Happy Festivus!

Monday John called me from the hospital. He had to beg someone to use their cell phone. He was losing it. He has been in the hospital for 2 weeks and it was really starting to get to him. They moved him into the Community Living Center, but unfortunately he is surrounded by very old people dying. His breaking point was when some woman who was visiting someone else told him that this is the ward where they stick people to die. He was so upset when he finally reached me by phone. Crying. I was able to talk him down from the ledge. He's not in pain; not taking any pain medicine; the doctors ruled out cancer;he is starting to eat;and most importantly, the antibiotics are working! I told him I would see him Tuesday after work. I was able to get out a few minutes early, but all hell had broke loose by then. We had wind storms that were slowly closing all the main routes to the I-10. Since I needed to fill up my tank, I drove down to Ramon Rd heading towards Date Palm. Traffic was bad until I made it over the bridge for the wash. Didn't have any problems after that. The freeway was not congested at all. I stopped at Stater Bros to get flowers, a vase, and a get-well card. When I finally got to see John, he was so happy to see me. He told me that they would let him leave the hospital to get some Chinese food. That's what we did. He has been walking a lot in the hallway to try to build up his strength. He did good on our outing. He is looking to get released Saturday. It will be so good for him to get back home.

X-MAS

One of the most annoying Christmas decorations ever.


In other news, John is doing much better now. He answered the phone when I called today, and I can tell just from the sound of his voice he is much better. He only takes pain medications when needed now. I think he's on the way to a full recovery. They haven't gotten the results back from the biopsy yet, but I think it's going to be negative for the big C. Knock on wood.

John is still in the hospital, it's been a week now. The nurse says he's doing better, but they have him so drugged up it's hard to tell what's up with him. He sleeps so much that he doesn't answer the phone when I call him. He can't dial out, because you need to PIN code, which I guess you have to buy some kind of phone card. He might need to stay for another week in the hospital. He had a biopsy done of his pancreas, but the results won't be in for a few days.

Hospital

Tuesday, I brought John to the VA hospital emergency room because he had been having severe stomach pain that wouldn't go away. At first we thought it was a bug, but when it persisted after several days, it was time to take him in. Took him there after work, arrived about 6 PM. They took him in right away, and I was allowed to go back in the little triage room with him. They took him for x-rays, and tried to draw blood. He had become so dehydrated since he hasn't been able to eat & drink for some time now. The blood was almost too thick to be drawn properly. They put two bags of saline into him the time that I was there, and a third was to be started. We went upstairs twice for CAT scans. They finally decided that he was having a problem with his pancreas. Not sure if it was cancer or pancreatitis. I hope it's the latter, because the big C is what Patrick Swayze died of. One of the worst cancers you can get, very high mortality rate. That is because they can't detect it in advance and once you experience pain from it, it has already spread to other organs making it impossible to stop. Nasty stuff. He was finally admitted into the hospital at 2:47 AM, I got to leave at 3 AM. I drove home, it took about an hour. Got up at 7 AM to get ready for work. It took them most of the day to get him into the main hospital. He is still there, and now they want to do a biopsy to try to rule out pancreatic cancer. The doctors really don't think that's what he has. On the "brigher side," it is not unusual for bypass surgery patients to experience pancreatitis afterwards. It happens. At least it can be cured in 80% of cases.

Fast and Fun

Here's the completed scarf.

A New Day...

I think I'm over my cold; most of the crud has cleared out of my lungs & nose. I haven't been to the gym in two weeks! The muscles will come back quickly, but it's the cardio that goes to pot so fast. So I have to ease back into that routine. I think I'll be ready on Monday to go back.
I got one of the solos in my choral concert this December. I'm singing a line from "The Truth About Christmas" and it's pretty accurate about how I feel. I'm programming it into my computer so that I can learn it.
I'm knitting a scarf for my friend Lynne in South Dakota. She wanted a long scarf, so I made one my height. I just need to weave in the loose ends and put fringe on it. It went incredibly fast. I used a double broken rib pattern. The yarn is nice; 55% wool, rest is acrylic and cashmere. Very soft and a nice cinnamon color. Hope she likes it. It gets pretty darn cold in SD, so I'm sure it will get a lot of use.

Any Dream Will Do

Brook singing at karaoke on Tuesday.

Socks!

While my calf heals, I've been knitting socks. I made several so far, just working on perfecting the technique. Trouble spot appears to be the gusset; especially where it meets the leg of the sock. I've read some pointers online, and they say to grab an extra stitch on the previous row before and after the juncture of the two needles. It does close up the hole, but seems to pull the stitches awkwardly as well. Everything I've read says that it just takes time before your results improve. Practice, practice, practice.
My calf finally feels like it's back to normal. I've resumed going back to the gym, doing upper body and just walking on the treadmill. I'm thinking I have to go easy on the calf until I know for sure it can take the abuse. It was very busy at the gym on Wednesday. I went there after my "so you think you can knit" class at Denise's house. I had to jump around on whatever machine was open at the time. I really like to start with the military presses but had to do that toward the end of my workout. Couldn't do all my reps, but I did what I could. I can feel the strength coming back. I took a jacuzzi that night, just to try to prevent the soreness from the workout. My legs were hurting Thursday, primarily around the hip joint. I did walk on the treadmill that night, and I feel fine today.
I finally put my bike together and took it for a couple of quick rides around the neighborhood. Of course, it's supposed to rain this weekend. So I'm not sure if I am going to get a bike ride in. But it's a nice bike, and I feel comfortable riding it.

