I’m not talking about those kinds of toys, so get your minds out of the gutter.

I’m talking about how some gay men love the same toys straight men love. For the most part, men think alike, gay or straight. I know I can’t pass a marina without checking out at least one jet ski. And I’m fascinated by this “thing” that produces snow…whenever you want snow…so much I’m about one step away from ordering it. I know it’s just a toy. I know we will probably get plenty of snow here this winter. But what if we don’t? I’ll have my snow machine to make winter worth while.

There are certain things that make me cringe. I’d rather read an erotic romance that was recommended by a well known book reviewer/blogger whom I won’t mention by name than go shopping. This book reviewer has hideous taste in erotic romance, but I’d rather read a recommendation from them than go to Macy’s. In fact, shopping makes me cringe so much I can’t even look at a parking lot in a mall without getting a little nauseous. When I go to the store, I buy what I need. I don’t shop. I don’t have the patience.

But put me in the middle of a Home Depot or Lowes and I’m in all my glory. And I’m not even all that handy. It’s just being surrounded by all those toys that gets me excited. It’s hard to explain. And my latest toy is a home generator. That’s what’s in the box on my garage floor in the photo above. I wanted to get a close up but I used my phone to take the photo and it was too dark inside the garage to get a closer shot.

I’ve owned my home now for nine years this month. We had a rough nor’easter come up the east coast about two weeks ago that dumped over seven inches of heavy wet snow where I live, in New Hope, Buck’s County, PA. No one was prepared for it. We all lost trees and went without power for days. And when you live in a somewhat rural area and you don’t have power that means you don’t have heat, water…or anything.

I’m always stocked with plenty of firewood and I have a huge walk-in fireplace, so my living room was nice and warm. I had my Kobo e-reader and my new iPhone to keep busy. And in the past nine years, this is the first time the power has ever gone out for longer than a few hours. But I started thinking about the fact that it could happen again. And then I started talking to other guys I know who have their own generators. So I decided to get a generator, too. It’s my latest toy and I’m loving it. I’m having even more fun with this than I am with my new tablet. And this way, if the power ever does go out, I’ll be prepared. I’m almost looking forward to it.

Could I have lived without a generator? I guess I could. It’s not like I’m living in the middle of nowhere. New York is an hour away; Philadelphia is a half hour. There are many busy suburbs in between. But a toy is a toy, and sometimes you have to have it. Even if you’re a gay man who doesn’t like to shop.