29. July 2008 by admin.

The proper way to start any conversation is to present a subject of interest.  What interests me, may not interest you.  A blog like this is a great vehicle giving people a peak at the public and personal side of me.  If necessary, I can vent here too.  I don’t think that’s going to happen.  It’s just not part of who I am…usually.

Is my life interesting?  Is what I do at 9am as important to you as to what I do at midnight?  Does anyone really care?  I think the answer is yes.  YES!  YES!  YES!  Hmm…sounds like good sex.   But, really, how do we judge one’s life and determine it’s appeal simply by reading a blog?  If you have been reading this blog from the start, you should know quite a bit about me.  The fact that you are reading right now answers my first question.

Perfect, I am not.  Not even close.  Like you, I want to grow and with that comes change.  This blog is change to me.  Barack Obama says his message is change we can believe in.  There was a time when Ed and I would deliberately avoid certain situations.  Now a days, our directions have changed and we face situations with a clear head.  Did age change us? 

Do you like to get away where no one knows your name?  Cliff, Norm..shut up!  We were comforted by the fact that we were Ed and Tony, just two guys from Pittsburgh instead of Tony and Ed, owners and publishers of Out.  Don’t get wrong–I love wearing the Out hat.  I just think 10 years ago, we needed an escape.  Places in WV like Vice Versa and Trick’s filled that need. 

Wouldn’t you like to get away?  Sometimes you want to go…Where no one knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.  You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same…You wanna be where no one knows your name.

WOW…Times have changed.   It’s about time!

Tony
tony@outpub.com

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28. July 2008 by admin.

It’s Monday, and no (younger) kids, but still plenty to do.   Day 2 of the younger boys away at camp.  It is finally starting to settle in…  Our house is not the same.  I miss those little guys.

Great idea…landscaping.  Looks beautiful, but it is me that has to water each morning.  This is a real moment that I wish for rain, lots of rain.  But of course, a city that sees only 3 days of sunlight (OK, maybe 60) days a year, decides to be dry, hot and humid.  Jeez, one would think this is normal ‘Burgh weather.  Did I happen to mention that I hate working outside in 85 degree weather?

All the plans are underway for Chris’ party this weekend.  The food has been ordered, I mean… I have been busy baking away in the kitchen, supplies have been purchased and all that is left is putting up tents, and some last minute stuff.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a good party…yeah, like the ones that are thrown for me.   Really, all this work is worth it and it is not like I don’t have help. 

A birthday party for a 21 year old kind of scares me.  There will kids 20+ years old at the party.  Alcohol + kids…you get the picture.  LOL.  Not that kind of picture, Mr. Gutter Man.  Memories…my 21st birthday was a day I will never forget.  It was the first time that I met Ed…well, kinda of.  He was there, I was there, but we never really met and chatted.  He was there with someone else, and I was there… kinda too, but not really there if you know what I mean.  I guess Ed and I were not meant to be that night.  Instead, the magic happened a month and half later at Pegasus. 

Ok, back to my day…I had an appointment in Monessen, PA at 2pm.  This was the first time I have ever been to that part of the Mon Valley.  Just my luck, no one in my office had any idea where Monessen was located.  Mapquest was my only answer.  Go to 51 South, stay on 51 South and drive.  It felt like 51 South forever!   Traffic everywhere, terrible roads and then nothing.  Not a business or even a house.  It was confusing to me when I saw the welcome to Westmoreland County sign.  I thought to myself…Westmoreland County.  I must be close to home?  Yeah, like 100 miles away from home, at least that is how it felt.    I have a navigation system in my SUV, but opted for the car…  can you say $4 a gallon of gas. 

When you are use to be being told where to go… by the car, silly it is difficult to go back to the old fashion way…Mapquest.  As the dust settled, my final destination was in site.  And, so was a nice looking police officer that was nice enough not to ticket me for going the wrong way on a one-way street.   The meeting went well and I headed back to the big city.  Several hours later, I arrived back on the South Side.    To be fair, Monessen seems like a nice place…to visit and I am sure to live.  <<  Just in case any of my readers are from there.  Now, Clairton and Elizabeth, that’s another story and not a pretty one. 

Today, I am a little smarter and a little more well traveled…  Mon Valley style.

