Just like you said it would be. Life goes easy on me. Most of the time.

Ok so I finally watched Milk last night. I know, it took a minute for me… We tried going several times with failed attempts due to a pre-dinner which ended with a bar tab and so forth, but alas, we finally went.

And let me tell you, I wish this movie came out (pun intended) prior to that horrendous Prop 8 passing. It was perfect for the moment, perfect for a Gay American like myself, perfect for any American for that matter.

Yes, guys kiss in the movie… yes Sean Penn makes out with James Franco and yes, it’s gay gay gay at times. But at the same time, it’s so much more. It’s history as it repeats itself and it’s invigorating and it shows the actual struggle that went on for our rights and directly mimics the struggle we’re currently going through now.

Yea, it might seem like all is fine in your world because you know some happy gay guy or couple, but deep down, there are still hundreds of barriers to face and walls to climb.

Harvey Milk is our Martin Luther King Jr.

Now before you go thinking that this is an absurd simile, stop and do some research. Yes ok, maybe the magnitude is different because let’s face it, blacks had gone through hundreds of years of oppression, but is it really all that much different? Is one hate different than the other?

Gay people couldn’t hold hands back then without facing death or jail. Shit, we still can’t do that now in most places without feeling ostracized and ridiculed.

The only difference in racial prejudice and homosexual prejudice is that you can’t hide the color of your skin. I’m going to put it out there and say that if homosexuality was marked by say, pink lips, who knows if I’d be alive today.

The fact is, we hide it. We hide it everyday in some point or another. I don’t kiss Mark goodbye outside our home as we leave on our Vespas. I do it before we go out in the garage. We hide it and that’s how we got away with it in the past.

That’s the difference. You can’t hide your skin color, but you can hide your sexual preference and that’s why we’ve flown under the radar. But we’re here. We’re everywhere and we are a part of life, just like you are asian, black, white, indian, mexican, etc. There is no changing of my preference nor was there an influence.

It’s who we are. So if you’re reading this and you’re not out, I urge you to be.

Because truth is knowledge.

And that’s what Milk is about. Being heard and being you.

And so far my favorite:

Urban City
Follow my blog with bloglovin´

More from Mark:

He’s decided to start selling his paintings. Wish him luck!

When I saw this through my view finder, I automatically thought of Final Fantasy. It just looked so dreamy to me and felt like at any second, some creature was going to walk about behind the shrub. WTF right? I guess this new camera is making me feel giddy about photography again. I’ve been caught up so much in doing events and studio work that I forgot how freakin’ fun it is shooting for yourself.

Looking through the view finder for your eyes and not the eyes of a client. This is the first time in YEARS I went out and shot for myself. As in like, I did it for fun and as a hobby. I can’t remember the last time I went out to shoot without any objective, clients, or pay. It was kinda… amazing.

The flash was a little too hot on my face. I suppose I could have lowered the power a little more but to be honest, I wasn’t focusing on lighting on this. I’m going to be doing more self portraits in the future. Not because I’m vain and like touching up my own face lol, but because it’s how I started out in photography when I didn’t have subjects. It was me and the camera. Exploring not only light, but also expression and composition.

These last few months have been tiring. That’s the best way I could put it I guess. I’m just tired… of it all. Tired, unmotivated and in need of some me time. Everyone needs me time right? Just to recharge and reflect on what just happened.

So this is me saying to myself,

“Self, relax. Take some time and just relax. No more being frustrated, irritated or pessimistic. Time to be yourself again because it’s not good for self to hate self”

So there. I said it. I’m tired.

Two things. 1. My backyard flooded. Good news is, it stopped raining so all will be good for our holiday party which will be mostly outdoors. 2. Cargo. Just because she’s all cute and stuff. She jumped into my clean laundry and fell asleep. She loves our new clothes scent. I think it comforts her. Took me a minute or two to find her though!

Ok, so I just bought myself a Nintendo DS Lite last Friday and I can tell you now, this thing is the fountain of youth. I’m pretty sure that over the weekend, I’ve managed to age backwards.

I found myself waking up at 7am on both Saturday AND Sunday to play video games. The difference was that I didn’t have to get out of bed, turn the TV on and grab the controller. No, instead, I woke up, turned to my newly charged DS Lite and played straight from my bed. Before I knew it, it was already 10 muthafuckingAM. Was this how 3 hours felt as a kid?

