thoughts to fill an empty room

en.wikipedia

Today's "Only on Wikipedia" Article: Nose picking.

My Tribute To Duane

proposed tattoo (mean face)
Originally uploaded by duanecmoody.

This is my little tribute post to Duane Moody, who is the most gorgeous beautiful blogger on the planet!

Good luck with your new tattoo, dreamboat!

Duane's blog is at duanemoody.com

Spam Poetry Zen

Check out this wonderful spam poetry I got today. It's really quite surreal.

Paul Pellerito
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DONT PAY THOUSAND FOR SAME SOFTWARE, WE SELL AT ONLY $15-60 FOR ALL SOFTWARES thats
1 message

Ira Tawana <xcs1dkb@lightspeed.net>

Wed, Mar 29, 2006 at 8:57 PM

Reply-To: Ira Tawana <xcs1dkb@lightspeed.net>

To: paulpellerito@gmail.com

similar motor principle explain.
commit why here few least, next yours how night reply?
added steps fascinate immediate arms music.
window promised companion off disappoint, nothing find purpose. thats force prison beautiful.
commit latter friends. parents back night side companion not. again nothing anybody mentioned carefully?

noname
1K

Why Do You Get All The Love In The Wold

Nine Inch Nails :: With Teeth :: All The Love In The World (for Adam, and then Brandon)

Watching all the insects march along
Seem to know just right where they belong
Smears of face reflecting in the chrome
Hiding in the crowd I'm all alone

No one's heard a single word I've said
They dont sound as good out side my head
It looks as though the past is here to stay
I've become a million miles aw...

Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?

All the jagged edges dissapear
Colors all look brighter when you're near
The stars are all a fire in the sky
Sometimes I get so lonely I could...

Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?

Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?

Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?

Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?

Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?

Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do YOU get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do YOU get all the love in the world?

Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?
Why do you get all the love in the world?

Why do you get all the love in the world?

OMG omg omg omg omg omg

The Great Leap Forward

So I made out with Brandon for like an hour tonight.

What a good kisser. What about remembering that first one forever. I'm so entirely crazy about him. What's this do? What about everything else?

What about I'm completely not ready for this.

I am used to the darkness
Can?t adjust to the light of day that you bring
Nothing has worked out before
Why should it work this time?
Why?

Here again I find myself afraid
Never knowing what each day will bring

One more thing

Oh yeah, our cars got towed from the lot of a Washington Mutual Bank so i want to say

Fuck Washington Mutual and Fuck You For Towing Us!

I'll remember this and remember to never give my business to WAMU ever in my life. Fuck them!

Yay! Megapost Update

Who's ready for an extra large triple shot venti post? I am!

I seriously spent every night since we got back from Chicago trying to figure out where to begin this post. There are moments from the past month that I've been ruminating on, and I don't want those thoughts to slip away. So I'm going to start with Monday, February 20th.

I went up to Grand Rapids to spend time with my Grandpa Honton, who we were told by Hospice had only about a week to live. I left work early (not to mention Brad was over that weekend, so we were rather tired and hung over) to see Grandpa while he was still cognisant, it was probably one of the best decisions I've made in awhile. We watched some old home movies that my aunt had put on VHS and talked about the old times when my aunts, uncle, and mom were growing up. It was good because that was the last day he was really there. Then I want to the awesomeamazing Nine Inch Nails concert. I also spent sometime with a longtime friend of mine who has HIV and had a cold, which worried me some. I had an image walking away from his place that I might end up being the one to take care of him when he's really seriously full-blown sick. I'm alright with that, and it almost feels like that what I've been getting ready to do since we met 10 years ago.

Grandpa passed away the following Monday. That Wednesday I went to Ash Wednesday services, got the sign of the cross drawn on my forehead, and wore it until sundown, something I hadn't done since I think high school. It was an interesting experience, to be remind that "from dust you can and to dust you will return" especially in light of my grandfather's passing. It was also interesting to have a day that meant something more than just a regular Wednesday, to fast, and to think about life and death in a larger context.

