Obama for President

I am still voting for Obama and I am very excited to find out the results of Super Tuesday. I haven't been this excited about a presidential race in a lon...actually ever.

I was reading this article from LA Weekly that i thought I would share with the rest of the world. I am glad to see everyone in the gay community hasn't fallen behind the Clinton's and there are still people out there who are supporting Obama.

I still can't bring myself to vote for Clinton. For the reasons mentioned in my previous post and I think she is just negative.

So enjoy the article titled Obama's Gay Gold Mine by clicking on the link or you can read it below:


Obama's Gay Gold Mine
A new breed of power broker is staking out the White House. Their names are Bernard and Gifford

By PATRICK RANGE MCDONALD
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 5:58 pm
Jeremy Bernard thinks he has been sucked into a time warp. Only five months ago, he was sitting shoulder to shoulder with U.S. Senator Barack Obama in the back of a black SUV, speeding through West Hollywood on Santa Monica Boulevard, talking about the fine points of gay and lesbian federal legislation. An hour later, the Democratic presidential candidate was hitting every detail they had discussed in the car, but this time on network television. For Bernard, it was mind-blowing. The key fund-raiser for the Obama campaign was seeing his issues dramatically migrate from a personal chat to the national stage.

But now, two days before the Nevada Democratic caucus on January 19, Bernard is stuck inside the Caramel Lounge at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, attending a gay social mixer disguised as a political event. Jean Smart, the blond actress from the 1980s TV show Designing Women, begs the three dozen or so gays in the room to vote for U.S. Senator John Edwards.

"He's made it be known that he's not comfortable with gay marriage," she tells the boys, "but he's such a great leader, and he's very passionate."

Bernard stands there, staring at Smart and grinding his teeth. The Human Rights Campaign, one of the most high-profile gay-rights groups in the country and host of the mixer, has invited celebrities to pitch their favorite candidates. No star shows up to back Hillary Clinton, but an actress from Grey's Anatomy is there for Obama. Bernard sees it as amateur hour — an insulting and embarrassing reminder of the old guard, or Old Gay, approach to politics.

Straight celebrities to woo the gay vote in 2008? It's as if time had suddenly reverted back to 1992, when Bernard worked on Bill Clinton's presidential campaign. Everything was so different during the other Clinton's run. It was nothing like today, with candidates talking about same-sex marriage and truly ending the ban on gays serving in the military. Just to be publicly recognized and embraced by an Arkansas governor soon to be president was cause enough for celebration. But now the political landscape had changed. All of the Democratic candidates sought the queer vote, and maybe more importantly, gays are a source of millions of dollars in campaign contributions.

It's going through Bernard's mind that these things mean power and influence, and gays need to deliver their vote to build upon that power and influence — not waste time on the Strip 48 hours before the Nevada caucus listening to an actress.

Then Edwards' campaign manager takes the floor in the low light of the Caramel Lounge. Naturally, the well-connected Bernard knows him — former Congressman David Bonior of Michigan. Now things seem to be going somewhere. Someone substantive has finally shown on the scene.

Bernard, a compact and young-looking man in his early 40s, stands at full attention, waiting to hear the official word from the serious political flank in the Edwards camp. "That's why the Equality Rights Campaign is so important," Bonior says, getting the name of the organization embarrassingly wrong. Bernard looks around the room to see if other people heard what he heard. No one reacts. A few moments later, Bonior says "Equality Rights Campaign" again. Bernard can't believe it, and neither can a few other people. Even if few voters have heard of the HRC, to active gays, it's like seeing a top political consultant of the 1970s or '80s mangle the name of the vanquished Equal Rights Amendment pushed by women's groups of that era. Someone yells out, "Human Rights Campaign!" Bonior apologizes, but it's weird. Not the political depth Bernard expected from Edwards' people. More amateur hour.

Then Bonior flubs it again. He declares that John Edwards isn't for "that Ryan White military thing." What? Bernard is angry but also insulted. Other people are muttering. What's this guy talking about? Ryan White? That's federal AIDS funding. We certainly hope you're in favor of that. And the military thing? That's got nothing to do with young AIDS victim Ryan White, who died in 1990 and had been befriended by Elton John. The military thing is "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," former Congressman Bonior. You know, the "thing" that's been used to discharge tens of thousands of gays from the military over the past 15 years? Maybe you should take a seat before you embarrass yourself further — which Bonior soon does, but not before saying "Equality Rights Campaign" for the third time.

Bernard is visibly grinding his teeth again. But in another part of the room, his lover and business partner, Rufus Gifford, sits at the bar, talking to Hollywood überagent Ari Emanuel over an iPhone and ignoring the bumbling Bonior and the celebrity speakers. Gifford is focused entirely on setting up another big-money, high-profile fund-raiser for Obama before the February 5 primary in California and 21 other states.

The actress Kate Walsh, formerly of Grey's Anatomy, now delivers a shaky pitch for Obama at the invitation of the Human Rights Campaign. Gifford and Bernard have much more pressing business, specifically the "pot of gold," as Bernard likes to describe money-rich Southern California, that could bring another cash infusion into the Obama campaign. The pair are top-notch fund-raisers, after all. It's why the senator from Illinois hired them.


During this long and bare-knuckled presidential-primary season, a campaign will get nowhere without very big money. And next to New York City, Southern California — more precisely, the Westside of Los Angeles — is the land cash-hungry politicians never ignore. But only a handful of people in this town have the contacts and relationships to deliver the big checks. It's an elite world, and one that Jeremy Bernard and Rufus Gifford are capable of dominating.

"Even if you have a great candidate and a great message," says Mitchell Schwartz, Obama's California political director, "people who are underfunded don't win."

So with Hillary Clinton's powerful political machine pounding away at the Obama campaign, with each primary costing more and more money to fend off the attacks through television and radio ads, and with the need to send out Obama's own message leading up to Super Duper Tuesday, Bernard and Gifford are pivotal players in his continuing survival and hoped-for nomination as the Democratic candidate for president.

"If you don't have the money to campaign in all of these states [on February 5]," says Schwartz, "then you're not competitive. Period."

Bernard and Gifford understand their make-or-break roles. It's the prime reason they went into fund-raising. Gay issues are central to their own political agendas, and they know from years of experience that money gives them unique and up-close access to power. They have the luxury, after climbing to the top, of throwing their deep-pocketed connections only behind candidates who closely match their politics. "We work for candidates who we ourselves would be willing to give money to," says Gifford.

Once the checks are rolling in, Bernard and Gifford then have the full attention of a congressional or presidential candidate, giving them the chance, behind the scenes, to promote their own political issues. It's a level of access gays once only dreamed of, but they are living it.

"Being gay makes you inherently political," says Gifford, comfortable with using his proximity to power to influence the candidate. "You see what's right and what's wrong, and you need to do something about it."

Bernard and Gifford have very little, if anything, in common with the Old Gay approach typified by the Human Rights Campaign's need for straight actresses to peddle an agenda. They are the new guard, or New Gays, who are more politically savvy. The New Gays cultivate, work with and fund gay political candidates. They withhold their talents and money from straight politicians who don't follow through on their promises, while supporting those with what they view as a progay track record.

And they never seek the straight world's approval for their own gay existence. The New Gays understand their power in today's political system, and they use it. And in this winter's slog of primaries, they just might use it to propel a candidate toward the White House.


The word came the day of the Iowa Democratic caucus on January 3. U.S. Senator Barack Obama had won the state in a hard-fought upset over Hillary Clinton, and the national campaign manager in Chicago, David Plouffe, wanted Bernard and Gifford to throw a big-money fund-raiser in Los Angeles. They were given two weeks to pull it together.

A week later, a Friday, Bernard and Gifford are working the final details with their two-person staff in a second-floor suite at the Northrop Grumman building in Century City. Bernard, dressed in tan khakis, black loafers and a royal-blue Brooks Brothers shirt, sits in a black chair at his glass-topped desk and squints at the screen of a MacBook Pro laptop, tapping his feet incessantly.

The "event," as Bernard calls it, is generating enormous interest among Los Angeles' moneyed elite.

"So where are we now?" Bernard asks Gifford, who walks into the room.

"380," answers Gifford, referring to the number of guests.

"Whoa!" Bernard says excitedly.

Gifford smiles and takes a seat at his own glass-topped desk with his Mac, poking at the laptop. He looks like he could be one of Mitt Romney's sons and wears tan khakis, an off-white Oxford shirt and brown penny loafers.

"I think I should write an e-mail and tell the co-hosts we're sold out," Gifford says to Bernard. He sounds happy.

Despite Obama's loss in New Hampshire, these money men have already exceeded their goal of raising $500,000 and are fast approaching $700,000. The event will unfold at the Pacific Palisades home of David and Marianna Fisher, where Obama will give a speech to people like musician Randy Newman, actor Bill Paxton, Hollywood heavyweight Mike Medavoy, Soul Train's Don Cornelius and other wealthy and powerful supporters. "It's easily the fastest sellout we've had," Gifford tells Bernard.

Already, they expect 450 guests, giving the maximum contribution of $2,300 a pop. So many requests are still pouring in for the January 16 event that Bernard and Gifford glide easily into serial fund-raising mode and begin planning another event to be held after the Democratic debate in Los Angeles on January 31.

Like many savvy political operatives playing at the national level, Bernard and Gifford never thought that a presidential campaign would need to raise at least $100 million, but that's the record level this bruising multicandidate fight has reached — and the campaign consultants for Obama back in Chicago expect large checks from Southern California. So far, Bernard and Gifford have out-raised the other regions of the Obama campaign three out of the last four quarters, with Los Angeles events they organized for DreamWorks and Oprah Winfrey bringing in nearly $5 million.

In a massive primary like February 5, with some of the biggest media markets in the world to reach, including not just California but New York, Illinois, New Jersey and Massachusetts, the race between Obama and Clinton could come down to having the money to woo the millions of "soft voters" who polls show have settled on a candidate but could still change their minds.