Weapon of choice? Final Fantasy IV, the remake for DS. For those FF geeks out there, to put into perspective the amount of playing time I’ve invested over the weekend… I am now in the underworld reunited with an all grown up Rydia.

/geek

This game console is so much better suited for me than PSP. I ended up giving that shit to my nephew. Ok, the PSP graphics are so much better, but the double screen for the DS Lite is perfect for Final Fantasy and it’s just so much more fun! It’s straight up Nintendo again!

And guess what else? My super sic co-worker noogs just bought one too! Aww snaps.

This is by far THE BEST gay movie I’ve seen. It’s not at the least bit flamboyant which is why I respect the film so much. The story is heart warming and the acting is nothing short of excellent. Yes, Brokeback Mountain wasn’t flamboyant either, but I find Shelter to be more closer to home and not on some isolated mountain with cowboys. Sounds like another gay film I’ve seen.

Now, the film is nothing short of eye candy, but isn’t that the main ingredient to romantic movies, gay or straight? I mean, I probably would not have gave it a chance had the leads looked tore up, but would you have watched the Titanic if Leonardo was some fat hairy guy named Gilbert? Don’t even think about it, I know you wouldn’t have!

Anyway, I think Shelter represents gay people like myself who aren’t the diva type. I think more films and gay characters like this need to be out there in mainstream media. Yea, the flamboyant gay makes for good television (who didn’t love Will and Grace?), but they’re not in anyway the majority of the population.

Matt, Migs, Apes:

The above photo was taken with the 5D mkII with a 16-35mm f2.8 lens. This thing is bad.ass.

This hobby of mine is fucking expensive. I’m eying the new 5D mkII. My bestbuy card is currently at a 0 balance awaiting 18 months of glorious no interest. Now only if they would stock this bad boy. It seems nearly impossible to get.

I did hear about some bad copies being distributed with some sort of black dots appearing in images, so I guess it’s good I wait a little. But those that know me understand that, waiting sometimes isn’t in an option. Not for this brat.

Download here. It’s kinda hot. I can’t tell if it’s a track for himself or one he’s producing… I’m leaning towards a track he is producing/writing for another artist. Listen closely and he says “boy” a few times.

Though I’d like it to be real; that he’s singing to me, it’s most likely a demo he’s doing for a female artist. Damnit! Hot non the less! Thanks for the head up H2.

And just because:

Next up, on “The Nalco” lol:

Could video editing be in my future? Probably not. I have no clue what I’m doing but I’ve been testing out the Kodak zi6. Used iMovie ‘08 for this. Tried Final Cut Pro but closed it as soon as it launched.

I’m crazy. I know. Stop. Don’t even say anything. Video after the jump (I’ve always wanted to say that):

Especially with a gold backpack. Unless of course that shit has speakers.
For some weird reason, UPS decided to drop my package off at 10pm. It was a shady drop too. Some dude literally jumped out of his cargo van, dropped off my package, and left. All this at 10pm. WTH right? Whatever, I’m totally stoked with my new toy or bag?

I guess I’m either going to look pretty damn cool with this thing on while riding my Vespa… or look like a total douche bag, no pun intended. I don’t care though. I love it!

I use to think that I loved winter as much as I do summer. The cold winter mornings and nights cuddled up and snug in bed is something I look forward to as the season approaches.

My love of scarves becomes an obsession.

And I get to shake off all the dust from my pea coats that have been shoved in the corner of my closets. Yes, plural.

But it’s December 1st and I’m already missing the summer sun. Usually, I miss it by the end of winter, so missing it when winter hasn’t even officially begun makes me wonder.

Yea, the air is nice and crisp and yea, I woke up today feeling all cozy, but there’s just something about me that’s changed. Something about my lifestyle.

I’m a summer guy now.

Even while putting up Christmas lights in our backyard, I was thinking, “This is gonna look so nice on summer nights.” I remember last year, come beginning of November, Nsync’s Christmas CD was already playing in my car. This year, I’m cruising down with, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It),” which holds a melody that is perfection when it comes to summer jams.

I guess I don’t have to love both equally. And because I don’t love both equally, that doesn’t mean I have to hate the other. When it comes to seasons, it’s ok that I like one more than the other. It’s not like I’m cheating on my seasons.