The Olden Calf

I don't know what's going on. About a month ago, I started having back spasms. Fearing that it was my left kidney, I promptly stopped taking my creatine supplement. I would only take it on days that I lifted weights. Then about two weeks ago, while I was minding my own business, my left calf decided to cramp up. I was walking across the CSA office at work, slowly & without any sudden stops or turns. I figured it was a cramp, and it would ease itself out. I did go to the gym that night, but only for upper body weight training. I cut out all cardio until my leg felt better. That weekend, I rested my leg, but the cramp still remained. I went out on Tuesday, having G & T's at Hunters and then going to Streetbar for karaoke. I had a couple of bud lites while there. When it was my turn to sing, I got up on stage and did my number. While coming down the three steps, something happened to my calf; it felt like it popped or tore or something. Not good. It gave me troubles the rest of the week. My leg got swollen and pink by Thursday. I really should have gone to see a doctor then, but I gave it one more day. When I thought that it could possibly be deep vein thrombosis, I decided it was time to go to urgent care on Friday. The doctor examined me, then sent me to Eisenhower for an ultrasound to rule out a blood clot. The test came back normal, no problem with the vein in my leg. I stopped at Walgreens for a supply of Naproxen. I'm thinking all that extra running at the gym was more than my calf could take. The muscle is sprained, and needs to heal itself. Being on my feet for extended times at work is probably not good. But what can I do? I tried to make an appointment with my regular physician, but she has been on vacation and her schedule is really full. I called a sports medicine doctor in Rancho Mirage, but all I got was a recording. I want to know what I should at this point. I still walk like an old man, can't really use the leg fully. I was doing good the other day, but by quitting time, the leg was back to being stiff & swollen. I'm hoping this weekend I can rest it enough to where it starts getting normal again.
Worst part is, I got my new bike and I haven't even put it together yet. Since I can't ride it with my calf the way it is, I don't know what the point would be. It is kind of hot to be riding a bike, anyway.

New toy at work.

While I fall apart...

Here's a fun clip to watch:

Delicious!

Fresh baked cherry pie from scratch.
Cherries on sale at Stater Bros. The most labor intensive part of the process is pitting six cups of cherries. But well worth, I'm sure. Still is cooling off on the counter, but can't wait to eat it!

Just a nice, happy, fluffy cloud I saw coming out of work the other day.

Steve's Going Away Party

Steve almost didn't survive his going away party held at Hunter's. Not long after I got there, all the drinking and the several shots he did in the last hour caught up to him. I understand he slept in until 11AM the next morning. Funny thing is, he is now working next door at Streetbar!

Slowly, but surely

I'm stepping up my workouts at the gym. Last week I added an extra cardio day to my schedule. So I am still doing the weight training M-W-F, but I have added a couple of days for cardio; running on M-T-Th-F. I confuse myself sometimes.
I went to Streetbar last night, ran into Alan. It was nice spending some time with him. Before my 1st drink was done, somebody bought me a drink and sent it over. It was a Margarita, pretty good actually. He was a younger European guy wearing a hat. I think I've seen him once before, and I have no idea why he bought me a drink. He spent a lot of time on the smoker's patio, so I'm not too interested. Little Aaron came into the bar, without an entourage this time. When he passed, I said hello to him and gave him a kiss. We actually made out briefly, and he is a pretty good kisser. He wanted to go home with me, but what do I really know about him? I ended up going home alone, leaving at closing time. I was pretty tipsy, and somehow stumbled into bed and off to dreamland...

All chopped up and ready for the sauce.

I thought that it may have been too much, but the sauce came out perfect! I actually don't even notice the basil flavor, that's how well incorporated the seasonings and herbs were. I can't wait to use the bell peppers that are growing outside in a future batch. There are two that are growing quite well, and should be ready with the next couple of weeks.

Getting ready for the basil harvest.

I decided the basil I was growing was ready to be incorporated into my pasta sauce that I try to make every two weeks. Although they are still kind of on the small size, by pinching off the leaves, it should make the plants "bushier." It somehow sends a signal to the plant to produce more leaves. I was able to collect quite a few leaves for the recipe, but with basil & pasta sauce - you can never have too much!

Sore...

My muscles, that is. Worked out on Tuesday, which was one day later than I normally do. Forgot to take my creatine, and had a harder time working out. But I made it through all my exercises; doing 70-75 pounds on each machine. The treadmill almost did me in. I set it at 7.0 MPH max with a 13% max incline on the forest walk. The display malfunctioned, and didn't show the progress on the read out like it should have. It also had me going faster on part of the course than I normally do. I was so exhausted at the end, but hung in there. Felt good to hit the showers when it was all over. Went to Trader Joe's afterwards; got more rice milk, salad greens, frozen meatless stuff, vitamins, and a Chilean merlot. Went to Streetbar around 10PM, but just the same old faces there. Still nice to see them. Didn't stay till closing, cut out of there sometime after 1 AM. Was going to check out what was online, but the computer wouldn't connect to the internet. Had to reboot, and all of a sudden the bed looked so inviting. Finally got up around 8:30 AM, it was so sunny, yet we have clouds coming in from the west. Heard some thunder before.

Bunnies!

Nothing really new to report. Actually got to use some of my homegrown basil on some pizza the other day. What flavor! I tried to transplant my cherry tomato seedling outside, but the sun killed it off. Too young, I guess. I've been tired at night, so no going out to Streetbar during the week. Had very good workouts at the gym all week. I have off this week, so I'll see how little can get done around here.

Ehh...

I told him he looked like Andre Previn in his one picture

So I met a guy from A4A for drinks at Hunter's Sunday night. He was late, which was no problem. I started talking to a guy who got there about the same time as me (7PM) because, who knows, it could might as well have been the guy. Turns out his name was Michael, not Gary. The guy I'm supposed to meet finally shows up with another guy; his friend who drove in with him from Pacific Palisades. The friend goes out to the patio and disappears for quite some time. Gary and I get to know one another, and I end up hearing lots of tale about celebrities he has photographed over the years. He was a photographer for Rona Barrett. But he was supposed to be my age; my guess is he is at least 10 years older than me. He knew Travolta before "Welcome Back Kotter" and Raquel Welch in the "Myra Breckinridge" era. I was still in grade school then. So that's kind of a turn off. I don't like guys who misrepresent themselves. Other than that, he has led kind of a fascinating life. We later went to Streetbar, where I sang some karaoke. Good crowd there last night. He kept trying to make out with me on the seats along the side of the room, but I really wasn't into it. I don't think it could work out. I finally drove him back to his hotel, CCBC, and called it a night. He wanted me to hang out with him by the pool today, but I got stuff to do (make soup, go to the gym, lead a separate life).
Oh, well...

Mmmm...

Fresh baked homemade strawberry-rhubarb pie.

