Archerland

Exactly How I Feel

2011-08-04T10:53:00.003-05:00

"I’d spent a good chunk of my early life combating the notion that the Inventor of The Universe was angrily monitoring the use to which I put my genitals." Brandon K Thorpe, one of the authors of this incredible piece of investigative journalism about gay culture in the Miami Archdiocese.

The Only Thing We Have To Fear

2011-05-23T07:46:00.000-05:00

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Franklin Delano Roosevelt I've never understood Protestant preoccupation with predicting the end of the world, until now. It always seemed an act of futility. After all, if only a select few are going to be Raptured, why bother? In the latest flameout Harold Camping predicted that 200,000 would be annexed into Heaven. I always figured that the

Why I My Cats Stay Indoors

2011-05-08T12:08:00.000-05:00

Why my cats are indoor cats: --They won't bring in fleas, ticks and other insect pests. --They won't catch diseases such as FIV or rabies. --They won't get lost. --They won't kill small animals -- mice, birds, frogs, and the occasional bunny rabbit and deposit them on my doorstep. --They won't be killed by cars, neighbors, etc.

What's Next For The L?

2011-03-27T10:35:00.000-05:00

OK, so I am a transportation geek. I admit it, I own it. Here are two articles about the Chicago L published a week apart. From the Reader: How To Fix The L And from Gaper's Block: A CTA Map for 2055 Both articles are VERY conceptual (read: unrealistic) but have a lot of interesting ideas. Daniel Burnham is on their side. You know, make no small plans, yadda, yadda, Neither of these reports take

Ouch!

2010-06-10T09:05:00.001-05:00

I have a pair of beat-up shoes I wear around the house. I have diabetes and you're not supposed to walk barefoot. About a week ago, my cats were chasing each other around in the middle of the night and knocked a jar of (sugarless) hard candy off a shelf. It shattered. When I slipped my shoes on that morning a sliver of glass had landed in the right shoe. I didn't notice until it cut my foot

Breakfast With Scot

2010-03-12T18:53:00.002-06:00

We’ve become so accustomed to Big Statements from gay-themed films that when a quieter movie with more subtle themes comes along it gets dismissed as lightweight and something more appropriate for Lifetime TV. And that’s a shame especially in the case of Breakfast With Scott. I thought this movie was thoroughly charming, amusing and very plausible. It does address some important issues, notably

This Makes Sense

2010-03-03T10:03:00.002-06:00

I am not a teabagger -- far from it. I believe sometimes governments should raise taxes. Also, I don't believe in telling people how to live their lives. Anyway, the conservative Chicago Tribune has a series of editorials about how the state of Illinois can avoid raising taxes and yet still pay its bills.Makes sense to me.

A Close Shave

2010-03-02T10:34:00.003-06:00

A couple months ago, I needed some AA batteries. I go through them like potato chips so I opted for the big pack. It was on sale and Lookee There! It came with a Gillette Fusion razor. And not just a disposable plastic-handled razor but a nice, solid metal handle with rubbery cushioning. For those of you who still use a safety razor, a Fusion has four blades. So, of course, I was more than

Ask Amy: Bad Roomie Advice

2009-07-22T20:29:00.008-05:00

I like Amy Dickinson, the advice columnist for the Chicago Tribune. She’s on-target most of the time, but on this column, I think she missed the boat by not giving a more complete answer. Here’s the original question with Amy’s answer and my version. Son's preference: No gay roommateAsk Amy | Amy DickinsonJuly 20, 2009Dear Amy: My 18-year-old son "Bob" is leaving for his freshman year of college

Story in Tribune

2009-06-21T11:00:00.002-05:00

In the Consumer Watch column in the Tribune today is the story of a halfway house for recovering GLBT on Chicago's Northwest Side. To summarize: A halfway house of recovering GLBT substance abusers will have to move because of neighbor complaints and a mix-up in zoning requirements.I think this smacks of homophobia. It's still the fear that the homosexuals will ravage and recruit their teenage

