A Week in Review and a Challenge

     So… it’s been one of those weeks. Not even sure if I’ll get to post this on time or not, I guess that depends on Matthew.

     NOTE: Yay! The power here only blinked a few times so I was able to get it all done and posted!
     Hmm… a storm…
     For those of you who may not know, I’ve hunkered down to ride out hurricane Matthew. I spent days preparing, hobbling around, doing what I could. I think I did pretty well considering how slow I’ve been moving about. But I got most everything I wanted done, done. Have I mentioned how much I hate crutches? Go me!

     As I sit and write this, it is raining cats and dogs and the wind is gusting about. The real bad part of the storm won’t hit for a few more hours yet. I’m sure I will lose power at some point and have no clue as to how long it will be before I get it back. Why I’m not sure if I’ll get to post this on time or not… but I’ll get it up when I can.

     A week in review…
     Wow, I was so busy this past week. I was trying to catch up on things as well as prepare for the storm. For the past two weeks I’ve pretty much been out of commission because of this stupid foot. I’ve decided that crutches are evil. I’ve tried to play catch up as well as get ready for Matthew, so yeah, I’ve been busy.
     One of the things I managed to accomplish, which was number one on my to-do-list, was to go and visit and tour the Zebra Coalition in Orlando. They help, take care of and nurture young LGBT youth from the age of 13 through 24. I wanted to see their facility for myself and meet some of the people there running things. I was so impressed that I almost cried.
     The one thing that I’ve always looked for in non-profits is how they well they use services from other organizations. Well, they people have all those bases covered! For a first time meeting, I learned a lot. I look forward to being more involved with this group.

     Feelin’ good…
     I want to give a shout out to my fellow author, A. E. Via. She always surprises me. On her monthly blog she said that ‘Life After Living’ was one of her top five must reads for 2016. Yeah, that kind of blew me away coming from such an incredible author in her own right. Thank you, Ms. Via!
Link to see for yourself.

     What else…
     Unfortunately, I’ve been in a bit of a writing rut. After my graceful decent from a curb, I was a bit woozy from the pain meds. Then I couldn’t get physically comfortable to write. But even before that, I was struggling. I just wasn’t in the mood. I would have all kinds of new story ideas that I liked, but I just couldn’t bring myself to sit and write.
     I could always force myself to sit and write, but that never seems to work. It always comes out as forced. That was painfully obvious the last time I did that. I ended up trashing most of it and starting over when I got over the hump. Thing is, I don’t remember ever having such a long period of time where I didn’t want to write. Not sure what is up with that. I think I need to go back to doing ‘Flash Fiction’ exercises. Who knows, that might jar something lose up in my head. Um… that might not be a good such a good thing… I have enough rattling around up there as it is.

     Moving right along…
     Wow, I was looking for some inspiration for something fun, or funny to blog about this week and I came up with nothing. It all seems to be bad news. That makes me very sad.
     Pfft… I’ll make my own humour…
     I was just wondering after reading one little thing that happened on some TV show. A straight male, macho film star, kissed the show’s host. It’s been done before, right? Was it that big a deal? I’m not sure. I’m curious now. How many heterosexual men would actually kiss another man?

     Anyone feel like testing this out? If you know or have straight friends or work colleges why not ask them?
     1. Would you kiss another man?
     2. Would you do it if it would help anti-homophobicism? (Is there such a word?)
     3. Would it be just a quick peck on the lips?
     4. Would you be open to a full-make out type kiss that lasts say, 30 seconds?
     Makes me wonder if this has ever been tested out before? Does anyone know? I’ll be interested to see if anyone actually does this. LOL
     Anyway, I think that’s about all I have for this week. Remember to and collect some of those golden Karma Coins. Do something nice for someone else and please, let me know about it, no matter how big or small. I want to hear some good things for a change.
     Have a grrreat week, y’all.
     Max

DRUGS - Bears and Stuff

     So…a week has passed. I had a bit of set back with the broken & sprained foot this week. So I’m still on drugs. Yep, happy pills. They do tend to make me a bit spacey. Okay, more spacey than normal. Bear with me. If I make typos or don’t make sense, that’s why.
     The one thing that I’ve been able to do is just kind of mindlessly surf the net and catch up on some things. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to do this, and I do enjoy letting my mind just wonder over various things. My friend David sent me this link…

6 Things Larger Gay Community Can Learn From Bears

     Now the title 6 Things the Larger Gay Community Can Learn from Bears, of course that got my attention. I’ve been a member of the bear community from its early inception back in the early 90’s. I am not the typical bear type physically, but I do love a hairy guy. You know the ol’ sayin’? If you wanna catch fish you gotta go where the fish are. So… that’s exactly what I did!

