Left to my own devices

Ashley & I, on the day of our commitment ceremony. June 30th, 2001. It was our one year anniversary.

The United States Supreme Court today upheld the Affordable Care Act (known in some circles as Obamacare ). It is a monumental ruling, one that will have ramifications for years to come (as did the original legislation). You probably won't be surprised to know that I am in favor of the ACA. Our healthcare system needed updating (to say the least). With rising costs, ever-increasing diversification of medical providers and services, and a populous that will continue to have aging and sick bodies, we need some sort of safety net to ensure readily available, humane care for all of us.

I missed this weekend's Gay Pride events. That makes twelve years in a row. Seriously, I haven't partaken of any pride events since 2000. That June I traveled up to Chicago with Jeromy and Scott, and another young fellow whose name I honestly can't remember. He and I had met in a local gay chat room. He was pretty, someone I'd never dreamed would be interested in giving me the time of day, but life sometimes throws you pleasant surprises. We had a brief, but fun, weekend together, and then never saw each other again. No drama. We simply went our separate ways. So it goes.

Twitter-friend Paula is having another round of Future Classic Movies today, with folks making their selections as to what films, from 2000-present, they think will be considered classics in the decades to come. Last month when Paula had this most excellent topic, I chose the 2002 film The Hours . Today, my choice is the 2003's Northfork . I am less certain that it will become a classic, but it definitely should, if there is any justice in the world.

It's the 37th birthday of British actor Hugh Dancy. You should check out his work in Adam , if you want to see some fine acting work. If, on the other hand, you just want to check out some fine physical work, then simply look below...

Television mystery shows have been a staple of my existence since, well, as long as I can remember. They are one of the few commonalities my father and I shared, and so they hold an extra special place in my heart. And with yesterday having been Father's Day and what not, I was thinking about all the mystery programs on TV that I currently (and used to) watch and, of those, which ones featured the best detectives. You know me, dear reader.... never one to miss an opportunity to do a 'best of' list. So, here goes: my favorite television detectives!

There are times that I pine for a simpler life, dear reader. No doubt you've done the same. Many of us have. We most of us live in a fast-paced world, with technology that allows us to be tracked, contacted and intruded upon at will. We live in a society that would seem to require us to have jobs to pay bills. We live with obligations, with figurative chains that tether us to a particular existence that may only be a phantom of real freedom. When many of us ponder the aforementioned state of things, it often leads to the repeated "If I won the lottery" meme. We talk about quitting work, traveling the world, etc. etc. The dreams of leading a truly free, non-stressful life fly hard and fast throughout such conversations, only to be dashed by the return of reality. So it goes. But what if we could change our lives to where we really were more free, less haggard, and more tranquil overall?

Tonight on TNT is the premiere of the new  Dallas . Not sure what to call it: Dallas: The Next Generation ? Dallas: Again !? Regardless, it's the return of the classic CBS series that originally aired during the 1970s, '80s and '90s. Cynically, I want to brush it off by remarking that it's an obvious commercial ploy to capitalize on a well-established TV brand that seeks to prey on folks' nostalgia. But, dear reader, I am willing to admit a great weakness to such nostalgia, and will most likely tune-in to at least the season premiere, if not the entire 10-episode-season .

Today is the 27th birthday of Dave Franco, the younger brother of actor James Franco. Enjoy.

Humor is an interesting concept. It would seem to exist only within the realm of human consciousness (ever seen a dog, or a cat, or a canary laugh?), and yet it is extremely diversified among people. Humor often derives itself from pain, from a shared point of reference, from common culture, identity, etc. A lot of people can agree on what is funny, but then many are splintered by what doesn't make them laugh. That's what I'm here to talk about today: what leaves me cold, and why.

This week we shine the spotlight on British actor/model/singer Freddie Stroma. Enjoy.