Snotty and Sniffling

Yep, I'm sick again. As is quite typical on my trips to Paris, I usually get sick a day or two after I get back. And while I usually blame the walking & talking viral factory that is my niece, I actually think it was my Mom this time. So I've been trying to lay low for the past week or so to try to recuperate.

Christmas in Paris was good. Ish. Five adults and two children does cause some interesting family dynamics. But I think it went better than I thought. And while the weather was pretty cold, atleast it didn't rain much. So we did managed to get out of the flat every day for little adventures or the daily chores.

Let's see, Christmas highlight? I have to say that it's my niece listening to my iPod and singing along to Pink's "So What" at the top of her lungs!

"So so what?
I'm still a rock star
I got my rock moves
And I don't need you"

Just too funny and too cute.

And the trip back rocked! I got bumped to business class (thank you United!) and the flight got in an hour early!

I stayed in on NYE. Museum Man and I watched a movie and had some kirs. Nothing too wild. Though we did have an exceptional brunch at Fahrenheit at the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown with the Glamazon on New Years Day. We had several cosmos and we were feeling pretty toasty by the time we left about 3 plus hours later. Definitely a good time.

Started the new gym routine yesterday. It's been three months since I started at my self esteem crushing gym and I need to mix up my routine to see some new improvements. And like any gay man, I normally ignore my lower body. Well, with the cardio I do, my lower body is fine. But I finally decided to add some legs to my routine. Plus I'm mixing up my other workouts. I want to lose 15 pounds by the cruise in March. So that's the goal!

Captain Cardio and Cold Showers

So I've recovered from the gluttony of Thanksgiving. I'm back to my pre-Tday weight. So that's good. But I've had to overdose on the obsessive compulsive exercise I've been doing. Which basically means I'm doing 2-a-days. In the AM, I'm at my self esteem crushing gym (SECG) at 545AM for some cardio and core work out. And then after work, I go back to lift and do more cardio. Cardio is my friend.

However, cold showers are not. I usually bundle up in the AM, go work out, and then come back home to shower and change for work. But one of the "features" in my condo is that the hot water heater also feeds the heat, and in the winter, the systems doesn't work so well. Even without the heat on in my condo, the water never seems to rise above tepid in the winter. Which is oh-so-enjoyable after you've walked back in the cold from your gym. So, my new, new plan is to lug my work clothes to the gym and use the showers there.

And that works. The locker room at my SECG is really nice. Very high end and they have nice shampoo and product from the hair salon that's part of the gym. And more importantly, there is plenty of hot water. Unlike at my old gym, while they do have TV's on, there is no volume. Only some very soothing tranquil music that really does seem to relax me as the hot water courses over my body. So it's been working for me. ;-)

Porn Star Playground

My gym that is. Or to be a bit more honest, my self-esteem crushing gym. I swear there must have been a dozen guys who looked like they just walked off a Titan or Colt movie set. Clothed of course. Big, muscled, short haircuts, a little bit of scruff going. I'm surprised there wasn't a little trail of drool across the floor as I went about my work out. Sure, some people may see it as incentive, or examples to aspire to. Not me. It just reminds me that I'm fat. Well, less fat than before, but still fat.

Oh, but I'm hot. Radioactively speaking. I took the iodine pill today so radiation is coursing through my body looking for any cancer cell. I go in for a CAT scan on Friday. Should be fun. Not. And that will be my fourth trip to the hospital this week. Enough.

On Saturday I'm off to Puerta Vallarta with the gays. I can't wait. And while I'm fat (see above), I'm less fat that when I went last year. Plus I was off my thyroid medication last year in prep for my quarantine procedure, so I was also really tired and run down. So I should hopefully have a better time this year. Have laptop, will travel. So I'll be doing a little bit of work, but hopefully not too much. But still, all I want is a beach, a pool, and someone to bring me a cold beverage while I read my books!

