Useless Advice Free to Friends

I think he really loves those shoes...

http://www.michaelsofstockbridge.com/07_19_08.htm

and he looks to be rockin' the joint

It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I write this.
Angus came to me as a return, from home where he was loved very much and wanted but no longer able to cope with the now toddler in the home.

He was 9 when he joined Andre and I. Andre passed last year at 12 years and Angus was 12 this year.

Since Andre's death, Angus has had progressively worsening laryngeal paralysis that seemed to increase with stress. Stress could be caused by riding in the car or thunderstorms.

His breathing problems seemed to worsen over the past month, to the point that even his Xanax wasn't providing much relief. In past discussions, my vet had suggested that either a tieback or tracheotomy would help to relieve the breathing problem. Last week I made the decision to have the tracheotomy done. Though less aesethically attractive, it did not carry the same risk of aspiration and pneumonia. Besides, I had plenty of experience with laryngeal paralysis as my father has been dealing with these same problem for over a year and a half.

The procedure went well and Angus came home on Tuesday (same day). He'd had his teeth cleaned, and three growths removed as well. I had spoken to the vet regarding the safety of having the other work done, and he seemed confident that it would not be a problem and the anesthesia would not introduce problems -- better to get it done while he was under once, than have him deal with two bouts of anesthesia. Though he looked like Dr. Frankenstein's dog with all the sutures, he came through it all okay.

He seemed to be doing fine, but he had a severe seizure at midnight causing him to lose control of his bodily functions. I cooled him down with a cool coat and he seemed to be resting comfortably. He drank water and seemed to be okay. At 4am he had another similar seizure and collapsed. I thought that he might be still breathing shallowly, but by 5am I knew he was gone.

He was a wonderful dog, I'll miss him greatly.

Crumpet seems to be a bit odd at the moment - she keps hiding in the kitchen on one the beds that needed to be washed. I was alerted that one of her puppies was up for adoption at one of the kennels close by. But I can't really face adding another dog so soon.

At times like these, it is good to have had two dogs. Crumpet reminds me and comforts me.

So If you were producing or editing "I Love the New Millennium" on VH1 would your selection of noting Hal Sparks acting credit for the year to be "Dude Where's My Car?"
or if you were Perez Hilton selecting "How Gay was 2000?" choose to note that Sinead O'Connor came out then recanted by 3/4?

For this I wasted an hour?

So today's New Yorker business cartoon of the day seems like something that Brian and Gus would star in:

click here for cartoon

I'm trying to think of the best way to keep track of my reading. Of late I can't remember what I've read, or if I want to read something again where it was, or something that I started and want to check back for updates.

So how do other folks keep track of their reading?

I have a 2000 Honda CR-V which gets 28 mpg.

I have looked at the new hybrid compact SUVs and the other compact SUVs.

The best mileage the hybrids get is 26/21.

The new Hondas get worst mileage than my CR-V.

What's wrong with this picture?

Happy belated birthday vl_redreign!

Perhaps next year I'll get my act together and actually get the date right...

So when I started over on Live Journal in 2006 it was on this grand and glorious idea that I'd put down a note every day. It didn't have to be anything of great importance or significance. I'd just get in the habit of making a note.

Here it is 2008. My life has changed again. I'm on the verge of my business finally conveying to the new owner. I'm getting more and more involved in my new career. I'm traveling more than ever.

I'm trying to remember if the fic I'm reading is one I've read before...

And there are buffalo in Durham.

This week I'm at home taking a course on Web Security Auditing. I know, I know not the most interesting of topics. But, hey, aren't you glad that when you give your credit card information to Amazon you have relative confidence that it's not being sold on the black market?

So the road to hell is paved with good intentions, or is that jans-intentions? I made the fatal mistake of getting cable back and ended up watching Pretty Woman last weekend. Which of course got me thinking about how the Richard Gere roll paralleled the Brian Kinney role - rich, successful, remote, aloof, out of step with cloying syncophants, no one understanding his pain. You get the idea. So I ended up posing the question if there was a Pretty Justin fic, or something of that nature. Someone pointed me to jans-intentions livejournal where she is currently WIPing up a wonderful story. Not exactly pretty woman, but so very hot - I haven't seen such panting anticipation since triciaqaf.

Along with that, I've been working my way through Myrna's If You Needed me over on paddies' queer eyes website. I love paddies work, and I like the website, but I've always had trouble with the color palette used - I find it hard to read the fics with the yellow on brown color combination, particularly long fics. But I find that if I cut and past into a word doc, the black on white is easier to read.