Rufus Gifford stands in the driveway outside the Fishers' multiwinged, contemporary mansion on the night of the big event. He's dressed in a navy pinstriped suit with a red tie and watches the guests stroll toward him. Obama hasn't arrived.

"Do you need anything?" Gifford asks a woman in a long brown dress.

"Oh, no, dear, I'm fine."

Bernard, dressed in a black suit with a yellow tie, walks around inside, telling jokes and shaking hands with people as they eat minicheeseburgers and sip red wine. Bernard and Gifford know how to work a room, people like them.

Gifford now walks inside and spots Bernard. He tells him everything looks okay, and they crunch the new numbers. They figure some 600 guests, bringing in at least $850,000. The guys look at each other and smile — it's going to be a lucrative evening.

An hour or so later, Barack Obama, dressed in a dark suit, makes his way through the glass doors that lead to the backyard. It looks like a rainforest, lit up like a movie set. Hundreds of people surround Obama as he stands on a little stage covered with black AstroTurf. Mike Medavoy is looking up at him, a foot away. Bill Paxton stands behind the presidential candidate. Dick Zanuck, the Republican movie producer who told Gifford he has never before contributed to a Democrat, flanks Obama's right. The senator goes into his speech of hope and changing America and tells the crowd, "Running against the Clintons ain't no cup of tea."

Bernard and Gifford stand inside and watch the scene from the kitchen. It's the kind of night they signed up for a year ago, when they decided to work for Obama. Hillary Clinton's campaign offered them a job too, and for more money, but Bernard and Gifford just couldn't see themselves raising the big bucks for a candidate who they felt was largely running on Bill Clinton's presidential record, which wasn't always good to gays. "The only way I could honestly sell her to people would be to say she's going to win," says Bernard. "What's the point of that? When we started our company, we wanted to pick only candidates we would be enthusiastic about. Obama was that candidate. He absolutely has the best record on gay and lesbian issues."

On February 1, 2007, Bernard and Gifford went to work, but the campaign infrastructure for Obama in California was sketchy. "There was nothing," Bernard says. Veteran political operative Mitchell Schwartz, for example — who has worked for Barbara Boxer, Bill Clinton and Gray Davis, among others — wasn't hired as the California political director until August. With the help of a few other true believers, Bernard and Gifford took on the added duties of advance men, political strategists — and even Obama's bodyguards, when he came to California during those first six months.

It wasn't an entirely bad situation, at least for the two guys. Few handlers were attached to Obama at that point, so whenever he came into town, Bernard could get coveted face time with the candidate. He could also schedule impromptu meetings, like the one between Obama and several gay leaders from Los Angeles at the W Hotel in Westwood. "They talked about their concerns with Barack," says Bernard.

Bernard also set up a crucial meeting between Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti and Obama. "It was a time when Eric was being heavily wooed by both Obama and Clinton," Bernard says. "So I asked if I could break the golden rule and allow Eric to take a ride with Barack to an event. When Eric came out of the car, he told me he was going to absolutely endorse Barack. He was very excited."

Although endorsements by local politicians have very little effect on what voters do, they are believed to add heft to a campaign, helping with fund-raising — and with gaining endorsements from other politicians. Garcetti, utterly unknown outside Los Angeles, was an important endorsement to land simply because many elected officials in Los Angeles, at that point, were heading to Clinton's camp.

Bernard and Gifford, along with other Los Angeles staffers, were also pushing the campaign honchos in Chicago to send the candidate to speak at the influential and politically oriented First African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Los Angeles, which styles itself a leader in endorsing black candidates. "We thought it was important for Barack to do a political event when he was here for fund-raising," says Bernard. Usually money men like Bernard think only about the big-buck event, but the First AME speech turned into a major happening by earning national press and introduced Obama, the skilled orator, to a national audience.

They knew they had Obama's ear after that. So when an invitation came from the Human Rights Campaign, asking Obama to appear at a nationally televised political forum dedicated solely to gay issues, Bernard and Gifford pushed for the senator's attendance. Obama was the first candidate to accept the invite. It was no big deal — and a far cry from how such a request would have been received by the presidential campaigns in the United States just four short years ago.

"The people in Chicago trust us," says Bernard, "because we've performed and haven't steered them wrong. When we suggested a gay fund-raising event after the forum, they thought it was a great idea."

Six months later, Bernard was sitting with Obama in his black SUV, a Secret Service agent at the wheel, going over gay issues — the issues that mattered to Bernard the most — with a rising presidential candidate.

"It really hit me, as I was sitting there, how far I had come in politics since working with David Mixner [an openly gay political operative who was based in Los Angeles during the 1970s] and Clinton, and how far the gay movement had come in all of those years," says Bernard.


For decades, the gay vote was handled with a wink and a nod, and if a wealthy contributor was known to be queer, politicians would usually return the check as if it were from a convicted felon. "People were nervous as hell," says Mixner. "They wouldn't accept our money."

Things started to change in 1976. U.S. Senator John Tunney was running for re-election in California, and Steve Smith and his friends wanted to contribute to his campaign. "We held probably one of the first all-gay fund-raisers in Los Angeles," says Smith, who now works as the gay-and-lesbian-outreach coordinator for the Obama campaign in California. More than 400 gay men attended the private event held in Smith's Beverly Hills home, with Tunney making an appearance.

The senator, who eventually lost his re-election bid, was shocked by the size of the crowd. Years later, one of Tunney's aides walked up to Smith. "He told me that the senator thought the evening was much more important than the money raised," says Smith. "Tunney realized there was something new on the horizon."

Smith and his friends realized something too: Gays, especially the rich ones, were willing to contribute large sums of money to stake a claim in the traditional, mainstream political process. With the help of Mixner, Smith and other gay men founded the first openly gay political action committee in the nation: the Municipal Elections Committee of Los Angeles.

MECLA first focused on the Los Angeles City Council and holding "MECLA breakfasts," where candidates were vetted by the committee's members. If everything was kosher, the politician would receive a sizable check. Within a couple of years, MECLA was contributing to local, state and national campaigns and fighting off antigay ballot measures like the Briggs Initiative, which promised to fire gay public school teachers and their allies.

MECLA eventually dissolved, only to be replaced by Access Now for Gay and Lesbian Equality (ANGLE) in 1989. David Mixner, current West Hollywood Mayor John Duran and other community leaders made up the board. Two years later, Governor Bill Clinton asked Mixner to join his presidential campaign's kitchen cabinet and tap into gay money in Southern California. Mixner enthusiastically jumped aboard.

Around that time, Mixner met Jeremy Bernard, who was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, where his parents were active in liberal politics. Bernard's father, Herschel, raised money for Robert and Ted Kennedy's presidential campaigns, and Mixner knew him. Mixner was a regular at Trumps — an upscale restaurant in West Hollywood. Bernard remembers it well. "I was a waiter." He and Mixner "talked often about politics and things, and one day he asked me if I knew Bill Clinton. I said my parents knew him and they thought he was kind of a jerk. Then David told me he was a part of Clinton's kitchen cabinet, and I thought, 'Shit, I just blew that one.' But he asked me to work for him anyway."

By the time Bill Clinton was elected president, Mixner and Bernard had raised $4 million in gay money. "It was an enormous sum back then," Mixner says. The gays had helped Clinton get elected, but then came a succession of disappointments with the new president's about-face on lifting the gay ban in the military and the creation of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in 1993. Clinton also signed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 during his re-election campaign. DOMA's language defined a spouse as someone of the opposite sex and prevented states from recognizing the legality of gay marriages or civil unions performed in other states.

Despite the sour feelings among gays toward Clinton, Bernard had been on the inside, and had learned something incredibly valuable — how the political elite operated. "David always said that the way to get power, politically, and the way to get people to see you, is to raise money," Bernard says. "If you raise money, people will come because they want your money, and they will talk to you and they will listen. It is not that they will ignore what issues are out there, but they're not going to hear it, time and time again, unless you're in front of them. And the fact of the matter is, politicians spend most of their time raising money. It's a sad state of our process.

"Before I started with [Mixner], I had no idea how that worked. And he really showed me how to put passion and money together. For me, it's not asking people for money for a new car or something. You're asking for a better country. It may sound corny, but it's true. He really showed me how the system worked, right or wrong — mostly wrong."

Mixner eventually broke off his relationship with Clinton, and this year raises money for John Edwards. Bernard became active with ANGLE and the Victory Fund, which contributes money to openly gay candidates across the country — whether Democrat or Republican. He also landed a job as political adviser to Marc Nathanson, founder and former chairman and chief executive officer of Falcon Holding Group Inc., a cable TV operator. Working for Nathanson, Bernard made his contacts with a lot of very rich folks on the Westside of L.A. During John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004, Bernard met Rufus Gifford.

Gifford, from Manchester, Massachusetts, had just quit his job at Davis Entertainment, where he developed and produced family comedies such as Garfield and Daddy Day Care, finding it "wildly unfulfilling." Always a political junkie, he used family connections to find work in the Kerry campaign, where his soft-spoken, easy way with people made him an effective fund-raiser. That job opened doors at other campaigns after Kerry lost the general election to George W. Bush. Within a matter of two years, staffers for Clinton and Obama were calling. After they accepted the Obama offer, Bernard and Gifford formed a consulting firm, B + G Associates. And no one told them to be discreet about their sexual orientation.

"Jeremy and Rufus are two of the best political fund-raisers in the country," says David Mixner. "It's going to make them extremely powerful."


At the Paradise Cantina in Las Vegas, volunteers and staffers are not celebrating. For the second primary in a row, their candidate has lost to Hillary Clinton. (Little do they know that one week later, Obama will win a landslide victory over Clinton in South Carolina and nail down two major endorsements, from President John F. Kennedy's daughter, Caroline, and brother, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, changing the momentum of the presidential campaign.)

Jeremy Bernard and Rufus Gifford look around the Mexican-themed bar.

"Well, I guess it's time to move on to the next one," Bernard says to no one.

