Snowflakes and Safe Spaces

Christmas Eve I went to church with my Mom because I'm a good son.  Or try to be.  Being a life long Episcopalian going to church isn't a big deal for me.  But Mom goes a Nigerian Anglican church.  Long story, but I'm obviously not comfortable there.  And there's an even longer story about the head priest there that causes me to take everything he says with a grain of salt.  Suffice to say, I'm listening closely to what is said, what isn't being said, and what's being implied.

He wasn't 2 minutes into his sermon when he mentioned snowflakes.  And not actual snowflakes, but what snowflakes mean now.  I'm paraphrasing, but something about Millennials with their over hyped up sense of self worth and their precious and fragile egos.  So two minutes into the sermon and I'm already over it.  To be honest, I think this was a throw away comment before he got to the main part of the sermon, but using that term in such a denigrating way didn't seem very Christ like.  Certainly on Christmas Eve we should try to be welcoming, inclusive, and not speak down or about people who aren't like us.  Right?

I'm late to the "Snowflake" and "Safe Spaces" culture war.  I'm not a millennial and I don't even interact with them that much.  So these terms seem strange to me.  I know there's an argument against such politically correct terms like safe spaces or trigger warnings.  Like anything, it can be taken to extremes that make it ridiculous.  Everyone, including millennials, need to be able to handle honest and open discussions about the significant issues facing our country and society.  

But lately these conversations have been more than honest and open.  They've become ugly.  A lot of these conversations have become combative and include terms that a lot of people find offensive.  And not just offensive, but words that cause some fear in people.  

I've heard the word faggot a lot.  I've heard it casually used in public where people just assume everyone nearby is straight, or don't even care if the term is offensive.  I've heard it used as a slur late a night from a car passing by and walked a little bit quicker to my home or car.  It's a word that is used as a weapon.  It really has no other purpose.

As we have these important conversations about our country and society, if you really want to convince the other person about your point of view, then we need to be more empathetic with that person.  We need to listen and we need to be careful with the words we use to make our points.  Using words that someone finds offensive will turn them off to whatever you are trying to say.  And case in point, I have no idea what that Christmas Eve sermon was about.   

Bottom line:  If you can't make your point using words that don't offend people, then you need a better vocabulary.        

The Coming Civil War

I've been flying a lot in the past month or so and I've watched Captain America: Civil War a couple of times.  First of all, it's an awesome movie.  And Chris Evans is dreamy.  So bonus.

But there's a line in the movie that's been stuck in my head lately.  The villain says:  "An empire toppled by it's enemies can rise again.  But one which crumbles from within?  That's dead . . . forever."

And I think of the American empire.  There is no external threat that we can't defeat.  But are we tearing ourselves apart, are we crumbling from within?

All of the pillars of American society (Congress, President, Supreme Court, Media, even the Military) have the lowest approval ratings in history.  Structurally America is not at its strongest.

The 2016 election has not only shown the depths of our division at a purely partisan level but also exposed a level of sexism, misogny, homophobia, xenophobia, and racism that is a cancer to the body politic of America.

And not everyone even agrees with that.  People have their own news, pushing their opinions, and facts aren't even facts anymore.  Fake news has become the norm.  People deny reality ignoring provable facts and instead choose those "facts" that advance their agenda.  And more and more, that agenda is not for the common good, but to protect those in power, to protect the wealthy, to protect their position in society.

In the movie, the villain maneuvers Iron Man into fighting Captain America in order to help destroy the Avengers.  And I think the villain (well one of the villains) in the 2016 election was Vladimir Putin.  He used information, misinformation, and cyber warfare to advance his agenda of weakening the United States by making us fight against each other.  And he succeeded.

At the end of the movie, Tony Stark sits alone after the Avengers have fallen into disgrace.  Captain America has stayed true to his ideals and at the end of the movie, it's clear that in the next movie Captain America will bring the Avengers back together.

