Wednesday, 2 May 2018

Adopting A Pet In My Simple Single Gay Life



Hello Dear Friends,


You won’t believe what I am gonna tell you today. I am moving to next stage of my gay life, I have decided to adopt a pet. 
I have officially become 33 years old and this year I am gonna go through the biggest change in my life and that is why I have decided to adopt a pet as a symbol of new beginning. Growing up, I never imagined that by the age of 33 I will be single, but today’s time is different than the time of my teenage. Singlehood is kind of more common now, and single people end up adopting pets that suits their single apartment living. Pets are good friends, stress relievers, and a great company. Call me a lonely or emotional fool but finally, I have a good job and empty evenings. I don’t wanna spend them sleeping on the couch.

 So what pet I am gonna adopt?
A shelter one for sure. Actually, I am a dog person. But I leave for work at 7:30 AM and come back at 5:30 PM. Who is gonna take that dog for walks? Even if I hire dog walkers, is leaving dog lonely for so long hours is acceptable for a dog? Besides, the dog that I really wanna adopt is not suitable for my current lifestyle. I always wanted to pet an English Bulldog, but it needs a lot of attention and time which I cannot devote right now. So considering my lifestyle and schedules I have decided to settle on Cat! Because you don’t have to walk a cat. Cat is like a mature adult guy who acts like a boss and don’t seeks a lot of attention like dogs do. Cat is a perfect pet for long hours working people. 


I never had a Cat before, growing up I was kinda scared of them. But after making many rounds to shelter and seeing many of my friends’ cats I think I am comfortable around them now. If it wasn’t for that one cute cat that I saw online, I would have never come to this decision. I called shelter today to know if it is still available for adoption?  They said yes, he is presently at a foster home and I will have to call tomorrow to know more about him. I am kinda happy and bit excited. I like that cat. It is cute. No, actually it is super cute.

One thing I wanna make clear here that I am not taking any hasty decision here. I think I have reached to the point where I can take a good care of one more life and that is why I believe that adopting a pet would not be a wrong decision.  There is so much research and study about cats needs to be done here. I am doing that. I will keep you guys posted on my progress with adoption.


Wish me luck!

Friday, 20 April 2018

QUEER EYE & The Journey Of Acceptance!

Hello my dear friends.


I Love you All. 
I am not kidding, I just finished watching the first season of Netflix’s Queer Eye. It is a great show, every gay man must watch it. This is a remake of a show from last decade by same name and concept. 5 gay men with different skill set of life, fashion, beauty, cooking, and design help straight people in improving their lives. Every episode is a new person, every episode is a new story. But what is the most interesting thing about this show is the message and journey they showed in it.

 In this version, these five gay friends, called by “Fab 5” traveled to Georgia, USA. People from the southern USA are quite known for their homophobic views. These Fab 5s help those participants by giving them full makeovers and wins their hearts. It is a beautiful journey of a midpoint where people from two different background and sexualities (gays and straight) come and meet and become friends. Fab 5 are really excellent, eccentric, strong, talented, gay men. They won the hearts of people from Georgia USA shown in the show as participants. As at the beginning of show they said, “The original show was fighting for tolerance. Our fight it for acceptance”. This show is really about achieving that acceptance in society by winning hearts of people who do not belong to LGBT community. As I said earlier in my blog post "Serious Talk - I Wish Jason Shah Was Gay” , we need to show some strong characters as a representatives of LGBT community that will win hearts of straight people; this is the show that gives platform to gay people where they can offer so much to the community. This is indeed an act of building bridges.

I know some people are saying that this show is a typical stereotyping of gay people, but that is just one side of the coin. When you see those happy tears of straight people on the show, those achievements in their lives, when you see they moving ahead in life with the help of 5 gay men; the whole debate of stereotyping or not does not matter.

After seeing so many shows and movies about gay people, This is the show where I felt “YES” I felt happy and I believed that, YES, change is happening in the society. Straights and LGBT are coming together and working hand in hand. 
This is the perfect ground, perfect picture from future. This is the future of Gay community that I believe in.

I love you all my dear friends.

Now go and watch the show on Netflix.




