'Milk' with Sean Penn is amazing. You MUST see it.
{michael}

Getting ready to see 'Milk' have you seen it yet?
{michael}

I swear I worked an hour and a half for that buzz and now they want to ruin it with food. i have got to get new friends
{michael}

Martinis truly are like balls 1 is not enough 2 Is just right and 3 Is one too many. I love the holidays

Happy Thanksgiving and he your not in the US then Happy Thursday
{michael}

Happy Thanksgiving and he your not in the US then Happy Thursday
{michael}

Happy Thanksgiving and he your not in the US then Happy Thursday
{michael}

Peppermint Patty was such a bitch
{michael}

Female masquerading as male pulls wool over Japanese zookeepers

Japanese zookeepers were surprised to find that a polar bear that they thought was a male was actually a female.

Tsuyoshi is a four-year-old, 441 lb cream-colored polar bear living in the Kushiro Municipal Zoo and has been pulling the wool over the eyes of the zookeepers since she was three months old.

At that time Tsuyoshi was "tagged" as a male, apparently it's very difficult to determine the sex of a polar bear due to their heavy coat. I'm sure they don't really enjoy it when someone comes after them with a pair of latex gloves - I know I get a little nervous - and I'm not a polar bear!

Tsuyoshi was brought to the zoo to breed with one of the female polar bears that was already there but after several months it was apparent that Tsuyoshi just "wasn't that into her." The zookeepers started getting worried and saw that the two bears actually urinated in the same manner, which seemed strange to them. Several DNA tests of her hair and a manual examination finally proved that Tsuyoshi was in fact a female.

The zookeepers are now a little frustrated because Tsuyoshi was brought there to be a mate - but now that's not happening. They are going to check with other zoos in the region to see what can be done.

Would you nominate me?

Well, I wouldn't normally self-promote myself like this, but my friend Jason Steele started it, so I'm just following his lead.

ason just sent an email to his friends announcing that the nominations for this year's Pressies, the local "Best of Chicago" award ceremony that was created by Chicago Free Press, is now open.

He's asked that we nominate him...but he was also kind enough to ask his friends to nominate little old me for best local GLBT Blog.

So I'm doing the return favor for him and at the same time asking you to nominate me and also him...I mean that is if you'd like to : -)

Jason was nominated and won for last years Best Local LGBT Columnist and he deserves to win again this year.

You don’t have to fill in all the categories, just the ones you want/know. Here are some other suggestions to round out the ballot–

Under Culture: Best GLBT Celebrity - Fausto Fernos
Under Internet: Best GLBT Website: Chicagopride.com
Under Internet: Best GLBT Blog: whatsaboytodo.net
Under Lifestyle: Best Brunch: Big Jones
Under Print: Best Daily Newspaper: RedEye
Under Print: Best Local Columnist: Jason Steele

Here's the Ballot: www.chicagofreepress.com/pressies 

Oh yeah, and if you really feel the need to do more, please feel free to post this on your own blog or Facebook page!

More than 300 GLBT Supporters Protest Cinemark Theaters in Evanston, IL

IMG_3854
Originally uploaded by feastoffools

The numbers are in: More than 300 people joined forces on Saturday night while braving the cold to inform the citizens of Evanston, IL exactly they type of prejudice they are supporting when they patronize the Century Theater on Maple Street.

For two hours the protesters peacefully marched in front of the theater chanting "hey hey ho ho, homophobia has got to go" and "what do we want?  Equal Rights!  When do we want them?  NOW!" but the most powerful of all was when the entire group was chanting "Boycott Cinemark" in unison with the voices bouncing off the walls of the high rises that line the street.

After a peaceful protest the group marched to the campus of Northwestern University where they blocked the main entrance to the campus and organizer Andy Thayer addressed the group.  The protesters then marched back to the theater walking through busy downtown Evanston surprising patrons of numerous businesses.  The protesters then marched in front of the theaters while chanting and informing consumers that they have a choice when going to the movies.

 

For more info: Visit Gay Liberation Network to stay on top of the news regarding the need to Defeat Prop 8

I think i just passed a couple on the street that was breaking up. so sad
{michael}

The Next Step in Defeating Prop 8

The Next Step in Defeating Prop 8
Originally uploaded by Michael_Lehet

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS

Close to 500 people joined forces tonight in Evanston, IL to send a message to the CEO of Cinemark Theater. 

