The Kids On A Sunny Day

We had some sun yesterday so all the kids gathered in the sunroom to stay warm, and to sleep.

Clockwise from the top left: The Amazing Tuxedo, the Diva Miss Consuelo Roca Jones, the Pocket Dog, Ozzo, and MaxGoldberg, of the Boca Raton Goldbergs.

Random Musings

We’ve been watching Black-ish on TV and finding it very funny, and very timely.

In light of the recent deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner at the hands of police, and the increased need for a discussion on race in America, the show has been talking race, making it funny, while making it thoughtful.

One particular joke this week was that Black people cannot be racist because, well, Black. And I’ve heard the same thing about The Gays.

Something to do with being discriminated against makes you unable to discriminate.

It ain’t true. Some of the biggest racist and homophobes are racists and gay folks.

Just sayin’.

Now during the episode of Black-ish, ABC ran a promo for a new show about an Asian family, with the all too funny jokes about how hard it is to say Asian names. It’s high-larious … not.

The show, sadly is called, Fresh Off The Boat; seriously.

Am I the only one who finds that title offensive? Howsabout a show about a Mexican family called Hopped The Fence or Swam The Rio Grande?

Nope, not funny either.

There has been talk about what might be the new LGBT battle now that marriage equality is sweeping the country, and most seem to think it will be ENDA; that it will be to protect LGBT Americans in all fifty states from being hired, evicted, denied housing or employment simply for being gay.

And, on the other side of that argument, comes the religious not-right, who want to be able to discriminate against The Gays because God. And so this week, a local ordinance making LGBT discrimination illegal in Fayetteville, Arkansas was repealed just months after it was enacted, thanks primarily to political activity by conservative religious leaders and the Duggar family—you know the TLC family that spits out a new child every year so they can have a TV show and spew their familial hate.

Now the HRC is going after TLC because of the Duggar's support, both financially, and vocally, to the repeal. But who cares about that? If the HRC convinces TLC to drop the Duggar’s they’ll still be supporting anti-LGBT causes.

I’d suggest we simply ask The Gays and The Gay friendlies to avoid TLC if they choose to air hate-mongers, and then turn our efforts towards enlightening those people in Fayetteville who bought into the hate.

Just sayin’. Don’t get angry, get to work.

I saw this earlier in the week and, well, it made me look at our pets in a whole new, less enthusiastic , light.

Tabatha Bundsesen, the woman who owns Grumpy Cat—AKA Tartar Sauce—may have made as much as $100 million in the past two years offa that Frowning Feline. 

The Grumpy Cat empire has grown into books, merchandise, appearances, and even a holiday movie.

I looked at our dog Ozzo, and asked why why why he wasn’t out there making money for the family? Why did they get lucky with Grumpy Cat and we got stuck with Dumpy Dog?

The next day Carlos informed me that the story wasn’t true, that grumpy hasn’t made 50 million a year for the past two, he’s made just 10 million.

Oh … my bad. Now excuse me while I get to making our pets look a little pissed off.

Well well well, it appears that the International Olympic Committee [IOC] has voted in a new Principle 6 clause stating the Olympics must be free of discrimination "of any kind, including race, color, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status."

This new rule is a direct result of the Sochi Games and Russia’s very anti-LGBT laws and policies.

That’s good to hear.

Speaking of Carlos, I have been driving him crazy … crazier … every day by, out of the blue, busting out into my high-pitched, off-key rendition of Tomorrow from Annie.

All Carlos can do is shake his head and look away.

♫♪ The sun’ll come out ….. ♪♫

We’ve been watching The Leftovers on the DVR. I mentioned last week about the hot-itude that is Justin Theroux, but the show also includes, clockwise from the top left:

Chris Zylka, Paterson Joseph and Max and Charlie Carver.

It’s like Beefcake-apalooza over there.

Speaking of Hot Men on the tube, how much do I like Finn Wittrock who plays the bloodthirsty, murderous Dandy Mott on American Horror Story?

The answer is “A lot!” He’s a hot little killer, with a killer booty, and a way to play crazy that reminds me of that other AHS star Jessica Lange.

I hope that however AHS returns next year that Finn is part of the show.