Saturday, 24 February 2018

RIP Sridevi



 “Death leaves heartache that no one can heal,
  Love leaves memory that no one can steal” 


Today our beloved inspiration source, our angel, our goddess passed away. It is indeed the sad moment for all Indians and every one who enjoys watching Bollywood movies. Sridevi was a multi talented actress who acted in many movies in Bollywood and in South Indian movies. She was that confident, bold, face woman on silver screen who made everyone stick to the screen when she was in a scene. At a same time, she had this sweet, pleasant smile and happy face that would make her lovable person. She was perfect combinations of talent of acting, dancing, and beauty. She was a perfect human being. Loss of Sridevi is not just the loss of a Bollywood Actor but the loss of an inspiration, loss of something that cannot be replaced.

May god give her soul peace, her family courage to come out of this sad moment.

RIP Sridevi jee.


Tuesday, 30 January 2018

Reading "Simon Vs" And Nostalgia


Hi Friends,

No! I am not writing a book review but sharing a nostalgia that I got after listening to this audio book. 

I recently listened to this audiobook Simon VS Homo Sapien Agenda. First time I came across this book was through the trailer of movie Love Simon. I love Nick Robinson, and that’s what kept me glued to the trailer. I liked the trailer and it made me curious about the movie. But when I came to know that movie is based on a book, I added that book in my “To Read” list and finally got to listen it as an audiobook last week. Six hours spent on listening to that book took me back to my teenage when I was 17. It was a great experience.



 When I was a teenager the only young adult fictions that I read were books from Sweet Valley University (SVU) series. Most of those stories were moving around bunch of heterosexual teenagers and few little mentions of one or two of their gay friends. It was the early 2000s. A little mention in young adult book that is what LGBT community used to get back then. From then to now, reading book like Simon Vs Homo Sapien Agenda, which is a story of 17 years old gay teen who is a centre stage and main character of the book is the great progress that time and society has achieved.
This books is a story of Simon who is closeted next door gay guy. Who lives in suburb, not in a big city, not into mainstream gay scene, he is living a quiet high school life and living with parents. Then one day through school’s social media page he come across another unknown gay guy who happens to be in Simon’s school. Not knowing who he is and with pseudonyms both guys start emailing each other and then they become good friends and their friendship progresses to next step. The whole book keeps reader guessing that who Blue (the guy Simon is chatting with) is. After many ups and downs and turns, finally at the end of the book Simon sees Blue in person and their romance begins.

 When I was reading this book, what reminded me back from my teenage was Simon writing his feelings to an anonymous gay guy like him. In my teenage there used to be a chatting software where there used to be a gay guys' chat room and there i used to chat with gay men like me. Or at least try to I should say. I was finding a sensible guy to chat with, to speak about my feelings, my fears , my crushes which I had no scope of chatting with another guys in my school. I did came across few good guys with who I exchanged emails and they replied back, but that series of email stopped somewhere. In those uneventful and heartbreaking pen pal searches I did found one good friend though. His name was Daniel, he was from Arizona, USA. We did chatted a lot but then later we both got busy in our lives and that series ended. Unlike in the book I never got happy ending with my online pen pals. 

 Also, I never had friends back then with who I was open. Coming out was not a question, at that time I was more concerned about my safety than coming out. So I stayed in closet. Today when I read stories like "Simon Vs….." I feel little envy about today’s young gay teens who can easily come out, but at a same time I am happy to see that society is more open at this part of the world. I am grateful to be living in the country where I can be open and live as an open gay man without fear or worry. I do feel sad for my past in India but I am grateful today. 

So this great trip to nostalgia made me feel more grateful for what I have today. This book made me feel good.
Overall Simon Vs Homo sapiens agenda is a good read, the writing has a fresh style. It will give you nostalgia of your teen age days. So read it guys, it is a good book. 

And I am now more excited about the movie. 


Lots of Love

XOXO!

Saturday, 27 January 2018

He Said He Found Me Cute! (blast from the past)

Hello friends. Happy new year. I wish you great  & greetings, greetings & greetings.


