It's Xmas time in the city ...

[Atlanta - 28 December 2005]

Wow! It's been a busy month.



I am sure I'll forget something but here's a recap:

My move into Bryan's flat to 'house-sit' went flawlessly. I miss the neatness & order of Michael's apartment but I can walk to work at The Fox from Bryan's. And no rent ...

Work at The Fox has been overwhelming since late November. Along with the Rockettes Xmas hoo-ha and The Nutcracker, we've also had concerts and ballroom events at which I have worked. The concerts netted FABULOUS tips (!) ... and that money is needed as January will really see a slow-down in my workload & income.

I had lunch with Jim & his son James (who just turned 16) twice before Xmas. James is a great kid ... if a bit quiet. I suppose I'd be quiet and cautious, too, if I was meeting my father's boyfriend/partner for the first time. I am just pleased that Jim has invited me into his family life. Jim is a wonderful father and I have encouraged him all along to be the best daddy he can be! Given that we both had rather crap fathers, I support Jim totally in his role as 'daddy' to his three kids.

My Xmas was great. I was off work on Xmas Eve and just sat around doing nothing for a change. Jim was over on Xmas Day in the late afternoon to open presents & swill champagne (he's taken to champagne like a duck to water!). Note: I get champagne at cost from The Fox!

I'd teased him earlier in the day by emailing this image:



Yeah, Jim got lots of presents from me ... but I rather enjoy making him feel loved & giving him thoughtful gifts. Highlights include: a coffee table book from WICKED THE MUSICAL, a lovely button-down shirt, a French & Saunders DVD, a humourous book about Denmark and a copy of my favourite book, NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND by Bill Bryson. He also got a few CDs and such ... thrown in for good measure!



Jim got me just what I asked for ... socks! :-) Okay, so I also got a lovely button-down shirt, some fleecy sweatpants and some cufflinks ... all needed! I had asked for practical things. I have two shirts with me here in America that I've been unable to wear, as I left my cufflinks in London.



Whatmore, Jim had resheduled our cruise as an Xmas surprise ... but it seems it might be postponed again! The delay would be my fault this time.

Jim has been a real sweetie lately. More important than the gifts, he has been giving me so much of his time since he returned from Chicago. I just love him, I do!

My mum even came for a visit on the 26th. She was in town with my sister & brother-in-law (who I'm only just now meeting!), along with my neice Taylor and her half-sister Jessica. Mum & I had brunch down The Flying Biscuit and coffee at Caribou across the street. Once back at mine, we nattered on a couple hours while she enjoyed her ciggies on the balcony. Chest cold aside, she was in remarkably good form. I can't recall when we've last had such pleasant, positive conversation. [Note: I get 'the whingeing gene' from my mother yet this entire day was nearly complaint-free.]

One final bit of Xmas cheer arrived a bit late ... a lovely handmade Xmas card from my best mate Androo in London. The card features a red reindeer sewn onto a green patch on the front. Such texture & design ... how delightfully fabulous! Androo is the best, he is ... he even included some Jesus fodder that came through his letterbox! He knows how to make me laugh, he does.

Now I am looking for a new place to live (see the advert here). Bryan is back from his world tour on the 7th and this house-sitting gig is up!

Wish me luck.



Richard the Big Bunny

My family ...

[Earth - After Midnight - Thursday]

My family has returned from the Caribbean!

I rather liked this photo of mum and my brother David ...



She's a dancehall queen, she is!

:-)

'Cha bedda come-down-wid-it, Mummy ...

Some of you are surely in shock, as I so rarely speak of my family ... much less show photos!

They were all in the Caribbean except me. This entire trip was planned whilst I was still in London.

Peace, love & irie !!!

Richard

Weekend of work. Monday of mischief.

[Atlanta - 3 AM]

Updates to this blog seem to be coming less & less frequently this month. My apologies! I think it's my aversion to dial-up & the evil AOL (back to Bryan's & DSL soon!) ...

My shifts at The Fox have been insane! I worked four shows on Friday, four shows on Saturday and three shows on Sunday. Damn those Rockettes! Up at dawn ... home at midnight ... kids & Xmas themes ... increasingly bitchy & exhausted co-workers ... not to mention the tips were rather shite, too.

Needless to say, I slept late today (Monday) and focused on nothing but my time with Jim.

Here's a snapshot taken just after he arrived:



Jim & I got a great deal done in three-&-a-half hours ...

We went to Ansley Mall (the 'gay shopping centre' here) for practical reasons. After spending $15 on deluxe non-cow-gut soap, we had a quick dinner at Moe's (again!), nipped into CVS to get my heart medication and then to Starbucks for a coffee & a Xmas CD for Androo (by request ... it contains a rare Pet Shop Boys track).