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27. July 2008 by admin.

Did you listen to my advice and have some fun this weekend?  Did it set you back some green?  My weekend went well.  It is hard to sleep in on a Saturday morning knowing you have a house to clean, groceries to purchase and need to pack your boy’s clothes for camp.  After a few cups of freshly ground coffee, I was ready to go, although Ed would have preferred I stay in bed just a few moments longer.  To be fair, he too was up early and painting our back decks by 10am. 

Saturday afternoon, after getting some things done around the house,  Ed and I visited Plumline Garden Center in Murrysville and Holiday Park Garden Center.  Earlier in the week, we landscaped our front and side yard.  The empty spots in our gardens needed filled before we ordered mulch. A variety of sea grass and trees were purchased.  As Ed planted the new additions in our yard, I decided to go shopping.

Sunday morning… No day of rest.  I got up at 8am, had some coffee and worked answering Out’s e-mail.  Business e-mail hits my computer almost 24/7.  Sometimes my laptop can be my worst enemy.  Out receives e-mail around the clock.  A lot of e-mail.  I find it very difficult to not respond immediately and find myself checking my Outlook e-mail evenings and weekends.  This kept me busy for a while, however I needed to head to Dick’s to pick up some camping supplies for the camping trip. 

The trip to Butler lasted about 1:15 minutes.  Not too bad.  The campground was was beautiful.  I kind of wished it was me that was staying.  On the way home, Ed and I stopped at Red Lobster.  It has been a while since we had a nice dinner, just the two of us.  By 6pm, we were at a birthday party and then home.  I guess I have to wait until Monday for some rest.

Check Monday.  Lots planned, including some traveling…

Tony

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26. July 2008 by admin.

Hope your weekend is going well.

Have something to say?
Send your questions or comments to tony@outpub.com or post on this blog.

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25. July 2008 by admin.

Where the heck did this week go?  I can not believe it is Friday. 

Did you check out OTV today?  We shot the first OUTakes video for our new station yesterday down by the river.  I had this brilliant idea to shot some promos for Tony’s TimeOUT video blog and other OTV Pittsburgh promos outside in the beautiful sunshine.  The video was good, but the sound quality suffered because of the wind.   This was my first time in front of the camera, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  To my surprise, it went rather smooth and I really enjoyed it.  I hope you enjoyed it as well.

We launched www.outonline.com only a few weeks ago and were pleasantly surprised with the response we received until yesterday.  As David and I were down at the South Side trail shooting video footage, our website hits were going through the roof.  We discovered this morning that 2,351 viewers visited the site on Thursday!  I must admit, I was totally blown away.

So here I sit, pondering how to celebrate this great week.  Ed and I could head out to Images, Eagle or maybe Real Luck Cafe.  After all, it’s the weekend and the website kicked butt this week.  Reality check!  No babysitter available tonight.  What about Saturday night?  Or next week… ?  

Our 2 younger boys leave for Summer Camp this Sunday and return home Friday evening.  Maybe I could force the camp to take them a day sooner?  Fat chance.   Next weekend is out of the question.  We are celebrating a different achievement.  Our oldest son’s 21st birthday party is on Saturday. Lots of work and planning ahead! I’m not pretty the day before a party at our house.  Just ask the kids.  They avoid me like the Flu.

Here’s an idea for tonight.  Relaxing with a glass of wine and my favorite guy.  Maybe, that is exactly what I am meant to do.    Sometimes we take the most important things in our lives for granted.  No, I am not talking about the glass of wine or an evening of relaxation.  How silly would that be?    I am talking about Eddy.  Do not take the important people in your life for granted.  That’s an order!   Trust me!  The glass of Dom Perignon is meant to be enjoyed in the moment.  Ed, on the other hand is my moment, everyday and hopefully the rest of my life.  And, I plan to live to be 100!

Enjoy the evening and make some special plans with your boyfriend. It doesn’t matter if you just met him at 2:15am after he was finished dancing on the bar all night… Just have some fun, enjoy the moment and don’t forget to hit the MAC machine on your way home! 

All my best,
Tony

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24. July 2008 by admin.

Hi friends! 