Alan Stock, CEO of Cinemark Theater Group donated almost $10,000 to the YES on 8 Campaign in California - even though he is a Texas resident. 

All walks of people, straight, gay, black, white became one tonight in broadcasting their message to the City of Evanston.  After a peaceful protest in front of the theater, the group marched to the Northwestern University campus where they proceeded to block the same entrance to the University that students did in the 60's to protest the Vietnam War.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS

For more info: Visit the Gay Liberation Network

I just got back from the Protest of Cinemark Theaters in Evanston - check out the pix http://ping.fm/yoP1N

There must be 500 People at this protest it is fabulous
{michael}

Just filled up my car and it only cost me $26!!!! YEAH!!!!

Oh No! Someone is trying to kill me!

Typealyzer thingy

According to Typealyzer my blog portrays the following about me:

ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves. The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

Wow, that's pretty spot on....and that picture is almost identical to real life as well.

So what type of blogger are you?

Caution when purchasing Holiday Gift Cards

If you tend to give gift cards around the holidays, we have been cautioned that the cards may not be honored after the holidays.

Stores that are planning to close after Christmas are still selling the cards through the holidays even though the cards will be worthless January 1.

There is no law preventing them from doing this. On the contrary, it is referred to as "Bankruptcy Planning.’

Below is a partial list of stores that you need to be cautious about.

• Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)
• Ann Taylor- 117 stores nationwide closing
• Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine's to close 150 stores nationwide
• Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January
• Cache will close all stores
• Talbots closing down specialty stores
• J. Jill closing all stores (owned by Talbots)
• Pacific Sunwear (also owned by Talbots)
• GAP closing 85 stores
• Footlocker closing 140 stores more to close after January
• Wickes Furniture closing down
• Levitz closing down remaining stores
• Bombay closing remaining stores
• Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January
• Whitehall closing all stores
• Piercing Pagoda closing all stores
• Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after January
• Home Depot closing 15 stores 1 in NJ ( New Brunswick )
• Macys to close 9 stores after January
• Linens and Things closing all stores
• Movie Galley Closing all stores
• Pep Boys Closing 33 stores Sprint/Nextel closing 133 stores
• JC Penney closing a number of stores after January
• Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores
• Wilson Leather closing down all stores
• Sharper Image closing down all stores
• K B Toys closing 356 stores
• Loews to close down some stores
• Dillard's to close some stores

Protest Prop 8 Rally in Chicago

IMG_3211
Originally uploaded by feastoffools

What a weekend, I'm exhausted, but it's a good exhausted.

Saturday was a door buster day though that's for sure.  More than 4,000 people joined forces at Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago to protest against the passage of Proposition 8 in California. 

My friends arrived at my house at 10:30 where we rallied the troops and started making Protest Signs.  There were 6 of us at that point with plans to pick more up along the way.  We made our way out to Sheridan Road to catch the 147 which took us to our destination.  As we were turning the corner, we saw the bus waiting there and suddenly the adrenaline kicked in as I turned around to the rest of the group and yelled that the bus was waiting for us.  As we lumbered on the bus, I immediately saw four of my friends - protest signs in hand.  As we walked through the bus I saw more people that were on the way to the same place that we were.  And finally when we found our seat at the back of the bus, I had a chance to meet some lovely lesbians.  They had just found out about the rally from a friend who was calling everyone she knew to get more people involved.  The energy on the bus was electric as it seemed at every stop we picked up more and more protesters.

We arrived early at the rally and had a chance to walk through the growing group of people.  We finally settled ourselves at the perfect spot - right behind the TV Cameras and had a great view of the speakers.

It was powerful to walk through the crowd and see such a diverse group of people: young, old, black, white, gay, lesbian, straight, boyfriends, girlfriends - all true supporters that only want one thing - the right to marry the person they love!  As I walked through the crowd it was inspiring to read all of the signs, slogans and posters that people had created.  The one thing that struck me most were the "new" signs versus the old signs.

There were plenty of signs that looked liked they had been through MANY MANY protests before, they were the grandparents that still stood the test of time with a message that still needs to be said.  But there were more signs that were fresh and new, some were HUGE and required several people to hold them and there were small ones held by proud and happy individuals.  There were simple signs with a few words and pictures and there were elaborate signs where people took time to really convey their message.  Regardless of the message it was very powerful to be amongst this crowd of protesters.