We stopped by Walgreen's on the way home in persuit of a goatee/beard trimmer for me ... not to mention some festive antlers (about as Xmas as I'm gonna get) ... think Bette Midler donning reindeer horns as she suffers through an insufferable Xmas singalong in the The Stepford Wives: "Maybe I could use hundreds of pine cones to spell out the words B-I-G J-E-W on the front lawn!"

:-)

Our evening ended with the delightful-but-unmentionable ... I'm still all-smiles. 'Twas particularly good ... 'tis the season!

[*blush*]

Back to work tomorrow for six days straight ... two, three or four shows a day ...

Am I the only one who thinks the nativity scene could be livened up a bit ... maybe Jesus could pop out with jazz-hands?

Bah-humbug!

Richard the Big Bunny (with reindeer antlers)

Overdue update ...

[Atlanta - 11.11.05]

No update to this blog in ages so I thought I'd do a quick recap of what you've missed ...

Before I left Bryan's, I passed my 'assessment' with Wachovia, which makes me *employable* ... if not employed (yet).



I have moved into a lovely condo on Ralph McGill Boulevard for the month of November. I live with a nice guy named Michael who isn't home much. I moved my bed from David's garage and now I have to sort out what to do with it next month when I housesit at Bryan's! No clue what I'm doing for January lodging yet.

Jim seems to be questioning our relationship suddenly. He seems to fear that I'll leave him for London (which is a valid conern that I understand) but I have to wonder if there is more he's not saying. No matter what, I love that man and I am grateful that he came into my life when he did.

Without the 'bandage' of my relationship with Jim, my life in Atlanta will most likely be immediately exposed as the festering boil that it is ... I have no reservations about saying Jim is my only source of happiness here.

There is nothing on at The Fox so I'm out of work for about 10 days in a row! Needless to say, that's not good ... no tips or paycheque!

I seem to be having several health concerns lately ... not least of which is the sudden appearance of 'floaters' in my left eye. No insurance and little money doesn't bode well for me getting to the doctor anytime soon. America does NOT have a national health service like England.

Today was a particularly shite, lonely day and I miss my friends in London so much right now (Oi'there, Androo !!!).

My return to England might not be imminent but it is definite. I do love Jim enough to delay things ...

Yours in exile,
Richard the Big Bunny

Good news all-round!

[Atlanta - Late Saturday night]

Good news!

I have had two viable offers for November lodging from my advert (see the latest one here).

One is in Grant Park with a fellow Mac Titanium Powerbook user (female) and the other near Piedmont Park with an older poof ...

:-)

We'll see how things go in person.

Also, I made $200.00 in tips in just two nights at The Fox !!!

Don't stop. Get it! Get it!

[*does a wee jig in a mo' money stylee*]

So that's the news ... I'm off to bed ...

Tomorrow is my day off and will be spent on 'quality time' with Jim.

We plan to see WALLACE & GROMIT: Curse Of The Were-Rabbit.

Hurrah!

Richard the Big Bunny

Sorted-esque ...

[Atlanta - Friday morning]

Okay ... so DJ Bryan has saved the day!

I'll be staying with him (as I did when I first arrived back in Atlanta in July) on the lovely hide-a-bed sofa at his condo on Renaissance Parkway ... but only until the end of October.

Wait ... there's more good news ...

I'll also be 'condo-sitting' for him for the entire month of December when he goes on his world tour (see his website).

HURRAH!

So that leaves the obvious problem of what to do for the month of November ...

I have placed a flash & festive advert on craigslist.com ... click here to view it.

I welcome suggestions of where I might stay for November. Cheap hotel? Boarding house? Hostel? Any hidden Atlanta gems out there? Know anyone who could put me up (I can pay rent!) for November?

Let me know!

Email me by clicking on the photo below ...

Thanks.

Richard the Big Bunny

So this is goodbye ...

[ATLANTA - The wee hours of Thursday the 20th]

Kanechiwa, Bitches!

So today's the day ...

I am moving out of David's garage.

To where? I dunno! I've no idea ... no, really ... I've not even asked anyone yet ...

Suffice to say I might be out of touch and more difficult to reach.

Keep checking this blog for an update if you don't hear from me.

2005 continues to be the most challenging year of my life ... and I know nothing will be right in my life until I return to London.

You know it, too ...

Richard the Big Bunny

EVICTED! Big Brother has spoken ...

[ATLANTA - Friday, 14 October 2005]

Here's a newsflash for you:

David wants me out of the garage by the 20th (though he originally said he was thinking the 15th!).

Mind you, I was only told this news myself on late Wednesday evening (the 11th).

October 20th is now only six days away !!!

To be honest, it's well past time for me to go from here. I have been living in a garage for about 90 days and I truly do not want to be here any longer ... but I've not found a better solution or earned enough money to get a place on my own yet.

I have nothing else to add ... not sure what I'll do. There is certainly no obvious solution. No cards in my back pocket to play.