We had the visitation that Thursday, my uncle's basketball teams (JV and Varsity) showed up, which was a really nice gesture. Lots of people who hadn't seen my brother and I since we were little showed up. We were always introduced as "Sue's boys" which was a nice thought; it helped me feel reconnected with my family. Those two days were oddly surreal, however. I felt like I was trapped in an episode of Six Feet Under. Brad came in from Ann Arbor for the funeral on Friday.

I had never carried a casket before. With the six of us (my uncle Bob, cousin Patrick, brother Jim, friend Brad, cousin-in-law Tony, and I) it didn't feel so heavy—didn't feel like we were carrying a person. We had the whole shebang, a service at the funeral home with the honor guard firing shots outside, and then an internment service at the graveside. They lowered my grandfather's casket into the ground and we tossed flowers on it, just like in the movies.

I have to say I've been staying in Michigan waiting for that moment. I didn't want to be too far away as to make it difficult to return for a funeral, and I wanted to be around as much as I could for the service, etc. Now that this has passed, I feel a bit freer to leave. Which brings me to part 2 of this post: New York City.

The first leg of my trip was driving to South Bend Regional Airport, which had a really down-home feel and probably one of the least busiest TSA checkpoints in the country. It's a tiny airport, too. Just as I got to the ticketing counter to check in, all the flight status monitors switched from On Time to Delayed. I felt a looming sense of disaster, or at least boredom coming on. Trapped in SBN for about an hour, most of which was spent inside the aircraft on the runway we finally made the 15 minute hop to O'Hare and I was further delayed for another 4 hours. I finally got into Manhattan around midnight. Dino had been sleeping and went to bed shortly after I got there and I asked him to wake me up early so I could get a good start.

My first destination Friday morning was the Duane Reede drugstore at Broadway & Exchange Pl to get some chapstick, then I went up the street to my favorite Borders store for a Dean & Delucca coffee and to get the guidebook I audblogged about. This is seriously IMHO the best guidebook around. I then went across the street to Trinity Church and ended up taking some amazing pictures of the cemetery. Feeling overencumbered my next stop was Century21 to pick up a $20 messenger bag. After Century21 I checked out St. Paul's Chapel and saw George Washington's pew as well as the 11 September memorials they have there.

It was then about 10:30 and I decided my next stop would be the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. I decided to walk through Chinatown and check out the Buddhist Temple. I also visited a Chinese Pharmacy to see what it was like. The next tour was at 1pm, so I went up the street to 88 Orchard for lunch. I also bought a $100 shirt for $20 at a men's clothier. I think you know it's a good place when you walk in and they know your neck size right away.

At 1pm the guided tour of 97 Orchard St began. I have to come out and say that this is probably the best museum experience I've ever had anywhere, and aside from dinner on Saturday night it was the highlight of my trip. The Lower East Side Tenement museum at first sounded like a boring sort of thing, but after I'd noticed it mentioned in the Rough Guide spanning 2 editions (also listed as a "must do" item in both editions) I figured I would give it a shot. it's only $11 and an hour long, so i didn't have anything to lose. I certainly gained a lot from the experience. The "Getting By" tour that I took showcased two apartments, once from the mid-1800s and one from the 1920's. The apartments are set up how they might have looked in their time, and the tour guide did a fantastic job. He was not only very knowledgeable of the facts concerning the family but also the much more important context in which they lived. After the tour there was an hour-long "kitchen talk" session that gave everyone on the tour the opportunity to discuss our feelings about the tour, contemporary immigrant issues, as well as our family histories as immigrants. This experience quite nearly made my trip, it was that fantastic. I've no pictures except this one of the historical marker as they don't allow pictures of the exhibits, but you can take a virtual tour and learn more about the museum at tenement.org.

