I Heart "The Gays"

This is what happens when hot toddy drinks too much at lunch and then comes back to the office and blogs. Please forgive the possibly atrocious writing you are about to experience. I wouldn't say I'm "drunk blogging", but I also wouldn't say I'm "sober blogging".

The Handsome Prince and I were driving around this weekend, and he said to me, "I love being gay."

"Me too," I answered.

Being gay rocks my world. I love it. And today's entry is all about how much fun I am having being gay and being a blogger. Let me just state that I adore my straight readers too. And hopefully I will do an entry just for you someday. But today is Gay Day at Toaster Oven. (Right now my roomie juju is thinking, "when is it NOT gay day, Todd?")

My friend Scott over at Sardonic Bomb e-mailed me yesterday. We were discussing my Crunch, and he decided he wants one of his own. Scott is in love with the perfect partner and is only looking for a flirtation, but if you want to apply, I suggest you visit him pronto.

Speaking of crushes, I was practicing this week to see if I could actually blog without focusing on Patrick. I mean, he dominates my thoughts all day long, so I thought I should take a break from him now and then. But it is definitely not a case of "out of sight, out of mind."

In the past several weeks, I've enjoyed getting to know him so much, and it won't be too long before I hope to meet him in person. He is an amazing and beautiful soul, and this new friendship doesn't feel like a crunch anymore. It feels more like being hit by a train, only in a good way. As he would say, "WOO HOO!"

More and more gay men are meeting outside of the bar scene these days. As for meeting online, I realize there are differing opinions, but, I think it's awesome. Only a few months ago I told my roomie juju that I wished I could meet men who wanted to get to know my mind first and the rest later. I know that's "old-fashioned" and not very exciting to read about. Sorry.

I am so attracted to intellect and wit. I want to meet someone who feels the same way. I am not a cute little 21 year old club hottie. (Do I wish I were? Hell, yes. But I didn't come out until I was 29!)

I'm a grown up in search of another grown up. (However, I need a grown up who can act like a kid, because he'll have to keep up with me.)

One reason I have loved blogging during the past few months is that I am having actual conversations with men and getting to know them better than I ever do at a bar or in some stupid online chat room. I always wanted to have gay friends and I never had the pleasure until fairly recently in life, starting with the Yum Yum Brotherhood. I didn't anticipate developing friendships with so many gay men when I started blogging, but I have. And I love it, I tell you. I love it.

My friend Famous Author Rob Byrnes is a handsome talented man, and I would probably be too intimidated to approach him in real life. But we have a fun friendship going, and he sent me a copy of one of his books. That would have never happened without Toaster Oven.

I've been e-mailing people who I've actually seen on television. One of my new friends was on television, and I didn't see him, but I wish I would have.

Lots of people write to say hi, and they are not even bloggers. Cool people like Chris in PA or Eddie in Oklahoma. I've never met Eddie, but he wrote to tell me he and his partner were visiting Portland (and didn't tell me!!!) and saw someone at Silverado they thought was me. Well, it wasn't me. It made me laugh when Eddie told me he was mouthing to someone at the bar, "Are you pizeek? Are you pizeek?" The stranger turned away irritated. Eddie, maybe he thought you were saying something about his physique.

I guess I never realized there are people who visit and don't leave a comment. Then every now and then I will get a random e-mail from somebody who reads Toaster Oven and just wants to say hello. That blows me away! I can't believe how many people find this crazy cheap little amateur blog.

I love sharing e-mails with so many new friends. And these aren't "shallow" conversations. They are meaningful. Mark reassured me when I told him I was nervous about getting tested for HIV, because it has been awhile. I've asked for relationship advice from Jeff, although I have never met him. In fact, I think I am already getting to know Jeff well enough to predict he is laughing at the idea of my asking him for relationship advice.

Blogging has surpassed anything I imagined. Even as I started to write this, so many people came to mind, and I couldn't mention all the great friends who come to read my silly stories. I'll have to do this type of entry more often so that it isn't so overwhelming to mention everyone.

Today my friend AuburnPisces (who you'll notice from her frequent comments is campaigning for Patrick and I to meet ASAP) told me that Toaster Oven is her new bible. I love hearing things like that. I can hear AuburnPisces laughing over the cubicle wall at work as she reads my entries. That always brings a smile to my face.

It makes me happy to know that some of you read Toaster Oven and smile and laugh. I wish I could hear ALL OF YOU who are laughing. That would be heaven.

Was that too "Sally Field-ish"?

I'll try to be more cynical tomorrow, but it's hard to be cynical when a sexy man tells you, "Mio Belissimo. Tu fate mio giorno bello..."