I had my sign (Prop 8 = HATE), my video camera AND my whistle, so I could help make some extra noise with the crowds.  Since we were so close to the stage, it was difficult to really get a grasp of just how many people were crowded into the plaza.  About 30 minutes into the rally there was an announcement that the City had blocked off Adams street to give us more room to collect, so that everyone could join around the common area and hear the speakers.  Everytime that I looked behind me all I saw was a sea of faces, banners, posters and Rainbow Flags.

At one point the guy standing beside me turned and handed me the flag that he was holding and simply said "Pass it along"  So I held the flag for a few minutes letting the energy and power of the crowd absorb into me and warm me up.  I then turned around to a girl that was standing behind me and I handed her the flag and said the same thing "Pass it along."

We heard old messages and new messages, but the message was the same "Why can't we choose who we want to marry?  Why can't we have the same rights that everyone elese has?"

There was also an announcement of a future picket at Cinemark Theaters in Evanston as it was just announced that the owner of the Theater Chain donated $9,999 (just under the legal limit) to the Support of Prop 8.  This coming Saturday at 5:00PM a group is planning on meeting at the theater to protest and let the theater goers know that the business they support, doesn't support the community - as I get more news it I will let you know.  It was made clear that this was just the first of many to come down the road, and we ALL need your support!

We were getting cold and hungry and had to break off from the crowd, to find food and comfort.  As we We were walking out of a store and heard a lot of noise and shouting, it was the rally.  They had organized even further and marched from Federal Plaza to Michigan Avenue and then north to the end of Mag Mile.  I heard reports from friends that they marched for more than 2 hours and covered about 4 miles of streets.  We joined the parade and eventually peeled off at Water Tower place where we stood in the median and shouted and blew my whistle in support of the marchers.  The best part though was watching the faces of the stunned and surprised Mag Mile shoppers as they watched this huge influx of people marching past them shouting "What do we want?  Equal Rights!  When do we want them?  NOW!!!"

From all reports that I've heard, this was a peaceful rally, no one was hurt, no one was arrested - but more importantly, the message had been delivered!

 

 You can see other YouTube videos from other protests around the country HERE

You can also see more Photos from the rally HERE, HERE and for more from around the country HERE 

For more info: Check Join the Impact - Protest Prop 8 for more information, also check out Gay Liberation Network for updated information.

My friend Scott was in a featured photo from the Prop 8 Protest http://ping.fm/GWRvc

Protest Proposition 8 Rally in Chicago

Protest Proposition 8 Rally in Chicago
Originally uploaded by Michael_L

The sign says it all. Love is never wrong!

The Protest against Proposition 8 yesterday in Federal Plaza downtown Chicago was AMAZING.

It was my first ever protest and it was wonderful to see the turnout of people with signs, flags, banners, chanting, yelling and making a huge amount of noise.

There's more to come, but click on the image to see more photos from the Rally.

Check back later for the video!

At the after party for 3Way i am still the only gay in the village
{michael}

In line to see 3Way and i am the only gay boy in the village. oh wait theres a cute boy. oops no its not.

First a protest and now off to see 3Way at the Reeling Film Festival. A Queers work is never done!

Just got back from the protest, check out some of the pictures - videos coming soon! http://ping.fm/AdY1k

Getting my protest gear together. TODAY - Chicago - 12:30 - Federal Plaza. Be there or be square.

Dream Panda's featured on POPTUB

Remember those Panda videos that The Feast of Fools boys and I made when we were Pandas?

Well POPTUB picked up the video and is saying it's a "Must See," Check it out!!!!!

Going to the Reeling Film Festival. Have you been yet? Hurry only a few days left.

I just posted my interview with Maeve Quinlan, I hope you like it. She is FABULOUS and can't wait to see her tomorrow. http://ping.fm/OvkGf

A conversation with Maeve Quinlan

Who doesn't enjoy a good 3Way? If you're looking for a good time I can tell you where you can find a hot 3Way, with little to no effort. Saturday night you can catch the "hottest lesbian comedy NOT on TV" at Reeling 27's presentation of 3Way at Pipers Alley at 7PM.

