looking forward

I've been in a rut for a bit. That's part of my excuse for not updating my blog. The rut mainly consists of school and work and the rainy weather. However, we had a semi-dry weekend, I'm skipping school this week to watch the election coverage and I got caught up on my work last Thursday so here's a blog update.

Today, I had a great day, working out in the morning, getting a latte around noon at Powells while I read the latest Walking Dead comic, walking around the hood with Arturo and eating vegan milkshakes at Dick's. I also booked the Gearharts beach house for Christmas with Andrew since I'm not going back to Nebraska until my new nephew's born in January. The beach house is what I'm going to be the light at the end of this school quarter's tunnel.

What else?
I thought about going back to update October but for the most part, my new things consisted of new foods or new experiences at my internship. Here are the exceptions and/or the things that stood out.

On Saturday, October 6th, I went to the last night of the PLGFF in which they showed Cloudburst, a lesbian road trip movie with Olympia Dukakis. I can't recommend it enough. Afterwards, Andrew and I went to the afterparty at Crush which was fun but I liked the kickoff party better.

On Sunday the 7th, I watched the Timbers game at Long Haus on a projector in the back porch which has been nicely redone. Also, I joined Bastard and MLE at Ship's Ahoy afterwards for birthday drinks and good conversation.

On Wednesday the 10th, I woke up to the sound of scratching in the drywall behind my bed.

On Thursday the 11th, I met a new guy, the exterminator named Jason.

On Friday the 12th, Xbox and I had a great conversation about the house. Also, I went to see Margaret Cho who awesome as were her opening acts. So so so funny. I also went to Bare Bones bar with Jen, Ashes and Victory and later Justin and MLE. While we were there, we saw Chris Chandler from OCF. When I stopped him to tell him how much V and I enjoyed his library show at the last fair, he sat down with us and chatted for a while.

On Saturday the 13th, Andrew and I went to Brews for New Avenues. My old internship is really good at fundraising and they almost always incorporate booze into it. :)

On Sunday the 14th, I went to the Walking Dead season premiere at the Academy with Jen. It's a series that's really meant to be seen in the theater! Andrew and I also gave Dean a bath!

On Monday the 15th, I downloaded LibreOffice, a freeware version of Micro-shaft. I like it a lot more and I won't go back.

On Saturday the 20th, I took the day to work on my first paper for the term. I finished it in good time. Sophia made vegan chili so we ate that all day and, after I finished my paper, we played a new game which ended up being a D&D game. Yes, I have crossed that threshold.

On Sunday the 21st, Andrew and I went to see Blood Simple, the Cohen Bros first movie. It was great! We also went to Pastrygirl, the bakery/coffeeshop for the first time.

On Thursday the 25th, I biked to Clackamas for work for the first time since my accident (where the top pic comes from).

On Saturday the 27th, I DJ'ed Ashes' 33rd bday party. Since it was his 33rd, it was a Jesus/religious theme. I went as Lot's Wife (a salt shaker). I was one of only four or five people in costume but I still had fun.

On Sunday the 28th, Andrew and I went bar-hopping up Belmont during the afternoon, lightly drinking and snacking while playing cards. We ended up at Hob Nob Grille for the first time where I taught Andrew how to play Backgammon...and he beat me two times. It was also the 10th anniversary of my coming out. 10 years ago, my friend Joe directly asked me if I was gay and he was the first person I said yes to.

On Halloween, I didn't do a thing except go out to eat with Andrew. I really feel that I failed Halloween this year.

On Friday the 2nd, Ashes and I walked to a client's home on NW 23rd as part of my internship. I love working in the same building with him and getting to do breaks together. It was a lovely day for a walk too!

On Saturday the 3rd, Andrew and I went to the Republic downtown where I ordered a new dish. He's never been there and I haven't been there for years. We also went to Seven Psychopaths which sucked so hard.

And that's it. I'll try to update more often and to take more pictures.

getting tanked

Tanking has to be a uniquely Nebraskan event. Basically, you sit in plastic cattle tank with benches and a table inside and float down the river. We floated down the Cedar River which is pretty shallow. I walked through several parts of it and it never got above my waist except for one part. That's why tanking is preferable to tubing or rafting. You're still floating but your butt isn't skimming the bottom of the river bed.

