First I suppose I should apologize to all of you;
This journal is LATE!!!
Second I should apologize again;
It is gonna be a little more brief than you've become used to...
But wait there's more... or should I say less...
I also apologize in advance that there will be fewer than normal photos this journal...
And all of this is rather ironic since it has been a VERY busy time.
Okay so where did we leave-off?
When last we left our intrepid author... he was celebrating Thanksgiving with the hippies and his niece at the Louisiana Renaissance festival, had just returned from a dismal pirate show in Florida, oh and there was something about some tall blonde belly dancer wasn't there?
 Famous New Orleans |
 Jazz and Riverboats |
So let's see:
Thanksgiving went well, I made my first-ever turkey (well actually just a breast) and the sandwiches (all I ate for four days) were AMAZING! My turkey sandwiches are made with Mayo, Butter, turkey and cranberry sauce (I make my family's home-made recipe)
Here's an interesting note: I got belly dancers coming out my ears!
I told you already about the super-girl I met at the end of Charlotte show... and things are developing well there - but then I went to the pirate faire, and met another girl. She was starring as a fire-eater in their fire show, and (are you ready for this) a belly dancer. We had a nice time together, and she figures more in this journal too.
Then my first weekend in Louisiana, an old friend came to hang out... wanna guess what she does for a living?
Not a lot to report from the Louisiana show: I got to hang out with My Mommy a lot... and visit with at least one of my nieces...
The Louisiana show itself is growing up quite nicely thank you... The weather is a bit problematical, but I am more impressed with the show. There were people there this year; there were times when it was actually crowded!
Our first weekend there was a first for me BTW: I was actually sick on a show day.
I rarely get sick, and never in fifteen or sixteen years I have been with the Twins have I been sick on a festival day. But I was ILL... As the proverbial D-O-G!!! Riki stepped-up though, he told the folks that ran the pub that if they didn't get us wired for electric, so we could use our sound system, he wouldn't let me perform (thanks Riki)
There were a couple of problems with staging, and scheduling... the Louisiana faire is still going through some growing pains... but it is nice that whenever we talk to our bosses about our concerns there, they are instantly dealt with!
In other Louisiana News, we partied with Canadians (Hello Limey Birds!) and our old friend and B.A.R.F Alumni Christophe the Insulter had an embarrassing, and mildly, (temporarily) disfiguring hunting accident... Riki even heard the shot... ask him or Christophe for details.
Also during the Louisiana show I made many forays into New Orleans... One of the trips was to check out this BEAUTIFUL burlesque troupe:Â The Southern Jezebelles. They were AWESOME... my internal dialogue during their show was to compare them to Panty Raid! and conclude, "We got robbed!" I brought the boys back to see 'em on the final weekend... and it looks like they will be appearing at least one of the TortugaPalooza 2 (SPIES!) shows... stand by!
Another trip involved shopping with my mom...we went to the French Quarter... I bought some gifts in the French market... (including a very nice gift for Naomi's Christmas... one of several) and looked at some sexy shoes...
Finally Riki and I went on a day-trip to the D-Day museum. We did something clever there... You see Riki and I have the exact same digital camera. And the exact same problem; in far too many of our photographs, our life is featured, but since we are the photographer, we are not. Riki and I swapped cameras at the Museum... It was a very fun day all around.
 Ronn and his German heritage |
 Readng about uniforms |
 Posing at the museum |
Monday saw me driving away to my winter home in Florida... and normally the end of (much) reporting until February... but not THIS year.
So, that Naomi-babe, remember her? The one who shot me down when I first made a pass at her, the one who is brilliant, and titillating, and charming? She and I had been talking, and writing a lot... I was so impressed by and with her that when we first met - I was interested in her as purely a friend, as an intellectual being... if that was all she wanted to offer...
Turns out it wasn't!
She had planned to come visit me in Phoenix for spring break... and to that we added visiting me in Florida too in January. But the girl asked me to come to visit sooner, "Would I come to Charlotte?"
In an interesting coincidence, April had asked me just two days earlier to see if there was any way I could go grab her furniture and belongings from her Mom's house, and bring them to her in Charlotte? She offered to pay expenses.
Let's see if I get this right; April will pay for me to go to Charlotte and see this girl I am Soooo crazy about?
Life is good!
So about two days or so after I got settled in Florida, I left again. U-haul full of April’s swag... off to see the most interesting girl I have met in years.
Upon arriving in Charlotte, I unpacked (alone) all of April’s stuff... Her apartment was dark, candlelit and reeked of the clove cigarettes she smokes. Somber, Gothic, and Messy. (Both apartment and April) the transition from her place, to Naomi's Bright, Clean, Fragrant, and Airy apartment was symbolic. (And appreciated).
