Welcome New Follower

I see I have another follower, SEEKER030. This isn't entirely unexpected since he recently began a twitter account, and we've been following each other, and I was the first follower of his blog.

His first post is about being single on St. Valentine's Day, and I think it makes good reading. So why not take a look, and follow if you think the first post is a good start.

Thanks for following, SEEKER030. Hope to see more from you soon.

Welcome, New Follower Shane

I happened to glance over at my "followers" on my front page and saw an unfamiliar avatar. I verified that it was new by checking the number, which had risen to 108. It's Shane! His blog is titled "I just want to be me," and this is the url.

Here's what Shane has to say about himself in his header:

I'm out of college and working on my career now. I live in western PA and took a job in CT for two years. Now I am back home and trudging through my student loans. This blog is intended to be a journal that otherwise I would normally consider writing on paper and keep private, but I've decided that stories (lives) are worth sharing.

He's been on Blogger since 2009 and has just resumed blogging after taking a year off. I was following when he was in Connecticut, and it was interesting reading. The new post looks promising too. So I hope he'll be posting more or less regularly, and I recommend checking it out.

Thanks for following, Shane.

Welcome New Followers — 2012/07/17

I seem to have acquired four followers when I wasn't looking. They are FJ, Edmund Nuremberg, sacerdos viennensis, and Wandering Pom. Thank you all for following. I hope you'll continue to find my blog worth following.

FJ has a blog titled "FJ's Blurbs: A Man Searching for Himself." He is very faithful to journaling his daily experiences as he struggles with depression and sexual temptations. Here is how he describes himself. "I am a young man who lives in New York.I am 42 years old and I am still searching for myself.I am looking to meet new male friends for friendship and bonding and to just be as they are.I yearn to be one of the guys because I am a guy myself and I want to belong in the world of men.That is all that I want and ask for.I am looking to make new male friends. I struggle with Same Sex Attractions(SSA)and I have bipolar depression(BPD) with schizophrenic tendencies." While the blog seems mainly for his own purposes in keeping a journal of what occurs in his life, I occasionally post a comment  to try to encourage to him in his struggles.


Edmund Nuremberg does not have a blog listed on the page that shows when I click on his profile picture in the bloglist. If you have a blog, Edmund, I'd be happy to know of it.


sacerdos viennensis (Latin for Viennese priest) is a priest of the Archdiocese of Vienna. He has two blogs, sacerdos viennensis, which contain brief comments or reflections on various religious or spiritual topics (sort of a "thought for the day"), and Maria dich lieben, in which he posts items related to the Virgin Mary (pilgrimage sites, accounts of the apparitions at Fatima, etc. Both blogs contain many photographs, including many flowers and other items from nature, as well as specifically church;y items. Both blogs are in German, so they may be of interes especially to my German readers and those who understand German.


Wandering Pom is already familiar to many of you. I was surprised to see him listed as my newest follower. His blog is titled "Notes from a Wandering Pom," and although it has been quiet since his return to England from the U.S., it's interesting reading when he posts.


Note: When I posted this, I thought a Wandering Pom's blog had disappeared. Now I have realized it is still there, and I've corrected the preceding paragraph.

Books & Welcome New Followers

Books.  Recently I've finished several books and have begun or am about to begin several others.

I finished Matterhorn a few days ago. It really makes me admire the soldiers who had to do the actual fighting in Viet Nam. They endured a lot. Now I've begun Kar Marlantes' second book, What It Is Like to Go to War, which is a more philosophical reflection on war and being a soldier. I've also begun Brideshead Revisited. I saw the series on TV years ago, but I never read the book.

For my table reading at home, I've finished How to Live -or- A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer, by Sarah Bakewell. It was a gift from my younger brother for my birthday or Christmas a year ago. For my next table reading, I've chosen The Book Thief, a novel about life under the Nazis during WWII, by Markus Zusak. The New York Times called it "the kind of book that can be life changing." Like my previous table reading, this was also a gift; my friend Zack sent it to me last month.

I also finished Outliers recently. It was my restaurant book. My next restaurant book is not another one by Gladwell — although I expect to get around to them in due course. But I've started Radio My Way by Ron Della Chiesa, the announcer on the broadcasts of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has had a long career in radio in Boston, including a couple of programs about jazz; and he has known a lot of the figures in jazz and popular music of the mid to late 20th Century, like Sinatra, and Tony Bennett.

Welcome New Followers.  There are a couple of new followers of this blog since the last time I welcomed new ones. Meanwhile Monsters in the Closet has stopped following, and I see that blog has been removed.


First to join of the new followers is Edmund, who describes himself as "Catholic Englishman" and who titles his blog Faith and Fatherland. He comments on various happenings in contemporary British culture and posts relevant videos. It makes for interesting reading and viewing..


