100 Things

1. I live in Phoenix, AZ.

2. I was born and raised here as well, but San Francisco will always be my adult Home—as in the one with the capital “H,” although the thought of ever returning—at least by myself—gives me the heebie-jeebies.

3. I moved to Tucson in 1976 to attend the University of Arizona.

4. I dropped out two years later in order to “find myself”.

5. I moved out of my parents’ house for good when I was 22 years old.

6. I love thunderstorms and severe weather.

7. I’ve been described by friends as “the straightest gay man” they know. Whatever that means.

8. I met my first long-term partner in June 1981 at The Joshua Tree in Tucson. Our eyes met when—profoundly disenchanted with gay life after getting dumped by some man—I was on my way out and he was on his way in. I immediately did a 180 and followed him out onto the patio…

9. He died from an AIDS-related illness in January 1991.

10. I’m a Gemini. My rising and moon signs are both Libra.

11. I am the older of two children.

12. I moved to San Francisco in August of 1986 with my second partner—after having broken up with him three months earlier.

13. I worked in the architectural field until 1995, when I threw my entire life up in the air out of overwhelming boredom. The pieces only started coming back down to earth about four years ago.

14. I am a cancer survivor (5 years and counting, baby!)

15. Mark Hamill (yes, Luke Skywalker himself) once flirted with me on the F-train in San Francisco.

16. The first rock album I bought was Elton John’s Caribou.

17. I generally don’t like live concerts, although I loved Tina Turner. (There are exceptions to every rule.)

18. I’m generally late for most everything, if only by a few minutes.

19. I have never held a handgun.

20. I believe everything happens for a reason, and most importantly “like attracts like.”

21. I have never ridden a horse, nor do I have any overwhelming desire to.

22. I didn’t learn to swim until I was 12 years old.

23. I’ve worn corrective lenses since the fourth grade.

24. After seeing too many 85 year-old grandmothers and 4 year-old children pulled aside for screening, I now refuse to fly as a protest against the invasive and demeaning security procedures currently in place. Fuck the airlines. I’ll take my money elsewhere. If I can’t drive, I don’t need to go until this nonsense is ended.

25. I have never gone skydiving or bungee jumping.

26. I was a cub scout. Even at the time I thought it was ridiculous.

27. My first car was a 1976 Chevy Luv pickup.

28. My first new car was a 1984 Toyota Corolla SR5. It’s still the one vehicle I have the fondest memories of and the one that most often shows up in my dreams.

29. My last car was the first one I’ve owned with automatic transmission.  I wish I’d stuck with a 5-speed.

30. I corrected that mistake on my latest car.

31. I graduated high school Number 63 out of a class of approximately 1000.

32. I’m a progressive Democrat and I’m getting more liberal the older I get.

33. I think GW Bush and his entire entourage is the absolute worst administration in the entire 200+ year history of the United States.

34. I am seriously thrilled about Barack Obama’s election.  This country may still be on the edge of the abyss, but at least we’ve halted the onward march toward oblivion.

35. I have never done drag, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t wanted to try it at least once.

36. I have never been in a fist fight.

37. I am still in touch with my best friend from 1st grade.

38. I ended a 25-year friendship with someone from high school when I learned he voted for Bush. Twice.

39. I think Fox killing Wonderfalls after airing only four episodes was the dumbest thing they’ve ever done (other than Fox NEWS, of course).

40. The first movie I ever remember seeing as a child was Jason and the Argonauts.

41. The first movie I saw as a kid that left an indelible, life-long impression upon me was 2001: A Space Odyssey.

42. I distinctly remember the teaser commercial for the original Outer Limits. Even at 4 years old I was fascinated.

43. My parents did not allow me to see several episodes of the program when it originally aired because they feared it would be too intense and give me nightmares.

44. When my mother was pregnant with my sister I used to talk to her (my sister, that is) and tell her how much I was looking forward to her joining our family. I’m still glad she’s here.

45. I’m a cat person, although terribly allergic to them. I had one as an adult, who I stupidly gave up for a man.

46. My favorite actress is Nicole Kidman, although I can’t list five films I’ve seen her in.

47. Ella Fitzgerald is my favorite singer. She had more talent in her toenails than Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and their ilk will have in their entire manufactured careers.