     Now the author, Zachary Zane, may have stepped in it, but for the most part he got a lot of it right. Where he messed up were the photos that he/they chose. Yeah, that didn’t go over too well. Personally, I think that three of the photos were okay, but the lead photo was what I think got the guy in trouble.
     Can you guess why?...
     If you went and looked, you might have a pretty good idea… or not. I guess that depends on how much you know about the Bear Community. The first photo: Yeah, the guy is furry. Yeah, the guy is hot. And yeah, there are a few bears who look like that, but that would probably be less than one percent. ‘Muscle head’, ‘Gym Bunny’, comes to mind. Sadly, that doesn’t really fit the overall culture of Bears.

     There were a not of negative comments left, which you can see for yourself. I feel sorry for Zach, because the message was a good one and I think it got lost because of the photos. I highly recommend the read. There are some parts that I don’t agree with, but for the most part, it was spot on.
     I touched on it a bit on my monthly Blog Post for Love Bytes. There were other things in there too that you might find funny.

Love Bytes

     What else… Damn, I had something and then lost it. I really am a space cadet today… (Two hours and several cups of coffee later)
     Finally! I remembered, I think… or not… it might be something completely different. I’m feeling sooo blonde at the moment… Anyway…
     I know that I’ve said on here before that this whole gay marriage thing would be a double edged sword, and sure enough, I now have proof of just that.
     Unfortunately, there is a dispute about the money raised for the victims and their survivors from the Pulse shooting. Florida does not recognize common law marriage and hasn’t since 1968. What does that mean? It means that the partners of those who lost their lives in the largest mass shooting in this country’s history, probably won’t see a dime of that money.

     Now, had gay marriage not been passed, they would have a better chance of getting at least some of the financial help from the money raised. That was over twenty million dollars, by the way. Now, if this had happened before they had the ability to marry, they could have argued that they didn’t have any choice other than to cohabitate together without that little piece of paper. But, once the law changed and they did have that choice and didn’t take it… they’re pretty much shit out of luck.
     Basically if they chose not to make their partnership legal by way of marriage, they get squat. Yep, there’s the back side of that sword I was talking about. I knew it was coming. The GLBT community wanted equality and they got it. There is one case that is fighting it, but I have no doubt it will be in vain. Sadly, this couple had been together for over seven years, but that doesn’t mean a thing in the eyes of the law, just like it wouldn’t if they were a straight heterosexual couple.
     I still think Gay Divorce Court would be a big hit on TV. I can just see two old queens fighting it out over china and a cute little dog.
     Um… now what?

     It’s the first of the month so I guess I need to go and see what is on the wish lists of the charities I try and support. I think I will focus on the Zebra Coalition close by this month. They don’t have much on there, but they cost a little more than the little things I normally do for Lost-n-Found. I’ll have to see.
     Don’t forget about the Smile program on Amazon! When you do your holiday shopping, you can help a worthy cause and it not cost you a thing! Grab up some of those good Karma Coins!
     Have a grrreat week, y’all.
     Max

WOOF!

Don't Call Me Grace!

     So… with full disclosure, I’m a wee bit high on drugs, so the chances of this making sense, is probably slim to none.
     Friday, late afternoon I went to pick up a few things and stepped off a curb wrong. I blame the trifocals and bad balance for this. Yes, I was sober! Anywho, I fell, twisted my ankle and then landed on my foot. I got moves I tell ya. I don’t think it was my most graceful moment but then my name has never been Grace either. I’ve always been a bit of a klutz.