A few hours later, as the guys walk around the Excalibur Casino, e-mails start coming into Gifford's iPhone. Chicago is deploying every available hand to South Carolina. The senator from Illinois needs a win.

"Are we going too?" Bernard asks.

"I don't think so," Gifford says.

Bernard and Gifford would go if called, but they have another high-dollar event to organize in Los Angeles. With a need to drench California with costly television ads, it appears the campaign brass want them to focus on raising money. They plan on targeting young Hollywood types and rich gays for the big haul.

"We've surpassed every fund-raising goal we've made for ourselves in the past," Gifford says, "so we won't stop now."

These days, Bernard and Gifford have realized the race has become very personal. "Usually you like to keep some distance in case your candidate loses," says Gifford, "but this one has been different."

They started to feel a true fondness for the candidate back in August, when he appeared at a gay forum televised on the LOGO cable network. After the show, Bernard and Gifford organized a gay fund-raiser at Area, a nightclub on La Cienega Boulevard. In just a few hours, they raised more than $100,000 from 400 gays and lesbians, and Obama gave a speech that some saw as exceptional.

"It was truly phenomenal," says Gifford. "He equated all social injustices with the injustices gays and lesbians have to face."

Just before Obama vanished into his motorcade that warm evening last summer, he draped his arms around Bernard and Gifford and asked them if he did them right. Bernard looked at him, "Senator, you always do us right. This time, you did us proud."

Gifford, the urban sophisticate, started to choke up. Not only did he realize he was finally doing something that would matter, but he seemed to be getting results. On that August night, he thought, possibly the next president of the United States was standing there for all to see, literally embracing him and his lover.


Contact Patrick Range McDonald at pmcdonald@laweekly.com

Improv comedy night

We went to an open mic night with our couple friends at one of the local comedy clubs. I jokingly told one of them that B would be getting on stage and doing his routine and he believed me. I figured he would know better than to believe that so I never saying anything else about it.

He in turn went around and told everyone else so when we go to the show last night they were all expecting B to get up there. To their disappointment he didn't.

But he could have, there were about 20 people who got up there and did their act but only about 5 of them were actually funny. There was a little bit of everything from a guy making fun of fat people and after nobody laughed he said "I guess everyone here has a fat mother. Let's move ton to retarded people". It was interesting...most of us were laughing because it was so bad it was funny.

There was even a guy who got up there with a piece of paper and read his jokes while his hand was shacking badly.

It was bad. Very bad!

No more open mic night at the comedy club.

Surprise

B is preparing a surprise for me. I don't know what it is but whatever it is I know it will be something sweet.

Clue # 1:
He asked me if I was going home for lunch today and gave me that cute smile he gives me when he is up to something.

Clue # 2:
He was gone for about 2 hours for lunch today.

Clue # 3:
He asked if I was leaving work early today and if I was going to the gym after work.

I love surprises :)

La Passion

This is to funny/cheesy not to share. Enjoy...and register to vote or you may end up in a cheesy novela :)

Running Class

We had our running class on Saturday morning.

It was very cold, probably in the 50's so that did not add to the fun. We got there and there were about 60 people in our class.

It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. Our session consisted of a 10 minute walk, a 10 minute run, and a 10 minute walk. So it was relatively easy.

They also gave us our assignment for the week which is also fairly easy. I just hope these training sessions prepare us for our first 5K on February 16th.

Let me know if anyone wants to come out and be a cheerleader :)

Taking Dictation

There are many things I want to write about but this may not be the best place to let my feelings out. Instead I will talk about work:

I am not enjoying my job right now. It has caused me to have many drinks over the last couple of weeks.

I was in a meeting with my boss earlier and I was off in my own little world and when it was done I had written on my paper "Why do I feel like a fucking admin?"

Sometimes I feel like my work is taken, plagiarised, and butchered by my boss.

Anyway.

Do you ever feel like you have nobody to talk to?

Music Friday

I once did a thing called New Music Friday but it didn't last very long.

This morning I was listening to Pandora and one of my favorite songs was playing. It's by Belanova, a Mexican electropop/alternative dance/lounge group. This is the same group I went to go see in concert last year but ended up leaving before they came on stage because it was hot and the venue didn't have ac. So instead we went to a leather bar where I got to see a friend wearing a cock ring. Good times!

Anyway, enjoy the video.


Belanova - Por Ti
Music Video Codes at Www.blastro.com

I am a runner Ya'll

B and I start our running class on Saturday morning...at 6 a.m. It's going to be painful but it will be worth it at the end when I loose the 10 lbs and I am back to a flat stomach! Eat your heart out Bitches!

No but seriously. It should be fun. I went to orientation class last night, which was basically a sells pitch about why you should sign up. Since B and I had already signed up I just went for the information. Like what to wear, what to bring, where to go, etc.

There is going to be about 200 people at the park on Saturday and we will be divided into 3 groups. Walkers, beginning runners, and runners. Each of those groups will be further subdivided into 3 or 4 categories. B and I are doing the beginning runners course.

Saturday will be our evaluation. They will make us run and determine which of the sub groups we belong in. I have a feeling B and I won't end up in the same group.

We then have to practice on our own 4 or 5 times a week and meet with the rest of the group every Saturday.

I am looking forward to it...but I am not looking forward to the cold weather.

Select a Candidate

A friend sent me a link to this website that tells you which candidate shares your views. It does warn that it's not at all scientific and you should not use this as a way of selecting your candidate...but it's interesting so give it a try.

It said I should vote for Hill.

Only the gays

I went to a dinner party for a friend of B's on Monday night. He is part of the couple friend that we hung out with on New Years Day for brunch. The party was hosted by a third couple at their home.

Dinner was amazing. They are both really good cooks and there is always plenty of wine available in their home.

After dinner we started talking about different topics and crystals came up. As in using crystals to communicate with the spirit world. One of the host is a big believer so he brougt his crystal out so we could ask it questions. We started askign questions and the crystal started to move on it's own. It was a bit freaky but it was fun.

Then we moved on to other topics....like their guest room...which doubles as their office...which doubles as their sex room. The room is kept under lock and key so after much prooding they finally opened up the room where the rest of us had a field day playing with their hand/feet restraints, paddles, and all kinds of other toys.

This was definetly one of the best birthday parties I have ever been to!

Sommelier

I went to a wine tasting this weekend and it was the best wine tasting I have ever been to. The winery is located downtown and you have the option of coming in and making your own wine, bottling, it and labeling it. It makes perfect Christmas gifts. It's a bit expensive, around $400 for 30 bottles but when you break it down it's only about $14 per bottle. Which is not all that bad.

Anyway, after about 6 bottles of wine we left and I started thinking about being a sommelier. I went home that night and tried to find information about where I could take classes but I couldn't find anything. On Monday I ran across this story about classes offered at one of the local community colleges through the International Sommelier Guild. The classes are a bit expensive but at this point I may be willing to pay for it.

I just want to do it for fun...so I am debating if it's worth it. I will let you know if I decide to sign up for the class. But where else can you go to class and drink while you learn?

Valentines

We decided that we would be taking turns planning anniversaries, Valentines day, etc.

Since B planned Valentines Day last year it is my turn to plan.

Last year he gave me this heart to remind me to save the date. So now I have to come up with something equally creative.

I will let you know what I decide. Ideas are also welcomed! :)

Dentist

I managed to make it 30 years without having any cavities. Today I got my first two fillings.

It wasn't as painful as people described. Actually, I didn't even feel anything.

I am having some trouble getting use to the filling and my mouth is still numb but it was totally painless.

I would totally recommend my new dentist.

Bartering at the Bar

We went to a couple of bars this weekend with one of our friends. One of the bars only lets you open up a tab if you spend $20 or more. We were only planning on being there for a little while and we never carry cash.

B ordered 3 drinks before we realized their policy on the tab and our cost for the 3 drinks was only $8. B pulls out his wallet and only found $7.

The bartender looks at us and gives us a disgusted look but accepts the $7.

After that happened we thought about the jokes we could have made like:

"I am more comfortable with this figure (as we slip a piece of paper towards the bartender)"

Or

"Would you take an old condom, a piece of gum, and $7."

Wheels and Tits

My car battery has been dying on me which was also causing my car radio to stop working. Something about the car trying to conserve energy so the battery wouldn't die.

I went to AutoZone this weekend to get my battery replaced. Here is an excerpt of my conversation with the AutoZone Guy:

AZG: Man, anything with wheels and tits will give you trouble.
Me: Yea. (Scratches balls and spits in an attempt to butch it up).

I immediately sent a text to B and a couple of friends to have a good laugh.

And for those of you who thought I couldn't be butch...I fooled the AutoZone guy.

Neti Pot

I have been experiencing a really bad cold for almost 3 weeks now. It all started on Christmas day and ever since then I have had really bad sinus problems, headaches, etc.

While surfing the web yesterday I found an article about titled Short, Stout, Has a Handle on Colds which talks about the Neti Pot.

Basically the it's a pot that allows you to clean your nasal passages. According to the article the Neti pot was

Originally part of a millennia-old Indian yogic tradition, the practice of nasal irrigation — jala neti — is performed with a small pot that looks like a cross between Aladdin’s lamp and your grandmother’s gravy boat.

After work yesterday I was running around town doing some errands and I passed by a Whole Foods so I went in and looked through their holistic isles and found the Neti pot. I took it home and tried it later that night. It was a little difficult to use at first put after I got the hang of it it was easy and painless. I was able to tell a difference immediately. My nasal passages were cleared out and I could breath. It was amazing. I am going to keep trying it for the next couple of weeks and see how I feel.

It also helps with snoring...which someone says I have a problem with. So we will see how it works.

Obama for President!

In a previous post FWMama asked me to write about who I would be supporting for president.

I have been torn up to this point. But I made up my mind right before Iowa after hearing Hillary and Bill Clinton speak. In their speeches right before the primaries they seemed to have taken a page out of the Bush administration hand book and started using scare tactics to try to get people to vote for Clinton. Should we be afraid of voting for someone who they claim has no experience? Should we be afraid of change?