It was a lot of fun and a great family activity. We gathered at Lake Ericson in Ericson, NE and were bussed to our starting location. You can fit 4-6 people in a tank comfortably and there was eight of us so we took two tanks and tied them together. The dogs didn't go because we didn't think there would be room for Dean so Oliver stayed behind to keep him company. Along the way, we hit the river banks, stopped at a beaver dam, looked at and held the tadpoles, splashed each other with cold springs water and watched the wildlife, all while drinking cheap beer. I'm so glad my mom suggested it!

ferris wheel on my day off

Andrew and I rode the ferris wheel and the gigantic swing thing that whips you over the Morrison Bridge. Silly fun!

reflecting on '11, preparing for '12

Last night, I asked Andrew if he thought it had been a good year or a bad year. He couldn't really decide and I couldn't either. There were definitely highs and lows but I will say that it was unforgettable. My move to Muffin HQ was a big change. Dating Andrew was a high. Work turning on me and my friends was a low. Hiking with Dean this summer was a high. Shingles was a low. Oregon Country Fair was a high. Dean getting injured was a low. Alaska was a high. Yeah, so it kind of balanced out.

This year so far has been awesome! Andrew and I had brunch this morning at Cricket Cafe where I ate the bagel benedict thing for the first (and probably last) time. It wasn't horrible but they have so many better things on the menu. I came back home and spent some time with Dean, Dominic and I later went for drinks and a movie, Sophia, XBox and I played a card game (Phase 10) for the first time and I finished the night with them at Zach's.

I'm prepared to make this an important year. I think that I'm going to look at this year as the year in which I evolve a little more. It may not all be good or bad but just a very notable year as 2011 was for me.

going back for seconds

I had my second date with Andrew tonight.  I'm not gonna go into it all but it was a new experience for me.  I'm pretty sure that I'll be seeing him again.

4 out of 5 ain't bad

Today was a somewhat sad end of a string of satisfying Saturdays.  January's been really kind to me so far.  I'm hoping to keep it up throughout the rest of the year.  In particular, the Saturdays have been great and I'd like to thank all who had a part in that.  Today was okay but it could have been better.  I spent most of the day on the computer.  After dining with Sophia at Bay Leaf (trying new big salads), we headed to Hollywood Bowl to meet up with people.

Bowling is fun but with my arm still bothering me ever so slightly, it wasn't anything I could do successfully.  Raven was cool enough to let me borrow his bowling shoes so I could bowl a couple of frames of his game.  Yes, I can fit into a 12 year old's shoes.

grandma k's farm

Grandma K has lived on the same farm for as long as I can remember.  A few years ago, she moved into a retirement home and my uncle Tony bought the farm (literally not figuratively) and is now renting it to my aunt Vicki and her husband.  Since it's still in the family, we had a family gathering there today.

I haven't seen this side of the family in years.  Today, I talked to my cousin Scott more than I ever have before.  He's a dog person so we got on well.  My niece also got to ride her favorite horse, Snowflake and I got to give Oliver his new scarf.  We made it a quick trip since my dad wasn't feeling well but it was nice to see everyone for a bit.

What else?

My brother, sister-in-law, niece and I all played Bananagrams for the first time.  It was intense but I finally ended up winning a few rounds after taking several games to get used to it.

feels just like getting older

Ashes turned 31derful today.  This is the first year that I can remember that he hasn't had a big blowout party to celebrate.   Instead, we went roller-skating and then went to Galaxy to sing karaoke.  I think I had just as much fun if not more than I would have had at a party especially in my current condition.

I hate complaining about aches and pains cuz I know there are people off a lot worse than me but neck pain is a new thing to me so it's taking priority with me.  I even went and got another massage today.  I'm also afraid that I've turned to massages for my cure-alls and I go there way too easily.  Well, I guess there are worse things to be addicted to.  I went back to Jeffery today.  While it didn't heal me completely, it's still a massage so I can't complain.  I guess I'm just getting older like we all are and my body is paying the price for me forgetting my limitations.

What else?

I sang "Freedom 90" by George Michael for my new thing.  It's not my GM song of choice (that would be faith) but we were doing songs from 1991 so we could get Dominic to sing Pearl Jam.  While I sucked at the song, I at least had one fan.  A co-worker from my internship happened to be there too (and happened to sign up for "Father Figure").  It's a small town.  I also pleased to hear Jen and Justin each do karaoke for the first time as well.

going for the green

Yes, I'm putting up another food post but this isn't just a new meal, it's a new diet.

