.

Sanguaro National Park/Joshua Tree National Park Visit

2012-01-31T07:12:00.000-08:00

After we left Guadalupe National Park we drove into California to stay one night at a motel by the name of the Desert Inn located in Joshua Tree, California. This is a mom and pop motel located very close to the entrance of Joshua Tree National Park which was very nice and convenient.

We entered the park from the other side of the park so we drove inside the park on the main road late in the afternoon. The drive was nice, but like so many national parks it appeared like you were driving forever. For wildlife this trip we saw a coyote in the park running across the road as we drove to get to the other side and our motel room.

(This is a place holder for additional comments and photographs once I get them off the digital camera.)

The next morning we drove to Saguaro National Park after leaving Joshua Tree National Park early for the long drive to the next stop.

The Sanguaro cactus plants are what gives this National Park its call to fame. They look a little bit like people standing up but the park was filled with many of them to enjoy. Only down side in my view was this park was filled with volunteers overly eager to help you plan your day and one very grumpy park ranger who wanted to insist I had three in my party when there were only two of us. I'm not sure how he resolved that issue after I showed him our park pass.

I enjoyed this park. It was nice to get lost in the cactus plants and look around at all the shapes and sizes of the plants. There were an amazing number of plants to be seen and even as we left the park on our way to Death Valley National Park we still saw some of these plants along Interstate 10 but as the climate grew more dry, the cactus plants looked in very bad shape.

More on Death Valley and the Joshua Tree National Park pictures and more information soon.

Thanks for stopping by for a short visit this time around.

On Vacation...New Blog To Peruse...If Interested

2012-01-25T20:41:00.000-08:00

Hey all...I've been on a trip out west again.

I've created another blog related to that trip but it's not known to others they are related. If you have a comment there, please feel free.

But soon I will also update this blog as well on more personal and private issues.

Go here for my trip out west blog including pictures Jeremy and Aek...yeah pictures of all things...I will fix the URL so you can click on it instead of copy and paste it tomorrow.

But photographs...Imagine that.

Have a good evening all!!

Dad's 80th Birthday Celebration...

2012-01-19T16:28:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, and welcome for a long overdue blog entry.

First off, the father's 80th birthday party and the beach condo went well. Or at least until the end of the visit with my two sisters and my mom but I'll write about that shortly.

Overall, a good visit. My oldest sister flew in on last Thursday night and stayed at the condo. My middle sister and her daughter both stayed that same night. Then my middle sister worked the next day and left my niece at the condo. We had a three bedroom and three bath condo unit facing the Gulf of Mexico rented from an advertisement on Craigslist.

Everyone seemed to get along well and I tried my best to be happy, non-confrontational, and pleasant even if my other family members can be quite difficult at times.

It's easier if we just have it at home looking back in retrospect. I cooked some meals for the family which turned out very well. I cooked Thai curry chicken, jasmine rice, spring rolls with chicken and vegetables, edamame, and steamed broccoli. Another time we had a turkey breast cooked in the crockpot with mashed potatoes, vegetables, and buttered whole wheat bread. So we had some good meals I think and quite a few leftovers.

The day before our last day my mom decided to splurge and get Captain D's for everyone. Not sure if you have that type of restaurant where you are but it's basically fried or baked fish, sides like fried okra, broccoli, cole slaw, corn on the cob, and salads.

So really I probably gained a good bit of weight from the visit because of all the food distributed around. There was also ice cream, granola bars, and I'm sure a lot more food I haven't mentioned here.

So, back to the visit, all went well except the late Sunday afternoon when my mom, dad and sister arrived back to my parent's house. My sister was supposed to fly out this past Monday morning. My dad dad walked in the front door and them immediately stated he need to go to the hospital emergency room for chest pains.

So off they went to the hospital and I stayed home to help unpack the remaining grocery items left. Then I went home because I needed to take care of my own home and visit my partner and plan a trip with him.

And my mom called me later Sunday night to say that my dad was doing all right and the emergency room doctors couldn't find any problems with his heart or health issues. I expected that actually because my father rarely has any medical issues...he does go quite a lot to the emergency room with chest pains or other issues but the doctors at the emergency room state his cause for alarm is usually caused by heartburn.

So he is sent home...and my dad thanks to government medicare owes nothing and goes home to relax and return to work, usually the next day. I think his health problems are more mental than physical but I am not sure. But something keeps him wanting to go to the emergency room. I'd fully guess he's been to the emergency room 25 times in the last year and a half when I started keeping count.

So, I guess that's all for now.

I know this isn't exactly well written but I thought I'd share what's been going on in my world.

Have a good week ahead!!

Posting On A Trip Out West ...

2012-01-17T15:31:00.000-08:00

Well I am overdue for a posting...

The partner and I are driving on a trip out west starting today to see the National Parks in winter. I will post a link to that blog here soon.

Have a good day!!

Sister Visit/Birthday/Other Rambles

2012-01-06T15:28:00.000-08:00

Well I didn't post as quickly as I liked.

I went home to my mom and dad in Florida recently. Normally I have a good time visiting with my mom but not as much with my dad. He and I are rather estranged because of his attitude toward my lifestyle and his personal belief I'm doomed to an afterlife of hell.

So I typically try to stay away from him out of respect to my own life and respect to him by not being around him.

But this time was different. He's usually full of sarcasm and this last visit wasn't much different. First walk in the door he asked for a hug and then proceeded to tell me I'm gaining weight. I just looked at him and then walked back to the dining room.

Visits to my dad and mom are sometimes just annoying. And a bit depressing. My mom and dad sit around in the living room watching a muted television not paying any attention to whatever is on the television set. And it's muted so you can't listen to anything on the television. This last visit I just couldn't stand it so I retreated to my room to listen music.

And scary enough my dad is going to be celebrating his 80th birthday coming up in about two weeks. And my oldest sister wants to come down to visit and stay three days at a condo on the beach to help celebrate my dad's birthday. The only bad part I see of it is my dad will arrive to the condo on Thursday night. My dad is very very religious and can't go out to eat or do anything after sundown Friday night til sundown on Saturday night. So there's a good time to possibly visit on Thursday and Friday til sundown but going out to eat with my other sister who works til late on Friday afternoon just won't happen.

So I'll post more but I've never been really overly close to my family. And this visit just begs for more chaos it appears.

Have a good weekend!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

2012-01-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

I'm way overdue for a new post but I just wanted to write a quick one with a promise of a longer one later today or tonight.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I hope the new year is good to all of you!!

Christmas Blahs And Another Set Of Snippets

2011-12-21T08:34:00.001-08:00

Well, it's another Monday. And keeping with the last thoughts and snippets in an otherwise ordinary blog, here's another few to keep things updated on a somewhat (cough, cough) regular basis.

(1) I have to go to the dentist tomorrow for a filling. I'm not particularly dreading the dentist visit but I also am not a real fan of going to the dentist. I had a cleaning last week and the hygienist told me she has people that actually go to sleep while having their teeth cleaned. I can't imagine falling asleep while the whirr of machinery and scraping and the like is going on inside your mouth. Anybody that can sleep through this ordeal must be extremely sleep deprived if you ask me.

(2) I went to the Montgomery, Alabama zoo recently with a friend of mine. I had an annual pass so the trip was free to get in but we paid to ride the train around the zoo perimeter and to feed dried hay to the giraffes. I took a few pictures but the shots didn't really turn out that well so I probably won't post them today.

(3) It’s getting closer to Christmas and this year just not overly into any cheerful spirit. I drive with the radio on in the car and get annoyed at the same old Christmas music playing on the radio so I turn it off and listen to music on my mp3 player. Or I get to a store and more and more Christmas music plays and leaves me rather annoyed. Then I watch television and see more and more commercials with sales upon sales for our must have products.

One of my friends actually put up a wish list for Amazon.com. To him Christmas is really a time to give presents and get presents. He’s made a careful list of products he wishes for strongly and encourages you to use the list as a buying guide rather than purchase something he really doesn’t want.

All I really want for Christmas I’ve purchased myself. Season 10 on DVD of Smallville is one of the coveted items I felt I must have for myself this year. The other is the final season of Lost. Maybe it’s the OCD in me but I can’t have all the seasons except the final one for my collections. But I did abruptly stop at Season 10 of the Simpsons. It’s just not that funny any more to me. But maybe it’s just me having the blahs for Christmas this time of year. Families gather closer to one another and friends gather closer to friends to celebrate the joy of Christmas.

Not feeling it yet this year. I’m enjoying a rather decadent chocolate covered doughnut from my favorite shop in Montgomery, G&S Donuts. I’ve included even a half eaten picture of said delicacy for your perusal. Maybe after this and a nice walk I’ll feel better.

Until then…bah humbug.

Have a good week everyone!!

Yet Another Blog Of Snippets...

2011-12-07T10:48:00.000-08:00

Well, at least today there's not a log in the world to report. So I guess I'll go in favor of a few snippets rather than some long and possibly boring drivel.

(1) I plan to go see my mom and dad tomorrow or Friday. While I enjoy seeing my mom and dad, the bed at their house I sleep in has become more and more uncomfortable. The mattress is firm and I prefer it to be more soft. Also the heat at the house in the winter time runs a good bit and it's far too warm to be comfortable. Also, my dad enjoys turning the tables into politics and says things to get my ire up. He distrusts government and thinks President Obama is the anti-Christ. Need I say more?

(2) I've been working on cleaning and organizing my room. The problem I have more often than not is a mental blank. I can see my room as how I want it to be but I can't go through and throw away stuff that gives me a sentimental feeling like thank you notes from previous jobs and documentation I kept for future job interviews. It's just sometimes hard for me to throw away things. It's always been and probably will always be that way.

I know it's a quick update but it's all I can muster for right now. I'll write more soon...have a good week ahead!!

Thanksgiving Thankful Snippets

2011-11-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

Well, welcome back to my world yet again.

Today is the day after Thanksgiving and a year later in the blog I've decided to take a few lines and mention what I'm thankful for this year.

(1) A warm house complete with a trusting and loveable partner of 14 years. Also the household has two orphaned cats named Clint and Mollicans. Both are very sweet and make the household complete. I'm also thankful to have a roof over my house and food in the freezer and a good friendship with my parents, sisters, and people I've met both on the blog realm and in real life. Life is good.

(2) I am thankful for good health. Even though I still get migraine headaches and I'm even nursing one as I type this entry, my health has been good. Sounds crazy but the highlight of a weekend after a week of work is going for a walk on the dirt road and collecting my thoughts while either looking at the world around me or listening to music. It's quiet and peaceful. At night here you can go outside on a clear evening and see tons of stars. I'm thankful for where I live and also that nobody in the area has decided to put up one of those orange or blue outdoor lights that would taint such an amazing view of the sky.

(3) I am thankful for clothes to wear. A good majority of the clothes, err, shirts I wear come from Goodwill. It's not that I can't afford to purchase clothes at stores but rather I prefer to buy some clothes used and wash them if they are in good shape. I actually have far too many shirts in my closet right now so I will likely take some back to Goodwill and try not to bring back replacements at this point.

(4) I am thankful for a comfortable bed to sleep in at night near a window I can open and breathe in the air of the fall or close it and still be snug below four or five blankets. I even find room for the occasional Clinton who likes to come in and visit in the night and curl up near me under the blankets.

(5) I have no wants or needs this Christmas. Sure I might really like the last season of "Smallville" on DVD but I'm not saying I must have it. I tend to collect things and that's the one season I do not have yet in my possession. But collect as I may I only have the first 10 seasons of the Simpsons before they really started to get not funny and boring. But other than that, I can't think of a thing I need or want or covet that someone else has. That's a good feeling.

(6) I am thankful for bread and peanut butter to eat. It's a staple to me growing up on toast and peanut butter and it's no different now than before. I have three jars of emergency peanut butter from Sam's club when the urge hits. Sound like something else I've heard from Jeremy...

But all in all, it's been a good year. I've learned I have far too much good in my life to complain over what I do not have in my life. So for a moment reflecting back on Thanksgiving, food, family, friends, and life...it's all very good.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving and have a good weekend!!

Sincerely yours, bloggerguy

Snippets And Other Blog Thoughts...

2011-11-15T18:46:00.000-08:00

Well, checking in finally after a few weeks of hiatus.

Lame excuses could be had with stressful work, being out of town for work for two months, and trying to just unwind after work each day.

Here are a few snippets:

(1) I drive a two lane road to and from work. I'm particularly annoyed as always by individuals who tailgate behind me and drive badly. Usually cops and state troopers are nowhere to be found. But tonight some idiot who was driving very erratically got pulled over by a state trooper. The car idiot drive proceeded to pass me on a hill in a no passing zone and nearly hit the car coming in the other direction. Then the car idiot decided to pass along another curve and promptly got pulled over one of the great state troopers in our state. I was actually happy he or she got pulled over for driving badly. The idiot driver would have quite possibly killed someone with that bad driving.

(2) Been watching "Glee" a little bit on the television. I'm kind of tired of Glee. It appears the show is getting trite and is quickly running its course. I wish they'd eliminate some of the drama and show us more non-gay and non-drama character development. Tonight's episode was better but still seemed to have far more teen angst than I care to see on prime time television.

(3) Work has been stressful for me lately. I'm trying to process several lines of work with two people out in our department which creates more of a work load for me. I'm monitoring emails and processes for six different areas and it's quite distressing when things go wrong. But hopefully the one guy who is out of work due to illness and the other guy who is working overnight will be back soon to day time when I work so things will calm down on the stress factor.

(4) I'm kind of happy for the change of weather down here. But tonight it's like 75 degrees and humid. We're due for rain tomorrow and possibly Thursday as well. The temperatures are cooler but with the humidity when you go outside it's almost like spring time. But soon I'll be saying it's far too cold when we get into winter so I'm going to try to enjoy it while the weather is cooler.

I'll have to post more...I realize this entry is overdue.

Have a great week y'all!!

Blogger Writer Dude Checks In Although Briefly...

2011-11-01T18:19:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, welcome back to my world. I have a few moments to post a few random snippets.

(1) For those that don't know me, I've been working in northern Virginia with a client for training since September 10, 2011. I'm actually going home this upcoming Friday and I'm so very happy to be driving home again. I very much look forward to seeing my partner, my home, my two adorable kittens, and I look forward to walking on a dirt road again with the fall colors. I'm not a big city type person and two months of staying in a four wall motel and not being around your own surroundings can be very taxing. I'll keep you posted on how the job thing goes now that I'm going back home further south.

(2) No matter how glamorous people will say travel is...I don't think it is. Sure a week or two or maybe three is nice. An expense account is nice to cover your meals...but nothing beats sleeping in your own bed without the noisy neighbors and door slams and car alarms that is life in a motel room. I ought to know, almost two months of staying in a motel minus the visits to my sister's house.

(3) I saw the first snow up here in Virginia recently. I didn't pack any real cold weather gear because it was only supposed to be a trip of two weeks. Sort of turned into two months instead. Ugh...but the light at the end of the tunnel is coming up the end of this week.

I have more to share including a co-worker with Aspberger's syndrome...which makes for a very difficult working relationship and so much more...but alas, I'm sleepy and I'm ready to get some rest.

Have a good day!!

P.S. I'd like to personally welcome back Jeremy back to the blogging world. I know how he feels and it seems like sometimes you are the only one who blogs and nobody cares for you and they never post comments...sometimes you just want to share your world with other people...and maybe offer some insights to who you are as a person.

Keep on blogging Jeremy...I need ya man!!

Below is a picture of the snow from my sister's house in Virginia.

Back In Virginia...And Wanting To Go Home...And Other Rambles

2011-10-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry to be missing yet again in action in the blogging world. I'm back in northern Virginia working up with a client instead of back home in the south. I hope to return again soon and I also more than that hope to post an update to the blog because it's been a while.

I realize I should be doing this more often anyway. It's a different world up here in Virginia...traffic, pollution, smells, but there are some nice things as well like the change of seasons and the coloring of leaves this fall.

That part has been very nice. But I very much miss home. I miss the dirt road. I miss my partner. I miss my friends. I miss my parents. Hopefully in a few weeks I can go home and get back to normal operations after the training here is finished.

Have a good week ahead all!!

Thanks for stopping by and remaining faithful the the amazing blog not being written excuses and updates.

Stay tuned!!

Checking In With Random Snippets...

2011-09-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

Wow, where do I start...the past two weeks have been a whirlwind of sorts.

Here are some random snippets since we last chatted...

(1) I'm back in Virginia again for client work. I've been here a little less than two weeks and it seems like forever. This time my partner didn't come up here with me so it's a little bit more lonely to me. One thing that is a little different this time besides the drive up here in a rental car...is my twenty two and twenty three year old co-workers assigned to this same project are up here with me. (Big ugh!!) And some of the other people I work with as well...(even bigger ugh!!)

(2) Thursday night I had to work a split shift with the clients staff to work on some additional information from them. So essentially I went into work at 9 a.m. and worked til 1 p.m. and then I was off work and went back in at 9:00 p.m. until 1 a.m. My body still hasn't quite recovered from the lack of sleep so I'm awake on a Friday night in my king size bed typing a blog entry. But hey, an entry is overdue anyway.

(3) A few of my co-workers and I traveled into D.C. this past Sunday and took the Metro subway into D.C. to view the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial, and the White House. I wanted to take the Metro subway because I feel it would have been easier than driving and trying to find parking in the nation's capital. And I enjoyed the subway riding experience. It's fun to sit in a subway and watch the world around you...ever so busy as you go to exit to exit seeing people get on and people get off and all the many cultures of people in the city.

(4) Speaking of cultures, where I'm working for the client, I've met and talked with people from Italy, Germany, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Lebanon, England, Singapore, and India. This area is an amazing cultural melting pot. Most of the people I've talked to have been more than warm and open...and treat me like a person and vice versa. It's not like back home in the country where I live currently. But given a choice I think I'd rather live in the country than a big metro area like D.C.

(5) I originally agreed to come to the client site in DC provided I could drive myself rather than fly. I had a bad experience with a plan trip before and I just don't like to fly. And the driving isn't really that bad. I drove up here over a Saturday and Sunday and I plan to drive back over a Friday and Saturday...I kind of enjoy the travel of the highways and byways...and not flying of course. I'll try to post some pictures on the return trip.

(6) I wish my coworkers had a sense of maturity like me. Most of them are in the early 20 year old bracket...never had a real job since college graduation and really need a few hearty shakes to tell them the world doesn't owe them a life. I'm tempted to tell them they just need to get over the belief their world revolves only around themselves...but instead I just let them be who they are...kids...immature young people. All I can say is thank goodness for a trip back home very soon.

(7) One of my wisdom teeth appears to have recently peeked out of the jaw and announced itself very slightly. I've gone to the dentist and about two months ago the dentist felt I had plenty of room for it...but right now there's a spot on the gum that I'm keeping extra clean so I don't have any infection...and the tooth keeps on sprouting in line and doing well. At least I sure hope so...I don't want to get my wisdoms pulled at the right age of (cough cough) whatever it is I am.