Let me give you a quick rundown of this hilarious comedy that just happens to be about lesbians. 3Way is the story of an out of luck actress who moves in with her childhood friend - who happens to be a lesbian, soon a new girlfriend shows up and moves in and an ex-girlfriend that won't go away.

3Way is much more than just "a show" it's a true pioneer into that new frontier of New Media. 3Way was originally conceived as a two-part web show that grew to a 3 part series and eventually morphed into a full blown Web Series with Episodes, Confessionals and Behind-the-Scene action. 3Way really takes advantage of America's craze with Reality TV by showcasing the funniest parts of reality TV and wrapping it around a perfect story about 3 lesbians and a straight girl.

Recently I had a chance to sit down with one of the stars of this hot show, Maeve Quinlan, and find out exactly what they're up to.

Michael Lehet: Who came up with the concept of 3Way?
Maeve Quinlan: When I was on South of Nowhere, the character I was playing was a homophobe and I did something an actress should never do - I went on the message boards to see what the fans were saying. I was shocked that some people were saying things like “I hate Maeve Quinlan because she’s a homophobe!” And I’m like "NO, I’m not! The character I play is, but I’m not!" At the time one of my best friends, who happens to be a lesbian, was living with me and she had met this great girl who moved in with us. I was sitting there laughing at myself and said "If they could even see my life." Not to be too dramatic about that but I was really hurt, I have many gay and lesbian friends.

So I jotted down this idea, and because I had been working on a Soap for 10 years prior to that, I came up with this bigger than life story. About this really bad Soap Actress who goes through a horrible divorce, gives everything up for the dog which dies the day after they sign the papers, gets fired from her job, her agent saves her job but now she’s in a coma so there’s no lines, no money, no dog. So she really needs her childhood friend to move in with her, and that's just the beginning.

ML: So a lot of it is based on your personal experience?
MQ: Well I should say that I heighten it and change it. The idea came from me but the credit really goes to the creators: myself, Nancylee Myatt – who was co-executive producer on South of Nowhere and Paige Bernhardt. The three of us came up with the idea of doing proper episodes and then the confessionals.

ML: You appear to have a great rapport with the rest of the cast, it comes across on the screen.
MQ: We have such amazing chemistry! What’s funny is that Maile was the first person that was cast and then Jill Bennett then it took us a while because we didn’t know who we wanted to cast as Roxie. Our Casting Director and Maile suggested Kathy Shim, when we saw her stuff on MadTV and Reno911 we knew we had to have her. Each actress brings something special to their character it’s such a great ensemble.

Click HERE To read the rest of the interview with Maeve Quinlan

Theater gods are most definitely on my side. Chitty tickets have been purchased. Front row center balcony! BANG BANG!

Success!!! Got tickets for Mary Poppins - front row balcony, center! And only $103.18 for one ticket - FUCK!

Friday is going to be a most Fabulous Friday!

Not only is it going to be Friday...the gateway to the weekend...the end of the work week......the end of a week which has had me busier than a one armed paper hanger....but it's going to be the most fabulous Friday ever.

So what makes this Friday any special than any other Friday. Well, I can sum it up for you in a single word, one little word. It's a simple word really, you've probably heard it once or twice before. It's not a short word though, it's got eighteen consonants and sixteen vowels . Ok you've waited long engough. Tomorrow is going to be Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Tomorrow tickets for the Chicago Tour of Mary Poppins goes on sale. I'm so freaking excited. I've been waiting for 4 years to see this show. In 2004 I went to London on vacation and while we were there we walked by the theater where Mary Poppins was making it's world debut. The theater that was closed because Mary Poppins was opening 3 days AFTER we left London. 3 FREAKING DAYS!!!!

Then when we hit New York it hadn't made it there yet so I still didn't have the chance to see it. But now it's coming to Chicago and it's going to be here for a little bit longer than normal, but I can't wait to see it.

Now on any other Friday that would be enough to make it a super day, but tomorrow is extra special. So special that you could call it special special bang bag.

Tickets ALSO go on sale for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang that's going to be here for 4 days only in February.

When I was in London, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was playing but my ex- didn't want to go see it. So I missed it as well : -( (We had a great theater trip though, we did see The Woman in White with Michael Crawford and Maria whatever her name is and we saw Saturday Night Fever). Again when we were in NY, Chitty had actually been there and done that by the time we visited and now it's going on tour.

So tomorrow is going to be the most Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Bang Bang day EVER!!!!