A most when I see strawberries on sale at the supermarket. If they have rhubarb, then I just gotta make it. Love that sweet-tangy flavor of the two. This one came out good, the crust seemed a little thick. Used Imperial margarine, so I think that affected the outcome.
I went to the gym, and was able to get through all my excercises. Ran on the treadmill, really pushed to do my forest walk at 7MPH max, 15% max incline. Was a sweaty mess, and had to take a shower. The one guy who was putting on a show for me once came in as I was going in the shower. Saw him stealing glances at me every now and then. He pulled one of my moves by going back to his locker when I was toweling off by mine. I used that so many times with Mr. Blackberry.
I went to Trader Joe's afterwards. Bought some essentials, and a new protein powder. Not sure if it's doing any good, but for muscle growth it's important. My body is looking OK, although I still don't think I'm ready to go strutting around on stage naked yet. I understand the owner of the Thorny Theater decided not to renew his lease, so I think that's the end of that. Oh, well...

Tues Nite

Finally got my butt to the gym on Tuesday, and was able to get through everything. My back was OK, and I was able to run on the treadmill with little problem. My thighs must be getting big; the boxers that I bought fit good all over, except they are so tight in the legs! That's why I don't do leg exercises at the gym. I figure that the running will build the legs just fine. It's funny - when I look down at my legs, they look nice and muscular; a nice curve to them in the right places. But when I look in a mirror, they look kind of skinny. I stopped at Ralph's on the way home, and to much my horror, they no longer carry the Boca Italian sausage. No other company makes veggie sausage as good as them. Damn. Saw Ray C, a customer, in the store. He is Italian, and I bet his sausage is quite nice. Got home and made pasta for dinner. Had a chorus meeting, we made $1290 at the parking lot sale. We were actually able to pay Alan in full what is owed to him. Now we just need to pay back a couple of board members, and we will be debt free. We do have liability insurance renewal coming up in July; hopefully we can raise more money in a fundraiser for that.
I went to Hunter's, and then Streetbar afterwards. Hung out with Tom M, and some chorus members most of the night. Michael who used to sing karaoke a lot several years ago was there. I think he is a cruise ship singer. He has a voice that you love/hate. It's beautiful with great technique/and you can get very jealous of it. I tried to do "This is the Moment" from Jekyll & Hyde, but I think it was up a step too high for me. The scotch & sodas didn't help much. Daniel W stopped by with his latest boyfriend, and Doug of course was there but left early. Laz was there, and some nice looking blond guy was hanging with him for awhile. I wanted to get to know him, but it seemed like it would be odd to go over and chat him up with Laz there. I'm not sure if I will go out tonight; Of course it's Weds with the Zoso crowd pouring in after the cabaret show. It can be fun with all those people. Although nobody really interesting comes in. But you never know...

Time Off

So it turns out I have 4 days coming to me, and so I'm off from work until Friday. I really didn't do too much yesterday, Monday. I made my split pea soup, so I'll have that for lunch the rest of the week. I made a marinara sauce yesterday with one of the giant bell peppers. It came out quite yummy. I was going to work out, but my back still hurts a little bit from when I moved heavy stuff on Saturday. I'm hoping to go back to the gym on Tuesday. My stomach looks quite nice now, amazed at how trim my waist is getting. I want to increase my weight at the gym but I'm not sure that I'm at that level yet. I'm not getting through all the exercises as easily as I should.
I went to Streetbar last night after 10PM. I saw Robert, the latino that I met on Mardi Gras. Turns out he was with his boyfriend, and they have been together for at least a year and a half. Wonderful. And they were hanging out with Doug. It's a small desert and it just does continues to amaze me. I sang at karaoke, but then at some point Lindsey must have lost my slip of paper and I got droppped from the rotation. That bugged me, so I left before 1:30AM. Wasn't really a good night, all in all. At least I know what happened to Robert, so I can put that one to rest. Cross another one off the list.

Charity sale

Caballeros parking lot sale. We need the money!

I worked the Caballeros parking lot sale on Saturday. I woke up early, and headed down to Arenas Rd. Help set up, and brought a couple of items as well. It was annoying to have customers walking around with you, trying to snag "good" items as soon as they were put out. They mostly got in the way. The U-Haul truck pulled up, and we had lots of bigger items inside. After everything was in place, we sat around waiting for the cash to roll in. I spent most of my time by the water & cookies table. Cookies were two for a dollar; water 50 cents each. I kept eyeing a set of cordial glasses, they looked so cute. They had long stems, were each in a different color, and came with a pitcher & tray. Some time after noon, Larry J came back from being with a client, and I went over to Bongo Johnny's with him for lunch. I had the egg salad sandwich with a salad. It was good. Especially the Bud Light. We then went back over to the sale, but it looked like they were winding down on the sale. We started putting things away around 3. I finally went over to the cordials, picked up the box, and asked Charlie how much they were. He said, "Give me a dollar." Wow. What a bargain. Everything was going to Revivals anyway, so I might as well buy them. We loaded up the U-Haul, and had to even load some people's personal vehicles. We went to the store in Palm Springs, but they already had too much stuff in their receiving area. We then went to the one in Cathedral City, and they took everything we had. That was nice. I drove Michael N back to his car, and went into Streetbar with him for a beer. It was crowded in there, and some guys were playing "Show N Tell" in the corner. They moved it out to the patio, where more guys saw what they were doing, and it go reported to the bartender. He went out and told them they couldn't expose themselves or else they would have to leave. Hey, it's not the Barracks!

Big -n- Tasty

Ginormous peppers courtesy of a grateful customer.

Went out Wednesday night to Streetbar. Saw a lot of the regulars there. Had fun talking to Jeremy, the bartender at Azul. Doug was there, sans Art, so I guess he is back in Canada, packing. Whatever. Wasn't in a real good mood for that kind of stuff. I was doing good, otherwise. Had several Scotch & Sodas, that always helps. Helping at the big parking lot sale tomorrow on Arenas. Hopefully we can raise lots of money for the chorus...

Ride'em Cowboy

Pole bending at the Palm Springs gay rodeo in Banning.

