Blue Xmas

[Akron - It's like Canada ... only without the excitement.]

All is not well in Ohio.

Ray, my friend here who is awaiting a liver transplant, has been unconscious in the ICU for 12 days now due to pneumonia and ammonia (hepatic encephalopathy) . I have been back & forth constantly to the hospital when allowed/possible and in tears at random times throughout the day every day.

On the same weekend that he was rushed to the hospital, I was made redundant. The Radisson Akron City Center (The Radish & Acorn Shitty Centre) thought now, with Ray in critical condition and Xmas upon us, would be a great time to fire me! It was an awful job and they expected a lot for $8 (£4) an hour. I suffer no embarrassment or regret over it. Sod it! Good luck to them on finding dependable, intelligent staff who will tolerate the madness & abuse for an unliveable wage.

So here's Big Bunny's Xmas summary:

(A) Ray is *still* in critical condition.

(B) I have no job now and it is difficult to focus on job hunting while my only friend in an 800-mile radius is so very ill.

(C) My quality of life has sunk to a new low. All is very dull and I spend most of my time sat alone in my room. <--(video link!)

Okay. Pity party over!

In an attempt to end this post on a positive note, I shall tell you about the two fabulous Xmas gifts I have received unexpectedly:

(1) My friend Laura, who I worked with at The Fox Theatre in Atlanta, sent me the funniest book. It's called Disapproving Rabbits and it is an absolute delight! I can look at it for hours. It's almost 200 pages of wonderful photos of expressive bunnies with funny captions. Twisted & bizarre. She knows me so well!

(2) After hearing about my hard times and broken camera, my friend Stephen (who is English but working in Switzerland) clearly lost his mind and bought me a stunning digital camera! It is a Canon PowerShot SD1000 (watch the video on that link). It features, among other bells & whistles, a multi-shot self-timer, a large viewing screen and 7.1 megapixels! In short, this camera is a *major* upgrade. Stephen even bought me a larger, 2 GB memory card for it. Words fail me!

So after the next snowfall, expect some lovely photos of my quaint not-quite-Canada neighbourhood.

By the way, I've not seen a bunny round here in months! Where did they all go?

I need a friend! Or at least a bunny to frolic with in the snow ...

No time or energy for mailing out Xmas cards this year. Click here to see the digital Xmas card I designed for everyone.

Happy holidays!

x/RICHARD

PS - Another Xmas in London will go on without me. It's been over a year since I have seen my friends back in England. You have no idea just how much I miss my life there.

BANANARAMA: The Works.

[The AIN'T THAT AMERICA? tour continues. Currently in: Columbus, OH.]

Out on Guy Fawke’s Day ... re-enact VENUS round the bonfire!



BANANARAMA The Works -- 2007 UK 3-CD set comprising a 48-track retrospective of the girls’ career featuring all the hits, key album tracks and rarities.

CD1:
1. Really Saying Something
2. Shy Boy
3. Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
4. Cruel Summer
5. Robert De Niro’s Waiting
6. Cheers Then
7. Rough Justice (7-Inch Version)
8. Hot Line To Heaven (7-Inch Version)
9. Wish You Were Here
10. Through A Child’s Eyes
11. Aie A Mwana
12. He’s Got Tact
13. Young At Heart
14. King Of The Jungle
15. State I’m In
16. The Wild Life

CD2:
1. Venus
2. Love In The First Degree
3. I Want You Back (Single Version)
4. I Heard A Rumour
5. A Trick Of The Night
6. Do Not Disturb
7. I Can’t Help It
8. More Than Physical
9. White Train
10. True Confessions
11. Set On You
12. Clean Cut Boy (Party Size)
13. Mr Sleaze
14. Bad For Me
15. Once In A Lifetime
16. Ecstasy (Wild Style)

CD3:
1. Help
2. Nathan Jones (Single Version)
3. Love, Truth & Honesty
4. Cruel Summer ‘89
5. Preacher Man
6. More More More (Dave Ford Single Mix)
7. Only Your Love
8. Long Train Running
9. Movin’ On
10. Last Thing On My Mind (7-Inch Mix)
11. Is Your Love Strong Enough?
12. Tripping On Your Love (Robin Hancock Single Mix)
13. Ain’t No Cure
14. Outta Sight
15. Give It All Up For Love
16. Is She Good To You

Wow!

It has our Jacquie on the cover. Hurrah! I wonder if a photo of the original line-up with Siobhan is on the back? [Despite a persistent but outdated trio image, Bananarama has been a duo (Sara & Keren) since 1992.]

It’s not even expensive ...

£12.99 @ Esprit.

£11.99 @ Amazon.co.uk.

$16.88 @ Tower.com.

Woo-hoo!

x/RICHARD

Thirty-Four

[Akron - West Market. East Market. Action on The Square.]

My birthday was very anticlimactic.



I'm a bit alone & isolated here in my Lake Erie sanctuary ... especially since Ray has been in hospital!

On Tuesday night, I rushed Ray to casualty with a fever of almost 40c (103.6 f). Turns out he has peritonitis. He'll be okay but won't be released till the weekend. Ray is a lucky guy and has been swarmed with visitors and phone calls.