My newest follower is Jordan. He describes himself as "a happily single 30-year-old gay man" and "an ethical vegetarian." His journal type blog is titled Jordan Blogs. So far there are two posts, which give an interesting introduction and glimpse into his life. I think you'll enjoy reading.


So check them both out.

Welcome New Followers — 2011/09/21

I thought I had three or four new followers since the last time I welcomed new ones. Actually there are 8!

First in of the eight is We are getting to know each other. He describes himself as follows. "I am 18 the age younger people want to be and older people will look back to for fond memories. Will I? Basically I feel lost; i dont know who i am, where i am going, and why i do anything. This is for relief and support if anyone is out there. I am gonna see it as Blog Therapy." He has two blogs: Lost Youth, which is a journal type blog, to which he posted sporadically, but hasn't since June 12; and Journey To Me, to which he made two posts last January. Apparently the followers and comments didn't come fast enough and he got discouraged. If he's still reading, I'd just like to say that things start off slow, but the more you comment and follow other blogs, the more readers and comments you are likely to get. So readers, why not check out what's there, and if you'd like to hear more, leave a comment on one or more posts.

Next is the.island.guy with a blog titled The Island Guy. He says, "Name is Justy. Young college student. Born, raised, and living in Hawaii. 
My little brother told me once that I'm a nightmare; I told him that I'm a dream come true. I want to overcome obstacles, break through barriers, and come out a hero. Cheers! " and, "Young guy here in Hawaii. Incredibly retrospective. If reflecting on the past was a job, I'd already be a millionaire : )" His blog is a combination of current happenings and reminiscences. Take a look.

Next we have Andy, who doesn't have a blog that shows up when I click on his photo on my followers page. So, Andy, thanks for following, and if you've got a blog that you'd like me to look ay, please let me know.

Then there is Joe, who has what appears on its front page to be a gay porno site, which I will not link. I don't know why he'd be following, except as a way of getting additional followers, but if I'm wrong and he's actually here because he is interested in what I say, of course he is welcome to follow. But in good conscience, I can't provide a link to his site.

Next to follow is Adrian, a married Mormon living a straight who has recently made revisions to his blog, Forever Silent, in order to better protect his identity. He tells of childhood and later experiences and his story resonates in some ways with my own as a closeted adult. In others (sexual activity and marriage) it doesn't. If you aren't already familiar with the blog, check it out.

Then we have Mind Of Mine, with a blog of the same name. He describes himself as "Just a gay blogger, blogging about my gay life." Elsewhere he says he's "F***ing it up one day at a time," and, "Old Enough To Know Better. Young Enough Not To Care." He has a journal type blog, which, I'm sorry to say I had neglected to follow before now. It seems he lives in Manchester, England and has been blogging for 3 1/2 years.

My next follower is Erik, with the blog Out Loud. He says, "Hello, this is a redo. I am male 26 years old. I live in Pennsylvania. I am a recent graduate from masters school. I am looking into that black void that is the unknown:), looking to continue on with my life, wherever it may lead. I also happen to be gay. This blog is about me in general, and just things I feel like sharing to the world," and he has been on blogger since June  2010. It kinda sporadic — a journal plus videos blog. Check it out and see what you think.

My newest follower, who just started tomorrow (since it is September 21 here but already Sept. 22 where he is when he started following) is Monsters in the Closet, with a blog titled the same. So far, there is only one post on it, so I suppose the jury's still out, and it's too soon to categorize it. At least there isn't a big backlog to slog through to get up to date. See for yourself.

Thanks to all my followers, I appreciate your interest, and I hope I'll continue to post things that interest you, and give you something enjoyable or thought-provoking. I'm always open to discussion if you care to comment.

Welcome New Followers — 2011/06/02

Usually I procrastinate on welcoming new followers and calling your attention to them (as I do on just about everything else). But to get three in the space of a few days is remarkable, and I think they're all worth knowing about.

Jacob Woods has a blog titled "Good as Gay." On it he describes himself and the blog this way, "Jacob is gay. He eats, breathes, and sleeps lgbt issues. Currently he is a rural psychology student working to educate the simpletons. Enjoy his blog and his other creative meanderings!" He lives in northern Minnesota, where he attends college. In addition to lgbt issues, his blog also talks about his thoughts on religion and philosophy. During the time I've been following, he has been a frequent poster on his blog. He is quite self-assured, but also shows an openness to discussion and persuasion, which is why I find him worth reading and responding to.

A couple of days after Jacob, Cody Dickerson decided to follow. His blog has the startling title "Angels of Sodom." Look at the blog for an explanation of the title. I'll just say that there is an interesting twist behind the title. He says, "I am a gay student at the University of Pittsburgh. I would like to become a more active part of the GLBT community, getting involved and trying to make life better for us. This is just a start! You can contact me at angelsofsodom@gmail.com" Since he began blogging in  March of this year, he has made 47 posts. I haven't read them all, but what I have seen discuss his take on various gay-related issues. I very much appreciate the fact that he decided to follow my blog after I posted a comment disagreeing with him on the question of gay marriage, and a courteous exchange followed.