     Basically I managed to break a bone in my foot AND sprain it all at the same time. Now that’s talent I tell ya, talent. Even the doctor said so. It’s nice that others can recognize it too.
     At any rate, I’m on the mend, doing drugs and basically doing what I normally do… it just is taking me longer. A LOT longer. Yeah, crutches aren’t fun. Poor dogs don’t know what to think of them. Poor Willie hates them. Charles just kind of looks at me like ‘Yeah, you’re nuts.’
     The first challenge was how to fill the pup’s water bowl. It’s a BIG bowl, so carrying it with crutches wasn’t happening. But… I got it all figured out. Pulled an extra office chair out of the office and used it to scoot around without having to use the crutches. Ha! All sorted. Okay, I admit, I did spill a little bit, but for the most part I got along pretty well. All in all, I’m making it.
     What else…

     YAY! My Tennessee Volunteers finally beat Florida! I know that won’t mean much to many of you, but WHOOT! WHOOT! After eleven years! I was ecstatic. Unfortunately, I slept through the first quarter, due to the great drugs, but that is probably a good thing. They were not doing so well at that point, but after half-time, they kicked ass. I think I may actually go and read My Hero. Funny, I’ve never sat down and read any of my own books. But that one scene in there makes me want to relive the moment. Are there any authors out there who have gone back and read one of their own books? Hmmm, I wonder.

Just butt ugly if you ask me

     Alright, as a gay man, I gotta say those were the ugliest damn uniforms I’ve ever seen. They really do need a fashion designer. Dead grey. It reminded me a school of dead fish floating on top of a lake. At one point, I thought I actually smelt day old dead fish that had been lying in the sun. Yeah, they really aren’t pretty. However, they did get the job done! Go Vols!
     To know me…
     I put myself on a strict diet when I came back from OZ. I really needed to get rid of the poundage I plastered onto my ass. There was no way I was going to go and buy pants another size up. I think I was as big as I’ve ever been in my life. I was doing really well too. I’m not sure how much I’d lost, but I was doing really well. ‘Was’ being the key word there.
     Anyone who really knows me knows that there are a few things that will really make me the ultimate grumpy bear.
          1. Lack of sleep. Yeah, I don’t do well at all with no sleep.
          2. Lack of coffee in the morning. I need at least two mugs to feel human.
          3. Pain. I’m almost always in pain from my feet, which I’ve learned to deal with, but a constant hard pain; I’m not a fan.
     Saturday morning, I was a total grump. Out right bitch was more like it. I’d not slept at all because of the pain in my foot. I wasn’t able to really make coffee because I couldn’t walk or stand and I was hurting like a bitch. I was so foul I didn’t even like being with myself.
     Where was I going with this again? Hell, I need more coffee… back in a bit…

     Right, got coffee. I think I was going to say that I fell off my diet in a big way. After I got back from the doctors, and finally had something for the pain, I ordered Chinese food. Yeah, not good for the diet. I totally pigged out. I took one of the pain pills I’d gotten, ate and then fell into the bed for several house. Why I missed the first quarter of the game. BUT it was sooo good! Damn, but I do love steamed dumplings. Let’s face it: I love food! Surprised?
     Splish- Splash…
     I just thought of something… If I can’t put any weight on this foot for three weeks, that means I’m going to have to take baths. I hate baths. I’ve never liked them. For some reason I feel as if I’m sitting in dirty water. I don’t understand why anyone would want to sit and soak in one either. I get so bored. I don’t find them comfortable at all. My sister only takes baths. I don’t get it, but whatever floats your boat I guess. But… I guess I’m going to have to deal with it because I really can’t put any weight on this foot at all. If I had a cute houseboy to help me, that might change my opinion, but even then I’m not so sure.

I might not be so bored if he were in there.  LOL

     On the book front…
     I’ll have some exciting news for y’all coming in the very near future. Yay! I can’t believe it, but I’m so excited. I can’t wait to tell everyone. Can you tell I’m excited?
     It isn’t uncommon for me to be working on several manuscripts at the same time. If I get stuck on one, I go to another one until it sorts itself out. Currently, I’ve got four going all at the same time. One is time sensitive, so it really shits me when it stalls. Grrr… but I know it will come when it comes. There are some things you just can’t push. But I really wish these guys would get busy and let me get on with it.
     What now?...
     Well it’s time to wrap this up. I’d like to remind everyone about the Smile program at Amazon before you start your holiday shopping. Pick a charity that best suits you. It doesn’t cost you a thing and it will give something to a good cause. Since I’ve moved to Florida, I’ve chosen The Zebra Coalition. They are a very small organization that helps LGBT youth. They also have a wish list on Amazon. So go and get some of those good Karma Coins!

https://smile.amazon.com/Smile Amazon

     Have a grrreat week, y’all,
     Max

RANT I Say, RANT!