Thanks to modern technology, I too am feeling the love!

I got birthday wishes by text & email from: Jacquie O, Ben Ben Bender Bunny, Rich (my Howie), Pip, Sue Tilley, Peter McL, Alan McP, Nana James, Sis, Sir Gerry, Kimberly, JP Barda, Anna in Sweden, Sean in Lebanon, Chris Campbell, Mum, Alistair in ZA, Markus in ZA, Mr Jeremy, Kosher Marc, Devon, Davearama, Austin, Dr Gary, Dr Grant, Rodney, Ray (of Sunshine), Mistress Laura, Valeria, Christ in Belgium, Fabulous Michael B, Gina, Ashley, Derrick in Orkney, Hoogie, many online acquaintances, some radio DJs in London ... even some strangers!

When I got home tonight, there was a wild rabbit in the front yard. It didn't run away from me.



I took it as a sign that a good year is ahead.

Blessed be my beloved bunnies!

x/RICHARD

Bon Voyage Bunny!

[Atlanta - Gay Bar - Lots of straight folk!]

Last night was my going-away do at The New Order.



I was pleased with the turn-out and with the effort of the staff at The New Order. Todd and Dan did a fab job with the bunny-themed decorating and with the catering! I only brought the cake (a lovely carrot cake torte) and provided six custom CDs for the jukebox.



See all the photos here.

Nobody got *too* buck-wild but a good time was had by all ...



Goodbye, Atlanta ... hello, Lake Erie ... see you soon, London!

x/RICHARD

Licensed Bunny

[Georgia DMV - Not entirely peachy.]

Because my Georgia Drivers License expired more than two years ago, I had to 'start again' like a wee teen.

This meant taking all three exams again: the written rules exam, the road sign exam and the actual driving test!



It was a bit of a larf and a bit of a headache.

Due to some good fortune (ie, three people in a row with complicated paperwork issues), I was able to be squeezed in for a same-day driving test without an appointment. I only waited seven minutes!

So I'm licensed to drive in Georgia--even though I only got the bloody thing so I could help with the drive to Ohio! I move next Sunday (02 September 2007).

Big thanks to Shannon for taking me to the DMV and for letting me test in his car.

For the record, here are my scores:

Road Rules Exam - 85%

Road Sign Exam - 100%

Driving Test - 100%

Hurrah!

Booty Luv

[My song of the moment.]

An early promo of this Lucy Pearl cover fell into my hands in mid-July. It's the dance track of the year, in my opinion.

Ladies & gentlemen ... here's BOOTY LUV with Don't Mess With My Man !!!



I won't be a lady, no-no.

:-)

The video could be better but it's a right larf all the same. Fab ending! If I had 5p for every time I've seen such a site whilst making my way home in London ...

:-o

Available in shops and for download from the 3rd of September in the UK.

Hurrah for pop acts who can actually sing!

RICHARD

BUNNYSPLASH: Lake Erie Shocker!

[Atlanta - Wet but not flooded like most of the UK!]

In the 1950 Warner Brothers cartoon WHAT'S UP, DOC?, Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny perform a vaudeville act in which Elmer asks Bugs how the state of Ohio is different from the others. When Bugs has no answer, Elmer offers the punch line:

“Because it’s high in the middle and round on both ends: O-Hi-O!”

Well, there you go.

Or there *I* go, as it were ...

I am moving to Lake Erie!

Surprising, eh?

My mate Ray made me an offer I couldn't refuse.



Yes, I am still returning to England for good but I've had enough of the 13th Colony. My perception that Atlanta is a lovely part of my past that should have stayed in the past persists.

Perhaps moving to Lake Erie is a slightly radical change but it feels as if I've been sat here festering since my UK trip last September.

After all, it's just a new adventure ... and life is short!

Hopefully this bit of change will 'set me free' in a sense and end the cycle of inaction, thus enabling me to 'get on with it' and get back to my life in London.

WORKING HARD. LIVING CHEAPLY. SAVING MONEY.

I already have a job in Akron and things look good for finding a second one. I will be saving money and fattening up the UK Fund ... whilst trimming down my bunnylicious voluptuousness.

My move will take place Labor (Labour!) Day Weekend.

Given that I haven't properly updated my blog in nearly a year, I had an absolute plethora of items on a list to comment on ... only now I can't be arsed! These included my successful but short stint on Prozac ... my absolutely genuine gratitude to Androo in London, Ben Ben Bender Bunny & Hoogie for being there for me [online!] ... my Muji bunny from Bryan ... Gabe & I having an Xmas Day vegetarian challenge ... "finding Jesus" at Rick's Xmas party ... good tips at The Fox Theatre on New Year's Eve & at the Atlanta Gay Pride dance party (which turned the Egyptian Ballroom into a veritable Backstreet for one night) ... surprising my mum with an Elvis musical ... London's smoking ban ... various parties and nights out ... my ever-growing mass of "bunny stuff" ...

You'll just have to ask!

Gotta dash.