Endless Pool and Phone Banking

So I went to my self esteem crushing gym (SECG) twice today. Yes I'm a glutton for punishment, but we knew that. Anyways, I went there this AM to try the endless pools. You know those little mini pools where there is a current you swim against and you basically stay in the middle. So two things. One, it's not as easy as it looks. You've got to get the speed of the current correct or you'll be too close, or too far back and run into the wall. And I don't know about other people, but the speed I swim freestyle and the speed I swim breast stroke are NOT the same. So that was kind of weird also. Plus, while I don't use my legs much in a regular pool, they sort of trail behind me and aren't an issue. In the endless pools, my legs starts to sink, so I'm not completely parallel in the water which makes swimming kind of awkward. Anyways, my point is: it's not easy.

I guess my other thing is that the beauty of swimming is the weightlessness you feel when you are swimming. Say you've a little bit on the large size, in the pool you feel weightless and you don't really think about how fat you are. So there's this illusions of not being fat. Well the endless pool has a little mirror on the bottom of the pool. Ostensibly that's supposed to help you maintain the correct position in the pool. But really what it does is destroy that illusion of weightlessness when you are forced to look at the large amount of flubber you are pulling through the water. So not right.

After the gym and doing some chores, I limped down to the metro and went out to Ballston to phone bank for Obama. Another great experience. The vibe in the room was great and it was just packed with people. On a rainy Saturday afternoon. And such a great mix of people. Old, young (there were some teenages with their parents even!), black, white and everything in between, gay, straight, etc. It was just great. And the Obama campaign has got a great system going.

Know Hope!

Sprained Ankle, Cockrings, and 150K Makeovers

Oy vey.

So I went to a church thing Thursday night. Had a good time. It ended just before 9PM so I thought I would join MuseumMan for a drink at the Duplex Diner. Well, as I'm walking down U St I step on some cracked pavement and sprained my ankle. Big time. And partially fall into the bushes which I'm sure kind of freaked out the very nice couple in front of me who realized that I wasn't going to mug them when I started to say "F#@k!" Repeatedly. Anyways, I managed to make it to Duplex which is quite the happening spot for the A listers on a Thursday night. We saw Andrew and his husband.

I stayed home from work today since I could barely walk, but I was fairly productive. And at 5PM I decided to risk going to the gym. I love my self esteem crushing gym and I've gotten into a good routine. And I've lost some weight. So I'm not going to let something minor like a sprained ankle stop me. So I lifted (yes I hobbled across the weight room floor) and then did the bike. It sucked, but I dealt with it. My ankle is still throbbing a bit. I plan to hit the endless pool tomorrow. We'll see how at goes.

Oh, cockrings. So I'm now used to the whole cockring poolside. Wearing a cockring under your swim suit lifts the goods and make them a bit more prominent. And so when I'm on a cruise or at Ptown, I don't even think about it. Well much. But I think the new thing is to wear your cockring to the gym. All I'm saying is that there are some pronounced packages being displayed in gym shorts and sweats being worn by the guys at my self esteem crushing gym. Oh, and I think I'm beginning to see a trend in the guys at my gym. I think the muscle bears are taking over. And not so much bears in weight, but with the facial hair. I suspect that Resluts will end up being the twink gym and my SECG will be the muscle gym. And let me tell you how upset I am about that. ;-)

Wow, $150K on clothes? That's just insane. Though the Valentino jacket is amazing. I kid! Seriously, if I had $150K to blow, I'd hop on a plane to Brazil and hire the best plastic surgeon in the country. I'd have everything done including that procedure in Gattica where they made Ethan Hawke taller. I've be 6 foot tall, with a 50 inch chest, and a 30 in waist. Hey, you have to have a dream. The only procedure I'd recommend for Sarah Palin would be a lobotomy, but I suspect she's already had one. And I can't let it go, $150K for clothes? Really? WTF were they thinking? Can she just go back to her tanning bed in Alaska and leave us alone?

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

And just admit you're drooling just thinking about it. ;-)

Yes, I've cooked this evening. No there is not a tear in the space time continuum. I'm in DC for a whole 2 weeks so I thought I would actually buy groceries and cook! I had the bacon wrapped meatloaf at a restaurant in No-f&ck and thought I would try it out here. I've cooked it once already and it was okay. I made some small changes this time, like pre-cooking the bacon, so we'll see how it works out. That's dinner tomorrow night.