Funny thing happened Aek...you might appreciate it this. I went to the local CVS for a refill on my generic of Ambien sleeping pills...I got 10of the generic pills or so I thought. I didn't open it up and check it in the store. But when I got home I counted the pills I had only nine and the pharmacist put in an extra white pill...with a number 65 on it and the letter Z. I researched it on the internet and found it was a generic to Atenolol. So I took back to CVS and explained to the nice lady I got a pill that didn't belong to me...and told her it was researched on the internet and seven sites showed a picture of it and said that was what it was...she then argued with me and said it was not Atenolol...but the medicine I wanted but when the prescription was refilled they chose one tablet from another source which is why it didn't match. I told her okay not wanting to argue...and she then said she was keeping the pill. I told her I wanted a replacment pill for the one she took because overall, generic of Ambien even with insurance aren't that cheap. So I walked out with ten pills even though the previous night I had taken one so I really was only due nothing. Now I'm debating whether to go back to CVS again and turn in one sleeping pill I'm not due because of the mixup. At this point I think I won't...but Aek, I turn to your infinite wisdom. Thanks in advance.

And a big shout out to my fellow blogger...Jeremy listed on the right...hang in there dude...things will get better on the job front!!

I guess that's all for now...have a good weekend...and I'll post pics from DC very soon!!

More Montgomery Zoo PIctures....

2011-09-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone...welcome to my world. As promised and although a few days like, here are some Montgomery Zoo photographs....first a little turtle looked out over the pond. (I snapped his picture when he wasn't looking like a true paparazzi member. He never knew I had done it and I quickly left the pond area. I should have asked him to smile for the camera....might have made for a better shot.

Next up was one of two warthogs on exhibit at the zoo. A lot of people think these creatures are ugly but they are very beautiful in my opinion. Sure Pumba from the "Lion King" looked better than this photograph but I'm sure Disney makes everything look better in cartoons. I'm glad he or she had another one of its own kind to hang out. If I was a creature in a zoo I would prefer being around my own species.

Next we move on to the elephants. Usually they are closer to the display areas but today they appeared more wanting to go back into their homes inside the zoo outside of view. Perhaps they have days like everyone else where they just want to be away from the world and its troubles, torments, and routines.

The giraffe family looked nice on the day we went to visit. The Montgomery Zoo has a special dried grass feeding display where you can get up close and personal to them for a cost of $2.00 or $2.50 but on this particular day I just enjoyed them from afar. I think they were enjoying the extra hay and the attention from the little kids feeding them.

Next on the journey here's another water fall/lake. There are plenty at the zoo and this shot was the closest I could get to the bird near the water. The telephoto lense on my cheap camera needs to telephoto a little bit further I say.

This little errrr, big guy is a tortoise, not a turtle. Tortise meaning something that makes a tortoise...I think this create is more of a land animal and more dry climate than a turtle. Perhaps I should review Wikipedia but I don't have enough time. He must have been at least 150 pounds.

I like this picture...the fall leaves on the train that goes by on the hour and half hour around the whole zoo. It is turning fall ever so gradually in the south and this picture was nice...it reminds me of upcoming cooler days and less humidity. The blanket of leaves is a very nice touch.

Next we have two ducks and the flamingo family. I'm amazed at the way a flamingo can bend its legs to sleep and rest during the day. Imagine if we could been out knee at the joint opposite of how we currently do that. The sign says the birds bite but I'd like some time to get up close enough to snap an extreme close up. I like the coloring of both the ducks and the flamingos.

Next up we visited monkey island and I especially like this photograph of the monkey looking at the other monkey seeing I assume if there are any bugs or other items that might make a tasty lunch. On the day I was there with my partner, they were eating honey dew melon slices. It was very sweet watching them eat and share the food with each other.

The we visited this creature but I can't remember what it is or was. It's a rodent but just not sure exactly of the name. Does it look familiar to you?

Finally on the visit, this is a maned wolf. He was resting peacefully while a few ducks only yards away were playing in the water. I guess he didn't want duck for lunch or dinner...he looked so peaceful resting in the humidity and heat filled day.

Well I guess that's about it for now. I'm traveling to D.C. very soon so I'll post some pictures and blog about the trip very soon.

Have a great week ahead and thank you for stopping by!!

Stormy Weather/Snippets..And Other Random Blather

2011-09-05T04:11:00.001-07:00

Good morning everyone…welcome back to my world.

I apologize for the prior entry. I was testing the blogger ability for future dated posts but I see it failed.

So…let’s catch up again…

Well, it’s Monday morning early at 4:45 a.m. and outside there’s wind and rain due to tropical storm Ken slowly spinning around a few hundred miles away. Otherwise it’s like any typical early morning…black and quiet.

A few snippets on life over the past few days:

(1) The partner and I drove to visit our old hometown Saturday and to visit with one of my friends who still lives there. We had a good time. We had lunch at Burger King and then drove to the zoo where I took some photos and then went browsing at Big Lots and Books A Million. We ended up meeting my friend for a late lunch/early dinner at a nice restaurant called Jason’s Deli. I had the salad bar with water at $7.29 and my friend had a $4.99 dessert order of strawberry cheesecake, a $2.99 organic bottle of peach tea, a side salad of $3.99 and a California club sandwich at $7.99. I usually mentally remark that he’ll spend this much money for a lunch (he’s spent more than that on a dinner for just himself) and only eat half of the food and won’t take home anything as a leftover. Apparently in a desire to prove to himself and anyone else that sees him eat, he is allegedly well off enough to throw away half of his meal untouched in favor of just being full. I type this comment not as jealously but rather trying to understand why he’d see a value in a meal that is rather excessive at a cost of $20.00 to throw a lot of the salad he fixed and half of a delicious looking sandwich (with mayo on it…otherwise I’d eat the other half) away because he was full. I guess looking back I’ve had the large amount of food syndrome myself but I do at least package it up and have it at a later time usually.

(2) I think I’m finally finished with most Chinese food restaurants. I had some cashew chicken and chicken and broccoli while scoping out somewhere special to have Friday night after work with my partner. We discovered this place that had a buffet you could carry out or order off the menu. I no longer ask if there is MSG in the sauces at Chinese restaurants because they always so “no” with such certainty that you just want to try the food because it looks and smells so good. Anyway, this last Chinese place had good smelling food and tasted good as well. I didn’t even get a headache from eating it Friday night but I summarized I didn’t get the headache because earlier that day I had taken an Excedrin headache pill for a minor headache that Friday around 12 noon. So it must have still be out there trying to fend off a headache when I ate the delicious Chinese food Friday night. Fast forward to Sunday lunch time and I decided to eat the food again. I started to feel the headache coming on and I took a prescription Relpax pill and I decided to lay down. Three hours later nothing good was happening in feeling better so I took another Relpax and it finally started to kick in for me and ease the lightning bolts and painful headache. I got up five hours later thinking I had spun away my day when I could have not had a headache and enjoyed my Sunday. However I did have any enjoyable day earlier in the morning when the partner and I donning a red and a black umbrella walked on a dirt road to the top of a hill overlooking a cemetery and back home again. It rained off and on and the dirt road was getting muddy but I’m glad to have gone…this morning as I write this entry it appears likely we will have a good bit of rain this morning, afternoon and evening so we just may just stay inside today.
(3) Work has been moving along pretty well. We finally have working accounts that we use to remote into another set of computers. The only few frustrations with that are we can only use the log in accounts while we are at work. The client has locked down our access so we can’t screen capture, select and copy text, print text or any other method of trying to secure information we can use to do our jobs outside of work. We have an email address on the client side but we can only send emails internally to that client that we have logged into. We can’t use it for any sort of external mail whatsoever due to strong restrictions in policy and procedures we’ve been given. Personally I can see a reason for security but I believe the transfer of knowledge and information is quite impaired when we are not able to review and study the information that is necessary to do the job while signed on to the client side of the computer world. Ahh well, there’s always Tuesday when we get back to the grind and study more…oh and hopefully learn more as well. Jeremy, you might appreciate this situation…the client we are supporting uses Unix for the operating system to complete tasks. I had a class on Unix but I realize there is far more I still don’t yet understand on running scripts and configuring my way around a Unix operating system. I am not going to feel self defeating but for someone who worked in pc hardware/software support going into a job role supporting a Unix environment and issues related to it it’s going to take a bit of practice before I feel more comfortable in this. Our client has given us documentation but nothing specific as to what to do first, secondly, thirdly and so on…so far it’s a bunch of information on how to do things…using Unix but not the order of how things must be done or should be done because I believe it is assumed managers on our side already know this information. They may already know this…but the lowly employees don’t yet.
(4) Here’s an update on employees even though we have some new ones.

B is going back to D.C. for a work trip this upcoming week. He seems to be nice and then off again on again not nice to me. I don’t quite understand why he isn’t nice to me. I try to be nice to him and treat him completely like I’d like to be treated but he’s not nice. Perhaps he has issues with me that I just don’t know about or ones he doesn’t want to talk about. He usually hangs out with the other people of the same race in the corner talking about very boring stuff like fantasy football with an occasional comment on real college football. I would like to be a little well versed in that to be a conversationalist but I could probably do best by only naming the players I thought had good looks. Take for example…

...him...

Or him…

Or him…

Or better still…him...

Or finally him!!

Sports blather is usually about the player’s strength and good abilities to create wins for a certain team. I think it’s more about good looks that will win over anything else. What do you think?

(5) I rented Aliens over the long holiday weekend to watch and last night we watched it. I think we both had seen it before in the past but it was a pretty amazing video to re-watch for its time. I still jumped when the alien tapped the class in the laboratory and I still jumped when the music got very quiet pending the doom of a soldier or some amazing alien taking off another human for alien ingestion at some later date. I noticed too that it appeared Ripley played a strong female character when we don’t usually have strong female leads in dramas where men and a few women are being attacked by aliens. I think she did a very good job in the role and it was nice to see a female come out ahead in an otherwise male dominated film culture. I didn’t have nightmares about the creatures from the film thank goodness but at times it makes you very happy you don’t have aliens of that kind flying around the skies in day and night ready to create pandemonium on people like us.
(6) I see another gay self loathing official in Puerto Rico by the name of Robert Arango got zapped for posting a blurred picture of himself and an ass shot of himself on Grindr recently. He was anti-gay at the time and I think in a karma sort of way that he deserved what he got. I almost believe if you can find anyone in political office that is so rigidly anti-gay you will also find someone that has something to hide or has those same feelings himself. But the only way he can fight those feelings is to be the poster child of anti-gayness to the people he represents. And if people like that in political office that seek to deprive us of our rights to marriage and equality, they equally deserved to be brought down in flames for showing exactly who they are. I am starting to feel absolutely no sympathy for them nor any sympathy for those who are “outed”. When their actions one way determine my future they deserved very much to be shown for who they are in their secret lives. Due justice I say. Karma will get ya if nothing else does.

I guess that is all for now. I would like to get back into twice a week postings soon…but I know you’ve heard that all before. Between a nine hour work day and life outside of here, at times the writing can take some time to develop. But I’ll do my best to give regular updates too. Now I’m off to check on my regular reads as well and then wake up and get ready to take on a wet, rainy and windy day.

Thanks for stopping by…have a great day and great week upcoming!!

Oh yeah and my famous zoo pictures Aek...coming soon...I know how much you enjoy them!! (I had to throw that one in as a shout out!!)

2011-08-30T06:58:00.001-07:00

It's A Grindr World For Some Of Us...

2011-08-19T02:32:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some Grindr postings on a probably limited number of characters...while I don't have anything written on a profile myself...I feel it quite interesting to share the thoughts of some of the people on the service.

So take a deep breath, relax, and read on...oh also I have posted them in the actual way they were written to keep the quality and style of delivery of the individual.

(1) Say hey if you want. At a Rucker school. I’m sure I’m bored right now.

(2) IDK why I use this anymore.

(3) Attracted to dudes not ladies so if your fem in any way all we can do is chat. West Coast all the way baby.

(4) Looking for an amazing guy.

(5) Military brat raised in Germany. I’m in Alabama show me what you ‘Bama boys got. ;)

(6) Don’t be lame. Not into white guys unless I hit u up. Lol (18-30) *Plz
don’t waste time

(7) Drivin back to florida tonight…hit me up wen I wake up, I will get back
atcha.

(8) Im a kool laid back guy with a sense of humor. Pretty easy to get along with.

(9) Kool layed back mad sence of humor

(10) God give me the strength I need…Thank you for the wisdom and guidance I
needed.

(11) Just curious about this…

(12) Tired off games…

(13) Chill type homebody..When its time to party, I AM the party..b.

(14) Never mistake seasonal people with lifetime expectations.

(15) I have a pic. Busy life. Can you keep up? I really just want to find someone to go to the movies with and just hang out.

(16) Masc. Lets hangout.

(17) If you like what you see and really want to know….SIMPLY ASK…HMU.

(18) Eyes open. I c u I’m.woke

(19) My minds been going places without me lately. Let’s chat.

(20) Anything fun going on? What a piece of work is man.

(21) Looking for someone and something real. No bs please.

(22) Decent guy just looking for friends in the area and someone to become a work out partner.

(23) Adults only please. I’m not easy…just not afraid to rush.

(24) Lookin 4 friends to chat wit ask me, I will get back atcha. Looking 4 friends around the area.

(25) I don’t like talking to nipples or pplz socks. Face pic face pic face pic.

(26) Just got in. Visiting my best friend.

(27) What’s going on in here?!?

(28) Im probably really bored. Hit me up and see what’s goin on.

(29) Looking for cool peeps to kick it with! Hit ya boi up.

(30) You Alabama boys are funny.

(31) Ready to chill. Just tryin to Njoy tha wknd.

(32) Moderate everybody equally. Why is that some people can write foul stuff on here and get away with it…

(33) Not the average. Sorry. =| Sharper than Gillette…looking for style, personality, ENDURANCE…let’s chat.

(34) Looking for some one that can still show romance and love…not looking for just sex.

(Okay I told myself I'd tell you which one quote I like the best....it's #14 a mid 20 something military looking guy.)

He seems light years beyond the maturity model for the south. I wish him the best...he sounds like he'd be a good friend but I'm almost twice his age. And besides as others have pointed out in the past...I don't need friends if I already have a b/f. I shake my head at that type of comment but realize that's just how it goes.

Have a good Friday and good weekend!!

Snippets/Checking In After Hiatus

2011-08-19T02:12:00.000-07:00

Here are a few random snips in no particular order:

(1) The job in Virginia was short lived. It appears we didn't have enough training before we went up there to do the job so we were sent home and will be given training closer to home. Then we might go back up there again. Personally unless I'm asked to go, I won't volunteer again. The partner and I took a lot of stuff up there...and drove up there and I think the drive again would be a long trek...but I would still enjoy seeing my sister again up there and seeing D.C. again too.

(2) I've been going to bed at 9:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday nights lately because I have been waking up early in the morning around 5:15 a.m. to go for a sunrise walk with the partner each morning. That's really the hightlight of the day. For those that don't know I live in the country and it's very nice to go walking early in the morning when the darkness is still in the sky and watch the morning sunrise evolve ever so gradually into daybreak and then daylight and then...well, umm...day time!! What is especially nice is the quiet of the morning minus those very very cheerful birds who just seem to wake up with a beautiful song in their mind and who can so cheerful praise the new day each day. I guess I wish I had that spirit...I don't think I'm overly unhappy but I am jealous of the inner happiness of something like a bird. It must be nice to be diluted.

(3) This might be a thought for others. Have you ever seen a doctor to establish yourself once again after having health insurance? I recently wanted to see a doctor to discuss my migraine headaches and get a prescription for a migraine medicine called Relpax that helps me with severe nagging headaches. The particular doctor was one who is a general practitioner who chuckled when I answered his question on the reason for the band aid on my thumb. (I had recently done a good number of nail biting on my thumb and I picked at it until it was sore.) I told him the reason and he laughed and said his vice was overeating. Well, at least the doctor was honest. But the doctor claimed to be a very religious individual and he felt morally wrong to prescribe medicines needed for the long term because of his religious convictions. This type of doctor was one of those doc in a box types I guess known as urgent care where you wait in an office to see the next available doctor. I have an appointment scheduled in October 2011 to see him again to determine if the doctor wants to be my patient or not but I'm going to cancel that appointment today. I think he's an okay doctor but I don't want his religious beliefs making decisions for me on what medicine he thinks I should have, take or use. Yesterday I called a different doctor's office and asked if this particular doctor was "secular". There was a long pause on the phone and the appointment taker asked me what I meant. I explained the whole story and said this is why I am looking for a doctor that can separate religious beliefs from the world of medicine. She said she didn't think I'd have a problem with this doctor and I scheduled an appointment for early next month. We shall see. I might have a wordy blog entry on that one too.

(4) Work is taking shape...but a bit slowly. We have our office...we have our computers and we have our seats. I'm looking forward to doing work. Those in charge have given us busy work but I'd prefer some relevant busy work instead of just stuff to keep us busy. We do have a class next week so that's exciting enough. That too could be a blog entry in itself.

(5) In a search for making friends or seeing what's out in the limited gay community, I downloaded an app on my smart phone to see what's out there and found a program called Grindr. It appears to be a hook up and meet up for hook up type of website but it's one way to see what's going on in the community that is so repressed down here. I collected 25 or so profiles I copied and pasted the messages they are using to "lure" the same sex to chat with them and I am posting them on my next entry. Most make you wonder why this person gets anyone at all to chat them with...there's only one I personally like and I'll post a comment on that one.

(6) The little kitten I discovered a few weeks back lost at the gas station is nowhere to be seen. I can only hope it has found a warm and loving home...I felt so sad for it roaming the streets without any sense of belonging. At times I know we have a lot of human suffering in the world...but I can't also help but feel for animal suffering too. I just couldn't imagine being reincarnated as a stray animal in life and be left to fend for myself with the horrors of the world.

Thanks for stopping by...Aek, might get your opinion on a secular doctor versus a non-secular doctor and which is best for the medical community.

Have a great Friday and a relaxing weekend!!

2011-08-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

I fully admit it...I like animals...cats, dogs, lions, turtles...everything. I wish more people could care about animals. Case in point today while pumping gas I spied a very small kitten that appeared to be lost and searching for meaning on a small town street. I teared up immediately giving him his well deserved sympathy that is likely destined for a life of quiet desparation while he turns from an animal you could take and share and love into a wild, mean spirited tom cat.

I don't know...I would have wished I could pick him up and reassure him of love and take him home even though I already have two orphaned cats. I can't really afford to do that...and I doubt he'd be able to get along with my two cats. It's just sad and I do also realize there are many many other humans starving in the world who are also in major pain and suffering.

Sometimes I just wish I had a magic wand to wave and end human and animal suffering. I wish I had unlimited resources to help animals and people in need. But alas I struggle like others in my work, life, relationship, and faults.

I only do wish I had that magic wand with three wishes on it.

