Well, hello Guv'ner

Can you believe it's March and i haven't written a word here since New Year's. Ma bad.

So the other night we catered the Governor's Cocktail Fundraiser. At work we don't do politics. Actually we catered the Green Party on Sunday and Congressman Pallone's soiree a few weeks ago before Bruce's Ranney School benefit at the Pony. So, I feel we are an equal opportunity caterer...lol. Have to say it would have been fun to do one for Ann little and the Tea Party just to get a better perspective on it all.

The Guv was nice. He came through the kitchen at the Berkeley posed for pics and chatted while he waited for his speech. Seemed pretty down to earth and I think he's slimming a bit too. National Media and overweight don't mix well.

Then the Guv gave his speech. He's a good speaker when preaching to the choir. Made a few jokes about the blizzard and Florida, how Jerry Brown in California is following his lead and how Andrew Cuomo must be his brother, albeit separated at birth, because the Guv said he would do something and then Guv. Cuomo would do the same..it was cute...at least. The referencing to Walker in Wisconsin and unions....hmmmmmmmmm

I usually joke that I am going on a union break at work. I was nervous to use the "U" word around the GOP but I couldn't help myself...hehehe

I even got a pic myself being hugged by our Guv. Sweet!.....Maybe same-sex marriage will be back on his agenda..LOL
Ahhh...I don't think so

Yeah, it's been awhile....must be Cabin Fever

I was hoping that Gov. Christie would do a George W. You know take a fly by of the state and then head back to Disney World. There is comfort sometimes when history repeats itself. LOL

I mean what was he thinking? And then the LT. Gov is in Mexico? I'm sorry it isn't like the blizzard was a surprise. And I wouldn't mention it if the State did a decent job. It took days for the state to plow 35 (and that's an emergency evacuation route for some parts of the shore) and 71/Main St. Even if you could get your car out you couldn't get more than a few blocks until yesterday. Even here in Ocean Grove hardly any streets besides the major ones have been plowed. Luckily I park on Broadway and they plowed that Monday but forget about all the people on the side streets. My partners car just around the corner has no chance of getting it out...yet!

I was downtown in Asbury last night and there were businesses with mountains of snow in front of their shops. It's wrong!
It took the city there 3 days to get Ocean Ave. Plowed!!! What's up wit dat? (my favorite segment on Saturday Night Live)

Guess there is going to be a whole lot of reckoning after this. Lots of finger pointing. Not that I would ever do that...hehehe

My only worry is what happens the next time we get a storm?

Will history repeat itself?

Ahhh...The Gay Apple Life and it's not about sex

Gay, Metro, Lil' Applesse

Years ago there used to be this discourse on the difference between being gay and being a homosexual. The conversation was about lifestyle vs sexuality. There were many homosexuals who felt they weren't gay because they didn't participate in was known at the time as Gay Culture.

Then came the time of Metrosexuals, who were straight people, mostly men, that embraced many of the facets of what mainstream considered gay culture. Facets like design awareness, fashion consciousness, personal beauty and fitness and living a life that was different then the "normal" of getting married and having kids.

Now I see the reversal. Where same-sex partners took on the facets of the straight lifestyle. Creating homes, unions that are almost marriage and having kids, letting there gym memberships expire, spending their money on investing, cars, buying those homes and improving them and in the Lil" Apple creating a suburban lifestyle.

Also in Asbury I see a whole accepted culture of straight people living what you might call a gay suburban lifestyle. Partners in living together but not legally married, not interested in having kids, at yard sales collecting, more into decorating their homes than investing in them, at the gym taking care of themselves and striving for personal beauty and reading the NY Times Style section on Sundays.

I love it! And that's why I call our city the Little Apple.
It's great to see the that every year there is an higher acceptance level here of the diversity of lifestyles. Go Lil' Apple.

It seems to me that at least on the local level there is a unforced but effective grassroots change in thinking. Hopefully it will bring about some changes in law that would allow equal civil rights to all our citizens.

I even know many a Republican here who would agree. Now that's great too.

Wow, really?

Damn, I haven't posted since before New year's. Bad Big D, Bad Big D!!!!....Ok Jake, come over and spank me.

Speaking of spanking....and though I should be first in line....I think Big D needs to give his first Big D's Big Spank Award today.