Yeah, I know, you don't need to tell me, I'm gay!

Are you going to the Protest on Saturday? You should, check out all of the details: http://ping.fm/Ptz9L

Join the Impact - Protest Prop 8 on November 15

I can't say it better than this, so I am pulling this directly from the National Facebook Page here is the Chicago Page.

The Chicago Protest will take place at 12:30PM on November 15th at Federal Plaza at Dearborn & Adams

Be part of the next Civil Rights Movement - Be part of history - Join the National Protest / March for Equality on November 15th!

---------------------------------------
This is not a California issue. This is an issue of equality across America. Stand up and make your voice heard. Visit the website http://www.jointheimpact.com/
-----------------

SATURDAY NOV 15TH -
10:30AM WEST COAST
11:30AM MOUNTIAN TIME ZONE
12:30PM CENTRAL TIME ZONE
1:30PM EAST COAST

Prop 8 Protest: A Call to the LGBTQ Community, Friends, & Family

I’m sure all would agree that with the election of Barack Obama, this week has been one of amazing wins in the world of equality! Still, Tuesday night was a bitter-sweet celebration. We came together to witness the first black man who will become our president, yet watched in sadness as Florida, Arizona, Arkansas, and California all voted down equal rights for all citizens. Pundits and bloggers alike have put their focus on Proposition 8, trying hard to find an explanation for the anti-gay wins in the face of a huge swell of support for equality elsewhere. Some have blamed the voters, others blame religious groups, and even others blame the LGBTQ community for not being able to mobilize on a larger enough scale. And you know what? There is truth in each argument.

As a community, we have to admit to the fact that we are polarized in various ways. Honestly, I’m not sure what community isn’t and I believe that our polarization is proof to our humanity - we are no different than anyone else, regardless of color, creed, or sexual orientation. Still, our polarization has hindered us from mobilizing as one strong voice. We all come together in the month of June to celebrate Gay Pride, but few of us are even aware of why Gay Pride exists. Gay Pride is a celebration to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969. Many say that the Gay Rights Movement began in 1969, which means that we are still a young movement and have accomplished a great deal in such a short amount of time. The generation that fought for us in 1969 deserves our gratitude and respect. This is a generation of amazing people who fought for our ability to hold hands in the street, to speak out against hate, to dance to our own “thumpa thump”, witness television shows with a queer cast, and come together in the streets celebrating for an entire month! This is the generation that opened the doors for us to even have a conversation about gay marriage, and this is the generation that deserves our help and our voices now. On June 27th, 1969, this generation came together in protest, jumping from closets, taking to the streets, and mobilizing in ways this country had never seen before! And what happened? The country was forced to respond. The Queer identity was forced onto the front pages and coffee tables of people’s worlds and people had to once and for all accept that we are human too!

Now, almost 40 years later we NEED to come together again. We need to show this nation that we are ONE LOUD VOICE THAT DEMANDS TO BE HEARD! We need to be one organized unit. Our gay pride shouldn’t be something we celebrate one month out of the year. Our gratitude towards the ones who came before us shouldn’t be ignored and wasted away with one party after another. We beg to be given a right that requires responsibility and commitment, yet we, as one strong community, have not proven to this nation that we deserve to be taken seriously! The gay pride parade has become a great party, but it has lost the memory of Stonewall and therefor given the nation another reason to cast us aside as irresponsible. It’s time we come together for debate, for public recognition, and for LOVE! Let’s move as one full unit, on the same day, at the same hour, and let’s show the United States of America that we too are UNITED CITIZENS EQUAL IN MIND, BODY, SPIRIT AND DESERVING OF FULL EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW!

On the steps of your City Hall on November 15th at 10:30am PST / 1:30pm EST, our community WILL take to the streets and speak out against Proposition 8 and all of the other pro-equality losses that we have faced in our lifetimes, in our parents’ lifetimes, and for many generations before us. WE CAN’T DO THIS ALONE! WE NEED YOUR HELP! We need organizers in every major city to work with us and get out the protest! I know you’re all tired from all of the work you’ve done for this great election year, but I’m asking for one more push! Let the country hear our voices together. Let them see that we are a strong, adamant, and powerful community that deserves equal rights, and CAN’T BE DEFEATED!