Loads of things to do ... pack up my things, plot a massive eBay sale, get a new drivers license so I can help drive back to Ohio, plan a going-away party ... just to name a few!

More soon.

I mean it!

RICHARD



PS - You can comment on this post by clicking here.

BIRTHDAY WHORES.

[ATLANTA - September babies]

Along with tons of other birthdays this month (including my own), my online friend Brett had a bit of a massive house party on Saturday night.



The music was fierce (thanks to DJ Headmaster Ritual) and the cake was ... well ... just you look at it!



My friend James, who I know via Bananarama, attended the soirée with me.



I honestly had an excellent time, met tons of new people, snogged a woman, met a couple of men and danced the night away.

There were many colourful characters in attendance ... but what else would you expect at a theme party called ESCAPE FROM WHORE ISLAND !?!



You lookin' fierce, Girrrl !!!

See my photos here and Brett's collection of pics here.

Absolutely flawless!

Richard the Big Bunny

LONDON: The Final Countdown

[LONDON - Monday & Tuesday]

Well aware that my time was running out, I got an early start on Monday.



The tube took me to Tottenham Court Road where I did a bit of shopping on Oxford Street. Ironically, I spent most of my shopping time in Sports World for cheap comfy sportswear and a bit of time in the Virgin MegaStore.

I wandered straight up Oxford Street in the rain to Berwick Street, where I had lunch at Cotton Café ... like the good ol' days! Their vegetarian 'English breakfast' is a rather good bargain.

After lunch, I headed down to the Soho campus of Westminster Kingsway College. My last real job in London was working there as an Academic Counselor in Admissions. It was nice to catch up with former co-workers and find out what has happened to those who have moved on (or, in this case, mostly just transferred to other WKC campuses).

My time after that is a bit of a blur, as I just spent a bit of time wandering around, thinking, reminiscing and even getting teary-eyed as I sat in Soho Square on Kirsty's bench.

Eventually, I ended up at First Out having a pot of tea downstairs by myself. I had postcards to do (not that any of the got mailed!).



My mate Alister joined me during his lunch break and we had a chance to gossip & bitch like we once did regularly.

Monday night, I headed up to Androo's in Mill Hill ('home', of sorts!) for dinner and an evening in. Androo is my best mate but this was the first spot of quality time we would have during my jaunt through England. We cooked dinner together and laughed at video bits & bobs he'd been saving for me.



Bless 'im! I miss Androo the most ...

On Tuesday, I got a rather late start but did manage to meet up with my friend Emile for lunch along the South Bank.



Emile is possibly the sexiest older man I know ... but I know lots of sexy older men ... so it's hard to choose just one!



After lunch, we walked along the Thames and made our way to a familiar pub near London Bridge. After wine & a good natter, we hopped on the rush-hour tube and I kept my hand not-so-subtlely on his arse the whole time ... just to keep my balance!

[*larf*]

The time had come for my evening at Retro Bar. I had emailed & texted nearly everyone over the weekend that I'd be round Retro after 6 PM on Tuesday for drinks & goodbyes. For a while, it was just Colin, Pip, Alister and myself but eventually the colourful cast expanded to include Kosher Marc, South African Dirk, Welsh Mark, Gerry with a 'G' ... even a few internet strangers and former OUT in the UK mates!



In a bit of a peculiar twist, a wee lad named Matt took a shine to me and I was too drunk to really resist.



Good for the ego! Unfortunately, this meant a few of my late arrivals got a bit neglected.

APOLOGIES!

After walking Matt & his mate Posh Steph to Embankment, I returned to Retro but a few of my mates were already gone. Retro closed soon so we said our goodbyes and I made my way to & through the tube station.



I like that shot ... artistic, innit?

My intention was to go back to Canning Town pack my things and get back on the tube at 5 AM. Of course, I was bladdered ... so I fell asleep on my bed and woke up 4:30 AM in a mad panic! However, I did make it to Gatwick on time and all went well with my flight and return to Atlanta.

My soul is recharged from my time in London but I am no more happier than before about being anywhere else.

Thanks to all my mates in England, new & old, who made my time there fun & productive.

I adore you lot!

Richard the Big Bunny

Hull & Brighton

[England - All around & back again.]

This will be short, as it's very late and *I* am very knackered!

Three cities in three days ... hundreds & hundreds of miles ...



Ben came to my rescue on Friday afternoon and we loaded my things from Johnathon's loft in Walthamstow into a rental car and drove them to Hull.

Relocating my stored things (ie, all of my wordly possessions!) was the most important task at hand for this trip to England. Done. Thanks, Ben! You're my hero.



We returned to London on Saturday morning and loaded up the car again. I sent Ben back to Hull with the remainder of my things and dashed home to shave & shower for my date.



Dr Grant and I met at Retro Bar but soon wandered out to find food. After dinner at Pizza Express and a few more cocktails at Retro, we ended up at his place ... in Brighton!



And he made me a proper English breakfast [read: "walloping fry-up with Quorn sausages"] this morning ...

Who says Virgos aren't spontaneous?

More photos soon,
Richard the Norty Bunny