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Something impalpable happens when you first meet me. As soon as you shake hands with this "Daniel," something begins to churn, a covert operation that spins unnoticed. Or upon commenting on my blog for the first time, you set into motion my secret assembly, always shrouded until now. What could this treachery be? Behold: I have been fitting you into my world of classical music— specifically, I have been assigning a musical instrument to your characters and personalities.
I did this as early as my teens, to help me to remember names and faces, and to identify with the masses of people in my life. Later, this association and brain-mapping became automatic, and to this day, I hold true that secret little fantasy that every one of my friends is an undiscovered musician.
I thought that now would be a good time to open up my inner clockwork a little. I'm going to let you peek inside my mind to find out what I've been thinking of you the whole while. There is no "good" or "bad" instrument in the palette, so don't fret; these are my personal connections between you and the world of music. This list is glaringly incomplete, but I haven't forgotten you in my mind!
- We begin with a co-worker on blogspot.com. When I met her on my first day at the company, she was a flautist all the way. An alto flute to be proper.
- Deep inside Atlanta, I learned of xevious10, and I immediately assigned to him a piano. It turns out he has the experience to prove me right.
- I didn't have to read Brian's profile to realize that he was a violinist. I had already connected this Texas virtuoso with that beautiful stringed instrument.
- There are plenty of violins to go 'round, and rebirthX2 will be an obvious and natural custodian of only the finest-sounding violin that the masters have to offer.
- Another hopeful musician from L.A., wladude must become a flautist by learning the C concert flute. The balance of the universe depends upon it!
- A guitar is more reserved for smaller ensembles rather than huge orchestral works, but MrJCHEN would shine masterfully with a classical guitar and baroque guitar.
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Pe-tah, one of the first bloggers I met on Xanga, is an obvious French hornist ready to bloom. Will the hornist awake within him? Time will only tell.
- Upon meeting FireAndIce1975, a fine young man of Portuguese descent, I paired him with the ukulele, which not surprisingly is a Portuguese instrument!
- A virtual captive in South Korea, jinparky was, to me, the embodiment of clarinet mysticism from day one. I discovered soon after that he actually did play the clarinet in school. May he one day rekindle his love for this instrument.
- It takes a seasoned ear to respect the sound of the viola, and domin8or75 is best suited to showcase this underdog of the string section.
- It takes the guns of someone like mrdavidn to properly wield a bass trombone, and D's pairing with heavy brass sticks with me even today.
- I let vx93 become the custodian of the tenor saxophone, often considered the most sensual instrument on our stage.
- I have committed an oboe d'amore to mjhacket. This is a tough one to master, but he's quite a cultured scholar from my home state of Michigan, so this woodwind should be a walk in the park for this young man.
- NanYu catapults us back to the era of feudalism with his taiko, but taiko are nowhere to be found in an orchestra. Instead, he harnesses the the power of congas.
- JonasApproved. What immortal, hand or eye, dare frame thy celebrity blogger? I dare, and the bond has been made. I associate Jonas with the lush A clarinet— a woodwind as rich and mellow as his own personality.
- And I can almost imagine his friend, jeeves777, mastering the cello. The sound would be as hauntingly gorgeous as his photography.
As much as I'd love for all of us to congregate within a concert hall and let the music flow, I know it's quite a pipe dream. Still, in a subtle way, all of you do form a large symphony in my eyes, every time I visit your blogs. Thank you for making this a special place for me, and for creating a sense of community that everyone will remember always.
-Daniel Culveyhouse
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | No comments yet | comment here)
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As we waited for our food, I flipped through my friend's new book, which at the time was still awaiting retail release. I was both wowed and stunned at the subjects of each page. I was studying a bondage book, conceptualized by none other than Van, a good friend who just happens to be at the forefront of the bondage scene in L.A. His style is inspired by shibari, or Japanese bondage, very evident in his original ropework. Van closely watched my expressions change with each page, and I scolded him over a few of the compositions as everyone at the table joked and bastardized some of the other photos, all taken by Van.
As I reached the end of the book, he demanded, "So tell me what you think of this last photo!"
I came face to face with my own outdoor portrait in a rather precarious position, taken three years ago.
My hair stood on end, and my jaw deployed. Everyone at the table (except for me) roared with laughter at my reaction. I was at a loss of words, as I had totally forgotten about Van's intention of releasing such a book. I turned one more page to find a landscape noir version of my previous photo. I was hesitant to label this book true art, but when I saw his rendering of Daniel vs. nature, I was sold.
So, what can I say— I'm in a bondage book. Hi mom!
The book is now for sale at almost every gay/lesbian bookstore on the West Coast, and it's also available on Amazon. I figured what the hell, I might as well write a review for it! I never promote any merchandise on my blog, nor would I advertise anything for commercial gain. But read the review below, and feel free to visit the Amazon page for Van's male bondage book if you dare. I gave the book four stars, for every good reviewer knows never to issue five stars to anything if people are to take you seriously. For all newbie critics out there, the good rule of thumb is to dish out five stars ONLY if something gave you multiple orgasms.
 From a Master of Creative Arts, July 9, 2006
As any industry matures, we begin to see a certain craftsmanship that just didn't exist before. In the adult industry, such is true, and adult media is rarely considered "artful" or even "Avant-garde."
But Darkholme's treatment of bondage as an aesthetic really does define the bondage scene and will become part of our zeitgeist. This tall Asian dabbler in art not only prepares each scene meticulously, but he also improvises with his own ropework and lighting, and he then finally photographs his subject.
The result is a palette of moods and predicaments, all with the common theme of individuality and expression. The book is a collector's item, and though I rarely invest in coffee table books, I do highly recommend this one to both BDSM hunters and your average Jane or Joe.
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | No comments yet | comment here)
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Welcome to the weekend, and if you're an American, welcome to an even longer one! After five hard days of toil, I'm looking forward to this four-day holiday. I'll be visiting more restaurants, conducting experiments, and helping to find a roommate for our house on the hill.
Yes, we lost a roommate and wish to replace him. What a better place to look for a roommate than in the blogosphere! Please do contact me if you or someone you know wants to live in a house two blocks from the Castro, perched high above all the craziness with a view of downtown and East Bay. You've already seen the GARDEN, and I'll post more photos of our interior in a few days.
Three of us including our landlord currently live in this three-story, four-bedroom house, and it has a charm I haven't found before in San Francisco. We just adopted a three month old puppy, which can take some adjustment on your part if you're not familiar with the explosive energy of young pups. The available bedroom is somewhere around 10' x 11', and you would share the gorgeous and spacious main bathroom with me. I don't think I even have to describe the vistas, do I! Although we live in a sedate neighborhood, there is never a dull moment on Cumberland Avenue. The monthly rent is $825, and utilities trickle in at about $70 per month. If you're looking for a real place to live, then it's time to check us out! To express your interest, get on that cell phone and call me at 415-596-6715. We do not discriminate, as discrimination is unjust (not to mention illegal).
I'll report on the long weekend in a few days, but until then, I leave you with another exhilarating shot of Twin Peaks and its notorious advection fog, taken one hour before sunset. Click it for a larger version. I wasn't sure whether to photograph it or surrender to our alien invaders...
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | No comments yet | comment here)
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