Financially, my ends are not at all meeting yet ... I am behind on my British credit card payment and barely up on the US one. And I certainly have nothing saved up (for a rainy day or a move back to London).

I've continued looking for a proper full-time job (including live-in positions) but nothing has come of it.

Work at The Fox has been going well. I don't mind it but the end-of-the-shift prep & clean-up work certainly leaves me knackered. Tonight and Saturday are concerts ... so the bars don't close at all ... which should mean massive tips for me & my co-workers (tips are split equally amongst the bartenders).

No work until NEXT Friday & Saturday after that ... but at least those are concerts with open bars, too. Gives me time to move, eh? But to where ?!?

[*grin/grimace*]

The only bright spot in my life is Jim. I am so grateful that he's around. I am not sure what state I'd be in without him and that glimmer of hope & happiness that he's brought to my otherwise miserable life.

Richard

SIX FLAGS WITH MY PUDDIN' !!!

[Atlanta - Saturday - Midnight]

Jim took me to Six Flags today. He always has season passes ...

The last time I was there was literally half a lifetime ago -- age 16!

We had a wicked time!

As a leisurely day out, we did not try to 'do it all' but rather enjoy the day and take it as it comes.

Our first stop could have been our last. I did NOT care for this ACROPHOBIA thing at all. It's not the height or the sudden drop, it's the tilted-forward seat that than tilts even MORE forward once it is up 161 feet in the air. I found it uncomfortable and worrying more than 'thrilling'. Jim says I cried like a girl (which I did not, thank you).

Melting in the sun while recovering:



Continuing on that theme, I also worried (and whinged!) a bit (a lot!) about the SUPERMAN ULTIMATE FLIGHT while we queued up for it. This ride also positions its passengers downwards, hanging forward out of the seats, 'flying' like Superman. As it turned out, I *really* liked it and thought that it ended far too soon!

Having survived that, we posed for what has become my favourite photo of us:



Notice my weight-loss and the glow of love & happiness in my face ...

:-)

I found myself entertained by some of the locals, too:



Jim was amused by this woman's questionable positioning of her ample equine winning. Practical if, perhaps, a bit unsettling ...

One of the biggest surprises of the day was at the FRIGHT FEST musical show. Jim dragged me in for a rest and a cool-down and I was SHOCKED (indeed!) when the third song & dance number was my dear Army of Lovers' WALKING WITH A ZOMBIE !!!



This was then mixed directly into PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (a techno remix) ...



Camp as tits but kept me smiling for an hour afterwards ... I'll just ignore how it all went a bit 'MEATLOAF: THE MUSICAL' towards the end.

At least all of the performers could sing well ...

Here's a list of the rides at Six Flags Over Georgia. According to Jim, we rode Acrophobia, the Dahlonega Mine Train, Ninja, Scream Machine, Superman, Batman and the Mind Bender.

The SCREAM MACHINE is still a thrilling classic. It doesn't even go upside down but something is very exciting about it. Perhaps it's because of the length of the ride and the well-arranged peaks & valleys. Or perhaps it is that this huge structure is all wood and could snap at any moment and kill us all!

[*fit of naughty bunny giggles*]

On our way out, I saw this:



I am not really sure what that's about!

[*larf*]

But it was a grand day out ... I had a blast.

An entire day of thrills & spills with my Puddin' !!!

Look at him:



Handsome bugger. Words fail me. Jim is certainly the epitome of my type.

He's darn sweet, too ... and clever ... and talented ... just a great big ball of love & laughs.

I do love him so very much.

Richard the Big Bunny

I HAVE A JOB !!!

[ATLANTA]

I am now employed by The Fox Theatre.

HURRAH!



More details soon.

Richard

MY JIM WOT LOVES ME ...

So very kind, handsome, clever & sweet ... dare I question if I deserve him?

Love like this comes along but once in a lifetime.

Richard



[Both photos from yesterday, 17 September 2005.]

I'm old. YAAAY ME !!!

[Atlanta - Tuesday night around midnight]

Tuesday was my 32nd birthday.

I managed to pull together a few friends for a meal at PIE BAR.

Pie Bar is a new hot-spot eatery in Atlanta that has taken up residence in a rather odd-looking Henri Jova building (formerly a Trust Company Bank) and transformed it into something a bit fabulous.

Very swish. Very now. Very gay. Very me!



[Clockwise above: Kathie, Natalie, Rodney, DJ Bryan, me, my Jim, Gerry and Stephen.]

A brief introduction to this motley crew of friends: Kathie is my former boss from the Mart; Natalie is a former co-worker from the Mart; Rodney is my former housemate; Bryan is a client of Hasi Music; Jim is the guy I'm dating; Gerry is a friend from the old Wednesday Dinner Group; and Stephen & I used to 'do brunch & gossip'!

