“Don’t Think I’ve Left You All Behind”

So, Aaron and I are home after several days away. Here’s how June 24 & June 25 unfolded…

Wednesday (June 24, 2026), Aaron and I flew to Michigan out of Great Plains, New York, which we’d never done before, usually leaving from LaGuardia, JFK or Newark. It was fine, though much smaller than what we’re used to. I found it charming. Aaron didn’t love it, but our flight was smooth and fast, with no troubles.

Aaron’s mother, Mary Ellen, and her longtime boyfriend Mark, picked us up from the airport, as they often do. They let us borrow Mary Ellen’s car but we went to a restaurant together. The food was good and the company was great. I was happy to be with them and happy to be back in Michigan. I love Michigan. It isn’t home anymore, but it is packed with memories and many people that I adore. We headed to our hotel. I toyed with going out but decided to stay in as I can get worn out pretty easily and we had a lot planned. I read a bit before bed – and I slept well, which isn’t surprising as I’d gotten up very early. Oh…and as I was off the medication that had been crushed in the mail, I was sick all day.

On Thursday (June 25, 2026), the pharmacy let me by purchase 7 days worth of my meds out of pocket. My online pharmacy was supposed to have sent me more but they never sent a tracking number so I figured it was delayed. Aaron went to the rehearsal for his cousin’s wedding. Meanwhile, my sister Janice picked me up and then our father (with my nephew Jordan along for the adventure), taking us to Aubree’s Pizzeria & Grill (the same place I’d gone the day before). Our cousin Joy and her partner Nate joined us as well. A fun time was had by all. After we parted ways with Joy and Nate, Janice took Jordan to Kroger to get groceries and then we dropped him off, followed by our father soon after.

Janice took me to pick up Aaron’s dry cleaning for the wedding and then we headed out for Mooreville to visit with Grandma (Frances Phillips), our step-father (Douglas L. Canell) and our Aunt Marge White. I took lots of pictures of the countryside on our way from Ann Arbor; I’ve always thought it was beautiful there, but I didn’t start taking pictures of it until after I moved to New York.

I had such a wonderful visit with my family.

Janice drove me back to my hotel. I got ready for bed. I read more of my book and slept well again.

To Be Continued…

Today’s journal entry song quote is from “Pink Pony Club” from the 2023 debut studio album by the American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”.

“I, Your Willing Victim”

After the last entry, I was hungry. I was getting ready for bed but I was hungry and I tried to have a light snack, but then I had another, and another. Nothing was too much on its own, and all of it was healthy, it was just too much for me to really lay down, so I stayed up until 2am, making sure everything was good. It was a dumb mistake, but it wasn’t the end of the world. I did sleep well when I finally got to bed. But before I drifted off I started re-reading a book I’ve read several times before. Again, I’ve not finished a book in years and I don’t know that I’ll finish this one. But here we are.

Aaron was meant to drive me a Doctor’s appointment today but he had a lot of unexpected work and he was pressed for time. He said he’d pay for an uber to take me, but I was pretty sure I could make it on the train. I got ready. While getting ready I had the urge to speak to my mom, which doesn’t happen often, but when it does it can be intensely sad. It wasn’t too bad. I noted it, said a little “prayer” to her and texted my sister about it. Then I finished getting ready and headed out. I wasn’t allowed to have any metal on me so I had to take out all my jewelry.

I took the A train from 181st down to 42nd / Times Square, where I caught the E train over to the east side for my appointment. I didn’t have to wait long for any of the trains and none of them were crowded, which was nice. I listened to music. I got to my appointment at the NYU Langone location on at 159 E 53rd street (New York, NY. 10022-4602), on the 6th floor. I’m always impressed that this office is peppered with LGBTQ+ PRIDE Flags. I was an hour early. I got in. They gave me a gown for the bone density test and then I waited about 20 minutes. The test took about a half hour. I got dressed an headed out.

It was raining when I left. The forecast had told me it likely would but I would have known anyways because I had the familiar throbbing in my skull. It wasn’t too bad though and the subway was less than half a block from the door of the building I was in so I didn’t get my umbrella out. On the E train a seemingly queer woman sat next to me and complimented me on my PRIDE hat. We spoke during the 4 stops that I was on the train and then I was off to the A train, which was a bit more crowded but I still had a place to sit. When we got to 181st street I took the long escalator up to the street where it was pouring. I got my umbrella out this time and started for home, but my head didn’t hurt anymore and I felt a lot better. I stopped into a grocery store where I got some Baby Arugula + some Kiwis. When I got home had a pita bread with what I had left of my salad from the other day. Aaron had me help him with some stuff he was doing. I had another snack while I watched some reactors watch the last 3 episodes of Andor and eventually I took an unplanned for nap.

Oh. Also on the train home, I had a moment where a woman sitting next to me made me think of Candace Hawkins. She was a coworker of mine at Hollywood Video back in the day. Everyone seemed to love her. She was murdered a couple of years ago but a man she’d been seeing. It was a horrible at the time, but it also felt very far removed from me. Thinking of her on the train, it hit harder than it had before and I cried for a minute. Then I texted another Hollywood friend, D.J., who had been her brother-in-law. It was sad, but it was also a nice exchange. He told me he loved me and he missed my hugs. All my life people have complimented me on the way that I hug. I told him we might be able to arrange such a hug this week, but it’s unclear if that will happen or not.

Since the nap, I’ve had a nice chat with Matt Habel-Graham. We dated briefly in early 2004. We seldom speak, but this was good. Complimentary, compassionate, and amusing. But I’m winding down again. I may have another smoothie or something but I think I’m done for the day.

Today’s journal title song quote is from “Just Give Me a Reason” by American singer and songwriter Alecia Beth “P!NK” Moore-Hart’s 2012 sixth studio album, “The Truth About Love”. The song is a duet with another American singer and songwriter, Nathaniel “Nate” Joseph Ruess. It’s been in my head all day due to my starting to re-read that book last night, Anyta Sunday’s “Rock”, which concerns a love affair between two brothers over the course of their lives. I don’t know why I love it so much, but I do. And when I read it the first time, I often listened to this song on repeat, so I still associate them with one another.

Actually, I read this book (which apparently has a new cover, seen on the right here) to Aaron in the car once, on a long car trip. He cried with me during it. lol So at least he thought it was good too. But it’s a dumb gay romance novel, with incestuous overtones and the copy I have feature some mistakes – but I find it charming. I read another book by her but I didn’t like it half as much.

Okay. I should get ready for bed. Or have that smoothie. Something.



error: Content is protected !!