About Michel McDonald

41yo Gay blogger who is in a 18 year relationship. I love Sci-fi, reading, crafts, tv and technology and that's what I like to blog about. Read more in the About page.

I finally got to watch Battlestar Galactica

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Michel McDonald

I like to consider myself a science fiction nerd because I like shows like Star Trek and movies like Star Wars. I actually love anything space related, but I don’t always get to watch them because if I miss even one episode, I feel like I am lost so I just wait until I can watch the series at a later date.

Battlestar Galactica originally aired on the SyFy channel (Sci-Fi back then) from 2004 until 2009 and I missed every episode. I think the reason I missed it from the beginning was because I just didn’t think I would like it. Also, if I have a show on the same day at the same time, I’ll watch the one that I was already addicted to and skip everything else.

I got a second chance to see the show from the beginning when BBC America announced that they were going to start showing it every Saturday night and I took advantage of it and I am so glad that I did. They started out with 2 episodes at 7pm. Our BBC America HD channel is from the eastern time zone so I got to watch it three hours earlier. If I missed the episode then I had a second chance to watch it on the non HD channel at 7.

I kick myself in the head for not watching this show when it originally aired because it was such a good show. I guess it doesn’t really matter that I missed it when it was on because now I have seen every episode from all four seasons. I feel like I am better educated when it comes to science fiction television so when I am asked a question I will be able to respond with a semi-intelligent response, maybe, probably not.

Hulu has all four seasons of this show, but you have to pay to watch them so that is why I watched it on BBC America. I also don’t like to watch 8 episodes of a show per day because that is just way too much information for me to take in all at once. I feel like if I watch too many episodes in one day that I might not remember what happened before, if that makes any sense at all.

Hulu has Caprica too and I could have watched it months ago when they had the full season, but I wanted to watch BSG before I got into that so that I wouldn’t be confused, but apparently they aren’t even in the same timeline so it didn’t matter. Now they only have 5 out of 18 episodes available. I don’t see BBC America airing this so I will probably be forced to get Netflix just to watch it. I really don’t mind, I just want to see it now.

The only thing that I regret about not watching this show when it aired was that I didn’t have anyone to talk to after every episode. It’s cool to talk to someone about what happened and to get different perspectives and opinions on what we just saw. Oh well, maybe next time, well, you know, with another show.

Oh well, I look forward to watching Caprica when I get Netflix. I would love it if they came out with another BSG related show or a facsimile because I am in love with space dramas like BSG, Farscape, Star Trek etc.

Crowd Control

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Michel McDonald

Everywhere you go there are people waiting in line for something. They might be waiting at the ATM machine, in line for a buffet, in line for movie tickets or to get into a party. You see the velvet ropes and you just know that they are expecting to have a huge crowd.

You can actually buy those velvet ropes and stanchions or barricades. Say you have a room in your house that you have turned into a shrine or museum and you want to keep people from touching the things you have on display, you can buy the retractable stanchions to show people you mean for them to stay away and not to touch anything. Or perhaps you own a business and don’t know where to buy them, well, I can tell you that they sell those at Camelback Displays.

They have beautiful stanchions made out of wood, ones that are lit up, even ones with curtains. Crowd control never looked so chic until now. They even have ones with a hand sanitizer for those who have been waiting in a long line and are obsessive about germs from touching the barricades.

Get your crowd under control today with Camelback displays.

Unable to Load The Lord of the Rings Online (SOLVED)

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Michel McDonald

I don’t know why but The Lord of the Rings Online just won’t load for me. I load the game and the launcher checks the files and let’s me type my password and then choose my server and then it finishes that and my screen is supposed to turn black so the game will load. It hasn’t loaded in maybe a month and half or 2 months. I couldn’t figure it out.

The only thing that was worrying me was that my house would get locked and they would start charging me fees, so last night I decided I was going to download the game files again and reinstall it. I installed it over itself, but that didn’t work so I uninstalled the whole game and reinstalled it as a fresh installation and still nothing.

Out of frustration I was about to email the company because I just wanted to get this resolved so I could play again. Their website gave me a list of links to see if I could find my issue, and I did.