My newest follower is Thomas, who says, "I am a 16-year-old german guy. I am very likely gay, but I am not 100% sure." His blog is called "My Thought Repository." He started it in May and has made seven posts through June 1, so you can get in on the ground floor and see how it develops. He has told us some basics about himself and given a couple of vignettes into his life. His English is excellent, so you'll have no trouble understanding it.

The blogs are different, but they all present thoughtful young men. Check them out and see for yourself.

I am grateful that these new followers have decided to follow my blog. I hope they will find it interesting and worthwhile. And of course, I appreciate all my followers. Thank you all.

Moderate Fundamentalist; A Night at the Opera

Moderate Fundamentalist
Moderate Fundamentalist has pointed out that he has another blog, titled Ecce Homo (Latin for "Behold the man," the words of Pontius Pilate when he brought Jesus out to the crowd in the Gospel of John). This is more concerned with religious matters than the other one. Often the subject also has something to do with homosexuality or homosexuals. Usually the posts have links to items which are being referenced. So it's an informative blog which could be of interest to a large number of my readers. So take a look.

A Night at the Opera
As I mentioned in a recent post, last night was a night at the opera for me. "Il Trovatore" is one of my favorite operas, and it was good to be able to see it again, even in a video recording. I saw it at the old Metropolitan Opera House something over 50 years ago. It was a good performance, and the music itself is great, IMO. The only real problem, from my point of view was that the volume was set too high. This was not a problem in previous operas I attended in this format. Maybe it was because this time I was in the next to last row, whereas the other times I was near the front. Perhaps we were too close to the speakers.


I gave my companion a ride to and from the theater, and we had time for supper at a Japanese-Chinese restaurant near the theater before the show. Afterwards, I had to bring him directly home, because he has to get up early in the morning for his job. It was pleasant being with him, and I hope we'll  have more occasions to get together.

Scott

Scott is, as noted in the previous post, my newest follower. He was courteous enough to e-mail me over the weekend with some information about his blog and about himself.

His blog is titled "Ruby's Hot Box," a title which he explains in one of his posts. It is a tribute to his beloved grandmother and implicitly to his grandfather as well. Read the post for the full story. He has just started blogging and has made only about six posts so far, so if you begin reading now, you can easily get caught up.

I've found the blog completely charming. In fact, I was thinking of titling this post "This Charming Man," but I was afraid that somebody might read some unintended meaning into it from the lyrics of the song, when all I mean is those words themselves.

You will rapidly learn that gardening is one of his major interests, and if you garden, I'm sure you'll enjoy comparing his methods with yours. But even if, like me, you don't garden, I think you'll be interested to read of his challenges and progress, and little incidents along the way.

But it's not all about gardening, as you'll also find if you read it.

Beyond what he's posted in the blog, in the e-mail he gave some further information, which he authorized me to share with you. He's now 41 years old, living in the Atlanta Metro area. He was raised as a Southern Baptist, but in college converted to the faith of his father's side of the family, Catholicism. He says, "Through a combination of my own inability to mesh being gay and Christian, and with negative outside influences against the Church, I fell away from a spirituality I once held dear and proudly proclaimed. Fast-forward 10-12 years, and I began to re-discover my spirituality, though outside the Church and independently." There have been ups and downs since then, and at this point he prays but is not a church-goer as of now. There is more to the story, but I'll leave it to him to provide any further details he wishes to, whether in a comment here or, as he indicates he might do, on his own blog.

Well this is a lot more than I'd have said if blogger had given me a link, because I try to keep my welcomig posts fairly short, especially when there are several people to greet, but I think a number of you (Martin and Ed come quickly to mind) will enjoy "meeting" Scott.

Happenings, Followers

Happenings

     I've been spending so much time looking at videos on YouTube (my latest fad is "Pirates of Penzance") that I haven't been keeping up with my own posting.

     In late March, I went on another retreat, and I've been meaning to post about it. The daily routine was similar to the one in 2009, but I had a different director and got different things out of it. So I'll give you some posts about that. (I also want to get back to posting on the Theology of the Body.)

     More recently, there have been a couple of things worth mentioning, things outside the normal routine during the Boston concert season.

     I sent Seth the Waiter an e-mail, and he replied, with some friendly words, including an invitation to let him know if I was going to be at the restaurant of a Monday or Saturday, and a link to his boss's legislative website. It's pleasant to know that he thinks well of me.