Have a good weekend everyone!!

Back In Bama (Early)

2011-08-04T07:27:00.000-07:00

Just a short note to say I am back home again. The company decided to give us some additional training here and maybe send us back to D.C. again in the future. We have a pizza and soda lunch planned today...I appreciate the gesture but a few slices of pizza and a soda is not my idea of a complete meal...we need a salad too. I will write more soon...have a great rest of week and weekend!!

Reston, Virginia Photographs Along A Walking Trail

2011-07-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone...here are a few pictures from a walk on a now closed railroad line that has been turned into a walking path in Reston, VA.

Right before the entrance, someone had doctored the sign to give an increased weight restriction limit. What is funny around here is a lot of the residents are in super good shape so there's no way the weight limit would apply with or without the markings.

However in a juvenile way, I thought this picture was funny for an outdoor toilet and I also had to share it...

Next we moved on...down the trail.

We discovered off the path was a direct route with trees to my office building:

We also walked around a nice trail overlooking a nice pond with flowers and Lotus pods. Notice the one pod below looks like worms peeking out but it's just the seeds. Some people think it's scary...me I'd just say it looks interesting.

And below is a concrete bridge that goes over the walking trail.

I also love high voltage power lines...they look so interesting to me. Here are two power lines that posed just for me during the late afternoon walk.

On the way back, I saw an amazing sunset that these two photographs can't do justice...it was the end of a day...and walk with the boyfriend.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures...I'll post more again soon!!

Now In Washington, D.C.

2011-07-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm now in Washington, D.C. for a few months training at a partner site to help me to be better able to do my job back home in the south.

Here's a bit of an update...

B--still a bit annoying to me and lacks a bit of maturity. He ignores me randomly and despite a chat with him today on being serious and asking him to not ignore me when I had relevant questions he still does this. I'd like to put him in his place and may likely get to that point but so far I'm trying to be nice.

J--moved to another work location so I only see him once in a while. He spent his day today goofing off and surfing facebook at work. He complained loudly enough today so management in cubes nearby could hear that he wasn't happy at being bored with his only outlook as Facebook.

New guy...D--he seems nice of enough of a guy...he's engaged to be married in about a month and his fiance lives very close to the motel where we four are staying. He seems nice enough but when he gets around B, he isn't sure if he should be obnoxious like B or be himself. It's a tough world out there for him right now.

Another new guy...R--he's pretty much a computer geek and loves going on and on and on and on and on about the latest in technology and why he's been a part of it...is a part of it now and will be a part of it as soon as it comes out tomorrow. He appears to be lacking a bit of decorum so I try and avoid him. He's also in the building with J so that suits me just fine.

I had a nice dinner at a local Thai place last night with my sister and my partner. The food was great. I had Pad Thai with chicken and my partner had Pud See Ew. I liked the food and got a carry out of Pud See Ew for lunch today but left it in the motel refrigerator because I wasn't sure what building I'd be located within.

I had it for dinner tonight and it was excellent.

There's a nice walking trail nearby that used to be an old railroad line I first when on last night. I plan on walking it again tonight once it gets a little bit cooler. The weather up here is probably 95 degrees with at least 75% humidity so it makes for a steamy humid filled day.

The motel has an excellent air conditioner and the partner just got up to put on a light jacket because the great cooling capabilities of the unit. I'm comfortable as I can be despite the cooler temps in the motel room.

I'll try and post pictures soon to give you an idea of the view. Hope each of you are doing well and thanks for stopping by!!

Have a good week ahead!!

Monday Boring Office Day...

2011-07-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

Helloo everyone and welcome to the blog. It's Monday morning and I am sitting in a cube passing my time without internet access. And it's another quite quiet day.
Since I may be traveling this weekend the partner and I went to look for shoes. I found a very mediocre selection at Walmart which is a typical reaction. I did visit another store and found some I like for $85.00 a pair. Not cheap but they are Rockport brand. I figure I will be in an office for eight hours a day...my feet should also be comfortable too. I ended taking the mostly uncomfortable pair back to Walmart and I may do the same with some I kept from there.

It appears I will be taking a trip to Virginia after all and I am just waiting for a meeting tomorrow where everyone involved will tell us what to expect.

Here are the other two going with me:

B--this guy seems to be nice enough but not very bright on Outlook to know he is not connected to the server since he shows his connection is offline. He has a strange personality I don't get yet

J--this guy is pretty quiet but tends to get excited about the trip to D.C. in a week or two. He seems most interested in visiting boob bars and drinking beer. S eems to be nice enough anyway.

At this point neither know I am gay but likely I will tell when the time is right. And there is nothing more dull than a boob bar after a day of work.

I plan to visit the library today to check out a few books and then scurry around for a fast meal before going back to work to just sit around in nothing to do.

Have a good week ahead!! A shout out to Jeremy...hope you find work really soon!!

2011-07-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

Well here I am again...and this entry might also be rather short in length.

The new job is working for a company in an IT Support role...kind of like what I have been doing in the past. I don't think I complained about my job before this one but believe me when I say it was complain worthy.

This company at the close of my first two weeks looks like an amazing company with a good vision, mission statement and forward thinking management team. It's also one of the first company I have worked for in the south that offers domestic partner benefits to members of the same sex who can produce documentation that validates their relationship. So that is nice...I gave my partner of nearly 15 years the documents and showed him the benefits but he declined but may enroll later this year. He brought up a good point that it should happen once I am more established and know I like the job.

So here we are the end of the two weeks and little has happened but I believe the hiring staff are working toward getting us involved in an upcoming project. This new job might also involve travel from here to Washington D.C. for training for a duration of two to three months.

And I volunteered for going up there to get a head start in the support realm.

My partner also wants to go...weekends we might could go to see the sites in D.C. and other things in the area.

I am about out of space on my smart phone so I will post more over the weekend.

Have a safe and relaxing weekend all!!

Employment Update Coming Soon...

2011-07-07T04:31:00.000-07:00

I'm now in the second week of employment. I will work on an entry about that and post it soon...as the blogger writer dude says...coming soon!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week ahead!!

Online Applications...Insecurity And Other Issues

2011-06-19T04:22:00.000-07:00

The search is over again I tell you.

Months after months of job searching has drawn to a close finally.

An interview stuck for a change with a company hiring.

They want me…

But actually with a company I’d submitted a resume and cover letter with before but for some reason passed by any sort of interview.

Until just recently when I found a job…and a company felt likewise for me as a new employee.

This latest adventure started with a typical resume and cover letter submission online.

Then I proceeded to a form online documenting the usual five previous employers with a cranky form that didn’t like the date format of say “August 2008” for example. The online form preferred an entry of “08/08” although the directions to complete the form said only to make sure the work history was complete and accurate.

The form only liked a twenty character reason for leaving any past employers. I guess you can’t really elaborate in detail why you really left….whether it was your boss didn’t think you were a suitable candidate for the position you were hired or that your boss continually talked negatively day in and day out about gay people where it got to the point you could set your watch on when she’d come out and grumble to a particular past co-worker about how people like us were demanding some sort of marriage equality we didn’t deserve.

So you just type the information up in the form.

Don’t put the phone number as XXX-XXX-XXX when it should be XXXXXXXXXX but again no guideline on the proper format for phone numbers.

Or anything else that is in the form.

Somewhere somebody is genuinely taking delight they developed a form that should take thirty minutes to complete but doesn’t because of the crankiness of how the information should be entered.

And for job seekers who have probably filled out far too many of these online applications searching for some type of work…even temporary work the frustration goes wondering if yet another online application submitted will be ignored despite being qualified for the job.

Quite possibly overqualified for the job as well but still very much seeking work in the line of work that has been selected for the past 13 years of my life after college.

But I digress…the online applications sometimes can be annoying. But as covered in a prior entry sometimes the actual companies that use paper applications for you to again share all your personal experience and signature to grant a release of all personal information give you far too little space for job duties and reasons for leaving.

And a paper form with far too much room on it for an company name and address. With some limited space in the lines you ponder the right size of font to ensure you accurately complete a prior job description that hopefully can match the current needs for employment.

This particular company didn’t require a paper application for employment. All of that was completed online with a somewhat cranky applicant at the time and a somewhat more cranky online application.

So fast forward now to the future…months of not working are now replaced with a butterfly in my stomach.

Will I like this job? Will they train me in the job? Will my coworkers be nice? Will the coworkers and manager be driven to appreciate the value I bring to the team?

After months of searching for some line of work I’m finally offered a job and now I can’t help but feel a bit in wonder of the new job I’ve been selected to do.

And I want to meet my boss before I start work and talk with him or her. I want to be sure that person knows the type of person the other three individuals who interviewed me knows.

I want a manager that knows some of my faults…my desire to do good work…my desire to have adequate training so that I’m a success and the company is likewise genuinely interested in me as an employee. The company appears to value that but I have a strong desire to want to share and want to know that I will like the person I’m working for. I want to be sure the manager can focus on me as an employee and not berate gays in volume dropped bigotry with other country bumpkin co-workers I may be working with in the new job.

Sure the new company has an expressed form you sign off on that you won’t display any level of bigotry toward other coworkers or customers of the company otherwise ye shall immediately be dismissed from the company.

But most of that is just something on paper to give you a sense of diversity but isn’t always followed by a company directly because of the faults of being human by the company employee base.

However that is one thing I don’t want to have to face on a daily basis…I can see even occasional redneck discussions toward gay marriage of gays themselves. We’ve become quite the heated topic of discussion lately…but what would bother me more is day in and day out disparaging comments on how we as gay people (likely those who hide in overt expressions of gay) are somehow not as valuable as humans as a dead animal by the roadway is what would likely continually irk me in any new job.

So we’ll see what happens in the weeks ahead.

I know I couldn’t be the only one in a company this size.

Maybe I should act more like who I really am and not change the gender pronouns when asked about things in my personal life.

Maybe I should. At this point in my life there’s less reason to hide but still yet a reason to hide from sharing your gay life, your partner of 14 years, and so many other personal things in the deep south.

Yes…there are things you should be proud of but I might again keep hidden…but I want to speak out and I also want to hide a bit. Your personal life shouldn’t matter either way but I feel it can and does matter to most.

Until then…I’ll just keep doing what I hope is best for me.

Freckles And Why I Learned To Hate Them...

2011-06-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

I remember when I first saw the freckles against my otherwise white pale skin. In that time, I felt I was cursed…red hair, sunburned ever so easily, and freckles gave me whatever limited skin color I’d have for the rest of my life.

So I developed a strong sense of hating freckles…including trying to overcome a stupid resentment toward my dad for having them and them carrying over into my livelihood. I was desperately trying to fit in in a parental world where you were encouraged not to speak out against injustices in the school world and where you just wanted to try and fit in with your classmates and value yourself.

I got to really hating the freckles marring my otherwise pale skin tones. I devised a plan to scrub really hard on my arms with soap and a washcloth hoping the specks of brown or red or whatever they were would soon turn the sink water another color besides soapy and I’d be left with white skin minus freckles to work on a tan in my early years.

I remember even growing up in elementary school hiding behind jealous and likely lustful thoughts of the male kids on the playground either removing their t-shirts while playing basketball or kick ball while following their eyes toward the female sex of school. At the same time while females would hope to catch a glimpse of developing male sexuality while looking quickly away and chatting back at their own group of female friends on the playground.

But I saw it in the males in class…had a few particularly vivid memories of a few and thinking how much I wanted to touch their skin, run my hands along the light to darker brown tans obviously worked on by sunning by the pools in the summer months and fall and spring.

It was jealously…pure jealously of those who could tan and turn either a light brown or darker brown of skin color. I remember reading in the World Book Encyclopedias at home that gave steps for anyone building up a stage to be able to add skin color. And I for one wanted the brown skin, minus the freckles probably worse than anyone else in my class.

I was the only red haired kid in the class anyway. And at that early stage of my life I’m nearly 100% sure I was the most uncomfortable in my skin.

Looking back, I could only reason a tan would make me fit in with my male classmates…I’d get hot like the others would and easily pull my shirt off or unbutton the shirt so the shirt while still on would expose a skin of brown and a developing chest probably while admiring my male classmates in silent oppression.

But alas the tan of elementary school never happened…so even more anxious I decided the years of middle school would be when I’d finally rid myself of the freckles. I planned to turn into a body I’d be proud of with only a brownish tinge and not that white freckly skin color on my arms, face, and legs.

So in middle school, anxious for a tan so I wouldn’t be called “white chicken legs” by the African American kids at school, I decided early to work on a tan that fall starting my 7th grade of middle school.

Armed with a bottle of dollar store sun tan location, SPF 4 or 6 likely, I’d carry a blanket and secretly run out of the house after school into the lower acres of the farm and lay the blanket out on the green field grass hidden by a fence near the prior year abandoned garden. I’d purposely wear only a t-shirt and a pair of short pants and would successfully take off my shirt and shorts to work on the tan. Randomly I had decided to lay 20 minutes on my chest and then turn with the blazing sun bearing down making me sweat on my stomach and back.

I quickly envisioned a tan like no other. I’d be as tan as those male classmates who obviously had worked on tans over the summer and sported so nicely in gym shorts and t-shirts.

Certainly the tan guys in my class weren’t called “white chicken legs” like I was. I was a white kid with freckles suffering a major amount of humiliation during those years where I only wanted to fit in like everyone else.

I hated playing sports or being part of sports but that is likely another subject at some point in the future.

For me, the only appreciation of a tan body was during the times of dressing out for P.E. class during the final period of day. At that time, I could see even more internal longings and desires but wouldn’t actually act upon them until my 8th grade year in middle school.

And again, despite the efforts, later that year in 7th grade after only a few attempts of laying out for that beautiful tan, I gave up on looking brown and confident like the guys in my class.

I gave up in frustration when I only burned in the fall laying out with low SPF sun tan lotion. I resorted to being called “white chicken legs” time and time again and ridiculed for being a pale white kid with freckles who likely would never have a chance to tan.

Fast forward to the current day…sometimes I wish I could tan a little bit and not burn but the wish hasn’t ever become reality. Overall, I’m more content to be a white guy with freckles who can easily sunburn. I think it just happens to come across with a level of maturity that is hard to grasp when you’re just a young kid desperately trying to fit in with a tan or a social protocol you can’t obtain at an early stage of your life.

Company/Cleaning/Eating And Other Woes

2011-05-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my world.

What has your blogger writer dude been up to lately?

Well, a little bit but not a whole lot.

The partner took a trip to Pennsylvania to visit his sister and her husband. He brought along his mother who lives here and his brother and they stayed for two weeks.

I stayed around the homestead...picking vegetables in the garden, cleaning house, catching up on some Netflix movies, washing dishes, having a friend from Montgomery, Alabama down to visit, and hosting my mom for two days.

So it wasn't a bad trip not being able to go with him...I had some downtime...and lately it seems like most days are downtown rather than stress filled.

I enjoyed visiting with my friend from Montgomery, Alabama but he and the visit can both be equally challenging at times. He's more used to eating out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner than cooking and cleaning up at home. So I cook usually when he comes to visit but I also feel tasked with cleaning up after the cooking. When I go to see him, it's usually Taco Bell, and maybe a meal out that is reasonably priced with nothing to clean up at his place except making a glass I use to drink water from.

He's not big on cooking at all at his place nor does he have probably more than $5.00 worth of actual food in his apartment...maybe a box of cereal, a few cans of beans, a frozen bag of hashbrowns, soymilk, and orange juice.

That can be frustrating when it comes to seeing him because most every visit revolves around planning something to eat and going out to eat.

Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy food out without cooking and cleaning at home as the next person but it can get expensive.

He usually goes for the meals between $15.00 and up whereas I could be quite happy with a meal from $5.00 to maybe $9.00 minus the tip. It can get costly going to visit him because of the lack of food in his house even with my own suggestions to cook at his house and put the dishes in the dishwasher rather than have a higher cost to go out to eat each and every meal.

He's working so I guess he can better afford that luxury...part of me likes eating out but also part of me would much rather cook at home. I can control the items that go into food including making sure the food does not have my arch enemy...MSG a product well known to give me very bad headaches.

So anyway, he visited here and I cooked a good bit...which I enjoy but I can't help but want to ask him if he'd be willing to help clean up as well after the big meal. Part of me feels it's not his job but also part of me feels he should be willing to do so as a way of showing appreciation for my efforts. It's mostly just cleaning off the dishes, wiping down the counter, and putting the dishes in the dishwasher so maybe I'm just feeling a bit complainy more than anything else.

Maybe I can get him to change and offer to help out a little bit in future visits...that would make the trip more enjoyable for me and also help me to feel more appreciated when cooking pot roast, mashed potatoes, vegetables, homemade yeast rolls, and more during his visits.

Alas, more to come later...I realize I'm overdue on a blog entry so this is the one for me at this point.

Have a great week ahead!!

And I Sit And Try To Forget About The Others...

2011-04-22T10:58:00.001-07:00

I'm writing this from the walls of my former bedroom at my mom and dad's house.

It's been an interesting day today. My mom needed to go to a doctor's appointment and didn't know the way there completely so I drove in to take her to the doctor appointment.

The doctor visit was ordinary...a room full of people of all shapes, sizes and colors all staring mindlessly at FOX news blaring on the television or browsing only remotely the limited magazines in the waiting area.

Soon my mom was called for her appointment and I decided on such a nice weather day to venture outside in the parking lot and surf the internet on my phone rather than continue to hear whatever blather was on the television set.

I arrived in the car and found comfort in reading up on stories from other blogs then decided to surf the internet to see what else was there while I waited on my mother.

Alas, no open wireless signal for the laptop so I used my phone tethered to my laptop for a source of immediate and personal internet access.

The most interesting things of the day was a visit to "The Golden Corral" for lunch after the doctor visit. People again of all shapes, sizes and colors wandered around huge vats of food prepared in an all you can eat buffet.

I passed by several tables with lots of food remaining on the plates while I prepared to meet my own favorite food items...fried chicken, brocolli, steak fries with cheese, and brussell sprouts. Around me I glanced seeing people larger than me making excellent use of the bargain of lunch for a mere $6.99 a person. I had water this time because a cost of $2.29 for a sweet tea was not only overpriced but not something I particulary wanted with the lunch.

My mom delicately spooned out very small portions of various salads and a few small samples of vegetables. This time around she just wasn't as hungry as usual and me happy with the food of choice I munched hungrily while watching others nearby eat far more than my simple helping of food.

To say I'm not a bit upset that we seem to have an enormous appetite for all you can eat buffets in the south, we also have an amazing desire for all the fuel in the world, and everything else you can get. I admit that I'm probably somewhat was greedy as everyone else...savoring my food while realizing there are far more people less fortunate than I am this day in an amazing place full of food and drink that is unlimited.

Or at least unlimited until you have a full stomach and can't eat any more.

I thought at the time and still think of the time why I'm so fortunate in my life...(even jobless) and so many others around the world are so less fortunate than I am. I know it can't be that I'm better than they are...and perhaps it's a bit of luck that I am able to continue with a small sense of security when I turn out the light each night and go to sleep.