I am ready for change. As of now I am leaning towards Obama. His message is positive, he is young and vibrant and it's encouraging that he has been able to get young people to get out and vote.

What experience does Hillary have? She has been a senator but so has Obama. She was the first lady but in my opinion that does not qualify her to be president. She has never run a major corporation, she has never been a leader. So I am surprised by every one's support of Hillary because of her experience. I believe people are voting for Hillary because of Bill. Bill represents everything that Bush isn't and perhaps people are hoping we can go back to a pre-Bush time.

I was really glad Obama won in Iowa and I hoped he would win in New Hampshire and crush the Clinton campaign.

As for Hillary chocking up in a speech...I think it was all planned...the woman is cold and has no heart. It was all a ploy to appeal to women voters (who voted for Obama in Iowa) and it worked.

Who are you supporting for president?

Meme

I was tagged by Kris for this new edition of "getting to know" your fellow bloggers.

Taken a picture completely naked? Yes. Who hasn't? It has been completely deleted though.
Made out with a friend on your MySpace/Facebook page? haha. Yes. But who hasn't?
Danced in front of your mirror naked? Not that I remember. I could have been drunk though.
Told a lie? Of course. I may lie in this meme :)
Had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back? Yes. It was unfortunate and it hurt...he had to be disposed of.
Been arrested? No. I would not be good in prison. Can you imagine?
Made out with someone of the same sex? YES. I have only made out with a girl once...and I was drunk...I only did it b/c she kept bothering me about kissing it.
Seen someone die? No. I would not like that.
Slept in until 5pm? No, I think the latest I have slept in is to around 1 or so.
Had sex at work? Not my work. I had sex at someone else's work.
Fallen asleep at work/school? School Yes. Work No.
Held a snake? Yes.
Ran a red light? Of course.
Been suspended from school? No. I was a good boy.
Totaled your car in an accident? No.
Pole danced? No but I would do it.
Smoked? Yes
Danced? Of course.
Been fired from a job? Not yet.
Sang karaoke? Yes. I was ranked second best at my families karaoke contest.
Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t? Yes.
Laughed until a drink came out your nose? Yes
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? With this air pollution?
Kissed in the rain? No
Sang in the shower? Every morning.
Given your private parts a nickname? Haha...maybe.
Ever gone out without underwear? Yes. Often.
Sat on a roof top? Not in a while. We use to do it when we lived in California.
Played chicken? Play as in "choke"? Uhhm, no. I don't know what that is.
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? Yes. It was fun...until I discovered my phone wouldn't work.
Broken a bone? Popped one? Bent one? Broke one? No.
Mooned/flashed someone? Yes. I use to moon my brother a lot just for fun.
Shaved your head? No.
Slept naked? I sleep naked every night.
Played a prank on someone? Yes
Had a gym membership? Yes.
Felt like killing someone? Everyday
Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? Yes
Cried over someone you were in love with? Yes
Had sex more than 10 times in one day? No but I will take the challenge.
Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? No
Been in a band? Does school band count?
Subscribed to Maxim? No
Taken more than 10 shots of alcohol? Probably, who counts?
Shot a gun? Yes. I want to go to the shooting range and learn how to shoot.
Had sex today? Uhhm...maybe
Played strip poker? No
Tripped on mushrooms? I have probably stepped on them...but not tripped on them. j/k.
Donated Blood? Yes.
Video taped yourself having sex? Uhmm...maybe
Eaten alligator meat? Frog legs? Yes to alligator NOOO to frog legs. That does not sound good.
Ever jump out of an airplane? No but I want to.
Have you been to more than 10 countries? Just 8
Ever wanted to have sex with a platonic friend? Probably.

Five bloggers you're tagging:
KB from Club KB

Sue from My lil' Sock Drawer
And You, and You and You (if you are reading this)

Let me know if you decide to complete the meme

Long Days

Work is really slow right now and I find myself unmotivated to complete some simple tasks.

So instead I blog.

Let's see. What should we talk about....

Suggestions? Anything you want to know about?

Oh, I will also post a meme that I was tagged...a long time ago. That should keep me entertained shortly.

The Weekend Is Upon Us

What are your plans?

I am not doing anything exciting at all. We are going to a game night at a friends house tonight. A b-day party tomorrow and maybe a little furniture shopping.

Let me live vicariously through you. What are your plans.

Couple Friends

B and I are going through a weird stage in our relationship. We are celebrating our one year anniversary on the 1st of January so we have been together for quite some time now. We are about to end out "everything is about us" stage in our relationship where we don't want to spend time with anyone but ourselves and we are getting ready to enter the "couple friends" stage in our relationship.

The problem is that we don't know any other couples that a) live close by, b) are normal, c)like to have fun and hang out.

Most of the couples we know are either so messed up and on some sort of drug most of the time, they are completely boring, or they just way to fucked up otherwise. So now we have to make new friends.

We are thinking about making a list of single friends we know and hooking them up so we have people to hang out with.

Is that strange? If you are in a relationship, did you go through this stage? How did you deal with it?

Happy New Years

Happy New Years!

Wishing you the best for the coming year!

Work

I don't talk about work to much but I just feel the need to mention this and I figured some of you may find this funny.

I came back to the office today and I found an email from my vp telling everyone at the office that he is to busy to be in the holiday spirit but he is making an effort. So he has made a cash donation in our names to a non-profit organization.

Does anyone else find that funny or is it just me? Do you guys think he actually made a donation or do you think he printed the certificates at home?

I guess I find it funny because B and I were trying to figure out what to get my coworkers and he made the same suggestion but that I should just print them off at home.

Sick

I have been sick for 3 days now. It all started on Christmas day but yesterday was the worse day.

I had fever most of the day and these horrible chills. I was suppose to go back to work today but I couldn't do it. I woke up to get ready and I still wasn't feeling well. As the day progressed I felt better but not by much. I have to go to work tomorrow so I hope I will be all better tomorrow.

Stay warm and keep fighting those nasty viruses.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Wishing you the best this holiday season and in the New Year!

Blogaversary

My blogaversary was two days ago.

I can't believe i have been writting for 4 years now. I stil haven't writte 500 post yet though.

That will happen in the next couple of months. Keep posted.

Bored

I am soooo bored at work today. There is absolutely nobody in the office and there isn't much to do.

There are only so many website I can visit a day and so much celebrity gossip I can tolerate.

What do you do when you are bored at work?

What websites do you check?

Holiday Parties

I love the holidays because everyone has holiday parties and it's a great time to catch up with people you haven't seen in awhile.

Most of the time, there is way to may people at these holiday parties so I feel like I really didn't get to spend any quality time with anyone. Last night, I went to a holiday party at a friends house and he just invited some close friends. There was a total of 6 people which was great.

I got to meet two new people and I caught up with the ones I already knew. It was great.

Everyone should have little gatherings like that.

Christmas Music Part 2

Maybe I should have mentioned that I went out last night and had a bit to much to drink. I was out until 1:30 last night and I could really use some piece and quiet right now.

So please, keep your voices down.

Christmas Music

I know some people love Christmas music, my boyfriend is one of those people. But come on people! Christmas music all the time? What is wrong with you?

I am in the office today and apparently everyone here wants to listen to Christmas music so my co-worker has his speakers up and they are all singing along.

I am not a fan of the music and it has actually put me in a bad mood. Isn't that the opposite of what Christmas music suppose to do?

I would tell them to turn it off but it's 4 against 1. While he is out to lunch I will be over there messing with his speakers.

Another Crazy Deam

I am not sure why I have been having such strange dreams lately. I need to check with a dream dictionary to see what they mean.

Last nights dream involved dragons and dinosaurs. Here is a quick re-cap.

I lived in a dying continent and we were trying to get to a new one but we had to cross waters full of dinosaurs, dragons, and monsters.

I ended up in an orphanage (although I didn't know it until much later) where I was given a magical stone by a someone I was sharing a bed with.

We moved to the new continent and there was a lot of fighting. Everyone was trying to kill me because the stone gave me special powers but I didn't know I had them. I ended up killing a lot of people and I went into hiding.

I then went to the house of the person who gave me the stone and we were talking in bed. By this time the person in bed with me was my boyfriend. Six people broke into the room and were trying to capture me, one of them was his mother (in my dream...not his real one). When they capture me, I was able to become invisible and I took my boyfriend with me we started flying. I was finally able to discover my secret powers.

I kind of know what the last part is all about but I am not sure what the rest is about.

My dream from last night

I had a dream that I had to drive out to a town about 2 hours away to have dinner with some guy who was going to give me money. (Not sure if he owed me money or what)

I decided to invite my boyfriend and my friend and KB with me because I didn't want to go alone so we are off...or so I thought.

It took KB 30 minutes to get ready and my boyfriend was fooling around with his car to get it ready for the trip. We finally get on the road about an hour later. After an hour I hadn't called the guy to tell him that I am going to be late. I want to call him but for some reason I can't.

KB and my boyfriend then turn into my co-workers Richard and Patricia. We are driving and we have to stop because the roads are blocked. We take some side roads and we end up in a village that looks deserted and there are a lot of coyotes/wolves all over the place. One of them is dead and others are climbing down trees or just running around the village. It looks like one of those little European villages. Very cute expect for the wolves.

Richard then gets out of the car and starts to wrestle with two of the wolves (both multi-colored) ties one up. He is trying to tie its snout but I keep telling him that we have to go. We finally leave.

We then end up back somewhere close to home and we still haven't made it to see the guy. Richards becomes my boyfriend again and KB is still Patricia. We are driving a convertible and Patricia jumps out of the car and starts chasing a float because she wants to meet the singers/dancers on the float. I threaten to leave her....and you and I drive off. We somehow end up back at home and I run up the concrete stairs in the front yard. (we had a beautiful home...old but cute). We go inside and I am still not able to talk to the guy. By then it has been several hours since we were suppose to be there.