I've been pondering the final chapters of Educating Justin. It's wrapping up but I'm not making the time to finish writing. I'm itching to get back to Turbulence and I have a couple of other ideas in the back of my head. One WIP at a time I tell myself.

I have a full plate between work, my parents, travel and my upcoming certification exam.

I've also been dealing with an escalation with problems with Angus and his breathing.
He's on a generic of Xanax to help reduce stress. But with the weather getting hotter, his breathing is more labored. The problem with breathing stresses him out and aggravates his stress induced laryngeal paralysis. I worry that he's not much longer for this world. I'm looking into tracheotomy surgery for him.

So as you can see, I'm happy to be at home this week. And enjoying reading.

it is very bizarre to be driving down the road on a Sunday morning and look out the window and see a furry bison, the size of a wooly mammoth staring back at you behind a very thin three wire electric fence.

I mean, buffalo just are something you think of when you think of North Carolina live stock - pigs, cows, chickens, sure... but buffalo.

I had to go back to make sure that I wasn't seeing things.

Nope, big furry, fluffy, shaggy bison...

*shakes head*

I'm going to be worried when I start seeing polar bears...

Okay, my mind may be in the gutter, but this Reuters headline caught my eye:

Penis Theft Panic Hits City:

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2319603620080424

Title: Educating Justin - Chapter 27: He’s with Me
Characters: Brian/Justin
Rating: Story - NC-17
Warning: AU (characters are in canon along timelines 1-3)
Disclaimer: All characters and situations from Queer As Folk are the property of Russell T. Davies, CowLip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions, Showtime Networks Inc. and others. No copyright infringement is intended.

Story Summary:
Justin Taylor and his boyfriend Ethan Gold, with whom he is living, are Juniors at PIFA. When Justin discovers that Ethan has been cheating on him – again – he confronts him, Ethan states that he has to seek other companionship because Justin is frigid. Justin enlists Brian Kinney to teach him how to be more sexually alluring and responsive so he can win the heart of the man he loves. But just who is it that Justin loves?

A story index and earlier chapters can be found here

For tootiredtosleep and vl_redreign because meeting your internet friends in person for dinner is fun and interesting. It's really nice to have friends like you two; and besides I promised. Okay, it was a month ago, but eventually I keep my promises.

Currently working without a Beta net - all mistakes are mine. Probably only one or two more chapters, then back to Turbulence.

( Chapter 27: He's with Me )

I spent my 48th birthday desperately fighting a most miserable cold and trying to sleep at a Hampton Inn in Central, New Jersey.

There was nothing momentous about the occasion.



However, I took my father and mother out to dinner tonight for my father's 85th birthday, and there was everything to celebrate.

Last year at this time my father was delirious in some hospital in Harrisburg, PA and didn't even recognize who I was when I called to wish him a happy birthday.

Despite my almost uncanny ability to select a restaurant he's certain to hate, we had a lovely dinner out and he raved - yes, raved - over how much he enjoed the meal, the venue and the weather.

There's more to this tail, but I'm tired and am going to treat myself to a read and sleep.

netlagd travels continue...
I'll be in Dallas April 6-11th on business (training) and would enjoy getting together with folks from my flist for a drink or dinner. I'll be doing totally left brain activities all day and would love some right brain activities to balance things out.

I'm going to be in San Jose on business March 17 - 20.
Anyone interested in meeting up?

is it me, or do Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwartzegger have the same bad teeth?

Maria could use a little meat on those bones - she's starting to look like Rose Kennedy - and not in a good way.

Okay, so I changed my commute from the horrid 7am flight (which meant getting up at 5am on Monday mornings) to the Sunday evening flight. I was tired of flight delays due to fog and weather.

So the Sunday flight now is delayed due to high winds in Newark.
The flight before mine was canceled. The return of my flight (the EWR to RDU leg) has been canceled.

Let's see, 4 weeks ago I spent 8 hours in the airport and the flight was finally canceled.

Add to it that yesterday's flights to the NY Metro area were canceled.

What are we betting that I'm on the flight out tomorrow morning (on an airline other than American).

I'm in hell...

on a bright side, I couldn't help but smile when I noticed the Vacant/Occupied switch latch on the bathroom door. Ah, Brian... Season one...