And so many others sleep hungry...sleep wondering why the life or cards given have to be so difficult and so full of much sorrow and anxiety.

I could call it luck but I just don't know why I'm fortunate and others aren't who certainly deserve a fair shake at life and the cards of life to rule in favor of them for a change.

I almost wish all of us could have happy lives and filled with peace and enjoyment for what we have. But that's not reality.

People are hungry. People are homeless. People are suffering. People are lonely. People want to survive and have a fair shake at making a life that gives them joy and goodness.

And when I sit in the comfort of air conditioning, eating a lunch at a place where food servings are unlimited I'm brought back to the images of people in lands far away with dry soil, little water, less food and question why the luck is in my favor when so many other people have it so much harder than I do.

It's just not fair.

I finish my lunch and try to escape into my thoughts that don't focus on others but only me and my existence because it's only fair.

My survival is mine alone.

And then I turn out the light, pull the covers close, and try to rest my thoughts until another day opens up again for me.

And here we are again...

Sunday Snips From The Blog Author

2011-04-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

Well, happy Sunday everyone and welcome back to my world. It won't be a long entry today just because I don't have a lot to say but here are a few snippets.

(1) I submitted a resume, cover letter, and letters of referral for a position close by in my selected job field. I'm now playing the waiting game while someone in human resources with the company decides on whether I should be interviewed or not. Perhaps I will hear from them tomorrow, Monday. I hear the company likes a telephone screening first with a potential employee and then things progress from that if they like you to an in-person interview and more.

(2) The weather despite the recent severe weather has been nice...low humidity, clear skies and tolerable temps in the day and at night. Last night I went out to the car and saw a beautiful full moon creeping over the trees and heard some night birds in the woods nearby. It's nights like that which make me enjoy living out in the country.

(3) My oldest sister is flying in on Friday to visit my mom and dad so I will likely trudge over by car to visit her as well. She's supposed to stay from Friday night til Monday morning early so hopefully we'll get some visit time in. It's been probably three years since I've seen her.

(4) My cat known as "Mister C" lost his voice about two weeks ago. He could still purr some but he didn't engage in meow blather with the humans because he just didn't feel like it. But I'm happy to say he's back to talking and purring and being sweet. I've attached his picture below on one of his sleepy days...which lately are a lot of sleepy days. But he's a sweet cat...

I'll post more soon...have a safe rest of your weekend and a most excellent week ahead!!

Star Gazing...Soul Searching

2011-04-10T03:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since I've entered anything on the blog lately and I'm fully aware of my absence...writings sort of therapy or in some way allow me an opportunity to sort out my feelings and life and the universe and everything else without fear of rejections.

I spent about an hour early this morning sitting on a blanket with a pillow outside watching the stars in the sky and pondering the meaning of life. Sure at times, I'm sure we all look toward the sky, think of the role of life you are living and wonder the next steps of life.

And I guess I'm no exception either. I woke up earlier tonight with little voices in my head telling me my worthwhile life is over. Mind you I don't feel exactly suicidal but I do think at times my life has no direction. Perhaps it is mostly because of not working...or better yet, not feeling connected in society for whatever reason.

I don't have a bad life...right now I'm off work with my partner living on his mother's property in our own house with food on the table, electricity to power this laptop I type this drivel on, transportation, a few good friends, but I guess I'm lacking one thing I feel I want to have.

Goals.

Not goals to watch television shows like Andy Griffith, The Simpsons, Star Trek, Smallville, and a host of other television shows on DVD and on television.

I guess I want something I can do to make a slight difference in my state of being in the world. I'd like to find something the partner and I can do together.

We walk four and a half miles each day traversing a paved road with little traffic and wind up overlooking a stream in the woods of pine trees and the beauty of the outdoors I'm sure a few people would be quite jealous of...and we do this together almost every day...sunshine or cloudy days.

Other days we trek to a church with amazing views of the countryside with cow pastures to our right and left. We gaze into the rolling hills of the distance, admire the beauty of seeing so much around ourselves, and then walk back toward home with plans of the day, lunch, togetherness, and conversation on so many different topics.

I have been off work from the most recent position about three months...I dare say I don't want to be like my dad where I can't stop working or feeling guilty about having some downtime but right now...I feel I lack purpose and I need to rid myself of the blahs that have taken over my days and months since my last blog entry.

Looking up the stars tonight I saw several shooting stars in the sky. I focused on one area of the sky full of stars and stared at it intently tonight as a cloud moved over the area and blocked out the view of most of the stars.

Then gradually as a cloud moved away the stars again decided to shine bright losing myself in the small world of the back yard. One of the two cats jumped on my stomach and decided to ask for love and attention.

I had a few mosquitoes also competing for attention as well as I heard the whining in my ear as I attempted to brush them away only to have them return with a few friends looking for an early morning snack of fresh blood.

But the stars were amazing to see tonight...and a few orbiting sattelites above also circled my field of view...in the woods in the distance I heard a few night birds shuffling and calling out to each other in an otherwise very still morning.

It's about two hours before sunrise and before long the world will light up with another warm day in the south....I'll put on the shoes and take the four mile walk again with my partner looking at the green of the leaves on the trees and seeing the magnificent wonder in the world around me.

And I'll also ponder some sort of goal to have while I'm not working instead of watching too much television or watching one too many episodes of videos I have on DVD.

For at least a while again this morning I will be satisfied...in my life, in my world, in my relationship, and try my dang-est to be happy and content.

Now if I could just find a purpose outside of all of that...

2011-04-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

Profiles Online In Gay Dating

2011-02-04T10:10:00.001-08:00

I decided to go back and delete the photographs that might include someone's face in the earlier post. I am not intending to expose them to that form of attack even if I do not agree with the methods they represented.

But I do find it interesting in my quest for friends online...that I can read up on some people who really want to make friends or really want a relationship or really just want the next random encounter.

Here's an example:

Let's all say it together Long Term Relationship......good job you did it!!!!

There's nothing wrong with one night stands it's just no longer for me.
There's nothing wrong with fuck buddies, but what if I start to like you?
There's nothing wrong with distance, but can you handle it?
There's nothing wrong with me I'm just in the mood for Love.

I would prefer to be chillin with my man, when I get one.

Here's another one..

I'm A sexy Pretty Bio that loves to have fun and meet new people!! I luv to dance and go out to clubs!! Dance is wat i do!! That is my passion!! I'm also a J-Setter!!

Singing and Dancing!!I also love football. I love playing and watching it. I love all sports.

And another...

Wuts gud A4A?! Ya boi on here just seein what is out there. Just on here to be on here, tryin to see what comes my way! Oh yea just to let you know i may go to other cities from time to time just to check out the sence...

As for right now, just doin me! Hit me up to find out the rest.

The gay world of dating and connections just isn't like I think it should be. Sounds more like a lot of craziness than anything else.

Two New Additions To My Blogroll....

2011-02-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

I've added two new reads to my blog to the left of this entry...one is "Closet Professor" which is a nice read with poetry and interesting men to go with it...the other is from South Carolina. He has a blog of "I Should Be Laughing".

Check them out sometime and feel free to comment to them the less than great writer from here sent ya over.

Have a good week ahead everyone!!

Adam4Adam And Seeking Male Friendships

2011-02-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

At times, I venture into the dark world of a website called Adam4Adam looking for some local individuals wanting friendship. And since my profile specifically requests friendship, I will occasionally message someone using the (at this time) free service who also appears to be interested in friendship. I thought today I'd branch out and list a few individuals that I've chatted with who have quietly vanished from the friendship horizon if there ever even existed a friendship horizon.

Here's one guy...(picture included) that I've copied and pasted verbatim from his profile typos, gibberish and all:

Great, Happy, stable, guy

46, 6'1", 185lb, 32w, Athletic, Brown Hair, Smooth, White, Looking for Friendship.

Just are real guy! It seems alot of men say that but few seem to be! LOL Hardworking level headed, educated successful guy! Looking for the same in friendship

Outdoors guy, like a wide varity of activities!

Oh yeah and here's his picture:

I know that's the first thing I look for is what is written in a profile. I will give this individual key points for being creative but lazy enough to not use the built in spell check on adam4adam to not correct the word he spelled as "varity".
He and I chatted a good bit at first but now he's online on adam4adam or on yahoo and never responds or says anything to me. He could likely have me on his ignore list on yahoo for whatever reason but hasn't yet blocked me on adam4adam. I don't know what I did wrong except wanting to learn more about someone before trying to make the 42 mile one way trek into a larger city to meet him for a lunch or dinner. Perhaps that small part of me having a boyfriend caused him concern so an ignore ritual is better than trying to communicate with me further. I don't know.

So, not to be outdone by him, I present to you another person allegedly looking for friendship. This guy appears to enjoy getting messages from someone also interested in friendship but he has the problem of not wanting to reply to others if he doesn't deem them friendship worthy. Again what is in bold is what you'd read if you saw his ad on adam4adam. I've also decided (probably against my better thoughts to include his picture as well so you know what's going on.)

Please be normal and drama free.

32, 6'0", 175lb, 32w, Average, Brown Hair, Buzzed Body, White, Looking for Friendship.

Just got here from Seattle. I decided to move here for a bit, after a tough break-up. I've been through a lot in the last year, and I'm not looking to get serious with anyone. I'm not a ho either, and I'd rather make friends than anything else. I'm a laid back guy, shy at first, but funny when I get comfortable. I'm a city guy, but I love being outdoors. Hiking, Climbing, Kayaking, Cycling, etc. I don't like drugs or drug users.

Movies, Outdoors, Family, Hanging out with friends, Working out.

Casual, Out Yes, Smoke Yes, Drink Socially, Drugs No, Zodiac Virgo.

(This picture removed at the risk of sounding overtly tacky.)

I usually don't ignore too many people on there...even those that don't appear to really want a friendship and want/need someone to pass by the hours of their boring lives. I will say hello...ask them about their day...and hobbies and interests and share mine as well.

Usually it's met as often I've complained about before with "ok" and "kewl" or "cool".

Finally just to be sure I'm not confusing the "friends" with "friends goal...here's a guy very close to where I live supposedly looking for friends as my profile also specifically states:

38, 5'10", 150lb, 32w, Athletic, Brown Hair, Shaved Body, White, Looking for Friendship, 1-on-1 Sex, 3some/ Group Sex, Misc Fetishes.

Looking for friends.

Moved to the area a few months ago.

I originally messaged me with the desire to be friends...he had locked pictures and I understood his reasoning since this area is small town America and he likely didn't want his pictures to be plastered all over the place. He only responded back to my friendly hello how are you with a "hi" back to me a few months ago and has never said anything more despite a few additional attempts to communicate with him.

Finally, for some reason, I found out he had unlocked his other pictures without any conversation to me. The total of four pictures were two of his ass, one of his hard dick, and one of him taken about 100 feet away so you can't tell anything about him. Mind you the dick and ass pictures unlocked likely in error were extreme close ups so you could see the butt hair and the wrinkles on his Mr. Johnson.

So I would assume he's really looking for something besides friendships...but in his mind it's easier to say he's looking for friends than the other reasons you can put on your profile like miscellaneous fetishes, one on one sex, threesomes, and Cam2Cam.

I guess my bad reasoning is taking examples of those who appear to be looking to make friendships but aren't really at all.

I shouldn't be so hard on myself for that...but at times, it still would be nice to make/meet some realistic down to earth people around these parts. Until then, I can either continue to be specific or delete the profile and play the game so many do with toying friendships online.

Blather Part Six From Me....

2011-01-22T13:40:00.000-08:00

Well, it's a Saturday afternoon in lower Alabama and I'm sitting on the couch curled up with the laptop and an internet connection.

I've been absent a good bit lately so here's a quick update.

I had a job back in my hometown and moved there for a few months...then I got tired of the job and the work environment and quit and moved back to lower Alabama.

It's been colder than usual lately...I have some music off CD I want to rip and put on my external hard drive. I'm cooking some rice from the broth of a whole chicken I cooked in a crock pot yesterday.

I've been walking more lately...the weather has turned cooler and with the cooler weather we also have a bit more of a wind chill. The walks along the road total about four miles each day give or take a little more or less based on how cold that north wind decides to blow.

My room is a mess...I'm a somewhat messy person anyway but lately my room has really gone downhill. I've made a pact with myself to reduce the number of clothes I have in the closet and also try to straighten things out so my room looks nice. I'm tempted to take a few photographs of before and after but I don't think I'll do that yet...even if Aek wants pictures, he'll just have to have pictures of something else more interesting than my messy room. :)

The partner bought a new car recently so we've been driving it a little more than the other car lately. His car is nice...it has an audio out plug where you can plug an mp3 player to it and play music...that's very nice. All I have in my car stereo is an AM/FM radio and a plain old CD player. It's nice to have mp3 music you like to listen to instead of CD music because you can put so much more music out there to listen when you are driving.

I've also decided myself to downsize some of my stuff. I'm thinking about putting some of it on ebay but I've never sold on ebay only bought so I'm not sure if I want to put my things out there given how crazy people can be that buy things online. I'd much rather be the buyer than the seller on ebay at least.

Lapses of updates have come and come and another goal is to do better with more regular updates on the blog and regular comments back to my friends who also post blogs located to the right of this entry. It's good to be back home in lower Alabama...I missed the peace and quiet and I do hope to return back to work in a job capacity again in the near future.

So...how is your world going? How is life...how are things? I'm back....!!!! :)

Tybee Island Rant, Blogger Checks In After Hiatus

2010-12-26T09:10:00.000-08:00

Well, another Christmas has come and gone...the stress of simple shopping for small gifts for family and a few select friends is over. New wrapping paper finds its way back into storage and the torn paper finds the right place in the trash can.

Christmas is over again.

So a few snippets during my absence:

I met Frank Warren a little over a month ago in Conway, South Carolina during a "Post Secret" presentation. I enjoyed it very much. I was surrounded by other fans on the website Post Secret, all expressing the joy of hearing the founder and listening to his speech and seeing the secrets that he couldn't post on the website.

I also felt some pain for the individuals in attendance...a lesbian who is concerned her anti-gay father will disown her and cut off her college support if he finds out she likes other women, a person who says he picked up a hitchhiker and was robbed on the trip to Conway, a young lady who never had a chance to tell someone how much she appreciated him before he died with cancer, and a few others.

Brave souls bearing their inner secrets for a room of devoted fans. I must say for the journey from Alabama to Savannah, GA to Conway, SC to Greenville, SC and then home was quite a trip...but with my partner by my side and seeing places we'd not seen before was worthwhile. Even if for a short trip.

We saw Savannah, GA full of moss lined trees and a beautiful city itself. We walked around the park for a short while...also went to see Fort Jackson...walked inside the fort on a bit chilly and windy day, looking at the historical messages on the walls telling information, then pressing buttons of information as drama unfolded in the days of the fort existence to paint a picture of how life was in the day.

We also ventured out to a terrible tourist trap called Tybee Island where you must pay to park at a meter at every nook and cranny of the city. We drove around and I even debated a few times of parking in a spot and not paying the $2.00 fee for whatever duration of parking was available. So I didn't cheat and park to quickly dash into the sand to catch a quick glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean.

In fact, no free parking is specifically stated on the City of Tybee Island website:

As much as we wish to welcome our visitors in the most hospitable way, we could not afford to keep lifeguards on the beach, keep the beach clean, provide emergency services, take care of stray and wild animals, provide our July 4th and New Year's Fireworks Displays, warn everyone of impending inclement weather from the wind and tides, and generally keep Tybee a safe and pleasant place to visit if we gave away free parking.

THERE IS NO FREE PARKING ON TYBEE!

So we left there feeling shunned by the city of Tybee for not providing any free parking. Even the places of business at the city of Tybee had metered parking available. You could pay at the meter in front of the store and go shop but be sure not to let your meter expire lest you pay a parking fine.

And the crazy thing is Tybee Island actually has an office open on weekends to pay any such fines you might have for allowing your timed parking to expire. I'll not be back to visit Tybee Island and might just have to devote another place on this blog to rant further about the ridiculous city of Tybee Island.

But looking back in the time I've spent away from the blog...

I've accepted a new job...not a great job but a job for now and I live back in my home town of Pensacola, Florida. It's not a great job because I'm a contractor and the management and company isn't the greatest so I feel after my contract is up I will be happy to return back to my home, cats, and partner in Alabama once again. And it might be before then that I decide to come back home.

No sense in telling too much drama on the blog today as I'm trying to make up for lost entries where I should have said something in past months and I didn't.

I received the following presents for Christmas from a friend of mine:

a $25 gift card to Kroger (my favorite grocery store)

a $25 gift card to Captain D's (it really is a great little seafood place)

and a $25 gift card to Hastings Books and Music (nice little place in Auburn, Alabama full of random college eye candy, oh yeah and it does have new and used CD music, DVD movies, and new and used books...that's why I go there, it's all about the media for sale you know)

So I spent Christmas eve with my friend in Montgomery because he in the past cut ties with his mom and dad over some personal issues. We had a nice lunch at Olive Garden then ventured over to Auburn, Alabama for browsing Hastings (books we browsed, I tell you it was books) and the random collection of movies, and audio CD's. We had a good time. I also got my KKKKRRROOOOGGGGEEERR fix by going inside with the madness of Christmas eve grocery shoppers and had a great time. I wish we had Kroger stores closer to where I live but none so far.

Alas, maybe it will make my Christmas wish list for next year.

So that about sums it up...I know Aek, and the other person who might visit the blog on occasion that I owe pictures and I'll work on that now that my New Year's resolution to is to update this blog with some sense of regular blather.

Have a great holiday season and thanks for stopping by today!!

All the best to you!!

Post Secret/Road Trip/Blog Update

2010-12-04T19:24:00.000-08:00

Okay for the few that follow this blog...I'm sorry...I lied. I did take a road trip to South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia winding up staying in Conway, South Carolina to see Frank Warren in an amazing "Post Secret" presentation at East Carolina University. Had a chance to meet Frank in person, get an autograph, and hear his interesting speeches about post secret. I will share more on that and the trip. Just been busy (insert whine here) with work, the new job, moving into a new place, and just generally living life. I'll do my best to give you an update again soon.

Have a good weekend!!

Short Road Trip Will Cause Blog To Update This Week

2010-10-31T22:46:00.000-07:00

I will write more this week coming up.

I will write more this week coming up.

I will write more this week coming up.

I will write more this week coming up.

I am going on a road trip for a few days with the partner and will be in lower Georiga for a day...then to Charleston for a day...then to Myrtle Beach.

I will have an update to explain where I'm going.

Thanks for stopping by...hopefully it will be a worthwhile read.

Have a good week ahead everyone!!

