There is no way I am going to pay someone more than twenty bucks for it so I decided to just change the domain to OutwardView.org. And this time I bought it before posting!

–9:58pm in line at Wholefoods–
Back when I was home in Tulare, Ca. with the family for Christmas I met up with Joseph Ramos, a friend from high school. We swapped stories of what it was like to be closeted and in high school, expressing how we wish we had known about the other as it would have helped much of the anguish we were experiencing. We then had a long talk about how we had grown up only seeing the negative and over stereotypical personifications of gays. the rainbow waving, thong touting, hand flicking, tongue piercing boys that we were terrified we would eventually become if we accepted our sexuality.

–8:50am Downtown 4 Train–
It was then that we started to discuss how basic equalities such as gay marriage would never be supported in communities like our hometown unless these good people were able to see first hand the healthy, productive and normal citizens that most gays are. Both Joseph and I had escaped our conservative farming community to larger cities. But we realized that it was our hometown of Tulare California that needed to witness our healthy and moral lives.

Being in online PR I naturally brought up the idea of starting a blog. One that would host the profiles and stories of guys like us. Making them accessible to the many students now in high school, who’s only window to the outside world and hope of a better life was their computers.

–8:41pm Uptown 6 Train–
we then talked about how guys (and girls) like us need a channel to communicate back to the community that raised us. A way that they could see first hand the good adults we had matured into and that we were not ashamed of our sexuality. It would be our goal that next time an amendment like prop 8 was up for vote many more Californians would realize that they are voting again at their very own children, siblings, grandchildren, cousins, and freinds. Gays are not the crazy people they see in movies and on the news, we are them.

Borrowing a pen from the waiter I started outlining are thoughts, we wrote a mission statement and began brainstorming domain names… we originally were thinking StandOut.com but being that it wasn’t available we are now thinking, OutwardView.com. I think it adequately describes our mission. Giving the next generation stuck in our hometowns a view of the outside world, as well as the older generation who need an opportunity to see beyond their illogical fears and biases.

PS
I was to embarssed to me seen taking a pic of poop… Darren was the unclasy one that did.

–10:43pm Uptown M15 Bus–
I am lucky to have a boyfriend who values quality time. There are a few times when it’s not fun, like when he gets “worked up” (he hates it when I say upset) that I am eating to fast and not paying attention to him during our dinner conversation.  But overall it has been a tremendous bonus. Tired of eating out all the time he has been wanting to make dinner together for a quiet evening in.

So this evening we did. Darren loves it when I plan things ahead so I rushed to the health food store to get Tofuti cream cheese and soy butter, and soy chicken. I wish I had a camera for the happy look on his face when he asked me, “Do you already know what your doing to make?” and I answered, “of course!”

I made a Vegan Alfredo cream sauce (without a recipe! woot woot) and drizzled it over whole wheat pasta with grilled asparagus and red peppers. Darren made aweseom garlic bread and set the table. So before I forget how I made it I thought I should jot it down.

–Nathan’s Vegan Alfredo Sauce–

In a saucepan saute a large scallion and three cloves of minced garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a few table spoons of vegan butter. The longer the better. Saute till dark brown. Add an 8 oz container of Tofuti cream cheese.  Add 8-12oz. of a spaghetti sauce of your choice.  Add water to get to the right consistency. And add pepper and basil to taste. (I added a little bit of flour because I added to much water and it turned out really well, so I may to that on purpose next time.)

Grill asparagus for about five minutes in olive oil, minced garlic and chopped scallion. After about five minutes add the sliced bell pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Grill two vegan chicken breasts.

Put the whole wheat pasts on the plate then add a layer of the sauted vegetable. Slice the breast into vertical strips and place ontop of the veggies, then cover in the alfredo sauce.

From the time they pulled out the printed deck outlining the purpose and strategy I knew that this was a team I wanted to work with. So it looks like I am going to head up the PR team. The event will be the end of June for Housing Works. And will be a date auction. The hope is to connect Housing Works with a demographic they currently want but don’t have connections to, young business professionals. Housing Works hopes to raise awareness of their organization among this group as well build relationships for future volunteers and donors.

The event will be a date auction. We brainstormed names and have tentatively decided on NewYorkDateExchange, NYDE.

Korean bakery where we met up

Thompson Sqaure Park, NYC East Village

–8:37am Downtown 5 Train–
Sunday was amazing. Spring is finally here. Darren and I had brunch in the East Village and then went walking for the remainder of the afternoon. We met up with a good friend and his Italian Grey Hound. Watching dogs at the Dog parks are becoming one of my favorite things to do. It baffles me how well dogs get along in a big city. It’s especially interesting to watch how the owners interact with their dogs and one another. One of things I appreciate most about Darren is how much he values getting out on the weekend just to roam the streets and parks of the city. And being That it was warm we held hands a lot. Something I have missed a lot since we first started dating back in the fall of last year. He hates having cold hands, which means hands deeply tucked in pockets all winter.

With spring finally here there are Tulips, Daffodils and Cherry blossoms everywhere. Now I understand why all the homes and yards featured in BetterHomes&Gardens are on the east coast.

On my way to a woman’s self defense class (Stilettos and Self Defense) to hand out product for Tiger Balm. This stuff is amazing! This a prime example of using an online campaign that reached people in thier offline lives.

Things that equal instant friendships: (all things I did Friday Night)
-Dinner at Red Bamboo while discussing social issues.
-Dancing to amazing music.
-Marisa H, yep she’s that amazing

BBQ "Chicken" at Red Bamboo (made from Soy!)