My chorus was asked to sing the US & Canadian national anthems at the Palm Springs Gay Rodeo being held in Banning. We got in free as volunteers/entertainers, but had to wait around both days as the events went on longer than they predicted they would. I got to meet Steve, my latest acquaintance on A4A, and he was nice. Funny, he called me while I was at the gym on Friday and left a message that this weekend wouldn't be a good time to meet because his ex was in town for the rodeo. I called him back before my cardio workout to let him know that I would be there on both days and maybe we would bump into each other. He said he was working on Saturday, but would be there on Sunday. When I got there on Sunday, I met up with Cuqui, Theresa, and Jen. I was sitting with them in the sun, and there was a guy sitting just a little behind us. I was wondering if that was Steve. He then got up and said something to a rider who just finished an event. He then walked over to the bleachers in the shade and had a seat. I kept looking over to him, and finally screwed up the courage to go over and say "hi." I walked right up to him and asked him, "is your name Steve?" He said yes, and I then introduced myself. I sat with him for a bit, then his ex came over and sat with us. I then went to the bathroom, then went back to check in with the girls. I went back over to Steve, but had to go hang out with the chorus members because we were going to perform soon. We actually saw Steve walk out the entrance maybe 5 minutes later. He never came back. I hope I didn't scare off another one...

Freak out

OK, I'm officially freaked out. I went to Streetbar after chorus meeting tonight, and it was just too much. I was hanging out with Ted, who is a friend of Laz, when I decided to text Doug. Doug who I danced with last week. I asked if he was still in Hawaii. He sent back a text saying he didn't go, but was heading to Streetbar with his "partner." He ends up at Streetbar with Art, who was the Canadian I spent some time with a couple of months ago. Apparently what happened is that he hooked up with Doug after I said goodbye to him and now they are an item. I think I give up. Officially. Actually, there is a new guy, Steven, who I met through A4A. He called me today, just before my chorus meeting. He seems like a nice guy, let's see if something comes of it. I'm running short of patience/available guys. Why does my life have to be a freak show? Did I mention that I shaved my lower body?

That's Why I'm Not a Doctor...

Well, it turns out I didn't have jock itch. Once I noticed my belly getting itchy, I had to rule that out. I had something else that causes itchiness in the groin area. Especially when I noticed some things. Eww....
I'm going to have to blame RC for that one. Good thing I didn't go over to his place that last time he called. But how couldn't he know he had that and/or not tell me? I'm not sure if they let people have a cell phone in rehab, or I would let him know.
Wednesday I went to urgent care and got a cream to spread all over my lower body; actually from just below the chest. I'm not noticing anything right now, so hopefully I got it all.
I was going to hit the gym Thursday, but really didn't feel like it. I went shopping at Kohl's instead. I did buy some gym shorts, so I'm sure that counts for something.

Wednesday night entertainment

Cabaret at Hotel Zoso featuring Alan Scott.

Bongo Danny's

Had a lovely lunch with Dan at Bongo Johnny's. Beautiful day today, in the 90's, sunny with no humidity and minimal wind. We were supposed to go see the Thorny Theater's productions of Dangerous afterwards, but I screwed up the dates and it was too late to get tickets (sold out.) That was the play for which I was asked to audition, but felt that my body was "not ready for prime time" (or bitchy queens for that matter.)

I need to buy cotton boxers and Lotrimin spray. The nights are not fun when the tinactin starts to wear off around 5 AM.

Jock itch

I think I have jock itch. Never had it before. I'm itchy in my pubic area, so I bought some tinactin for it. Seems to be helping. Had to shave down the area a bit to apply the cream. I hope this passes soon. I still have a scar where that spider bite is in the same area. Makes me wonder if it's all related. Hmmm...
My workouts at the gym are getting better. I'm almost to where I left off before I got sick. Funny how I looked forward to my workouts before, but this week I dreaded going each time. I guess because I dislike the fact that I need to work my way back to where I was before. I think Mr Blackberry's first name is Kurt. Cool name for him; better than Arnold or Wilbur. Hee hee.
I've been entering the daily contest on Jeopardy! for the Galapagos vacation give-away. Still waiting for them to call me to let me know. It would be cool to take Brook there.
Dr Michael had a letter that he changed to hold for pick at work. I missed seeing him when he came to pick up because I was in dispatch doing some training. Man, they got some crazy ass new procedure for call backs on traces. I am not amused. I saw Michael on A4A and sent him a message. But he always would be on for a couple of minutes and sign off so most of the time you never conversed with him in "real time." But it was his preferred method of communication.
I made some ringtones for my phone, and for Cuqui's. It's cool, you can now send ringtones via pix msg on Verizon and save them as ringtones for use later. You couldn't do that before. Glad to see they unlocked that feature. I can only imagine that ringtones are so popular that people have actually left VZW for other carriers that are less restrictive. Sure, they lose the $30 that people might spend on ringtones a year, but they keep a customer who spends probably over $300 a year on phone service. About time they realized that...
My herbs are doing great. It's funny that it took the cilantro and parsley so long to germinate, and now they are bigger than all the other ones. I guess it made it worth the wait. Not sure when I need to thin and replant them. So looking forward to fresh herbs.

Yeah, right...

I was doing well this weekend, but on Sunday it felt like I was coming down with the flu again. I managed to hit Trader Joe's, but felt like I was sick while I was there. I noticed that Target was closed, so most retailers must have been closed for the holiday. My herbs are doing well; basil and thyme look good, the oregano is coming in, and now there is life in the cilantro pot. I finally got around to doing and filing my taxes online, now I just hope they were done correctly.
I got a phone call from RC last night around 10PM. He wanted me to come over and sleep with him because he is going to rehab today. I think I know better than to get involved with that. He sounded kind of incoherent, too. Which really isn't anything new. I wish him all the best, but I don't think the future holds anything for us. I really have my doubts that he can go through rehap successfully. He has that type of personality where he doesn't like people telling him what to do. It's quite tragic, actually. When I told him I wouldn't sleep with him and that I will be thinking of him when he is in rehab, he kind of mumbled something and then hung up on me. Great, he made that easy...