     On May 3, I got together for lunch with a guy I met through blogging. Our first get-together irl was at a baseball game a couple of years ago, where we took an instant liking to each other. Since then we've met two or three times for dinner and gone to a movie and to a screening of the opera "Nixon in China" from the Met. So this time we had lunch at a nice but not too fancy restaurant, then went to a coffee shop where he's kind of a regular, and then strolled around for a while, until he had to go to work. He's just a super-nice guy, and I always enjoy being with him. Next Wednesday evening we'll be going to the "encore presentation" of the Met's April 30 matinee of "Il Trovatore," which is one of my favorite operas.

     May 6 would have been my mother's 100th birthday, and my brother suggested we should mark the event by going to a restaurant for dinner. We settled on a nice one that we had sometimes taken her to for her birthday, and it was an okay evening. Unfortunately, I don't feel extremely close to my brother, so there were gaps in the conversation when we tried to come up with something to talk about. He's not a bad guy, and I hope I can build a warmer relationship with him.


Followers

     Since the last time I welcomed new followers, six more have decided to follow! That seems to give me 92 altogether. At this rate, I should be at the century mark by Thanksgiving. The new followers are as follows.

Ken, for whom I find no blog listed. When I go to his avatar on my dashboard, there is a link to Picasa Web Albums, but the page doesn't seem to have any photos posted yet. If there is a blog or anything else I could follow, I'd be happy to know about it so I could follow in return.

jonalton, similarly, has no blog listed in the page I reach for him from my blogger dashboard. Again, if he has a blog or website, I'd be happy to know about it so I could follow.

Dave is an English (Mancs, I think) teenager and has the blog DAVE THE RAVE, which some of you may already be familiar with, since he has 107 followers. If not, I can tell you, it's a journal type blog, which makes for interesting reading as he tells of family, work, and friends.

gordito is another follower for whom no additional information appears through my dashboard. I'd welcome information about a blog or website.

Moderate Fundamentalist (great name, IMO) is in London, England, according to his profile, where he lists his interests as Faith and Friendship. His blog is appropriately titled Moderate Fundamentalism and it seems to be mainly concerned with current events. He links also to a number of religiously themed blogs on his blogroll.

Scott, is the latest to become a follower of this blog, and, regrettably, I have no more information about him. So, once more,if there is a blog or website, I'd like to know about it so I can follow.

     I appreciate the interest of these new followers, as well as all those who have been following for longer periods, and I hope what I post will continue to interest you, and I welcome any comments you may care to make on anything I post.

Hail and Farewell

My 86th follower was Edmund, who has a blog called "Oak, Ash, and Thorn." His profile says he's been on blogger since March 2009, but the blog archive begins in October 2010, so you should have no trouble catching up. From what I have seen it is a Catholic-oriented literary-historical blog with an interest in things German. It looks worth checking out.

Regrettably, after a couple of days, Edmund decided to stop following. I've no idea why. I was looking forward to welcoming him as a follower the next time I did a "welcome" post. Oh well.

It still looks like a potentially good blog.

Note added in the wee small hours of Thursday morning, January 20. Edmund is back as a follower! Meanwhile, I've noted that his blog also concerns itself with matters Anglo-Saxon, and I'd guess the name Edmund is taken in honor of the Saxon King, St. Edmund the Martyr.

Welcome — January 8, 2011

I find I have five new followers, Mister Ed, The Saint, R. Burnett Baker, Doomed But Cheerful!, and Timothy. Welcome, guys. I'm pleased that you want to keep up with my blog.

Here's a bit about each.

I've been following Mister Ed's blog for a while, now. He's a transplanted upstate New Yorker now living in Florida. His blog is titled "'And the Days Dwindle Down .....'" It is about his thoughts, doings, and opinions. It makes interesting reading, and I find we're often "on the same wavelength."

The Saint has several blogs,  most of which are open to invited readers only, but "The Saint's Testament" is available to all. It seems to consist largely of videos, comments on films, quotes, and the like. It seems to center around material dealing with love — for example a film about a love between two boys, several years apart in age, at a boarding school, and another on about a teacher-student relationship. His profile is in German,
Nun, ich bin so wie ich bin und nicht anders, also versuch nicht, mich zu verändern. Willst Du mich verstehn? Dann befasse dich mit meinen Testament, den hier beschreibe ich dir die Welt aus meiner Sicht. so I presume he's German. I'm not sure how long he's been blogging, but I only learned of him when he began to follow my blog.