Oprah's Medical Advice

2009-06-01T13:32:00.002-05:00

I always thought that Oprah's medical advice was suspect. Read this Newsweek article. Also, I thought that Dr. Oz was suspect, not because he gives bad medical advice, but because he doesn't stand up to these quacks. (This is covered on page 5)

Why Sony Sucks

2009-06-01T10:30:00.006-05:00

This was taken with my Sony Cybershot. My FORMER Sony Cybershot. It's now been replaced with a Kodak Easyshare. Pretty obvious why it was replaced, huh?I must have studied the manual for hours, and I searched online for troubleshooting advice. But no matter what I did I couldn't get the picture to clear. I swear I didn't drop it, it wasn't exposed to extreme temperatures, nor did it get wet. I'm

Movie Review: The Journey of Jared Price

2009-05-24T14:57:00.004-05:00

It’s always interesting to me to watch the earlier work of an award-winning moviemaker. In this case, the winner in question is Dustin Lance Black, who won an Academy Award for Milk. Black wrote and directed this very low budget movie about a young man who leaves Georgia for (where else?) Los Angeles. It’s an admirable first try but in my opinion does not foreshadow his later work. Part of the

Movie Review: Mulligans

2009-05-20T20:22:00.001-05:00

Steven Spielburg said, “People have forgotten how to tell a story. Stories don't have a middle or an end any more. They usually have a beginning that never stops beginning.” And that is the essence of this review. This movie has no ending, it just sort of…stops. The premise of the story is an interesting one: Dad falls for son’s best friend. And although I have no interest in golf whatsoever, I

2009-05-13T17:56:00.004-05:00

Keith Olbermann Eviscerates Carrie PrejeanNow can we PLEASE PLEASE lay this to rest? This is the Miss USA pageant. A beauty pageant! There is nothing less important to the state of the nation than a beauty pageant. Except a gossip columnist.Now at the risk of angering some of my gay brethren Perez Hilton is a GOSSIP COLUMNIST! The only class of people lower than gossip columnists is

Tea Bag Douchbags

2009-04-16T13:49:00.002-05:00

Douchebag can't even explain WHY he thinks Obama is a fascist. Makes me embarrassed to admit I live in Illinois, as if I needed another reason to be embarrassed. And yet, these asswipes will be the first to call when they want a pothole filled or if their garbage isn't picked up on time.

Movie Review: An Angel Named Billy

2009-01-05T20:28:00.000-06:00

Ouch! I’m writing this review with the film playing in the background, so sure am I that I’m not missing anything. The plot kinda resembles Sum of Us but without the good acting. And without the good production values. And without anything closely resembling a good movie. The plot has some possibilities but the writer/director squanders them on hollow, empty, stereotyped characters. At least the

Movie Review: The Books of John

2008-12-02T21:41:00.000-06:00

If you’re any kind of storyteller, you have to be careful of starting your story with the end, because your audience has not developed any emotional connections with the characters. It can be done, but it has to be done carefully, artfully and with grace. The Books of John has none of these qualities. This film starts with the death of John, the eponymous title character. Co-directors and

Movie Review: Blue Citrus Hearts

2008-12-01T20:47:00.000-06:00

There are tons of coming out/coming of age films and with good reason; almost everyone has a coming out tale and most of us have a coming of age story. It’s our basic universal story. But this one misses the mark by a long shot. The audio is as bad as other reviewers have mentioned; in many scenes the music drowns out the dialog. Other reviewers have mentioned that they liked the music because it

Quote

2008-11-06T11:02:00.002-06:00

This powerful quote speaks for itself."To the kind souls who decided that I’m not equal, and voted to strip me, and others in my community of their constitutional rights, congratulations. Your bigotry and fear have won this day. In 40 years, when viewed through the prism of history, you’ll find yourselves as respected and loved as the racists and segregationists of the 1960s. In 40 years, when

Hell Freezes Over

2008-10-18T09:39:00.002-05:00

In a historic move, the Chicago Tribune has endorsed Barak Obama for president. So what, you say? So this is the first time EVER the Tribune, in it's 150+ year history, that has endorsed a Democrat. This includes two endorsements for Nixon and two for the current idiot in office. It will be interesting to see who the Pantagraph endorses. They're even more conservative then the Trib, if that's