My sister and her daughters come over. They live down the street from us so they see the car parked in the driveway and just pop over. My niece keeps asking me questions and I am extremely frustrated because we haven't made it and I am going to loose the money so I start screaming and run out of the house towards the street. But now the stairs that lead to the house have duplicated and the street seems much further away.

Once I get closer to the street I just sit down on the stairs and start crying.

Crazy dream.

What do you think it means?

Same Old Dilema

Every year I have a hard time finding something to give my co-workers for Christmas and this year is no exception.

Ideas? Suggestions?

Lunch with the in-laws

We met B's parents in a small town about an hour-and-a-half away from where we live. I thought "Lunch, not a big deal. I can do lunch." But boy was I wrong. His dad is nice but his mom is just not a pleasant person. Throughout the whole lunch she probably said about a hand full of words to me even though I tried to engage her in conversation. I even went as far as complimenting her new hair cut which looks horrible on her. HORRIBLE! I should have told her how horrible it looks, maybe then she would have said something to me.

Lunch was just very uncomfortable.

I am suppose to go with B back home for Christmas and I honestly don't know that I want to do that. I am obviously not welcomed and we are all going to be uncomfortable for 3 days so it might be better to skip the whole thing. B and I talked about it but we really didn't come to any conclusions.

My friend Robert and I were talking about it and I have decided to stop trying to be nice to the women. I even plotted a few evil things I could do to her to piss her off even more. I figured it would kill her if I bought gifts for her husband and her daughter but not for her. Wouldn't that be pure evil? But she deserves it.

I also thought about having the "Listen here you bitch! I am your son's boyfriend and I am not planning on going anywhere so I suggest we start getting along" talk.

Out of the two, I figured I would do the talk first. I would remove the bitch part and the attitude.

It's very frustrating.

Oh Christmast Tree, Oh

The condo is finally fixed and everything is back where it belongs so we decided to go get a Christmas tree. It's a 6-7' real tree from Home Depo. Neither of us has a truck so we went Home Depo and picked it up in B's car and drove with a tree on the roof of the car for about 3 miles. It ghetto-fabulous. And I do have pictures.

We decorated the tree on Sunday and it's starting to look good. We need more ornaments which we will probably just pick up as we go along. We went to Garden Ridge last night and it was so picked over that we only got 4 new ornaments. I am going to try Target during a work "break" and I am going to swing by Pier 1 after work. Once the tree looks good I will post some pictures.

We are also having problems finding a tree topper. All the angels we have seen look cheap and all the stars we have seen are to sparkly. What do you use? Angels or stars?

Good News!

I finally found a new gym. After almost 2 years of over paying at my current gym I decided to leave. Over the last few weeks I have been going to new gyms in my area and checking them. After visiting and working out in 5 other gyms I decided to go with one close to work. It's a small boutique gym but it has everything I need and everyone is really friendly.

I also have a new trainer. He use to be a profesional football player. I am excited. :)

Work

Anyone else working today?

Thanksgiving and Movies

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Are you stuffed? I am. I ate way to much but the food was so good that I couldn't resist.

I spent it with my family. B went to see his family.

What did you do?

I watched two movies last week, American Gangster and Beowulf. You definetly have to go see American Gangster, the movie is a little long and there isn't as much action as one would expect with a gangster movie but story is very interesting. They take the time to build the characters so you actually feel connected and end up hoping the gangsters don't get caught. Go see it.

Beowulf on the other hand was a complete dissapointment. It's a animated, 3-D movie with a great story line that didn't translate on the screen. Perhaps it was the animation, perhaps it was the laughter in the movie theater, perhaps I was tired but I totally regret seeing this movie. It's definetly a rental...or you can watch it on
Online Cinema for free. I love this site and if you haven't heard of it before you need to check it out.

The site allows you to view movies that are playing on the big screen in the comfort of your own home without having to pay $10 per ticket. Check it out and let me know what you think.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

I am currently reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. He is the same person that wrote Kite Runner.

The book is amazing so far, it's just as good...if not better than Kite Runner. I am in El Paso so I have had a lot of down time to read and I am almost done with it.

Click on the link above for a description of the book and then go to your local book store or library and pick it up.

The Love is Over

I haven't written about this becuase the pain is still very fresh in my heart. Every time I think about it I get mad, sad, and I feel like I want to throw up a little.

It feels like the day I walked into the condo and found her there...laying on the floor with her legs up in the air wagging her tail. The bitch!

I walked in and found Lucy, B's dog, on the floor chewing on my pair of Prada sunglasses and wagging her tail. I was pissed and had to walk out of as B was disiplining her.

A week later, we go out for a jog and we are gone for no more than 30 minutes and I come home to my brand new, brand new, Ferragamo wallet on the floor half eaten.

I was pissed and this time took care of the dissipling myself. How could she? She went out of her way to get my stuff out of the side table by the couch and chew on it. Why not B's stuff? Why just mine? I have decided she hates me and is a cold calculted chewer.

Since that day, she has been banished to the kitchen while we are gone. She use to be able to roam the house while we are at work but not she is confined to the kitchen and she hates it.

My question is, why would she only chew on my stuff? She gets plenty of attention and we play with her all of the time.

Wii

I am hooked!

 

We went to my friends house last night and played Wii. I am not much for video games but the Wii is awesome. We played tennis, baseball and boxing and I was sweating. I can see how it could be a good work out.

 

Have you tried the Wii?

Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone!

 

Did you dress up for Halloween? What are your plans for tonight?

 

We are going to my friends house and hanging out with her family. Our plans are to drink, pass out candy and watch movies.

 

We went to a Halloween party on Friday night. We weren't planning on dressing up but we ended up throwing something together at the last minute. We were the cowboys from Brokeback Mountain. It wasn't really much of a costume really, everything we wore was right out of our closets. We even had accessories. We had the bandannas and Snowflake the horse.

 

We had one of those horse on a stick and B named him Snowflake. He was a big hit.

 

Unfortunately, we don't have any pictures.

Business Trips

I have been stressing over an audit that takes place next week. I will be in El Paso all week for this audit and I am not looking forward to it. Mostly because I really just need to be there a half a day on Tuesday and a half a day on Wednesday. But I am going to suck it up and I am going to go without complaining.

 

Luckily we spoke with the auditor yesterday and she thinks it is going to be relatively painless.

 

Have I talked about El Paso before? I have been going there a lot this year. I think this is my 5th or 6th trip there this year and there is absolutely nothing to do there. There is only so many times a person can go to the mall. We are not allowed to cross the border and go into Mexico by ourselves and since I always travel by myself I never end up going unless one of my co-workers that lives there takes pity on me. I have only been once.

 

This trip, I am going with my two bosses so it should be a lot better. I will actually have someone to eat dinner with.

Birthday!

I had a birthday this month. I turned the big 3-0. I didn't really want to celebrate and I actually don't feel any worse than I did at the young age of 29.

 

It was one of the best birthdays I have had in years though. B got me tickets to go see Ricky Martin in concert and it was amazing. Of course I took plenty of pictures...and a video. Of Ricky. Practically naked. I watch it every night before I go to sleep in the hopes that I will have dreams of Ricky Martin.

 

B also arranged a surprise birthday dinner with a few of my friends. I was completely shocked. We went to one of our favorite new restaurants and when I walked in 5 of my friends were sitting there. The food was delicious and the the company was even more so.

 

After dinner B, my friend Juan and I went to a hookah bar were we continued drinking and smoked hookah.

 

It was a nice quiet birthday, just the way I wanted it to be.

 

 

Oh, one thing about being 30. I have noticed that I cringe when I am doing cardio at the gym and I have to enter myage. I just don't feel 30.

Leak

I have another leak. Yeap. This is the fourth leak in my condo, the first three were caused by my neighbor in the second floor but this one was caused by the neighbor in the third floor.

It hasn't been fun but I have been dealing with it. Their insurance won't pay for it so now my insurance will have to cover it. Oh well.

How is life treating everyone out there? What's new?

Expensive Lesson

I learned an expensive lesson.

 

I have been having electrical issues at home over the last few months and I figured it was time to have a professional come out and take a look at my issue before my place burned down.

 

All three lights in my dinning room flicker when I turn them on. Two of them stopped working completely. I figured it was an electrical short an called the electrician for an estimate for that and a few other things that I have never bothered with.

 

When the guys doing the work show up, they look at my lights, at the light switch, at me and said "The reason your lights flicker is because you can't use those energy efficient light bulbs with dimmer switches."

 

I paid to have someone come out and tell me that. Can you believe that? Learn from my mistake, if you have a dimmer DO NOT INSTALL THE ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHT BULBS!

 

While they were they did fix some other stuff though. So I guess it was worth it.

Birthday Post 2

Okay. He didn't forget. We went to a play last night and before the play started he said he wanted to tell me what he got me for my birthday because he was concerned I wouldn't' like it.

 

After two guesses I figured out what it was:

 

My guesses

1. Iphone - No

2. Trip - No

3. A dog - YES! YES! YES!

 

He was going to get me a chocolate lab but he had to get it by today because it was the last one. After the play, we talked about it and decided to wait until after we get a house.

 

He said he had other things lined up already...so now it's just a matter of getting my Nancy Drew instincts on.

Birthday!

My birthday is coming up on October 7. I don't think my boyfriend remembers and I don't want to say anything about it.

 

If he does remember, i don't think he is planning anything. Which he better after what I did for his birthday! He is really busy with work this coming week but if nothing is planned by the next two weeks I will just have to take matters into my own hands and plan something myself. Maybe a small party? Maybe a small dinner? Maybe a little vacation?

 

I like the last option but we will see.

 

What do you like to do for your birthday?

 

Has anyone ever forgotten your birthday?

 

My family once forgot my sisters birthday. This happened about 3 years ago. She is our oldest sister and she has always remembered our birthdays, even when we didn't live in the same state she would always send us a birthday card and call us. We felt so bad about forgetting and she felt even worse that we all forgot. We made up for it the following week and had a little party for her. The following year we all pitched in and threw her a big party. She deserved it!

