Bitter silence all around it's the anniversary...

As I sit here at the end of the year and reflect on the crappy fall I had (in case you're new here: my dad was diagnosed with cancer and died, I broke up with my boyfriend of two and half years, and I turned 40), I realized 2007 was in fact a year of many anniversaries for me.

1967: Firstly, and most importantly, 40 years ago, I was born. Turning 40 sucks, but being born, even 40 years ago, was pretty damn good.

1977: 30 years ago, I decided to start collecting comic books. I had been buying them on and off for a few years before that, but I remember buying Justice Leage Of America #159. It was the summer of 1977, and I bought this one cause I thought the cover looked cool. It was the first half of a two parter, and I remember thinking "I'll have to get the second part next month. And I should just start getting them each month." And that's what began it all. And now, thousands of comic books later, I spend about 25-30 dollars a week on them. Comic books have become as intergral a part of my being, as is my gayness, and my over-weightness.

1987: 20 years ago. I met my longest friend Duff then. We met in late July, and became best friends so fast that I think there was only three days in August when we didn't see each other. His family adopted me, my family adopted him. I was the best man in his wedding a few years later. I helped move his wife to Louisiana when he was stationed there while in hte military. And when he returned, he invited me to his house for that year's Super Bowl when Dallas (we're both Dallas fans) beat Pittsburgh. And every year since, for 13 years, we've gotten together on Super Bowl Sunday and watched the game. I've been friends with him through the birth and raising of his twins, through his divorce, through his 30th birthday, and everything else. We're not as close as we used to be, but still, every Super Bowl Sunday I can count on both of us clearing our calendars and spending the day together.

1992: 15 years ago, I had my last final attempt at dating a girl. It was a fiasco, and she ended up breaking up with me, and less than a week later, going out on a date with a guy I THOUGHT was my best friend. Bastard. Anyways, it's been that long since I've actually had a date with a girl.

1997: 10 years ago, I meant Aggie aka Agnes Louise Uvula (my nicknames for her, she's got a much more normal name, actually). We've been best of friends since. So much so that she moved into my building when an apartment came open. We've been to Toronto 13 times together, to Philly once, to DC gay Pride 8 or 9 times, seen Rent at least 5 times, Mama Mia at least twice (once to DC in a limo), seen countless bottle of white zinfindel, over a years worth of Saturdays spent at a local gay bar Headquarters, 2 Madonna concerts, at least one professional hockey game, ALL of Queer As Folk as it aired, and three of my boyfriends. All in all, a great 10 years worth of memories.

1997: 10 years ago, I first went to Toronto. It was July, and I went with My Fairy Godfather Mark. He was meeting a friend of his from Michigan, also named Mark, in Toronto, and asked me to go along. I had never thought about Toronto, and really had no desire to go, but I figured, "Aw, what the hell? I need a short vacation, why not?"And so we went. And I fell in LOVE with the city almost immediately. And I've been there a total of 14 times in the intervening years. Even now, when I first view the CN Tower as I'm driving into the city, my heart skips a beat, and I have to catch my breath. It feels like home. Coincidentally, this is the first year that I did NOT get to Toronto at least once. *SIGH*...well, maybe I'll get there twice next year to make up for it.

1997: 10 years ago was one of the best sexual experience of my life. It was set up by My Fairy Godfather Mark. It was friend of his Patrick. Patrick was 19, tall, lean, with a blond hairthing I loved, a smile to die for, the erection of a porn star, the body of a god, a pierced tongue that increased his already sizable oral talents, and a libido that was unbelievable. Mark knew Patrick would be my type, and so he got the three of us together for a dinner, movie and then afterwards, well, Patrick and I retreated to his bedroom. And even though we only had about 45 minutes together, that 45 minutes was some of the best sex I've ever had...up until the last few years, that is.

1997: 10 years ago, I moved out of my parents house and into my current apartment. I moved in September 1st, the rent was $355 a month. Now, it's $455, and it's a lot more cluttered and dusty, but I still love it. the hardwood floors, the dormers, the angled ceilings, the balcony that's all mine...it's an apartment in a house built in 1920 or so...it's go character. I can't imagine living anywhere else.

What memories....

POLT

Listening again to the silence in my apartment