Send this post to everyone! We have one week and must react to the pro-hate votes cast against us! Let’s help our LGBTQ friends, families, neighbors, and each other to IMPACT this country with a demand for our basic human rights! Join the cause, join the voice, and JOIN THE IMPACT!

This is a nationwide event. Every major city in America (and some around the world) will be protesting on 11/15 10:30 PST (or 1:30 EST). Regardless of what city you are in or near, there will be a protest near you. Please join a protest near you. Here are the links to other protests:

Main Event: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=45356108205

San Francisco, CA: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=32251834674

Los Angeles, CA: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=49761921140

New York City, NY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=33598248873

Lubbock, TX: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=33713273642

Fairfield, CA: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=34611228099

Orange County, CA: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=34475914076

Santa Rosa, CA: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=34440551068

Stockton, CA: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=48127673880

St. Louis, MO: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=39558816484

New Orleans, LA: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=44603053764

Chicago, IL: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=48659866275

Albany, NY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=48186896290

Boston, MA: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=37701726407

Jacksonville, FL: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=48753753160

Greensboro, NC: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=34500069010

Columbus, OH: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=34938706655

Northampton, MA: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=46213815030

Philadelphia, PA: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=34356098686

Syracuse, NY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=35490157545

Cleveland, OH: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=33584692766

Hartford, CT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=46553309328

• What: Join the Impact - Protest Prop 8



• When: Saturday, November 15 - 12:30PM



• Where: Federal Plaza, Dearborn & Adams

For more info: If you don't see your city listed here, visit the main site Join The Impact

Off to the reeling film festival with some friends. are you going to come with us?
{michael}

My First Celebrity Interview - REVEALED

How has the change in Daylight Savings time affected you?

Find out how I ended up on the couch. http://ping.fm/hdR64

SKUNK WATCH 2008

Winter Shopping Commences
Originally uploaded by Michael_L

What smells like burning rubber, incense, a pine forest and an orange grove? Give up? It's our house.

Remember a few weeks ago when I told you about a run-in I had in the neighborhood? And just a few days ago when I had a text conversation with my roommate?

The Roommate came home on Friday evening and as he has done hundreds of times before, let the dog out in the backyard to pee before going to bed. Everything was normal on Friday except that there was an unseen visitor in the yard.

It was that darn Skunk that we've been seeing around the neighborhood and apparently he got quite a scare out from the dog and decided to raise his tail to both the dog AND my roommate.

I was in bed, asleep, when suddenly there was this strong smell of burning rubber in my room. I immediately recognized it as skunk spray and thought - well guess I'm not sleeping with the window open tonight - only to realize that my window was already closed. The smell got stronger and stronger, almost to the point of making me gag.

Somehow in the madness of all that was going on, The Roommate came back into the house and the dog followed him. The dog was freaking out because he had gotten sprayed in the eyes and he smelled like a pile of tires that were on fire. The smell kept getting stronger and stronger.

Panic spread throughout the house as I was slowly waking up and grasping the situation. The Roommate is standing dumb-founded by the front door while the dog is frantically rubbing his face onto the carpet trying to get the skunk oil off of his face.

I quickly banished both of them to the backporch and told the roommate "You've got to wash that dog NOW." Even though it was 12:30am, a dog that's been freshly sprayed with skunk isn't something that you really can let go until morning to take care of. Skunk Spray is pretty wicked stuff - even though the dog and The Roommate were only in the house for a few minutes the smell was penetrating everything. I quickly closed doors and windows while I tried to figure out how we were going to fix the situation.

I grabbed the laptop and typed "remove skunk spray from dog" into google and came up with more answers than I cared to filter through.

Surprisingly, most of them did not go for the old wives tale of the use of "tomato juice" as the end all be all to get rid of skunk spray. The tricky thing with Skunk Spray is that it's an oil so using water does nothing to neutralize the smell, you've got to break down the oil. Most told us to use a combination of Vinegar or Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda - you create a type of "oxygen generator" that supposedly bonds with the Skunk Spray and breaks it down.

I got him set up with the tools he needed and tried to figure out what I was going to do. It would be impossible to sleep in the house, the smell was overwhelming to the point of extreme nauseousness. There was no sleeping going on at this house tonight. Fortunately The Best Friend lives around the corner, I called him to tell him what was going on and he extended an offer of their couch for the night. I told them I'd grab my pillow and be over.