For the record, I had an excellent time and the food was fantastic. I even got a free birthday dessert!

A big thank you to my Atlanta friends who made it to dinner and to Jim for brightening up my miserable life immeasurably in a very short time.

My life is not fun right now but I do relish & appreciate these bursts of sunshine.

When I got home there was a gift and a card from my landlord David waiting for me on my bed, which left me additionally chuffed.

:-)

Richard the Big Bunny

==

PS - My birthday is shared with the late, great Nell Carter. Nell was not only a great singer & comedic actress but also a bit of a surrogate TV mum to me during many of my years as a latch key kid. I cried like a baby when she died in early 2003. She is sorely missed.

==

BADLY SHORN RABBIT NAMES NAMES !!!

[ATLANTA - 1700]

How feckin' difficult can it be to cut a crew cut?

Some of the worst haircuts I've ever had have been crew cuts!

Today was no exception.



I went to Beau Seckinger, owner and apparent weed-wacker at APPEARANCES SALON (beside Agnes & Muriel's ... I should have seen that as an omen!) ... and yes, I'm naming names because I'm pissed off that I paid $23 for *this* ...

What's wrong with it? Well ...

The edging & trimming around my ears was NON-EXISTENT. It just wasn't done. I had to trim off all the long hair around & behind my ears myself with the trimmer bit on my electric razor.

My neck was not really trimmed at all. I can't do that myself ...

There are/were long hairs throughout the top & sides. I've cut out as many as I can see by myself.

No identifiable blending of the shorter sides into the top at all.

Never mind that I said this EXPLICITLY ... twice:

''I'd like it very short, no guard on the sides or back, short on top but a bit more towards the front.''

What did he do?

Cut it all off. No fringe or fade towards the front. I said it twice. I told him again as he was about to do it ...

Never mind that it's just not even ... it's wonky ... lumpy ... just crap!

I could have done this better at home myself.

I look as if I've been to the Helen Keller Hedge Trimmer School of Beauty !!!

It looks okay ... FROM A DISTANCE ... just don't get too close.

[*sigh*]

He said he'd been in France for the last 24 years ... my guess is he was not cutting hair! Shearing sheep perhaps ... something that requires less attention to detail.

So much for reducing my stress by cutting all my hair off and letting go of the past (a Rastafarian belief I picked up years ago in Jamaica).

[*sucks his teeth & throws shade*]

I assure you that I am NOT feelin' irie ...

Richard the Shorn Bunny

No happy. No joy. No good.

[ATLANTA - Friday - 13:30]

I've had a really bad week ...

My mood & state of being have been plummeting since last Saturday.

Saturday was brilliant: I quit my job & felt very invigorated/liberated then went out & shagged a Marine ... for hours ... I needed that!

On Sunday, I forced myself to finish cleaning David's house (which I'd started on the previous Wednesday but he was out of town so no rush).

This week ... Monday through Friday ... I've nothing to tell.

I've been looking for a job but mostly online.

I have felt rather shite all week and have been missing my life back in London more so than usual. No, it wasn't perfect and there are no rose-coloured glasses here but even my bad days there were more tolerable. Why? Because I was in London ... on the edge of making my dreams come true and keeping hope alive came very easy for me there.



And now I'm back in Atlanta ... poor ... miserable ... hating the weather, the bugs, the lack of public transportation ... living in someone's garage (which I'm increasingly feeling guilty about) ... unemployed again ... unmotivated ... feeling overwhelmingly lonely and unhappy.

Who wouldn't be depressed !?!

It's as if I've been plucked out of my life and drop-kicked into the past ... though everyone has already left this party. There's nothing here for me and the friends of yore have disappeared. My 'old friends' are either gone, too busy to see me or just don't care and I've been disappointed in them in a myriad of ways that I shan't put into print in this blog. New friends are hard to come by, too, because they know as well as I do that I'll be 'rolling up out of here' (bless those colourful Atlanta expressions!) as soon as I possibly can! So who can blame them?

Last night, I was so overwhelmed ... CONSUMED by worries about money and debts (in the UK and the USA!), that I was unable to sleep. I have no idea when I actually drifted off but I didn't wake up until noon! David (upstairs) must think the worst of me by now.

I try to wake up each day and give myself a little pep talk to 'get through it all' but it's not working. I know I have to be here for a few months. I know that I need to work to pay bills and save money. Hell, I *want* to work! I'm rather bored, truth be told. But ...

What I really want is to return to the UK and get on with my life. No, I think it would be appropriate to use the word 'need' there. Returning to the UK is what I *need*.

If it wasn't for the internet (thank you, David) and my fabulous Titanium PowerBook G4 (thank you, Stephen & UCL), I probably would have just lost it by now and have been put away! At least I have frequent contact with my mates through emails, chat & even voice now (thank you, Skype!) and can listen to UK radio ... which seems to calm my nerves a bit by helping feel a bit less 'disconnected'.

