not going to the hospital until first thing in the morning, and by first thing I mean he has been told to be there for 06:30 not nice, especially when you are not used to getting up that early.
He should be in hospital until the 19th and then is due to have his stitches out on the 24th (which seems very quick to me). Hopefully all will go well with the procedure. I feel guilty too because he is going into hospital all on his own, no one will be with him, at least initially. I don't finish work until 07:00 tomorrow morning, but he did say that it may be better that he is alone. I've asked him to let me know when he knows the time of his operation, if he is able to that is. I know I shall be worried until I hear he is out of theatre okay again.
Fingers crossed.

Saved Again

2009-12-14T17:11:00.003Z

Last night, at work, I was saved again by having a speaker for the computer and BBC iPayer to watch. I got through a film, Perfect Creature, which was a twist on the normal vampire story, and seemed more like a pilot rather than a film. I also watched an episode each of Casualty and Holby City, and then I discovered Beautiful People.
Beautiful People is in its second season and even though I knew it had a gay theme, when I saw the trailer for the first season last year (I think), I was not tempted. I watched it last night as I was out of options and I am so glad that I did. It is so funny, camp, and surreal. I was laughing out loud so recommend it as well worth giving a try in my opinion. I got through 4 episodes and have one more to watch. Then I think I will be stuck for options tonight.

14th December

2009-12-14T00:01:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1903 – David Lewis – US Producer – Died 13^th March 1987

1923 – Gerard Reve – Dutch Author – Died 8^th April 2006

1946 – Jobraith – US Singer – Died 3^rd August 1983

1948 – Boudewijn Buch – Dutch Author / Presenter – Died 23^rd November 2002

1951 – Paul Zaloom – US Puppeteer / Actor

1955 – Herve Guibert – French Author / Photographer / Journalist – Died 27^th December 1991

1957 – Kerryn Phelps – Australian Presenter

1959 – Bob Paris – US Bodybuilder

1962 – Doug Blasdell – US Personal Trainer / Reality TV [Work Out] – 22^nd January 2007

???? – Julio Duran - ?? Porn

And those who died:

1993 – Lee Kok Cheong – Singapore Teacher / Hate Crime Victim – Born 1939

2006 – Kate Fleming – US Actress / Producer – Born 6^th October 1965

Saved From Complete Boredom

2009-12-13T16:07:00.003Z

My night at work last night was saved from being 12 hours of boredom by a simple speaker. The day supervisor had found a speaker that we can plug into the computer so we can have sound. This meant that throughout the night I could watch BBC iPlayer. I got through both sections of last nights Strictly Come Dancing, 5 episodes of Celebrity Eggheads, an episode of QI, Defying Gravity's latest installment and 3 episodes of Merlin. I would have watched more but the internet kept crashing (which it does normally even when we are not using it for iPlayer).

I may struggle to find things to watch tonight, but I'll watch crap if it alleviates the boredom.

Talking of Strictly, I wasn't disappointed to see Ali voted out last night. She is a good dancer, but like Laila, I think that she was consistently overmarked. It seemed a bit of a travesty that she got full marks last night and Ricky Whittle didn't, he was so much better, at least to my eyes. I can't wait to see his show dance next week, along with Chris's show dance too, which I think could be drawing on his Charleston which was so popular.

The guest dancers who came in to do the show dance were good, but I wasn't as impressed as normal. They made a big mistake in the middle, but the male dancer, Craig, was gorgeous and exploding with muscles, so I can forgive him.

13th December

2009-12-13T00:01:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1895 – Lucia Sanchez Saornil – Spanish Anarchist / Author / Poet / Activist – Died 2^nd June 1970

1904 – Glen Byam Shaw – UK Actor / Director – Died 29^th April 1986

1951 – Anne-Marie Alonzo – Canadian Playwright / Poet / Author / Critic / Publisher – Died 11^th June 2005

1964 – Sal Sapienza – US Author / Actor

1969 – Allen R Schindler Jr. – US Hate Crime Victim / Naval Petty Officer – Died 27^th October 1992

1977 – Winfried Baijens – Dutch Presenter

1982 – Anthony Callea – Australian Singer

And those who died:

