MIKEY IN WAITER SHAGGING SHOCKER!

AT BUNNY'S FORMER PALACE, NO LESS !!!


:: Mikey & Bunny just weeks ago at Joan Collins' 109th birthday.

SATURDAY ::: 06 August 2011

While Big Bunny was away sitting on Ken's big deck for the party of the season -- well, it'll do for Lake Erie in August -- Mikey had ventured off to the former CASTLE BUNNY, which is now in shambles at the hands of the evil Dick Tater Todd.



Around the enchanted pool, Mikey had a glass or twelve of wine and ended up molesting a server and passing out on the floor of Bunny's former boudoir -- yes, in what was once Bunny's actual bedroom!



Bunny, caught out Sunday morning at a nearby café wearing a daring combination of De La Cour sunglasses & a La Camilla dashiki, missed Mikey's drunken whoring entirely and had no comment.



==


:: Bunny-on-deck (sans Mikey) flanked by revelling admirers.

==

MUSIC:



==

One Year Silence.

[June 2010 already ?!?]

This blog has sort of died a death -- again.

Not only do I have very little to tell right now (I'm still in patently unstimulating Midwestern America most of the time!), Facebook gets most of my post-worthy efforts.

Feel free to stalk & gawk at:

www.facebook.com/thebigbunny

The wall & photos are quite public so enjoy!

Thanks.

x/RICHARD

Pure Love.

[Cool but sunny day here in Not-Quite-Canada]

Touching & poignant PSAs from Singapore ...

For my mum:



For my Boo Bean:



For anyone who believes in love:

My Ray.

[Akron - One year on.]

Although I am perceiving that people are expecting 'something' from me today on the anniversary of Ray's death, I am quite unsure of what to say -- and am certainly unsure of what to do. I find myself reflecting quietly and cherishing every moment he & I shared. There are no pretty or poetic words that could begin to describe just how much I miss him.

As I find myself without much to say publicly, perhaps it would be okay to share the eulogy I wrote for Ray a year ago.

These words still reflect much of what I feel for Ray and paint a fairly accurate picture of him -- a truly wonderful man who had a profound & positive impact on the people around him. His death was a loss to us all. The world needs more like him!



Ray was persuasive and irresistible. He somehow convinced me, as I was gearing up to leave Atlanta and return to England, to drop everything and move to Akron, Ohio ... a place I knew nothing of .... except that Chrissie Hynde was from here ... and even she had run off to London decades before.

For me, Ray was all things orange ... random moments of love and life punctuated by the ringing of his mobile phone ... a compulsion for pickles ... and a more recent, worrying addiction to Starburst jellybeans.

Ray could fall asleep during any film but stay awake all day on a Sunday watching The Food Network.

He leaves behind dozens of mismatched flags from 20 years of Collage, a collection of shoes all over the house and the many greeting cards he’d buy for his mother and forget to mail.

In my mind, I see Ray falling asleep listening to his iPod ... in Baby Snoopy pyjamas (handmade by a loving friend), a shirt with a mustard stain (self-inflicted) and a knitted scarf (made for him by the mother of one of his students).

For a person who battled so much with his own body, Ray’s spirit was happy and free. He could be silly and make me laugh even at the worst of times. I will miss his silliness the most.

Many called him a friend ... some considered him a brother ... his students called him Mister Boggs ... to the guard girls, he was ’Daddy’... but to me he will always be my Boo Bean.

-- RICHARD IAN TRACY, 06 April 2008

Prop8.

[For Tricia & Michelle ... Dave & Arturo ... and everyone who loves someone.]

No argument in support of the rights of same-sex couples to legally marry could be more eloquent than this.

Please watch this video:



Thank you.

x/RICHARD

Bells for my Belles.

[AKRON]

My friends Tricia & Michelle are trekking out to California to get married later this month.



This is for them:



Thank you guys for everything you've done for me.

I wish you absolutely ridiculous happiness!

x/RICHARD

TAKE-CARE-O

[BIG BUNNY LOVES BOO BEAN - Love never dies]

Whilst plundering through my Gmail online at work this week, I found a message from Ray that I had never seen, never received, that had never downloaded to my Mac.

It was a photo, taken with the camera on his mobile phone, telling me he loved me in ASL ...



Ray would sometimes sign that to me after getting out of the car at work. It was one of our things.

Given the slightly 'secret' nature of our relationship (at least locally in Akron), Ray & I developed many ways of saying 'I love you' to each other. If we were not alone when ending a telephone conversation, we would say "take-care-o" (trailing off on the 'o'). This covert expression of love came from my misunderstanding him saying 'te quiero' a few times -- only to have me respond "you take care, too!"

Ray & I told each other "I love you" often and were both increasingly aware of how each time might be the last time.

If our love was ever a secret, I guess the secret is well & truly out by now.

I don't think Ray would mind me sharing this audio of his voice from October 2007 -- an example of the silly but lovely messages he would leave on my voicemail.

Words can't express how happy I am to have that recording -- or convey the contrasting joy & sadness I feel when it randomly plays on the iPod.

I cherish each little reminder I have of how much he loved me ...



In return, my love for Ray grew to be boundless. The intense amount of time we spent together in his last three months is the most cherished of my entire life. We had achieved a bit of a 'yin/yang', for lack of a better phrase -- and after his coma in December, no moment was taken for granted.