I am ever so grateful to Androo in London, too, for helping me manage things back home while I'm away. Our friendship is strong, genuine and heartfelt ... but also practical! [*giggles*] He & I have developed quite a circle of international favours & exchanges! The little things mean so much because ...

Nothing here in Atlanta is making me happy or helping to make my life fulfilling. At all. I am not sure how to put it into words but it's starting to border on misery. I know I have food & shelter and I'm grateful for that but I'm not going to pretend I'm happy or fulfilled either. I'm not.

Everything about my current 'life' is wrong. It's just wrong. Perhaps it's not eloquent but I can't really think of a better word.

My birthday is just a fortnight away. 32 years old ... and ageing doesn't bother me in the least but I am dreading it somehow ... because I'll be alone and, well, I think I'll be a bit overwhelmed by the sadness & isolation.

Oh, that sounds very unlike me indeed!

Richard

I CAN DO BETTER ...

[Atlanta - 12 noon]

I quit.

Too much skulduggery ... too much stress ... too much labour ... too little money ... by a long-shot!

There was no balance to be found there for me.

I can do better ... and quickly ... so don't worry. I'll have a new job within a few days.

The restaurant industry is a dirty business (in so many respects) and it's just not for me. As a place to work, I don't think Agnes & Muriel's is any worse than any other restaurant. I do, however, think that A&M's gay-drama-bitch-factor is a bit above average.

Oddly enough, I didn't mind waiting tables or dealing with the public ... it was everything else about that job that I hated. I rather liked working the dessert & drink counter. Even running food (by far the most laborious option) wasn't awful.

My leaving really is about the lack of money, the stress and my not 'fitting in' with the staff ...

How politely phrased!

I'm going back to the Music Industry ... at least that's a dog-eat-dog stress bubble I can handle!



We all have our strengths & weaknesses.

Richard the Big Bunny

REFUGE OF THE ROADS.

I am on a lonely road and I am travelling ...



Looking for something ... what can it be?

Would you like MAC-&-CHEESE FRITTERS with that !?!

[1830-ish, Atlanta Time]

Today was my first day of work at my new job.

You will never guess WHAT my new job is ... as it's something I swore I'd never do ...

My new employer is !!!

SHOCK-HORROR!

Yes, I'm a server ... well, among other things. One plays a role each shift and 'server' is only one of the options. I will also sometimes be manning the drink/dessert bar and on some days will be a 'runner' (run up & down the stairs delivering food to tables). The latter is what I did today.

'Twas fun but left me quite KNACKERED!



Ooo, just look at the state of me. Tired and grumpy ... and, yes, I am losing weight ... not that eating at Agnes & Muriel's will help that cause any!

Still, it's a great place to work and is one of the gayest, most camp places in Atlanta ...

HURRAH!

Yes, I *do* wear a big pink t-shirt (or a powder blue one) with the Agnes & Muriel's name on the front and their huge '2-mums' logo on the back. I can wear shorts, jeans, trousers, whatever I like really ... very comfy casual. Better photos of the 'uniform' soon.

Read all about the overt poofiness and home-cookin' on the Agnes & Muriel's website.

It's retro-kitsch-camp fabulousness beyond words but the photography on the website doesn't capture it to its full effect at all.

I'll do my own photoshoot there soon!

Richard the Big Bunny

Sometimes ya just got 2 b shagged out ...

File this under Ain't That America ...

I found this at my local Publix Supermarket.



Ooo ... and look at her at the bottom ... she does look like she's been shagged rotten, eh?

[*larf*]

Manipulate & control indeed!

Wait ... there's more ....



That I-just-rolled-out-of-bed look?

I bet you did, Sister ...

Your hair *will* be ready for action!

Brilliant.

Any shagged style even.

It's even on my receipt ...



GOT 2 B SHAGGED ... for only $4.79!

As we say in the South:

The higher the hair, the closer to God ...

Woo-lawdy-hallelujah-amen-praise-the-lard !!!

Reporting to you live from Atlanta,
Richard the Big Bunny

Remembering the victims of the London bombings ...

Police have named all 52 known victims of the London bombers. Some families have also released statements, paying tribute to loved ones lost in the attacks.

Here is the list:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4668245.stm

I have been reading it and just sobbing to myself.

Please take a moment to remember those who have lost their lives in the recent wave of terrorism in London.

Thanks.

Richard

Cowboys & Kisses ...

[Sunday - Atlanta]

Determined to go out last night, I finally persuaded my mate Jamie to pick me up and give it a whirl.

We first dropped by fast-food giant Krystal so that Jamie could grab a quick bite to eat. Suffice to say, Krystal is NOT vegetarian-friendly.