Extreme Pumpkins

2008-10-08T16:09:00.001-05:00

Just when you thought it was safe for your gourds, check this site out. Extreme Pumpkins

100 Greatest, Gayest Albums of All Time

2008-09-05T10:08:00.002-05:00

This list of the 100 Greatest, Gayest Albums of All Time represents a lot of the music I listened to as a teenager, college student and young adult. Some of these I've never heard of. And some I played to death (Bronski Beat.)Some quibbles: David Bowie's Let's Dance is at least as gay if not gayer than Ziggy.I'm disappointed that Queen, ELO and The Communards are not represented. Especially Queen

Cool Link

2008-08-28T11:34:00.001-05:00

This color test reminds me of the Luscher Color Test popular in the seventies and early 80s. Oh wait, it is!I took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!"Seeks success, stimulation, and a life full of exp..."Click here to read the rest of the results.

Penney's Back To School Commercial

2008-08-15T12:31:00.003-05:00

I think this commercial is total brilliance. Of course, the original movie was total brilliance, that's why it still resonates more than 20 years later.An updated version of The Breakfast Club:

Mutt

2008-07-22T19:06:00.002-05:00

Why is there no cat equivalent to mutt. Oh sure, there's 'Domestic Shorthair." But that doesn't have the impact of mutt. I mean, mutt says what it means and means what it says. Domestic Shorthair sounds like a politically correct term fashioned by a committee. The late, great George Carlin did a rant about this. How about it? A new word for 'cat mutt?'

Kim Myles

2008-03-27T10:27:00.002-05:00

Tonight the latest installment of Myles of Style. She's the winner of last summer's DesignStar 2 competition. And I have to say her show has rapidly become one of my favorites on HGTV because she does one thing that no other HGTV host does.A bit of background; I was pulling for her early on in the competition. Would have liked to see more of Lisa, she seemed like a lot of fun and was certainly a

Movie Review: As Luck Would Have It

2008-01-02T20:30:00.000-06:00

I really enjoyed this film despite the fact that it was French. (OK, it may be Swiss-French but I was unable find any info on IMDB.) I have a snarky nickname for French films: Plotless Wonders. That’s because when on the rare occasion French filmmakers deign to include something as pedestrian as a plot it’s buried under layers and layers of allegory, symbolism and metaphor. Not my cup of tea and

Al Sharpton: Hypocrite Royale

2007-12-20T10:14:00.000-06:00

The "Reverend" Al Sharpton threatened to approach the International Olympic Committee with a challenge to Chicago's 2016 bid to host the Olympics. He says that Chicago must investigate and implement a plan to control police brutality.I do not for a moment deny that some Chicago police are out of control. But I DO suggest that "Reverend" Al get his act together before he start throwing stones. To

Put That Damn Checkbook Away

2007-11-19T20:24:00.000-06:00

Would someone please explain to me why anyone writes a check for a purchase at a store anymore? Debit cards are so much faster and easier. All you have to do is remember to deduct. I only write checks to pay bills anymore.Do us all a favor and break out your debit card!

Cheap-Ass SOB

2007-11-14T02:18:00.000-06:00

If you're a cheap-ass son-of-a-bitch like me, here's some websites I check on a daily basis:Woot One deal a day, usually electronicsBarganist A variety of products and servicesDealhack "We are obsessed with finding the best deals for our users"

Freaking Hilarious

2007-11-03T09:10:00.000-05:00

The Complaint Choir of Chicago is about to make its debut! And in case you're not familiar with a Complaint Choir (and I wasn't until I read the story) they're a group of amateurs who get together to sing about the things they hate about their city. "Drunks who pee off their balcony." Buses that "bunch up worse than granny panties." And, of course, the Cubs. Read the Tribune story hereCan't wait

Debit Card Blues

2007-11-01T09:16:00.000-05:00

I suspected something was wrong when McDonalds declined my Credit Union debit card. OK, no comments about McDonalds. And when I prepaid my cell account yesterday and the payment didn't go through, I knew I had to call the Credit Union.Oh, I was girded for battle. I was pissed. I was ready to close my account which would be a shame since the CU has been so good to me over the years.Call #1I had to

