Dirty Harry

Not since Elizabeth Berkely's topless dance in the movie Showgirls, have I seen such disapproval of a child's star first adult role. Daniel Radcliffe a.k.a. Harry Potter has decided to go nude in a new play he's going to be starring in next month in London. Apparently, parents and some Harry Potter fans and even reportedly JK Rowlings herself is furious at this. He's "smearing and ruining the image of Harry Potter for children", one reporter asked a fan. "He's looked at as a role model. He's too young to be doing something like this." I am sorry, when did Harry Potter become a role model for young kids???

I guess he would be for some, but come on - you gotta be kidding me. Yes, it may be a bad choice for him to want to do a play about a boy channeling his sexuality to his love for horses, because he is 17 and that's such an odd role to play. Maybe he wants to break his Harry Potter image sooner than we thought, but seriously Harry Potter is fictional character emersed in a world of magic and in no way should be touted as a role model for children. He's no Mark Twain people. I mean really - get over yourself people.

This image surfaced today and it's had people all in a tizzy, because yes Daniel Radcliffe has pubes and chest hair and Harry Potter does not. They don't want their image tarnished of someone they clearly see as a role model to little children everywhere. So I can't wait until lovely Hermoine Granger a.k.a. Emma Watson does her first Maxim cover and see what people say then. She's got boobs right now and ain't no one saying anything. She's blossoming. Blah, blah, blah. Right now it seems, that this image is sparking serious controversy and also ticket sales are going through the roof. Expect the dirty man and woman brigade to be buying those tickets fast now.

On the other hand, I can understand what everyone's concern is. In an age where we are surrounded by sexual images everywhere, it’ s probably no surprise that there’s this kind of response to when even someone like Harry Potter strips. I suppose we grow up faster nowadays. But he’s barely a year beyond the age of consent, so just over a year ago such images would have had the child porn police knocking at the door. Alas, that's not the case. Right now everyone's concerned that Harry Potter is ruining is innocent image. It's no different than what the cast of perhaps Saved By The Bell or any other child star did when they want to undo what their previous roles did their image. Actually it is different, at least he could have waited until the movies were done before we saw the true power of Harry Potter's wand.

Him & I

What can I say? I've got it bad.
No, not that you fool.
I've fallen for a guy and I don't know where it came from.

Ever since I met him, we've been experiencing something that I didn't think was going to be possible for me again. I actually care for some again to be in my life romantically and it feels great. Ricky and I share something, something I haven't felt in a long time. It's fun, exciting and scary all at the same time. And for once, I've fallen for someone who feels the same for me. Yes, I've had my fair share of crushes and inopportune dating scenarios, but this one - this one right here is one I am into. All the way.

Getting to know someone again, like this, after a long time of not wanting to be around romance or wanting to have a boyfriend can be scary just as easy. I wish that this will grow into something stupendous and loving. We've been going out for only a short while (3 months), but it feels longer and it feels natural. We see each other alot during the week. And I can't get enough of him. He's sweet, funny, sarcastic, smart, adorable and romantic. Yeah we bicker, but it's a fun bicker. It's how we communitcate at times. Other times, we just chill and hang out and laugh. Yeah we may not be into the same things. His interest are complete opposite of mine. That sometimes can be difficult when I geek out, but I don't care.

We think about the future. Our lives together. What we'd like to accomplish. Our dreams and goals. All without pushing too hard and too fast. We give each other our space (or at least we're learning too now.) I've taken Gay Speed Dating 101 and known people in my life who's taken it as well. I am learning from my mistakes. I feel that's a good thing. Slow and steady wins the race. Patience is a virtue. Do or do not. There is no try. (Thanks Yoda!)

As all couples do, we have our moments of tough times, but it hasn't been that serious. Mostly misunderstandings, because we're still "new" to this. New to us. Getting to know each other can be fun and difficult, because as human, personalities tend to be different. Good meshing isn't always the result. However, we overcome and we beat the odds. That's why I like him. We talk and communicate. He's vested in me feelings he wants to explore and feelings he's never had, but always wanted. He wants this to be the best relationship ever for him and so do I.

