Remembering A Friend Made Along The Way

Happy Halloween everyone! I am not too much into this holiday for reasons not relevant to you guys, but I hope y'all have a happy and safe holiday anyway. I chatted with Ryan this morning and he is having his first "adult" Halloween party tonight and is really stoked about it. I left a comment on his blog saying I wanted the video (lol) as I am sure it will be a real Howl! I know bad pun, but us Olde Farts get away with them sometimes.

In keeping with this week's theme of the year in review, I would like to reintroduce you to a gentleman I met through blogging whose music I really enjoy. Sit back, turn up your speakers and enjoy the videos as we look back at my:

February Mystery Guest

Today, as promised earlier in these pages, I would like to introduce to you February's Mystery Guest. I met this gentlemen on My Space when he requested to be my friend. I view his profile and watched his videos. I then wrote asking if I could post his videos on Nichevo. He said to wait until February as by then his My Space page would be ready. His name is Kai Miano, a composer and pianist from Germany. I have four of his videos here for you today. The first is his latest video shot in Italy, the second is an interview/making of the Italian video, the third and fourth are earlier concert videos with the Frankfurt Synphoniker. Kai's music is melodic and ethereal, or as he says romantic and dreamed. Wrote his first song at age 7 and continues to write prolifically and plays beautifully. He takes his inspiration from many sources, one of them being his son Andreas in the case of From Fairy Elfs and Wizards, the fourth video. Check out his My Space page and his official website for more details about this fascinating muscian. EnJoy!

UPDATE

I just got a message from Kai over on My Space. He likes the post but I got the name of his son wrong. Andreas is his very good friend and his son's name is Patrick. Uncle Gerry apologizes for his mistake, now on with the show!

Kai Miano - 1st video in Italy (nice quality)



Kai Miano interview at sound-in-time,making of 1st video,photos



Kai Miano live in Concert 'Agathe'





FromFairyElfsAndWizards_ConcertJune6th2006

As we have four videos, just to keep things even here are four hot guys from the pages of Terra, The Boy from their wallpaper collection just for you. Click on the photo for the 1024 x 768 version if you want to save them for your desktop. Until next time as always, Enjoy!

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One Of My Favorite Posts

Before getting into tonights trip down memory lane, I wanted to give you the links to three articles in the current issue of The Advocate on line all of which highlight different themes that I have somewhat harped on since beginning Nichevo. The articles deal with the perception of being gay, educating people about our community, and hate crimes. The links are just below:

The Gayest One

From ABC's to LGBT

Hate Crimes In Black And White

All three articles are insightful and make their points succinctly. What follows tonight is one of my favorite posts and it is one that says a lot about the way I am while being about other people. The eye candy in this one did not disappear into Blogger hell so these are the original photos that were published with the story in January. Join me as we sail past:

ISLANDS IN THE STREAM OF LIFE

On the voyage of our lives we make many ports of call. Some are more pleasurable than others, and some we would rather not make again. Sometime we are the port of call for someone else's voyage. It is at these times when we must be the port of refuge for the forlorn and shipwrecked. Sometimes it is we who are the forlorn and shipwrecked. It is those times when we seek an island in stream looking for the pleasant port of call or sometimes any port in a storm. It is my distinct pleasure to be that port in the storm and/or that pleasant port of call in many young men's voyages. It is when your faith in your intuition is validated by the actions of the sailors who sought your refuge and placed their trust in you and your trust in them, that are the most rewarding. I pride myself on being a good judge of character in young men. Sometimes I am wrong, but this time I was not.

I had a house full of young men last night seeking shelter from the storm. There were three of them. Str8roomie, Tattoo, and Misery. Str8roomie called and asked if he could bring a couple of friends home to spend the night and I consented. I wanted him to feel this was his home too. they arrived shortly after one from the bowling alley, Tattoo I had met and Misery I had not. As was their usual want , they got on the computer to visit with their friends on my space and look at a little porn. A perfectly natural occurrence at Uncle Gerry's. We chatted for a bit while they started their surfing, but then I went to bed to catch a few z's as I had finished my post and was ready to lay me down. I had left Str8roomie and Tattoo alone on the computer and slept before with no worries and I had no qualms this time as I trusted Str8roomie to live up to my faith in him. So off to dreamland I went.