R. Burnett Baker is another blogger I've been following for a while. He has blogs titled "efficient Agony™" and "Baker's Take™." Here's how he describes himself:
"Currently in retail management in Upstate New York, Baker, a native Texan, is a graduate of State University of New York (Albany) with a BA in Asian Studies, (minor in classical Chinese literature), a Graduate Certificate in US Urban Policy, and a Masters (MRP) in Regional and Urban Planning, Third World. After several months in the early 70's with a mining company in Honduras he worked for three years in Saudi Arabia with a civil engineering firm from Houston, and worked throughout Southeast Asia, China, and Northern Africa with Halliburton for nearly a decade, based out of Singapore. During his years living in Singapore he was also known for his radio and television voice-over work. Baker returned to the US in 1985 to complete academic interests and has lived in New York since then. He is also a musician, song writer, artist, and published poet."
"efficient Agony™" is mostly poetry accompanied by artistic photographs. "Baker's Take™" is an opinion blog, dealing with current events and the evils of contemporary society. He posted a splendid piece on the evils of "corporatocracy" and the loss of our cultural traditions — a piece I recommended when he posted it, and which is worth reading, if you haven't already. Needless to say, I agree with his basic points in it.

Doomed But Cheerful! is the screen name of a man who uses the pseudonym Gurney Nutting in his profile, where he describes himself thus:
Random jottings of a dinosaur. Immersed in the sea of confusion for so long, the label has washed off. Take me as I am. <> If you hold the copyright for anything that might be posted here, and wish it to be removed, please e-mail me and it shall be done. Nothing on this blog should be taken as truth - or fiction.
His blog is titled "Fatum Tamen Hilaris," which is Latin for "Doomed But Cheerful." He posts pictures, usually with brief comments about what is going on in his life. He's a Kiwi, and another blogger I've been following for a while.

My newest follower, Timothy, has this to say about himself:
I am introspective, easily entertained, intellectual, an amateur writer, moody, lazy, friendly, and a loner. I battle depression. I am an agnostic. I am a gainer. I weigh around 200 pounds and I want to weigh over 300 pounds. I prefer to wear baggy clothes because they're more comfortable. I typically don't like to IM or even talk on the phone. E-mail and personal messages are the best way to communicate with me. Also, I do food-related dares, so if you have something you dare me to eat, tell me and I will eat it. The more disgusting the dare, the more willing I am to do it.
He calls his blog "Timothy Does Life," and it's essentially a journal-type blog with occasonal photos of things he sees of blogs about. He just began blogging, so you can easily catch up. It's interesting reading.

I suggest you take a look at all the blogs these bloggers have. I hope you'll find at least some of them worth reading.

I'll also note that Victory of Faith has stopped being a follower. I remain a follower of his because there are interesting posts from time to time. Unfortunately, the blogger will delete all back posts from time to time and has deleted a blogroll which contained several other interesting blogs which I hadn't added to the ones I follow, so now I have no way of finding them. Oh well, it's my own fault for not following when I had the chance.

Advent & Welcome — December 14, 2010

Advent: I've been meaning to post something about Advent for a couple of weeks, but procrastinated, even with the stimulus I received from Lunario's blog. There he spoke of Christmas holidays beginning a couple of days before Christmas, and that inspired me to comment that here in the good old U.S. of A. lots of people seem to think that Advent is Christmastide, and they're busy celebrating Christmas now instead of preparing for it. Concomitantly, there is the idea that on December 26, Christmas is over. Maybe they've never heard of the twelve days of Christmas, or maybe they don't know that the twelve days are December 25 through January 5, with Twelfth Night being the evening of January 5.


So anyway, Advent is the period which begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Since Christmas moves through the week, Advent can last anywhere from 22 to 28 days. This year, with Christmas on a Saturday, it is 27 days.


As I indicated, it is a time of preparation for Christmas. More broadly, the Christian Church has seen it as a time to look forward to the coming of the Lord, and in the early part of the season, the focus is on the coming of the Lord in glory at the end of time. For the last week or so, attention is on his first coming: his birth in Bethlehem.


Since both comings are good for us, the season is one of longing and hope, colored by joy. This represents something of a clarification. In the Middle Ages, the Final Judgment of humanity was looked forward to with some anxiety, and the hymn "Dies Iræ," which has become a central part of the Requiem, was originally written for the first Sunday of Advent. In the Catholic Church, Advent vestments are purple, as in Lent, which led people to associate it with the penitential character of Lent. But over my lifetime, the idea of the season as one of hopeful longing for the Lord's return, leading into expectation of the celebration of his birth has largely displaced the idea of doing penance.


But it's still supposed to be preparation. It's not Christmas yet. Ideally, there should be a spirit of calm. Hard to achieve if we've got to dash about buying lots of presents and attend premature Christmas parties.


Maybe we can take a moment each day to be still and to invite God to come to us more fully than we have received him heretofore. Christians can express it in the ancient words, "Come, Lord Jesus."


Welcome: I have a new follower Bror, with a blog of the same name. He describes himself as "gay married mormon," and he's been blogging since 2008, but infrequently. As of now he has made 43 posts. They are worth reading as he tells of his family situation. He is out to his wife, who has a blog of her own and occasionally comments on his blog, but at her request he has stayed not come out to their children. His latest post informs us that his oldest son has told him that he (the son) is gay and has a boyfriend. Anyway, I think you'll find the blog interesting reading.