Carlos plays in a community band here in Smallville, and this week they gave their Christmas Concert, after which the band had a Christmas party at a member’s home.

Good food, good conversation, some drama …

Like when Carlos introduced me to his conductor as his, ahem, “significant other.”

I know; we had a long talk about hat and about how, if he thinks someone might be offended by him calling me his “husband” — because that’s what I am — then that unease is on the part of the other person.

That said, we chatted up Fiona, a lovely Brit who now lives in Smallville, and as we chatted the talk turned to food and cooking. Carlos said he as the MasterBaker while I said I was the cook, and she smiled and told us that we were the perfect pair; one of us is Art — that’d be me — and the other is Science — that’s be Carlos.

I reminded him that Fiona had no qualms about chatting up the homos.

And so this week's Song in My Head is for Carlos ..... though Idina Menzel AKA Adele Dazeem, sings it far better than I.

Random Musings ... A Day Late

A day late because yesterday was a day for just Carlos and me … and the kids.

Nice holiday, gorgeous, but cold, weather, and a delicious meal, our first Thanksgiving as Husband-and-Husband.

Carlos made his Martha Stewart Turkey and Homemade Cranberry Sauce with a Pumpkin Cheesecake for dessert; I did wine — cuz I loves me some wine — Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Garlic, Red Onion and Pancetta, Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, and Vanilla Whipped Cream for the cheesecake.

It was a lovely, happy day.So, what else has been on my mind …

Just thought I start off musing about our kids, clockwise from top left:

Tuxedo, the most gorgeous, and smartest, cat ever, followed by Miss Consuelo Roca-Jones, quite the diva — she makes me pale by comparison; followed by MaxGoldberg, of the Boca Raton Goldbergs, a retired Jewish accountant from the Sunshine state; then the lone canine, Ozzo, looking like he’s begging for a doggie brother or sister.

Nothing says Christmas like hate, at least in Uganda.

Abdu Latif Ssebagala, a Ugandan lawmaker who helped draft the country's revised anti-gay law is hoping to have the bill passed this year as a "Christmas gift" for Ugandans:

"The draft is ready and we have strengthened the law, especially in areas of promotion and luring children. Next week we expect to meet the speaker to fix a date for the re-tabling to parliament."

In Uganda, nothing says Happy Holidays like Kill The Gays.

I’m hooked on Jesse J. She has kind of a Jolie-thing going on and she can Bang Bang.

Plus her boyfriend, Luke James, is kinda hot.

Just sayin’.

Last week we talked Carlos’ hair. He was trying to grow it and every day it took on a new persona; yes, he went from Bieber to Jackson to Bob’s Big Boy in the space of a day and a half.

Then I came home one day to find that he’d gotten a haircut, and, well, this is what that looked like … without the tiny mustache, of course:

With a little manipulation, and some product of course, because we’re gay, not animals, it looked like this:

Much better … plus I have the hots for Ralph Fiennes, even as a Nazi, but I was afraid to leave the house whilst Carlos looked like Adolf.

I loved hearing the news reports that Brad and Angie had a big blowout ... some reports called it "explosive" ... in Australia, with pictures of the two of them on a balcony.

Yeah, that's a blowout all right. Maybe they should stop by my house and I'll show them what an explosive blowout looks like.

Plus, do they really think that we think Brad and Angie are so perfect that they have never fought? Grow up.

Look at that!

Mississippi and Arkansas welcomed Marriage Equality this week, meaning that I can travel to the state where I was born — I am a Mississippi boy — and get same-sex married.

Who knew?

Darren Wilson says he is sorry for the shooting Michael Brown to death, but he has a "clean conscience" about what happened and would not do anything differently today.

Hmmm, not a thing differently? You wouldn’t even try to something different so that unarmed man wouldn’t die?

Nice, Darren. You need to go away now, far away.

You know, while watching the news one day I came across White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest.

Hot.

And here’s the song that’s running through the loop in my head this week. Opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and “The Heart Is Slow To Learn.”

It almost makes me weep … almost.

Miss Jones Discovers A Loophole

Around Casa Bob y Carlos we have a few firm rules for the pets: Ozzo stays off all furniture and beds with the exception of the couch in the sunroom. Tuxedo and MaxGoldberg stay off the new chair; Consuelo Roca-Jones stays off all upholstered furniture because that bitch girl cannot control her claws.