Here is the thread “LOTRO will not launch and there are no error messages” which is the exact problem I was having. I clicked “Graphics and Performance FAQ’s…” So their advice was to find the User Preferences configuration file which is loaded in My Documents\The Lord of the Rings Online. I double clicked the file and it showed me a text file with all of this gibberish that I don’t understand. They warn not to change anything because you might screw it up more. I wondered if I just removed the file altogether if it will create a new file and let the game load, and that worked. I didn’t delete it, I just moved it to the desktop and there is a new file in its place that has way less information than the original file.

The game launched and I hit C for my character screen which shows my gear and I clicked the House button. There was an icon of a lock in the bottom right of my screen along with an icon of a letter which told me that my house was locked. In the character screen I clicked House and paid the fee and then paid the maintenance for my house for 5 more weeks, you know, just in case.

So now you know, if you have issues getting into The Lord of the Rings Online because the game won’t load after you launch it, just remove the User Preferences config file and load the game.

Robin Tyler

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Michel McDonald

Robin Tyler 225x300 Robin Tyler Last night was the monthly PFLAG meeting here in Bakersfield. Robin Tyler, who is the first out lesbian comedian was the speaker. She was talking about the history of gay rights and she wasn’t just very funny but also informative.

After she finished with her speech, everyone wanted to have their picture taken with her and luckily I was able to get her to pose for one with me. I personally hate taking pictures, but I am very proud of this one because it was with a legend.

Best Songs To Play With The Windows Rolled Down

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Michel McDonald

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kia Rio for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

When you are driving, what songs do you like to listen to with the windows rolled down? I personally don’t drive, but I do like to listen to music when I am in the car with Chip. I remember when I was a teenager in the 80′s and we used to drive with music blasting so the whole world could hear it, now of course I just have whatever is on the radio playing, but I’m too old to blast it now. The only time we ever blast the music is when we’re showing off. So which song do you think that I would blast if I were driving in a car? The answer would probably surprise you.

Kia has a new Rio for 2012 which has amazing features that I think you will love, like for example the 40MPG which is probably the best reason to buy a car, but they also have heated leather seats, a button to start the engine, blue tooth wireless technology for your hands free and UVO voice-activated Infotainment system by Microsoft, I’ve never heard of that but I’m intrigued. They don’t stop with the inside, they have LED lighting instead of light bulbs for your back lights. Check out this ad for more information.

So getting back to what I was talking about at the beginning, you can enter your favorite song in the Kia Rio “Best Songs with your Windows Down” playlist” on Facebook and have it added to a playlist on Spotify. What did you think I picked as my favorite? If you guessed “Queer Nation” by Elephant you were correct. I know it’s explicit but I think I would blast that mofo for shock value, I mean besides it being an awesome song of course. I chose that song because I am newly addicted to Elephant, I mean they are gay twin rappers, who wouldn’t be intrigued by that?

You can add your favorite song as well by going to the “Best Songs with your Windows Down” playlist on Facebook and typing in your favorite artist and/or song and clicking the search button, choose a track and submit it using your name and email address. If I had to choose another band with another song I’d have to go with Justin Utley’s song Room to Breathe, or really any of his songs for that matter. I chose those 2 artists, Elephant and Justin Utley because they are out loud and proud gay artists and I support my community.

Hey I know, you should pick a song too, make sure you have Spotify installed so you can add a song and see if your song made it to the playlist, and if you do, tell me what song you chose and why. Check the playlist every day to see what new songs are being added, you might find something new to listen to. Oh and if you get a chance, go out and buy a new 2012 Kia Rio, it’s a sound investment… Get it? Sound? Cause… the music… it was funnier in my head.

EverQuest Bonus Exp.

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Michel McDonald

eq logo clear EverQuest Bonus Exp.

If you have been playing EverQuest lately, you know that they have doubled experience for their 13th Anniversary. Well, you know what that means right? It’s a Power Levelers dream!

