Hi, friends and readers:

Some guys should never wear a shirt, so we can admire their rippling muscles and carved chests. I mean. have a look at the guy above. He’s a total babe, and I’ll bet he doesn’t even know just how sexy he looks, talking on his cell phone while the sunshine highlights his carved physique. Aye-yi-yi. Is that an European license tag on the track behind him? From which country?

It’s been an easy day for me and my boyfriend today. We walked the beach quite early this morning, and then we took a swim in the Intracoastal Water-way. We spent a lazy morning, hanging around the house, and then we visited the YMCA for a workout and lap-swimming. Our golf lesson was cancelled due to rain, so now we are home.

My boyfriend’s playing in a softball game tonight, but I’m staying , to do a little work on my new novel. I’ll dirnk a few beers and enjoy a simply dinner. Maybe I’ll watch a Netflix rental, The Kid With a BIke. Anyone seen it?

Have a nice Wednesday, everyone.

Hi, friends and readers:

I’m not much on philosophy. I took a class on the subject during college: Kant, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and the rest, and I found the subject rather boring. But I do like the thought expressed to the left; it sort of summarizes my view on life. Longevity is not the end game. You’ll find yourself playing things far too safely. Risk is part of life; you never experience much important if you don’t take chances.

Whatever time you’re given on Earth, you ought to make it count, in whatever manner you choose. Look, I see peoples’ obits every day who are 10 or 15 years older than me, and I think to myself, “I hope he spent a summer in Europe.” Or, “I hope he at least tried to play an instrument or wrote a story during his lifetime. I hope he explored his sexuality to the fullest, and I hope he took a little time to inspire the young people in his life.” But some people go through life doing what’s expected of them, without ever indulging in an original thought. And I think to myself, “How sad, they could have done better.”

On to other matters …. Do you like the photo at left as much as I do? The guy is sexy, of course, but when I look at the photo a smile creeps across my face. You can tell the young man’s reveling in the beauty of the day, and in his youthful energy. What’s better than losing your shirt when you’re outdoors on a sunny day?

We’ve finished all our housework today. All my boyfriend’s things are nestled in the attic. The house is sparkling clean; it smells like a pine forest. Afterward, we took a nice swim in the Gulf of Mexico. We brought our rafts and floated about on the little waves. the salt-laden air smelled great, and I enjoyed the feel of sunshine on my skin. Trust me, there’s nothing like living on a Gulf Coast barrier island.

In about half-hour from now, our friend and neighbor will host us for a round of martinis. I don’t often drink martinis, but when I do, I find they offer a buzz unlike any other cocktail. They tend to put one in a happy cocoon. Troubles? What troubles? Pour me another martini, please. Have a nice Tuesday night, friends.

Hi, friends and readers:

When my boyfriend has a day off, we try to devote plenty of time to getting affectionate. It’s important to stay close when you’re in a committed relationship, and that means physical closeness as well as mental. The guys in this morning’s video post certainly seem to like each other, don’t they?

It’s mid-morning, here on the island. Already, the day has turned steamy, and by noon the temperature will reach ninety-two in the shade. We are dedicating a large part of this afternoon to re-arranging our attic to accommodate my boyfriend’s possessions we brought down from Gainesville. Then we’ll clean our house from top to bottom; it needs it, believe me. Okay, it’s not the most exciting way to spend the better part of our day, but chores like that are so much easier when you do them together. Besides, you can always steal a smooch now and then, while you work.

Have a nice Tuesday, everyone.

Hi, friends and readers:

Every so often, I’ll be walking the beach or shopping at the supermarket, and I’ll see some guy whose beauty takes me breath away. Do you know what I mean? The guys in today’s photo posts fall into that category, I think. I don’t know which I like better, but I’d settle for either with no complaints.

We’re home from the YMCA, after a good workout and lap-swimming. The place was really crowded today because a lot of high school boys on summer break are coming in to workout. Oh, well … there are worse things to look at than high school boys.

In about a half-hour, my boyfriend and I will visit a nice, private golf course to play a round. They let non-members play there during summer, and it’s a beautiful facility, very close to where we live. What could be better?

Of course, it’s pretty hot outside. We’ll dress in our coolest golf attire, and be sure to drink plenty of water while we play. There probably won’t be many people on the course today, which is fine by me.

I’m not sure what’s on tap for later this evening. By the time we finish our round it’ll be close to dark, so we’ll probably head home to shower and throw together a simply dinner. That doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Wherever you are today, friends, I hope you’re enjoying  your Monday. Just think: in four days, summer officially arrives. Time to make vacation plans, if you haven’t already.

