entertainment – Gays in the Life

3 Things I’m Obsessing Over

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Jamal in GITL

Hello! It’s been a minute huh? We’ve been pretty busy here at Gays in the Life headquarters, but I had to pop in and share 3 things I’m currently obsessing over:

First. Marie Kondo and her Netflix show Tidying Up flew into our lives and completely turned it upside down. I’ve always been great at going through my closet and donating items I no longer needed, but the Marie and her KonMari method helped us take this process to the next level. S and I quickly dove into every closet, cabinet, and drawer and ended up completely reorganizing our condo. We feel light these days! And it’s all thanks to Marie Kondo.

Second. Michelle Obama’s November 2018 release, Becoming, absolutely stole my heart. I enjoyed the book via Audible and loved every second of every hour of Michelle’s voice in my ears. Getting to learn about the little girl who became the social and political force that is Michelle Obama lifted my spirit and felt like a giant hug. She shared wisdom, love, and an honest perspective of what it’s like in her shoes. Being an African-American male, it didn’t take much for me to connect to this book. Michelle shared struggles and triumphs that all black people experience. The better part of this point, however, is that the stories shared can resonate with any reader with a heart and an open mind.

Last. Troye Sivan’s Bloom is contagious. The Australian singer’s second studio album was released August 2018, but have only just now hit my earbuds. I can’t share how many times I’ve let this album play on repeat on commutes, during gym sessions, or cleaning sprees, but the number is pretty damned high. My favorite song is the title track, Bloom, and my second favorite is What A Heavenly Way to Die – so beautiful and moody, that one. Give Bloom a spin if you haven’t already! You won’t be disappointed.

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4 – Week 4 — Thanks for Coming!

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Jamal in Social

Seth maintains his lead and Jamal hits bottom. Want to know how we score? Check out the following episode of Thanks for Comingfor a full breakdown: Ep 67: Another Different Discussion About The Vixen (iTunes link and more at thanksforcomingpodcast.com)

via RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4 – Week 4 — Thanks for Coming!

Miffed Auras

Posted on September 26, 2018 by Jamal in GITL

It appears that S and I both have tempers. Those of you who know me have figured out that it takes a pretty good amount of nonsense to push me over the edge. We have a WiiU at home, and it is the source of fun and decompression – along with our pup, Reynold – after a long day of work. I’m not sure if the amount of hours we’ve spent playing Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon is embarrassing or impressive. Yes, the machine actually tracks the amount of hours you play each game, and provides dates and times; in case you wish to deny your gamer status.

We both have gamer rage when something doesn’t go our way during a race or a battle session. “JESUS CHRIST…. COME ON… GOSH” are regular exclamations when we’re both on the couch. I tend to be more of a slow-cooker when I’m getting frustrated with a game, while S will vocally rage during the first minutes of playing. I find this hilarious and I had to think to myself, where has this been? This fiery, competitive, passion that had manifested just a couch cushion away from me had gone unnoticed, by me, for the longest time. Whenever he’s playing a game and I hear outbursts of objection, I quietly chuckle and ask “…are you okay? It’ll be okay.”

Let me apologize to you now if you’re a biking enthusiast, or regular cyclist. It drives me beyond crazy when I get stuck behind someone on a bike, traveling on a one-lane road, and there’s no possible escape. Whenever this happens to me, there are always cars coming in the opposite lane, and I can’t get around the individual on the bike. Apparently it’s a law in Indiana that no bicycles are allowed on the sidewalks. Are you kidding me? I appreciate the fact that these people are out exercising, but jeez! I just want to get home at the end of the day. Are there no other biker friendly routes? My car horn is broken, so there’s not even the slightest bit of a chance that I can angrily honk at the unaware nerve-crusher. I usually scream profanities in the car or send rude Snapchats to my friends to share the annoying moment.

Where does our rage come from? Was it our parents that did this to us, or are we just those people who are instantly set off in these specific situations? After sending my angry snaps to my followers on Snapchat, I laughed at myself. “Wow, is it that serious?” Rushing is usually what gets drivers into accidents, so the fact that I was forced to focus on something other than getting home, was probably a blessing in disguise. From now on I’m going to make it a point to focus on my zen, and harness the rage. When it comes to S… Well, I’ll just leave that alone for a while. He’s entertaining as all get-out when he’s screaming at the television screen, and teammates who can’t hear him.

Stanning for Black Panther

Posted on February 20, 2018February 21, 2018 by Jamal in GITL, Social

I’ve got to get this out my system. The Black Panther movie was so great. I don’t know how else to say it. This movie was the superhero movie I didn’t know I needed.