     Okay, I’m going to warn you now… this is a rant. RANT I say, RANT!
     Once again, I saw a post about male vs. female writers in the M/M genre. This time it really made my blood boil. There was one particular comment that really got to me, but I’ll get to that a bit later.
     How many times do we have to go through this? It never seems to end, and what I’ve noticed is that there always seems to be the same authors always commenting on it. Really? Yes, really. Over and over and over again. It just makes my eyes cross and steam come out of my ears. I feel like Madeline Kahn from Clue, flames…

     I must be one for self-torture, because every time I mention the whole male vs. female writers, I get my ass handed to me. I don’t know how many times I’ve said that there are plenty of good female authors who write M/M. There are just as many bad male authors as there are females I’ve found, so I don’t quite understand why there are some who just have to keep this shit up, because that is what it is… shit.
     But then there are some authors who just keep at it, over and over again.
     Here is how I see these authors who are always harping on this.
          1.) You’re an attention whore and need to be in the spotlight. Poor, poor me.
          2.) You’re very insecure in your own work and need constant confirmation and reconfirmation that you’re doing a good job.
          3.) You’re a shit stirrer, plain and simple.
     IF you are passionate about your writing and you enjoy it, then keep at it. If you have readers who enjoy your work then that is confirmation that you’re doing a good job. This goes for any author, male, female, gay, straight, bi or purple polka-dotted! If you’re doing it for the money, then good luck to you and have fun while doing it. Go on with your bad self.
     I used to do a lot more social media than I do now. What changed? I got so tired of being attacked and demonized by other writers and their minions. It got to the point where I had to hire an attorney. Oh, that was right after I was almost arrested for sexual assault, which never happened. A rumor started by… guess who? Yep, a female author. So yes, I’ve backed way off out of self-preservation. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been raked over the coals by female authors.
     Let me say once again: I have never said that female authors can’t write gay characters. What I have said is that there are plenty of good writers out there, male and female and there are equally as many bad ones. Period. If you’re going to write gay characters, it would be nice if you actually did the research and got it right if you want ME to read it that is.
     Now then, onto what really pissed me off…
     “Until women writers burst onto the scene a few years ago gay romance was very few and far between to find.”
     WTF? Really? Want to tell that to some very well-known authors?
     How about E.M. Forster? He wrote Maurice. Oh, by the way, that was published in 1913! Was it classified as romance? No, but then it was aimed at a general audience.
     How about Felice Picano? Damn, what a fine writer.
     Gordon Merrick: The Lord Won’t Mind Oh, a best seller on the New York Times list for weeks on end!
     Armistead Maupin, who happens to be one of my all-time favorites.
     Anne Rice, under several non de plumes. Oh look a female author!
     Are we to forget Oscar Wilde? I certainly hope not!
     Okay, granted there wasn’t the plethora of titles available, but it doesn’t mean they weren’t there and available. It’s just that most people had to purposefully look for them, and most of them weren’t classified as romance. So yes, there were gay books that had men as main characters and often times there were relationships between them and yes, there was romance.
     NOTE: Most men, straight, gay, bi or in between, will not go looking in the romance aisle. It’s a guy thing I guess. But it doesn’t mean they aren’t reading!
     Hell, the last book I published I wouldn’t classify as a romance. There was no romance the hint of romance or even SEX, until the last ninety-percent of the book! It was about how two gay men dealt with loss and PTSD. How they supported each other on a daily basis.
     I think I’m luckier than most because I do have a good gay male following, which is not the case for most authors I’ve found out recently. It isn’t like I haven’t worked for them either. I’ve busted my ass to get other gay men to read my work. Trust me, it isn’t an easy task.
     So, when I see a female author whining about the whole female vs. male authors, I normally roll my eyes and move on and don’t get involved. However, this time I took exception with the comment that there weren’t gay male books available and it was female authors who made the whole genre what it is today. WRONG!
     Okay, this is really going to get me into trouble…
     Girl, put on your big girl panties and get over it. Write what YOU want to write. If you have sales; fantastic. If you have a best seller; even better. If it bombs, then you need to listen to the READERS and figure out why.
     If you write a chick with dick book, you can count on me not reading it. If you write a MPREG book, I’m not going to pick it up. Oh, and by the way, I don’t JUST read M/M either. I don’t care if the characters are NOT gay. It is nice to find a good M/M book, but I’m not going to just read any ol’ thing either.
     YOU do not have permission to tell my how to feel. That street goes both ways. If you feel persecuted, then that is on you. That doesn’t mean I have to listen to it either. I don’t really care what is between your legs. You either have skills or you don’t. Full stop. (Damn, those Aussie’s rubbed off on me.)
     The one thing I’ve learned since I started this gig was you need to have a very thick skin. If you let the haters get to you, then you need to bail out now. If you get a bad review, you need to look at it for what it is and take away from it what you need to make yourself better. Water. Duck. Back. Move on.
     I have never said it before, but I am going to now…
     IF I see a post from anywhere, where an author is belly aching over the whole female vs. male author thing, I’m going to unfriend, unfollow or whatever the case maybe. I’ve been doing it quietly but now I’m putting it out there. If you bash another author, the same thing. I’m not going to listen to such crap.
     Let me wrap this up…
     To all authors out there; write what you want. Read what you want. Do what you want. Just do not expect to receive respect when you cry about how unfair things are. No one ever said life was easy or fair. And you want to be treated equal, no matter your gender, then stop with all the boohooing and get on with making your craft the best it can be. Do not let anyone tell you that you can’t because of your gender. That especially goes for yourself!
     You wanna run with the big dogs? Then you damn well better grow up and start running. You’ll never be able to stay with the pack if you’re sitting in a puddle of your own tears.
     Just another side note: I have recently told several female authors how much I enjoyed their work!