I'm Back

I seem to be doing all better now. I was actually able to go back to the gym this week, trying to pick up where I left off. I had to back off some of the final reps, but I wanted to keep my weight the same. Yesterday (Friday) was real good; I did nearly all the reps at the last poundage before my illness. I even got on the treadmill for the first time in weeks. I knocked a mile off the max speed, and was able to get through the 20 minutes with really no problems. I took my shower afterwards, and Mr. Blackberry was there. He took his shower as I was getting dressed in my street clothes. He is quite the sight. He ignores me, so I doubt anything is ever going to happen between the two of us.
I need stuff at Trader Joe's, so I'll probably make a run out there today. I really should stop at Target to pick up something for my Mother's birthday, next week.
I think RC is over me. No more calls after 1AM from him. I'm going to write that off as a good thing.
I planted some herb seeds last week in little starter pots. My basil is coming up (along with some phantom mushrooms - that seems to happen out here) along with a bunch of micro thyme. There is also a mystery plant, I think it might be oregano, popping up in another peat pot. The last two pots have nothing going on. They must be "late bloomers." When the plants get to be bigger, I will transplant them to my herb pot. It's a terracotta planter with little openings in the side for multiple plantings. I want to put the basil on the top with hopes of getting lots & lots of them. I can use the fresh basil in my lentil soup and spaghetti sauce. How nice will that be.
John planted some tomatoes and a bell pepper plant on the side of the house using the "topsy turvy" method. He actually used some old plastic kitty litter buckets, cut a hole in the bottom so that the plants can grow upside down. They are suspended from the eaves on the side of the house. Fortunately, it's not the side that faces the main road as they do look kind of "white trashy" hanging there. The idea is that since you are watering the roots directly, the plant grows faster and stronger. We'll see how it works. He used 8 inch plants that we bought at Lowe's. Funny part is: we thought we bought regular and cherry tomatoes, but in actuality, they are both regular tomatoes. The one we thought were cherry tomatoes only look that way because the picture on the little stick is so small you really can't tell what type they are. Too funny!

Feeling Better

This weekend I feel great. Yesterday I made a black bean soup with rice and cilantro. Quite delicious. I pulled the rest of the weeds from the yard.
Today I went to Lowe's and got some seeds to make an herb garden. John bought some tomato & pepper plants and is going to try to make an upside hanging garden. Will be great if it works. I'm feeling good enough to try to go back to the gym tomorrow. I know I can't pick up where I left off, at least as far as cardio is concerned. I'll be glad if I can get through 20 minutes on the treadmill.
Hmmm, I wonder if Mr. Blackberry missed me....

Finally done!

Feeling better and decided to pull the rest of the weeds. Here's the fruit of my labor:

In loving memory...

My sweet little Callie made her way up to the Rainbow Bridge today. I knew something was going on with her the past couple of days. She was not eating, even her little treats that she loves so much. She was walking gingerly, as though she had a limp. After her stroke in August, which she recovered from so well, I knew everyday I had with her was a "bonus." I held her every chance that I got, and told her I loved her. Last night, as I was half asleep, half awake, she tried to jump onto the bed. She didn't make it, so I maneuvered over to the side and gave her a petting. She went half under the bed, and then grabbed my finger with her paws. She had a weak cry, which I guess was her saying goodbye to me. When I got up in the morning, I didn't see her around. I just assumed she was resting under the bed like she usually does. I came home from work for lunch, and after I finished eating I went into the bedroom to see if she wanted some treats. She was not under the bed, and after checking the other bedroom, I found her in my bedroom behind a large chair facing the corner. She was stretched out, with her mouth open. I could not see her breathing at all. I told John that I thought she was gone. We got a box to put her in, and when I lifted her up, she was already stiff. I started to cry a little, only because I was sad for any suffering she may have gone through. I already cried so much for her the first night that she had the stroke that I thought would take her life right then and there. She was a great cat, one of the loves of my life, and I will miss her dearly.
There is a service coming to take her for cremation. Her ashes will be put in a cedar box, with a name plaque, and a clay imprint will be made of her paw. So I will always be able to have her near me.

It's been a week already??

Time for an update, I guess. I was a little partied out, and really couldn't do much more than Tuesday at Streetbar. Did the karaoke thing, and talked with a few people there. Got to know a guy who was visiting from SF, he was very nice. I even got him to sing up on the stage. He finally told me toward the end of the night that Laz kept looking at me with such admiration. I couldn't really tell him what has happened and how I'm just not that much into Laz. Sweet guy, but the chemistry just isn't there.
I've been sticking to the workouts, but I'm not quite where I thought I should be. Can't get through all the reps on all the exercises. Triceps and especially military presses are a problem. I have started doing creatine and I bought some whey powder at TJ so that I can help my body bulk up. I was doing quite well on the 5K that I try to run every Friday. But my right knee started acting up and I had to walk the last full lap before the end of the course. Once I stop running on it, it feels fine. Mr Blackberry was there, doing the stair climber. I finished before he did, and took my shower. Just as I was all dressed and about ready to go, he comes in to take his shower. I didn't want to be obvious and left shortly thereafter. I did catch his butt as he walked naked to the showers. I'm really attracted to him, but if he doesn't feel the same (maybe because he's straight?) then what can I do.
I finished pulling the rest of the weeds out of the easement on the cul-de-sac side of the property. Gorgeous day today, sunny and warm. I got too much sun, had to put aloe on my shoulders, back, and upper arms. Hope it saves the color. Tried to get sun on my legs, as they tend to look like whitefish when I wear shorts.
Took care of some personal grooming today, clipped my body hair so that it doesn't look so wild. My body is coming along, although it's not quite ready for the swimsuit issue of the International Male catalog.

Shameless...