Another Black Eye For Substitute Teachers

2007-10-16T09:56:00.001-05:00

Another substitute teacher has been charged with inappropriate behavior. Just what we need. It's getting harder and harder to become a substitute. One has to be fingerprinted, submit to a criminal background check and have a physical and/or TB test.They're protecting the kids, of course, which I fully support.What I'm worried about is how many more hoops they're going to concoct because of idiots

Let's Pause For A Moment Of Silence

2007-10-14T10:01:00.000-05:00

Illinois has just passed a state law mandating a moment of silence at the beginning of the day for public schools.I think this quote from Neil Codell, superintendent of Niles Township High School District says it all:"No wonder we're down at the bottom of all the states in school funding because this is what they [lawmakers] spend their time on."Ridiculous.

10 Really Bad Gay-Themed Movies

2007-10-05T13:50:00.000-05:00

These are NOT "So Bad They're Good." They just plain suck. Avoid them at all costs!And I'm not picking on indies. It's entirely possible to have a classy independent film on a low budget: Priscilla, Big Eden, Latter Days.To the producers, directors, screenwriters: Know your audience! Most gay men have attended college and some of us have advanced degrees. Stop insulting our intelligence! Three

Sarcastic Wear

2007-09-25T08:38:00.000-05:00

Within days of the Tasering of Andrew Meyer in Florida, T-shirts went on sale featuring his quotation “Don’t Tase me, bro.” And O.J. Simpson’s latest troubles led to one shirt that reads: “Ask me how I would kill O.J.” For Perspective, the Tribune’s Mark Jacob dug up some other real T-shirt dug up some other real T-shirt slogans ripped out of the headlines.1. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should

Useless Illinois Trivia

2007-09-20T15:03:00.000-05:00

There are only two stoplights in the central Illinois county of Ford. One is in Paxton, the county seat. The other is in Gibson City.

Funny Locker Room Video

2007-09-16T15:05:00.000-05:00

WARNING: NSFWLocker Room EtiquetteUploaded by blinwins

Dawn of a New Motherhood

2007-09-03T07:59:00.000-05:00

Dawn's been hailed as the new Erma Bombeck. And with good reason. She's a suburban Chicago mom with six kids and a wicked sense of humor. Her observations on everyday life are funny and insightful. Highly recommended!Because I Said So

Old-School B. Dalton Promo

2007-08-05T09:41:00.000-05:00

I've written about the closing of B. Dalton before. Here's a nostalgic look at a Reading Rainbow funding credit video. It's from about 1985 when Dayton-Hudson still owned B. Dalton and before Barnes and Noble bought the chain.

Sister Goes to Pennsylvania

2007-06-24T16:03:00.000-05:00

My sister is flying to Pittsburgh to take care of Dad's body and close up his house. After renting a car in Pittsburgh, she'll drive 4 hours to his house in central Pennsylvania. Dad did have a will that named me executor of his estate. He didn't specify cremation but my sister and I agreed this would be the best thing to do. She'll bring the ashes back for burial here.She's also going to

My Dad Passed Away Today

2007-06-23T23:00:00.000-05:00

My Dad passed away today in his home in Pennsylvania. Sometimes I don't turn on my cell phone for days on end. When I finally turned it on about 9PM tonight, there were 5 messages. Highly unusual on a Saturday. The messages were from my sister and mom trying to reach me.More later.

Chicago 2016 Olympics

2007-03-07T11:39:00.000-06:00

Chicago 2016! Yes!The USOC is in Chicago to look over the city and view Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid. Back when I managed a bookstore for a living, I vowed that I would attend the ABA (American Booksellers Association) convention if it ever came to Chicago. And it did, from 1995 to 2000. And I attended in 95 and 96.Now I promise that if the Olympics come to Chicago, I'll be there.