Then we went by one of the newer clubs in Atlanta, WET BAR, but nothing was going on there but the rent. It was all very 'Crickets Sing For Anamaria' ... but just the crickets, mind you ... nobody else came!

[*gasp*]

I went on to BLAKE'S (my old favourite Atlanta haunt) and left Jamie behind at WET BAR for the time being.

I eventually got a fab seat downstairs and watched the drag show on offer.

While enjoying the gyrations of the hefty men in dresses "working it" as they do, I met a lovely guy named Jason (shaved head, friendly and manly ... well, until that last shot ... then it was all booty-shakin' with the drag queens!).

After the show, I worked my way upstairs and bumped into my old mate [former best friend?] Kurt. His birthday is Tuesday and he was out celebrating with some mates from work. We chatted and did a wee bit of catching up ...

Jamie reappeared and asked if I'd like to accompany him and his friend to HOEDOWNS (the local gay country & western bar). I agreed but said I had to nip to the loo first.

While I was waiting in the queue, the lovely Jason reappeared and said he'd been looking for me. He gave me his business card and a kiss.

[*blush*]

It is very nice to be pursued ... especially by a handsome guy one already fancies!

But I was off to "the Hoedowns" with Jamie ... and it's so NOT my scene ... yet it never fails to amuse me (if that's the right word!). Two-stepping and hillbilly shenanigans do make me chuckle as long as I'm safely observing from a distance.

[*giggles*]

Nature called yet again and I made my way to the toilet. I bumped into someone wearing a HUSTLER t-shirt, similar to the one I'd bought for myself in London to wear to Siobhan's last gig. Much to my surprise, said 'Hustler' coerced me into dancing with him around the loo [!]. The two-step is not a world away from waltzing but the toilet, it seems, was no place for it.



There was no chance of me dancing in public view on the dance floor in a hee-haw stylee so the guy somehow convinced Jamie to dance with him.



As the spirit of Tammy Wynette overtook the room, Jamie quickly caught on.



I was happy just to watch, thank you.

Richard the Big Bunny

Yes, yes ... I'm still here!

[ATLANTA - 2200 - Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse (free wireless broadband!)]

I rarely have access to the internet these days ...

But here I am!

I survived the temp job at The Mart during MARKET WEEK.

Up at 0400 or before each day ... with some days being 12+ hours!

Well, it will be nice when I get paid.

I took a few photos from the roof and the 22nd floor of the Merchandise Mart (largest of the three towers ... see also the Apparel Mart & the Gift Mart). Keep in mind these photos only display part of downtown. I did not get a shot looking North. Atlanta is so large & spread out that Midtown and Buckhead have their own unique skyline anyway.

See the pics below.

In job news: I have submitted applications to five nearby shops and a supermarket! Nothing to scream about ...

It's hot here. The public transportation system is useless. But at least people are friendly!

I did finally get a mobile phone ...

HURRAH!

That's the news, I guess.

More soon.

I certainly miss London. I try to make the most of my time here ... but I always end up plotting and planning my exit & return to the UK.

[*larf*]

Richard in Atlanta

Bunny paws in action ...

[Tuesday afternoon - ATLANTA TIME]

I am cleaning ... like you would not believe!

I have my own bathroom in the basement/garage/art studio here at David's ... but it has been VERY neglected. David has not lived here for long and the previous tenant really let this bathroom go.

You wouldn't believe how much work I've done!

:-)

Ceiling to floor ... citrus cleaner, bleach, polish ... scrub brush, towels, rags ... hoovering spider webs ... mopping & scrubbing the floor ... and lots of bunny paws in action ...

I am literally doing this all day ... about 8 hours ... just the loo !!!

Also, I have a temp job starting on Thursday. It is *NOT* the high-paying job I mentioned in a previous post but it is running a lift during Market Week at The Mart all the same. This job, however, is for the catering department and only pays about $9.00 per hour, I think. At least I don't have to dress up ...

Hurrah!

Richard

You can't *handle* The Rodeo Bunny !!!

[Saturday Night - Atlanta]

Tonight I had a fab date with a *gen-u-wine* Tennessee cowboy ... and ooo-wee-dawgy is he a sexy bugger!



Yes, that's really him ... and I'd venture to say he looks much better in person.

Johnblake is a session musician, keyboardist & songwriter ... so we've got a bit in common. Mind you, I've already told him if he can take my mind off returning to London then he's ranked right up there with Jesus walking on water!

[*giggles*]

However, I will be seeing him again. Bless his cotton socks, I think he likes me, too!

Yours in a boot-scootin' boogie or summink,
Richard

So Friday night I'm sleeping at ...

[Midnight - ATLANTA]

Well, at least for Friday night, I am sleeping in the spare room at David's house.

He's an author, real estate agent & artist.

Damn sexy, too.

:-)

We dated back before I moved to England.