If America is going to survive, we need to help remember our ideals.  Truth, liberty, and justice for all.  Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Our freedoms so clearly articulated in the bill of rights.  And we need to remember that we are one country, not two parties, not 50 states, but one country.  And whether you live in DC or Kansas, California or Florida, that we are all Americans.  And we need to figure out a way to come together based on these ideals.  I don't know how that happens in today's political climate, but that's what we need to do to avert the coming civil war.    

If Today Is Your Birthday

Let's see what the stars are saying for me this year:

You have a distinctly dual nature that, at your best, makes you versatile, and at your worst, downright confused (and confusing!).  While a great lover of peace and harmony, you are also determined and fiery.  While idealistic, you mostly have your feet on the ground.  In relationships, the need for partnering and cooperation is strong, but freedom also matters to you.  You are a natural counselor, offering excellent advice.  There is usually quite a bit of drama and colorful emotion in your relationships, whether it's because you bring this to the table or attract these kinds of people.  

And for the year:

Jupiter harmonizes with your Sun this year, suggesting that you have a stronger than usual desire to improve and learn. This is a fortunate aspect that implies optimism and confidence are with you, and you are able to attract fortunate circumstances into your life as a result. Problems are easier to resolve this year. You can attract happy and helpful people into your experience. Travel opportunities are likely. Matters related to universities, higher education, organized religion, publishing, legal affairs, and foreign interests proceed smoothly. This is an excellent year in which to seek advanced training or to further your education. Sun/Jupiter aspects often correlate with ceremonies that formally acknowledge past achievements. You are likely to enjoy good humor, optimism, and a larger perspective on matters.

You have much enterprising spirit this year, and there can be special professional and personal opportunities. Your faith in your ability to produce and to win takes you places you perhaps never imagined. You are able to see the “big picture”, which helps you to plan effectively. Negotiations, deals, legal matters, reasonable speculation, and travel are generally favored, as are positive outcomes in competitive activities.

You are especially interested in setting goals and challenges for yourself this year, as well as taking the necessary action to meet them. You may meet or interact with others who encourage or inspire you in some way to have more confidence in yourself. Your energy levels are generally strong this year, and your sense of timing better than usual.

You can feel energized and inspired creatively at this time, ready to fight for something you believe in. You find it easier to assert yourself and your desires. Bursts of creativity and energy help you to further your goals. Healthy risk-taking is likely this year, as you are more able to spot an opportunity when you see one. It is easier than usual to break free from habits that have previously held you back from going after what you want in life.

You are enterprising and able to visualize larger goals, but you are also ready to work hard to achieve them. You are dynamic and energetic, but also very realistic.

This is an excellent year in which to advance projects revolving around communications – writing, speaking, selling, and so forth. Your reputation may be enhanced through word of mouth. Making new contacts through learning and mental pursuits figures strongly as well.

Intuition runs high this year. You are more sensitive artistically, your imagination is stirred, and you have an increased appreciation for subtleties. You are inspired and could even inspire others with your words. Some of your hunches could be prophetic. You are thinking more creatively, and express yourself with more sensitivity, compassion, and warmth.

Your creative side is powerful but not always reliable this year. Energy levels can be up and down, so take advantage of the “up” times for pursuing your goals. Your optimism is catchy and draws others to you. Speaking and writing projects go especially well. Your mind is inventive during this period, and you find the most success in areas that benefit from new ideas, methods, and applications.

This year is a period of constructive accomplishment. You are practical and realistic, and your judgment is especially sound. You also derive much satisfaction from practical achievement. It would behoove you to identify and focus on finding pleasure in the simple things that make you happy.

Independent work is favored and competitive activities thrive this year — your passions and enthusiasm run high, and the trick is to channel this extra energy constructively. The period ahead is one of new initiatives, greater self-understanding, and engaging projects. It’s strong for enterprise and connecting with supportive people. You easily find extra energy to pour into your pursuits, although you may be placing a lot of pressure on yourself to succeed at times this year. Pacing yourself will be important to stay healthy and happy. Business and ideas are both practical and innovative.

Hillary Is A Killer!

