So Sweaty!

The latest episode of Legend of the Seeker was a very sweaty one, as the Seeker spends almost the entire episode shirtless, sweaty and glistening. That's my kind of television. It should get even sweatier this week as BSG returns on Friday. Helo usually winds up real sweaty one way or another.

And on a related BSG note, especially for those of you who watched the recent Webisodes -- could Gaeta have proven to be any more of a douchebag? I think not.

Fresh Veal

Alex introduced me to a new show available on Hulu - Legend of the Seeker. One of the executive producers of the show is Sam Raimi, who was executive producer of Xena, Hercules, directed the Spiderman movies, Army of Darkness, and has also written quite a lot. I've always enjoyed his work and this is another in a long line of fluffy, entertaining fantasy TV filmed in New Zealand.

Of course, the only thing I knew about it before I watched was Alex's admonishment to check out the tasty new veal in this show. He was right -- they had him shirtless and sweaty while chopping wood while within the first 5 minutes of the first episode. That's my kind of show.

The lead is played by Craig Horner, an Australian actor who, while not as tasty as my previous (also Australian) fantasy TV favorite -- Daniel Goddard who played Dar in the Beastmaster, is still a nice veal that gives me a good excuse to follow this show.

Speaking of Daniel Goddard and Beastmaster, I was quite sorry to see that show go. Daniel Goddard shirtless throughout every episode was a special treat. I was glad to find that Goddard has gone on to The Young and the Restless -- it's great that he's found steady work and I'm sure that they have him shirtless frequently as well, but it's not something I'd bring myself to watch. Goddard is definitely within that physical type that really works for me, has a smile that can melt your heart... and it's nice having a hot guy that's near my age. (Goddard is a couple of years older than I am...)

Still, the one nice thing about not watching the Beastmaster anymore is that there's no annoying sidekick, Tao, who I basically describe as Beastmaster's Lt. Gaeta. Let's hope that Legend of the Seeker doesn't fall into the trap of having the annoying, intelligent but ultimately useless sidekick.

Back to LotS, I'm hoping they find many reasons for Horner to lose his shirt and get all sweaty.

Cooped Up

I've been nursing a bit of a cold since just before New Years. Have been taking it easy, so as to try to recover as soon as I can, but I've been feeling a bit cooped up. So, I decided some beef with bed head was exactly what the doctor ordered.

The Best of 2008 - Part 1

It's natural to look back at the end of the year and take stock of the best the year had to offer. I'm no different, so I'm going to look a few important things that have made 2008 enjoyable. Part one is dedicated to the beeves, those shining stars that just leave me with a touch of the vapors. It's not a top-5 because there are only 4... (in no particular order... except my #1)

Barry from Sean Cody.
He's handsome, beefy and openly gay. And to tell the truth, he does bear some resemblance to someone in my real life over whom I was quite a-twitter not too terribly long ago, not to mention reminds me a bit of HUNKY HELO. What can I say? I admit it, I love me some white bread. Not only can he take it like a champ (and come asking for more), he's the type I'd be proud to take home to meet my parents.

Ross Hurston
Okay, I know the rules -- never judge a book by it's cover or a porn star by his films. Maybe he's wonderful, wholesome and incredibly well-read when he's off the set. All of those things are good things in my book, but all I have to go on are videos and this Brit knows how to take slutty, which I normally don't care for, and make it appealing. It raises another question -- when did the British suddenly start getting hot? (He's not the only these days, by any means...) Anyway, from someone I'd take home to meet the parents to someone I'd probably keep away from my parents, lest he cause me to do inappropriate acts in my parents' house.

Tyler Saint
If you're paying attention, you're noticing a general physical type emerging. Handsome, a killer... uh, smile. Has the amazing ability to be aggressive even when he's going down on a guy. Where Ross Hurston has that hint of slutty, Tyler Saint gives off a different energy. Maybe it's because I've seen Tyler in videos where he's in leather, but something about him says, "Regardless of what I'm doing, or perhaps BECAUSE of it, you WILL respect me." Self-respect is hot.

Finally, my #1:

Ben McAvinew
Okay, I want the record to be clear -- the guy is straight (as far as I know) and has no connection to pr0n at all. Aside from a handful of shots taken, he's really not out in the modeling world, either. And yes, he's clearly within the physical type that's been set out with the previous guys. But here's what sets him apart from the rest for me... it's the smolder. Something about the eyes. Call it a character defect, but that's what hits me most because it's something I understand... that feeling of holding back, for whatever reason. Maybe that's just the way life is as a Scorpio, or as a human for that matter. But if there's a lesson I'm learning, it's how to stop holding back. Here's to 2009 being the year where I'm finally ready to let go.

Merry Christmas, Everybody!

(Thanks to BeautifulMag!)

I Know That's Right!

Seen today. The Universe is trying to tell me something!

Dear Santa...

If you need any gift ideas for me, please consider...



I'll gladly leave milk and plenty of cookies of your choice. You know I've been a VERY good boy this year.

-Marc

Guilty Pleasures

I have a confession to make. This past weekend I spent with my family for Thanksgiving and as a part of that, we made a group run to the video store. On the sale rack was something unexpected... unexpected because I forgot it was being made -- Starship Troopers 3: Marauder. I mentioned in a previous entry that I really dig Paul Verhoven as a director and I really enjoyed the original Starship Troopers -- it's brilliant satire, I had read the book in college and Verhoven really gave a great spin to the story. I'd be lying if I said the other big reason I enjoyed the movie was the hotness of Casper Van Dien.