The envelope please......(music)

Big D's First Big Spank Award goes to ......The City of Asbury Park's City Council...tadah!

The award is given in recognition of the continuing advancement of creating the most warped legacy.
I though their legacy for the beginning of the new decade would be about Parking but they have topped that with Trees.
Maybe it's premature to give them this award because of the saying that "all comes in threes" and they could very easily top the last topper.

Good thing I decided my Spank Award isn't an annual thing but issued only when deserved. Like spanking your kids. (Can you still do that legally? I'm not a parent, well, I do want to spank my staff at times and not for any ones pleasure, LOL)

The City council gets this award for acting like kids. Then pretend to listen and care and then just do what they were going to do in the first place. And like a kid who sometimes leaps before they look, the Council gets this stubborn idea in their heads and doesn't look at possible alternatives and consequences.

So here's to the Asbury Park's City Council, et al

Spank, Spank, Spank, Spank, Spank.......and spank for the et als

Congrats!

End of decades....

Cleaning out the clutter needs to be the top of any one's New Year's resolution list. I have begun mine. And Mother Nature did her job today by clearing away the snow that the Little Apple's snow plows barely got to. Thanks MN, only you could get it right!

Now I'll clean up some TCN clutter. Left vs right stuff.

I find it funny that the "progressives" are hitting hard on Obama and the J Right has calmed down a bit. Personally I was a Hillary fan until her concession. I just like smart, pragmatic and progressive thinking politicians. Just because Barack is mixed race and young for a president didn't make min a liberal or as some wacky people have thrown on him a "socialist." Never got that and still don't. The guy has always been a moderate in my eyes. And with his world view as a facilitator, the role of compromiser goes hand and hand with that stature. I think we got what we paid for. We knew with him and Hillary we were going to get out of Iraq and deeper into Afghanistan. We knew that it was going to take a long time to put the economy back in shape along with some deep Wall St. cultural changes. I knew that health care reform was going to be a beginning not and end. Like Social Security and Medicare were in the beginning. I knew the guy wasn't really into same sex stuff and wouldn't do much for awhile. Look at the toll Bill took with that in the beginning of his presidency. Actually I find Barack and Bill closer in moves than Barack and Hillary.

I guess my point is get rid of the rhetorical clutter and push your people whether you voted for them or not to move on the issues you care about. Big D always says there are no miracle answers. There are a lot of micro answers.

This year i have to decide if I am going to switch my residency from the Big Apple to down here. I have lived in the city most of my life but was born and raised down here. Now, that my life in this moment has shifted me back here, it's a dilemma.

When it comes to politics if I start to vote here I got these great battles ahead. Like get rid of the silly guys Kean and Christie. I was an independent most of my voting age life until I became a registered Democrat to be able to get some say in the primaries. Big D is not a two party system kind of guy but I'm pragmatic when it comes to politics. I'd much prefer multiple parties and governing by consensus. For Big D the independent guy for governor here was the best candidate but I was in NYC that day voting to unseat Bloomberg. We almost did it, hehehehe

After or before my resolution of getting rid of clutter, Big D wants to do something really good for the world this year. No, not world peace. I'm too pragmatic for that, it's not in our nature. I want to do something a pushes the world a little further in the direction of tolerance and understanding.

Any suggestions? let me know

Merry, merry and Happy New Decade!
Big D

To State Senator, Sean Kean, You know in your heart....

It's the right thing to do. Make jersey proud and throw politics to the wind and throw your support S-1967, the Marriage Equality bill.

remember some very smart and married men wrote this:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," plain and simple and what this country needs and really is about.

Thank you,

Big D

I sent mine, now send yours to Senator Kean

senskean@njleg.org

Dan the Man

Have to say that Dan Jacobson of the TCN can write a good explanation of what is. Well, unless he's on one of his APP rags. I mean his tirade on Asbury Partners come to mind.

But his recent articles on Sandy Hook and Red Bank's parking were on point and made it all so clear about the whys and wherefores. Loved his strategy of using Republicans to save the day. That's novel in this day and age. Can a Republican actually say yes? That is a good question. Obviously Sarah said yes too many times. LOL

So, Dan no worries about the APP. They'll either die or move on to the resting place of worn out ideas. I.E. the newspaper junk yard.