 

 

September

This is going to be a very busy month for us. There are so many things going on that we have to attend. We were looking at our calendars last night and we have an event every day for the next two weeks.

 

The rest of the year doesn't look much better.

 

 

Los Angeles

My trip to Los Angeles was a lot of fun and I cam back with a nice tan.

 

It was extremely hot while I was there. One day, the temperature was 111 degrees farenheit. It was horrible. My parents live in the valley so we would leave the valley during the day and go to the beach and hang out. The temperature was about 85 degrees and the water was freezing cold, it was probably in the 60's.

 

I was there for my neices Quinceñera, which is like a sweet sixteen, and the party was a lot of fun.

 

I met up with a blogger while I was there. Robert, previously of Mrhappysad.com. He doesn't blog anymore but he should. Robert took me shopping and out to dinner. Thanks Robert!

 

 

Random News

Los Angeles:
I will be in L.A. from the 29th through the 2nd. I can't wait. Is anyone else going to be there for the Labor Day Holiday?

Home:
I am looking into leasing or selling my place. I am at the beggining stages so I may not do it. Not sure yet.

Work:
I have been doing some traveling for work and I don't like it. I have been very busy and I do like that.

Thats all I have. My life is pretty boring these days.

Interesting

I just read an email from my old boss. I left my old job because of him.

I was actually glad to read his email.

I am also watching/listening to Jewell on KERA. I like her voice I wish she did more.

Today was Ben's b-day. We went out for drinks...I came home and he went out for drinks with his friends...more about that later.

Back to the old boss thing. I use to love working for him but the last year or two he became intolerable. It seems he is back to his old self and I am a bit hesitant to answer. I am going to sleep on it and decide if I want to answer.

"Who will save your soul. When it comes to the memories...who will save your soul after all those lies you told...boy....who will save your soul if you won't save your own..."

Birthday

Today is B's birthday. He is now a year younger than I am. I

It has been a fun week. I decided to celebrate his birthday week by giving him a small birthday gift every day of the week until today. I don't know what I was thinking...I am horrible at picking out gifts for people. Horrible! I have mentioned I normally just give gift cards. But I think I pulled it off. He has liked all of the things I got him. The first 4 were just small gifts and today he got his big gift.

Last night we went to dinner with his friends. We took him to a local restaurant that was packed. Luckily we know the owner so we were able to make reservations and get seated without a wait. I picked up a velvet cake from a local bakery and it was delicious.

I am not a fan of one of his friends, and unfortunately he was invited. He loves attention and does everything he can to have the spot light. Other than that it was a great evening.

Tomorrow, he and I, are going out to dinner. He has been wanting to do a murder mystery so I found one for us to go to. It should be fun, hopefully neither of us will get killed.

Weekend Update

I don't post as much as I should. I was thinking about that last night as I was doing my laundry and watching a movie at home.

B and I went to NYC this past weekend and we had a great time. We said we weren't going to do any of the touristy stuff and we were just going to take it easy but we ended up doing way to much.

We got there on Thursday and we went to the Brooklyn Philharmonic. That was really nice. After we just walked around the city.

Friday we went out to dinner at a really nice restaurant and after we took a yacht tour around the NY harbor. It was really nice. The view of the city at night was amazing. The yacht was kind of empty, there were about 20 people there, and we had whole side of the yacht to ourselves. It was nice and romantic. B loves Champaign so I picked up a bottle of Champaign on our way down there.

Saturday we saw Les Miserables. It was really good. B had never walked around Central Park so on our back from Harlem we walked through Central park for a couple of hours.

We also got some shopping in, we at Sylvia's Soul Food Restaurant (where Bill Clinton eats), walked the Brooklyn Bridge, walked around Brooklyn Heights, went to the NBC Today Show concert in the Square where we heard KT Tunstall, went out to a couple of bars and did some other stuff.

Somewhere along the way B picked up an accent. It's this Italian/New Yorker sleazy guy voice that he does and every time he does it I get chills all over my body. Not the good kind, the bad kind…so he has been doing it a lot. It's kind of funny.

That is it. I am back at home trying to get back into the swing of things. Next stop….Los Angeles. We are going for my nieces Quinceñera in September. That should be tons of fun.

Random

I have so much to share.

Did I mention I met the boyfriends family? Yeap. It's pretty serious.

I have been out of town for the last 4 weeks in a row.

I am going to NYC in July.

I gained 7 lbs.

My boyfriends dog hates me and peed in my bed (okay, she doesn't hate me, it was an accident but it makes it sound more exciting) (P.S. She has only done it once in 7 months).

I am starting an LLC.

My patio looks great, I now have lots of plants, furniture, a chandelier, bug repellant, and a fountain. I need to work on the back patio.

I have made two good friends in the last couple of months.

I have been out of the office more than I have been in the office this month and I love it. Makes me wish I was a house husband.

I have a great tan. I have been using the pool a lot and we went to Austin and went to Barton Springs.

I don't know how to swim but my boyfriend use to be a swimming coach. Guess who is learning how to swim? He is also giving one of my friends daughters lessons at the same time I get my lessons. She is 2 years old.

He also use to be a tennis coach. We have only played tennis once. I suck!

I eventually want to write about all of this but I haven't had time. Normally I get up and go to work. It's hard to leave my bed because my boyfriend gets to sleep in. He doesn't go in until much later…but he gets out of work at the same time. (lucky). After work I go to the gym (but I have gained weight). Then we meet up at my place and cook dinner. Normally we are in the kitchen together but one of us cooks and the other one helps. Then we watch t.v. or read and go to bed. It's not very exciting is it? But I like it. We made a decision that we were not going to be going out so much anymore. So now instead of going out 7 days a week we go out like once or twice a week.

That is it. I am still reading everyone's blogs.

Confession

I use earphones at work to listen to music while I work. I found that it also helps to keep people away and I can pretend not to hear people when they scream for me from three or four offices/cubes down.

My earphones have not been working since last week but I still put them on when I am sitting at my desk. It's a great way to keep people away.

Weekend O' Fun

Well, I am way to lazy to write a post about what a wonderful weekend I had visiting my friend KB in Minesota this past weekend. So instead I am going to link you to her page and you can read my LONG comment about some of the stuff she didn't mention.

It was the best trip I have had in a very long time. And it wasn't as relaxing as I wanted it to be because we were always doing something but it was definetly a lot better than I expected.

Read KB's summary of our trip HERE and my comments HERE.

Hello?? Is anyone out there?

It's been a while. How are you world? Are you still out there?

I have been busy with…not sure actually. I just haven't been writing. I have been reading for pleasure. And watching a lot of t.v. with my boyfriend. We have also been working on my patio. He planted flowers, we purchased patio furniture and one of my patios now looks great.

I was out of town earlier in the week for work and when I came back he had installed a chandelier in my patio. We have to go buy candles for it. He also installed a dimmer for the porch lights, fixed the fountain, and fixed two electrical plugs that were not working. It's nice having him around, he is very handy.

I am heading to spend the weekend with KB (see sidebar) up north. We are going to be doing lots of shopping, eating (and hopefully drinking). But I am most excited about the shopping. We use to be shopping buddies when we lived in the same city. Those days are long gone…but we will enjoy this shopping trip just the same. We are both a little…how should I say this…structured. Yes, structured is a good word. So we have an agenda for our trip. It sounds quite fun on paper. It includes riding horses, going out to dinner, visiting the farm, shopping, and just hanging out.

Here are some other updates since I may not write for a few more months (just kidding). Over the next two months the boyfriend and I have a several trips planned. We are going to be going to Houston, NYC, and a third location that can't be disclosed. It's top secret. Alright, fine…we haven't decided where we are going yet.

I may also be going to California next month for a few days to visit my parents. I am trying to work that in somewhere.

That's all for now.

Update

My good friend KB pointed out that it has been over a month since I wrote. So here it goes.

I actually don't have much to say these days. My life has been pretty uneventful. I am trying to get in shape…again. I gained 10 lbs over the last 4 months. But before that I lost 25, so I am still ahead. I have been hitting the gym hard lately so I hope to loose 10 lbs by the end of the month.

I am still dating B. And things are going GREAT!

I graduated. Thanks for all of the good wishes, emails, etc. You guys are the best.

That's it! What's going on with you all?

Overheard Around Town

Scene: Private party at a hip and trendy bar in town. Hundreds of drunk people shuffle between the patio and the inside of the club. A lady in a wheel chair tries to make her way through the crowd.

Lady: Excuse me.
Guy: (Scoots back to allow her to pass) You are lucky, at least you have a permanent seat


Scene: Chinese Take-out restaurant. Two guys pick up their order and one ask:

Guy: What's the red sauce you use in Sweet and Sour Chicken.
Attendant: (Looks at guy with a smirk on her face that read "idiot") Sweet and Sour Sauce?

Gossip

Do you all like to gossip?

Just wondering.

Sleep Dialing

I think I have mentioned how B tells me I talk in my sleep.

I don't remember if I wrote about waking up in the middle of the night and seeing B with a pillow over his head. Apparently I also snore.

Last night I made phone calls...while I slept. Where you one of the lucky ones? B woke up this morning and asked

B: Where you making calls in the middle of the night or was I dreaming.
Me: You were dreaming. Who would I be calling?
B: I don't know, I thought I woke up and heard you whispering on the phone.
Me: No, you were dreaming.
Silence - - checking phone records
B: You didn't!? Who did you call?

Apparently I was feeling a little chatty last night and made a couple of random calls. I am trying to find out what I said. Hopefully it was completely unintelligible and i didn't say anything I wasn't suppose to.

We use my phone as our alarm in the morning. B is going to be in charge of the alarm now, but now we run the risk of not waking up until the middle of the day. He has a tendency of turning off the alarm and going back to sleep. Especially when we are suppose to be jogging.