Title: Educating Justin - Chapter 26: Where There’s a Will
Characters: Brian/Justin
Rating: Story - NC-17
Warning: AU (characters are in canon along timelines 1-3)
Disclaimer: All characters and situations from Queer As Folk are the property of Russell T. Davies, CowLip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions, Showtime Networks Inc. and others. No copyright infringement is intended.

Story Summary:
Justin Taylor and his boyfriend Ethan Gold, with whom he is living, are Juniors at PIFA. When Justin discovers that Ethan has been cheating on him – again – he confronts him, Ethan states that he has to seek other companionship because Justin is frigid. Justin enlists Brian Kinney to teach him how to be more sexually alluring and responsive so he can win the heart of the man he loves. But just who is it that Justin loves?

A story index and earlier chapters can be found here

Currently working without a Beta net - all mistakes are mine. For Jane, because I promised, albeit a month late.

( Chapter 26: Where There’s a Will )

Title: Educating Justin - Chapter 25: Be Careful What You Wish For
Characters: Brian/Justin
Rating: Story - NC-17
Warning: AU (characters are in canon along timelines 1-3)
Disclaimer: All characters and situations from Queer As Folk are the property of Russell T. Davies, CowLip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions, Showtime Networks Inc. and others. No copyright infringement is intended.

Story Summary:
Justin Taylor and his boyfriend Ethan Gold, with whom he is living, are Juniors at PIFA. When Justin discovers that Ethan has been cheating on him – again – he confronts him, Ethan states that he has to seek other companionship because Justin is frigid. Justin enlists Brian Kinney to teach him how to be more sexually alluring and responsive so he can win the heart of the man he loves. But just who is it that Justin loves?

A story index and earlier chapters can be found here

It’s been a while, you may want to go back and read the last chapter again. For all you folks who keep asking, yes, I am writing. And I'm trying to finish it!


Currently working without a Beta net - all mistakes are mine.

( Chapter 25: Be Careful What You Wish For )

Title: It’s Just Brunch
Characters: Brian, Justin, Jennifer, Molly
Author: netlagd
Rating: Story - R
Genre: romance, humor
Warning: AU (characters are in canon, future timeline)
Disclaimer: All characters and situations from Queer As Folk are the property of Russell T. Davies, CowLip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions, Showtime Networks Inc. and others. No copyright infringement is intended.

A qaf_giftxchnge wish for arlad who wished for a fic where Brian and Justin have to have dinner with the Taylor family, and Brian charms their pants off.
Pairing/character/theme/focus: B/J, from the point of view of anyone but Brian, awkward family dinners, the focus: hmm, how Brian can charm anyone if he sets his mind to it.
Other specifications: Don't forget Molly exists, as CowLip seemed to do for awhile.

Note: Tip your hat to the ever vigilant and hardworking ohfreckle without whom the 2007 holiday qaf_giftxchnge would not have been possible!

Story summary: I made this story AU/Future timeline. Perhaps a tiny bit OOC, but go with it, I think it works. Brian and Justin are fuck buddies. Justin’s mother discovers Brian at her son’s apartment one day, assumes he’s Justin’s boyfriend and invites them to brunch.

( It’s Just Brunch )

Title: Gotta Dance (1/1)
Characters: Emmett, Brian, Justin, Ted, Michael, Ben, Hunter, Debbie, Carl
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual comments, language)
Timeline: 4/5/post-5 - could be any time along these seasons
Warning: none
Disclaimer: All characters and situations from Queer As Folk are the property of Russell T. Davies, CowLip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions, Showtime Networks Inc. and others. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author’s Note: Okay, so folks asked for it, so I wrote it. Michael’s Interpretive Dance Recital

Totally unbeta’d, All mistakes are my fault - feel free to point them out so I can correct them.

( Gotta Dance! )

Title: Hidden Talents (1/1)
Characters: Emmett, Brian, Justin, Ted, Michael, Ben, Drew, Debbie, Blake - inferred
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual comments, language)
Timeline: 4/5/post-5 - could be any time along these seasons
Warning: none
Disclaimer: All characters and situations from Queer As Folk are the property of Russell T. Davies, CowLip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions, Showtime Networks Inc. and others. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author’s Note: The oddest things make you think about QAF. This fic was inspired by the default ringtone on my iPhone, go figure. But once I got it stuck in my head, I could totally see Emmett. So I built a little story around it. I hope you enjoy.

Totally unbeta’d, All mistakes are my fault - feel free to point them out so I can correct them.

( Hidden Talents )