I awoke about 3:30 as Str8roomie and Tattoo were headed to bed and Misery was still at the computer. Str8roomie, Tattoo and I got in a gab fest in one room for as young men are want to do, they like to talk and boast a bit and swap stories. We talked for a couple of hours and Misery was in and out of the room. I am pretty good at feeling the vibes that young men put out and I was receiving mostly good vibes though there was a disturbance in the air. You know how you feel when you gain a young mans trust and he yours. The ebb and flow of the conversation is satisfying and jokes and jabs abound with a general air of merriment. About 5:30 Misery joined us and sat in on the conversation. The atmosphere changed slightly. You don't know what it is, but you get that slightly greasy feeling of something not right but you can't put your finger on it.

After a bit I had to get off the floor. I cannot sit on the floor for hours on end as I once could. So I come into the front room and get on the computer to check my mail and read the news. After a bit Str8roomie and Tattoo come in and start chatting with me again while Misery sacked out . We had some lively conversation and fun back and forth. Str8roomie lasted the longest as Tattoo fell asleep on the floor and I covered him with a blanket so he could sleep with out getting cold. Str8roomie and I continued our talk until he too felt the need for some sleep. Misery was all over his bed so I told him to crawl in mine and sack out as I wanted to return to the email and news before I had to run some errands. I got this nagging feeling that something was wrong, but still could not put my finger on it.

All the lost boys were asleep and I went on with my reading and then started to plan my errands for the morning and checking the schedule for the games today. For some reason, I checked my wallet for something and it was then that I found the reason for the disturbance in the atmosphere. I was missing some money. The first money that I had earned in three months, and someone had ripped me off. I woke up Str8roomie and told him what I had discovered. He woke up Tattoo and they looked me in the eye and denied any knowledge of the missing funds going so far as to offer to let me search them to prove their veracity. Tattoo then went and woke up Misery who also denied knowledge of the missing funds. I expressed my anger and feelings of violation and disrespect. Tattoo searched Misery and still came up with nothing.

I sent them in the other room to search around to see if I might have dropped the money or if one or the other of them had secreted it somewhere, but again they returned empty handed. I told Str8roomie that I did not want to blame anyone but I held him responsible as he had brought the other two into our home. He did not have a problem with this as he was as angry about the turn of events as I was. I had them turn their pockets out and then search the house again. Still no results. I was hesitant to strip search them as I did not want to seem to be only a perve with the desire to take advantage just to see their toned little bodies. So I sent them into the other room with the charge that I was holding them responsible and was relying on peer pressure to find a resolution with out involving the authorities. Still no resolution was forthcoming.

I made the statement that I expected them to resolve this problem between themselves and the money was to appear on the desk before the day was done. I sent them into the other room to talk so that I would not deter honest conversation between them. It was then that Tattoo came to me and said if it was up to him, he would strip search everyone. I told him I was hesitant to do so as I did not want them to feel I had a prurient interest in doing so. He stated that he did not feel that way and that I should do it. He called the others in there and ordered them out of their clothes. I searched their clothes and shoes and still did not find the missing funds. Here I was in the midst of three young men in their boxers and a dilemma on my hands. Trusting my instinct I had them dress and return to the other room. I had to get dressed to go on my errands. I went into the other room and addressed them saying I was going to leave them to sort this out and if I came back to an empty house, so be it, I have started over before. I did not think that this would be what I would find on my return, but I had to extend my trust to find the answer I sought. I looked St8roomie in the eye and shook his hand say I would return. As I turned to leave, Tattoo extended his hand gripping mine firmly and looking me in the eye say that if he never saw me again, he was proud to have met me. I had earlier stated if the money was not returned, none of them were welcome here. Misery gave me a cold fish handshake avoiding my eyes and said me too. I had my answer, but I had to let the scenario play out.

