Archive for October, 2008
In which The Gay Recluse needs a nap. We’re not sure why, but this has been the longest week in history. The election, the economy, the daylight-savings extension: all of it has left us utterly exhausted. (Or maybe it was the ten beers we had last night?) Today when we couldn’t handle it anymore, we […]
Filed under: Addiction, City Pattern Project, Resignation | Leave a Comment
Tags: Blue, Posters, Yellow, Zoning Out
In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with the Empire State Building. Sometimes we spend our entire day at work looking at the computer screen. And then something will remind us to turn around and look out the window. And we’ll spend a few minutes staring at the Empire State Building. And we’ll think […]
Filed under: Architecture, GWB Project, New York City, Photography | Leave a Comment
Tags: Breaks, Clouds, Computers, The Empire State Building, Thoughts
In which The Gay Recluse goes to Broadway. Ohai, so did anyone else see these crazy new storefronts in Washington Heights, on Broadway between 160 and 161? (We didn’t think so.) They went in a few weeks ago — during the middle of the night — and there’s still no signage or anything else to […]
Filed under: Architecture, Capitalism, Communism, Conspiracy, Dissonance, Dream, Fashion, New York City, Retail, Washington Heights | 9 Comments
Tags: Broadway, Brothels, Costume Jewelry, Installations, Questions, Storefronts, Uptown
In which The Gay Recluse is like, srsly, wtf? There’s really nothing we can say about Proposition 8 that hasn’t already been said, but we’re going to add our two cents anyway, just because it’s the right thing to do. (Oh and supposedly we’ll be eligible for a $50 gift certificate on Amazon.) Obvs there […]
Filed under: Capitalism, Communism, Competitions, Disease, Dissonance, Gay, Law, Pessimism, Sickness | 3 Comments
Tags: Bloggers, California, Fifty Dollars, Gift Certificates, Haters, Homophobia, John McCain, Proposition 8, Sarah Palin, Vote No on Prop 8
In which The Gay Recluse takes a drive. Yesterday we were in Dupont Circle, and today we were in Northern Westchester, where we like to go each year to 1) pick up mulch for the garden, 2) pig out on fresh donuts and hot cider, and 3) buy apples. There have been times in the […]
Filed under: Capitalism, Longing, Search, The Autumn Garden, Washington Heights, Weather | 2 Comments
Tags: Cheesecake Factory, Cider, Donuts, Drives, Leaves, Moving, Mulch, Westchester
In which The Gay Recluse says wtf, dudebro? Although it’s not impossible to imagine a scenario in which a straight-guy literary critic does not expose himself as a moronic dudebro as he mocks other straight guys by writing 1) “Lev Grossman fellates Updike with a knowing look as Updike cradles his bald head in a […]
Filed under: Dissonance, Drivel, Gay, Quotes, Sickness, Stereotypes, The Gay Recluse, Writers-American | 2 Comments
Tags: Cocksuckers, Dudebros, Literary Critics, Post-gay, Rules, Straights
On Change in Washington, DC
In which The Gay Recluse returns to Dupont Circle. For the past few days we’ve been staying at a hotel not far from Dupont Circle, which is the same neighborhood where we lived after college and before law school. Mostly it makes us wonder: why did we ever move? It’s so nice around here! It’s […]
Filed under: Architecture, Dream, Government, History, Landscape, Memory, Travel | 2 Comments
Tags: Dupont Circle, Gay Couples, Jobs in the Obama Administration, Safeway, Washington Heights
In which The Gay Recluse learns about drugs and manners. So today we attended a panel discussion on the issue of trademarks and pharmaceuticals. Naming a new drug is sort of like naming a band except it’s even harder! Because you can’t promise more than you can deliver — e.g., Cancercure — or minimize the […]
Filed under: Animals, Law, Memory, Science, Travel | 2 Comments
Tags: Anxiety, Cell Phones, Conferences, Cushions, Imagination, Manners, Opera, Pharmaceuticals, Trademarks
In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with the George Washington Bridge. Today we had to get up early — we’re flying to Washington, DC. We’re attending a joint session of U.S. Congress on the issue of reducing gay stereotypes in Hollywood films and teevee shows. (Ha ha — we wish — we’re actually […]
Filed under: Architecture, Government, GWB Project, Stereotypes, Washington Heights | Leave a Comment
Tags: Conferences, Mornings, The George Washington Bridge, The Law, Washington DC
In which The Gay Recluse holds a contest. Sort of. It’s been a while since we’ve posted a hot gay statue, but how about we all take a break from all this election bullshit and admire something truly timeless? This just in from devoted hot-gay-statue submitter CBNY who explains: Pièce de la Résistance: the 2000-year-old […]
Filed under: Competitions, Gay, Hot Gay Statues, Longing, Obsession | 5 Comments
Tags: Gay, Hercules, Hot Gay Statues, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
In which The Gay Recluse loves birch trees. We considered sweeping up the leaves. But decided that — for the moment — they look better where they are.