Pondering A New Blog And Other New Rambles

2010-10-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

Well, it's the middle of a new week down in the south. After reading recently about the guy who jumped off the George Washington bridge after his roommate video taped him having an encounter with a guy, and then hearing about Andrew Shirvell stalking and cyberstalking a University of Michigan SGA President, I gave serious thought to creating yet another blog (a third, gasp) entitled something like "Another Angry Gay Liberal In The South" or something like that...but then I went to sleep.

I woke up again still angry but also feeling like one person might can make a difference but I don't know how much I want to put out there. I tire of the same Republican or Christian mentality around these parts, but also feel like I'm too small to make a difference.

But then again I often think I can't just stand by and applaud other people's efforts on helping make the U.S. a better place for gays and lesbians as well. I sit by and do an armchair quarterbacking mentality that I'm glad people speak up for things that are just not right. I cheer when people who speak so negatively toward gay people and equality are "outed" by others who show the stupidity of talking out of both sides of their faces.

I cheer for places that offer equality in marriage to same sex couples but I just don't become any sort of political activist for whatever reason.

Maybe it is time to change that and speak out and speak out often. I don't have that much to lose except those who may already dislike me. I'm sure there are plenty of those out there too.

To Work Or Not To Work...That Is The Question

2010-09-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for not writing more lately but I just haven't felt like sitting behind a laptop and writing.

Not to say I've been down and out or even depressed really. I admit that I'm trying to find work and at times looking for work, interviewing, and submitting resumes upon resumes and cover letters can get you tired out.

Especially when those who say they'll call one way or the other regarding you having a job do not. I guess right now it's an employers market...they get to choose who they hire (rightfully so) and who they contact and who they don't contact for whatever reason.

But I really do think I'm a valuable employee to a potential company. I have a good bit of experience, good disposition, not a know it all, live close to some of the jobs that have come my way, a fast learner, and you know all the rest of why you think you're best for the job despite another applicant that honestly might be better for the job than I am or was.

So lately I've been walking during the morning hours. I'm up to about 4 miles in the morning and 2 miles late in the afternoon. It's nice to wake up, yawn, stretch and realize I'll be seeing the world again for another day.

I'll hear birds singing, wind blowing within the pine trees along the path, and I'll be able to once again see the colors of the fall changing on the trees to the right and left of my dirt and paved road path here in the country.

I really wouldn't change living here at all. Except I'd like a job...and I have a few more feelers out there yet again in the job search so hopefully something soon.

I feel I want to work because of course it brings money into the household but also I feel or have an unmet need to work because I want to feel productive.

We have money saved for food and the necessary items for several more months or maybe a year...so I should enjoy that, do what I want to do, write, and read, and just chill out.

But at times it's just hard to want to sit idle while the world and hiring goes on without you.

That's the biggest situation of all...

Have a great week everyone!!

Hey There!

2010-08-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

Wow, where do I start?

Well, it's Monday and welcome back to another visit to my world. I as always don't have a huge lot to blather about just wanted to check in.

I had a lunch yesterday with someone I met on my smartphone who has a 19 year old gay son. She seemed to want to talk about it a little bit, get some opinions and probably just meet my partner and myself since we seemed pretty normal. Or whatever normal is defined this week at least.

We seemed to have a good chat. We were supposed to meet for lunch at 11 a.m. and then she called and had to reschedule it to 2:00 p.m. She seemed nice enough. I'm not sure if she'll be a friend or not because she really doesn't know gay people besides her son but she seemed kind enough. She was also chatty which is kind of nice that new people are chatty when a lot of people just clam up and won't chat or would prefer you to entertain them with chats.

I guess I'll close now and finally visit my other blogging friends to the right. Have a great week!!

Checking In Finally!!

2010-08-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

Well I have been out of pocket lately...I just haven't really felt like writing much lately...and it's been quite warm in the south lately so I've kept cool by doing other things instead of writing in the blog.

And you haven't really missed much about what's going on in my life.

I've interviewed for a few jobs after a lay off of a previous job in the past so I'm still looking around for employment that I feel is a good match to my skills and experience. But at this time, I'm not overly worried about all of that.

I might in a few months.

Here are a few snippets worth mentioning:

(1) I have officially stopped biting my fingernails and for once the nails look pretty nice. It's hard to shower without scratching yourself when you are not used to actual finger nails. But I think not biting the nails no matter how tempting they appear at this time is probably for the better.

(2) It's been hot down here in the south lately and I'm quite ready for fall to run around and show up on a regular basis. I know it's been hot all around but I felt this was a super blog attempt to whine about the weather.

(3) I drove back into Montgomery recently to see the old home and see how things have changed and stayed the same. Lately it seems like Montgomery is still stagnant and places and buildings still look the same as when I left about three years ago now. It's interesting to see the old house and the house across the street grown up with weeds with the elderly neighbor passed away.

Not much else to report but at least this is better than more empty promises about putting an entry out here when I haven't written anything. I'll try to post more entries and digital photographs as well. We did get back from the wonderful trip out west several months ago.

Have a great week!!

Bloggerguy39 Update

2010-08-04T17:18:00.000-07:00

Well you've heard it all before...excuse upon excuse.

I'm still around just not motivated too much of late to blog.

But I'll bounce back soon.

Have a great day!!

Grand Canyon Photographs

2010-07-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

Well, here's another entry...I know about time.

Here are some views from the Grand Canyon, part of the stop along the path of the National Parks out west.

Pictures of the Grand Canyon just can't really capture the size of the canyon no matter what type of pictures you take. The digital camera had a setting for panoramic shots but I haven't figured out how to do it yet.

But the views were amazing even for the second trip to the canyon.

Let's look see. :)

More Updates On The Trip Soon

2010-06-29T21:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay but the blog has encountered a small setback. I'll resume picture posting likely tomorrow night once I get settled into the new place. The blogging part takes some time to sort pictures and lately I've been enjoying the parks more than enjoying sitting down to write. But I'll post some more soon. Thanks for staying in tune. Have a great week!!

Arches National Park Photographs And Obnoxious People Cameos

2010-06-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from Arches National Park including two of the most obnoxious people I've found since the start of the trip. These two individuals were in a vehicle behind me while I was waiting to queue for an available parking spot. They decided since I was stopped, along with several other cars behind me waiting for a spot that they'd come around me and get in front of me for a spot. Luckily, I found a parking spot too no thanks to these two people but I took their picture just to show their faces in case you were in the park and run into these two. I probably will get over them like I did a few minutes after parking, but I decided to put the photographs here to let you know manners and friendly behaviour doesn't always apply at national parks. And in case you are wondering these were taken at with a 15X zoom camera as I was pretending to admire the arches of the park. Imagine that...

But back on topic...here are some additional photographs for you to enjoy of Arches National Park...

Bryce National Park Photographs

2010-06-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

Today we walked along the Navajo Loop within Bryce National Park. The weather when we first woke up this morning was partly cloudy and 31 degrees. Brrrrr. We decided to stay in the motel room and go out around noon today when the weather had warmed up to a nicer 70 degrees.

And the hike down the Navajo Loop was nice, but sunny. It's about a two mile hike down into the valley of the park and back up with some amazing sites both going down and coming back up.

Here are a few photographs...

I took this cloud picture for one of my friend's on Facebook who enjoys cloud pictures. I guess it just sort of appeared and later disappeared in the summer heat of Tropic Utah where Bryce National Park is located.

I'll be going backwards at the next stop and showing some pictures I haven't included yet from the trip.

If you want to read about Bryce, just go here and feel free to read up on all about it.

Have a good week everyone!!

Who Pooped On The Colorado Plateau??

2010-06-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in the travels at random I find things that look remotely funny. One thing I found funny but for some reason the rest of the group didn't think as much. I found the note in the Moab Apache Motel interesting and a little passive aggressive. The owners should have simply stated the linens and pillows were given an inventory on checkout to keep from theft of property. Instead we read a cutesy message that is designed to keep you inline and let you know that you can't steal without being charged for the item you take from the motel room.

Also while we were visiting and snapping the experience at a state park, one of my travel companions found this most amazing book that helps solve the age old puzzle of who pooped in the woods. Now with the help of this book and kids that seem a little bit too excited to see poop in the woods, you can help identify in your mind the animal in question by the shape and size of poop. I couldn't help but laugh!!

Mesa Verde National Park Photographs

2010-06-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well, we got back sooner than we thought...here's Mesa Verde National Park. It's home to the "Cliff Dwellers". You can read more up on it by going here first or last or not at all. I'm more of a visual person and wanted to share a few pictures from Mesa Verde. We took a guided tour of one of the Indian homes and it was nice but a little bit warm. I do think as well as some of my guests that Mesa Verde is my least favorite park. I think it should be a historical park...but not quite sure I believe it should warrant "National Park" status. But again that's just me. It was a good park to visit for sure. Our next step was driving along the Million Dollar Highway en route to Moab, Utah to visit Arches National Park. Those pictures forthcoming....

Actually the picture above is from Mesa Verde National Park. I always tend to enjoy taking photographs of the local plant and flower life. I thought this view of the cactus was especially nice above. It was a beautiful nice yellow color.

The pictures below are just some blogger dude's attempt at random pictures from Mesa Verde. Hope you enjoy and click on the link above to learn more about Mesa Verde National Park.

Have a good week!!

Cortez, Colorado Street Pictures...

2010-06-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

Well, when we last left off I was going to promise photographs from Mesa Verde National Park outside of Cortez, Colorado. Those pictures are coming but first I thought you might enjoy some of the quaint old signs in the nice city of Cortez, Colorado. There's something nice about old pictures or ones that give the memory of days gone by...and it's nice. I especially like the Mr. Happy bakery sign but that's just me...see what you think...oh yeah and Mesa Verde National Park pics soon.

Amarillo, Texas Cadillac Ranch On Trip...

2010-06-09T16:36:00.001-07:00

Greetings from Cortez, Colorado...home of nearby Mesa Verde National Park.

We drove here from staying before in Conway, Arkansas and Amarillo, Texas.

Both cities along the way were nice but what appeared to be the longest drive in a Ford Explorer was the I-40 drive from Amarillo, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico. We saw the road go from lush green with trees everywhere to dirt and very small shrubs in the middle of interstate that would likely be called desert.

We did stop at Amarillo, Texas to look at a Cadillac Ranch that is home to graffiti painted cars that are sprayed on a regular basis. In fact, while we were there, someone had a can was doing some spray painting of the colorful cars there.

You can read more about the Cadillac Ranch by going here.

I also took a few pictures of the Cadillac Ranch and have posted them below:

Mesa Verde is where we spent our day today...I'll post some of those pictures tonight. Stay tuned!! Have a good week!!

Trip Out West Part Three

2010-06-08T10:04:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!! I apologize for not updating the blog sooner. I am traveling out to some National Parks with my wonderful partner of thirteen years, his older sister, and her two kids. None of them has seen the west so I know we will have a great time! As I am typing this on the very small cell phone screen I can see a baren dry land with road as far as the eye can see. I will post more photos once we see the sites and views. Have a great week and more posts soon.

Mean Spirited Angry Blogger

2010-05-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

I’m checking in and after comments by my fellow blogging friend “Ex-Restaurant Manager” I wanted to write a little bit more about my entry yesterday.

I came down to visit my mom and dad before taking a trip out west with the partner, his sister and her two kids. I didn’t exactly choose this weekend because of the Memorial Day weekend in Pensacola where delicious men will gather on the beach for fun and friendship.

In fact, I personally want to stay far away from the beach this weekend, certainly not because I’m living in full hatred of myself but rather I don’t enjoy large crowds of people. And I guess I’ve never ventured far out into the party mindset either. And thirdly, I probably don’t look nearly as good in swimsuits as the people who are on the front page of the local newspaper today.

But I completely support their ability to have fun…even with the smalltown prejudices locals would have and blather incessantly from barbershops and religious pulpits.

To those here for the weekend, I wish all a safe time and a fun time. Enjoy the beach before the tar balls wash ashore and our beautiful white sandy beaches are covered with the black crud known as the BP oil disaster of 2010.

For those who like to make fun of gays, blacks, Asians, or anyone else that is different from yourself, get over yourself. I can stare you down, throw daggers in my mind, and wish you a terrible life as equally as you wish that of me or my fellow gay and lesbian people in the world.

Am I perfect? No. Are all gay men perfect? No. Are you that enjoy talking about gays and lesbians perfect? No. But I did write in the past about wishing ill back on those that wish ill on others. And yeah it works. I actively wish a lot of ill on the small mindsets of people and those who enjoy doing that. And a stare of digust was enough yesterday without having to stand up, make a case and probably make my mom and dad feel uncomfortable. That idiot felt my daggers and also felt best to shut his mouth up instead of having a field day poking liberal amounts of humor toward gay people.

Wow, the monkeys seem to have renewed energy. Just a natural pick up I needed. Now I’m off to catch up on my fellow friends of blogging today.

Have a good weekend!! (Even those I may have ill toward.)

Stupid Southern Rednecks

2010-05-28T14:05:00.000-07:00

Finally a short reason to write about f***ing rednecks...I am in a little country barbershop while my dad waits his turn for a cut. Redneck guy is cracking jokes about gay men, gerbils, and anal tubes. I did my part to give him an evil stare so he changed the subject. I am actually pretty pissed at the moment as I type these words on this very tiny cell phone. More tonight!

Bloggerguy 39 Checks In...

2010-05-18T17:46:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for being missing in the blogging world lately.

I haven't felt overly inspired to write lately. Hopefully this lull will pass and the creativity will return soon.

I plan to watch "Lost" tonight which is the second to last episode. The series finale will be this upcoming Sunday and hopefully we will have answers soon.

Have a great week everyone!!

Prima Donna Manager Blather

2010-05-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

Well I had a job interview yesterday for a position that sounded interesting...at the time. I had emailed an inquiry about positions and forwarded a copy of my resume and cover letter to the manager.

He responded asking me to visit his company and talk with him.

So I did...and we seemed to have a good chat but then the bad vibes from me to him came up. Seems like the other person he has working for him is a "prima donna" (his words not mine) and he does care much for this person.

I pondered the question in my head for a short while wondering why this manager would talk so negative about someone that he has working in his office.

Could it be that this manager wanted to see how I'd react?

Or was the manager happier with me than this guy and would fire this guy for me to have a position there?

I couldn't quite figure it out so we moved on to other relevant topics about the position.

It might be nice but I'm not sure it's a great match for me...but in today's economy...what do you really want to do?

More later...have a good week!!

A Few Snippets From Me

2010-04-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone...welcome back to the world of Bloggerguy39!!

Here are a few random snippets:

(1) I sure do enjoy peeing on the plastic things that hold the deodorizer at the urinals in restaurants. Yesterday on a trip into the big city, I had a full bladder and let that plastic deodorizer have it with a huge dose of pee. I kept waiting for the water to change color a little bit but all my effort produced very little change in the color of water.

(2) I know I've observed this before but aren't people more rude or obnoxious now days than they were ten years ago? I tend to think they are. Case in point, I recently attended a local Estate Sale with a house full of goodies with my mom. I was casually looking at stuff at close range and an elderly lady proceeded to jump in front of my location and look at stuff within mere inches of where I stood. I decided at that point to antagonize that same lady like I've been known to do before by blocking her into a corner where she was forced to say "Excuse Me" before I would let her look at the rest of the house of goodies. I know I'm mean sometimes but I just can't help trying to not be full of manners with everyone else appears to be so lacking in the same manners.

(3) I've been sorely tempted recently to purchase one of those McDonald's frappes they have for sale down here in the south. I've read reviews on the product and most people tend to say it's sweeter than Starbucks but tasty in either case. I can't begin to imagine how many sugar grams are in one of those Frappes made with real sugar, but I may break loose and purchase one in the upcoming weeks.

(4) Another sizable rant for me continues to be food products that say "Distributed by" instead of stating the country of manufacture. I almost decided to create a blog entry saying that Distributed by is now the new Made in catch phrase. Case in point, my oldest sister decided to give her two younger siblings an easter basket full of chocolate. She and I went to the local CVS pharmacy and she started putting products in the basket. Hershey products showed the country of origin in some chocolate products and other products they'd say distributed by Hershey. M&M candies that used to state made by M&M Mars now say distributed by the same company. There's still no country of origin for quite a few products for some crazy reason. Sam's club and Members Mark is no exception to the rule either despite me calling them to ask why they don't do it. Apparently big business could care less for consumers being able to make good decisions of food products we put in our stomachs.

(5) It's been a rainy day here in the south. I planted some squash recently for hopes of having squash in a garden but so far the plants have gone slow to take off and expand after being out of the small containers the plants lived in before the big transplant. I may take pictures in a few days to show a humble small town southern garden that would make Southern Living fall over in disbelief of my shanty gardening antics. But we shall see. I've overdue for a few pictures anyway.

(6) I've been keeping up with "Lost" and glad to report there are only, what is it, five or six episodes remaining? I still doubt for serious answers to the tons of questions I have about the meaning behind the series. I think at this point I'd settle for some kind of answers even if I don't get all the answers I want answered. You just gotta love "Lost" though...such a good show and well written. I'm not buying all of those crazy people that say it's a stupid show. Bring on the "Lost".

Well, it's rainy again so time to step off the soapbox. Have a good weekend where ever you may be out there in the world!!

Strange Professional Evaluations For References To Complete

2010-04-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Recently I applied for a job after a lay off from my employer. It's an interesting experience because I am supposed to mail a copy of an evaluation of me to my three professional references so they can evaluate me and send it back in to the Human Resources with the organization.

The individuals are supposed to rank me with the system of unknown, superior, average, unacceptable. I think the "personal qualities" being evaluated are rather interesting in my view at least. I don't think I've ever run into being evaluated with the following attributes:

PERSONAL QUALITIES

Physical health

Speech and voice quality

Poise and self-confidence

Initiative and enthusiasm

ABILITY TO GET ALONG
WITH CO-WORKERS

COMMUNICATION
SKILLS

ATTITUDE

TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS

ADAPTABILITY

RESPONSE TO POSITIVE
CRITICISM

FLEXIBILITY

ABILITY TO EXPRESS
IDEAS

PROPER USE OF ENGLISH

Have you ever been evaluated on something crazy like this before?

Blogger Guy 39's Favorites...

2010-04-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

Favorite snack: Butter Flavored Pretzels

Favorite singer: The Indigo Girls

Favorite guilty pleasure: A snickers bar or chocolate chip vanilla ice cream

Favorite "Library reading material": Men's Fitness

Favorite soft drink: Toss Up Between Coca-Cola and Mountain Dew

Favorite bread: Pumpernickel

Favorite Soap Opera: "Lost" Does it count as a soap opera?

Favorite Dream Car: A Ford Mustang

Favorite Candy: Milkfuls

Favorite Movie: Powder and A.I.

Favorite Writer: Rheta Grimsley Johnson

Favorite Game Show: Match Game with Gene Rayburn.

Wow, that was easy...taken from a entry of favorites by Ex-Restaurant manager.

Y'all have a good week.

Another entry soon enough.

More Excuses For Not Writing

2010-04-20T09:23:00.000-07:00

I've been sort of missing in action for you that stop by to read the blog. I'll post more by this time tomorrow. Have a good week!!