In other news, I am likely to be working a short-term job during Market Week at the Mart downtown.

http://www.americasmart.com/

I get to run the lift in a tuxedo and be charming & entertaining.

It pays $25 per hour!

That's rather good for hosting/entertainment work.

I should know for sure by Monday.

Richard

NEWS: The good, the bad, the ugly ...

[1 PM, ATLANTA TIME]

All of my mates in London are alive, safe and accounted for ... hurrah!

:-)

In Atlanta news, there is nothing good to tell.

I've not found a job yet and, even worse, I have no place to stay/sleep tonight onward. I have tried!



Phooey.

I'll survive ... I just don't know how yet ...

Richard the Big Bunny

LONDON TERROR.

News of the bombs in London only reached me at about 14:00 (09:00, Atlanta time).

My entire body went cold.

Though I am grateful to be safe in Atlanta, I am very concerned about my friends in London.

Several of them could have been on those trains and I have not been able to reach a few of them.

I feel very disconnected & helpless and wish I was back in London.

Richard

Miss American Pie has gone off ...

[5 PM-ish, Atlanta time]

Overdue update, I know!

From London to NYC to Philadelphia to NYC again to Atlanta ... now what?

America: There's just no pretending that I'm happy or want to be here.

Been in Atlanta 52 hours now ... and it's bleedin' hot, it is!

:-)

It's over 35c and as humid as humid can possibly get.

I am at the local gay bookstore/café ... it has wireless internet ... free.

http://www.outwritebooks.com/

HURRAH!

[*does a little dance*]

Spent my first night here with my old mate Christopher [''Hedgie''] and his partner Cliff in their new house in East Atlanta. Very swish, oversized and has a brilliant shower or two ...

[*giggles*]

They also took me to a Fourth of July BBQ hosted by some of Cliff's friends. There were fireworks after the baseball game nearby. 'We' won, apparently. A big gay time was had by all.

I am now staying with my mate/client DJ Bryan Craft in Midtown till Friday afternoon. After that, I don't know where I'll be staying.

No job news yet. Wherever I end up working, it must be very well air-conditioned!

The struggle continues ...

Richard

New York State of Mind? Philadelphia Freedom?

[1 PM - Philadelphia Time]

No time to say much but here goes ...

I flew to New York City on AIR INDIA, which was quite nice really. No complaints.

Took the A-train from JFK to the other end of the city ... 42nd Street in Manhattan!

From there I got a bus to Philadelphia. I am staying with my friend Moira and her family for a few days.

Then I'll either fly, train or bus to Atlanta.

I have no mobile and no internet access ... PAINFUL !!!

Nothing much else to tell. Americans scare me. This just ain't my kind of place, Love! I miss London.

More soon!

I'll be online whenever I can. America doesn't seem to have many internet cafes.

Did I mention I miss London?

Bunny loves!

Richard of London

Boys, boys, boys ... & Boy George.

[Late Saturday Night]

Right ... what a day!

In brief:

Managed to NOT die of a heat stroke.

Rendezvoused with Johnathon & 'Andrew64' for a drink at THE YARD. Andrew did not fancy me in person (as he did online) but I met a lovely 22-year-old Italian lad named Albert after they left who did!

Dashed off to dance to the tunes spun by Boy George.




Managed to find Kristine from NY & her mates and we danced the night away.



Met Boy George upstairs afterwards, shook his hand and then looked to his right and said "Oi ... you were in Taboo!" Luke Evans was sat right beside him. Both were friendly & sociable. Luke -- very sociable.



Ran into an 'old flame' (using the term very loosely) David Mungall at King's Cross. We chatted for 20 minutes before he walked me to my bus stop and smooched & hugged me for a bit. I feel a fool for admitting it but it made my night! He still does it for me, the sexy Scottish bastard! I'll probably never see him again.

And that's the news ...

The sun's coming up and I gotta go to bed!

Richard the Big Bunny

SAINT ETIENNE: Live at Koko (my review)

Last night's Saint Etienne show at Koko was smashing ... but I didn't take any photos!

Well, just this one of Johnathon & Paul being silly after the show ...



[NOTE: No one in Saint Etienne is actually gay (to my knowledge), nor is Koko a gay venue. However ... given the power of poofetry ... Johnathon & Paul can make any locale decadently woofterish! - Accuracy Ed.]

Annie, electro Norwegian pop saviour, opened the show. Annie's voice sounded great & the music even better ... but she's not really a dynamic performer (not that I'm demanding she wear a thong & thigh-high boots whilst bouncing around!). I'm just not all that interested in her. If you believe the critics, I must be missing something.

Saint Etienne were fab. Deeply fab!

They are touring to promote the release of their latest album, TALES FROM TURNPIKE HOUSE (which includes a bonus 6-track EP entitled UP THE WOODEN HILLS aimed at the children of their fans).