The Roommate was up until almost 3am washing the dog and trying to get himself cleaned up - to no avail because who has "skunk wash" just sitting in their pantry.

I got up early Saturday morning and ran to PetCo to buy some "Skunk-b-Gone" and specialized deodorizers. The Roommate spent at least 6 hours cleaning the house, mopping the floors, doing laundry, cleaning surfaces, scrubbing the walls. The problem with skunk spray is that once it gets in the air, it will settle everywhere. It is so invasive that it was on our coats, even though we had not even opened the closet door.

While I was laying on my friends couch, the only thing that I could smell was skunk, it had gotten into the hairs in my nose and my goatee. If I was having issues like that, I could only imagine how bad it was for The Roommate that had gotten sprayed and was covered in wet dog and wet skunk.

After two days of scrubbing and the use of multiple bottles of specialized cleaners the house is almost back to normal. One of the problems with Skunk Oil is that if you miss just a little bit of it, it's a little bit too much because it is so potent. He's probably going to clean the floors at least two more times and we'll still have a scent in the house.

Now we're afraid to go in the backyard and walk in the neighborhood after dark because we called the City and Animal Control no longer comes out to trap skunks....possum and raccoons are fine but not skunks. So we're getting the word out to everyone to have their eyes open because we don't want them to have to go through the same thing The Roommate did.

So it's official, Skunk Watch 2008 is ON and it's on with a vengeance.

had an unintentional sleepover at David & Paul's house last night....more stinky details to follow!

BRRRR it is cold, 38, good thing i dug out my far muffs
{michael}

Halloween is barely a memory and they've already put up the Christmas Tree in Daley Plaza and Macy's is lighting their tree on Saturday! WTF

A Corn Maze for Blondes

My sister sent this to me and I just had to share this with you!

I hope those poor blondes don't get lost!

Want to find out how my day of being a Judge of Election was, it even has a surprise ending! http://ping.fm/qtOrL

Rock the Vote - well at least I tried to!

Yesterday, as I'm sure you are well aware, was an historic day for the United States, and I had a chance to view democracy at it's best - as a Judge of Election. 

What exactly is a "Judge of Election?" Well, we're the people that help guide you through the process of casting your ballot for the candidates of your choice. We are trained by the Chicago Board of Elections to make the process of voting smooth and seamless to you and allow all eligible voters an opportunity to cast their ballot. 

I thought I'd give you an insiders look to what actually happens during the day of an Election Judge 

First off, this is not a volunteer position, we are paid to be a Judge - and at first point people say "SIGN ME UP!" until they realize the amount of time and effort that goes into the process. 

I woke up at 4AM yesterday morning, ate breakfast and headed off to my assigned Polling Place which unfortunately was not in my own precinct but one about 6 blocks away. At 5AM we started setting up the polling place, putting the booths together, making sure that every voter would have privacy to complete their ballot, getting all of the documents in order, counting everything so we could verify totals at the end of the day, putting up posters, setting up chairs and suddenly realizing that there were more than 100 eyes watching everything we were doing. 

By 5:30AM people were lining up at the doors, people brought their collapsible chairs and morning lattes as they stood outside the locked doors. At six on the nose, the doors were opened and like the mad shoppers out for Black Friday deals, everyone rushed into the polling place, everyone wanting to be the first to cast their vote. 

Jobs had been decided before we opened the doors and my job was "Greeter and Ballot Taker" so I had the chance to welcome everyone. We were a dual-precinct polling place so I asked everyone their address as they entered and directed them to the correct tables. I was also responsible for helping to answer questions voters had during the voting process, and finally I watched over the Ballot Box Scanner to help everyone cast their vote. 

By 7:30AM we had almost 50 votes cast - not a bad mornings work, considering that most people took about 20 minutes to completely fill out their ballots. Although some people were quick about it because they only wanted to vote on a few of the big issues like the Presidential Race and whether we should have a Constitutional Convention. 

We never really had a "big rush" of people, as we were all expecting Rush Hour Traffic all day, but it never materialized. We did though have a constant flow of people throughout the day. 

It takes a lot of work to be a Judge of Election, you need to make sure that everyone has an official "application for ballot" (that's the big book of names), that everyone has the correct ballot (we had two different ballots in our precinct), that everyone has a right to privacy, that no one is electioneering (handing out leaflets in the precinct, wearing an Obama button or t-shirt) and that everyone has a right to have their vote counted. 