The Night Sounds Of Country Living

2010-04-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

It’s quite an interesting world we live in…even more so out in the rural parts of lower Alabama. It’s nights when the weather is cool and at peace that I probably enjoy the most.

It’s a cool star filled night tonight where the crescent moon has yet to reach our horizon but you can hear the night sounds of crickets and cars on the road two miles away.

I can hear the field of cows in the distance that appear to moo back and forth to each other communicating while the whir of cars continue on the highway.

Then I hear the sounds of gunfire from a nearby military base. Well, not exactly nearby but close to enough to hear the guns with target practice filling the night air with the sounds. Probably a good 15 miles away from the base as the crow flies.

The night air is pretty busy tonight with cars, cows, machine guns, and oh yeah, some owls deep into the woods as well. The owls are probably the more relaxing sounds besides the crickets that fill the night air. The owls seem to be the most entertaining.

I’m smiling at myself just now as I went to a website to look at photographs and mp3 recorded files of owls in conversation. I guess to see a picture of an owl I can only hear and think I know what they look like in my mind gives me a bit of happiness.

The gunfire from the base is gone and now I hear the cows with the echos of mooing in the woods nearby the house. I don’t hear the owls any more for now but I know they are somewhere deep in the woods behind me. The cars are still driving noisly along the highway going somewhere in the deep black of night.

I hear some dogs barking faintly in the distance as well. Perhaps they've seen a deer at night or some other cause for alarm as they alert masters unknown of the danger or event warranting the bark. I'm not sure.

It’s a quiet night and the way I’m trying to capture the moment just can’t be captured in how I tried it tonight.

Maybe the whole thing would be more poetic if I wrote the entry as a poem instead of trying to capture the night sounds and make it sound like you were here listening to it with me.

But for now, I’m going to brush my teeth, curl up with the blanket and get some shut eye so I can take in another beautiful world of tomorrow.

I hope I'm given the opportunity to see all there is out there yet again.

Good night all.

Great Value Wal-Mart Official Response

2010-04-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

So my last entry posed the question to Wal-Mart about its "Great Value" products and why the company does not list the country of manufacture for the products. Here's an official reply, still yet deceptive by the clowns of Wal-Mart:

Thank you for taking the time to contact us and sharing your suggestion with our Great Value products. Our customer feedback is very important to us. We have documented your feedback and it will be provided to the appropriate area for future consideration.

In reference to your question concerning why does it say "Distributed by Walmart and not Mfg by Walmart". Walmart does not manufacture any of the products. The Great Value Label is the Walmart brand and is only distributed by Walmart.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact us. You may also contact us by visiting www.walmartstores.com and clicking on the contact us link or by phone @ 1-877-505-2267. For future questions regarding product ingredients, nutritional facts, preparation instructions and more, click the grocery link at www.walmart.com.

Sincerely,

Great Value Customer Contact Team

The reply still reeks of the lack of corporate responsibility. It almost appears that China Mart, ummm, Wal-Mart is deceptive to keep us from knowing where these products are actually manufactured.

Any thoughts?

Great Value Products Question To Wal-Mart Stores

2010-03-31T06:01:00.000-07:00

So here's a letter typed up and sent via email to Wal-Mart stores about the "Great Value" product. And very soon I hope to share a reply from them concerning "Great Value" and its country of origin for food products at the local Wal-Mart store.

Here it is verbatim:

I am concerned about the Great Value brand of food products you can purchase in your Wal-Mart stores.

Can you please tell me why Wal-Mart continues to show they "distribute" the product but do not show the country of origin or where it is manufactured on the actual label?

It seems pretty deceiving to me that Wal-Mart would choose not to do this. I feel the "Great Value" branded food products originate in countries outside of the United States where food product quality and food safety is not as scrutinized as it would be if manufactured and packaged domestically.

I've purposely avoided buying products from the Great Value brand because of this and nobody in my local store could answer why this is not labeled properly.

If you Google Great Value, you will see some others are also rightfully concerned about your store branded products.

Please tell me why Wal-Mart "Great Value" branded food products do not display where the actual product is manufactured.

So there is my email. Probably some will think it is rather silly and stupid for such a request since we know how Wal-Mart has the best interest (as any business does) for consumers and people.

Hopefully I'll get a reasonable answer to this question. Or at least what I can post here to explain this question I've had for quite some time now.

(Don't get me started on that one yet.)

I'll post a reply and then I'm off to Target for the official word on the "Archer Farms" store branded products there simply shown as "Distributed by Target".

Distributed By Emails From Wal-Mart Great Value, Target, and Kroger Stores

2010-03-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

I've taken three stores recently to task on the fact it shows on packaging they "distribute" a product but do not manufacture it.

I emailed Kroger, Wal-Mart, and Target recently again trying to encourage them to tell us where these products are manufactured.

Stay tuned to the blog for my actual email sent and the replies that come out.

Have a great week!!

Monday Blogger Update

2010-03-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hey there...it's Monday and now I'm just back from a four mile walk in the spring air with the partner. It's a beautiful day down here in the south with sunny skies and temps about 65 degrees.

I spent a few days with my mom and dad back home in Florida. My oldest sister is coming to visit this upcoming Friday for a whole week. Originally she was going to take my sister, her new boyfriend and my niece on a cruise but for some reason they have decided against doing that.

I had a good time with my mom on Saturday. We went out to the usual second hand stores and wound up eating at Kentucky Fried Chicken Buffet where I had a chicken breast, mashed potatoes, pinto beans, green beans, pickled beets, cottage cheese, and banana pudding for desert. Not sure if you have KFC buffet restaurants where you live but if you do, it's worth a shot. I don't eat the skin and the breading on the chicken because of MSG but it's good and about $6.79 a person which includes the drink.

Boy I'm starting to sound like a commercial. Anyway, my mom and I seemed to have a good time hanging out together. That's one nice thing about visiting my mom. She seems to be genuinely interested in hanging out with me even though I'm a momma's boy.

I heard news a while back that two of my high school teachers are going to retire this year. They were both very good teachers and I thought highly of them. I would like to try and see them again before they are gone from my high school. I guess I'm sort of nostalgic. These are people that knew me when I was 16 or 17 years of age and now I'm about to be 40. It's interesting they do remember me and my behavior despite all of the students they have taught through the years.

I realize this blog at times can be rather boring. Sort of like watching a bad movie on TV so I'm trying to get it interesting. I will see what happens to the poll on the right and decide about introducing some other topics or photos or something to make it more interesting. Any comments are welcomed.

Have a great week!!

Blogger Guy Update Again

2010-03-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry to be yet again missing in action lately.

Been a busy time since we last talked.

I've had a cold of some sort with a runny nose, scratchy throat, fever, and aches.

Hopefully most of that is over now. Except the cough part.

The boif and I drove to Greenville, SC to visit his sister mid week last week.

We had a good time hanging out and relaxing.

One day we went to Hendersonville, NC and that was also nice as well.

Here are a few things I'm missing right now:

(1) Marla the cat. I had her put to sleep over a week ago but I miss her purring and talking with her. She was a sweet cat but she was getting older and more feeble.

(2) I miss watermelon. I'm looking forward to having some this season again when it's cold and sweet. Hopefully the local growers will have some again this year. Last year I bought one that was huge and at least 40 pounds. It made for some excellent eating during last summer.

(3) I miss routine. When you're unemployed sometimes your routines go off kilter. I'm now sleeping until about 8:30 a.m. and going to bed by 10 p.m. weeknights.

(4) I'm sure there is more to write about but "Lost" is about to come on again so that takes priority.

Have a great week!!

Things I'm Tired Of At This Moment...

2010-03-09T13:58:00.000-08:00

Here are a few things I'm quite tired of at this moment:

(1) The Verizon/AT&T wireless commercials trying to indicate which one is better. I'm not sure which one is better and which is more inferior but do we have to see them all the time on television? Which one is better? Not sure but I have Verizon and for making and receiving cell phone calls it does what it needs to do for me.

(2) Winter weather. It's finally warmed up in the south now with highs today of about 73 degrees. It's supposed to rain and probably will turn cooler but those days of 20 degrees are hopefully now over. We've had more of our fair share (extreme whine) of colder weather this winter for sure.

(3) More and more packages of food items showing as "Distributed by" instead of "Manufactured by".

(4) Feeling bad. I had a relapse last night. 101 fever with aches, chills, fever, and pretty much puny feelings of sickness.

(5) Judge shows on television. For those unlucky like me who don't want to pay the cost of satellite television service out in the country, we have to muddle through so many judge shows in the afternoon it's tiresome. That's yet another reason to love the internet that is here. At least that hasn't turned into another judge show...yet.

(6) Joy riding people in trucks that speed off in the night that I can hear even though my windows are closed. I wish sometimes I could put nails in the road to keep them off the public roads then I realize it's just not going to happen. With any luck, good or bad, I'd be the one to get a nail in my tire just for having bad karma wished upon the others that joy ride in the late night hours when I'm trying to sleep. At least the joy riders don't carry on til the early morning hours. Hopefully they aren't reading this entry and have decided to do that just to antagonize me.

(7) Living in Montgomery. Montgomery folk seem to have really bad attitudes when driving or just generally living in the capital city. There's also traffic snarls and everyone acting like they are on a race when they are driving on the interstate. It's like a raceway out there and is amazing at rush hour or even Saturday mornings.

(8) Wal-Mart. Don't like the store. Don't like having to walk an acre to get from one part of the store to another. Don't like rude cashiers like the one I had seen on Saturday when in Montgomery and how she treated a shopper. I was just merely a by-stander but just amazed at home customer service and friendly attitudes are such a rare find in the service industry now a days.

I guess that's enough for now...I thought I was on a roll to key in this entry but then I realized maybe it's short lived. Almost like this cold...just figure it's time to move on and go watch some of those judge shows on TV. Or maybe I will just pull out a Seinfeld DVD and watch that instead.

Have a great week!!

Flu Bug/Feeling Sick/Blog Entry Again

2010-03-08T12:27:00.000-08:00

Goodness...I'm back again!!

It's Monday and I've had three days of not feeling so well due to some bug I must have caught up in Mobile at an Indigo Girls concert or by touching too many things without using hand sanitizer.

I had a fever of 101 and achy joints and stopped up nose and chills all at the same time. I'm thankful that I didn't have things coming out of the other end at the same time because that would have made me feel even worse.

On a lighter note, Mr. C, the male cat has been sweet and making recovery from the flu bug or some sort of bug so much nicer. He's curled up on the sofa while I wash my bed sheets to doom the flu bug from hopefully returning.

The weather is so nice today. It's sunny and 65 degrees with a light wind. I sat out in the yard earlier today with the significant other and we had a good time.

It's good to feel good and great to feel well again.

Now if I can just get to some liberal minded blather, we'd all be doing so much better.

Go Obama!!

That's good for starters. Have a great week!!

An Update? Wow, About Time Huh??

2010-03-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess I really did disappear from the blogging world for a while.

Here are a few updates worthy of note:

(1) The partner and I drove to Mobile to the Saenger Theater and saw a live music concert by the Indigo Girls. The concert went well except it seemed like it took forever for the actual duo to sing. We had to listen to far too many opening act songs that I wasn't really interested in.

(2) I got laid off from my job in Alabama. I'm looking for work again. It's a long story but I'm not terribly upset about losing the job. I kind of saw it coming in the mirror and I feel confident about my abilities and will continue to look. Now if I can just completely finish the on-line forms for unemployment.

(3) I put my 13 year old calico cat to sleep last week. She was getting older, more frail, and couldn't control her bodily movements. She also had a hard time keeping food down. I'm sad to lose her. She was a really "talkative" cat if you know what I mean. Food for thought...I saw this on one of my friend's refrigerator magnets..."People Who Don't Like Cats Were Mice In A Past Life."

(4) It seems that I'm getting more headaches lately than before. I am not sure why but I do tend to feel like the headaches are a bit stronger than the ones I've had in the past but I am taking some prescription medicine to help get rid of the headaches. We hope the meds will continue to kick in and help.

(5) The temperture outside is about 55 degrees and sunny but I'm ready for some slightly warmer weather to come since Spring is almost here. I'm sure lots of you may have snow or far cooler weather but I just want to see some warmer weather here too you know...it's the south for goodness sakes.

More later...Have a great week!!

How Do You Brush YOUR Teeth?

2010-02-18T13:36:00.000-08:00

Hey there everyone...welcome back to my world.

It's been a beautiful day down here in the south...temps about 60 degrees and perfect for a 7.2 mile hike on the roads today.

All good things must end though and rain is going to be here for the weekend.

Do you have any annoying quirks?

Of course, I have many...and one came to mind last night about brushing your teeth.

Do any of you do the following?

(1) Open toothpaste.

(2) Wet toothbrush.

(3) Swish water in your mouth to moisten it.

(4) Put toothpaste on brush.

(5) Run said brush under water again to be sure it's more wet.

(6) Brush teeth.

(7) Spit in the sink.

(8) Rinse sink to be sure spit is all gone down the drain.

(9) Repeat again.

I find it funny I must twice moisten the brush with water, one before putting on toothpaste and again after putting on the toothpaste. I guess I think it makes for a more liquid brushing experience.

But then again you are talking to a guy who likes to collect grocery reward cards and things in sets of two or more.

Mental illness is kicking in again I fear.

Oh to be in your 40's. No turning back now.

Have a good week everyone...or you...yeah you one of the scant few people who still come back to a dose of bloggerguy39.

Valentines You Can Print From WWW.WOOT.COM

2010-02-14T19:02:00.000-08:00

Our friends at Woot! have free Valentine's to print out as needed for that special someone or to get a message out that you are too chicken to say in person.

Read on for some images or click on the link above to get an actual PDF document of the Valentine in full size instead of mere shrunk down copies.

HAVE A HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TOMORROW!!

Snow Pictures For February 2010

2010-02-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

Well, here are some snow pictures from the area...

Snow In Alabama..Yeppers!! :)

2010-02-12T09:01:00.001-08:00

Hey, we've got snow...more photos soon. I just gotta go out and take some more pictures to share...

Snowfall In The South??

2010-02-11T14:28:00.000-08:00

Can you believe here in the south where I am we are expected 1 to 3 inches of snow by this time tomorrow?

I'll be ready and have a camera ready just in case it does decide to snow. If it does, I'm sure everything will be a pretty white even if for a short time.

Snow.

Where I live.

Imagine that.

Have a great week everyone!!

Another A to Z With Bloggerguy39...

2010-02-10T16:35:00.001-08:00

A to Z

A is for Anne. Anne is the middle name of my second oldest sister. She and I are 18 months apart in age. She lives beside my mother and father and has a daughter named Nicole. When I was younger, this same sister was extremely jealous of me and used to do things to get me in trouble and laugh at me.

B is for baby. Yeah that’s me I’m the baby of the family. I have two older sisters. The oldest sister is 50 years old. The next oldest sister of mine is 43.

C is for Calico. Calico is the type of cat named Marla I’ve had since 1997. Marla had a younger brother named Gene but he died back sometime in 1999 I guess. Marla is getting older, has much more stinky poops than before and has grown accustomed to not covering up her logs when she uses the indoor litter box. Surprisingly, when she goes outside to donate logs to the dirt, she will cover it up each and every time.

D is for death. I have to admit at times I’m not afraid of death but I also consider ceasing to exist after 41 years of life to be somewhat of a bummer. I guess I’d like to be remembered long after my own death but in the world of growing people I doubt I’ll even be remembered 20 years after my own death.

E is for eggs. I’m not a big fan of scrambled, hard boiled, or any sort of eggs for the sake of eating eggs. I like food products cooked in eggs but just not a fan of eggs by themselves. Eggo waffles are quite the exception with syrup and butter though.

F is for fish. I like fish. I enjoy fried mullet, baked salmon, snapper, and other types of fish products. I’m not a big fan of canned salmon for some reason. Maybe it’s because canned salmon always seems to taste like a metal can. I don’t know. But fish fried, baked, or grilled sounds really good about now.

G is for gauntlet. Gauntlet is something I asked my mom to describe as a noun to use for this exercise. We’re sitting in the waiting room at the local eye doctor today for an eye check up and I just couldn’t think of anything immediately for the letter “G”. So she said gauntlet. And I added it just to be nice. Otherwise, this letter “G” spot probably would be still blank at the time of the published blog entry. Thanks to my mom for this entry.

H is for hero. This was also a guest answer from my mom who is sitting beside me. She said her greatest hero was her adopted sister’s birth mother. She believes this person to be a hero because she gave birth to her sister, gave her a name, and put her up for adoption. My mom feels it is painful for my mom’s sister because the adopted mom gave birth when she was approximately 30 years of age in Birmingham, Alabama.

I is for ice. Again an entry by my mom as we sit in a room of overbooked eye care patients waiting for the same doctor waiting for my mom’s turn at the doctor. My mom loves ice. She gets lots of ice when she has any sort of drink I in a restaurant and loads up ice in her insulated cup when she goes into town. It’s all about the ice for my mom. I think she is part Alaskan since she enjoys ice so much.

J is for (my mom just got her named called for the eye doctor so I’m waiting out surrounded by others waiting themselves or for someone else)

K is for kite. I used to make my own homemade kites with sticks and the funny pages from the newspaper when I was younger. I recently remembered I tried to pull on the string attached to a kite wound up against a power pole when I was younger. I knew there was electricity there but was trying to free my beloved kite over the risk of getting a severe electrical shock.

L is for leftist or liberal. I’m proud to be both of them. I wish more people more liberal but then again, I think that might make the world and politics boring. Maybe I just wish we had more liberal politicians. We could use a few extra around despite what the “right” tells us how bad liberalism is for the country.

M is for mother. I fully admit I’m a mother’s favorite and I’m proud of it. She is still about the only one that seems to be concerned about the person I’ve become. She’s still scared of me and worried for my future but that’s what happens when you are a momma’s boy. Hopefully one day she won’t worry so much about me.

N is for Nancy. Or Nellie. Both were two of my more favorite characters from Little House on the Prairie. Her stubborn bullying mentality always seemed to be quite charming to me. Perhaps minus the dress, I wanted to be a bully too. Well, maybe not really. I do think her charming brother Willie was more of my type at the time. In my twenty something days, I would have to go for Laura’s brother Adam.

O is for orange. One of my more favorite fruits. I have three containers of unopened orange juice in the refrigerator right this moment. Man, talk about obsessive. If they stop making orange juice tomorrow I’m covered at least for a few days at least.

P is for pizza. I made a pizza with a self bought crust last night. Added some chopped chicken breast from the Publix grocery store deli, added some black olives, red onion, sliced mushrooms, cheddar cheese, sliced tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. It was quite fabulous last night. Bake for about 15 minutes

Q is for queer. But I’ve already covered that in a different entry.

R is for rain. One of my more whiney complaints are people who drive in the rain while turning on their hazard lights. They also use the same hazard lights flashing off and on in blinding rain to indicate a lane change. Talk about stupid and reckless. What are these people thinking?