I described this as a guilty pleasure because Starship Troopers 2 was only slightly better than Sarah Palin's Katie Couric interview, and coincidentally, did not feature my beloved Casper, nor did Verhoven direct. Verhoven didn't direct this one either, but this one included Casper, so, for $3.99, I decided to take a chance and hope that there would be gratuitous shots of near-naked Van Dien. I was rewarded for my faith.

Not only were there beef shots of Casper, there was some other tasty flesh in there as well, if you're willing to put up with some unimpressive breasts. In my estimation, the quality of beef far outweighed the price.

Aside from the beef factor, overall, this one was definitely better than the second -- Edward Neumeier, who wrote all three screenplays and directed this one, went back to the political and social satire that worked so well in the original, and was missing from the second. Neumeier isn't as adept at it as Verhoven is, but the decision to make the ham handed use of religion as a political and social tool the underlying theme of the film is quite timely and amusing. Including a music video of a uber-patriotic song created for the film called "It's A Good Day to Die" is brilliant. The scary thing is that it's not too far off the mark from what you'd find in your standard pro-military music videos that have come on the scene since 9/11.

So on balance, for $3.99, it wasn't a bad buy. There's definitely beef, though not as much as I'd like. The film is watchable, though not something I'd watch too terribly often. Still, I can't get enough of nearly naked Casper, so this is one guilty pleasure I just can't hide.

Marc's Midweek Winter Beef Haiku

Here in the desert
no snow or changing leaves, but
a sign of winter

(for the record, I know that winter isn't technically for another several weeks)

Gratuitous Beef

If you've you been following the blog lately, you might think I've lost my taste for beef, seeing as how there haven't really been any beeves making an appearance. nothing can be further from the truth. And for that, here's some tasty wrestler beef just because I'm in the mood.

Marc's Midweek Beef With Wood Haiku

Such a sweaty beef,
it feels good to know you work
hard to give me wood.

My Life's Motto

Found this past Friday night. I can't think of truer words.

Marc's Midweek Pool Beef Haiku

Flotation device
in case of water landing.
Suck nips to inflate!

Marc's Midweek Beef of Summer Haiku

In the summer sun
even the hottest of beef
remembers to play

Best. Title. Ever.

I was talking with Adam about going to see the new X-Files movie tonight. I was checking to make sure that it was out, popped over to a movie site only to discover the best movie title ever: The Midnight Meat Train. Ok, I know it's really another edition of "oh.my.god. we're.all.going.to.die." starring Tori Spelling and featuring a flesh eating Nicholas Cage, but this is the best title of a real thing that sounds like porn since Dexys Midnight Runner's, "Come On Eileen."

The Midnight Meat Train? OMFGBBQ, how many gay men haven't ridden that? Or wouldn't enjoy riding it? What makes the whole idea even more delicious is the caption on the film poster on the right: "The most terrifying ride you'll ever take." Yeah, that's what all straight guys say until they actually ride the midnight meat train... and then he tells you that he was sooooooo drunk and he's never done ANYTHING like that before, he swears and please don't tell anyone... and oh by the way, why don't you give him a call sometime so you can chill, watch SportsCenter, drink some beers and "hang out," ya know?

Heh, thinking of a straight guy calling the midnight meat train "the most terrifying ride you'll ever take" makes me think of a guy who's been featured on StraightHell.net. (Definitely NSFW!) Either that or he hasn't been able to admit to his friends that he's been featured on Sean Cody for the past 6 months.

In any event, I'll leave you with the above mentioned Dexys Midnight Runner for all you nostalgic types.

Marc's Midweek Horny Beef Haiku

No need for a mask
It's okay to admit that
beeves do get horny

Marc's Midweek 'Redrum' Beef Haiku

All work and no play
sure does make Jack a dull boy.
Hey, here is Johnny!

Marc's Midweek HUNKY HELO Haiku

My HUNKY HELO,
always so super sweaty.
Let me lick you clean!

Marc's Midweek Brazillian Soccer Beef Haiku

I've no foot fetish,
this football beef from Brazil's
another story.

Consensus Reality

I needed a distraction today but Adam wasn't online, and he's usually the one I'd call on in this sort of situation. Fortunately, the Universe provided me with another Adam (he of This Boy Elroy) to confound and frustrate.

Essentially, he brought up the growing slate of self help literature, especially the whole The Secret phenomenon. Being versed in the ways of science, he's particularly perturbed by what he believes is the hijacking of some scientific principles for what he describes as a "spiritual justification for greed."

Personally, I will readily admit that there's a whole lot of marketing going on with most of that, although from my experience, I believe there's some truth wrapped up in the marketing if you're willing to look for it. While I don't come close to knowing all their is to know, I have come to accept that most of what I do know is inherently bound up with the perspective that I hold. I don't know if there's any objective truth one could glean from my life other than my own conclusions about how this world operates for me. That's my daily experimentation of life in a holographic universe.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Adam, who champions objective, scientific truth. I suppose our discussion got down to one basic thing -- the idea that scientific discourse is, at it's heart, a rhetorical style. While Adam describes scientific discussion and analysis in terms of "facts and truth," I see the use of data and interpretation that are being used to reinforce a particular worldview -- that is, reality by consensus.

I'm not sure that I really have a point with this -- it just served as a pleasant distraction. Yes, sometimes I venture into odd stuff.