I went up to Ptown for the Thanksgiving week.  I had a nice, relaxing, week, but with the wind it was brutally cold.  But I survived. The wind and the cold reminded me that last year my electrical bill in the winter was insane.  And I wasn't even there.  Per my condo rules, I have to keep the thermostat at 55 degrees so that the pipes don't freeze.  And I guess doing that cost me a lot of money last year.

So this year I thought I would take some time to winterize my condo.  Put weatherstrips down, some caulk around the window, etc.  I'm lucky that there is a hardware store just around the corner so when I forget stuff (which I always do) I can just walk back over.

On my second trip to pick up weather strips, I was in line behind a guy who was asking about  bumper stickers:

"I"m looking for a bumper sticker."  - Random Guy.
"They are all over there," says the Guy Behind The Counter.
"I"m looking for a specific one." - RG
"They are all over there.  That's what we have." - GBTC

"I'm looking for one that says 2016 Election = Disaster." - RG

And then it happens:

"Well that's all we have.  And I'm not sure I agree it was a disaster.  I'm glad Trump won.  Hillary is a killer.  I don't want a killer to be President and Hillary is a killer."

Now I had stood in line minding my own business and was kind of amused about the bumper sticker conversation until we got to the "Hillary is a killer" line.

So Ptown is blue.  Like not even Navy blue.  Try deep indigo blue.  But I'm sure there are Trump supporters there, but the whole "Hillary is a Killer" thing threw me for a loop.

Look, I know there's an argument to be made that she was somehow responsible for the deaths in Bengazi.  But there have been something like 8 official investigations and they all prove she didn't do anything wrong.  And even if she did, I really don't think you can call her a killer.   But this guy was.  Repeatedly.

I stood there and didn't say a word.  The check outline is the wrong place to have any type of real conversation.  And how do you talk with someone who is convinced that Hillary is a killer?   What facts or basic elements of reason could I use at this point that he would listen to and actually consider?  What could I say to change his mind?

So I just stood there until it was my turn, I paid for my purchase and left.  Feeling more than a little bewildered and definitely very sad.    

Why You Should Attend A Gay Wedding Now!

While you still can.

And no this isn't a political post.

I've been honored to attend two gay weddings this year.  And they were both fabulous.  I mean, that goes without saying, right?  But more than that, they both touched me deeply.

Yes I'm a sucker for weddings and tend to get emotional.  Shocker I know.

But witnessing two people profess their love for each other in front of their family, friends and community is a wonderful thing, right?  In both instances the couples had been together a long time.  One couple had been together for seventeen years!  When they first met, gay marriage wasn't even a thing.  Much less legal in all 50 states.  They had loved each other, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, and now after all of these years they finally had the ability to get married!  It was really wonderful and powerful to see and to be a part of.

Soon gay weddings will sort of disappear and there will just be "weddings".  Oh, Tom and Joe met playing flag football three years ago, they got engaged last year, and now they are getting married.  Boy meets boy (or girl meets girl!), they start dating, they fall in love, they get married.  It's just the way things are.  Routine.  Normal.

And that's a great thing where young gay couples just assume they can get married.  Like it's no big deal.  That's such great progress.

But will their weddings have that sense of victory, of justice, of love succeeding against so many odds?

I'm not sure.

So if you get invited to a gay wedding.

Go!

I Can't Sell Science!

So I'm listening to the West Wing Weekly podcast, which is awesome, so I'm slowly re-watching the West Wing.  Which I love.  Such a great series.  And it's really weird to be watching it 15 years later in the current political climate that we have today.

"I can't sell science" says the snarky pollster in response to a comment that the American Medical Association says that addiction is a medical issue.  The argument is that more money needs to be put into treatment, not enforcement.  And Toby responds, "It's science, why do we need to sell science?"

Because we do.  For some reason science has become politicized in a way that sort of just boggles my mind.  You can use facts to justify your opinion or your policies, but the facts themselves should be undeniable.  And we shouldn't have to "sell" science.  

