About Ramblings of a Hopeless Khowaga
Welcome to my Web site. My name is Chris, and I’ll be your host. I\'m an opinionated, snarky, gay academic with a predilection for the history, the Arab world, languages, photography, food, and music. I live in Austin, Texas. You can read more about me, learn 100 random things about me, and if you’re wondering what the heck a khowaga is, click here. Feel free to browse, read, and leave comments!
It’s going through my head, I’m going to put it in yours.
Eros Ramazzotti — Un’Emozione per Sempre
It’s still better than the video of Alanis Morissette singing “My Humps” that’s been going around the ‘net for the past few days. Apparently she did it as an April Fool’s joke, but it’s … it’s kind of like watching a slow motion train wreck. You’re not enjoying the view, but there’s something that keeps you from turning it off.
Anyway. Enjoy Eros — he’s a ham, but kind of easy on the eyes…
I’ve been feeling uninspired lately, like my life is stuck in a bit of a rut. To some degree, it is — it’s late spring and for the first year since 2002, I’m not gearing up for some massive summer project that is taking up my time and energy. I’m trying not to let it show in my blog posts, with the result that I’m going in long stretches without posting anything (which is OK, because most of the people stumbling on this site go directly to the page where I mention Christian Chavez’s gay wedding. He’s gay, folks, get over it. From what I can tell from being in the supermarket checkout line, it’s in every Spanish language tabloid known to man). I’m kind of sorry that I brought it up … but weirdly proud of the high readership it’s generated. I *so* need help.
I’ve started on the garden, but we’ve gone as far as we can without professional help (or at least a rented tiller to scour up the rest of it), and since it’s heading toward the end of the month the heart may be willing but the wallet is thin.
As a brief aside, we dog-sat for some friends this weekend — the same friends who take care of Mocha when we’re out of town. Ray picked their dogs up on his way home from work, and by the time I made it home they’d already broken off the jalapeno plant down to the ground, trodden through the oleander, and kicked the gravel every-which-way. Better still, one of the two guest dogs decided that Mocha’s hole wasn’t big enough, so he dug it down to the point where he could lay in it with his head poking out at ground level. He did such a good job of dispersing the dirt that we’re waiting for it to rain so that the hole will fill back in, because that’s the only way it’s going to happen. I created a makeshift fence out of tomato stakes and it kept them out for the rest of the weekend — that and my going ballistic every time I saw one of the dogs heading in that direction. Mutts.
Anyway. I’m also in this weird musical rut — this happens with me, where I acquire or two CDs and wind up listening to them over and over and over and over and over again to the exclusion of just about everything else. At the moment, my iPod is probably tired of playing Eros Ramazzotti’s album 9 (it was his ninth album, hence the title, and for the record I’m listening to the Italian version, not the Spanish), and my car is sick of The Damnwells’ Air Stereo and Keane’s Under the Iron Sea. The worst thing is that I can totally see what’s next: Per Gessle’s new album En händig man (A handy man) comes out on June 12, and that will be stuck on constant replay until well after the New Year. I have no plans to travel to Sweden for the subsequent tour, however, since Sweden is one of the most expensive countries on earth.
My TV viewing has gone down because everything I watch is on hiatus, which is a nice way of saying “not coming back” when we’re talking about Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I’m growing weary of Lost — I just don’t care who dies in the next episode because it’s going to wind up being someone no one cares about anyway (my money is on Rodrigo Santorio’s character — whatever his name is — because he’s had about five minutes of air time all season).
Rome ends tonight for us in the US, and it should come as no surprise what’s going to happen with the big characters (Octavian wins — as much as we’d all like to slap him silly — whilst Antony and Cleopatra die. This is all basic history), and I have this sneaking suspicion that the two ‘main characters’ of the show — Pullo and Vorenus — are going to have to fight each other to the death for some stupidly contrived-yet-heartbreaking reason. I don’t expect this one to be as gut wrenching as the end of Six Feet Under, which had me depressed for days afterwards. I still can’t hear Sia’s “Breathe Me” without getting a little verklempt.