What Ray & I had together was good. It was love -- pure & simple. We chose each other and, while swimming upstream through illness & stresses external to our relationship, we held on to each other.

Life can be cruel & unkind but I have no regrets about coming to Ohio to be with Ray. I know what it means to be wanted, needed, appreciated and truly loved because of Ray Boggs.

No matter where I go in this world, Ray is with me always. Nothing or no one can ever diminish what we shared or take it away. He is a central part of my mind's landscape and I carry his love & kindness in my heart.

I miss you, Ray. I celebrate your life each & every day. And I love you ... whole bunches!

x/RICHARD

==



==

RAY

[AKRON - Updated - See links below]

Ray Boggs, who was my reason for being in Ohio and, indeed, still in America, died Tuesday night after a long battle with a rare liver disease.



At the time of his death, Ray was surrounded by his closest friends, while dozens more waited outside. His mother held his left hand and I held his right as his heart stopped beating ― an honour I will cherish for the rest of my life. Ray was 44 years old.

Ray touched so many lives as a primary school teacher, a colour guard instructor and friend. After 20 years of leading Collage Winter Guard, as well as directing colour guard at various high schools, a virtual family of young women still call him 'daddy'.

Many called him a friend ... some considered him a brother ... his 'kids' called him Mister Boggs ... but to me he will always be my Boo Bean.



Ray will be entombed at Rose Hill Burial Park in Fairlawn, Ohio. He has a 'penthouse' in a mausoleum by the lake, as he wanted, thanks to the generosity of friends.

My heartfelt gratitude goes out to all those who have been there for me in this difficult time, as we strive to celebrate Ray's life, support each other and grieve the loss of our dear friend.

x/RICHARD

==

Read his obituary here.

Read a features article about Ray's life from the Akron Beacon Journal here.

Read the WGI's tribute to Ray here.

Read MEPA's remembrance notice here.

Read the Norton High School Marching Band's memories of Ray here.

Read a transcript of my eulogy for Ray here.

==

Happy Bunny Day

[AKRON - Better the bunny you know ...]

Beware of imitations!



Look for the BIG BUNNY seal of approval ...



Gotta love da' feets!

:-)

x/RICHARD

10 YEARS!

[16 March 1998]

Ten years have passed since I graduated from college at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

My BA is in Minority Relations ... which is, essentially, lots of sociology & psychology paired with minority studies.

In the photo below, I am right of centre about five rows from the back.



Did you spot me?

:-p

This is a glimpse of how I looked ten years ago:



I still have that sweatshirt but it's in storage back in England.

x/RICHARD

20 Years!

[12th March 1988]



The Bank of England withdrew the £1 note from circulation––making way for pound coins.



The soundtrack to this change was a diverse and danceable UK pop chart ... the urban-twinged disco of Yazz & the Plastic Population ... the perfect boy band that was Bros (the brothers Goss) ... the shocking success of twangy but genius Fairground Attraction ... the clever samples & swirling beats of Mark Moore's S'Express ... the further exploration & pop art of the Pet Shop Boys ... and the continuing evolution of pop perfection that was (and is!) Bananarama––still churning out the hits with help from "the new girl", our Jacquie!

x/RICHARD

The 'Ick' Factor

[NOW PLAYING: I Begin To Spin - Dannii Minogue v. Dead or Alive]

WARNING: Lying around for ten days with the bunny lung lurgy can result in a Dannii Minogue-type appearance:



Oh dear gawd! It's the 'gay tilt' ...

That was NOT intentional ... but it did make me laugh.



What a contrast! The picture of me is Photoshop-free and all-natural. Perhaps I should reconsider that.

Tomorrow is a shaving day. Ten days on, I look like a Wookiee ...

Wookiee Minogue?

x/RICHARD

The Bunny Lung Lurgy.

[AKRON - Things *can* always get worse.]

New Year's Eve!



Where were you?

At midnight, London time, I was still in casualty at Akron City Hospital, having just been diagnosed with acute bronchitis. For now, I am on Doxycycline and an Albuterol inhaler. This comes after three days festering in bed with a fever over 39c.

At midnight, Ohio time, I did manage to escape the isolation of my room and sit on the edge of the stairs, a careful distance from Ray who cannot be exposed to my germs. "Happy new year" and then everyone went to bed.

So that's that.



I've a few more days in bed, methinks, so keep those funny online greeting cards coming!

:-)

Thanks.

x/RICHARD

PS - Ray was not home for Xmas but I was with him at Cleveland Clinic from 11 AM till 10 PM. He had a stream of visitors throughout the day and received quite a few lovely presents. Ray was, however, home for Boxing Day.

Good news!

[CLEVELAND - Relieved & grateful.]

Ray is on the mend!

He was extubated today and relatively normal by the time I saw him.



It was a joy to see him sitting up and talking (a lot!) ... unable to stop watching the telly ... eating ice & drinking non-stop ... laughing & being naughty with the staff.

Ray is a quality bean and has suddenly bounced back!

He is not 'well' yet and won't be released for several days but it is possible he'll be home for Xmas.

Hurrah!

x/RICHARD

PS - One assumes that after some time at home and an 'all clear' on the pneumonia front, Ray will return to the top of the Liver List. (-:

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