Welcome, Bror.


My total count of followers has remained at 80, however, because Catholic Boy, at Victory of Faith has basically gone inactive with his blog and stopped following. He does, however have a blog, also titled Victory of Faith, on tumblr. He says this about it. "It's really just a photo-blog, though I dare say I might post a thought or two about this and that from time to time. It's an easier blogging format though, and less time-consuming, and I hope it will also be more inspirational for me (or at any rate less depressing) than blogging here. Please feel free to follow. I hope any guys (and potentially girls) out there who like the same things as I do will enjoy it as well." Personally, I'm a bit disappointed, not because I have one less follower — the count really doesn't matter — but because I really enjoyed reading his old blog as well as some of the items he used to link to and visiting some of the sites he had in his blogroll when an interestingly titled post appeared in the sidebar. Oh well, it's his blog. Why not check out the new one?

Found It

As I just mentioned in a note at the end of my previous post, I've tracked down Adon's blog. It's called Forever Silent. Since he started this summer, he has given a frank, sometimes explicit, sometimes amusing, sometimes poignant account of his years of discovery. Or, as he puts it in the intro, "Unable to break my silence about being gay because of living in a conservative New England community as well as being an active Mormon and married, I will try to do so here." Check it out.

I've made a separate post because I'm sure many readers will not notice the note at the end of the previous post.

Welcome — October 30, 2010

Since my previous post welcoming new followers, I've gained several (and lost a few, but I don't keep a list that would enable me to tell who has left, but I hope it wasn't something I said). So this is my welcome to

• sunserv30
• Jason Shaw
• JP
• Adon
• The Latter Gays
• Catholic Boy and
• Morgenländer

I'm happy you've chosen to follow, and I hope you'll continue to consider my blog worth reading. I'll welcome your comments.

sunserv30 is on something called experienceproject.com — It seems to be an internet community, but I'm not a member, so I can't tell you more about him.

Jason Shaw is a guy from Brighton, England, whose comments I've enjoyed reading. He has two blogs. One is called Gay World News, and it's just what you'd expect from the title. From what I see, it picks up stories that are worth publishing. The other blog is called The Seafront Diaries. (Brighton is on the south coast of England, if any of you who didn't already know.) It's a journal type blog, telling of his doings and giving his animadversions. Interesting reading.

JP blogs from Washington, where he is attending a university (and I think it's the one I went to, but he hasn't actually named it). He calls his blog Une Vie Compliquée and describes it like this: "The personal blog of a semi-closeted college freshman going about his daily life and the joys, challenges, struggles, and surprises it presents to him, whether it be school, his peers, or the occasional rogue deer running into the road. Join Me, Won't You?"

Adon, if memory serves, is a MoHo*, with a wife. I thought he had a blog, but dashboard doesn't link a profile for him, and google is not helpful. If anybody can give a link, I'll be happy to post it, and if I find one, I'll let you know.†

The Latter Gays has a blog of the same name. It is also a journal type blog, and worth checking out. As you can guess, he is also a MoHo; and like many other gay Mormons, struggles with his church's attitude toward homosexuals and homosexuality (as do many Catholics and members of other conservative denominations). Here's how he describes himself: "If I let my mother write this description she would say something like I'm the funniest, smartest, and biggest hearted man around, and then ask for the phone numbers of any single girls who might like to date me. I would then want to quantify that statement by saying: A.) -- If you enjoy jokes found on Bazooka gum wrappers, then you might think I'm funny. B.) -- I'm smart enough to beat all my friends and family watching afternoon Jeopardy. And C.) -- my big damn heart is what seems to get me into most of the trouble in my life. Anything else you want to know just ask! I love comments and emails, and don't be shy. I promise I am super nice! (My mother would say I am anyway!)"

Catholic Boy is, from what I've seen of his blog, titled Victory of Faith, a traditionalist who, like me, accepts the Catholic Church's position on homosexuality (not a sin to be homosexually oriented, but don't have sex with guys if you're a guy). He finds interesting material to post about, such as in a recent post about Mika, who still believes despite his doctrinal dissents. Much of the blog deals with matters of government, public affairs, and current events, with his Catholic take on them, in addition to specifically religious matters and gay-related items.

Morgenländer  is in Bremen, Germany. Much of his blog, Morgenländers Notizbuch, is in English, and it gives interesting literary and religious quotes.

So I invite you to check out these blogs. I'm sure you'll find something of interest.


While I'm at it, let me call your attention to an interesting blog I recently happened on. It is titled pervivir, and it is the blog of a 21 year old Chilean university arts student named Gustavo Solar. The blog gives photographs of performance art he has done over the past couple of years and there are links to other photos as well as to a number of vimeo videos of some of the more recent performances. For many of the earlier performances, there are extensive descriptions of the concept, as well as the materials used. Unfortunately it's all in Spanish, and, while I might be able to take the time to puzzle out the meaning of a sentence or two, there is too much for me, with words outside my very limited vocabulary whose meaning isn't immediately obvious. But it is clear that the performances have some real thought behind them and are genuine art.