This evening is also the season finale of Battlestar Galactica, which isn’t coming back until January (!!), and great shocks and surprises are promised. (Entertainment Weekly had the following irritating description: “Of all the characters I thought would be a Cylon: him??” Ugh.) After The Sopranos ends, there won’t be anything to look forward to on Sunday nights anymore. I can’t go back to The Simpsons …
And so, it’s Sunday afternoon. The laundry is in the drier, the dog is tired from her now-departed guests (no walk today), and it’s still threatening to rain … but probably won’t.
Here’s hoping you’re having an interesting Sunday, wherever you are!
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¿Buscas al español? Haz click aquí …
‘cuz I’m a giver: I’ve noticed a bunch of people stumbling on my site by looking for the now legendary photos of Mexican pop star Christian Chavez from the group RBD getting hitched to his boyfriend, BJ Murphy, in Canada. And after a few simple keystrokes, I found ‘em: here ya go, boys and girls! Love the kool-aid red hair… And don’t say I never did nothin’ for ya.
P.S. There are some more links to article and interviews below (after the jump if you’re on the main page). Check them out …
Since this seems to be such a popular post, I figured I’d add a little bit more.
I’ll be honest: I still don’t really know who this guy is. I’ve never heard of the band, but since I posted the original item three days ago, hundreds of people have accessed this page looking for more information about him, so this is my attempt at being nice (and keeping the traffic going. Maybe some of you will pause to read some of the other, non-Christian things on the site?).
Note: There is both a Christian and a Christopher in RBD (Christian is the one with fluorescent hair). Christian is the one who is gay, while Christopher is not.
Christian Chávez: A Married, Assuming Rebel, Now Much More Beloved an article (in Spanish) from an Argentine gay magazine.
México Supports Christian for Being Gay (in Spanish) Another positive article in reaction to the announcement. There are additional links to related articles, which I haven’t read, but I do enjoy the one with the title Do I have to congratulate Christian Chavez? It’s so good to remember the important things in life…
You can find much more by doing a search of Google News, which you can do in one click here. Needless to say, there’s far more available if you read Spanish and search Google Mexico (which you can do here).
I haven’t seen any photos of the wedding that are different from the ones posted on LatinoGossip.com at the link above. I think those must be the only photographs of the ceremony itself.
Updated Update (Thursday, March 8):
Christian now claims that someone was trying to blackmail him over his sexuality, which would put him in the same situation as Stephen Gately from the now-defunct Irish boyband Boyzone (and not in the same situation, as much as he’d like to claim that he was, as Lance Bass.) More here from Mexico City’s El Universal (en español): Trataron de extorsionarme: Christian Chávez
Christian says he doesn’t want to be a gay icon in an interview with La Reforma, which I do not have a subscription to. 20 Minutos has a rundown of the pertinent information.
La Opinión Digital calls him “brave and honest” in an editorial.
And, finally, La Crónica de Hoy asks the important question: Who will be the next to come out of the closet?
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Wanna read this in English? Click here …
Escribí sobre el “salimiento del armario” de Christian Chavez por primera vez en un articulo llamado “Random Round-up” (en ingles sola), y fue demasiado interés en ello y por eso he encontrado las enlaces aqui.
En este enlace se puede encontrar las fotografías famosas de la boda del Christian Chavez, del grupo méxicano RBD, y su novio, BJ Murphy, en Canada. Hay muchas copias de ellas en la Red (tambien alguien ha hecho un videoclip en YouTube con subtítulos estúpidos), pero todas las fotografías de la boda que he visto están allí. ¡Disfrútalos! (y, ¿¿que pasa con el color de su pelo??)
P.S. Hay más enlaces á artículos y entrevistas que siguen debajo. Mireís …
Eso debe ser uno de mis articulos mas populares, y por eso pensaba en poner unos poquitos enlaces más a la página.
En el espiritú de estar completamente honesto, no conozco a Christián Chavez ni sobre su musica ni sobre su persona. He visto los CDs de RBD en las tiendas (y les presté attencíon por culpa de su pelo rosa fluorescente), pero no los escuchaba. Pero despues de escribir en mi blog sobre su ‘salimiento del armario,’ cientos de personas han visitado mi sitio para saber más, y por eso pensé en usar la Red para su utilidad intendido: accesar a información. Y puedo practicar mi español antés de mi viaje a México por el verano. (¿Y puede ser que algunos de vosotros queridos visitantes pausen á leer unas cosas más que los pocos artículos que hablan de Christián?)