Science is sexy.  Without science we wouldn't have the internet, iPhones, snapchat, you name it.  But for someone reason "science" fell out of favor.  When you can create your own little dystopian version of reality and have "news channels" reinforce that version of reality, then we need to "sell science."  That's just the sad state of affair we live in today.  

But part of my, the decidedly un-Christian part of me, wants to go up to the science/fact deniers and say fine.  If you don't believe in science.  Then no more healthcare for you.  Medicine is based on science.  So if you don't believe in science, then I don't think you should have healthcare (unless it's the purely religious kind where you pray away your cancer and/or use voodoo dolls.  What-evs.)  

Now the even funnier thing is that in this episode, the challenge is that if you shift resources from enforcement to treatment that you'll be called "soft on crime."  So true.  But today there is a common understanding that the  opioid addiction in our country is out of control and both political parties are looking at real, constructive, ways to deal with it.  Based on science.  

Oh the irony of it all. 

Go Buy Me A Beer Bitch!

So first of all I want to say that I blame FitBit.

I bought a new FitBit, it stopped working, so I stopped using it.  And then last weekend I spent like 2 hours trying to re-set the stupid thing so it would work again.  And finally success! So now I get those stupid reminders that I'm X steps away from my daily goal.    Bite me.

And so that's why I went for a walk tonight.  Because obviously the 30 minutes I did the on the stair mill didn't count (which I think is total BS).  So on a Friday night I went for an "urban hike."  And no, calling it an urban hike doesn't make it any sadder that I'm going for a walk on a Friday night.

Anyways, I walked up 16th to U St and as I turned onto U St there was a little bodega and some drunk guy was yelling at his girlfriend, "Go Buy Me A Beer Bitch".   Ah, modern love.   The guy was not cute and the girl was meh.  And drunk as well.  It's not even 10PM, should you really be that drunk?

And that's how the walk started.

It was kind of interesting as I walked through the various micro-neighborhoods tand just people watched.  Obviously U St had a plethora of hip young people, gay and straight, at the beginning of their evening.  There were just getting ready to get their game on.  As I made my way down Connecticut Ave towards Dupont Circle, we first start with the older couples who have just finished enjoying nice dinners on a Friday night.  Some older gentleman is smoking a cigar outside of Ruth Chris.  Of course.  By the time I make it to Dupont Circle, the average age has dropped to early 20s.  And very hipsterish.  Sigh.  Really?  Shouldn't there be atleast some gays here.  Then since I still am not close to 10,000 steps, I continue south of Dupont.  Where the big straight clubs are and the very young women in the very short skirts.  I finally decided that I need to head back home to use the facilities after the gallon of mint tea I had after the gym.

Still haven't met my daily step goal.

Bite me.

It's February Already?

So one month down and 11 to go.  And I'm sort of off to an uneven start on my new years resolutions.  

I did manage to go some place I've never been before:  Honduras.  As part the Big Gay Cruise we pulled into Roatan in Honduras.  It was okay.  The weather was kind of crappy so my excursion to the beach resort was kind of a bust.  I think if you are a scuba person, then it might be worthwhile to go.  Otherwise, I'm not too sure.  We also went to Cozumel & Grand Caymen (where I only got off the ship to eat and find some wifi) as well as Belize.  I actually highly recommend Belize.  Not Belize City which apparently has the murder rate of Chicago, but the islands off of Belize or into the jungle to see the Mayan ruins.  John and I went there for a week and had a blast (except when I threw my back out, but details).  

The being healthy thing is still a work in progress.  I came back from the cruise with a cold and my shoulder is still messed up, so my gym workouts are limited.  But I'm trying.  I had some very interesting moments on the BGC where I realized that I'm tired of being me.  That I want to be someone else.  Which I know is weird since my life doesn't suck that much at all.  I'm pretty lucky/blessed.  But it doesn't stop me from me wanting something else, to wanting to be someone else.  And I know I'm limited by age and genetics, but still.

Spinning the subject wheel.  I can't with politics these days.  It's all so sad and depressing on so many fronts.  And I fear the madness will only get worse.  It's going to be a long 10 months till November.