When I started playing again after 5 years of being MIA, I realized that I had to relearn the game from the ground up because I had totally forgotten everything. You know how they say it’s like riding a bicycle? Well, it’s sort of true, but you have to take a refresher course to get you back on track. What I did was I started playing my Necromancer who was level 12 when I began in late February. I played for a few hours then I couldn’t play it for a week. Then when I finally did get to start playing it again I got hooked on the game again and now in less than one month my level 12 necromancer is level 47.

When I first started playing EverQuest in 2002, it took me 6 months to get Xanapus to level 16 and I gave up on him and created other characters. When I started playing Xanapus again it took me another 6 months or possibly a year to get to level 50. I have done in less than one month what I couldn’t do in 2002/2003. You see how frustrating that is for me? But it isn’t my fault that the game is much easier now than it was 10 years ago so that does make me feel a bit better.

My guild is still MIA, I only see someone on every once in a while. Even though I am the only member of my guild who plays every day, or at least that’s the way it seems when I get on, I am not about to abandon them because I am still loyal despite the fact that they are all gone lol. Besides, I don’t want to have to start all over with new people, and who knows if I will even continue playing in a month from now, I might get bored with it and quit again and I will have left my guild for nothing.

I started thinking today that I have abandoned Lord of the Rings Online for EverQuest so I tried logging in today and every time the launcher tries to launch the game, it crashes and I am unable to play. They did an update on it so perhaps the update doesn’t work with HDMI for some reason. I will have to plug the VGA back into the TV so I can see if that will work. It’s kind of frustrating because I’m almost positive my [hobbit] house maintenance fee needs to be paid for lol.

I am having fun again in EverQuest and that is a good thing. I quit for many reasons but one of them was that I was bored to death. I mean I would literally fall asleep while playing, that isn’t good is it? So thankfully I am not bored now and I hope it can keep my attention for a bit longer.

The Let Go – by Elephant

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Michel McDonald

I listened to rap music when I was a teenager, although not too much but I did listen to it. I was never really into punk rock music, that is until I first heard Green Day then I was hooked. I don’t really listen to very much music anymore until I recently. I just now found out about a gay twin rapping duo and absolutely fell in love with their music. Watch their newly released video “The Let Go” and then read below. Go to their official website because there is another music video which I cannot get out of my head. I am a new fan.

West Hollywood, CA: Hip-hop duo Elephant has released their fourth official music video entitled “The Let-Go.” Fresh on the heels of the group’s successful Queer Nation, and the controversial Notorious HIV, “The Let-Go” features visual and thought-provoking thematic material that is in line with the duo’s previous efforts.

“We wanted to write a song about religion that asked people to think for themselves instead of relying on religion to do it for them,” says Coleman Vrana, age 26. “We’re not religious in any way, but unlike Queer Nation, this isn’t any kind of attack. We wanted to inspire the same sort of liberation we felt as kids in Oklahoma when we started to recognize all of the hatred coming from people around us–and the justifications for it–based on the word of God.”

Filmed in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles and directed by noted cinematographer Jim Zabilla, the video also features openly lesbian and vocally Christian rap duo Yo! Majesty.

Comprised of openly gay twin brothers Jackson and Coleman Vrana originally from Oklahoma, Elephant is quickly gaining momentum within the LGBT press as the personification of the growing Queercore movement among gay youths, particularly outside of urban markets. The two seem to share a connection with teenagers and young adults who see them as a fighting voice for equality; a force they feel weakening in rural America.

“The paint in the video symbolizes our struggle to color everyone’s black and white view of religion, it’s rules and the ultimate oppression of minorities in this country,” adds Jackson Vrana. “It’s like us painting our own view, so to speak.” The twins rarely embrace political correctness, they never shy away from any social issue, and their presence is undeniable when they enter a room (which is—in fact—the origin of their name). “We are incapable of apologizing for what we say and that’s probably what people most appreciate about us.”

Elephant released its 4-track debut EP Queer Nation in July of 2011 on Josie Cotton’s Scruffy Records. “The Let-Go” is slated for digital release on April 10th and will be featured on Elephant’s anticipated, full-length LP to be released late summer.