But, as cats do, Miss Jones found a loophole to the rules; there's nothing in the by-laws about cats on tables ... and a table in the sunroom is the perfect spot for a Sunday afternoon nap.

Random Musings

We don’t take a lot of long vacations here at Casa Bob y Casa. We might take a day trip to Charleston, or an overnight to Asheville or Savannah, but long trips? Not so much. Maybe once a year, if that.

So, to leave the house for well over a week to head out to Washington to get married — did I mention I got married, because I did — was quite the problem for the furry kids. We had a friend, and her kids, come in to care for the kids, feed them, play with them, let Ozzo go outside for his business, but our pets, while they liked the idea of being fed and watered and having clean litter boxes, were not keen on strangers … strangers … in their house.

The report was that for most of the week, Ozzo was depressed; MaxGoldberg wouldn’t come out from under the bed, and Miss Consuelo Roca-Jones was never seen at all. In fact, when we learned during our trip that Consuelo never appeared, I worried that she’d somehow gotten out of the house because that bitch er cat never misses the chance to be first in line at meal time.

Only Tuxedo showed up, and we heard that he showed up to supervise. He followed out pet-sitters around the house, checking everything they did, everywhere they went; he watched the dog go outside, and made sure the dishes had the right food; he ordered the treats to be served at the right time, and always used the litter-box after cleaning to make sure it had been done properly.

Of course, after we got home, Ozzo went insane, racing like a bullet around the house; MaxGoldberg and Miss Roca-Jones ran and hid, in a display of temperament, or anger that we dared leave them alone.

And only Tuxedo allowed himself to be greeted and hugged and kissed … by at least one of his Dads.

Ah, pets. They really let you know what’s going on.

Big news from across the pond is that people who live at Buckingham palace — though not the Queen, I think — are bringing their online hook-ups home for the night.

Uh huh. Buckingham Palace staffers have sparked internal security fears by bringing bootie calls, met on dating apps like, oh, say, Grindr, back to their living quarters, ands police guarding the royals are said to be ‘deeply concerned’ at the number of unvetted overnight guests.

Like it’s a freakin’ Motel Sex, er, Six.

According to well-placed sources — Hey Camilla! — many of the Queen’s 800-plus staff use online dating tools, and while most live-in servants — including butlers, maids and kitchen staff — are not allowed to bring guests into Buckingham palace, they can, and do, sign in visitors to their living quarters at St James’s Palace and the Royal Mews.

Still, if it happens there, it’s happening at Fuckingham, too, if you get my drift.

Okay, so marriage equality South Carolina update:

Our Will of the People Fund case, Bradacs v Haley et al, was required by Judge Michelle Childs to submit briefs by today; Childs can either rule without reading the briefs, or after reading.

From what I understand, though, she is bound by the ruling of the Fourth circuit Courts, and should therefore rule, either today, or by the November 13 deadline she set, to allow marriage equality in the state.

That said, let me take a moment to thank Nel, from Rhode Island, and Mark, from Delaware, for their donations to the cause as a wedding gift for Carlos and me. There would be no better gift than to have our marriage recognized in our state.

TahnkYouThankYouThankYou.

Lord, this Ebola thing is getting g out of hand.

Not the disease itself, but the reposting of who has it, how they got it, whose fault that was, where are they, where they’d go, did they sneeze, or fart, or vomit or crap their pants.

Keep it in perspective people. As I heard on NPR, more people have been married to Larry King — and to Kim Kardastrophe, for that matter — than have contracted Ebola in the country.

Every sneeze isn’t Ebola.

Stop it.

We love Scandal and we love How To Get Away With Murder. There used to be this thing called “Must See TV” and now that’s become, for us, “WTF Just Happened TV.”

I also love that both shows, created by Shonda Rhimes, feature all kinds of people, black and white, and every color in between, gay and straight, men and women, and don’t feed into the stereotypes of any of those folks.

Recently, though, there was a second, very hot, scene between two men on HTGAWM and some folks got their panties in a snit about it; like this woman who Tweeted:

And then Shonda Rhimes Tweeted back:

Good on Shonda!