What a beautiful summer day in the ‘burgh.  The sunshine and comfortable temperatures have afforded us an outside opportunity to shoot some promos for OTV Pittsburgh, www.outonline.com, OUTtakes and Tony’s TimeOUT down by the river on the South Side trails.  We plan to do some shoots around 2pm after the lunchtime rush. 

The trail is beautiful this time of year with some breathtaking views of downtown, bridges and the river.  It is a great place to walk, jog, ride bikes or shoot promos.  Great other sights, too!  It is a Pittsburgh must if you live or work on the South Side. 

All our hard work for the month pays off next Thursday when the new edition of Out hits the newsstand.  There is nothing more enjoyable than seeing your hard work illustrated in print.    The staff works very hard and takes a lot of pride in our newspaper.  Next time you pick up a copy, please remember all the time, hard work and pride that went into that issue. 

Check back later tonight or tomorrow for updates.

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23. July 2008 by admin.

Can you believe it is Wednesday already and July 23?  Let’s start by giving Ed a shout-out.  This guy puts up with me and this company 7 days a week.  He is the one that sits back and listens.  His opinions help ground me and reminds me of the important stuff.  You see, having a partner of many years has so many benefits beyond the obvious.  Good communication in any relationship is key. 

Good news.  David Stanton, my website manager for www.outonline.com and OTV just informed that the website numbers are surpassing expectations.  What’s more, Tony’s TimeOUT blog had more visitors and new subscribers yesterday than any other day!  In the print and internet publishing world, readership is key.   Thank you for reading.  It reassures me that what I am doing is important to you. 

When you have children, the words “Back to School” can cause excitement and anxiety.   It is exciting because the younger boys are going to a new grade and the oldest a new semester.  Believe it or not, I prefer the set schedule that starts with the first day of school.  It goes something like this… Get the kids on the bus, head to work, coffee at Sheetz, fight the morning rush for 45 minutes on the Parkway East and arrive on the South Side much earlier then during the summer.    Ed dislikes the yearly ritual.  He works from home and sees the kids all day long.  No doubt it is more difficult for him.  College kids, especially ones that play sports, head back to school 3 or 4 weeks before the grade school kids.  It is difficult sending your kid away to college.  You relive it several times a year.  The anxiety comes from the back to school rush.  It has been said that gay people love to shop and I am not an exception, but how many pencils, notebooks, shoes and Abercrombie sweatshirts can you buy for someone else and keep smiling.  Don’t get me wrong, I love buying gifts for others, but how about a day filled with gifts and pampering for us gay dads?  Maybe a T-shirt? 

Today, everything is about labels.  It is one thing to buy a label for someone and quite another thing to place one on them. 

Jeez, it is nearly noon.  I need to get my deposit to the bank and proof some ads. 

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22. July 2008 by admin.

Have something to say?
Send your questions or comments to tony@outpub.com or post on this blog.

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21. July 2008 by admin.

Today started out much like any other Monday morning.  Got up, made coffee and checked my e-mail.  But, this morning was different.  Many of you know Jeff Howells.  Not only is he Out’s Editor in Chief, but he is a good friend of mine.  His mother passed away last Friday.  Today she was buried.  Jeff is devoted and hard working.  Pick up any issue of Out over the past 20 years and you will see just how much.  Jeff, you are in our thoughts and prayers.

Ed took off work and I closed the office so we could be there for him.  Ed’s mom, Doe (the friendly voice that answers the phone at the office) went along too.  We wanted to be there for him in person.  You know, when you work with people day after day, it helps to be friends and if you are fortunate enough, you become a family.  Real friends and family will always be there.

It is not only our relationships with our friends and family that help define us, but the compassion and strength they show us help make us more human.

When I first started this blog, I had to decide just how personal to get and how would I avoid invading other peoples’ privacy.   When it comes to people I care around, I will always avoid hurting them when possible.

I am a lifelong Pittsburgher and proud of it.  My father was a steel worker and racehorse trainer. My mother was mostly a homemaker until her and my father divorced.  I come from a large, mostly Italian family that has roots in Plum, Penn Hills and the Alle-Kiski Valley.  Where does the Strejcek part of my name come from?  My Chechoslavakian grandfather.  He married my grandmother, Isabel Camillo.  Her parents were 100% Italian and I believe my grandfather’s mother was Italian too.  My mother’s father, Guy Suprano was also 100% Italian.