No he visto unas fotografías de la boda que son differentes de los que se puede ver en el sitio de LatinoGossip.com en el enlace encima. Creo que estos deben ser los unicos fotografías de la boda …
Nota: En RBD hay un chaval llamado Christián (él con el pelo florescente) y un llamado Christopher. Es Christián quien ha declarado su homosexualidad, mientras Christopher no es gay.
Christian Chávez: un rebelde casado, asumido y ahora mucho más querido– un articulo de una revista argentina para la communidad GLBT.
México apoya a Christian por ser gay — Este es un otro articulo positivo sobre las noticias. Hay enlaces a articulos relacionados – no los leí, pero me gusta el sigiento titulo: ¿Tengo que “felicitar” a Christian Chavez? Porque sobre todo es muy importante recordar las cosas más importantes en la vida …
Hay mucho mas en una busqueda de Google Noticias que se puede hacer con un click aqui.
El Juéves, el 8 de marzo:
Ahora, Christián dice que alguién trató de extorsionarlo sobre sus preferencias sexuales, que le pondrá en la misma situación que Stephen Gately del grupo musical irlandés Boyzone (y no en la misma situación que Lance Bass). Más aquí de El Universal desde México D.F.: Trataron de extorsionarme: Christian Chávez.
Además, Christian dice en una intervista con La Reforma que no quiere ser un ícono sexual. Porque no tengo una subscripción a La Reforma, hay una versión alternativa aqui desde 20 Minutos.
La Opinión Digital opine que Christian es “valiente y honesto”.
Y, finalmente, La Crónica de Hoy pide la pregunta más importante de todo: ¿Quién será el próximo valiente en salir del clóset?
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Crowded House is set to reunite with a new album and world tour. I’ve always liked Crowded House … it would be great if they came to Texas.
Well, it’s all over, and I’m sitting here writing a blog post because after several days of stress here at work, I just don’t feel like being productive. It would probably be better if I didn’t actually have stuff I need to be working on, but it’s my lunch break and I don’t wanna. So there.
The presentation went well yesterday. I did not, as Darin suggested, receive any shiny apples, but neither did I receive any rotten tomaters (thrown or otherwise), so I consider it a successful day. I was, however, rather untalkative last night and fell asleep while reading a book around 9. (Dog refused to let me take a nap when I got home. I laid down and suddenly she was bouncing all over me: “Daddy’s home! Daddy’s home! Daddy’s home!” This is significantly unpleasant when we’re talking about a dog that weighs 45 pounds.)
Anyway.
I realized at some point that I forgot to explain why, exactly, it was that I wrote part of the title of Tuesday’s first post in Swedish (blå = “blue,” and it’s pronounced “bloh”).
Basically, I got caught.
We have a Swedish graduate student in our program – a very sweet (and, at the moment, very pregnant) young woman. I have discussed my pseudo-ability to read (but not speak) Swedish with her, and can generally manage a passable “Hur mår du?” (How are you?) when she comes by — and sometimes I can even understand her response.
The question I have thus far managed to avoid from her is the key issue of how it was that I came to have an understanding of Swedish in the first place. I just could not imagine telling someone “I learned your language through an inexplicable affinity for cheesy pop songs.”
That said, at some point last week, she walked into my office while I was in mid singalong to Per Gessle’s “Här kommer alla känslorna (på en och samma gång),” an explosive hit (in Sweden) from the summer of 2003 that is irritatingly catchy and can get stuck in your head for days if you’re not careful – regardless of your proficiency (or lack thereof) in Swedish.
And she looked at me very calmly and said, “Is that Per Gessle you’re listening to?”
Me (turning bright red): “Uh huh.”
Her: “Huh.” And then she went and sat down at the table in the adjacent room and began to go over some notes before class, probably helped along greatly by the shining red light emanating from my head.
Ugh.
Anyway. Here’s the song, in case you’re curious. Listen at your own risk…