Filed under: City Pattern Project, Landscape, The Autumn Garden | Leave a Comment
Tags: Birch Trees, Bricks, Fall, Procrastination
In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with birds. Recently one of our oldest friends from high school got in touch. He moved to the city and found our address in the alumni directory. We haven’t seen him since our ten-year reunion, which was — ouch — twelve years ago. It’s strange how someone […]
Filed under: Animals, Architecture, Athletes, Competitions, Disease, Dissonance, GWB Project, Health, Longing, Memory, Resignation, Ruins | 2 Comments
Tags: Bastages, Birds, Demons, Friends, High school, Hockey, Junior Varsity, Varsity
In which The Gay Recluse is always late. This morning we reluctantly got out of bed at 7:15 am — instead of our usual 7:30 — so that we would have enough time to do everything we needed to do and catch the 8:20 train instead of the 8:30, because we had an important 9:00 […]
Filed under: Animals, Architecture, Dissonance, Fashion, GWB Project, Health, Obsession, Pessimism, Subway | 2 Comments
Tags: Breakfast, Cats, Delays, Floss, Mint Flavors, Pills, Procrastination, Rituals, Seagulls, Shower, Toothpaste
In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with seagulls. Today we heard a story about a woman who used to work at one of our former employers. At the time, we barely knew “Nan.” She was older and had a severe haircut and wore monochromatic outfits that kind of screamed Midwest/suburban*: she was based […]
Filed under: Animals, Dissonance, GWB Project | 4 Comments
Tags: Candles, Cubicles, Nan, Seagulls
In which Dante and Zephyr brace for November. Friends! Srsly — if McCain is such a “maverick,” why can’t he just admit that not every cat is a lolcat? Why is McCain such a Grumpy McNasty? Not every cat is a lolcat!
Filed under: Government, Not Every Cat a Lolcat, Politicians | Leave a Comment
Tags: Debates, Mavericks, McCain, November, Obama
In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with birds. Lately we’ve finally gotten around to uploading all of our old compact disks onto iTunes. It’s kind of torturous, trying to remember whatever possessed us to like bands such as _____ or _____ or even _______. We ended up throwing a bunch into the garbage […]
Filed under: Animals, Capitalism, Good Rock, Health, Longing, Memory, Obsession | 1 Comment
Tags: Birds, Cornell, Hüsker Dü, Warehouse
In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with the George Washington Bridge. Sometimes we think about what Manhattan looked like 500 years ago. When it was covered with trees and rivers and lakes. In some ways it was probably a lot more beautiful, or at least unspoiled. It was hard to get a taxi […]
Filed under: Architecture, GWB Project, Infrastructure, Landscape, Memory, New York City | Leave a Comment
Tags: Boats, Manhattan, Shorelines, The George Washington Bridge
On Shade Flowers
In which The Gay Recluse enjoys shade plants. Recently we were reminded of a past obsession. There was a part of us that missed being young, filled with longing, even if — as we knew at the time — what we wanted was unattainable. But the greater part of us was relieved not to be […]
Filed under: Brooklyn, Capitalism, Dissonance, Health, Longing, Memory, Obsession, The Autumn Garden | Leave a Comment
Tags: Gardens, Japanese Anemones, Music, Past, Shade
The Gay Recluse 