Friday I spent pulling some more weeds. I went to the gym, did my workout. I decided to put off cardio because I followed the guy from the other day into the shower. He has the most amazing appendage. It's probably the largest one I have seen in person. He made no eye contact with me at all, so he's probably not interested.
I went home, and got ready to go to Kristina's going away party at Shakey's. It was very nice, and then we all went over to Streetbar, then Hunters. I danced at Hunters, and got so sweaty that I had to go out on the patio to cool off. I removed my shirt, and it felt so much better. I put it back on and went inside. More drinks, a trip to the stripper/dancer with Carol, and then more dancing. I got hot again, so went to the patio to cool off. I came back inside with my shirt off. I just felt better. After they poured Carol into a car to take her home, I went over to Streetbar. I was hanging out with Laz. Somebody he knows who is moving to Mexico was there, and he was telling me what I should do with my finances. Like I'm going to listen. I left around 0130, and when I got home made some spaghetti and meatless meatballs. I only had one slice of cheese pizza for dinner. Just not enough for me.
Saturday, I went to see Watchmen with Dan. We then went to Sherman's deli, where I had the veggie sandwich with cole slaw. Both were quite good. I went to the gym afterwards, and ran a 5K. I did it in just under 31 minutes. I went to take a shower, and had an admirer in the stall across from me. I don't know how these guys can "stand at attention" in a public place like that. My heart starts racing, and it's game over. The one guy from A4A who I used to see there all the time decided to strut around naked in front of me. It was just to much for me. I stopped by GNC on my way home to by some creatine. I will see if this helps with my workouts.

the party never stops

Let's see...
Had a lovely dinner with Dan, Cuqui, and John K. Went over to Hunter's afterwards, watched a little bit of the pool tournament. Didn't realize that one of the guys was on A4A. I did message him the next day, but that isn't going to go anywhere. Went over to Streetbar for karaoke, and it was dead there. Really, really dead. Doug, Andy's friend, was there and I hung out with him all night. He bought me drinks and shots. We made out at the bar. He said that he always liked me, but didn't think that he was my type. I grabbed his arm, put my fingers on his wrist, and proclaimed "you have a pulse, that's my type!" I ended up going back to my place, alone.
Next day, I went to the gym. Did really good on the machines, and made it through the program on the treadmill. Funny how the walking part can actually be harder to do than the running. Spotted an attractive guy in the free weight area. He was done with his work out just about when I was going from strength training to cardio. Went back to the locker room to get my MP3 player and water. He was undressed for the shower. He was stunning. Wow. Now I have a new obsession at the gym. And I think he is interested, but more on that later. Of course I'll probably never see him again since I'm going earlier this week due to my being on vacation.
Went home, pulled a couple of more weeds, had pasta for dinner. Around 2130, I went to Streetbar. It was packed! So much going on that night, and everybody ended up at the bar. We had 25 people on the karaoke rotation at one point. Doug, who I was making out with the night before, was now on a date with someone. It was weird, but Laz decided to make out with me in front of him. You know, it was a one-time thing and it didn't really mess with me. Then there was another guy who sat right next to me and really wanted me. He actually was telling people that he was my boyfriend. Managed to give him the slip later. And then there was another Doug, who I met many months ago, showing up at the bar. I told him some stuff about his family that he was amazed that I remembered. It was a very odd night. At one point, the first Doug told me we should dump our dates and go home with each other. I ended up going home with Laz to his place in Mountain Gate. He is a top, and I guess I am a virgin again. I really need to work on that. He is young, he actually came back for seconds. Amazing what nine years can do. He had to work in the morning, so we were able to sleep in until about 0930. He is very sweet, but I don't think there is enough chemistry there.

in the weeds

I've been pulling weeds for three days now. The rain that we got a couple of weeks ago caused so many weeds to grow up through any crack between the plastic underlayment on the lawn. My thumbs and forearms hurt. Yesterday I went to the gym, where I did my cardio first, did great, then did my weight training after my shower. I added five pounds, and couldn't do all my triceps extensions. Had to cheat on my bicep curls too. I think I need to supplement my diet with creatine. I was flexing in the mirror last night, and I do have arms now.
I went to Streetbar to relax, hang out, and sing some karaoke. It was a nice time and I closed the place down. Met a nice guy briefly. His name was Dennis, but people called him "Lucky." Had three beers, but they were spaced out so much that I didn't even get a buzz.
Today I will go out to dinner with some friends, and probably do more karaoke at Streetbar. It is my birthday, after all.

Party on. . .

And then Hunters afterwards.

We'll miss you

The FedEx gang at Matchbox for Kristina's going away party.

Fat Tuesday

Being that yesterday was Tuesday, I decided to go to Streetbar after 9 for some karaoke. The parking lot behind the bar was kind of full, but I found a nice space just steps away from the back door. I went inside and saw so many people, all wearing beads. Oh, yeah, Mardi Gras. I went to the service bar, and Paulie greeted me and gave me two strands of pink beads. I walked around, and said hi to Lyndsay. He told me that they have a guy doing a show with a keyboard, but he was on his last set and then they would begin karaoke. I was kind of thinking I was cool without singing that night, but all you have to do is twist my arm. I decided to say hi to Senor Doug, and see how he was doing. He told me that he was performing at the Wednesday cabaret at Hotel Zosa. I was very interested in going, but it is my late night at work and my gym night. As it turns out, I didn't go. I then saw Michael from the chorus, and decided to say hi. Chuck J. was also there, sitting next to him. Laz, the waiter, saw that I was there and greeted me warmly. There was one guy, standing in front of Michael and Chuck, barely wearing anything with a mask on. He was an older guy, but I bet he was quite a looker in his day. The body has kind of gone south, but he had a huge bulge in his tiny shorts. He actually pulled his stuff out at one point and let it hang for all the world to see. My, oh, my. What a big boy. He eventually went away, and there was a rather nice looking guy in a tank top hanging out with them now. He seemed interested in the two guys, but sensed they weren't into him. Of course, he made his way towards me. We flirted, and he worked his charms on me. We did kiss a lot during the night, and he really wanted me to take him home. But, seeing as I had to work the next morning, that just wasn't going to happen. I did give him my cell phone #, and he was supposed to text me today. Nothing yet, but I don't think I well put much weight into it. He was from Riverside, which is an hour away. I didn't even realize he was Latino until he told me at some point. I just saw an attractive guy, with no labels. He said that he was unemployed and wanted to be clear about that. Well, at least he seems honest...

Hope for Prop 8 repeal

Rumford

Seems that California had a proposition before that was overturned after an "overwhelming" majority approved the measure. Prop 14 allowed discrimanation against blacks and other minorities regarding property ownership and rentals. Very interesting stuff indeed. Most interesting is that Ronald Reagan supported the measure. Just like he would have same-sex marriage.