Marvel is a franchise that does very well for itself, but there’s one thing we have to admit… the storylines and faces of epic white men and women somehow merge into one blob of the same ol’ story.

Getting to see a movie of this magnitude with a society and a hero made up of people who look like me was a pretty cool experience. Not only did Director Ryan Coogler manage to get so many strong, black messages on the big screen, but each and every character was fun to get to know and kept the audience interested.

As a viewer of color, I appreciated the timing of this movie. It’s already pretty tough to navigate life as a black, gay man, but doing it in Trump’s America is even more exhausting. The Black Panther was the motivation and push that I needed – a reminder to love myself, cherish my history and heritage, and to be the best version of myself.

Sure, it’s just another Marvel movie, but this is a huge deal! Never before has the black community had something like this. Representation in all avenues and facets of life is so important because it inspires future generations (of all colors and backgrounds).

Inspiration is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the glory of this cast and their performances. All this black excellence! Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Chadwick Boseman, Danai Gurira, and so many more. So much female strength and empowerment throughout the movie. And the attention to detail! All of the tribes were designed and styled based on authentic African tribes.

Okay, so I’m stanning a little bit. Stanning is when you’re “being overzealous or an obsessive fan of a particular celebrity.” All jokes aside, yes this movie is amazing to me because it was based in a black society with a black hero.

Most of the black roles we see on the big screen play supporting roles of some type or there has to be some sad undertone. Not all black stories are rooted in pain, suffering, or slavery. While all of those stories are important and a major part of my history, we as a people have been waiting for stories that are brighter and share successes; our triumphs.

In the Black Panther movie we see tough, all female warriors, a thriving black society with crazy tech and scientists, and heritage and tradition challenged. As a black dude who just recently received his AncestryDNA results, this movie made me want to dig more into my heritage and also made me think about what tradition meant to me.

I appreciate this movie so much.

Black Panther nailed it.

Ok, I’m done.

3 Things Keeping us Happy at the Moment

Posted on November 5, 2017 by Jamal in GITL, Social

November is here! And with a new month comes new and refreshed interests in our day-to-day activities. One of my favorite podcasts, NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour, has a weekly segment in which they share what’s making them happy that particular week. Every week, host Linda Holmes and a few other NPR panelists and guests share tidbits of pop culture that happen to be filling their individual happy tanks with joy. Items shared in the past include music, television shows, literature, video games, and don’t forget that viral video or meme everyone’s discussing. Here are a few things that’re keeping S and I happy at the moment:

Roseanne

This show is hilarious, undeniably relatable, and is filled with effortless humor. S and I have been spending a great deal of time with the Conner family in between IU basketball and The Real Housewives of fill-in-the-blank. We started season one at the end of September and found ourselves beginning season seven this afternoon. Every detail from the way the characters dress, down to the snacks the Conner kids eat is similar to how S and I grew up in the 90s. Another aspect of Roseanne that we appreciate is its honesty. This family is nowhere near keeping up with the Joneses and they don’t try to be. Roseanne and Dan Conner do their best to provide for their family and celebrate every victory that comes their way. The show was also way ahead of its time in the way it discussed (current) social issues.

Our Immersion Blender

This nifty little handheld device is usually used to whip up a great tomato bisque soup or keto mayo. With the weather starting to change, making things a bit more chilly, I’ve been having some fun with blended coffees in the morning. First I pour an 8-12 ounce cup of dark roast coffee in the blending cup, followed by a splash of unsweetened coconut milk, a scoop of Perfect Keto chocolate sea salt exogenous ketone powder, and finally a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice seasonings. I then blend the mixture for about a minute or so before pouring the finished product in a mug or travel tumbler. You could easily make this in a shaker, but you’ll find the ingredients come together much better with the help of the immersion blender.

The Weather!

I’m usually ready for summer to be over by the time it actually ends. If it could be fall the months of September through May, and summer for the remaining months, that would be perfect. Does anyone know if a place like this exists? The air is finally feeling a bit more crisp, and the leaves are creating plenty of social-media-worthy opportunities with the gorgeous array of colors falling to the ground. The arrival of fall also means the temperature is sitting just right – completely void of Jack Frost or humidity hell if you’re out for a jog or long walk with the dog. A few other things the current weather has us pumped for include: crockpot meals, fall fashion, basketball (for S), and scarves (for me)! I love good scarf in the wind moment when I’m walking down a breezy pathway.

What’s making you all happy at the moment? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for stopping by!

Miffed Auras

Posted on September 18, 2015September 18, 2015 by Jamal in GITL