48. I’m HIV negative.

49. I am NOT a morning person.

50. I love cold coffee drinks.  Surprisingly, I’m not a big fan of the hot stuff, however…

51. I have never smoked, although as I’ve posted, I think certain guys who do are incredibly sexy.

52. I’ve never done drugs.

53. I think pot smells like burning garbage.

54. While growing up, every other summer my mom and sister and I flew to Massachusetts to spend two months with my grandparents who lived on 22 acres of wooded property in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. I loved it.

55. I love to sleep, but the older I get the more difficulty I have with it.

56. I was once fluent in German.

57. When I worked retail in college, I once sold a particularly expensive dining room set because I was fluent in German.

58. I don’t like Thai food.

59. I recently started seeing someone who makes me want to scream from the rooftops how very much I care about him.

60. Coming out as a gay man was the number one life-altering experience in my life. Moving to San Francisco was a close second. Receiving my cancer diagnosis was an important, but distant third.

61. I’ve only lived in Phoenix, Tucson, and San Francisco. At some point I would like to live in Portland, Oregon. Or maybe Seattle. Or Vancouver.

62. I have never been to New York City.

63. I collect vinyl dance and disco records from the 70s and 80s.

64. When I’m in love, I send cards and flowers.  Yeah, you could say I’m a hopeless romantic.

65. I could not pick out 95% of the members of my dad’s side of the family from a police lineup.

66. I still have a table my grandfather made for me when I was a child.

67. Beer-wise, for me it’s Guinness or nothing.

68. My 7th grade teacher, Winn Jones, is the one teacher who I will always remember having had the most profound effect on my life.

69. My sister worked beside her when she first started her own teaching career.

70. I avoid organized religion of all denominations.

71. My first computer was a Commodore VIC 20.

72. My first apartment rent was $195 a month in 1981. My last rental in San Francisco was $1365 per month in 2002. I’m currently paying about $850 for a bigger, nicer place in Phoenix.

73. I was obsessed with getting mail as a youngster.

74. I’m not real big on reality TV or award shows.

75. I can roll my tongue into a “U.”

76. My favorite season (no matter where I live) is autumn.

77. My first celebrity crush was on Guy Williams when I was about ten years old.

78. I can touch-type.

79. When I first moved to San Francisco in 1986 I considered attending the Body Electric School of Massage in Berkeley to hone my skills.  Unfortunately I never followed through with it.

80. When I was 12 years old, I got up at 3 a.m. so I could see Saturn through my telescope. When I actually saw it for the first time I cried with joy.

81. I never wear a necktie. Anywhere.

82. I had my tonsils removed in 2000.

83. I submitted photos of my paintings to a short-lived weekly gay paper in San Francisco shortly after moving there. I was published.

84. I’ve lost more than 25 friends, associates and loved ones to AIDS.

85. I’ve been a stereo geek since I was in high school.

86. My first hi-fi turntable was a Philips 212. My first hi-fi amplifier was a Sony TA-5650. The first good speakers I bought were Infinity 1001As. I got them back from my friend Lee in 2004 because he was using them as plant stands. I had the woofers refoamed, and I refinished the cabinets.

87. The first piece of hi-fi gear that I owned and fell in love with was a Technics 1300Mk2 turntable that I purchased for $500 in 1978. A year later I learned the folly of becoming too attached to things when that turntable was completely trashed after UPS left it with our neighbor’s two unattended children when it was shipped back from a minor repair. Panasonic graciously replaced it with an identical refurbished unit, but it was never the same.

88. I abhor censorship in all forms. If you don’t like something, don’t read, watch, or participate in it. The television has an off switch for a reason. Use it.

89. I started painting my freshman year in high school.

90. I didn’t start getting good at it until I moved to San Francisco.

91. I cannot play a musical instrument.

92. I don’t care one whit about football. I can sit through a baseball game without fidgeting too much if the players are cute.

93. Several of the people I currently work with seriously thought I was ten years younger than I really am.

94. I’ve always wanted to DJ, but never actually had the opportunity.

95. I have a definite ball cap fetish.

96. I wear size 9½ shoes.

97. I think Battlestar Galactica is the best show on television, with the new Dr. Who pulling a close second .

98. I’m still waiting for rap to die.

100. I honestly didn’t think I could come up with 100 things!