radiopeter

It’s officially cold. As my brown line train lazily passed over the river this morning, I noticed clusters of ice on the riverbanks. That means it’s cold in Chicago. Never mind the biting wind or the powdery white snow that’s been falling. When the river freezes, it’s cold.

It was 3F (-16C) this morning when I woke up.

My cats were curled up under the blankets with me all night. We moved from the couch, to the office, to the bedroom. Each time they trotted beside me, eager to curl up on my lap under a blanket.

I’ve been turning the heat down before bed because there is no real reason to keep it as warm as usual when we’re all asleep at night. The kicker is when I wake up, the toilet seat is colder than normal and it takes some time to warm up the place. I need to get one of those auto-magic scheduling thermostats to solve this problem.

Nobody likes a cold toilet seat.

I’m officially hooked. Nearly every PBS program that I regularly record is now programmed into my RCN DVR and it happily records hours and hours of television for me. Not only that, but there are so many History Channel and Discovery Channel programs I’ve been recording, I’m blissfully happy that I have this gizmo in my house.

And when I get tired of one of them, I can just turn on Paula Deen, Rachael Ray, or any of the other half-million cooking shows I’ve been recording. Funny thing is, I never feel guilty for not watching something. Compared to NetFlix, I always HAD to watch the DVDs that came to the house.

I’ve turned my NetFlix subscription down to one DVD per month. I suspect I’ll barely use that.

Mood music and some thoughts about what could be and what is. It’s time to move on in the best way possible, and I will be. Been a long week, but music makes it better. And why does everyone ask me “Why are you single?”

I had the previous podcast set to ‘private’ so it didn’t post. I meant to get it out sooner, but it’s out there now.

Last night was another long one at the theatre, but I’m enjoying the cast and I think we’ve got the flow down backstage. Tomorrow will be full costume and makeup which should make for a further flurry of activity backstage that we haven’t had before.

Sleep, what’s that?

Chattin’ with my buddy Jonathan, fellow co-worker at Spin and all around groovy guy. The opening track is an old Love 2 Infinity remix from 1996. It’s one of those songs that I’ve loved forever, but only recently found again. And per Jonathan’s request, we close with some Pink.

An upgrade came out that fixed the RSS / FeedBurner problems with WordPress so I’ve just upgraded.

Details here: http://wordpress.org/development/2007/01/wordpress-207/

Last night I began working with Hell In A Handbag Productions for the second time at the Bailiwick. This time I’m the ‘Tech Assistant’ which, if you know what that means, let me know. I’m basically in charge of props and some minor costume help for quick changes etc. Luckily I get to hang backstage for the entire production which I LOVE because the dressing room is the best energy in the house.

It’s sort of like the kitchen at a party. Everyone always loves hanging out in the kitchen.

The show has lots of changes compared to the original, but I’m really digging them all. It seems much tighter than the first run and I’m glad to see that because the show was great the first go round, so this run should be spectacular.

That feeling of being a part of something theatrical is so magical, I can’t even believe I’m lucky enough to be back in the swing of it again.

Chatting about wine, Alpana Singh’s book Alpana Pours and how you need to get out there and taste all of life. Don’t say no unless you’ve tried it.

Pardon the poor quality of the first, it was taken with my RAZR. The second one was with my D70. You can see in these two photos how much my teeth have moved in just six trays, which translates to 12 weeks. The top teeth are much more in line, and the bottom major offending tooth is starting to line up with the others. Over the course of the next couple months, the bottom teeth will move down and into line and the top teeth will form a nearly perfect arc.

My top teeth are half-done for my Invisalign treatment. There was a bit of concern on my part about one of my incisors not fitting in the tray properly, but my ortho decided the tooth needed to be shaved a bit more and it should fall into line. Nothing major, but more of that eerie grinding noise in my head.

After these next three trays, my bottom teeth will be nearly half done. My top teeth are already 50% of the way to being completed (on tray 6 of 12) but I have 19 on the bottom, so still a ways to go there.

Now I can see movement. Even looking at the pictures I initially took, I can see a definite change. I can’t take a snapshot right now, but I will try to get one in this evening to show you the difference. It’s pretty damn amazing.

Last night at Spin I played a very sickening House record from six or seven years ago at the end of the night. After the lights came up, somebody stood on the stage and yelled for me to dub them a copy. I said no, and you’d have thought I punched him in the stomach. “What?! Not even if I bring you a CD?? You won’t dub it for me!?”

Did I stutter? I said no.

Independent house labels barely make any money as it is. I know I purchased the record from a store and the label got their coin. I paid good money for the track to be able to play it as part of my set and please the masses.

But this isn’t the Olive Garden, and you can’t take a doggy bag home. So no, I’m not copying anything that I own for anyone. Not to mention that I didn’t even know who the hell he was and he was yelling up to the DJ booth.

It was beyond rude on his part.