1466 – Donatello – Italian Sculptor – Born 1386

1983 – Mary Renault – UK Author – Born 4^th September 1905

1993 – Tommy Sexton – Canadian Comedian – Born 3^rd July 1957

1999 – Robert Wagenhoffer – US Figure Skater – Born 5^th July 1960

2003 – Bob Ross – Canadian Publisher / Activist – Born 2^nd April 1934

2006 – Robert Long – Dutch Singer / Presenter – Born 22^nd October 1943

More Money For My Moaning

2009-12-12T17:37:00.002Z

While chatting with Jesse, one of my flatmates, she let slip that she pays £100 more than I do per month, which has got me worried as I am only paying less because Kevin knew me before I moved in. He has already put the rent up this year once. Now that the new landlord, Oscar, has taken over (which apparently he has, though no one has made an announcement), I can't see him letting me "get away" with paying less for long. Yet another reason to move out. If I am going to have to pay £100 extra a month, it may just be worth me moving out now (then again there is council tax, electricity, gas, tv licence, etc etc etc to worry about as well).

They Are Not Making It Easy

2009-12-12T14:19:00.003Z

I know I say it a lot, but I really hate living here. Sharing with 5 other people is not to be recommended.
I was woken up this afternoon by my flatmates music, I can't really complain too much about this as I have had 7 hours of sleep which is good for me lately. It was still annoying nonetheless.
I got up and went to the kitchen intent on making myself breakfast. In case you hadn't guessed, I am on nights at the moment, hence the lateness of me getting out of bed. When I got to the kitchen there were no bowls to have my cereal in, so I decided to have lunch instead. There were no plates to have my food on! There were also no spoons or forks. Everything was in the dish washer which was running. I managed to find the last mug and make myself some tea, using a knife in place of a spoon. To tide me over I've had a packet of crisps. Whoopie! (It was actually good to eat the crisps, because it means that the soreness in my gums has eased and I can begin to eat more normally again).
I was quite mellow when I woke, despite being woken by the music, as I was thinking that there were only two more night shifts to go in this set. It took me a while to realise that I was wrong though. I have only worked one night, not two, so there are three more to go. I was sooooooo bored last night. There was absolutely nothing for me to do after about 21:30.

12th December

2009-12-12T00:01:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1912 – Karl Gorath – German imprisoned for homosexuality – Died 18^th March 2003

1922/23 – Jose Sarria – US Drag Queen / Politician / Activist

1945 – Massimo Consoli – Italian Activist – Died 4^th November 2007

1952 – Ken Yeager – US Politician

1957 – Robert Lepage – Canadian Playwright / Screenwriter / Actor / Director

1957 – Toby Radloff – US Actor

1959 – Jasper Conran – UK Fashion Designer

1960 – Volker Beck – German Politician / Activist

1968 – Dmitry Kuzmin – Russian Poet / Critic / Publisher

1972 – Brandon Teena – US Hate Crime Victim – Died 31^st December 1993

1980 – Desislava Petrova – Bulgarian Activist

And those who died:

1923 – Raymond Radiguet – French Author – Born 18^th June 1903

1968 – Tallulah Bankhead – US Actress – Born 31^st January 1902

1976 – Jack Cassidy – US Actor – Born 5^th March 1927

1999 – Paul Cadmus – US Artist – Died 17^th December 1904

2008 – Van Johnson – US Actor / Dancer – Born 25^th August 1916

Still Not Good

2009-12-11T12:54:00.003Z

I can't believe that I am still not feeling 100%. Every 10-20 minutes I still have to rush to the loo, I still have my cold sore, my gums are still sore and my throat is constantly blocked by phlegm.
Worst of all is the fact that I have to start my night shifts from tonight. I really do not know how much more of that place I can take. It is so boring and there is no one there I actually want to talk to. It just feels like a little piece of my soul dies each time I go there. Okay, maybe that was a bit dramatic, but I wanted to get across how much I hate the place.
I have nothing on the horizon either. All I have to look forward to is a couple of days at my eldest sister's place for Christmas, which should be okay. Other than that I have nothing. I've been invited to a house warming party at the end of January, though it was an invite sent out to this guys whole Facebook Friends list. I am working that night, what a surprise.
I need a change. Change of health. Change of job. Change of home. And that's just for starters. Roll on the New Year.