Lies That Became Truth #2

2006-12-19T09:35:00.000-06:00

"You should warm your car up. Otherwise you'll screw up the engine."Lie! Maybe you've heard this from your dad. (I didn't; my dad retired after 30 years as a mechanic. He always told me the best way to warm up the car was just to drive it.) But this lie persists being passed down from generation to the next. Maybe instead of an Old Wives Tale, it should be an Old Husband's Tale.Truth: Most modern

Lies That Became Truth #1

2006-11-03T09:27:00.000-06:00

If your mom was like mine she always told me "Cover your head because 80% of your body heat escapes through your head."Mom, you're lying! Or at least you don't know the whole truth.While some body heat does escape through the top of your head, the vast majority escapes through the "holes" in your head: IE your nose, ears and most significantly your mouth. So the next time your mom uses this line

2006-02-25T20:35:00.000-06:00

Back Where He Started By Jay QuinnAlyson Publications, 2005One of my best friends has a comeback line that I’ve grown quite fond of. If I playfully call him a slut, for example, he’ll respond with “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”Many reviewers have called Back Where He Started a romance. And my response to them is: “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”It’s not a bad thing. Back Where He

2005-04-26T11:54:00.000-05:00

Interesting story about a gay high school jock. No Happily Ever After ending but still a lot of inspiration here. Life Was Hell for Gay Teen Jock - Outsports.com

Priest Found Beaten in Park

2004-12-24T23:40:00.000-06:00

Interesting articleSJ-R.COM - Priest found beaten in park

Closing Time

2004-09-12T19:59:00.000-05:00

“Closing time – You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.”Few people mourn the passing of a retail store. You shop at the local K Mart for fifteen years, you know the layout. You know where they keep your favorite brands of toilet paper and candy bars. You know where the clearance items are displayed. You never know what might be there at the clearance aisle. Maybe it’s that CD that

2004-08-23T01:16:00.000-05:00

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner? Guess who was in town this weekend? The Phelps clan. You know, the fascists who run God Hates Fags.com and protested at Matthew Shepard's funeral? What the hell were they doing here? Good question. The Pantagraph seemed to know they were coming. I'm thinking a press release tipped the usually clueless Pantagraph off. Obviously, they invited themselves to

2004-08-13T01:06:00.000-05:00

I love the Olympics The Olympics are the only sports I watch on TV. That statement will either cause fear or applause. The opening ceremonies were tonight and they were spectacular! I was very impressed. The Greeks certainly look like they were prepared, the stadium was beautiful, the welcoming ceremony was very cool. The only quibble I have is with the way the Americans were dressed.

2004-07-05T14:11:00.001-05:00

Life Was Hell for Gay Teen Jock - Outsports.com A very inspiring story. Seems to be a bit dated, I wonder what the current story is

2004-06-04T20:35:00.000-05:00

The Care and Feeding of Cashiers Cashiering at both the bookstore and the office supply store this summer reminds me of some of the basic cashiering etiquette rules I'd enact if I were king. --We don't want your pennies. Really. We have plenty in the register. And if you insist on giving us your pennies, have them ready. We don't want to watch you dig through your purse or pockets for the

2004-06-01T20:30:00.000-05:00

Remembering 9/11 I get a Daily Digest from one of the Yahoo! Groups I belong to. Most of the time, I glance over it quickly because it's filled with silly jokes, useless information and platitudes. Today was different. In the Digest today there was a link to a tribute site for the terrorist attacks of September 11. I followed the link and waited for the Flash Movie to download. Since I'm

2004-05-30T20:29:00.000-05:00

Jimmy, Jimmy I remember digging in the sand underneath the slide at Brookwood School with Jimmy. I can't remember Jimmy's last name but I seem to recall it was a color, like White or Brown. It might have even been Gray. It probably wasn't Pink or Yellow and certainly not Cerise or Lavender. In any event, I recall that we were perfectly happy doing what we were doing, though exactly what we

2004-05-25T20:21:00.000-05:00

Review: The Lord Won't Mind by Gordon Merrick In some ways, it's like reading ancient history; I just purchased a copy of Gordon Merrick's The Lord Won't Mind and One for the Gods. I got a really good deal from hamiltonbook.com. The publishing date for The Lord Won't Mind is 1970; Gods was published in 1971. The setting is initially Connecticut, later on it's New York. The time is 1940.