28 September 2006

My OTHER little brothers

In addition to my biological family I've "adopted" a few guys from an online gay forum that I moderate. These three guys have become very special to me and I adore them very much. They're all in their 20's, are very smart and have earned a place in my heart as my "little brothers from other mothers".

First, there's Matt. Matt and I met online nearly three years ago. Growing up in a large family in the deep recesses of Mississippi hasn't really afforded Matt the type of gay life one should experience. When he and I first started talking he couldn't even admit to himself that he was gay, but over time and lots of chatting both online and on the phone, he was able to finally look at himself in the mirror and say "I'm a gay man." Since then he's come out to everyone he knows and they've all been very supportive of him. I couldn't be prouder of the fine young man he's turning into! Matt is a funny guy, and when he and I get on a roll, we are constantly laughing at one another. He's a great friend and I look forward to meeting him in real life some day.

Next is Graham. Graham and I also met on the same website about two years ago. Graham lives in South Carolina, is a web developer, strikingly handsome and a bit shy. He's got a BIG heart and is looking for love but for some reason the men he meets always seem to break his heart. I ache for him each time he aches because he's such a sweet guy and has so much love to offer someone. My wish for him is that he finds someone who is worthy of his love and doesn't take advantage of his kindness, someone who will return the vast amount of love he showers on them.

And finally, but certainly not in the very least in last place, is Conor. Conor and I began talking earlier this year, again on the same website, and from the first chat we had we hit it off like best buds. Conor lives in the north of England, is a very sage 23 year old, with a wicked sense of humor and also has a huge heart. I love all three of these guys but Conor holds a special place in my heart because I truly do think of him like a little brother. He looks to me for advice, and I've gone to him for guidance as well, and we complement each other in many ways. It's very rare to find someone you can completely trust and confide in, and Conor's become one of those people in my life. Thanks to Vonage we're able to chat on the phone for free, so we call each other from time to time and talk for ages. He's drunk dialed me a few times, which is always a riot, and he's talked to Nick, my sister Maria and my mom a few times, and they all can't wait to meet him. Nick and I are going to England in December where he'll meet up with us in London with a few of my other British friends and then we'll go off to Newcastle and Manchester together. Then next June he's coming here for 10 days and we'll show him around NY and Long Island.

So there you have it -- my extended family. Some people will say "oh, online relationships aren't real relationships because people act differently online." That may be true if you're looking for love and fall in love online, but these guys are my friends and we not only chat online, but we also talk on the phone which is hard to cover up anything you might not want to let out.
And besides, we're not looking for anything other than friendship from each other, so there's no hidden agendas. They're my boys, plain and simple. I love you guys!

21 September 2006

We're on the move...

This past weekend Nick and I moved house.

My dad owns the house next door to him, and my ex-sister-in-law moved out at the beginning of August. He had hoped to move my 86 year old grandmother in to help take care of her, but being the stubborn old bird she is, decided to stay in her own house. So Nick and I thought, "why not us???" After a little negotiating, we decided to go for it. The rent is MUCH cheaper than our apartment, and although its a small SMALL house, its a house and not an apartment. No more noisy neighbors slamming up and down stairs. No more loud TVs and stereos. Plus, we gain a HUGE yard with horses in the back, and our dog Emma can run around as she pleases.
It's great. We've managed to cram most of our things into this tiny house, but we're still living out of boxes until we completely unpack. Since our older GINORMOUS sectional couch didn't fit we bought a much smaller one which is gorgeous. I can't stretch out on it because I'm too tall, but its good nonetheless, and we have a recliner with footstool that I've been using to stretch out.

It's odd having a house now. There's so much more responsibility than an apartment. Dad and I talked about what we'd cover and what he'd take care of, and for the rent we're paying its quite the equitable deal for us. We bought a new stove and had gas installed since the old one was electric. We've replaced a few doors in the house and are redoing the floor in the entrance. But dad completely remodeled the kitchen himself. New countertop, new floor and beautiful new stone tile on the wall.

What's also good is that I'm closer to my brothers and sister, which I've been really looking forward to. Especially my youngest brother Anthony. He and I have really bonded a lot lately and we've spent a lot of time together. He's been a huge help with the move and all the remodeling we've been doing, and even came over when we weren't there to help paint. He's such a great brother!

This will be a good test for us to see if we can hack it in a house and dealing with all that having one throws at you. If we can make this work, then I see no problem in us buying our own house in a few years. But I get ahead of myself.....