Update

I have been busy.

I hurt my sholder so I haven't worked out in two weeks. I went back to the gym on Friday and I have been working out every day since then. I feel a lot better now...not as flabby.

Tuesday - Went out drinking with a friend from NY and some local people.
Wednesday - Went out drinking with a friend from NY and some local people.
Thursday - Went out drinking - was almost drunk.
Friday - Went out drinking -
Saturday - Went out drinking
Sunday - Went out drinking
Monday - Had 1 drink
Tuesday - Had 2 drinks
Today - NOT Drinking.

As you can see, I have been drinking a lot and I am going to stop.

B and I are still together. He is great and makes me laugh uncontrollably. He is very nice and down to earth. Some of his friends on the other hand are not...he has commented on how my friends are all nice and down to earth and his are not. There are two in particular, his best friends, that I don't really care for. They are pretentious, drunk bitches! But I can fake it...

I turned in my final project for graduation on Sunday. I am officially DONE! I graduate on April 20th. :)

I am alive

I have been neglecting my blog. It has been completely unintentional but it happened.

Here are the updates:

School
I have been busy with school. I am working on a five year strategic plan for a local pet company. Two weeks ago I thought I lost all the work I had done in the past two months, luckily my flash drive was found. Graduation is still set for April 20th. I don't know what I want to do to celebrate? Any ideas? Maybe rent a party bus with 16 of my friends and hit all of the local bars?

Work
Work is work, going well. No new developments.

Boyfriend
He is still as amazing as the first day we started dating. He knows how stress I have been with school and last week or the week before he shows up at my door with a basket full of goodies. He does sweet things like that...and I like him A LOT!

We are still spending a lot of time together but now we are incorporating the world around us. Soon we will be getting back in touch with the world.

Valentines: Was great. We went to dinner and then to a movie.

In other news:
I have been keeping up with everyones blogs. I don't always comment but I do read.

Weekend and Chris Evans

I don't have anything exciting to report about the weekend. I was suppose to spend at least 6 hours doing homework but instead I spent all weekend with my boyfriend. Did I mention that I graduate in April? I am so forgetful sometimes and to lazy to look at old post.

Friday we decided to stay in and just watch movies. We ordered food and fell asleep on the couch. We were tired.

Saturday I was woken up with an emergency phone call so I had to jump out of bed and go meet one of my friends. Things turned out okay. I didn't do much the rest of the day. Saturday we did this thing that was way to much work...and we meet up with one of his friends that was in from out of town. We went out to the bars and had a good time.

Sunday we spent all day in bed. We got up to go meet his friend for lunch, he went home for about 2 hours, came back took a nap, went to a meeting, came back and slept until around 9 p.m. He didn't sleep over last night because he was off today and wanted to sleep in. I had to be at work at 6:30 so he would have woken up at that time.

Exciting news: I get to meet Chris Evans on Thursday. I will try to take a picture with him and upload it here next week. Who is jealous?

Valentines Update

Valentines Day was even more amazing than I thought it would be.

I decided to get him the ipod and load it with music we both like but then I decided to hold off on opening it just in case he didn't like it. He loved it of course.

Dinner was great, I am still full this morning.

He is such an amazing guy, we could have gone to McDonald's and I would have been happy just because I was with him. I know it sound cheesy but it is so true.

Valentines, Auction and other Happenings

I still don’t know what to get B for Valentines. I thought about getting him an ipod and loading it songs. We may not be great singers but in the comfort of our homes and our cars we sing at the top of our lungs. We are both horrible singers.

I also thought about getting season tickets to the theater; or
Cuff links; or
Booking a hotel for a weekend get away.

Still not sure what I will end up doing.

B was being auctioned off in a Bachelor Auction last night. He agreed to do this last year when he was still single so I was okay with him doing it. He asked me to go along and I went for a couple of drinks but I left before the bidding began. A few of my friends were out there and one of them called me

Friend: Uhhh, one of them just went for $600 and he had to strip down to his underwear. Are you sure you want your man out here in his skivvies?
Me: He doesn’t wear underwear; he won’t remove more than his shirt. I am okay with that.
Friend: These men are wild; you better come back up here. Click.

20 minutes later.

Friend: B is on. Do you want to listen?
Me: (uninterested) sure.
Friend: He just took off his shirt. Now they are asking him to take off his pants. Uhhh, he just undid his belt.
Me: What? He is not wearing underwear. He better not take those off!
Friend: He just undid his button.
Me: He ain’t coming home tonight.

He didn’t take off the pants because he wasn’t wearing underwear. The money was for a good cause so I was totally okay with it. After the auctioned one of B’s good friends and our neighbor stopped by my place to tell me he had “won him” and that he was bidding on B because he didn’t want anyone else besides me going to dinner with B. Isn’t that nice?

Valentines & Flowers

I got home yesterday after work and I had flowers sitting by my front door. They were in a beautiful vase and the card read “Thank you for being a wonderful person. xoxoxo”

Isn’t he sweet? He has been sick with the flu and I have been taking care of him, bringing him soup, getting him medicine, etc. Have I mentioned I like him a lot? And yes, we are officially boyfriends.

I have a dilemma. Valentines is coming up and I don’t know what to get him. He paid for the restaurant we are having dinner and it was a bit pricy. I have offered to pay but he won’t take my money.

The dilemma is that I don’t know what to get him for Valentines. I was thinking of getting him cuff links but that isn’t enough. Do you have any ideas?

Valentines

When I opened the door he handed me this chocolate heart. It's a Save the Date to remind me of our date on Valentines Day. Isn't that the sweetest thing ever?

I like him a lot. He makes me smile and he makes me blush. My run from commitment issues seem to be gone with him especially when I look into his eyes or when I kiss those beautiful lips or when I see that "I Like You" smile he gives me after we kissed.

I haven't had a date on Valentines day in a very long time, I am very glad my date will be with him.

What are your Valentines plans?

Weekend Review

It was a cold, wet weekend.

On Friday I had the opportunity to meet up with Will from DC who was in town for work. We went to a restaurant he found close to his hotel and I had heard about a long time ago but never been to.

We chatted about our lives and got to know each other better. Will is a great guy and has a lot going for him so it was great to meet up with him and finally put a face to the blog.

After meeting up with Will I headed over to my brothers house for his birthday party. I wasn't there very long because I had a hot man waiting for me back at home. The plan was for me to meet up with my Jogging Buddy at a bar he was going to be at with his friends but on my way back we decided he would leave the bar and meet back up with me at my place and watch a movie.

We didn't get to bed until 5:30 so we slept in until he had to get up and go to a meeting. We meet back up a few hours later and joined two of my friends for lunch. None of our friends know we are dating so it's weird being around people and not be able to openly flirt with each other. Although more people are starting to notice we are spending a lot of time together. My friend called me later on that day and asked what was going on between us.

Later I went with him to a party. I got to meet his best friends which seem a little crazy but fun. After we went to a magazine VIP party where I got to meet more of his friends. By this time we had been caught holding hands, kissing, and making eyes at each other so everyone knew we were "getting to know each other".

We went home somewhat early but didn't get to bed late that night. There was some drama with his roommates and people loosing dogs, people falling over drunk, and driving down the wrong side of the road. He has interesting friends.

Sunday we did it all over again. Slept in until we had to get up for me to go to class then met back up in the afternoon.

We spend a lot of time together. I knew he was cute and nice the first time I saw him but I didn't know what a sweat caring person he is.

He was telling me last night he was flirting with me the first time he met me back in August and that he has had a crush on me ever since. When he started dating someone he would avoid being around me because he didn't want to make it look obvious that he liked me. I use to do the same thing.

Long post, I know. Sorry. I hope your weekend was as great as mine.

The Nearness of You

I met someone and we have been faux dating since January 1st of this year. We get together go to dinner, ice cream, movies, jogging, etc.

People are starting to talk.

While we were out in a hip-and-trendy ice cream shop we ran into two people we know who then invited us to go have dinner to celebrate one of their birthday's. We turned them down because we already had other plans. Out of this little encounter, rumors started flying, "Are they?", "Are they not". And we both started getting emails and calls from people we haven't heard from in months fishing for information. The official response is "We are just friends."

We have our first real date on Saturday. I am nervous and excited at the same time. I have had a crush on him for such a long time and from what I learned last night he has had a crush on me for a while too.

I cooked dinner for him last night. I screwed it up but I called an ex and he helped me recover my food disaster and it turned out to be a great dinner. After dinner we just sat on the couch and talked for hours. I love the newness of a relationship. When you are still getting to know the person and everything they say is interesting and everything they say is worth holding on to.

What's your Seduction Style?

I took this from ça va pas la tête over at Me Talk Pretty Everyday

Blogs

I read to many blogs....and you guys write way to much. But I enjoy all of your stories so keep writting.

Did I mention I can't read blogs at work anymore because of where I sit? So now I have to catch up with peoples lives on the weekends.

Complicated Affection

This is a long post. Don't read it. :)

I don't normally get to personal on my blog. I tend to keep my feelings to myself and most people I know are use to that (one of the promises with myself was to be more open with my feelings this year).

I have mentioned the writter I was dating. He is a great guy but unfortunately things didn't work out between us. We gave it a good try...and even broke up 3 to 5 times in a short two month period.

Although it has been over for about a month we had to have another break up conversation at the begining of the week wich was very hard for both of us. I am not really sure why I am writting about this...maybe just to have a record to look back on later...maybe it's just to help me feel better about the whole thing...not sure.

I received an email from him today with a wonderful story about his life. He is a great writter and I know he will one day write a book that will be on Oprah's Reading Club and in all the top selling list. He is a great writter and I am privy to the story ideas he has in his head. We use to lay in bed or sit around and he would tell me about the books he was working on and the characters he had planned out.

When I first met him he had stopped writting because of life and the problems that comes with it. I tend to push people a little harder than they push themselves...sometimes it's a blessing and sometimes its a curse. I also tend to date guys who have great potential but haven't realized it themselves and I usually push them...not in a nagging way but I plant ideas in their heads that makes them want to push themselves harder. I kind of did that with the writter.