     Taking escalator down from soapbox.

Home Sweet Home

     So… where to begin? So much has gone on in the last few weeks, it seems to be all a blur, or I’m still recovering from the flight from Australia. I have a feeling that this may be a bit of a mish-mash of ramblings…

I really need a houseboy!

     I arrived back from AU to no internet. Yeah, well I wasn’t happy. I’ve had so much trouble with Century Link that I basically told them to shove it and went with another provider. Took a few days, but I’m back online and connected to the world. To be honest, I didn’t miss it all that much. What I did miss was not having my music. Yeah, that’s pretty sad.
     Then, I went to pick up my dogs from my friend James. Yeah, that was a challenge. I picked the day to go up just as hurricane Hermine zeroed in on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Yep, I drove right through it on the way home. I swear it was like someone was pouring piss out of a boot the rain was so heavy. Took me twice as long to get home as I was anticipating, but I got there. Oh, did I mention that my alternator went out on my car just as I got back on the road coming home? Had that not happened, I might have missed the worst of it.
     At home, all safe and sound, and then the remnants of the storm stirred up more storms, including a tornado. We lost a cell phone tower that night. So, I had no internet, no TV and no phone. Talk about total isolation. No worries, I have books!
     Now speaking of books…

     While I was sick in Australian, I read. I read a lot. I read a whole lot! Over the past month I estimate I read over thirty books. I read three books on the flight home alone. I’ve been home just a little over two weeks and I’ve read… oh… ten books. I’m a fast reader, what can I say? What’s wrong with that? I tend to pick up a book, good or bad, and I have to finish it. I have to read all of it. Rarely have I ever NOT finish a book. It is really bad when I have a good book and I can’t put it down. What happens? I end up staying up all night reading and then I’m hung over the next day from lack of sleep. Yeah, that’s not pretty, trust me.
     These last few days I’ve really been able to get a lot of writing done. That’s a real good thing since I am way behind for where I wanted to be. Oh well, it is what it is. At least I’m back at it, getting into my usual routine.
     What else…
      Oh, while I was cut off from the rest of the world, I cleaned house. I mean I really cleaned. One of those deep spring like cleanings. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate to dust? If not… I really hate to dust. I would rather clean ten bathrooms rather than dust.