I then left and went on my errands. This took a about an hour and 30 or forty minutes. I returned to a house still full of boys. Tattoo was preparing breakfast for everyone, Str8roomie was on MySpace and Misery was like a lump on the floor. We ate and sat around waiting for Misery's mom to come to pick him and Tattoo up. Still there was no money on the desk, but Str8roomie and Tattoo assured me that somehow it would show up sooner or later. Misery's mom arrived as Tattoo was cleaning up the breakfast dishes. He finished up in the kitchen and the left. After a moment, Tattoo came back in the door and told me if he found out anything, he would call me immediately and then went on down to get his ride home. Str8roomie and I sat down to talk. I told him that I did not suspect him or Tattoo but I had a misgivings about Misery. He told me that he knew Tattoo really well and could not see this as something that he would do and I agreed. I then said that I really suspected Misery but could not figure where he had hidden the money.

Not 15 minutes later, Tattoo called. On the way home, Misery had asked his mom to stop so he could get some cigarettes. His mom said I don't have any money on me and he replied that's OK have some. Tattoo started to question Misery as he knew Misery had spent what little he had at the bowling alley and Misery replied no he had some left. They arrived at the store and Tattoo not wanting to call Misery on his S*** in front of his mom went in the store with Misery. Whereupon Misery started bragging about how he got away with my money and if I had gone back to sleep he would have gotten the rest of it. Tattoo demanded he return my money which of course he refused to do returning to the car telling his mom that Tattoo was being an a**hole and trying to cause trouble. Misery's mom question Tattoo as to the problem and Tattoo said that Misery had stolen something and she question Misery who stated that Tattoo was lying and just wanted to cause trouble. They left Tattoo stranded at the store and he had to call his Grandmother to pick him up and then called me.

He told me the story and promised to help Str8roomie recover or repay my money. I told him thank you for proving me right in trusting him. I told him thank you and that he was welcome at our house any time. Then I told him to catch Misery on the street and beat his a**. I did not care if he tattoo a homophobic taunt on his back with a dick pointing to his butt. He assured me that was a given and that Str8roomie and he would take care of Misery. Now I am not one prone to instructing others to inflict violence upon people. But then young men have their ways of dealing with people who dis their friends so completely. Even if Tattoo and St8roomie do nothing but pay the money back because of their respect for my friendship and port of refuge in the storms that inhabit their lives, Misery one day will find that he will commit this act upon someone who will not be as predisposed to non violence as I and end up either dead or in prison with a husband and an a**hole the size of the Lincoln Tunnel.

So my instincts were correct and my faith in Str8roomie and Tattoo was validated. My misgivings about Misery were confirmed and all was mostly right with the world. I was still out the money, but I have no doubt that these two will make an equitable effort at resolution of that bit of a problem. Unfortunately for Misery, he gained a couple of twenties and lost two friends for the price of a carton of smokes. I think I got the better end of the deal as I had gained two true friends for that same price and had my faith in these two young men confirmed. I still feel that way and can deal with losing the little bit of cash Misery was so boastful of lifting from me. I know it will return to me in some form or another. So I will continue to be that port in the storm, that pleasant port of call and a friend to young men in their time of need. I will be ever so more richly blessed by their presence while the likes of Misery will live up to his name.

In other news, I have a presentable My Space page which you can visit, post a comment or request to be my friend. I welcome your visit as I am always up for new friends. In fact I had a friend request from Germany today. An excellent pianist who I will introduce to you next month in a special post, so be looking for that in February. I have sent the interview questions off to Ted Trent at OOTC.TV and will await his reply so that we can bring that to you in the not too distant future. Be looking for that coming your way soon.

In the NFL play off games today, Indy's defense came on strong again along with 5 Adam Venitieri field goals to win 15-6 over the Ravens. The night game was rather exciting as New Orleans advanced to the NFC Championship game beating the Eagles 27-24. If Seattle wins at Chicago tomorrow the NFC Championship would be played at the Superdome. How sweet would that be for the city and the Saints. Let's go Seahawks, New Orleans deserves the game at home if for no other reason than that George has F****d over them so boldly and badly. The other game is at San Diego with the Patriots as the visitor. If the Pats pull off the upset, the AFC Championship game would be in Indy, otherwise Indy would travel to San Diego. Toss a coin as to who you want to win but I am pulling for the Saints and the Chargers to meet in Super Bowl XLI.