I am not in any way trying to take credit for all of the work on his novels. I guess what I am tring to say is that this year I will work on myself and let the guys I date be who they want to be. I will also only be dating one guy at a time.

New Habits

It's early in the morning and I just got back from a jog. One of my neighbors and I decided to start jogging today, not because we want to be healthy or because it's the new year but as a way of spending time together with the added bonus of being healthy.

My neighbor (and I say neighbor he actually just lives in my neighborhood about a block away) and I went out on our first date on the 1st of January and we have a second date tonight. He seems like a really nice guy and he keeps me laughing for hours so we will see if it works out. If nothing, I am sure we will be good friends.

Off to a Good Start

The year is off to a good start so far. On my way home from the New Years Party my "Check Engine" light came on. I took it to get serviced today and it cost me a little over $1,000 to get fixed. Yeap, that's a lot of money.

New Year New Me

New Years
I rang in the New Years at a friends house party. It was a lot of fun and I was surrounded by people I care about.

Today I slept most of the day. I did have a date tonight with a guy I have known for about 4 or 5 months. Nice guy, lives down the street from me and he is really cute. We have another date on Wednesday. Keep your fingers crossed, I am ready to fall in love and live happily ever after.

Resolutions
I did say i didn't make New Years resolutions but today I decided I was going to promise myself that I was going to allow others to "love" me and get close to me. So the next relationships I get into I will be more open.

I will also write more often on my blog. I promise.

Songs of 2006
The radio station in my city said the top song of 2006 was a song by Panic! At the Disco, I write Sins not Tragedies. Although I like this song I would like to make the following suggestions for the top songs of 2006 (in no particular order):

Paulina Rubio: Ananda (This is actually my favorite song of 2006)
Amerie: Take Control & Why don't we fall in love
Justin Timberlake : My love and What Goes around
India Arie: There's Hope
Nelly Furtado: The whole CD is awesome but I LOVE the song Say it Right
Ricky Martin: Tu Recuerdo ft LaMari (The song that plays when you go to his web page
Shakira: La Tortura and Hips Don't Lie
Brandy: Afrodisiac

So those are my selections. What were your favorite songs from 2006?

New Years!

I hope everyone has/had a safe and fun New Years!

I am still not sure about my plans for tonight. I may go to a house party, my families, or to a bar. It's still in the air.

And as far as resolutions go...I didn't make any. You?

Blogaversary

I had my blogaversary yesterday the 22nd of December. I started blogging in December of 2004 and I have been blogging on and off ever since.

Here is the post that started it all.

Happy Blogaversary to me!

New Digs

So we finally moved to our new building, which was my old building. We are in a very confined space. It kind of looks like a long hallway with offices on the right and cubicles on the left. The great thing about being here is that all of my department is finally together and we are in the building where most of our clients are at.

The bad thing is that I can hear what someone is saying 50 feet away from me. Seriously.

When I get a personal phone call I always walk outside of the room and go to the actual hallway to talk.

Yesterday I had my radio very quietly and someone from 5 cubes down came over and asked if I could lower it. So now I am listening to my ipod.

Another bad thing. We are in front of the cafeteria and I can smell bacon cooking all morning and hamburgers all afternoon. I literally want to throw up after I leave work.

Another good things is that we get free soft drinks, water, and I am less than 5 minutes from my house.

Holiday Parties and Other Things

I have been invited to more holiday parties this year than ever before. Although I appreciate it and always enjoy them I am ready for the holidays to be over so I can rest a little.

I went to a holiday party tonight at a friends place. I was expecting to find a lot of hot guys because my friends is really cute but by the time I got there the only ones left were the not so cute ones. I did meet a guy though. He is totally and completely perfect for me. We grew up in the same city, do the same type of work, and live in the same neighborhood. It was just way to many coincidences. Yeap. Perfect.

Perfect until his boyfriend came over to mark his territory. He comes up, wraps his arms around his waist and promptly introduces himself as his boyfriend. Damn!

But the party was fun.

I went to the party with one of my friends and his boyfriend. I haven't really had the opportunity to talk to my friends boyfriends even though they have been dating for about two months now. The guy just doesn't interest me...and he doesn't like me...so I don't bother talking to him. He doesn't like me for several reasons, all valid. My friend always calls him by my name...even in bed. I would hate me too. And me and his boyfriend spend a lot of time together.

I hope your holidays have been a lot more restful than mine. Oh, I finally moved to the new building for work. I will write about that tomorrow.

The Morning After

I went out last night and didn't get home until 2:30 this morning. I am paying for it now. I didn't drink, that much, so it could be worse.

I had a good time thought. I saw some people I haven't seen in months and met some new people. I met a HOT little boy named Stevie who almost spilled a red drink on my white shirt and later played with my nipples. Unfortunately Stevie has a boyfriend.

Christmas Shopping

I have succesfully delegated most of my shopping to my sisters. One of them has volunteered to do all of my shopping for me so I sent her my list and she gave me suggestions on what she was going to be getting all of the adults.

The kids are done, two of my other sisters did that for me the day after Thanksgiving.

Now I just need to shop for my friends and my co-workers and I never know what to get my co-workers. I thought about getting them a box of chocolate but my boss has been making chocolate candy and it's really good.

I thought about getting them a bottle of wine but most don't drink. So now I have no clue what I am going to get them. Any suggestions?

Do Straight People Use Lube?

It was a very non-exiting weekend.

My sister and I tried to do some Christmas shopping on Saturday but the malls were packed so we decided to just go back home and attempt going back during the week. I hope it is less crowded. I only have 22 more gifts to buy, I bought 6 of them online last night and I have already bought 24. Yea, that's what happens when you have a big family.

My brother is taking finals this week so I am sending him a little care package with candy, cereal bars, pencils, condoms and other necessities. While I was at the store picking out the condoms I didn't know if I should also pick up a packet of lube. Do straight people use lube?

As I stared at the options I had for condoms I realized I have no idea what straight people do in bed. I have never experienced it but I think it would be an advantage if I at least knew how things worked out.

In other news, I am no longer dating the real estate guy. So now I am down to ZERO men that I am dating.

Good News, Bad News

I went to get another fitness evaluation this week and there has been some improvement from when I first started working out. Here are the highlights:

I have lost 18 lbs in 8 months.

I have lost 5.1% body fat.

The bad news, I didn't meet my goal of how much body fat I wanted to loose.

The good news, I am only 4% away.

The bad news, my trainer canceled on me for tomorrow morning. It looks like i am on my own.

My new goal is to loose 6% body fat by June/July, just in time for my summer vacation. :)

Dating

I had a date tonight.

Apparantly my date had another date sometime this week and he had the love marks to prove it. Yeap. He had hickies. It was weird.

I asked "Are those hickies? How old are you again?"

Love of my life

I watched the movie l'amour Dangereux this weekend and I am in love with Nicolas Cazale. I don't think I have to explain much, just look at the pictures below.

Antonio Briceno

I was reading the December/January issue of Hispanic Magazine and they had an article about Antonio Briceno. Briceno is a photographer that is trying to capture the deitieis and gods of South America's oldest civilizations. The images are amazing. I especially like the ones below images in Dioses de America and Bazares.

Take a look at these and tell me what you think.

It's cold

It is snowing/sleeting here in Dallas. It is cold.

My office closed at noon and I went and picked up a bottle of wine, fire logs, and some movies. One of my friends is coming over and we are going to have Abuelita Chocolate (Mexican hot chocolate) and curl up and watch movies.

I love days like today.

My New Dog

These are the pictures of my new dog. I got him on Sunday and I have never been so excited.



His name is Lyon. I am thinking about changing it to Fatima.



Alright, he really isn't my dog. I am dog sitting for one of my friends for a month or two.

He is a bit weird though but he is cool.

He doesn't like to walk on grass.

He walks around in circles.

We are just getting to know each other and I am using this as a trial period for me. If I do well with him I will go ahead and get a dog later. But for not I don't think I am ready.

Breakups

For those of you who were laughing at my dating story yesterday (SM), I have news for you. As of 1:35 a.m. I am no longer dating/seeing writer guy. I may post more about that later.

In the meantime remember, dating more than one guy at a time is complicated.

In other news, I met a guy this morning while I was walking my dog. He has a beautiful smile, lives in my neighborhood, and has the cutest dog.

What dog you ask? I have a dog now :) I will post pictures later tonight. :)

Dating

Today I learned why people don't date more than one person at a time. I will share this secret with you, but only because I care about each and every one of you and I don't want you to make the same mistake I have. Are you ready?

Dating more than one person at a time...is complicated.

So here is the deal. You guys know I am dating more than one person. The guys I am dating know I am dating more than one person. So where does it get complicated? When they meet each other. Yeap, two of my guys met each other today. They don't know I am dating both of them and I hope they never find out.

I was suppose to have lunch with the realtor but he called and canceled because one of his clients wanted to see a couple of properties. Later the writer called me and told me he was joining one of his friends who is looking for a place to live. They were meeting their realtor at the same time as my realtor was meeting with his client. I casually asked the writer for the realtors name but he didn't know it. I hoped and prayed it wasn't my realtor guy but there were to many coincidences.

It turns out it was the same realtor and I hoped and prayed my name didn't come up in conversation. Later, I met up with the realtor for dessert and coffee and he didn't say anything so I am assuming they didn't talk about me. Not that they would but it could have happened.

Next time I meet a new guy remind me of the complications of dating more than one person.

I can't believe it!

It is Sunday November 26, 2006 and I just received my first Christmas card. Can you believe it?

You may be saying to yourself, "but it's Sunday, the mail man doesn't deliver on Sunday?" Well, I haven't picked up my mail all week so it could have been delivered anywhere between Monday and Sunday.
Isn't that crazy? shouldn't people at least wait until December 1st to send out their Christmas cards?