Yep, I've been doing the no/low carb thing and it's working! I've lost over 10 pounds! I'm almost afraid that I'm going to jinx myself, but even with some trips I've managed not to loose the bubble and keep a focus on the diet. But I'm also exercising again. The foot problems are gone and I am now able to work out again.

I love my new gym. I call it my "self esteem crushing gym". Seriously. It's where all of the A list hottie gays are going now. And do I need that? No. At 0530 when I've rolled out of bed and make my way to the gym I do NOT want to see pretty people. It's like punishment. It's just not fair. But I've been going and I'm almost back into my old routine.

And my little home improvement effort is complete. Check out the new and improved living room. Can you say sweet?!?

Not A Good Way to Start the New Year

So I got up at 0510 this morning to go the gym. I didn't go yesterday so I had some gym guilt that I needed to sweat out via the elliptical. I get up, get dressed, and bundle up as the temp has dropped over night and the TV reporter is talking about snow in western VA and MD. I walk out to my car in the blistery wind, drove to the Gold's Gym in Rosslyn and it was . . . . . . .

CLOSED!!

And there were about a dozen people huddled outside it. Now it's supposed to open at 5AM, and I'm there at 540 or so. And I'm hoping that no one's been waiting that long. What do you do if you make the gym part of your routine in the AM and this is where you go to shower and changed before work?

Anyways, I sat in my nice warm car for about 10 minutes until the guy finally showed up and opened the gym.

Hmm, not a good way to start the new year!

Over Sharing

So I've got a new "friend" at the gym. Well let me clarify that. So I knew this guy like 4 years ago who went to my gym when I lived in VA. And when I say knew him, I mean the nod your head, ask about the weather, more like a familiar, yet random, acquaintance. I guess he moved away, then moved back, and now goes to my gym. And suddenly we are like BFF.

Now first of all, I'm not a BFF type. At all!

Secondly, I'm not all chatty Cathy at the gym. I'm not saying that I'm anti-social, but I'm there to suffer, preferably in silence or listening to my nano, and then I want to go home. Okay, so maybe I am anti-social.

So to sit on the bike and just chat for 3o minutes is so not me.

And then, dude, I'm so NOT your BFF. Stop telling me stuff. I don't know you. You don't know me. I don't care about your friend who's addicted to Tina. Or what your friend's psychiatrist said. Or the time you put this guy on all fours and pounded away.

Please stop. Oh, dear Lord. Please stop. I don't want to know. I don't need to know. You must stop sharing. It's wrong. Very, very wrong.

Why?

Why does the GEICO gecko speak with a British accent?

So at the gym today there was a guy wearing a shirt that was so tight I could see his six pack abs. I wanted to kill him. Is that wrong?

Work to Live? Or Live to Work?

I'm in the zone again it seems. My current schedule:

Wake Up.
Gym.
Breakfast.
Work.
Lunch.
Work.
Gym.
Dinner.
Work.
Watch last night's Tivo-ed "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report"
Sleep.

Repeat.

And yes that's 2 gym work outs a day. I've been doing an hour of cardio in the AM. And then lifting and 30 minutes of cardio in the PM. The good news is that my "Captain Cardio" routine has helped me drop some weight. And it does feel good to fit into some of my nicer clothes and not worry about them looking like sausage casing.

Anyways, I'm feeling the urge to do a blog rant about politics, but I'll probably save that till the weekend when I have time to think clearly.

3 People I Hate (Today's Edition)

1. The rocket scientist who thought it was a good idea to put a can of tuna fish into the "Eat Right" box that United sells. Because on a hot, bumpy, nauseating flight, what you really want to smell is the overwhelming odor of tuna.

2. The Washington Flyer Mafia thug who worked the desk at Dulles last night at 1AM. After assorted cancelled and delayed flights, alternative routings, and ending up at the wrong airport at 1AM, what I really need is some guy giving me a hard time when I'm just trying to get home, and yet somehow doing it with a condescending attitude. BITE ME!

3. The really hot guy at the gym today who would keep going to the mirror and lifting up his shirt to look at his 6 pack abs. Yep, they are still there. Yep, they are still there. Yep, they are still there.