We had no major incidences, there were a few people turned away because they weren't in the right precinct to vote or had registered at an old address and never updated their registration, but everyone that wanted to vote got a chance to vote. 

It was wonderful to see Democracy in action, to see parents bringing their just barely adult children with them and proudly announcing to everyone "This is my daughters first vote." Or the obvious immigrant who held out their Voter Registration card for me to read because they couldn't speak English but were excited to be able to vote in this momentous election. I got more than I can count "High Fives" after people scanned their ballot and I handed them their "I voted" receipt, I got a couple of hugs and I even got "missed connections" posting on Craigslist! 

Around 5PM we started bracing ourselves for the mad rush of people returning home from work....it never happened. Secretly I was happy that it didn't happen because by law, anyone that is line at 7PM has the right to vote, so I kept my fingers closed that not everyone would decide to rush in at the last minute. 

At 7PM we shut the doors of the precinct and started the process of shutting down, tearing down voter booths, breaking plastic seals that had been verified by countless Election Officials and Pollwatchers during the day. We counted the spoiled ballots, we counted the unused ballots, we printed off reports, and reports, and reports, we signed the printouts, we transmitted the results and kept our fingers crossed that they were delivered without issue, we stuffed envelopes, we sealed envelopes, we signed our names across the seals, and finally we handed off our precincts official results to the Sheriff who was waiting on hand to deliver the goods to the local Receiving Station. It took us more than 90 minutes to complete our official duties as a Judge of Election. 

I got home a little after 9PM where I watched about 10 minutes of the news coverage before I took a shower and headed off for a well deserved sleep. It's tough being on your feet for more than a few hours a day, but I was standing for more than 16 hours yesterday - and I wouldn't have it any other way! 

The most interesting thing of the day though was how "out of the loop" we really were with all of the excitement that was going on outside of the poling place. We had no access to the Internet, radio, television or any talks of politics. We were completely shielded by everything that was going on around us as we had a single focus - to get the people to vote! 

I proudly displayed my "final count tally" from our precinct today on my cubicle wall showing that Barack Obama won by more than 93%. 

Oh yeah, I guess perhaps I should follow up on that Craigslist posting too! 

How was your voting experience?

I woke up at 4AM this morning and just got home at 9PM, I'm taking a shower and going to bed, somebody had better win this thing!

Some of these judges are just simply ogres, mean and nasty as the day is long
{michael}

Fire.....Fire....OMG THERE'S A FIRE!!!!

Let me preface this with a conversation I had with my roommate via text message. I should also tell you that this occurred on a school night and the first message arrived on my phone at a time when all good boys and girls should be in bed.

The Roommate: When you get home walk throughout the house and come down and tell me if you smell something burning.

Me: Do you see smoke anywhere?

TR: Smells electrical or like rubber burning

Me: Where is it coming from?

TR: No not at all it may be coming from outside but not sure

Me: Does it smell like a fireplace or burning trash?

TR: I don't think so. Take a gander when you get here

So I rush home and when I walk in the back door I take one sniff and it's very apparent to me what the smell was - being from the country and all. It was a SKUNK!

Remember a few weeks ago when I twittered that I saw a huge ass skunk down the street from our house? Well apparently, city-folk don't understand what a skunk actually does, I guess they must think he's like PePe Le Pew from those old cartoons.

I then thought it was funny that The Roommate had never smelled the essence of a skunk before, but then he's never lived in the country and has been a city boy his entire life.

And yeah, if you're wondering, Skunk spray does smell like a mixture of burning rubber!

What did i sign up for these people are incompetent
{michael}

Off to the polls. make sure you vote today
{michael}

Off to bed, have to be up at 4AM to get to the polls by 5AM and set up, it's gonna be a busy day tomorrow! GO VOTE!

Cocksuckers of the World Unite!

You've got to check out this new song that was released by Ben Lerman - Cocksuckers of the World Unite.

Just in time to defeat Proposition 8 in California.

Find it HERE

Do you need a car wash?

My friend David told me he'd help me wash my car....I told him we'd have to make a video.

One of the good things about winter is cold water out of the tap....hmmm hmmmm

You DO NOT want to see the inside of my shower this morning. I just cleaned the shower and it looks like a Panda died in there, crap!