I really, really, really need a houseboy!

     The poor dogs didn’t know what was going on. The vacuum going, then the floor cleaner, had them running for their poor little lives. Furniture being moved around just about pushed them over the edge. Yeah, it was a serious cleaning. For the most part they hide under the dining room table, until I got to that point. Then they went to the bedroom. They stayed there until I got to the bedroom. Poor things. I was like I was chasing them through the house, cleaning.


     I’d really like to get one of those automatic floor vacuum thingys. You know what I’m talking about, the ones that unplug themselves and run on their own. Yeah, in Florida there is always sand and then the grass and stuff the dogs drag in, and of course, the dog hair, which is always an issue. If you have animals, it is just part of life. It would be really nice I think to not have to drag out the floor sucker a couple of times each week. It doesn’t help to have white tile floors either. Ugh… I hate white floors. Why anyone would put down a white floor is beyond me!

     Before you do…
     Hey, I know that the holiday season is coming up real soon. Have you signed up for Amazon’s Smile program? It is the program where you can get Amazon to donate to your favorite charity every time you order something. It really is a nice and easy way to give something back without digging into your own pocket. It is really easy to do. I still have Lost-n-Found of Atlanta as my primary charity. On top of my getting a little something on their wish list each month, each time I purchase something from Amazon, they get a little something else from me.
     So, before you start the bulk of your Christmas shopping, please consider signing up for this sweet deal. There are quite a few deserving charities listed, so it isn’t like anyone can’t find at least one to pick. What an easy way to get those Karma Coins rolling in, don’tcha’ think? I’ll even put a link up so you can find it easier.
Smile Charities by Amazon
     I guess that’s about all I have for this week. Be kind to one another and have a grrreat week, y’all.
     Max

I'm trucking... Um... Ramblin' Again.

     So… it’s been another week and I’m still alive. Okay, I’m still having bits of coughing and I’m so over it. Oh well, I am getting better.
     It’s gonna be a rambling kind of post I think… Truckers work, right?

     Oh. My. God. The right-wing wack-a-doodles in North Carolina would fucking lose their minds here! We went to a pub for a drink one afternoon and I had to go use the rest room. By the way… they really do call it the loo here. Anyway, I go and low and behold, it is a unisex bathroom! Yep, you did read that correctly. There was a row of individual stalls, each with their own solid walls and locking doors. Along one wall was a bank of sinks, and I have to tell you, it was all very foo-foo/she-she decorated. Hell, my own bathroom wasn’t as nice as these. But can you imagine? Everyone uses the same lavatories? Oh hell, those religious nut-jobs would faint dead away, and then convulse over it all, possibly pissing their pants in the meantime.
     Now, I was also told that this is quite common and they were right. Another place we went do had the same set up. I think it is a great idea. Just do away with the whole male/female thing and throw ‘em all together and be done with it. How ‘bout them crackers. Oh, I’m not talking about the people crackers, just plain ol’ saltines would work.

     Speaking of crackers…
     Don’t’cha know that those bed-sheet-wearing fools would lose their shit? Well, I can see it. I mean… anyone who runs around in white sheets, with cone-shaped dixie cups on their heads with a veil aren’t all that mentally stable on the best of days. Bless their hearts, and I do mean that in the most loving Christian way.
     What do ya mean I can’t speak English… Yeah, that’s what I’ve been told over and over and over again. I don’t speak English I speak American. Well… fuck me runnin’ with a jelly doughnut. I do so speak English. Just because some of these Aussies can’t figure out what I’m sayin’ doesn’t mean I ain’t speakin’ it. I mean honestly, what the hell does fair dinkum mean anyway. Really? And then you wonder why I need a translator? Pfft… as long as no one thinks I’m from Texas again, I’m good.

