Urban Dictionary

I'm ashamed to admit I love the site www.urbandictionary.com. It's hilarious! If you ever want to find out what slang terms mean, I'm sure Urban Dictionary can help you out. Aside from the funny definitions that people post, the examples provided where people use the terms in a sentence are even more hilarious. For example, the definition for "next level bullshit" is as follows: When the bullshit that comes out of a person's mouth reaches a point of absolute nonsense.
Example: "Dude the shit that's coming out of your mouth isn't just bullshit. It's some next level bullshit. Like there is no point of going any further with this explanation, dude."


Or the definition for "Craigslist gay" is: A straight acting, possibly married man, who hooks up with men on the down low. He's straight in his every day life but gay on Craigslist.

Example: Geoff had a happy family until his wife went through his emails and found out he was Craigslist gay.

My personal favorite of the moment is the definition of a "salt daddy." The complete opposite of a sugar daddy, one who tries, but is broke and fronting.

Example: "Man, I said I wanted a new comforter set from Macy's not the Goodwill....he is such a salt daddy!"

I have to find a way to work "salt daddy" into my next book or write a book with that title. It's great. 

The Happy Sad

I saw an independent movie called The Happy Sad today and I largely enjoyed it. It's about two couples: one white and heterosexual and one black and gay. The movie focuses on how the lives of the couples become entwined when the white guy and one of the black gay guys become involved. What I liked about the film was that it showed a black male couple who were in a long-term relationship that didn't involve a lot of drama or self-loathing. All of the film's actors were good, but the two actors playing the gay couple had great chemistry together. The film was shot in Brooklyn and it was nice to see my former hometown featured even though it looked like the film was shot in hipster-ish areas of the city like Williamsburg (although I did see the Grand Army Plaza in one shot).


Since I write gay fiction, I tend to watch a lot of gay-themed movies and a lot of them, unfortunately, just aren't very good. But, when I come across a film that steps out of the box and provides an interesting story and realistic acting, I'm more than willing to give it praise.

Big Pimping

Even though I told myself I was going to stop watching the Real Housewives of Atlanta after last season, I tuned in for yet another season of tomfoolery that, thankfully, is coming to an end tomorrow night. (I did wean myself from the other Housewives franchise I used to watch.) I really need to kick the Housewives habit for good this time. The show isn't even entertaining anymore. It's just a look at the ugly side of reality television fame and the desperate measures people will go through in order to stay in the limelight.


What is interesting to me is watching Andy Cohen during these reunion shows where the women all gather to complain and fight with each other. Andy is supposed to be the moderator of these events, but I see him as more of a carnival barker. I don't believe for one moment that he cares what these women do to each other. He's only concerned about making money for Bravo and himself. He's essentially big pimping. No, he's not responsible for these women making fools of themselves on national television; he simply provides them with the rope and they basically hang themselves.

Solving the Problem

I was reading my usual gossip blogs and came across the lovely Jon Hamm complaining, yet again, about people making fun of his junk. I know I've said it once, but I'll say it again: Jon, people wouldn't talk about your penis if you'd just wear some underwear beneath your pants! Stop free-balling and wrap your junk up! Problem solved.  And, speaking of Hamm, Mad Men was really good last night. After a disappointing season opener, last night's episode with the office drama between Dawn, Lou, Shirley, Peggy, and Joan was great. Watching how the people in charge of the firm actually run the firm makes me shake my head. I don't want the black secretary because I'm angry with her, but I can't fire her because that would be seen as a discrimination thing, so can she be moved but not moved to the front desk where people would actually see her. Oy! The scenes with Don and Sally were good also especially when Don joked with Sally about skipping out on the restaurant bill. Oh, Dad! Such a kidder!


Another problem in need of solving is the whole GM car recall thing. I am currently the driver of one of these ill-fated vehicles and it's bad enough I already take my life in my hands just getting on the road, but now I've got an extra level of paranoia to deal with. I can't have more than one key on the key ring I use for the car (because that extra key weight could trigger ignition problems). As long as GM has known about these issues, you'd think they would have the parts available to fix the problem ASAP. Instead, all we get are promises to increase production in Mexico where the repair parts are being manufactured. Meanwhile, drivers like me are driving the already dangerous roads with an extra layer of danger. Thanks, GM! You suck.