Sarah's voice sounded better than ever and she looked bright & sparkly and was triumphantly thin for a mother of two.

Debsey, backing vocalist extraordinaire, was in fine form as well. Very strong, very loud and gloriously in tune ...

There were some odd choices of songs that I don't think worked very well live. Everyone seemed to be talking & going for drinks during TEENAGE WINTER & GARY STEAD. There were a couple of songs I didn't even recognise ... SPLIT SCREEN (I remember the title from GOOD HUMOR) and DON'T BACK DOWN (from SOUND OF WATER but I have no recollection of it whatsoever). And HEART FAILED is still a stinker of a tune in my opinion ...

St. Et. also did not perform their biggest hit HE'S ON THE PHONE ... and that did not sit well with anyone in my general vacinity. It was the criticism I heard over & over again while working my way out of the venue.

KOKO is a strikingly lovely venue but the sound was a bit muffled. I thought LIKE A MOTORWAY in particular sounded completely foggy.

And regarding songs off the children's music bonus disc, I still think they should be doing LET'S BUILD A ZOO instead of YOU CAN COUNT ON ME!

:-)

The high points of the night for me were SHOWER SCENE and a slightly raucous version of SYLVIE. But new songs like STARS ABOVE US and A GOOD THING were smashing live!

I thought the show was better than the New Year's Eve 2004/05 gig but not a speck on the Xmas 2003 show!

Well worth the £18.00 though ...

KOKO SETLIST:

Heart Failed
Shower Scene
A Good Thing
Lightning Strikes Twice
Split Screen
Sun In My Morning
Who Do You Think You Are?
Stars Above Us
Don't Back Down
Side Streets
Last Orders For Gary Stead
Action
Teenage Winter
You Can Count On Me
-----------------
Like A Motorway
Sylvie
-----------------
Nothing Can Stop Us

Special 'ello to Sarah from Boston ... the only fan who noticed my AVENUE Mailing List t-shirt & spoke to me!

However, I did bump into quite a few of my mates there.

And I had FAR too much Scrumpy ...

Richard

==

Click here for more on Saint Etienne.

Click here for more on Annie.

Click here for more on the venue Koko.

==

UPDATE: Knowns & Unknowns (!)

[A chest cold has kept me in bed & housebound since last Friday. I have not left my bedroom much. Yes, really. Timing, eh? Thank goodness for broadband internet to keep me entertained & productive and for the bunnies outside my window, who continue to make me smile whenever I look out.]




WHAT I HAVE SORTED OUT:

(1) I am moving out of Giles' N22 flat on Saturday, 25 June 2005. Hopefully I will be able to rally the troops and find two friends/acquaintances with cars. Big John in Leamington is coming down to help & perhaps I can beg/persuade/barter with Tony to help again! I can't express enough my gratitude in advance to anyone who helps ...

(2) My belongings will be stored at Walthamstow in Johnathon's loft. He is only a recent acquaintance but I am listening to my inner voice on this one. Johnathon is lovely & seems trustworthy and has a HUGE empty loft above his new flat. I will leave explicit instructions & backup plans with him on what to do if my stuff needs to be moved while I'm not here in England (supervised by Androo, I hope, as I trust him completely). I may store one small box of music memorabilia at Androo's in Mill Hill, as the contents are worth several thousand pounds (and that's just the cream of the crop!).

WHAT I HAVE NOT SORTED OUT:

(1) Although I must be out of the UK by Thursday, 30 June 2005, I still have NO idea where I am going. USA? If so, where? I really don't care to return to the USA but I haven't really found a place to crash[land!] in Ireland or Sweden. I have about 7 days to decide where to go & purchase a ticket. Crikey. Creative ideas & job/lodging offers are certainly welcome !!!

(2) I have no idea how I will pay for an airline ticket, especially if it's all the way across the ocean to the States! The mind boggles ...

(3) My last few days of lodging here in the UK will be spent with a friend, I hope. I haven't asked anyone yet (Androo will be away in Greece). I have two friends who have spare rooms who might be able to put me up for those last two or three days. Hopefully that is not much of a bother or burden.

(4) I am not sure what to do about my post. I must keep some sort of UK address. I am sort of at a loss there. Any offers?

(5) I have no idea what I will do for work or lodging whenever I get to wherever it is I'm going! Did that make any sense? Wherever I land, I'll be penniless & homeless but will need to start work and start saving immediately (!) to come back to the UK. Ain't that a bitch?



My sense of humour is in tact even if my body is falling apart from stress!

A big thanks to all of you out there (in the UK & across the world) for your words of support & encouragement and for helping me think things through & find creative solutions.

Richard

PS - Friday's blog post should be more festive & light. I will see one of my favourite bands, SAINT ETIENNE, at Koko on Thursday night. This is my third time seeing them, which actually puts them even with Boy George. Shocking!