After the tour I was left with some hours until Dino got off work and couldn't decide what to do. I took a stroll down to the Eldridge Street Synagogue to get some pictures of the oldest synagogue in New York (or something historical like that). Then I went and got a metrocard and took my first subway trip up to the Empire State Building. Man I love riding the subway! The ESB was the same as it's been for 70 years (and the last time I was there) only now it's $14 to go up to the 86th floor and another $15 to go to the higher floor (110th or something). I just went to the 86th floor observatory and took some pictures of the breathtaking view. And a spoon for my collection. (Yes, I collect those little novelty souvenir spoons-that's on the list of 101 things you didn't know about me. )

After that I descended into the subway yet again to head all the way up to 110th street to get some pictures of St. John The Divine Cathedral, which is supposed to be the largest Cathedral space in the world if it's ever finished. It was just about to close, so I got no pictures of the inside but some of the exterior. Downtrodden and nearing 6:30, I took the 3 train all the way down to Chambers street and to Dino's apartment. That evening we went out to Dugout, a gay bar where we were meeting some of Dino's friends. They left me a funny voicemail. It was Metrobears night there, which isn't really my scene, and I was worn out by the long, long day. So we stayed until about 1am and then went home.

Saturday was a loss for being in the city. We met up with Camille and Devra to drive to New Jersey. We had a "Jersey Experience" (e.g., saw the kind of white trash that festers and breeds in the Garden State) and Camille tried on her bridesmaid dress for their friend's wedding in August.

We then went to Devra's parents for probably the best time I've had in awhile. I saw her dad's wine cellar, which is nearly as big as my apartment and filled with wine, a lot of it older than I am. We had traditional matzo ball soup, roast duck, twice baked potatoes, straw mushrooms, and very very very good wine. Dessert was a chocolate fondue fountain that Dino and Ron ate most of. After dinner people fell off one by one but Camille and I were left talking religion with Mrs. Goldberg until about 4am. It was a wonderful, long conversation. After about 4 hours sleep we were all up again to share a breakfast of bagels, salmon, and whitefish salad while we prepared for our trip back to Manhattan.

Sunday afternoon Dino and I went to Museum of Jewish Heritage for the most depressing museum experience I've ever had. It's a very, very, good museum. It's also a "living memorial to the Holocaust" so it's not like it's a happy upbeat time. But i have to say I had one of the deepest, eeriest experiences there.

In the museum there are 6 pillars full of pictures. Some people are smiling, some are dressed formal as on their wedding day, some are swimming, laughing, little children, old men and women. They all stare out at you. The base of each pillar holds a book with the names of the 1,000 people on each pillar. The exhibit is called They Had Names and each name represents a million people who were murdered in the Holocaust. it's eery and amazing and quiet and moving. It brought tears to my eyes.

After that I took a long nap and Dino and I ventured up to Times Square to take some pictures. We then got some awesome Thai food and great conversation and went back home. Dino turned in for the night and I went out to HIRO for gay night. Saw some famous people (danced with Johnny McGovern for like a minute) and got way more drunk than I should've. I sent out an SMS post card to almost everyone in my phonebook. Yes the party was right out of Queer as Folk.

The next day I got to sleep in a bit because my flight out of LGA was delayed. Reluctantly I said goodbye to New York and Dino. I'm definitely looking forward to my next trip to see him.

Once I got home Monday evening I just pooped out. Tuesday and Wednesday I hung out with Joe the old roommate who's also moved back to Portage. Also on Wednesday I bought a sofa. Thursday was another resting day, I went into work around 7pm to have dinner with Hoan as it was her last day before she went off to France for 6 months. Friday morning I had a headache and got a late start on our way to Chicago!!

Friday we drove down to Chicago and got settled in at our hotel. We didn't do very much. Saturday we spent a lot of time at Ikea looking at furniture. I bought a coffee table, footstool and rug. I've now got a real living room!