OK, I have to publicly admit that I am a mixed breed, but I must add…a proud mixed breed.  Ask me, and I will tell you I am 75% Italian…LOL.  Do I really know or does it really matter?  More important is what I have learned from these people and how they have changed my life.  A message, I hope, is clear to my friend who recently lost his mother. 

Later today, I found myself back at the office.  I made the drive into the city so I could get a few things done.  When I arrived, I discovered that the mail was still delivered, the Out offices were still intact and that this place would still be here Tuesday morning.  What was missing were the wonderful people that make this place enjoyable.  Tomorrow is new day.  We all can count on that!

Send your questions or comments to tony@outpub.com or post on this blog.

Have a beautiful evening.

Tony 

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16. July 2008 by admin.

Hot, humid, sunny days are upon us.  This weather keeps me in doors with the exception of an occasional dip in the pool.  Something I can’t do at this moment because I am sitting in my office on the South Side trying to catch up some work.  Yesterday was the display ad deadline for the August issue of Out.  Things pile up around here this time of the month.

Wow, there is a lot of excitement these days.  OTV and www.outonline.com are up and running. Doing very well, I must add.  Great response Pittsburgh!  Many of you are starting to tune in daily.  Listen, believe me when I say it was not my intention to use this blog as another resource to promote Out’s website. :-)

I want to talk a little about Pittsburgh’s Pride week.  It is still fresh and I have a lot to say about the subject.  Those who know me, know I have a lot to say about everything.  Love, sex, religion, politics, money and Eddy… LOL. 

On June 19, Ed and I were fortunate to go to the SPLASH party on Mount Washington at the home of Peter and Steve.  We heard the rumors and knew what to expect. :-) These guys know how to throw a party!  It was wonderful to see 300 or 400 glbt or glbt friendly people having a great gay time.  The city view is breathtaking from their 10,000 square ft. party palace.  It is no wonder that their home has become a Pittsburgh gay and straight party destination.  The rent boys only added more excitement and eye-candy to an already hot and successful evening.  What a great idea having that event during Pittsburgh’s Pride week. 

The following Saturday, we met our friends Bill, Greg and Harry at Pride in the Streets at 7pm.  Ed and I had tickets to see Joan Rivers at the Byham Theater, an event sponsored by the Lambda Foundation.  We were concerned that turnout there would be affected by Pride in the Streets which was only a few blocks away.  Joan was very funny and entertaining.  She worked the good size crowd.  We enjoyed every minute.  If you ever have the opportunity to see her in person, do it! 

Later that evening we left the theater and headed back to our friends and the big party on Liberty Avenue.  We danced, sipped a few cocktails and enjoyed the music–so much that we stayed well past 2am.  Ever been to a party with 6,000 gay men?  We expected huge lines to the port-a-johns, but were pleasantly surprised.  Someone thought well in advance and created an port-a-john city on a side alley.  No long lines, unless you were in one of the packed bars and no waiting.  Perfect!  

Let me tell you something…this was a well organized event that included good entertainment, state-of-art lighting system and professional stage.   The energy level was high, the crowd was hot and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.  The VIP tent was well staffed and quickly became a hang out for the many rent boys and the “be seen” crowd.  Do you like hot guys and rubbing elbows with some of the glbt community’s most well-known people?  I suggest spending the extra money for a VIP ticket next year!   

Hats off to Gary, Peter, Steve, Jeff and Tom of the Delta Foundation for a great job and for securing permits that allowed us to party on a major Pittsburgh street for hours.  Like I said above, we stayed until a little after 2am knowing that we needed to return to the same location the next morning to setup Out’s booth for the Pride Festival.  It was tough, but we were able to get setup before the parade started.  It was a day to be proud, and proudly we showed up by the thousands.  There is absolutely no question.  This was the largest glbt event in Pittsburgh’s history. 

We are starting work on our new studio for OTV on Thursday.  Please let me know your ideas for talk shows.  We welcome your video too.  Send comments and videos for OTV to tony@outpub.com.  Sorry…2nd Out website promotion. 

Got a question or suggestion for Tony’s TimeOUT blog?  E-mail me at tony@outpub.com

Stay cool and check back tomorrow.  Thanks for reading!

Tony

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