Also, a note about my blogroll. You will note that it is very extensive. I have never pruned it. So if there was ever a blog that I added, it is still there. This may make it appear formidable. But I think it is still useful to show who has posted recently, and maybe to get a reminder of a blog you don't follow, but have occasionally found interesting.


If you're following my blog, and I haven't included yours in my roll, let me know. FYI, I generally don't list blogs which seem to be intended only or principally to show pictures of naked or half-naked men. There needs to be something worthwhile.


Notes added November 2:


*  MoHo is a term Mormon Homosexuals use for themselves — kinda clever "inversion" (lol) of homo.
† I've tracked down Adon's blog. It's called Forever Silent. Since he started this summer, he has given a frank, sometimes explicit, sometimes amusing, sometimes poignant account of his years of discovery. Check it out.

Welcome — August 9, 2010

It seems it's more than five months since I welcomed any of my new followers. Not that there are a lot, LOL, but I really do feel pleased when someone finds something interesting enough about my blog that he wants to see what more I say.

Since last February, I have gained the followership of

• Nelo,
• Rex,
• Jack,
• dursus,
• The World According To …,
• Waiting For John,
• Ed Wolf, and
• Justin Perez.

Nelo's blog, Nelo: An Introspect, tells of his life in Victoria, Australia, as a 20-something university student dealing with issues of family, work, university obligations and people, and of course the search for real love. I find it very interesting, and I comment frequently.

Rex calls himself, "A writer/athlete who works hard to keep in shape, who enjoys getting to know new friends, and hanging with old friends... I like to know what you're thinking, so if you have any ideas, let me know! Gratuitous compliments also accepted..." He calls his blog Speed o' Rex. It's basically a picture blog. I don't see any full frontal nudity, as the title may suggest.

Jack says, "Unhappy with the way I began 2010, I aim to enter 2011 with some deep changes. This blog is my record of the progress I make towards being a better man." He calls his blog "Revising Jack." It is a journal of a 29 y/o teacher in Australia. Frankly, I hadn't looked at it until just now, but I want to follow it and learn of his struggles and his progress.

If dursus has a blog, it doesn't show when I click his image on my dashboard.

There have been no postings on The World According To … since last May. The profile modestly says, "The World According To is the premier website for gay men with forums full of Celebrity Gossip, Music, Gay Lifestyle, Films and an archive with over 15,000 pictures of Naked Male Celebrities. There is something for everyone, and what's more, it is completely free to sign up and join in with the discussions."

Waiting for John says, "Whilst waiting for John I pass my time staring at screen-savers, reading ingredient lists and old phone books. I encourage spam mail and try to make friends with the spammers. I count tiles, bricks and tins of soup and enjoy the sound of lawnmowers." The blog has the same title. I'm not sure how to describe it. It has a novelistic feel to it as it seems to tell of what is happening in Tristram Spencer's life.

Ed Wolf doesn't have a blog which shows on my dashboard.

Justin Perez's blog doesn't show on my dashboard either, but I know about it because he e-mailed me. The blog is also titled Justin Perez. In his profile he says, "I'm shy, but nice. I try to be a good Christian." That seems like a pretty good description. The blog is occasional thoughts of his on various topics: his doings and other topics. I find it interesting.


I want to thank everybody for following, although I must admit, there are a couple of followers whose interest surprises me, and I'm afraid there are a couple of photo-type blogs which I can't honestly recommend. Whether you follow them is for your conscience. Check them all out and see what you think. I particularly like Nelo, Jack, and Justin Perez, and I recommend their blogs. But anyway, I'm grateful for the interest, and I hope all my followers find something worthwhile here.

Cardinal Seán's Blog

I've just added Cardinal Seán O'Malley's blog to my bloglist. As Archbishop of Boston, he's my bishop, and I just learned that he was the first Cardinal to have a blog. Much of what he writes is a journal of his daily activities, which are quite different from most of ours. As you can see, bishops have to attend a lot of events, and don't get to spend a lot of time behind their desks.

What makes this especially timely is that the latest post contains a reference to his statement on the issue of a parochial school which refused enrollment to the child of a lesbian couple.

The latest post also has a reference to the pirate queen, Grace O'Malley, and to a cursillo for men in one of the Massachusetts prisons.

Also, if you're reading this, Lunario, you may be interested to see the reference to the book in Portuguese.

So I hope you'll give this a glance when new posts arrive. At least sometimes there should be something of particular interest, and it gives some insight into the work and thinking of a Catholic cardinal archbishop.