I wonder if he asks other DJs to do that kinda stuff. I wonder if they do.

In eighteen days I’ll be thirty years old. That’s three decades on this planet, and thirty years of learning about life.

I think I actually do know some stuff at this point in the journey. Stuff about what I like and dislike, and stuff about relationships with other people. I even have a pretty good idea of the business world that I swim in all the time. In many respects, I’m pretty successful for turning thirty.

Of course, I want more.

One is fun, why not two?
And if ya like two, you might as well have four!
And if ya like four, why not a few, why not a slew,
More! More!

But the more that I want, the more I’ve learned that I want someone to enjoy it with. Having things, experiences, successes, and general life events is so much better when there is someone to share them with.

The low points, the failures, the losses, and the generally negative things are also easier when you have a hand to hold or a shoulder to cry on. And for me, there is nothing quite like the simple act of holding another person to make me feel better.

So in thirty years I’ve learned one big lesson. I can’t do it all alone. And even if I could, I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I enjoy life’s experiences with another person. All of my past relationships, friendships and associations have brought me to that conclusion. No regrets about anything that has happened. But I’m ready now.

The doors really are open. Possibly for the first time ever.

This morning I read a posting on qpodder.org that said the Perform Act has been reintroduced into the Senate. Read the article here.

Thank you to Madge Weinstein for her posting of the issue.

I decided to write my own letter to my senators, Barak Obama and Dick Durbin. Below is the text, and please feel free to copy it if you like and mail it along to them.

You can find Barak Obama here and Senator Durbin here

Do not let the Senate pass this bill. PLEASE contact your senators.

NOTE: Senator Durbin is not a podcaster but he does provide multi-media on his website, so I edited that paragraph for him.

——

Senator Obama,

I am writing today to ask you to oppose the Platform Equality and Remedies for Rights Holders in Music Act, or Perform Act, S.256, which has been recently reintroduced by Senators Diane Feinstein, Lindsey Graham, Joseph Biden, and Lamar Alexander.

They are seeking to introduce a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system among “radio-like services” on the internet and via cable and satellite.

You must help prevent this bill from being passed. It is an attempt by the recording industry to place blanket restrictions on technology, and it will adversely affect those of us in the podcasting world who are trying to create a unique and diverse spectrum of information.

The bill would compel internet radio stations and podcasters to abandon the mp3 format and only use proprietary formats, thus controlling the information flow from independent content producers.

I am a podcaster. I am also a gay man who works very hard each week to bring my voice to as many people as I can by using the untraditional medium of podcasting. The people in my community need positive messages and a source of information that is not governed by laws and dictates. So many of the subjects we discuss are still taboo for old media to address. In podcasting we have found a way to give voices to the voiceless and bring into focus the issues that are affecting us.

This bill seeks to inhibit the way we will be allowed to express our thoughts and ideas. It ultimately will prevent me and others from forming the kinds of communities that we so desperately need in our culture.

You create podcasts. You understand that there is power in information. You understand that it’s possible to reach hundreds of thousands of people with a microphone, the click of a button, and the simple act of uploading of a file.

We live in the information age and it is our right as citizens to voice our opinions and express our thoughts. That also translates to technology. We should be able to choose whatever distribution mechanisms we want when producing podcasts.

I strongly urge you to oppose this bill. Help us keep all channels of communication open, and help us to continue to support our own communities by bringing them an uninterrupted and unencumbered source of quality news and perspectives on our community.

Sincerely,
Peter Mavrik
Host & Producer
WindyCityQueercast.com
RadioPeter.com

Comcast ran me through the grinder and back again. Initially I phoned them to request service. They told me on the phone that I was unable to get service in my apartment UNLESS I went to the Comcast service center and presented them with my ID to prove I was the new resident. “Perhaps there was an old unpaid bill on the premises?” the operator told me.

So I get up Saturday morning, take the Red Line to North/Clybourn and walk over to the Comcast office a few blocks west of there. Of course there was a long line, so I waited patiently and politely for my turn. When I got to the window, I was glad the clerk was behind glass…

“Oh, well, you know, we don’t service your building. I don’t know why they told you to come up in here, but we don’t service you. There was someone from Comcast living in your building before, but we don’t service it now…”

Frustrated, I bit my lower lip and politely exited. Fuckers. Why did I have to waste my time with this!!

But there is an upshot to the story. I phoned RCN immediately when I returned home and it turns out their service is cheaper ($62 with DVR and digital) and they installed it Monday, a holiday, two days after I phoned.

Needless to say I spent most of yesterday trying to find out what I want to watch and programming the DVR to load itself up with tons of fun. I’m turning my NetFlix down to one DVD at a time…

Paula Deen, baby, we’re gonna be cookin’ together!

This time around I’m in the bath tub. It’s all about Japanese Hot Springs (Onsen), Japanese Bath Houses (Sentō) and soaking all of your worries away.