End of an Era

After much drama and false hope, the chorus has been a victim of the current economic crisis. We just don't have enough money to go on, and even with a pledge drive from the chorus members and an artistic director generously willing to forgo payment for the next concert, we just won't be able to produce the next show. I've been in the chorus non-stop since Jan 2001; which means I have been in 28 concerts, and two trips to GALA. It's been a very big part of my life, but now I think it's time to move on. I do need a break, and was actually looking forward to it, but really did want to finish out this season. There are some people who want to form a "splinter group" to continue singing, but I just don't know how that is going to work. People tend to think I'm negative, but I'm just pragmatic. I guess it's a way to protect myself.

Life is just a bag of carrots...

So after a brief nap, I'm ready to make my pasta sauce Sunday afternoon. I get all the ingredients ready, but can't find the bag of carrots I just know I bought at Ralph's. I looked all over the fridge, then finally checked the receipt. No carrots on it. They must have fallen out of the cart somewhere. I ended up making the sauce anyway, and put an extra green pepper in it. The olive oil smelled great warming up, a nice perfume coming from it. While I was adding the tomatoes to the pot, Art gave me a call. He asked me out to dinner. We decided on Indian, and made arrangements for me to pick him up at 1930. I showered, dressed, and was out the door with time to spare. I waited till 1935 on the street, then got out on the sidewalk to see if I could see him. I had a feeling I might not be at the right building. I could hear a slight sound, which I finally realized was my cell phone. By the time I got it out, the call went to voice mail. It was Art. I called him back right away, and got to speak to him. I did stop too soon, but it was all good. We got to the restaurant, had a nice time. My okra was too salty, I couldn't even finish it all. We then went to Streetbar, where we were waiting to hear from his friends. He could not get a hold of Nick, the guy he was staying with, but he did manage to talk to Jay. He is the straight multi-millionaire who we were supposed to go back to his house in Andreas Hills for drinks. That didn't happen, and I finally had to leave some time after midnight. Work in the morning. I did make sure Art had my email so that we could keep in touch. His flight left a little after 1030 this morning.
I went to the gym after work today. Really good workout, I increased my weights by 5 lbs. Good run on the treadmill. Was good to finally get home.

VD

as in Valentine's Day. I didn't do much today; finished putting away the laundry that I did the other day. Had lunch, and went to Trader Joe's. Stopped at Michael's on the way back, but they have a pretty small yarn selection. They have signs promising a new section in the Spring. Let's hope so. John came back from his traffic school and we ended up going out to Rubio's for dinner. Boy, was I full. Also felt gassy. Watched "Burn After Reading" on cable, one penny ondemand movies. It was a little quirky, not as good as all the critics said, in my opinion. I then left the house, and went to Streetbar. I was too late to see the "First Timers" drag show, but saw many of the participants around the bar. Steve looked good, and very over the top. Andy's friend/co-worker Doug was there, and he is so skinny. Looked great, but I couldn't get over how tiny he is. Saw a guy who looked like another Doug that I met months ago at the bar. I asked him if that was his name, but he said it was Zach. He was younger and I told him he looked like Robbie Williams. He thanked me. I don't know if he even knows who that is. He was with his partner and some friends. They own a landscaping business and shuttle back and forth between LA and here. Nice guy.
Art showed up, as I was hoping he would. I went over to say hi to him, and whatever guy he was talking to suddenly had all this drama. I was glad when that guy left. I hung out with Art until they kicked us out at almost 2AM. We tried to get a hotel room, but that wasn't happening. I drove us back to my house where we spent the night in my bed. It was nice. Stayed in bed late, finally drove him back around noon. Now I need to make my soup and pasta sauce. Man, I am tired.

Canada, eh?

Monday was good; went to the gym after work and was able to take up where I left off. Tuesday I stayed later at work so that Cuqui could go to her diabetes class in Redlands. I didn't have chorus rehearsal, but we were told to plan on going to karaoke at Streetbar around 9PM. I was supposed to have dinner with several chorus members beforehand, but that was cancelled when Jim called me to say he couldn't go due to a headlight burning out in his car. I ended up going to Matchbox and getting a pizza and Chianti. Nice quiet time by myself. I then went to Streetbar and saw some of my chorus friends. I put in a couple of songs for karaoke. Ended up meeting a guy from Vancouver, and there was mutual attraction. Spent most of the night hanging at with him, until his friend decided it was time to go.
The next day, Wednesday, we were asked to go to Hotel Zosa for the cabaret show. One of our sponsors was there singing, and we needed to show our support. It was a nice show, I had a couple of red wines. Towards the end, I decided to go to Streetbar. My voice at this point was starting to go. I thought maybe it was from all the singing on Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday. It ended up being congestion in my chest. Art, the guy I met the previous night, was there at the bar and came over to say hi. He told me how his friends said that I was pursuing him the other night. Ha, and so what. We ended up spending the whole time together, and I drove him back to where he was staying after his ride left. He invited me in, but I had to refuse because I needed to go to work in the morning, and I really don't feel comfortable in going back home with someone who is a guest of another. Talk about an uncomfortable situation! He gave me his business card with his phone number written on it. The next day, I could not find it. I thought that it slipped through the seam in the center console. Good luck ever finding it there. Saturday, I finally looked again in the car and found the card on the driver's side next to the seat & center console. I sent him a text message, but I don't know if he will get it, or if he even cares at this point. I'm not too concerned. But he was a nice guy. I was telling strangers at the bar that he was my partner of 20 years and he was playing along with it. I love messing with people like that! The strangers, not him. I'm not a total scamp!

Success!

Last night's show went quite well. My quartet did very well, and some have said it sounded better than the other one. I think our blend was spot on. It was a shame for them, because they sounded so amazing in all of their rehearsals. Maybe they peaked? Or nerves..
Went to Streetbar afterwards to celebrate and had a couple of Scotch & Sodas. This bartender makes them a lot weaker than Paulie does, which was a good thing. Didn't get as buzzed or hungover this next morning. I spoke to Jim S, who is on of the directors of the Thorney Theatre. He had his partner ask me if I was interested in being in their production of "Dangerous," an all male stage version of "Dangerous Liasions." I asked if there was full nudity, of which he responded, "Of course." I think their plays are better attended if there is nudity. I told him that I didn't feel my body was ready to be put on display like that. Maybe a little more time in the gym and I will get there.
This morning I made a pot of lentil soup, and am going to hop in the shower. Need to be at the hotel by 1300 for our matinee show.

Almost Showtime!

