I was born in North Carolina. I am quite proud of my southern roots. I always love the smell of southern pines, and I will always order the sweet tea and hush puppies with my fried catfish. As for how I got here, in the words of Truvy from “Steel Magnolias,” “There’s a story there…” but that’s for another day.

1. Plastic surgeon.

2.The lady that sheers me

3.The same wardrobe and stylist Ginger had on Gilligan’s Island, but mine would hopefully look more like Fady’s [Armanious from Tootsies]. Let’s just say that if I had that man’s closet, I would have never come out of it.

I love getting comments about personal style because for years I hid behind bland clothes ashamed of how far I’d let myself go. I would wear large jackets and jeans to everything. I got known for my goofy open mouth selfie in the mags but that was to hide my sad fat chin.

Time with my husband

I’ve been given a lot of good advice and it’s stuck, albeit twisted my way

1. It’s better to arrive late than in ugly shoes
2. People won’t remember what you did. They will remember how you made them feel.
3. When someone talks trash about you, that doesn’t make it true. It’s an indication of their character. How you choose to respond is an example of yours.
4. You can choose to laugh or cry. I will always look for the laugh. I’d crack a joke at my own funeral, and I hope people do. Life is to be lived.
5. You aren’t really popular until someone trolls you on the Internet. I’m sure I could run for prom king for the greater part of Texas, and it doesn’t bother me. When we started our parenting blog, we would get lots of death threats. We did it to get a village to help us raise our daughter at that time but also as an underground tunnel to help other GLBT families navigate the laws and people. Now, if you don’t know me and have something negative to say, I don’t care. If you’re a friend, then it will hurt. I’m really careful with who is in my real circle of friends.

I don’t get to eat out much but when I do I love Americas because the Corduas have always been amazing to us, same with Star Fish/State Fare and Lee Ellis, and REEF and Bryan and Jennifer Caswell. I love their restaurants not just because of the food and atmosphere but how active they are in giving back to Houston. Going to eat at any of their places is like going to eat at a friend’s house.

A tic tac. I don’t each much.

When I get some, I’ll let you know.

Our parks and our theaters. We have some of the best in the world. People don’t realize how fortunate they are to live here with these gems hidden in plain sight.

1. Everyone knows I’m a Louis devotee, but I only buy them on trips. Each is from a different trip and holds a different memory with my husband, and now family. For our daughter’s first birthday, we took her to Paris to shop and pick out what she wanted at the Louis off the Champs-Élysées.
2. H&M and Zara. I’m very High-Low. I love my watches, belts, etc., but I don’t mind pairing it with a $20 shirt.

1. Eat to celebrate life and feed your body and mind not bury your feelings. I spent many, many years fighting anorexia and bulimia because I had such poor understanding of food and body image.
2. You always look better surrounded by beautiful people. If you don’t know any, download an app and make ‘em all flawless.
3. Beauty fades. If you’re lucky enough to be born with it, enjoy it and don’t be ashamed to accept the advantages life gives you because of it but don’t be foolish to think it will last.

1. (I don’t follow directions well…so…) My husband, we’ve been together every day and night since the day we met. We cannot be apart. He keeps me centered and by that I mean he is the ying to my yang. He gives me a reality check when I need it (which if often) and holds my hand to say I love you when that’s all I need.
2. My children. Every day since they were born, I’ve told them both they are smart, they are kind, they are full of love. Every day they find ways to new ways to show me this is true.
3. A battery charger for my iProducts. I swear I’m always losing those things.

Ugly shoes

We’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled the world, and I’ve learned it’s not where you go but with whom you go.

I was accepted to art school, so while I don’t do that professionally, I will paint gifts for friends. If I couldn’t be a corporate attorney, I don’t know. It’s all I ever wanted to do. Can I be Bethie? Her life looks pretty fab and full of joy.

Movie: Monster High, your movie choices change when you have little ones. Granted I’m really using the kids as an excuse for watching the movies much like why I have a large tiara collection.

The last book I read (other than in law school) was Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who, though I did co-write a children’s book called The Goosefairy and the Golden Egg. Our daughter just lost her first tooth, so I loved being able to make the book come to life.

Father, Corporate Attorney, Author, Host of Eyes On Houston for Houston Life on KPRC2 and Society blogger for Chron.com in between

45 years old, but I’ve been known to be cheeky and say things like 543 months. It really depends on with whom I am speaking

What’s not funny about me? Very little of me is original. I’m not ashamed of it. I’ll talk about any of the parts of my life from anorexia/bulimia, losing the 120 pounds and how I can’t take credit for that along with risks, the surgeons that brought me back to me. I’m once again the guy wearing color and being loud at events, not afraid to be seen. I’m now part of my families’ events and in those family albums whereas I dropped out of them for a few years when I didn’t feel good about how I looked.