For press and booking inquiries, visit: http://www.elephantwave.com/#!contact

More Information:
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Elephantwave
Official Website: http://www.elephantwave.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elephantwave
Twitter: http://twitter.com/elephantwave
EPK: http://www.elephantwave.com/#!ElephantEPK

Our 18 Year Anniversary

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Michel McDonald

18 years together Our 18 Year Anniversary

I wanted to post this a few nights ago but my blog stopped working…

Chip and I met on March 25th, 1994 and have been together ever since. I wrote in my book about how I thought that our relationship wouldn’t go past the 10 month mark because my relationships before only lasted 10 months. I don’t know what it was about 10 months, but we have stayed together and now it has been 18 years.

I think that this should be a lesson to naysayers who say that a gay relationship cannot last. I think we have more than proven that love doesn’t have a gender. We deserve the same rights as every straight married couple out there in the world.

Here is to 18 more wonderful years together and the end of marriage discrimination.

18year anniversary Our 18 Year Anniversary

My Website is Back Up

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Michel McDonald

I have been in bloggers hell for the last 2 days. The night before last night I got an email from Blogsvertise saying that a post that I had written (the post before this one) was missing 5 days later. Well, I clicked the link and sure enough it was missing, along with the rest of my blog and my dashboard too. I immediately went to my websites control panel to find out what was wrong and that wouldn’t load. When it did finally load the database page wouldn’t load.

All day yesterday I had been contacting the web host about it and last night the dashboard finally came back online, but the blog itself was still out. This morning it was the same thing so I emailed them again. I emailed one of the associates from Blogsvertise to let them know what was going on so they would be patient with me.

This happened to me last year where my database became so corrupt that I couldn’t load anything and I ended up having to start over with a new database which meant I had to start over from scratch. I had lost all of my comments and I had to go to other websites where my blog posts were are automatically published to. That was no fun at all, it took me several months and I got so bored with it that I gave up which left a huge hole in 2010 from posts that I never copied back over.

It doesn’t seem as though I have been blogging very much lately because I have been spending so much of my time on Facebook. I keep saying that I will try to get back to blogging, but it just doesn’t seem to happen. I will make that same promise again though, perhaps I will blog what I post on Facebook, we’ll see.

Terra Bound Solutions for Portable Bleachers and Dog Equipment

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Michel McDonald

When people are at a park, the last thing they think about is how to buy any of the equipment they see, like portable aluminum bleachers or dog park equipment. It has never been something that I was ever curious about. I mean, I didn’t even know you could buy any of that stuff, especially online. Now I know.

Terra Bound Solutions has Portable Bleachers and Aluminum Bleachers available in a variety of styles. They are generally used in schools, churches, sports fields and arenas and auditoriums. What is great about them is that you can break them down and store them during the off-season. They come in different sizes and row numbers from 2 row, 9′ styles to 15 row, 27′ and all sizes in between! They also have a tip n’ roll style which makes it easier to move the bleacher from one area to another since it has wheels. You can buy them with a handicap section, with a chain link back, side walls, hand rails, aisles, bumbers, footboards and many more to meet whatever codes requirements you have to meet.

Now this is what I love, they have Pet Waste Stations. The reason I like this is because I hate walking through the park with our dog and forgetting our bags and have to go to the bathroom to get some toilet paper, if they even have any. It also irritates me when I step in other dogs poop. These Pet Waste stations can be easily installed in any outdoor area. They have a bag dispenser with biodegradable bags and some even have a receptacle for throwing the bags away when you’re finished. By having these in your park, it promotes responsible pet ownership and helps maintain a clean environment for you, your children and your pets.

They also sell dog exercise equipment for your dog park. I actually love dog parks because not all parks allow dogs in them. They are a great place for your dog to get out of the house and exercise. They have Hoop jumps, soggie crawls, jump bar challenges and teeter totters as well as many other exercise equipment for your dog. They are slip resistant and water proof and wear and tear resistant. I’m sure any dog owner who is training their dog for dog shows would buy these for their own back yards as well. I mean, wouldn’t it be great if you could practice with your dog on a daily basis without leaving the house? That is, if you have a huge back yard anyway.

Terra Bound Solutions has many other products for your home too so go check out their website and leave some feedback and tell me what you think of the awesome products they sell.

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