This week wasn't bad at all. Monday was busy at work, and I just didn't have much energy at the gym. Couldn't do all my reps on the weights with certain exercises, and had to step down my speed on the treadmill. Tuesday rehearsal went well, nailed "Apple Tree" which sounded great. Stayed late at Streetbar, almost closed the place down again. Laz, the waiter, kept on saying, "Am I going to have to drive you home again?" like he did last week or something. I think he likes me, but I just don't think it would work out between us. Not really into the "twink" type, which he may fall under. Nice guy, but I guess I like someone with a little bit of an edge to them. Wednesday was our teaser at Bella Da Ball's cabaret show at Zosa, so I had to delay the gym for one day. The gig went well, very well received by her sell-out crowd. It will be a good show Sat & Sun.
I went to the gym Thursday, and had a great workout. Did all my reps and all my sets, even did some AB work, which I sometimes don't get a chance to do. I had so much energy on the treadmill, and no aches or pains to speak of. I actually felt like I could do some more running after the cool down. Awesome feeling. I went to take my shower, and Mr. Blackberry came in to get ready for his workout. No eye contact or anything, even though I was parading nude around him. Oh well, I guess it just isn't meant to be. There was another guy who got into the shower stall across from me, and he had a nice body. And nothing to be shy about in the downstairs department. I didn't catch him once looking over at me. Just wasn't my night I guess!
The latest prospect on Adam seems to be flaking out on me. He seemed really nice, but now he is never online. He was supposed to return my phone call from last Saturday, but hasn't. Well, this weekend is too busy for me to be concerned about it. Maybe after my shows are over. It sure would be nice to date somebody again.

Civic responsiblility

This week I was picked to serve on Jury Duty. When I called after 1700 last Friday, the automated voice told me I needed to report to 3700 E Tachevah at 0730 on Monday. Bummer I thought, but at least I get to check out the new court facility which is right in front of FedEx in the new building on the corner. I show up just before 0730, and have to wait on the sidewalk with everybody else until 0800, when they actually open. They had us wait in one of the side rooms. Then they had us sign the bottom of our forms, turn them in, ask if we need employer verification (which I did), and then return to the waiting room. A guy came into the room a little later, asked if we all turned in the form, and then informed us there was good and bad news. Good news, we are all being asked to serve for jury duty. Bad news, it's not here - but over by the airport in the newly reopened, renovated court house building. I drove over there with everybody else, and had to wait there in the lobby after going through security. We finally got to sit in the court room, where they had us wait. They weren't ready for us, so at 1030, they had us leave for lunch and return at 1300. We then sat there for another hour until they announced that they were ready to call prospective jurors for a sexual molestation case. They called people, they dismissed people. Finally, at 1645, they announced that court was in recess until tomorrow, and everybody needed to return at 0930 the next morning. Some people were upset because it was supposed to be "one trail or one day." However, this was technically the same trial they were trying to seat, so we were caught. I came back the next day, and they couldn't complete the process by lunchtime. Came back at 1315, and they process continued. I was getting exhausted mentally by the whole process. I was never called up into the voir-dire area, but had to stay the whole time. I couldn't serve on the panel because I have a couple of people in my family who are developmentally challenged, like the victim, and it would have been to hard for me to sit through that trail. Give me a theft or burglary. That I could handle. Finally, at 1400, both sides decided on a jury. We in the audience were all relieved. I went back to work, where I was feeling a little frazzled from the whole ordeal. My chorus rehearsal was also tainted by it. I'm just glad that I got out of it.

Yes!

One of my all time favorite artists, Peter Gabriel, gets a nomination for best song (along with co-writer Thomas Newman.) Awesome!
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Feeling Groovy

I'm feeling so much better now, I guess I would say I'm 99.5%. Not quite a hundred percent, but I'll take it. Just a little tiny bit of congestion, almost nothing to talk of. I have been going back to the gym, had a great workout today. Time to increase the weights, and pump up the speed on the treadmill. I usually workout M-W-F, but since I had a special rehearsal Weds for my "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" quartet, I had to shift days around. That, and I had a hair appointment on Friday. I felt so bad cancelling on John K a few Saturdays ago, but I was so deathly ill there was just no way I could keep it. I would have been turned away by him if I even tried to go. We had drama on Thursday at work. I came back from lunch, and a short while after, Mic got a sharp pain emanating from her midsection. I thought it might be appendicitis, Cuqui thought it could be gall stones, we were hoping that it was just a stomach flu. Not the most pleasant thing to wish on someone, but it's better than the other two. Plus, it was going around (Cuqui already had it awhile ago). Mic finally had to leave 20 minutes early, and managed to drive herself home. Her husband took her to urgent care, and then had to go to the hospital. Turns out she had an ovarian cyst that burst. So there was nothing they could do for her except give her a prescription and let her go home to recuperate. She couldn't come in on Friday, but called to say she would be in on Saturday. What an ordeal.
Callie is doing well, but she only wants to eat IAMS fish varieties. So I stopped at PetSmart to get her some on the way back from the gym. There was an attractive guy in the locker room, and we got to take showers across from one another. He seemed to be interested, but I start to freak out from anything as public as that, so finished as soon as I was done. He didn't make any eye contact or say anything to me (we had lockers right next to each other). He did have a gold wedding band on his left hand, so I wonder what that meant. Hmmmm..

the Z2K9 bug

My Zune got hit by the "bug" that went around on New Year's Eve day. I actually haven't used it for over a week since I haven't been to the gym in all that time. Can't go when I'm sick, and that's the only time I use my MP3 music player. I heard about the problem, and when I powered it up, it froze just like all the other ones reported on the internet. The fix? Just let the battery die, recharge it, and then turn it back on after Jan 1 of the new year. Seems to be working fine now.
I still have a touch of congestion, and a slightly runny nose. I feel almost 100% back to normal. I know I'm going to have trouble when I get back to the gym. My right knee feels like it's "seizing up" already. I'm going to have to walk before I run to get it back to where I had it. I'm hoping to be back to the gym Monday night, if I can finally shake the last of this cold by Sunday.
I made Hoppin' John for New Year's Day. Basically a black eye pea and rice dish. A traditional meal in New Orleans to bring luck for the New Year. Couldn't we all use that?