When I look at food menu's, I skip right over the appetizers and also usually over the salads.  Salads rarely, if ever, constitute a meal for me.  Raised on a meat diet, that's what meals mean to me.  Sandwiches, tacos, burritos, pasta dishes, steaks or chicken breasts (and now the vegetarian meat versions) are needed to qualify a meal as a meal.  Salads are sides.

However, after yesterday's super-awesome Super Grain Salad at Vita, I decided to try something new.  I biked up to the Red and Black today for lunch and tried their Red Dragon Salad.  It was good but not as great as the Super Grain.  Still, it filled me up.

My housemates and I are home at odd and inconsistent intervals now which makes for bad eating if we eat at home.  It's the easy, box type dinners that have been sustaining us.  Since I'm not eating a great or healthy dinner, I am going to try to eat better lunches.

What else?
Al had an art show today at the Globe which used to be Jace Gace.  It was my first time there but before I headed there, I parked my bike at Colonel Summers Park where they were having Monday Funday.  Everybody just hangs in the park and usually get together to do some activity.  I watched a bunch of strangers play dodgeball for a bit and then headed to the art show.  It made me think twice about my job because, if I didn't have to work in the morning, I'd love to just hang out in the park in the evening, doing stupid things with my friends.

The art show was nice though.  It was cool to see Al's work displayed and it was also great to see the Autonomy crew outside of the space.

laser tag

Today I fulfilled a life-long goal of playing Laser Tag in an arena.  When I was a kid, my parents bought us generic laser tag guns which were fun but not the same as the real thing in an arena.  I remember the Laser Tag frenzy in the mid eighties along with the Laser Tag cartoon (which probably lasted as long as the Rubix Cube cartoon).

It was part one of Raven's 12th birthday party tonight.  Four of us joined him at the Ultrazone tonight in Milwaukee.  It was great.  There were a few other adults there but mostly it was teenagers.  Sophia, Ashes and I held our own though.  We made plans before our game started and worked on strategy together.  We took turns taking out the bases of other teams while the other two guarding them.  We defended a upper landing well and targeted these teen boys who wore headbands and had war crys.

Overall it was a great way to spend the first day of my vacation.  Below is a pic of the sign advertising the Ultrazone.  If the image was different, it could be an ad for...something else.

What else?
I GOT MY DROID!  The pics above are from my droid.  I love it.  I've got to spend some more time with it but tonight was dedicated to hunting people with my friends.

family fun

Yes I'm a dork and I like board games.  I also like card games and I enjoy family time where the TV isn't invited along.

It's Christmas Eve and the weather is awful out.  Luckily, we don't have to go anywhere and we're well stocked up on food, booze and entertainment.  Unfortunately, my sister and youngest niece are in Kansas and it's too dangerous for them to make it up here.  They reported on the news tonight that there were over 100 cars in ditches on I-80 and so far there have been seven fatalities.

However, knowing that everyone I hold dear in the Midwest is safe is good.  Here in Gibbon, we played Monopoly (my dad won), pitch (I won one game and Eric won two), Life (I think Hayleigh or my mom won) and electronic Trivia for the first time (my mom and I won).  My mom made meat and cheese lasagna which was wonderful and Hayleigh made red velvet cookies with chocolate chips and a cream frosting.  As I've said before, presents are fun and all but this is what I like about holidays.  I feel all sappy inside.

i think i'm paranoid

A number of people I work with have paranoid delusions. Someone is trying to hurt them (usually the person on the TV or a comic book villain) or someone wants to sleep with them (usually someone they have a crush on). So maybe the paranoia is rubbing off on me. Tonight, we had two guys wearing orange vests with a laminated Comcast label come up to our door and ask about our television, phone and internet service. The weird part was that it was 8:15 pm, they were on foot and they asked if we had a lot of computers in the house. Danger, Will Robinson.

Think about it. It's a pretty sound scam. Look official with an orange vest that you can buy anywhere. Go to Kinko's and laminate the name of some well-known company for an official looking badge. Walk up to houses with the door/windows open and ask how many computers they have in the house. Come later in the evening so people will simply answer your questions just to get you gone. Ask if they're satisfied with their service to seem more official but really you're just looking for a house that'll be more exposed tomorrow due to lack of AC.