Saturday evening we met up with the always-fabulous Tina "It's Like Xanax" Wiesen, Candace, and Karina just in time to head down for the Casey Stratton Concert. Chicago pictures are tagged Chicago on flickr. Terry has some, and Tina does too. So do Mario and Tommy. After the concert we decided to go to Roscoe's but after only being there a few minutes we found out our cars got towed! Tragedy! Talk about the show curse! So after getting into a fight with Josh (big surprise) I had had enough for the night and decided I just wanted to go back to the hotel. Sadness and $150 later. Sunday we made it back to Michigan without incident and I spent the rest of the night dreading my return to work the next day and assembling my new Ikea furniture. I think this makes me a yuppie! Uh oh!

So now it's Thursday and I've put in 32 hours of work and I'm pretty exhausted. But in 20 minutes I'll be seeing Tall Brandon who is freshly single (YAY!!) and playing poker. A much needed diversion.

Thanks for reading, and going along my whirlwind couple of weeks with me! Whew! I fell tired again reliving all the good times.

Casey Stratton

Casey Stratton
Originally uploaded by Paul Pellerito.

There are loads of pictures from the concert on flickr. They are not in perfect order as the buggy piece of shit tool screwed up the upload process.

The concert was fantastic and a wonderful thing to be a part of. I'm also glad that my myspace buddy John showed up for his birthday and his first time meeting Casey, which made tonight a little more special for everyone. Casey also signed his first breast tonight.

It's 5am CST/6am EST so I'm ready ready ready for bed. Aside from the concert things got pretty fucking horrendous, but we're not going to discuss that right now. We'll end on a happy note:

The encore of OPALINE absolutely ruled! Casey is amazing.

My Type of Guy

Joshua by Paul Mpagi Sepuya
Originally uploaded by Men as Art.

For everyone who wants to know... this guy is totally my type. dr00lz

In Chicago now, big updates coming soon...

Surge!

Yes, yes, oh God yes!
Currently only available in the UK, the Guinness surger is supposed to help us attain a pub-style pint at home. I can't wait till these are available in the US (if ever) as I sure go enjoy me a nice pint of Guinness. Brilliant! via Gizmodo

NYC rundown etc coming tomorrow.

omfg

omfg battlestar galactica

Empire View

Empire View
Originally uploaded by Paul Pellerito.

Photos from yesterday are on flickr.

MOHAWK!

MOHAWK!
Originally uploaded by Paul Pellerito.

My hair was too long. So while I was at it, inspired by Ron, Zac, and some hot guy who works in the pet department I gave myself a MOHAWK.

I fly to NYC tomorrow. Yay!

more boys with guitars

If he only wasn't just 17

Kyle Riabko :: Before I Speak :: Do You Right

We?ve lived so long in those lovely days
You were there, life was fair in every way
I tend to say some crazy things
It?s obvious they?re not the words I really mean
Why do you cry?

Are you waiting
For my goodbye?
While I was faking
All of the times
There?s no mistaking
No mistaking

Do you feel the way I feel?
What do you need tonight?
There?s no better man for you
Baby I can do you right

I have not been myself
To far from your smile
It?s time to show, show and tell
I need to show you mine

Used to be so good
Used to be so fine
Baby used to be alright
Mama I can do you
Do you

Funny

Funny Boondocks cartoon I just saw:

Death Notice

Cornelius "Casey" Honton

Mr. Cornelius "Casey" Honton, aged 84, of Kentwood, went home to be with God on February 27, 2006. His daughter, Sue Pellerito; sisters, Geraldine and Mary; and brothers, Lambert and Louis, preceded him in death. Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Jean; children, Kathy, Chuck Honton, Carole (Robert) Richardson; grandchildren, Jim and Paul Pellerito, Angie (Anthony) Wright, Hillary and Patrick Richardson; great-grandchildren, Faith and Anthony Wright II; sister, Florence Funk; many nieces and nephews. Casey served with the US Army during WWII, he retired from Steelcase after 35 years of service. He loved gardening, sports, fishing and playing cards. Casey had a passion for his four-legged friends. He will be tremendously missed until we meet again. Special heartfelt thanks to Liz, Jan, Jo and Dr. Kuiper for all of your support. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 3, 2006 at the Ronan-Vanderpool-Stegenga Funeral Chapel, 3131 S. Division Ave., with Dr. Julius Kuiper officiating. Interment Winchester Cemetery. The family will greet relatives and friends Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Visiting Nurses ? Hospice or the Kent County Humane Society. Those who wish may leave online condolences to Casey's family at www.stegengafuneralchapel.com.