Hi, friends and readers:

It’s been a while since I posted a comment from a skateboarder who is gay. I hear from many gay skaters via this website, but they usually just want to say hi and, “Thanks for letting our voices be heard.”

Yesterday, I heard from a young man named Rex, age fifteen, who lives in Knoxville, TN. He said, this:

“I’ve skated since fifth grade. My older brother gave me his beat up board when my parents bought him a new one for his birthday. Right away I got hooked. We have a few decent skateparks in Knoxville, and I’m grinding most every day with my posse.

“So, a few years ago, I got this huge crush on a friend of mine, a guy I knew at school, and then I knew I was gay, for sure. Girls don’t interest me. Of course, I didn’t tell this guy I was hot for him ’cause I was pretty sure he was straight. Also, I don’t think my bros at the skatepark would be too cool with me being gay.

“Anyway, I came across your old blog a couple of years ago, when I Googled “gay skateboarder”, and I’ve followed you ever since. I really enjoy the comments you post from gay skaters. It’s good to know I am not alone. I haven’t had a boyfriend yet. I guess a skatepark is not the best place to look for one, but that’s where all my friends are. There is a GSA at my high school, but I’m a little timid about joining. Maybe next school year I will, who knows. But thanks so much for your website. I like the photos of guys you post, and your description of your daily life is interesting. Each afternoon, when I check your website, I feel like I’m visiting you in person.”

Wow, thanks Rex.

I rose at 7:30 this morning, to take my morning, three-mile walk on the beach. The sun wasn’t too high in the sky, so the temperature was reasonably cool. A baby dolphin swam in the same direction I walked, just offshore, so I could watch him surface and dive for about ten minutes, a really cool experience. I took a swim in the Gulf before eating breakfast.

I’ve just spent two hours editing my work-in-progress. This project is very slow-going because I have to re-visit each scene, to add additional details about setting. Since it’s a 105,000-word novel, I’ll likely be working on it all summer long, but that’s okay. It’s an interesting tale, with plenty of kooky characters, and I know it’ll turn out to be some of my best work.

I don’t have much planned for my afternoon. The temperature’s too hot right now to do anything outdoors. But I’ll visit the supermarket for necessaries, and then around five PM I’m meeting a friend to hit golf balls at a driving range. He’s much younger than me — I’ve known him since he was in high school — and we get along really well, so it’ll be fun.

Have a nice Sunday, friends.

Hi, friends and readers:

I know not everyone likes black and white photography, but I do. I have a collection of favorites, and I’ll share two of them with you tonight.

The boy to the left is, in my opinion, bewitching. I love the sultry expression on his face, and the way the lighting falls upon him. Look at those lips. Who could resist kissing them, given the opportunity? Aye-yi-yi ….

As mentioned in this morning’s post, I spent a semi-lazy morning around the house. After lunch, I hit the booze market on the island to replenish our wine supply. Around 4:30 PM, I visited a nearby golf course to hit balls at the driving range, and then play nine holes of golf when the weather had cooled off a little. I did okay, but my putting still sucks.

Okay, have a look at the photo to the left. I know it’s not my typical, hot-guy-scantily-clad offering, but I love this picture: the lighting, the candidness, and even the palm frond in the foreground. The young man has a relaxed stride, he is clearly happy after enjoying a nice surfing session. I’m guessing this photo was taken in Hawaii, but maybe it’s Southern California.

I’m preparing a spaghetti dinner for myself. Sadly, my boyfriend’s at work, so I’ll have to enjoy it alone. It’s okay, he’s due home around nine PM, and maybe we’ll have time to visit the pool at our timeshare down the street.

Thanks again to everyone who wrote in about the comment from Bradley discussing his friend Zach’s suicide. I know the whole thing is depressing, but we have to learn from it, and the move forward. Have a nice Saturday night, friends.

Hi, friends and readers:

I got lazy this morning. Instead of walking the beach, I slept in. Then I spent some intimate time with my boyfriend before he left for work.

I wasn’t totally useless, however. I did loads of laundry, including washing our bed linens and bath towels. I loaded up the dishwasher and ran it. I read the newspaper while I enjoyed lunch. So, I’m not a total slug.

Now, it’s mid-afternoon on Saturday. I have the house to myself, and it’s kind of nice, just lying around, doing a crossword puzzle and reading a novel a friend sent me titled The Book Thief. Nothing wrong with that is there?

Okay, pretty soon I’ll jump in the Element to visit our island’s booze market. Our wine supply is running perilously low, and I need to get out of the house for a bit, anyway. Outside, it’s hot and steamy, not the kind of weather for outdoor activities. But later on, I may visit a nearby golf course to play nine holes. Around five PM, the sea breeze kicks in, and then conditions are bearable.