Naomi:
 A Babe and a Bear |
 A happy Tortuga |
As you look at this picture, it is very important I tell you this:Â That is NOT Naomi's teddy bear
She expressed great concern that folks NOT think she sleeps with a teddy bear. She thinks it would be very inappropriate for a woman of her age to do so.
That is the teddy bear of the (nearly) forty-year-old man who was sharing her bed that week.
I've given some thought to how I wanted to say this so here we go:
I am not going to kiss and tell with Naomi... she is an awfully big deal, but if you want a hint, turn the sound on your computer to ON, and click this link.
The girl is amazing to be with... I am running out of superlatives to describe her, or our time together. She is just fun, fun to talk to, fun to cuddle with...(I found it impossible to sleep well after I left her... when she wraps around me my body relaxes in ways it hasn't in years. - Just that, better than you could believe) SMART... as I was writing this, she called to explain to me the psychological concept of cognitive dysfunction. She is comfortable, sexy, challenging. She makes me giggle, and makes me feel proud to be hanging out with her.
She also took me to see her at work; Dancing at one of Charlotte's Middle Eastern restaurants. I invited Riki, (where we exchanged X-mas Presents... Riki got an iPod) Naomi invited two of her friends to audition there, so they can work when she's out of town (like visiting me). Also there in this photo are Mena, and Colette... Colette that caused Naomi and I to meet.
Note:
My friend Dean (Johnny Phoenix) Lasseter is dating Liz... and there is a sixteen-and-a-half year difference in their ages. Liz is a belly dancer. Dean is a Stage Performer.
My friend Muggsy is dating Colette. She is also much younger than he, and a belly dancer. Muggsy is the new Ded Bob.
I am (kinda) seeing Naomi; we also have sixteen years difference between us, she is also (of course) a belly dancer...
I keep suggesting to Muggsy and Dean that we need to form a club.
I had a wonderful time in Charlotte... but eventually, I had to get back to Cat, and home. Again I was there about two days... and had to leave again. I flew out to New Orleans at Mom's request to celebrate Christmas with Mom, Her boyfriend, and my Maternal Grandfather.
I had a really interesting time while I was there... and an interesting revelation too. My mom is about 60. Frank, her boyfriend is about 65, and my Granddad is about 80. Everywhere we went I was the one who had to take the uncomfortable seat. Do the extra work, defer in all the conversations. I was the young one, the junior... literally and figuratively, I was sitting at the "kiddies table"
I had a nice Christmas, family, including nieces... and in the midst of what scientists tell us is Global Warming, it snowed. For the first time on record New Orleans had a "White Christmas.
 Frank, Mom, and Grandpa |
 Snow in New Orleans |
Remember that girl I hooked-up with at the Pirate faire? Well she invited me to visit her in Atlanta, and to ring in the New Year In a Swingers club. Naomi had told me weeks earlier, and before things started to go so well, that she would be busy on New Year's ... so off I went.
I had a good time in Atlanta. The girl there is smart, pretty, fun... I had a good time at the Swingers club... LOTS of pretty girls doing Lots of pretty things to each other. Andy, Our Members-Only (oh, excuse me) Our Fan Club - webmaster thinks it's important to let you guys in on these aspects of my life - that you guys want to hear about me doing decidedly hedonistic things in the main couples-only room at a swingers club in Atlanta. [You fans do want to read about this stuff, don't you? - AB]
There was a high-point of the evening, where six very pretty girls were touching each other, and several of the men folk, in interesting combination... I stopped to look around, and it was like something from a dream, (or Jimmy Swaggart's worst nightmare...) I had a good time... But not a GREAT time. I was a little bored. Only I could be bored in this situation... part of the problem was; I was with the wrong girl... (Not at the club... that's a whole nother topic)
The girl in Atlanta is pretty, lusty, smart, creative... fun... but eventually I had to tell her that there just wasn't much of a future for us.
Now remember, I told you guys a while ago, Naomi reads this journal right? Don't worry guys. I am honest, and she wants me to be open about what is going on in my life... though as I said she WAS insistent that I spell out:
IT WASN'T HER TEDDY BEAR
So Naomi knows how I spent my New Years... we talk a lot, she and I... about everything.
She also said I can't tell you guys about her trip to visit in Florida... but only because that is for Next Month's journal.
This brings us to 2005...
In the Next Journal:
- Naomi's trip
- Bond Girls
- Videos
- Goth Clubbing with the blonde goddess
- And our brief and spurious engagement.Final Note:
My Teddy Bear... okay?