It all seemed sketchy to me so I grabbed some shoes and followed them. They walked across Holgate, only stopping at my next door neighbors briefly. They parked on a side-road and were driving an unmarked blue sedan. Only one of the guys drove away. I lost the other guy. It wasn't sitting well with me still so I called Comcast and weirded out the call-room guy with my questions. They said that it was possible they were legit but suggested I talk to my neighbors to see if they got a card from them. I checked the neighbor's door and saw that the Comcast guys left a doorknob hanger, advertising a deal on an expanded cable package.

It seems convincing but I'm going to be on alert just in case. Yes, I will eventually end up a shut-in wearing a tin-foil hat.

homos-go-round

I had a perfectly gay weekend. On Friday night, I hung out with one of my few gay friends. On Saturday night, I went to Silvers and a drag show. On Sunday, I went to That's So Gay trivia and won! (by default) Then today, I went to gay skate.

For a while, I thought, "Gresham was gayer," but that was before the DJ really got going and before the drag queens showed up. I had a roller derby friend there as well so it ended up being a lot of fun. My right heel quickly started burning and I developed blisters within an hour though. Damn rental shoes. Next time, I'm getting my own skates. Also, I'm going to wear a skirt because, fuck it, why not and it gets hot spinning in circles!

sk8r boi(s) (and girls)

Maybe I'm just trying to relive my youth but I had a damn good time today skating in Gresham's Skate World. I went with the rest of my house to Raven's cousin's birthday party.

My sister and I used to skate all of the time in Hartington, NE. We turned our garage into a roller skating rink. Skating for me was different from riding a bike because it was easier for me to bail into a lawn if things weren't going well.

At McCook Community College, some friends and I all got rollerblades and roller hockey sticks and would regularly play roller hockey at the tennis courts or in the parking lot of the dorms.

I don't own a pair of skates now but I'm thinking of changing that. Skating around falling children while listening to Avril Lavigne on a Saturday morning is just too damn fun! (But taking pictures while skating is hard!)

beach bums

The thing I like doing best at the beach is nothing. I love having nothing to do there and feeling completely fulfilled by that!

Nothing was not a new thing though. After walking along the shore, we played a game called Mafia in the evening. It's a fun party game and can be applied to real-life situations. I'm not going to explain it all though. Here's the Wikipedia link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia_(game)

dancing queen

Today, I led 30-35 of my participants in doing the macarena. And I got paid for it! Just when I thought I couldn't love my job any more...

i am's jack's lumber

I would like to say that I exercise regularly. That may be an exaggeration but I at least THINK about going to the gym every other day. However, some good manual labor can be so much more satisfying.

Today I chopped logs with an axe for the first time. I've used a hatchet before but I realized today that an axe is totally different. You gotta swing and I'm not just talking about the axe either. You gotta move your hips. Ashes showed me how to do it and I was reminded of my dad showing me how to swing a golf club. There's more to it than brute force.

I also met my neighbor Greg for the first time. I had seen him several times before but he came over and talked to us while we were chopping away and introduced himself to me. He also wanted to chop some wood. I was reminded of Fight Club because, well, everything reminds me of Fight Club but specifically he came over and asked, "Can I be next?" We're guys who spend our day on the computer or in offices just longing for some primordial behavior.

Speaking of Fight Club, check out this link!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXqWUKYgLXg

moving karma

After working in a thrift store for so long, taking people's donations everyday, handling and sorting out the product, moving's easy. If you figure in the fact that I have a big car and I like to exercise, I'm a prime candidate for helping people.

Today, I helped a friend's mom move. This is after I got off work where I helped two co-workers move their office. The work move was a new thing for me. Unfortunately, helping my friend's mom move has practically become a hobby. But hey, like I said, I like the exercise. Plus I got paid. Normally I'd be all humble about it and say it was nothing and not take the money. However, from this lady, I have no problem with accepting it. I feel like it's well earned. Especially on a day like today.

It was very warm outside today but it was downright hot in the creepy storage area where she keeps her stuff. The place makes me fear prison because that's what it's built like; a makeshift prison. There is no air, just these long impersonal hallways with marked doors like cell numbers. It doesn't help the aesthetic that the place is surrounded by a big fence with a big gate up front. As soon as you walk in the door of the building, an automatic voice warns you that your image has been recorded. Then you ride in a padded elevator to the units. It's very eerie. So yeah, I took the money. I think I built up major moving karma as well for all the times I've done this.