Wherever you are right now,. I hope you’re having a relaxing Saturday afternoon.

Hi, friends and readers:

After yesterday’s post about Bradley’s friend, Zach, killing himself, I’ve received an avalanche of comments, expressing grief and sorrow over Zach’s death. Was there anything anyone could have done to prevent what happened? I don’t think there’s a legitimate answer to that question. We can’t climb inside Zach’s head to find out just how miserable and lonely he felt when he went to school each day. It seems even his best friend was clueless about the inner anguish Zach felt.

Let me say this: as long as young gay men are persecuted, even subtly , we will have more suicides. I remember how hard it was for me in high school, and that was a long time ago. Sometimes we think things have changed; that gay kids aren’t intimidated and made to feel guilty about their feelings. But things are still bad out there, folks, especially in rural areas of our country.

If you have not heard of The Trevor Project, please check out their website. Here’s the link:

http://www.thetrevorproject.org/

These folks are doing wonderful things to prevent gay teen suicides, so if you know a young gay person who is struggling, please tell them about The Trevor Project. You just might save a life if you do.

May I also say this: yes, I went through all sorts of struggles with my sexuality. Sometimes, things looked pretty bleak. But here I am, forty years after I came out to friends and family, and I am one of the happiest persons I know. I played a round of golf with friends today, and we had such a beautiful afternoon together. If you are feeling low, my friend, hang in there. Things will get better; I am living proof of that.

Have a nice Saturday night, all.

Hi, friends and readers:

You guys know I try to keep things upbeat on this site. There’s a lot of sorrow in this world, and I like to think this website helps people take their minds off their troubles. But today I received a comment from a young man named Bradley. He lives somewhere in Florida, he didn’t say where. He told me this:

“My best friend since middle school has always been Zach; we always did everything together: going to the movies, shooting baskets, bass fishing, and going to the beach. I always thought I knew Zach. I never suspected he hid things from me.

“Last week, our junior year of high school ended. Zach and I went to a party at a friend’s house whose parents were out of town. You know how that goes. People had liquor and nearly a hundred people showed up. I drank and so did Zach and I guess things got a little out of control.

“A guy was at the party, someone I recognized from school but didn’t really know, a good-looking dude. At some point during the party, I guess he and Zach were off by themselves, and Zach made a pass at this guy, grabbed his ass or something. This guy went off on Zach in front of everyone, calling Zach a faggot and everything. The whole thing was awful, and Zach started crying. He kept saying, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’

“I drove Zach home ’cause he was drunk. I tried talking to him about the situation, but he told me to leave him alone about it, so I did. I just left him on his driveway and went home.

“This morning, Zach’s mom called. Zach shot himself in his bedroom last night, not long after I left him at his house. He used a gun his dad kept in a desk drawer. I can’t believe this happened. Why didn’t Zach ever tell me he was gay? Didn’t he trust me? I feel terrible. I called a friend to talk, she’s pretty cool, and she told me about your website. I’ve been reading the posts all day. It’s unbelievable how many people hide their gayness, but I guess I don’t realize how hard it can be to be different.

“I’m not gay, but now I can understand how sad and depressed Zach may have felt about being gay and having to hide it from me and everyone else. And I miss Zach so much. He had a great future ahead of him. He was smart and funny and good-looking, but now he’s gone. Just like that.”

Jesus, Bradley ….. what can I say? I’ll reply to you privately, later on tonight.

Rest in peace, Zach.

Hi, friends and readers:

Don’t you just love public parks? You never know who’ll you’ll encounter and  what they’ll look like. I especially like visiting parks in Berlin, Germany during summer, where handsome young men sun themselves wearing next-to-nothing. They are often friendly, and they like to talk, especially to foreigners, so they can practice their English.

The boy at left is typical of what you’ll see in Berlin during summer. No, I’m not kidding, it’s true. (By the way, Delta has a nonstop from NYC to Berlin; it’s an easy flight.)

This morning, I began my new summer schedule, designed to beat the heat when I take my morning beach walk. I rose at seven AM, drank a glass of water, and then hit the shore. Things were relatively cool down there, and I enjoyed a nice dip in the Gulf afterward. I worked on my new novel all morning, and now it’s time for lunch.

Here’s another cute guy on a bench. What a babe, I wonder what his name is and where he lives?

I have an easy afternoon ahead. My boyfriend and  will store his belongings from his Gainesville apartment, in a storage unit. This won’t take long because there isn’t that much stuff. Then we’ll visit a sporting goods store to take advantage of a super sale on golfing apparel. I’m not sure what I’ll do with the rest of my day, as my boyfriend’s working later on. But I’ll figure out something. Maybe I’ll take a walk in a park?

Have a nice Thursday, friends.