Music for Writing

Usually when I'm working on a book, I have a soundtrack of sorts running through my mind while I write. For example, when I was working on Clean Hands, I listened to a lot of Erykah Badu and Maria Rita. During Daddy Issues, I listened to a lot of Tori Amos. Just today, while I was at the Y, I heard Tori's song "Leather" and it instantly reminded me of Jason, the main character in Daddy Issues because I had that song in heavy rotation during the writing process. As I'm struggling with my current unnamed novel, I've been listening to a lot of Maxwell and Mariah Carey. Sometimes the music will work its way into the writing. In Collusion, I have the three main characters all listening to a samba song that I listened to constantly as I wrote the book. But, normally, the music just stays in my head and doesn't carry over onto the page.


For me, music is an integral part of the writing process. I usually have music playing as I write because I find it helps me get into the mental space I need to get into in order to put words on the page.

Billie Holiday

I read a review today of Audra McDonald's Billie Holiday show and this prompted me to think about my feelings toward Billie Holiday. I don't like Billie Holiday's singing. Yes, I said it. Her voice annoys me. I always read people praising her singing, but I just can't. She had, by all accounts, a terrible life, but does that mean I have to enjoy her singing? She sounds consistently boozy and slightly kooky on many of the songs I've heard her sing. The words of the songs are often sad and serious, but her voice just makes me forget all of that. I feel like I should enjoy her singing because she's such an icon, but I don't. Oh well. Sorry, Lady Day.

Mad Men

Count me as one of the many people who are looking forward to the return of Mad Men tonight on AMC. I'm not a die hard fan, but I have enjoyed the show. (There are seasons I've never even seen, but I don't feel I need to at this point.) There aren't many shows on TV these days that I do enjoy, so when I find a show that I like, I'm happy to tune in. I really hope Bob Benson comes back for the final season. The actor, James Wolk, who plays Bob is from Farmington Hills, Michigan, so he gets a special shout out from me just for that. If I were a writer for the show, I would throw Bob and Pete into a relationship. I think Pete needs what Bob is willing to give him. Yeah.


As for Don "I Grew Up in a Whorehouse" Draper, I've had enough of him. How can someone be so smart and so stupid at the same time? I am ready for Mad Men to come to an end so Jon Hamm can be free to do other things. As great as he is in the role of Don Draper, he's a funny guy and I'd like to see him be funny and we all know Don isn't exactly a crackup. Free Jon Hamm!


While I like Mad Men, I'm not someone who years for the 1960s. (I wasn't even born in the 1960s!) I think Matthew Weiner secretly enjoys the awfulness of that era (i.e. repressed women, racial segregation, and men running everyone and everything). I can watch Mad Men and appreciate how far we've come as a society since then, but I don't long for those days to return.

Christopher T. Leland

I was sad to discover that one of my former Wayne State writing professors, Christopher Leland, had passed away in 2012. I didn't realize he had died until I saw a notice in a recent alumni newsletter about a scholarship fund named in his memory. He was a really great teacher and a nice guy. I also enjoyed his writing, something I can't say for some of the other writing professors I've studied under (whose names won't be mentioned here). Rest in peace, Dr. Leland.

Dr. Odd

I went to an event Saturday morning for a health program in Evanston called "Women Out Walking" that encourages women to exercise and eat well. A doctor of otolaryngology gave a presentation to the walking women of Evanston and his PowerPoint demo was just odd. This guy went from trying to make a connection between your health and your spirit (complete with some bizarre picture of a supposed ghost seated in a church behind a praying woman) to hating on Dr. Oz and telling us how he was unable to maintain a healthy diet while his wife was out of town. Huh? What kind of doctor needs his wife to tell him what to eat? Not any kind of doctor that I'd ever want! And, after his presentation, Dr. Odd encouraged us to take a yoga class run by, guess who, his wife! I took a pass on that one.

Circling

My manager complained to me today about his flight yesterday from New York to Chicago. Apparently his flight was delayed from landing at O'Hare because President Obama was in town for a fund raiser and there were issues with restricted air space and his plane was forced to circle the airport as a result. While I understand and sympathize with my manager's frustration over this flight delay, I totally disagreed with his feeling that the POTUS shouldn't have this kind of power. My manager felt that his life should not have been inconvenienced because the POTUS was in town. (My manager is also not an Obama fan, but claimed that had nothing to do with his outrage.) I told him I didn't care if Obama flew into town to go to McDonald's, he's the President and he needs that level of security and that goes for any POTUS, regardless of party affiliation.