So yeah, I got it bad. I've fallen for him big time.

Him & I. We're good and we can only get better.

Here's to you Ricky.

Lunch with Friends & A Job Opportunity

Today, I had lunch with a few friends in the city. It was good, because I haven't seen them in a while and at least not in the same room for an even longer period of time. We had dinner at this cute little Cuban restuarant off 17th Street and Union Square. We all caught up to the comings and goings of all three of us and I even acknowledge that just moments before I had a harrowing experience at the ATM, whereas because I was so engrossed in my very, tiny account balance, that when I walked away, I had forgotten my card in the slot and I also didn't hear the death chimes of my card being sucked into the machine. Luckily for me, I was able to go upstairs and ask one of the bank employees to get it for me. But yeah, lunch was cute and I had a good time seeing them and laughing. Hopefully we can do it again soon.

Other than that, I got a call from a woman I used to work with at Independence. She's working as a consultant and one of her clients is an agency called Huge, Inc. They're based out of Brooklyn. She told me there were some job openings and that they were looking to invigorate their growing company with fresh people. So she told them about me. I applied for one of their Art Directors positions, which sounded so perfect for me. It's hard to find a job, when you're job description and needs are so specific. I haven't had many leads and all I keep finding are graphic design positions or presentation jobs at other finanical institutions. Not really where I want to be anymore. I want to be in middle management now. So wish me luck with this one.

Hating the NY Department of Labor

Unemployed people + unintelligence + the NY Department of Labor = Hell

For about 3 weeks (during the holidays) I noticed that I wasn't getting unemployment benefits, because I am one of those non-working New Yorkers, sitting at home watching soap operas and Maury, collecting my rightful money. Anyways, I thought that maybe my benefits were late because of the holidays, but it wasn't. After 2 days of trying to reach the department of labors' evil tele-service line, I finally got through to Zinda, my customer service rep. She informed me that the reason my benefits had been withheld was due to my no show status at the career counseling sessions they set up. Since I didn't report, I gets no money. After realizing that it was completly my fault because I didn't read a piece of mail they sent me, I was told I had to go to the Downtown Brooklyn office of the Department of Labor and straightened this all out.

So I headed down there this morning to dismay, because it was very dismal outside due to the rain, but I endured. I get to the offices and very quickly explained my situation and was very quickly told to report to the 3rd floor. Obviously, I am not the only one to have done this. On the 3rd floor, I wait for less than 10 minutes for my name to be called. After I hear it, I shuffle into the room with the others who have reported to the 3rd floor and was told to take a seat and fill out the forms in front of us. Looking around the room, I see a myriad of people, and ages, not so much as color, because it seems that Caucasians and Asians are abundantly employed.

Now here's where it gets interesting, we were told after we fill out the forms, which was basically a skill assesment and work history form, to get up on the line in the room, so that the staff worker can review it with us. Most of the people in the room had no idea what to do, which is scary. As I am waiting on the line, the staff worker is constantly asking the same question - "how long did you work at this job?" Clearly, he was speaking Greek to these people because they couldn't say it. "It's simple question, how long were you employed with this company?" At least 10 people out of the 15 in there didn't fill in this line on the sheet and to get this answer from them was akin to pulling teeth without novacaine. They have no idea how to fill out forms and it's very telling to how these people may have lost their jobs, but I didn't want to judge, because they all could have lost their job like I did.

So after that craziness, I was subjected to a 15 minute Powerpoint about the wonderful and bountifulness that is the NY Department of Labor. I was completely mortified. I felt my IQ drop at this drivel I was expected to watch on the screen. I was in hell, because I had to sit through the history of the Department of Labor, while Mr. Weinstock read the words on the screen, like he just had mouth surgery and it was impeding his speech. Then what shocked me was people had actual questions, but yet again, I didn't feel bad because most people in the room was unemployed for the first time in almost 10 years. After it was over, I put my coat on and walked out in amazement that I wasted an hour of my life down here. I got my money back, but I want that hour just as much.