     Now, don’t y’all go getting me wrong or nuttin’, because I have some very good friends who live in Texas. They are wonderful people. Good people. But when people see and hear people like that Ted Cruz fella, well… they tend to think people from Texas are a bit nuts.
     I’m from Tennessee and there are more ties between our two states than you could shake a stick at, even twice on Sundays! But I still don’t want people thinking I’m from there. Honestly, people look at the way Politicians there run things and they shake their heads in bewilderment. They aren’t sure if they are for real or not. Now before you good folk from the yellow rose state try and come jump my shit; start electing people who aren’t so bat-shit cra-cra. Ya hear?
     Oh, and don’t you think for one minute that the good folk of Tennessee don’t have their own whack-jobs, because they do. Yeah, listen to Trey Crowder’s take on some of the shit they try and pull. Just somehow, it don’t make the national, much less international news. I guess somehow we have figured out how to keep ‘em on a short leash.

Trae Crowder and the State of Tennessee

     Yeah, so I’m a bit crazy…
     I’m not the bat-shit-scare-people kinda crazy though. Okay, sometimes I might scare people, but it isn’t like I’m chasin’ ‘em around with a gun and bible type nuts. I’m just the fun kind of crazy, or so I think anyway. I do tend to sometimes open my mouth and stuff just kinda rolls out. It isn’t like I intentionally try and sound like I just escaped from a mental ward somewhere, but it seems that’s how some people look at me.
     As TAT (the Aussie Tart) so succinctly put it: I’m kitchen while she’s management. I guess that is a fairly good description. She stays all calm and cool when shit goes down and says things way more properly than I do. She doesn’t even raise her voice or cuss none. Me, I just tell them how it is before I tell them to go fuck themselves. If I’m trying to be real polite I’ll just say “Fuckest Thou!” Yeah, that’s about as proper as I get for the most part.
     Now it isn’t like I can’t be management, but it also means that I have to really think about it and hell-fire, that’s just too much work and it might give me a headache. I am Southern after all and I was raised with manners. I can do it, but at my age and having spent most of my career in a hot ass kitchen, yelling, because it’s really loud, and cussing every other word is the norm, it’s really hard to revert to being a sweet Southern Gentleman. Besides, I really don’t give two shits to be honest.

     Was there a point? Um…
     Not sure if there was or not. I’m just gonna move right along because that’s what I’m the mood to do.
     Oh! I have a new love interest. Well, kinda-sorta, but not really. Maybe I’m just a huge fan of Trae Crowder. I’ve shared a few of his video blog posts on FB. The man just cracks me up and if he weren’t straight, married and with two kids, I’d so make a play for him. He’s got really cool eyebrows too! Yeah, he’s my kind of guy. He speaks my language which is hillbilly slang. He makes so many good points about life and just stuff in general. He really does make me proud to say I’m from East Tennessee. I’ve provided a link for y’all to check him out. He’s also on tour. Yeah, I’m so going to make a point of trying to see him live and in person.

And yes, he is wearing a Tennessee Vols shirt. :D

    Check him out... he's hysterical. You can get to know him here.

Trae Crowder on MSNBC

     Alright… I was mean…

     Yeah, I came down pretty hard on some of the Aussies last week. It wasn’t like the government didn’t deserve it and more. I just saw something about Nauru. Yeah, they need a good Southern Red-Neck ass whoopin’ over that one. Just goes to prove my point though… we all need to keep an eye open. We can make a difference, even if it is just one kid, one person at a time. Yep, we can, I swear we can. So go and do something, no matter how small for someone. Get ya some Karma Coins in the bank.      Have a grrreat week, y’all.
     Max

Oh the shame...

     So… I ain’t dead. That’s the big news. Woo-Hoo! Yes, I’ve been a little under the weather, which is a major understatement. I’m really not one to whine or whinge when I’m sick. Okay, I really was sick as a dog, so I think I deserve a little whine with some cheese. Yeah, pneumonia isn’t something to take lightly or play around with. It’s taken three rounds of antibiotics to get my big ass on the road to recovery, but finally, I don’t feel like I might hack up a lung at any moment. Anywho… I’m back, like it or not.

Aboriginal art is really unique. This particular artist is pretty cool. 

    You know that ol’ sayin’ about only the good die young? Yeah… well that sure as hell hasn’t happened. Please, God, Buddha, Allah or whomever is on duty today, please, please, please don’t let me be the leering old fag in a motorized wheelie-thingy chasing young men down the sidewalk. Pleeeaaasseee!
     Alrighty then, moving right along…
     As many of you know, I’ve been in Australia for quite some time. I must say I have enjoyed my time here. I’ve seen and experienced many wonderful things. There is a lot here that I have to give the Aussie’s credit for. They’ve really got one of the best medical systems that I’ve ever encountered. I may have to do a blog on just that, but it isn’t all rainbows and glitter here. Yep, if you look hard enough and long enough, you’ll see that they also have a darker side. I guess no place is perfect.