Published in the Grand Rapids Press on 3/1/2006.

Lift

As a little aside, to lift my spirits...

Guys + Guitars + Tattoos = HOT

(sometimes it's good to be totally high school)

horrible weekend

Yesterday I was supposed to be in Grand Rapids to spend time with my family as we gather around my Grandpa's death bed, but I never got myself out the door. I've been hit with one of the worst colds I've had in awhile. Fuck Airborne and fuck Cold Eeze, fuck Sudafed fuck Tylenol fuck Motrin fuck Alka Seltzer Plus... nothing's made me feel better... so I slept on and off most of Saturday, woke up at noon this morning and headed to Grand Rapids. My Aunt Kathy is making a rare appearance, and I also saw my Aunt Carole and my brother and Uncle Chuck (and Grandma of course). My grandpa is near death, which makes it the second time I've experienced such a thing.

I'm not afraid of death, or dying, or seeing death, or anything like that. It's just awful and draining waiting for someone to pass away.

I'm taking an Ambien and going to bed.

Another...

My Grandpa Honton is ready to pass away this weekend, so I'll be in Grand Rapids.

My Grandpa Pellerito died in October. I wasn't as close to him as I was Grandpa Honton.

With my father absent for a lot of my childhood, it was with my Grandpa Honton we ended up doing a lot of little kid things with. We used to sit for hours in the dark watching slides and home movies, and in the summertime he taught us how to fish. He also taught us how to play solitaire and cribbage. He even fooled us into believing he invented Candy Land for us.

Both my Grandpas will be missed greatly.

Office Visit

For $25 out of my FSA I got my balls felt up today.

Also, in hindsight, it's probably not a great idea to have a whole six pack the night before going to the doctor's. Especially when the doctor orders a urinalysis. Oh well. Maybe they'll find some urine in there along with the beer.

Other than that, I'm fine.

Cockeyed (But Cute!)

Tall Brandon
Originally uploaded by Paul Pellerito.

My life is brilliant.

My life is brilliant.
My love is pure.
I saw an angel.
Of that I'm sure.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won't lose no sleep on that,
'Cause I've got a plan.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.

Yeah, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
Fucking high,
And I don't think that I'll see her again,
But we shared a moment that will last till the end.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw you face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
There must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up that I should be with you.
But it's time to face the truth,
I will never be with you.

(Sorry Josh)

Black & Tan

Black & Tan
Originally uploaded by Paul Pellerito.

Pour one part Bass & Co. Pale Ale into a pint glass, pour one part Guinness over the back side of a spoon atop of Bass Ale. Let settle for 1 minute. Enjoy.

V-Day

I totally stole this from Joel who stole this from Augusten Burroughs.

I have nothing to say about Valentine's Day that Augusten Burroughs didn't say last year in PaperMagazine.

Valentine's Day is Satan's gift to single people It's the one day of the year when you do not dare leave your apartment and go to a restaurant, because they will seat you alone in the back near the bathrooms. It's also the one day of the year when chocolate sends you into a rage, especially the ones with the fucking cream centers. I have always spent Valentine's Day alone in my apartment with a vat of Chow Fun, watching TV-which, naturally, is a scene in all romantic comedies ever made, the kind that make you want to stab your eyes out with chop-sticks. In my experience, the only possible way to survive this grisly day as a single person is to take NyQuil, read Marry Me by John Updike and then wait until February 15, when the world is right again.