That about it for tonight guys. Post your comments, sign up for you r subscriptions by e-mail or rss and come back to see me tomorrow one more time. Until that time as always, Enjoy!

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A Story That Touched My Heart

I originally wrote the following piece on January fourth of this year. In the story you will find a reference to Ryan and Mike at Boys Are Ugly But So Cute. Although Ryan and Mike are no longer a couple, they remain friends and the point I made about Ryan's parents being an example for all parents remains valid. The eye candy section following the article is new as for some reason the original pictures have disappeared from blogger. That being said, follow me on this trip down memory lane as we once more discover.........

A Beacon For The Blind

It has been a busy week for me with the new job and all, and I haven't really had time to digest all the news feeds that I receive on a daily basis. As many of you know I read a great number of blogs also. Today when I arrived home from work I read one that touched my heart and gave me tonight's subject. You may remember the beginnings of my coming out story in "Once Upon A Christmas" and how my mother reacted when she outed me to herself and my father through snooping and confrontation. We all know that there are many, many of us out there who have experienced familial rejection, been ostracized by peers and made homeless for the simple fact of being themselves. That is the tragedy for far too many of us. I am lucky that my family and I are on the road to understanding finally after 30 years, but not all are so lucky. Witness this article in Ex-Gay Watch by Timothy Kincaid "Not Under My Roof You Aren't".

This article discusses issues with both minor and adult children living at home and how the ex-gay ministries preach a lot and practice not. The part that really got to me though was a reference to a letter written by a mom to Dear Jody at Pride Source the Michigan LGBT newspaper and signed Distraught Mother. In her letter, she told of a situation similar to mine where she was looking through her son's room and got confrontational with him, ending up throwing him out of her house. This was at Christmas time a year ago. This past summer her son died of a drug overdose on the streets. This should never have happened and could have been prevented as Distraught Mother has realized and is all the sadder for the realization.

If parents only realized that their children only want to be loved for themselves and not what their parents wish them to be, more children both gay and straight would grow to adulthood in a much more well adjusted state of mind and therapists might have to look for other work. Alas it is not so yet, but as we continue to educate the world as to what is normal to us and not necessarily to them, while not being wrong or a sin, they will eventually come to realize their children are really OK. They don't need to be cured or punished, just loved. I would hope that the day comes sooner rather than later. My hope is buoyed by something I read today.

Most of you know by now that I have a very warm relationship with Ryan and Mike over at Boys Are Ugly But So Cute. Ryan's post today "Mom Talks" warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes. Not only do Ryan and Mike have a love story for the ages, Ryan's parents are an example of what all parents should be. Their unbounded love for Ryan and Mike (and their other children) as well as unequivocal acceptance of their loving relationship is uncommon yet so refreshing to see. When you read (or experience) the horror stories that we do, this story makes your heart glad. I wish I would have already had the pleasure of meeting Ryan's parents. I will someday, but I can think of no finer example of parenthood than what I read in Ryan's post today. I just wish that all parents were as fine as his, they are the beacon of hope for the ones that have been blinded by the untruths taught in so many places. I hope he gives his mom and dad a big hug and kiss for me, they already have my respect and admiration.

I am probably past the point of having kids of my own, biologically speaking, but I have several young men that I befriend both gay and straight who relate to me in a fatherly or uncle-like way when they cannot do so with their own parents. This is a sad fact that I am working to change in my own way by providing love where there has been none. I am just glad that I am not alone in the battle. Ryan's parents, Matthew Shephard's mom, LGBT organizations across the USA and around the world are trying to reach out with truth and love for all. When you get the chance, pass the love along......

That about wraps up what I have to say tonight, I just felt that Ryan's mom and dad needed to be recognized as the example they are as a counter point to those that learned the lesson too late to save their relationships with their children or the children themselves. If you are reading this and you recognize yourself in any of these scenarios, I hope it is the last that I pointed out and not the first. Until next time, I leave with the usual assortment of beauty, and as always, Enjoy!

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