You won't believe what happen to me. Just last week, when I was on my break at work, I got this message on Instagram. I opened it and it was small video from one of the guys who used to be a friend of my friends back in India. He sent me a small video as a personal message on Instagram. It was a video in which he was showing his tool and looking at me with inviting eyes. This guy, let's call him Mr. S; used to hang out with the same group of gay friends that I had in India (I would rather call them acquaintances). He was handsome, cute uptight gym going, muscular guy. Even in earlier days, I wished to see him shirtless. But I never thought about him after that. Because of his all up class "Plastic" friends.  He would appear in their all Facebook photos, posts, they were kind of Gay Royalty in my city in India and he was like their dear little brother. I never thought to message him, I was kinda scared of his super loud friends, I was thinking what if I sent him an email saying I find him cute and his friends post that letter on our gay Facebook page and everybody will laugh on me? He was not a troublemaker but his friends were kinda Regina scary, at least I found them that way. That is why when I was in India, I maintained proper distance with that hottie. I think when I was leaving India, around that time I added him on FB, and then last year on Instagram. We never chatted, we were never that close. After moving to North America I got busy in my life, had a couple of boyfriends, dated couple of guys and I totally forgot about him that I ever wanted to see him shirtless.


But then he sent me that kinda hot video. First of all, I was stunned. But then I instantly messaged him back saying,

"S. is this you playing with your phone os someone hacked your phone?"

And then he said, Yes, it is him!

I was stunned!
I said that was a quite surprise.

And then he replied, and then I replied and we started chatting.

After few minutes he said (typed) that he ALWAYS (yes, Always) found me CUTE and have ALWAYS (again Always) wanted to hook up.

Imagine this thing, you always wanted to work in one cool company as a software engineer, you never applied for that job because you knew your resume will not pass even initial screening and if you end up being in an interview, you won't be able to answer any questions beyond initial introductions question. But you wanted to have that job, but you never applied, then you moved on to other country and then you worked in many profiles, many companies and after gaining years of experience, you can think you can get any job, even a job of CTO, then you received the letter in mailbox, which is a late delivery saying they had liked your profile back in time and offered you job as a software engineer but letter or email took years to come to you.
How you will feel?

 But still, I decently replied him saying that I appreciate he saying this and confessed that I never saw him by that view because of his super famous friends and now I would love to get connected with him to chat because my man is super busy and he is the one I can chat in my own Indian language.
Within a minute his video had taken me back in town and pulled out that confused, shy closeted gay guy in me, I wanted to spend some time with that guy, through chatting with S. To be honest, back in India I never saw S as a husband material, I did thought of him as a cute boyfriend material but I stopped that thought right there and moved on.

 That day we exchanged emails saying we will write each other as a friend and said goodbye. But that evening I was thinking that what if S had come to me years back when I was in India and we were in the same city? What if he just had asked me for a coffee date or asked my phone number and started a chat. Why he could not take some action from his side, considering he was more confident back then than me. From my side, it was NEVER a question of taking the first step. In a gossip-filled gay environment, no shy, closeted guy will go and take initiative for a chat with the member of famous gay royal gang. It was like taking enmity with Regina George kind of queens.  I moved on, he is still there. He has grown a beard, looks huskier in that, uploads new selfies every week on Instagram, tags friends on Facebook. There is nothing wrong with that but is that the only thing you have in your life as a late 20 something single gay man?

 I felt bad and angry about him. But then I saw the super cool side of this story. He never approached me, and I remained single and then I moved to the place where I am today. Had I gotten a guy like S back then, I would have never left him and stayed in my same Indian city. But then I would have never found the wonderful, vibrant men that I dated, I would have never found Ryan.  I had never gotten those wonderful days and memories of my life that Ryan gave me.

 That night I cooked a wonderful butter chicken and closed that chapter with that meal.



There is a quote by some cool guy from history saying sometimes NOT speaking up messes a lot of things that speak up. My situation with S was different. If he found me cute and wanted to hook up with me, he should have spoken with me, given me a confidence in him and he had gotten a super romantic boyfriend like me or at least had gotten good lovemaking from me. But he chose to keep quiet. His keeping quite did not slow down my process of moving out, I came here and met wonderful men.  One's loss, one's gain. But I think a cute possibility of making something good out of life got lost by the shyness of two men (yes, me too taking the blame).


So go out friends, speak clearly, speak straightforwardly, ask him for coffee, or drinks, take out him for a stroll or long drive, bring him cooked lunch if inviting over dinner is too early. DO SOMETHING!

Life is not about sitting back, life is about doing things!
With this, I sign off for now.

See you soon.

Love XOXO