Dane, the First- the first Foreword

Well, today is a first!

For Dane and I, just to be perfectly clear.

Dane had a wonderful idea to go camping before we start our new adventures this coming week. Dane took two bartending positions and a substitute teaching position and is in the process of deciding which position he wants to eliminate to keep his sanity. I was recently hired as a musician for a growing local church and most recently for a sales position in a homegrown business in Iowa. While both of us know it's a time of transition and confusion that has caused a great deal of stress and heartbreak on top of the move away from our old home, the honest best thing for the both of us right now is ... just to relax.

Now, relaxing is a funny thing. Dane likes to relax through singing or cooking or spending time with friends. I have trouble relaxing... period . I like to spend time with friends too, but I also prefer to read books, write, or play piano. So we compromised and decided to go... camping! Hah!

I know, right? Two gay guys camping? Believe it or not, we actually set the tent up within 15 minutes just between the two of us. (without calling either of our dads, I might add!)

Initially, this trip presented itself with several challenges. The first being the materials, the second being the actual camping itself. I wasn't sure if I was ready to spend a night in the outside world so quickly after moving back to the Cedar Rapids area and Dane wasn't too sure if he could survive without running water on site. Believe it or not, we're both still breathing!

However...

This time shared between the two of us has brought up several questions for ourselves that we'd like to answer before we get married. I could give you a never-ending list of questions (because that's what it feels like when you're planning a wedding), but it really all boils down to 5 simple ones...

Who?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?

At first glance, it may seem like those 5 questions could easily be answered. Any couple on the journey to being married or those who have already been married at least once could answer those questions in a heartbeat. Dane and I already have answered all of them... except 1. So right now we're searching for the answer to the fifth question before we fully consummate our marriage. I have no doubts that we'll find the answer at this point, the real question at hand is... well... I'll let you figure *that* part out.

Dane and I have discussed multiple times writing a book together. I have started many a novel myself, but being the Aries that I am (or, at least, that I'm told I am) I have a tendency to start projects and not finish them. And being the Gemini that Dane is, he tends to talk me up before I embark on said project right before I fall flat on my face. So Dane and I started a project together in compro:

We are going to write you our romance novel.

It's going to have 17 chapters because I have a running joke with the number 17 and Dane doesn't get a choice in the matter, so Dane gets to co-write a book with me! This is something we both thought we'd never do on our own. This venture gives us the opportunity to review several 'firsts' in my life and be able to tell the story from both Dane and my perspectives. I plan to release each 'chapter' on Fridays after a week of drafting and visiting with Dane. At the end of the 17 chapters who knows what will happen? This is a creative work in progress and I am beyond excited to embark on another creative endeavor with the man-to-be-my-hubby. We've done several musicals, decorated homes and even pitched one tent together... so it only makes sense to write a book next!

I can't wait to share the finished products with you all!

Well that's that. Time to get to writing! Talk to you soon!

Sincerely,
Gabe & Dane

And so.. it begins!

Hello again!

As some of you may already know my almost hubby, Dane, and I are moving out from our small town Cresco where we've lived the past 3 years to move back closer to family and friends in our hometown of Cedar Rapids. Today is our last day in Cresco, we're moving the last of our things out of our old home and moving them into our new home in Ely. It's a sad day, but also an exciting one as it starts new beginnings!

Dane and I plan to move the rest of our stuff to Ely and then continue unpacking and interviewing for other positions in Cedar Rapids. I'm interviewing for various HR/music/administrative positions and Dane plans to work through the schools as a substitute teacher. He's also considering a career change for a quick change of pace while I'll obtain my Bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa.

Part of starting anew is learning to adapt and respond to change. As a pair of musicians, this is an area of comfort for Dane and I. I'm in the process of revamping our social media and making selections for new programs that we want to use to continue navigating and learning in this world. In my opinion, social media is quickly becoming a necessary evil in this world, and as much as I want to be naturalistic and not attached to my phone all the time (as is very much Dane's natural inclination) I still see it as something that we need to use in order to survive in the world that we're all growing and caring for together. Plus, it's probably required for one of the honors programs I'm applying for at University of Iowa anyway... so that leaves a lot up to speculation!

I've decided to narrow down my social media choices down to just three programs: Blogger, Instagram and YouTube. Blogger is where I will write, Instagram is where I will shoot (pictures) and YouTube is where I hope to publish videos of various content. I'm thinking about maybe doing a Musical Monday video and maybe a video blog with Dane, but who knows where the future will lead us.

I'm currently working on a mashup of various songs for my birth mother. I hope to maybe post this for fun as a video of Dane and I performing. Do you, the reader, have any suggestions for Dane or I while we continue our adventure into social media and surviving in the public eye healthily? (oo, that's a hard subject, we'll have to touch on that one again at a later date)

I'll post a link to my YouTube at a later date when it's set up and ready to go! Here is my Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/acosmosa/

Let us know! Leave us a note in the comments section or send me a personal email, I love all the feedback I can get!
-Gabe

Introductions

Hi there!

You're probably wondering, 'Who the heck are Gabe & Dane?'

...

... or maybe not.

Regardless, I'm going to tell you!

I'm Gabe; short for Gabriel. I'm the admin and main author on this blog. I'm a pretty simple guy with a pretty complicated past with a pretty awesome boyfriend. Oh yeah. Dane is my boyfriend. We're both just a little crazy. But we have fun with it. You end up with more funny stories that way!

To be perfectly honest with you, Dane and I are about as opposite as they come.

Not opposite in all the ways people would lead you to believe though.

We're actually pretty similar individuals! We have similar interests, tastes, hobbies, etc....

It's our quirks that are ironically and universally juxtaposed, often in humorous ways, that make us seem so opposite each other.

As in...

Dane is always the person that uses the last of the toilet paper
and I am the one who always replaces it (usually after I realize after it's too late, 'Oh crap! Where's the toilet paper?'

Or...

I consider myself (for the most part) a talented driver cursed with an absolutely terrible sense of direction...
... and Dane, without a doubt, has an impeccable sense of direction, but unfortunately drives like a Tyrannosaurus Rex in crazed pursuit of it's next meal.

I know both of those examples are absolutely terrible examples, but I suck at writing jokes, and I'd much rather just tell you how it is!

This blog is dedicated to giving real, personal advice from a gay guy (sometimes, guyS) that likes to give it to ya as straight as it comes. I don't beat around the bush (unless Dane is in the mood!) and these posts are written for myself primarily for my own enjoyment. Some posts will be funny, some will be sad. Some will be thoughtful, and some will be downright outrageous. But that's how life is, right!?

That's my opinion, anyway.

Is this awkward enough yet for a first, introductory post? Can I get to the T yet?

Until next time! :)
-Gabe