     Warning, a bit of a rant about to happen…
     While driving somewhere, I noticed that there were a lot of Salvation Army stores here. They actually call them Salvos. (I swear the Aussie’s will nickname or abbreviate just about anything.) Now, having had past experiences with the big red shield people, I had to ask if they were as rotten to the core here as they were in the States. “Oh no, they do really good work here.” I was told.
     Granted, the Salvation Army in the States do some really good work too… as long as you go along with everything that they believe and are willing to sit and listen to them preach at you.
     If you know me at all, you’ll know that I do love my research and so I set off to find out, and of course, there it was. Yep… same ol’ shit, just another continent. Oops, there I go again calling a spade a spade.
     While I was at it, I thought I’d check out how they dealt with homeless LGBT youth here. I was really glad to find out that there is help out there for kids. I found an article about how a 16 year old boy was tossed out on his ass because his folks found out he was gay. Oh, and guess what? They were religious nut-jobs. Imagine that! So sure, a young man, who is now homeless, is going to go seeking help from a religious organization, which has in the past said that all gay people should be put to death. That is how the think, although they have been raked over the coals for it in recent years. Yeah, I know they’d be the first organization I’d go to for help. NOT.
     What else did I find? Well, in New South Wales, almost 90% of all government funding to help the homeless goes to four faith-based organizations. How ‘bout them apples? Anyone seeing a pattern here besides me?
     Oh, I’m not done yet…
     Today, a report was released relating to South Australia Child and Protection services. Oh hell, it is as bad as I’ve ever heard. It was far reaching and it only took two years to complete. Talk about egg on your face. Shit, they have egg all over their damn bodies. It was shameful. Wide spread child abuse that resulted in the death of a few kids. Yes, you read that correctly, death.
     And yet it gets better still…
     In the Northern Territory they have detention centers, most of which house indigenous kids. This one made me cry. These kids have been so abused, neglected, locked away and forgotten. There is this one boy who has been there for seven years! They don’t go to school, they don’t leave the building, and there is no rehabilitation if they need it. Nothing. To me, they are treated no better than dogs. Tossed into a cell, given food and water just as if they were in a kennel.
     Everything I’ve said can be verified with very little effort. So yes, as wonderful as I think the Land of Oz is, they have some major problems just like the States. However, I have to admit, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything quite as horrendous as what happened in the Northern Territory here back in the States.
     Children did not ask to come into this world. They didn’t have a choice in the matter. I don’t care if they are white, black, pink or purple with yellow polka dots. They are just innocents, dropped onto this big spinning ball with no way to protect themselves. They rely totally on adults to do the right thing. The RIGHT THING.
     Yes, I just came down pretty heavy on the Australian government, but I’ve been just as hard on my own government. I’d come down hard on anyone who is responsible for taking care of those who can’t take care of themselves, and don’t even get me started on the abuse that is heaped upon the forgotten elderly who can no longer take care of themselves!

    Plan of action…
     Each and every one of us can make a difference. We need to hold those in charge accountable for their actions, or lack thereof. We need to pay attention and look for the signs of abuse of authority.
    I plan to redouble my efforts of getting more involved. I don’t have a lot of money, but I do try and do my little bit financially each month. I’m going to get up off my big butt and volunteer some of my time. I’m not sure what I’ll be allowed to do, but I’m going to put forth the effort and do something.

     Pay it back. Pay it forward. However you want to look at it, just do something, no matter where you live. Most of all, keep your eyes open and do what you think is best, I know I will.
     There, you have now been challenged. I know you can do it. If I can do some simple research and find a way to help, I know you can too. Get ready to receive those Karma Coins y’all!

     Sorry this was a bit of a rant, but… well I just can’t help myself sometimes. Hope everyone has a good week. And thank you all for the get well wishes and messages, which I’m still trying to respond to.
     Have a grrreat week, y’all.
     Max
     XOXO

Just because... LOL