Reasons to Fly The Friendly Skies!

[mrdreamjeans]

Before too much time passes, I wanted to introduce my Live Journal friends to some of the finest people I know. This past year has been a period where I've had the opportunity to make new friends and acquaintances, many through Live JournaI. I'd like to share with you recent photos of people who, with the exception of bearchitect, have been in my life from 8 to 28 years. (and Fernando is going to be in my life for a long time to come if I'm lucky:)

This is gotmoof, whom I once again thank for posting these recent photos.


The Divine Bovine commands you all to make Cow Shakes.

I'm also including a picture of my ex David and his partner Stan pictured with me a couple of years ago in the Castro. David's been in my life since 1991. I love both of these guys dearly!


David and Stan are really secretly thinking,
"Will Neil quit messing with the camera so we can eat?"

On June 29, Fernando (bearchitect), Henry and his partner of 28 years, Geoff, dined with me at Union Station in Washington, DC. Fernando, though I didn't know at the time, was hurting from a neck injury and helped me transport my four bags from DC all the way to the airport terminal in Baltimore. He's a classy guy! Henry and Geoff have been friends and a frequent host to me since we first met in 1993.


These guys are wondering how they got suckered into helping Neil
move more luggage than they own, combined...

It was a big birthday celebration on July 8 where my friend Annie hosted a birthday for Casey, a dear friend and confidante for 28 years. Ann and Casey have been together for going on 9 years. I love them dearly and this is my birthday portrait of them which I had enlarged and framed and gave them as a gift. :)


Finally! Neil's true purpose, revealed!

Saturday night, my folks and I attended "The Music Man" at Miller Outdoor Theater in Houston. My friend Bill was the stage manager of the mini-tour. Bill and I worked together on two "Evita" tours and have known each other for 13 years. He's my brother...my straight, Jewish OLDER brother. *grin*


Hey Mister, Neil's my sister!

Finally, coming up during the last week of August going into Labor Day, Steve (rossbear), will visit me on tour in Montreal. Steve and I have been on too many trips together to count and have celebrated each other's birthdays whenever possible. I cherish our 25-year friendship! This is a photo of Steve during his IGRA days and it's one of my absolute favorites!


Ain't he darn purty?

One of the best things about touring is that your travels often make it possible to visit those men and women who you hold near and dear. Just think, in one tour... heck, in one month ... I will have visited most of these folks... hailing from Minneapolis, San Francisco, Baltimore; Arlington, VA; Houston; New York City and Little Rock, Arkansas. I've also posted pictures of recent visits with teddybtoronto and redbearmark in Norfolk.

Seeing my favorite people is my favorite part of touring. Life is indeed good when your job can take you to the people you want to see the most!

Comments

[gotmoof.livejournal.com]

Moof.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Thanks Tim! I should have guessed you'd add your editorial comments, but I can't complain since you did me a favor.... (sneaky bovine:)

I like the picture of you, but I don't think you look that different from five years ago in the picture I took of you in 2000...maybe you are on the inside, but the outside is holding up:)

[gotmoof.livejournal.com]

*evil moo*

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

LOL! You can tease me all you want, but it won't change a thing:) I'm weary and struggling with being on the road right now. The point of this post (and I'm very appreciative of your help with it) was to gather my friends around me; to remind myself of the love and affection I feel for my nearest and dearest and our connection, though I'm at a distance. Remembering and reminding will get me through the next few months.... Moo back at you!

[gotmoof.livejournal.com]

Just remember, you can count on me to make a joke out of nothing.

[nlotic.livejournal.com]

Hope you come back to MPLS soon! Thanks for sharing your friends and the kind words about them.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I'd love to be in Minneapolis and see Tim, Tim and Steve and then meet many of you that I have come to know here on live journal. I feel like the guys in the Twin Cities have a step up; there seem to be so many wonderful folk on LJ from your area....It will happen soon! I will make it so:) HUGS!

[cowboygreg.livejournal.com]

Oh, good lord a'mighty... and I quote from the Hardee's ad you so fiendishly linked to:

... a bigger, more prominent udder was created by a top Hollywood movie prosthetic mask maker.

So now that even the cows are going Hollywood, can the Divine Bovine be far behind the leading edge of the trend wave?

Oh, gotmoof, say it ain't so! Or, if it is so, at least give us the juicy details, huh? *evil Movie Biz grin*

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

You'll have to share with me what the link is... I can't view it on my old laptop that I have on the road:)

[gotmoof.livejournal.com]

The Divine Bovine is 100% au natural beef. *silly moo*

[carytown.livejournal.com]

I'll agree with ya on that. I have met some of the most fantastic people on LJ. And I hope they remain a part of my life. I already can't even begin to imagine my life without them.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I've actually got to meet many of the guys on my LJ friends list and it's been a real pleasure. The point of this picture post is that most of these people have been in my life for a very long time and they are friends/loved ones to whom I have a strong sense of loyalty.

This past year, through LJ, I've begun a new cycle of friendships...I'm meeting folks who I am welcoming/inviting into my life and it feels really, really good to do so. It was an unexpected perk of our online world and I am grateful.

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

Lovely post Neil.

Spending time with musicbearmn and his b/f Keith has so far been a great experience.

And I've met a couple of other LJers along the way as well. LJ proves just how small the community really is.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're actually meeting friends from Live Journal in person. You once wrote that you felt invisible. As you reach out and create real friendships, you will never ever have to feel that way again. You're making yourself emotionally available and I think by taking that risk, you'll be just that much further ahead. Good for you! HUGS!

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

Thanks Neil.

I've know of a few local LJer's, bigsabu and fatherbear I both know. bigsabu from meeting up at CC's last year and fatherbear because he and his partner attend the same church I do. :-)

I know I've run into other ljer's, just not aware of who however. :-)

[teddybtoronto.livejournal.com]

Well, Neil, it has been a delight getting to know you, and I am very glad the "Evita" tour brought you to Toronto.

By the way, the senior Mirvish (of the Mirvishes who operate the Princess of Wales theater and presented "Evita" when you were here) celebrated his 91st birthday this week, and in typical "Honest Ed" style, he threw a party for everyone else. About 20,000 showed up to celebrate with a man who is a Toronto institution.

I'm glad bringing "Evita", and you, to Toronto is one more thing I have to thank Ed and David Mirvish for. *grin*

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Well... when you thank them in person for bringing us to Toronto, why don't you suggest that you would be a very good person for them to hire in administration; a person who could make their subscriptions and sales soar. I'm sure they could use you on "Lord of The Rings" and their other productions:)

May we both live to be 91, making people happy! Big Hugs!

[teddybtoronto.livejournal.com]

I'll take that suggestion, if I don't get the expected response from the other company I'm applying to this week. I'll send you a note about that in a week or so. I have a very strong feeling about this.

"LOTR" won't be as good as if they had cast you. It was announced today that Brent Carver will play Gandalf and Frodo will be played by British actor James Loye.

Big furry hugs!!!