S is for sane. I like to think I’m pretty sane. Not insane. Sure I may have some far fetched thoughts at times but yeah I’m sane. Do I have you convinced?

T is for turtle tracks. Down in the south, we have a brand of ice cream called Mayfields. They make a delicious turtle tracks ice cream. Turtle tracks are chocolate caramel candies with pecans on them. Simply wonderful!!

U is for union. As you know from a somewhat liberal stance, I’m in full support of unions. I think if we had more of them, Wal-Mart and other businesses would be forced to pay workers a livable salary instead of a few cents over minimum wage.

V is for Val. I have an oldest sister named Val and I call her “Aunt Valerie” and her husband, “Uncle Tom” when I’m pissed at my sister Val. I even do that to her on the phone and in person. But lately I’ve distanced myself from her and no longer do that. I miss the good old days when I could do that to get a reaction from her.

W is for water. I’m not afraid of water but I’ve never learned how to swim yet. Maybe one day I’ll get up the courage.

X is for x rated pictures. I’ve had a few of those taken in my lifetime. Is that so bad? My face wasn’t in some of them so you’d never know.

Y is for yearning. I rarely yearn for anything any more. I don’t even think there’s one thing out there I’d really like except maybe a new digital camera but I don’t even need one of those either. I just am pretty happy with what I have and what I’ve accumulated.

Z is for something that hasn’t come to mind yet. I’ll have to edit the entry when I think of something Z related.

Bloggerguy39 Checking In For A Brief Moment

2010-02-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

Wow, can you believe it's been a long time since I've posted something to the blog?

Yeah it's been a while.

So here I am just checking in for a moment.

I have to laugh at myself today.

I was in the local grocery store today when a nice younger female asked me how I was doing. I replied back and said I was doing fine and asked her how she was doing.

She said she was doing okay except it was that time of the month and her acne was acting up.

I was trying very hard to come up with something nice to tell her so I said, "Well I know for sure my acne was far less severe than yours was thank goodness."

Then I realized what I said and tried to stammer out a better reply by saying, "My acne caused me to break out right along the hairline and I didn't have it nearly as bad on my face and below my mouth."

Still I can't help but think I was doing a terrible job of trying to cover myself with a reply without sounding mean.

I wanted to say I was sorry right then and there and explain I wasn't trying to give her a complex since she already had one about her acne on the face.

But then I just couldn't dig myself out of the hole I had dug so I told her thank you and quickly left the store.

Sometimes I guess you can say something cruel when it just rolls off the tongue even though you really don't mean to sound cruel.

I wonder if she thought I was a jackass or something.

Anything is possible I guess.

More later. Have a great Wednesday!!

Maybe I DO Need New Friends At Work

2010-01-24T09:51:00.000-08:00

After my friend Aek's comment ( you can view his blog here ) I think I need to find some new friends around the area.

It is quite true that I'm sure others don't have this type of conversation with others in public so maybe I'm just surrounded by morons or something.

Probably so. This is as you know Alabama.

More again soon. Thanks for the posting Aek!! If you step over to his blog, tell 'em John sent ya. :)

Wrong Date Posted

2010-01-24T07:19:00.000-08:00

Not sure why but the previous document was saved as a draft and finished today. The date of the posting shows Monday, January 18, 2009 by blogger but it's actually Sunday, January 24, 2009.

Weird huh?

Stupidity Of Others Part Two

2010-01-18T13:14:00.000-08:00

Hey there, when we last heard from bloggerguy39 he was commenting on what's wrong with people that can't feel another person's pain or can't feel a bit of sorrow for the many people suffering in Haiti.

Today is not much different in keeping with the same type of theme as the previous entry.

Recently, my boss at work has started to encourage me to hang out with my coworkers and go to lunch with them from time to time to show I'm part of the team.

In the past I dreaded these lunch hours because they were spent mainly talking small chit chat about hot babes on facebook and why Obama is going to ruin America.

I broke down and recently went with them again trying to create the goodwill known as co-worker relationships kicking myself the whole way over there and back actually.

We met a few military people that we used to have contact with in a previous job and we were off to have pizza and sandwiches and hot wings.

The conversation appeared to be going well. I asked the military person (a female) how she is doing since she changed jobs and whether she misses her old office area.

Then out of the blue the stupidity seemed to happen again.

A sort of unrestrained person started commenting about a weather lady on the Weather Channel having a big mouth like a monkey and a nose that looked pointed like a witch. Also, he started to comment this particular weather host on the Weather Channel could probably "smell out a hamburger over a mile away with a nose like that."

I was on the other end of the table thank goodness making small talk with my one coworkers so I ignored the comment.

It was rather noisy in the restaurant but I felt it was not my place to stand up and speak out against such stupidity. Rather, I guess I see the stupidity for what it was by that person.

I'll try and post more regularly very soon.

Have a great weekend!!

What's Wrong with People Today/Haiti Earthquake/Lone Chicken/Pat Robertson Rambles

2010-01-14T19:08:00.000-08:00

Hey there just a quick entry for now...

There's something wrong with the younger kids today. True story...today at work I heard of a young boy age 9 who lost one of his eyes to some sort of cancer...and that eye had to be removed in some way and now the nine year old boy has the same thing happening to his other eye.

Kids in his school started making fun of him because he lost one eye and looked like a freak...and now that his other eye is doing the same thing a parent's doctor said the young boy will have to have his other eye lose its vision.

Kids in his elementary school were poking fun of him and making fun of his situation. It's bad enough to have the loss of one eye but now this young kid will not be able to see in either eye whatsoever. And add to that terrible experience, this kid is having to endure teasing and making fun of him because of this unfortunate experience.

I don't get it. Why do kids have or feel the need to make fun of someone less fortunate than they are? Where are the parents? Where's the compassion?

Gee whiz...what IS wrong with people now days?

Speaking of that, I had dinner with some of my coworkers recently and this 45 year old something lead person in our area starting making fun of a black person's nose and mouth of the Weather Channel recently. They talked loud enough for others to hear in the restaurant about how she "could smell a cheeseburger a mile away" and continued to go on and on about her looks.

For a lead person in my job to do that, I just can't fathom why it's always good fun to make fun of those less fortunate in any way than someone else. I almost said something to this person and was going to call him out on that behavior and our food arrived. Thank goodness I wasn't seated that close to him to be lumped into the same pathetic mindset that he displayed toward someone on television.

In other news, I heard a sad story again today on the radio. The earthquake in Haiti which is quite sad for all the pain, suffering, loss of life, and loss of the comforts of existence.

I'm going to pledge something online to help those less fortunate than I am for sure. Pat Robertson called this earthquake punishment to the people of Haiti for the inhabitants making a deal with the devil over 200 years ago. That's why God is punishing the people of the country of Haiti so he says.

Man that's sad too. I don't get it lately.

Some people are just sick, twisted, and appear to want to use God's good name as proof of their own beliefs.

One final thing...I live in an area where there are numerous chicken processing plants that take live chickens and kill then for cutting up into the legs, thighs, wings, and breasts we all eat.

One lone chicken must have fallen off the truck and stood in the middle of the median of the divided highway very cold where our outdoor temperature was 25 degrees on my trek to work this morning. It had its feathers ruffled and stared blankly at the highway with what I perceived to be such a very very downtrodden look.

I've decided I'm about ready to become a vegetarian. I'm sad for the people in Haiti first and foremost and now I'm quite saddened for this poor chicken who fell off a poultry truck where she was going to be doomed to slaughter, but now in the middle of a cold morning, it stands questioning what in the world is going on. Well, I grant you chickens can't talk like us or think like us, but I do feel quite sorry for it even looking at it this morning.

Some things like natural disasters, men of God proclaiming strange justifications for what is happening, and a lone chicken on a divided highway are enough to make me feel the pain for all things...human and living in the world.

Yeah I'm getting much closer to feeling the empathy we all need to feel for humans and animals we share the world with on a regular basis.

Have a nice evening!!

Okay I'm Gay...Yeah, I've Told Him Now

2010-01-10T16:09:00.000-08:00

Well, it's me again. The partner, his sister, and his sister's wife are in the living room jamming up making their own musical tunes so I'm in the bedroom curled up under a blanket with a sweet cat named "Mister C" curled up lovingly beside me in bed.

Not a whole lot to really report here. My boss was out of the office two days last week with a stomach virus so I'm sure this week coming up will be busy with lots of things to do that we didn't do while he was out of the office. Which I'm okay with...I'd rather be busy than idle popping bubbles for fake coins on Facebook like my coworkers seem quite preocupied in doing. Oh yeah, and spending excessive amounts of time on Youtube watching videos. I guess I can see doing that when there's nothingn to do but hey, give me five minutes on g rated videos on Facebook and I'm good for a week. Can you say extremely boring stuff on Youtube and Facebook?

I did come out to the guy mentioned in a posting a few listings ago. It's kind of funny. He called me a nervous person only a few days before. The way it happened was sort of like this (as we were en route to a building to do some work.)

I'll call him B and I'll be oh, I'll be H.

B- So you said you don't date girls now, don't you have any regular fun with some you know to get release?

H-No, not really. I might as well tell you this. I'm gay...I have a boyfriend of nearly 14 years. We have a house together and share a joint relationship in life.

B-You're kidding right? You're gay?

H-Yes, I'm gay. I wanted to tell you before that I was but it just didn't seem right...until now. So here I am, saying I'm gay.

B-Wow, I don't know what to say. I don't get guys who like guys but if you do, more power to you. I look at myself naked in the mirror and I can't understand what any guy would like about another guy but hey, I'm okay with it.

H-Thanks. I appreciate it. I know it's probably not the best for me to tell my coworkers yet...but I may get an extra pair and decide to tell them also. It's not like I'm ashamed of who I am I just also have to work with them and you and I don't want to make them feel uncomfortable. Even though it does get tiring when we go to lunch with them and they always made comments about how they want to go at it with a waitress or anything female they see.

B-Yeah I can understand that. I'm cool with it. I have a few gay friends but I've never known anyone to come up and tell me that before. It took some balls for you to tell me that. And don't worry I'm not any different in how I work with you than before.

H-Thanks. I appreciate it. Now that you know, that might explain why I would act nervous around you. I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable around me like I was into you or wanting to do something with you. You're a coworker not someone I'm secretly in lust after either.

B-Okay, yeah that does explain the nervous behavior you'd always show around me. I couldn't quite figure that one out...until now and it all makes sense to me.

H-Thanks so I'm glad we're good.

Later in the day after we had been working together I asked him again if I was nervous acting around him and he said I wasn't the least bit nervous. I explained again to him now that I had gotten that off my chest I felt like I could just relax and be myself without feeling scared, nervous or shy about anything. Not that I'd spazz out to him or anything but it's a good feeling to come to terms with it enough to tell someone who had always been curious why I no longer dated women.

So that's about it for now. I actually feel good and I feel relieved to have said it to him. It's sort of when you are in a cage and don't feel like you want to come out but as I did, desperately wanted to tell him a few days before but I couldn't get up the courage to do so.

He mentioned a girl he is currently dating changed from being lesbian to being interested in him and I genuinely wish the very best for him in his relationships. I guess we can share our thoughts about our lives and relationships. I figure at least with him his questions regarding my lifestyle may be far from over. Not that I want him to not feel he can ask questions but I want to show that gay men can live together and hold onto a 14 year relationship as well that is going strong.

And now I have...and hopefully work will be easier and we'll continue to the best we can as one of the two teams of workers and grow in a friendship.

More later I'm sure...have a good weekend!!

Bloggerguy39 Checks In

2010-01-10T09:03:00.000-08:00

Brrrr...it's been cold for the past week. Here's a sunny butterfly picture taken by yours truly. It's been an interesting week and yes, Sticky, I told the guy. I'll write more on that later today.

Have a great rest of your weekend!!

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-01T05:08:00.000-08:00

Well, world, welcome to the new year of 2010.

As I look back upon the year of 2009, I look back with some good memories and others not so good memories.

I remember setting a goal to do something I really want to do at a local university but putting that aside to work instead of working on the goal. The goal re-appeared to me over the past few weeks and I've decided to work on that goal again with a self imposed deadline of Wednesday, January 6, 2010 to draft a presentation to managment.

So now, a year later, the goal is still on my mind and I am more driven to make it succeed than before. It's rather interesting when you work, you may be busy, have the mind occupied on how to do things, what to do, and so much more that a spark of creativity emerges that you want to use for the goal I've set for next week.

I look back a year ago living on my own in the town I grew up on sort of frantically looking for work after being laid off from my employer only a few weeks before. I remember searching for jobs online, going to interviews, putting up with a lot of BS that employers seem to convey about the whole interview and selection process. Yet me, I was genuine and on board for a position that would allow me to stay close to my hometown and perhaps even try to continue to foster a good relationship with my mom and dad.

To me, trying to repair a fragile relationship with my mom and dad seemed more paramount to me returning to Alabama with my tail tucked between my legs that I had failed at a job where I was laid off due to no fault of my own.

The weeks after being laid off and trying unsuccessfully in an unstable economy led me to several job interviews and many more resume submissions both online and by mail without any results.

Reluctantly, I left my hometown and returned to the place where my partner and I built (and he lived part-time) trying to convince the state unemployment office I was worthy of collecting unemployment compensation. I'd keep detailed records back to myself via email on jobs applied for, emails and phone calls back regarding the job resume submissions. I realized I'd need all of this information if someone requested I provide the details to show that I was indeed looking for employment rather than only taking in the meager $247.00 weekly amount.

I did finally get a job interview again back in my hometown yet was quite shy on moving a ton of stuff back there even though the job appeared promising with a future beyond a simple contract opportunity. So this time, I vowed to find a furnished apartment unit and move all I would need (clothes, music, linens, and kitched essentials) into one perhaps two car loads in my quite smallish Toyota Corolla.

And so I did...I found an apartment and starting a new job in my hometown. Yet something appeared to be missing to me even though I was back in my town enjoying what all things were familliar from traffic snarls to my two or three friends I had known for over 20 years. I'd travel the roads 140 miles one way after work to come home to the partner and life in the country and drive back early and sometimes late Sunday to get ready for work that Monday. I distanced myself from my mom and dad again after my dad felt I was hell bound for renting a South Park episode about Cartman and "anal probes".

I worked and came home to the partner on weekends. The job was interesting once things caught on and it finally did make sense. The pay wasn't all that great but in a tough economy I was driven to work, gain experience and try to reduce the job date gaps of unemployment.

One day my boss told me as I was munching on a sandwich in the break room that I'd be better off looking for a new job because a particular position I had would likely be going away in about six weeks. I felt sort of scared that again the economy would rear its ugly head and take me away from a job I had in favor of yet again unemployment. So I looked for a new job online as a way of preparing for what may happen with this job.

And I found a new job...almost acting like a kid with an equal amount of loyalty to a job as some employers feel loyalty to a good employee and left the meager job and environment for something new.

The people seemed nice...my manager was nice yet I just didn't feel like I could fit in as well as I could have had I been in the same generation of people I worked. I also noted a bit of bias and favoritism in this new job that I'd try to overlook by my manager toward another person in the department. I noted that sense of wanting to return back home where the partner lived and find simple work that would allow me to return home and see him every night instead of phone calls during the evenings and comments as we both would watch "Glee" on television.

So I worked for three months to determine if I wanted to continue the job and three months for the company I worked for to determine if they liked me enough. Either one of us could speak that we weren't interested in continuing the employment and could go freely. I worked up until my 93rd day with the company while hearing people in my office tell me management didn't like my performance and would be letting me go before my 90 day probationary period. Then I'd hear others say any effort you put into the job wouldn't matter much because I wasn't the favorite of my boss. I knew that before but I did my job and did it well and then finally realized I was ready to come home.

And so I turned in a notice and actually had another job waiting for me back where the partner and I lived. So in a way, after building up a wall both self imposed and imposed by standards of family I could not attain, I quietly moved back to Alabama and I think at this point I'm once again content with my job and my world around me.

As I type this message early in the morning I can see a thick blanket of fog covering the forest outside my bedroom window. It's a cloudy early morning and last night a full moon of light blanketed the fields near the house in a whitish glow that was amazing. It's just too bad a camera can't capture a full moon at night and blankets and layers of amazing fog with lone trees in a pasture. It was quite poetic to see last night.

The partner will soon be awake in the room next to mine as we celebrate a new year together...2010 and soon to be a relationship of 13 years together. We've had our stumbling blocks with quirky me trying to garner respect from my father to me changing jobs three times in a matter of six months. But yet, the devotion and companionship we see in each other is much stronger than my desire to fly off again 140 miles away to live in my hometown. It's a real sense of belonging more so to each other than the rest of the world. It's strengthened by the partner's sibling acceptance of me as a viable person to the sibling family chain and a sense of concern over my well being despite a bad intentioned neighbor who would rather see my relationship stumble and break apart.

So what does 2010 hold for me in goals? For sure I want to try that goal with the local university. I'd like to try and stop biting my fingernails once and for all. I'd like to become more organized and less messy. I'd like to figure out how to get rid of the water leak in my 13 year old Honda Civic. I'd like to start coming out more proudly and take the good and the bad from people in the area. Like Sticky Crows said, it's 2009 and using that I live in Alabama only perpetuates those who think I suffer from terrible self-esteem, failed relationships and promiscuity.

So that's where we are now.

Happy New Year and best wishes for an amazing journey in 2010 either together via blog or in your own personal enrichment toward the goals you have the and the lives of each of you and the world around you!!

Christmas Carols for the Psychologically Challenged

2009-12-26T10:31:00.000-08:00

1. Schizophrenia --- Do You Hear What I Hear?

2. Multiple Personality Disorder --- We Three Queens Disoriented Are

3. Amnesia --- I Don't Know if I'll be Home for Christmas

4. Narcissistic --- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

5. Manic --- Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and Fire Hydrants and ...

6. Paranoid --- Santa Claus is Coming to Get Me

7. Borderline Personality Disorder --- Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire

8 . Full Personality Disorder-- You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll tell You Why

9. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ---Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells ..

10. Agoraphobia --- I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day But Wouldn't Leave My House

11. Senile Dementia --- Walking in a Winter Wonderland Miles From My House in My Slippers and Robe

12. Oppositional Defiant Disorder --- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus So I Burned Down the House

13. Social Anxiety Disorder --- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas While I Sit Here and Hyperventilate.

Bloggerguy39 Quick Update

2009-12-22T16:53:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone...thanks for visiting the blog.

It's been a busy week just before Christmas coming up on this Friday.

My partner has his sister and brother-in-law visiting for about a month so it will be nice to have some outlets for socializing.

We might even catch up again and watch Season 5 of Lost that I bought online recently via Ebay as an outright purchase.

More again later as usual.

Have a great week!!

P.S. I still didn't come out yet but for the one guy it's not even a question of why I don't date any more. But I will likely come out in the new year of 2010 just because I'm tired of hiding from what they perceive me to be.