I know I'm way behind on acknowledging new followers. I'll get to it eventually. But even without mentioning you by name, I'm grateful for your interest.

Welcome — February 28, 2010

     I have three new followers who have probably been wondering when I will acknowledge them, and one follower whose blog I hadn't found before I welcomed him.

     Taking care of the older business first, Riche Maximillan, has informed me that he has a blog. But when I try to go to it I get a "blog not found" error message. But his profile shows this. It's a journal/opinion blog, worth checking out. Somewhere along the way he has started using the name Bitche instead of Ritche.

     Of the newer followers, the first to follow is B. He titles his blog "A Life of One Sexually Confused Guy," and you can find it here. I've taken a look and it's pretty interesting. He also has a fascinating profile pic.

     Next to join is Shawn (Harrison), the director of six11 ministries, which you can find at six11.wordpress.com , and a youth pastor in Berne, Indiana. The title is a reference to 1 Corinthians 6:11, which says, in the New Jerusalem Bible translation, "Some of you used to be of that kind: but you have been washed clean, you have been sanctified, and you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and through the Spirit of our God." Here is his self-description of six11. "The mission of six11 Ministries is to proclaim God’s Identity and Wholeness. Grounded in the truth of 1 Corinthians 6:11 , six11 ministries has a passion to reconnect people with their God-given Identity and, in that, to find fulfilling and lasting Wholeness within the Father.  While six11 desires to see all of mankind reconnect with these Truths, there is a great burden in our heart to pursue the GLBT Community, just as God pursues after them.


"six11 ministries strives to carry out its passion through the means of discipleship.  six11 is not a “change” therapy/ministry organization, mainly for two reasons: there are plenty of ministries like that already, and one cannot change a person who doesn’t want to be changed.  Instead, as stated before, six11 has a passion to reconnect people to the heart of God.  This is the sole mission and “agenda” of six11 ministries, nothing more and nothing less."  You can check out the blog here.

     And most recently, Mac, of Old Midhurstian, has become a follower. His blog is a fascinating series of reminiscences of his youth. I haven't got far enough to be entirely sure what caused his teenage crisis, but the posts can be quite gripping.

     So we have a couple of young people (counting Ritche) telling about their lives, a Christian ministry largely focused on GLBT, and an Englishman looking back on a difficult youth. I very much appreciate the interest of each of them, and I hope you'll take a look at their blogs.

     Welcome!

Welcome — January 25, 2010

     I see by the old dashboard that I have two new followers.

     Ritche Maximillan joined on my birthday. His profile doesn't show a blog of his own, but he seems to be in the Phillipines and he's following a good number of blogs, including a fair number I follow. Ritche, if you have a blog, I'd be willing to mention it, if it isn't just porno videos (which I wouldn't expect from you).

     Max is my newest follower at this point. He says, "I love to read and write blogs. I was born into a Protestant family, but I'm very interested in learning more about Catholicism. In this blog I will discuss whatever is on my mind, so the topics will be diverse."   He has a brand new blog titled simply "Max." He also had the good sense to follow my music blog as well. And his url has a nice bit of self-deprecating humor. Check out his blog. So far there are only a few posts, so it'll be easy to get up to date.

     Thanks for following. I hope you find this blog interesting and worthwhile.

Welcome — January 10, 2010 — Break

I have seven more followers to welcome. In the order they came aboard, they are as follows.

Jose A. , who has a picture blog . It does not include nudity, from what I've seen.

Beloved Boyd, who follows a number of Mormons' blogs among many others. I can't find a profile or blog for him. So Boyd, if you're reading this, I'd be happy to have that information if it exists.

MDScaper , a landscaper who lives in Maryland. His blog tells of family and activities, especially biking.

Forsaken03 , who says he is "Boy, Bi,Trying to get by in life". His blog tells of his life and struggles.

Rowan D does not appear to have a blog, and my dashboard does not link to a profile. So Rowan, I'd be happy to have that additional info, if you have it to give.

Octavius , 31 years old, from Wellington, NZ, has a journal-type blog with some pics.

Gay Mormon Boy also does not show links to a profile or blog on my dashboard. So, if they're there, let me know.

I'm pleased that all of you have decided to follow my blog. I hope as time goes by you'll continue to find it interesting and worthwhile.

Now I'll be taking a short break from the internet. I expect to be back online by the middle of next week, or by the following weekend (Jan. 23-24), at the latest. So unless I get run over by a truck or my computer crashes, I'll see you in a little while. Meanwhile, don't do anything I wouldn't do. Why not check out the blogs I've linked and get to know the bloggers, if you aren't already familiar with them?

Edit to add:  Beloved Boyd, Rowan D, and Gay Mormon Boy all have blogs and profiles. See the comments for specifics. I'll create links when I finish my break.

Happy New Year

     May you all have God's abundant blessings and much joy in 2010.