Today was a happy day.

Definitely a happy day.

See, even Ryan is smiling.

I love you Rocky.
Absolutely.

Show Me Love...

... and what it is all about.

OMG we have been featured!

I am absolutely touched that Elmer decided to feature me and Rocky at his blog.
http://elmerlovesoreo.blogspot.com/2011/09/tobie-and-rocky.html

Do feel free to let him know how awesome his blog is.
:-)

Geekwood: Spider-man

While Spider-man deserves a more.. fulfilling post in the future, I just felt I needed to post these three new images of his new look that will be available as a skin in Spider-Man: Edge of  Time.

That's literally one layer away from turning into really good digital porn.  Woof!

How many Peter Parkers would your peter pick?

I really wonder about these artists sometimes.

Seriously?

Then again, hot guys by Adam Hughes are always welcome.

The awkward awesomeness of Todd MacFarlane.

Now that outfit I'd love to see my partner try one-time.

Do guys really wipe their asses that way after a shower?  Really?

Here's one of Ben, the Spider-man clone.
Just so we can see what he would have looked like more real.

Be proud. Come out. Stand tall.

DADT (Don't Ask, Don't Tell) has finally ended.  And we can see how many are embracing the joy of having the freedom and the right to come out and be themselves.  Sad and ironic how in other places, like Manila, so many are still too afraid to come out and be proud of who they are.  While the rest of the world struggles for the right to be proud of who they are, and for the safety of identifying themselves as gay without a mob literally out to kill them, here we have people who claim "coming out is unimportant" and talk of being recognized as gay as something to be ashamed of.

I am proud to have come out.
Yes, it hasn't been an absolutely smooth ride.  Yes, my parents were hurt by the truth, since they did want their son to be straight and have children.  But still, there is strength in being recognized for who you are.  There is courage in being able to stand up for yourself and say, "I am proud to be me."  And there are stronger and deeper bonds that form when your parents learn the truth, and now relate to you with the proper knowledge, and eventually, understanding of who you are as a whole.


I really hope more people realize staying hidden in the closet is no way to truly live.
And I do hope they realize this before it is too late.

It ends today.

Congratulations to all of you who can celebrate this freedom!

Gotta love when they look geeky cute

Tom, why do you do this to me?  Sighs.  Good thing my partner doesn't mind if we tag-team you someday.

Gruff is always good

I never liked him til he started to look less like a mannequin and more like a man.

Now that is YUM.

Even Celebrities have Camwhoring Moments!

Thank you Tom, for having them.

Not bad Gaga

I love it when popular artists lend a hand, if not a presence, to less popular artists whose creativity demands to be noticed as well.

It is all about LOVE

Thank you Lady Gaga and thank you 4ata.

I don't get Miss Universe

I know, I know, I shouldn't rant about something I don't like when so many others do and it does so much more good out there in the world.  But honestly, I don't get all the hooplah over the Miss Universe pageant.  Currently on both facebook and in many social networks, the running joke is that a "official holiday for gay people" is about to happen or that "all gay employees can request for their sick leave/vacation leave today" with the joke being: Every gay guy loves to watch Miss Universe.

Yeah.  Everyone knows what a Miss Universe contestant looks like.

The thing is, I don't.
And I am definitely not straight.
Is it because I am more bisexual than just gay?  Maybe it has to do with me seeing beauty pageants as events that celebrate being a specific kind of beauty, and represents glamour and grace as a specific way of acting, and the whole event and all feels very unnecessary and frivolous.  And admittedly, it has to do with my dislike of how all this has lead to things like this event which seems to glamorize and support doing this to one's children.

Seriously.  And some of these poor children take botox now.  Ugh.

Beauty will always, for me, be something everyone has.
Some may have beauty that coincides with what more people define as beautiful than others, while others might have a beauty that takes a more open-minded or less brain-washed mind.    I have strong feelings against any group, production or form of media that highlights and celebrates only ONE kind of beauty.  Not everyone has to be thin.  Not every woman needs that hour-glass figure to be beautiful.  But it seems in as much as these pageants harp about "Inner beauty" they do nothing but demonstrate more and more the need to confirm to their definition of beauty.

Maybe if Miss Universe had a wider range of body types.
And celebrations of beauty. 

Take away their heads and you'll see the same body type and the same beauty stylings on each and every single contestant.  Hairstyles, racial traits and talents may differ, but everyone seems to try to be the same kind of woman, waving in the same exact way, smiling with the same "perfect" smile.

All The Same.

I embrace individuality.  I embrace identity.  I embrace being brave enough to tell yourself "you are beautiful" and being willing to stand out and be different.   Now I am sure there are those out there who will greatly disagree with me.  Many would definitely say I missed the "point" of Miss Universe.   Some would definitely harp about how Miss Universe is about reaching for one's dreams and knowing we can all "be better".   But I will always say, "Being better" is not the same as "Being healthier".   Wanting to work out because you care about your health and want to look more fit is fine and commendable.  But doing it because you believe you are ugly unless you look like some beauty pageant contestant?  Unacceptable.

Why indeed?

Ultimately, this is just me ranting about it.  I don't get all the buzz and fuss over it.  I don't get the excitement it supposedly contains.  I guess for me, Miss Universe is like golf.  Or the UAAP games.  Ultimately, just not my thing.

Any this kind of thinking starts to become the norm.
Anyone who wants to celebrate being distinct rather than the same, is automatically labelled a negative thing.

So to all you fans who, for some reason are reading my blog, enjoy Miss Universe - Enjoy the show and I hope your "bet" wins.  But please, don't try to convince me of the "virtues" of the show.  You'd probably have a bigger chance turning me into a homophobic straight guy.

Oh I wish you'd come to teach me something.

In case you don't know him yet...