Why Do Straight People Hate Gay People??

2009-12-19T17:53:00.000-08:00

I realize I should come out at work...but not sure exactly if I will this week. Maybe I can make it a new year's resolution.

In the mean time, I came across an
interesting article on why people don't like gay people...for whatever reason.

Not to dwell on sad and gloom. I'm actually quite content with the person I've become from the person I used to be full of despair, gloom, and doom about being gay.

More later...just got back from a trip to Montgomery to see friends I used to work with and now it's late and almost time for bed.

Y'all have a good weekend!

To Come Out Or Not Come Out...Should I Or Shouldn't I??

2009-12-17T16:52:00.000-08:00

I got really close today to telling one of my coworkers that I was gay.

He and I have worked together for a total of five days thus far. I hadn't really announced it formally yet but I've changed jobs and moved from Pensacola back to lower Alabama for work.

The job is a good job in a variety of sorts. I have a pretty good working relationship with my supervisor. My supervisor actually understands how to do things and will offer feedback and suggestions on how best to do something when asked. My supervisor has a sense of humor. My supervisor appreciates someone who has a good handle on providing good customer service skills when interacting with others outside of his office.

But it's not the supervisor I am torn on what to do with at this time.

I want one of my coworkers who is 23 to know I'm gay.

I would like him to know that I am so I can put to rest the thoughts he believes to be of me in a male/female relationship. I've corrected him to say I haven't dated women since high school but also left off the part I actually became sexual active in high school with one of my friends there. That's not really the entry tonight though.

I want this guy to realize that I'm gay and I've had a fourteen year relationship with an incredible person and that I'm more happy in my current life than I was in the years before meeting my partner in life. I also want my coworker to realize people are different in the world and that we are all not attracted to the opposite sex.

I remember listening to him ask me the questions about dating women and wanting to burst out to him that I'm gay, happy and I have no problems with being gay but I just rehashed how I'd tell him over and over in my head while we moved from the subject of dating women for getting them into bed to why military personnel are not able to talk degrading about the President of the United States.

I just don't know if I told him I was gay would be the best thing at this point in time. I think it would probably be more harmful than helpful. For one I'm 40 and he's 23. Another thing is that he works for me and I'm in a somewhat supervisory role overseeing his job and work plus also doing the same kind of work thing that he is doing.

He's a nice enough of a guy and I don't want him to feel uneasy being around me if I told him I was gay or that he'd be afraid to bend over to work on a computer because I might be admiring him in the stereotypical lustful gay mentality that he'd probably be accustomed to thinking.

In fact, I really have to honestly say I do not see him at all in any type of sexual sense. I don't want to make a pass at him...I don't want to follow him into the bathroom and try and catch a glimpse, nor do I want to catch his ass as he bends over to do something in the offices where we both work.

Part of me realizes telling him I'm gay to hush the the fact my coworker believes I'm interested in women which he says I should just "fuck one and let them go".

I think the work relationship or dynamic would change. Right now he respects me and I respect him for what we both know and how our contribution works with the overall effort of the job I'm in.

So for now...I'll continue my charade. I'm still not afraid to say I am and I'd like to say I am but I can't help but wonder how things would be for the better or worse if I announce that to him. I think I'll just keep my mouth shut for now.

Have a good evening!!

Views Of High Water Near The House

2009-12-15T18:14:00.000-08:00

We've had some major rain in this area. I've whined about the rainfall before so here's some photography to go with it.

Here's a movie clip courtesy of YouTube. There's a noisy car toward the end of the short clip killing the still of the afternoon when I was there.

The itense rainfall has created some flooding of some roads on my way to work and in this area of the state.

I was sent home from work early today so the partner and I went out and looked at the high water on a bridge just down the road from the house.

If you look closely you may see a blurred image of the partner in the photographs. I didn't want to get any zoomed in photographs of him to protect his privacy since he actually grew up in this area.

The view you see here covered in water would normally be a road leading to the riverbank. Needless to say, the road is completely covered in water I'd guess by about 10 feet.

Here's another view of the flood waters from atop the concrete bridge.

And here's yet another view of the water quickly moving downstream.

Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny with a high temperture of 60 degrees. Sunshine would certainly be welcome after at least three continuous days of rain down this way.

Y'all have a great week!!

Wal-Mart Great Value Brand Is Pathetic

2009-12-15T11:17:00.000-08:00

I have spoken out before about the ridiculous policy of Wal-Mart branded grocery products showing they are distributed by Wal-Mart stores but not stating where the actual product is manufactured like the country of origin.

Last night, I decided to put Wal-Mart to task on this problem with the labeling of accurate information on their product.

I hadn't darkened myself into a Wal-Mart in a little less than a year I'd say until I walked into one to buy a few items last night to prepare for an at work luncheon today.

I went to the grocery store area looking at the new box packaging for "Great Value" branded products of Wal-Mart searching for any indication of the country of manufacture but never found anything worthy except that Wal-Mart distributes the product.

I decided after looking at 17 new food products with the packaging to find out why. I found the number 1-877-505-2267 and reached a representative named "April".

April asked the reason for my call and I explained to her why doesn't Wal-Mart name the country of manufacture for food products in their stores. I told her also I looked at numerous products and was looking at one right there that plainly stated Wal-Mart was the distributor of the product but not the manufacturer.

I also told her it's deceptive in my view to not include this information on the packaging so United States consumers can make educated and healthy food product choices in what they purchase from Wal-Mart's private label brand.

"April" told me by telephone an interesting answer. She said any Great Value product that does not list the country of origination on the packaging (which it turns out was EVERY Great Value food product I discovered) the product is manufactured and produced in the United States.

I told her that I didn't dispute what she said but in the age of food scares from China on contaminated products it would be a most helpful selling point if the product "Great Value" would actually show the country of origination.

Heck, I'd buy these products if I knew they were actually manufactured here instead of on some country that has far fewer safeguards in place for food quality assurance.

"April" told me she'd pass along the comments but at this time Wal-Mart has no plans to indicate the food country of origin because of the unwritten Wal-Mart rule that products not labeled as manufactured elsewhere are indeed manufactured within the United States.

I told her I was going to boycott Wal-Mart and tell others of this lack of corporate responsibility. In fact, true to say I haven't been into a Wal-Mart in a good while for buying groceries, but I won't miss going back in there either.

Long check out lines.

Indifferent employees.

Crowded spaces.

Few cashiers to check your groceries out and most always locked up self check outs.

I always go back to China but I dare say that some of the issues with Chinese food products are lack of quality and standards in place for food quality. But in the case of contaminated baby milk and contaminated dog and cat foods.

I feel honestly the tainted infant milk was malicious and I feel equally about the tainted dog and cat food as well.

Do we really need to save a few pennies on second rate products that are supposedly labeled as a "Great Value"?

There's something wrong here that a country like China can poison food products and we have very little concern over the labeling of products that can help us consumers make wise decisions.

Even more wrong in my opinion are products that are made in China sold in the United States that are cheaper to try and run out legitimate food producing companies here in the United States. Can't we make vegetables, pet food, frozen foods, and other products here without having to completely rely on other countries to product or manufacture it and sell it back to us?

Wal-Mart is not helping this at all by continuing to believe they have no responsiblity toward the labels on the food products they sell in the stores. If you want to call and voice concern or even pat Wal-Mart on the back for whatever reason, the number is toll free, 1-877-505-2267.

A new entry coming up soon.

Have a great Tuesday!!

Lost Season 6 Final Season

2009-12-13T18:58:00.000-08:00

Anyone excited about the final season?

I only wish it would start before it does.

Rainy Weekend Again...Yucko!!

2009-12-13T08:09:00.001-08:00

Hey there everyone...just checking in on the blog thing today.

It appears to have rained at least most of the entire weekend. Rain fell yesterday here at the home place starting around 9 am yesterday morning and didn't let up until about 30 minutes ago.

I'm off to venture out of the house since I got infected with a small bit of cabin fever with the rain and lack of ability to get out and walk around outside in the woods and country.

So I'll be back shortly. Until then enjoy a photograph above from Cheaha State Park. It's from a trip back earlier this fall. It's a beautiful place for a day trip from around Alabama and it is known as the highest point in the state of Alabama. I'd recommend reserving a chalet and getting out and relaxing with Mother or Sister or Father Nature depending on your preferences.

Have a great (and hopefully rain free) day out there today!!

More later...I promise!!

Blogger's Favorite Quotes

2009-12-10T18:29:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my favorite quotes from various individuals.

I'll be back with a real entry in a few days. Have a good weekend!!

I cannot pretend to feel impartial about colors. I rejoice with the brilliant ones, and am generally sorry for the poor browns.
Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)

One needs to be slow to form convictions, but once formed they must be defended against the heaviest odds.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)

Make money your god and it will plague you like the devil.
Henry Fielding (1707 - 1754)

One man practicing sportsmanship is better than a hundred teaching it.
Knute Rockne (1888 - 1931)

It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.
Seneca (4 BC - 65 AD)

The discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a new star.
Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755 - 1826)

A single day is enough to make us a little larger.
Paul Klee (1879 - 1940)

To find fault is easy, to do better is difficult.
Plutarch (46 - 120)

Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them?
Rose Kennedy (1890 - 1995)

Bloggerguy 39's Random Snips Part Whatever

2009-12-05T03:56:00.001-08:00

Here are a few snippets I've been pondering lately:

(1) I see the process of "rimming" in a lot of online gay videos and photograph galleries. I just wondered to those who may have experienced the gay sex world far beyond me if rimming is common in gay sexual activity. Licking or mouthing the asshole of another guy or having someone do that to my own asshole just looks like it wouldn't feel good or feel good to do to someone else.

(2) When you drive down the interstate, why do truck drivers pass and then the truck on the right flash lights to signal supposedly to the truck driver in the left lane that it is okay to come back into the left hand lane? Is it because the truck driver that is passing wants to make sure he has enough clearance before coming back into the lane again upon passing? Or is it some sort of code they are using between trucks or a subtle way of cruising?

(3) I realize I'm part of the 40 something generation recently thanks to a birthday early last year but I had to ask this of my younger generation, females or males...does the 20 something generation feel it is proper conduct to discuss sexual desire or how they want to have sex in rather graphic detail with the other 20 something people in an office?

(4) My cat for some reason does not feel obligated in any way whatsoever to cover up her logs in the litter box. The litter box has been completely cleaned to smell fresh yet she won't, can't, or forgets to cover up the strong smelling logs that emit from said 13 year old female cat. If she goes outside to do her log deposits, she will dig a hole, cover it up, and act normally. I should say she does have two younger additions to the family that might be causing her some distress but they've been around nearly 3 years now so you would think any power play she has going on with the younger children in catdom would have played out. Yet, her logs still remain uncovered in the sandbox of life. Anyone else have this experience?

Well that's about enough for now...time to curl back up in the bed and have a warm kitten nearby.

Ahhhh, Saturday morning, time to listen to the rain outside, and sleep in for once.

Have a great weekend!!

Things That Annoy Your Bloggerguy39 Writer Dude

2009-11-25T19:12:00.001-08:00

Here are a few things that really annoy me.

(1) Employees at a store that complain to coworkers about their job while I check out. I was at a CVS tonight and an employee was complaining to her coworker while checking me out that she has to work on the day after Thanksgiving. She proceeded in front of me to call her manager a "bitch" and expressed great displeasure with her job and how she hates her job. I was going to ask her if she was that miserable there are other jobs out there she could/should apply for.

(2) I can't stand traffic lights. Some towns appear to put traffic lights within just a few hundred feet of the next one. Take Enterprise, Alabama for an example. Pensacola, Florida is also a great example of traffic lights put at intersections. Not to mention the lights are synchronized so they are always changing when you approach the very next one and can't get around the town with any sort of speed because of the traffic lights.

(3) Car trouble. I know cars get old and break down but today after visiting a fast food restaurant for lunch, my fan motor used to blow air from the vents stopped working for some reason. Very annoying. The left hand passenger door lock is also broken. I wish cars could last longer. I wonder if the parts for these cars are from China or something. Or from the USA but the company skipped on quality merchandise.

(4) I can't stand all these multiple commercials on television for after Thanksgiving sales. Doors open at 5 am at Wal-Mart, 4 a.m. at Target, shop and get these door busters here and lowest prices of the season here. Please don't use this blog to determine when the acutal hours of the store of your choice will be open. It wouldn't hurt to research it on the internet or call the store directly. I accept no responsibility for shoppoing at one store because I gave particular hours of operations that were not accurate. If I get a complaint, it might just turn out to be a totally new and separate blog entry. (grin)

(5) Dogs that bark into the night into objects you can't see or hear. Back in Alabama, my partner's mother has a dog that likes to go to the edge of the woods and bark at objects just to bark at objects. As I type this and attempt to wind down from a busy day at the office, I heard her starting the barking session again. I'm about to chase her down with a water hose to get her to stop barking at things in the night. Maybe she'd leave me alone and I can sleep.

Well, wow, that's enough for tonight. I'm stepping off the pre-Thanksgiving soapbox.

Have a great Thanksgiving!!

See you in a few days!!

Gay Friendships With Those Who Are 180 Degrees In Difference

2009-11-24T05:03:00.000-08:00

Well, I feel a need to explain from the previous post before I dropped off the world yet again.

I had been chatting with someone in my hometown that was allegedly looking for friends. He said he was very lonely and wanted friends to hang out with and chat.

So curious that I was and perhaps a bit guarded I wanted to find out more why with the tons of people he supposedly said he chatted with and met online that he still felt lonely.

Turns out in some strange way he had a girlfriend, they broke up and now he's really just wanting to cuddle and hang out with gay men and says he desperately wants a boyfriend.

This sort of sounds like me wanting to make friends as well. Desperate to make friends just don't let them know it.

For now the friendship thing in Pensacola is no longer an issue and I'll explain that very shortly.

The person I chatted with on the internet vehemently opposes any sort of gay equality whether in marriage or equality. He loves George W. Bush, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and Glenn Beck. He says they are his source of information and how he builds his worldly views.

At first I thought he had to be kidding but listening to this poor soul made me realize he was actually telling the truth.

I just can't in my right mind hang out with or try to be friends with someone who is so anti-gay yet wants a gay relationship and partner. That just doesn't compute in my form of mathematics.

So I cut things off and told him I don't think we are on the same page to build any sort of friendship. I told him he has a right to believe how he does and I'm not going to even attempt to change that, but that he needs to be more around those who feel like he does for building and or maintaining a friendship.

Sort of would be like a room of those surrounded by his same viewpoints. Why would I as a gay person struggling with my own issues want to be around someone who wants to point out we are not important and not valid in his eyes toward any sort of equality?

I rest my case. Moved on. And more on the friends aren't as important to make in Pensacola any more on the next entry.

In the mean time, "sweetie" who reads this issue regularly...this one is for you.

Have a great week everyone!!

Happy Thanksgiving as well!!

Bisexual Male Torment And Unequal Beliefs

2009-11-16T19:14:00.000-08:00

I'm still around....just been busy with life.

I'll put out another entry by tomorrow night.

I'll give you a short preview.

Bisexual guy who desperately wants a gay relationship but doesn't believe in gay marriage or gay equality.

Sounds tormented huh?

Well that's who I almost met to have dinner with recently but I've since chickened out because I don't see it worthwhile whatsoever to me.

He may think differently but I don't.

Have a great week!!

2009-11-05T05:03:00.000-08:00

Good morning everyone...here's another quick entry for the blog.

I can't help but feel a little bit sad and disappointed that voters in Maine also turned down a constitutional amendment introduced by the Maine legislators was voted down by the people for gay equality. I feel a disconnect all over and sort of feel yet more distant toward my fellow people.

I felt worse in my home state of Alabama at the time when it happened and although I had hope the same thing wouldn't happen in Maine, it did. I don't feel like crawling into a hole and hiding away from the world right now but I do feel a sense of let down for sure. I can almost hope for gay equality in my lifetime but yet, in a sort of hopeless mindset, I realize it's likely not to happen.

In other news, I went on a morning walk and a person near the park must have awoken at 5:45 a.m. thinking about trimming hedges to fill the park directly across the street with bluish stinky smoke and fumes for those few of us walking and exercising today. I would like to get into his head and see what drove him to this early morning madness.

I've included a photograph above of the culprit...Well, not really but this one trimming hedges may be more forgiven at least by me by his seemingly cutish factor.

Well, I gotta run...take a shower...hope on I-110...drive to work...deal with stuff there...and then hopefully get through today. I'm excited to see my fella tomorrow after work so time is a wasting. Have a great day!!

Purge Of Chat Listings Part 2

2009-11-03T05:01:00.001-08:00

I really need to be having breakfast rather than quickly typing an entry but I felt I must comment regarding Aek's comment to my blog.

My purge of persons on my yahoo chat list doesn't include everyone but it is a nice way of letting go of those persons I had befriended or chatted with at some point in the past who have moved into different directions than where we both were originally.

Sometimes it's safe to assume they are busy and don't see the chat window but perhaps my comments should be directed at those who appeared at some point interested in chatting with you, developing any sort of friendship, and now mysteriously that desire by them, or me (since I am the one doing the deleting) has vanished never to be awakened again by me.

That's my main point. I can accept that people move on...I was merely pointing out that deleting those who you feel have moved on is also just as equally refreshing as accepting the fact that for whatever reason those individuals don't want to chat with you. I usually do try to test this theory by saying hello and trying to engage the chat spirits out of some of them.

Usually it doesn't work and we're stuck with one word answers like cool, kewl, and :). It's only then I realize either I'm a bother to them or they just don't really feel like chatting and I place the chat inspiration back in their court.

Otherwise I come across as some desperate fool trying to motivate others to chat and be friendly like I am. And that's just as frustrating to them as it is to me.

Oh yeah and Aek, we will chat again soon online or I'll email you. You are quite the interesting person and I still have you in my AIM buddy list. :)

Have a great week!!

Purge Of Names Part Two

2009-10-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I know I have written about it before but it's worth writing about again.

I've "purged" the list of contacts on both my yahoo and AOL instant messenger accounts again. Don't worry Aek, you're still there and we do need to catch up again soon.

Gone are the ones who say they wanted to chat with me but for whatever reason didn't want to chat with me. Gone are the ones who say they were looking for someone to talk to but were too much not wanting to chat with me.

Maybe they found someone to listen. Maybe they really didn't want to chat with me for whatever reason. Maybe they got bored. Maybe they found an inner spirit that can't be helped by chatting with me. Maybe they moved away. Maybe they died. Maybe they had a car wreck.

Whatever the collection of maybes would be for not wanting to chat with me I'll never know. But they sign in, they sign out, but never chat with me again. And I'm really okay with that. I just can't help but say how fulfilling it makes me feel to erase the person so I won't struggle to chat with someone who absolutely has about zero interest in conversing about anything with me whatsoever.

Ahhhh, purging of names. So sweet and so satisfying.

Have a good evening and a super duper good weekend everyone!!