Speaking of TV, here’s the Hot Man Alert for the New Season:

Brit Dominic West, baring butt, in Showtime's The Affair; Brian Hallisay, the cop with the big beautiful guns on Revenge; Michael Socha, the newest fairy-tale character, Will Scarlett, on Once Upon a Time; and Michael James Shaw, burning up the screen on the upcoming Constantine.

You’re Welcome.

So Renee Zellweger showed up at an even this week looking like, well, not Renee Zellweger, and social media went into snark overdrive.

It really was mean-spirited, and, as happens on these anonymous sites, a free-for-all. But then Zellweger herself weighed into the fray, saying this:

"I'm glad folks think I look different! I'm living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I'm thrilled that perhaps it shows. My friends say that I look peaceful. I am healthy. For a long time I wasn't doing such a good job with that. I took on a schedule that is not realistically sustainable and didn't allow for taking care of myself."

Let me say that if Zellweger had any kind of procedure, that’s her business and her right, and we shouldn’t denigrate her, or any man or woman for doing whatever they want to make themselves happier and more at peace with themselves.

That said, Renee, really? That is not the face of happy and fulfilled; that is a very different face altogether, and we should be able to bring it up in conversation, polite conversation, otherwise it becomes the lifted and tucked and Botoxed elephant in the room, Just sayin’.

Monica Lewinsky’s back, y’all. And am I the only one who finds it curious that she always resurfaces when Hillary Clinton is expected to run for office?

Yeah, Monica, right. But now, Lewinsky has taken on the crusade of online bullying because she says she is the first person to be “destroyed” by the Internet.

Bitch, please. You were attacked and reduced because you f**ked a married man, presidential or not, and then kept the DNA-stained clothing as some kind of trophy.

You really need to stop talking, permanently.

A group of conservative moms in Florida seem to have forced Toys R Us to pull four collectible dolls based on characters from AMC's "Breaking Bad."

Now, this one I don’t have a problem with, because I don’t think a meth-making doll is the kind of ‘toy’ kids should be playing with, though, if an adult, an adult, wants this kind of memento, go right ahead.

Toys R Us says the figures were sold in limited quantities in the adult-action-figure area of its stores but the fact is they were sold in a ‘toy’ store.

I’m kinda with the moms on this one. What do you think?

When former Playboy bunny Jenny McCarthy joined The View I knew she’d become the dumb one — which is saying a lot since Sherri “I’m not sure the Earth is Round” Shepard s still on — but now McCarthy is talking more, and sounder even more stupid.

If that’s possible. See, now she says she’s always felt “transgendered” on the inside:

"I feel like that inside. I always felt like one of the guys wearing, like, a Playboy bunny outfit. I was David Spade’s buddy to begin with, so I was a natural fit [to play a transgender character on Spade’s 90s show Just Shoot Me] and I always felt like his brother. To play kind of the dude, was almost too scary natural."

Seriously? So, you played transgender and that made you think you’re kinda transgender?

Siddown. But that wasn’t the dumbest think this bimbo said. She also went on to say she’d be over the moon if her son was gay:

"Oh my god, I would be so excited. We can shop! Do my hair!"

Right, because that's what every gay boy likes to do!

This gay boy hates shopping, hates the idea of touching Jenny McCarthy’s fried weave, and hates the idea that anyone is asking to interview this moron.

Dog and Caturday

We have a dog bed in the office, and when one of us is on the computer, Ozzo comes and gets into the bed for  a nap.

Tuxedo, on the other hand, sits on the desk, and after a while starts going Gargoyle: hanging over the side of the desk, staring at the dog. And, because Tuxedo is the second love of my life, I have a habit of saying to him, as he sits gargoyle, "Get Ozzo out of your bed, Tucky. Get him! Get him!"

And, as though he was my personal Flying Monkey, Tuxedo jumps from the desk and crawls into the bed, pushing Ozzo out to the floor.

Then one day Ozzo decided he'd had enough, and he would reclaim his bed. He failed. So he did the next best thing, by lying down next to, but not touching, never touching, Tuxedo.

Notice though, that Ozzo stays awake, ready to flee, while Tuxedo simply sleeps.