More blogging soon!

Hello 2016!

So one of my new years resolutions is to start blogging again.  And so here I am.  Of course with me, nothing is ever easy and it basically took me all day to remember the email address and password that I used to start this here bloggy thing, but I'm BACK!

So resolutions.  A good thing or a bad thing?  Personally I'm on the fence about them.  But I had an odd conversation the other night about resolutions.  I was at dinner with some friends and they had another friend there (let's call him Jim).  After some sort of depressing dinner conversation I thought I would spin the subject wheel and ask people what their New Years Resolutions were.  Easy enough right? A little light hearted conversation starter, right?

So I think I started first and said what my resolutions are (more focus on health, travel new places, blog again).  And Jim sort of interrupts me to ask why I'm not happy with myself.  And that's where the conversation sort of went off the rails.  It's not that I'm not happy with myself, in general, but that there are some things I'd like to do to make me better.  And Jim didn't want to believe me.  He stated that he was perfectly happy with his life and that he didn't think he needed to make any changes in his life.  And that's a perfectly fine answer, but for me I'm not particularly happy with the status quo so I'd like to make some changes.  Even his other friends were agreeing with me but the whole conversation was just a bit bizarro.

And I think as I approach a certain life milestone (cough, 50, cough) I think that if there are things that I can do to make myself better, to make myself feel better, then why shouldn't I be trying to make some changes.

I've seen the new Star Wars twice now and they've shown the Kung Fu Panda 3 trailer both times.  In the trailer the old master says to the panda hero:  "If you only do what you can do, you'll never be more than you are now."  And I know that sounds like a bit of cliche, but it sort of resonated with me.   I want to be more than what I am now.    

One Year Ago Today

My sweet boo.

I love you.

I miss you.

Always.

The Joys of Dog Ownership

Home early to get my hair cut.  

Walking Suki.

We've passed this dead little bird several times and never even stopped.  

But today, Suki decided that the dead bird was just ripe enough to snack on.

So I immediately try to stop her.

Prying her jaws apart to pull the dead bird out.  

And I succeed.

But yea me.  

I've got a dead bird in my right hand.

We keep walking.  I throw the bird in the trash.  

But my right hand is just covered in dead bird grime, feathers, etc.  

And the smell.

Oh the smell.

We get home.  And that's when I realize that my keys are in my right front pocket.  

In order to not pollute my pants, I'm trying to reach into my right pocket using my left hand.  

It takes a bit, but I finally get my keys out.  

I immediately go to the sink to start washing and disinfecting my hands.

As I'm scrubbing furiously, I look at Suki and say, "That's disgusting."

Her response?

She licks her chops.  

Of course she does.

*Sigh*

Upgrades, 42, and the French

I dreamed of John last night.  We were traveling somewhere, I'm not sure where.  But we had landed and were about to get on another flight when we found out that one of our upgrades had come through.  Key word, *one*.  And so we had this discussion about who should get the upgrade and finally I convinced him that he should take it.  He got on the plane.  And then I got in the back.  And then somewhere in my dream, reality started to emerge.  And I knew John was gone.  And that's when I woke up.  But I woke up with a smile.

This had actually happened to us before on some trip.  To Napa I think.  And we did argue about it and then I finally convinced him that I would be able to better enjoy our time together in Napa if he wasn't trying to recover from being stuck in coach and/or complaining about coach the whole time.  John was big.  He needed first class.  John was first class.

Went to see 42 this weekend.  Good.  But I will agree with one of the reviews I read.  Harrison Ford couldn't have overacted any more if his life depended upon it.  Good movie, but it was uncomfortable to watch at times.  The racism.  The bigotry.  I know it still exists in the U.S.  But I think it's more subtle now.  It's not in your face ugly.  And it was definitely in your face ugly back then.

There's been this talk recently about how there isn't an out gay man in professional sports yet.  There are rumors one (or more) may come out soon.  I really can't imagine that they will have to face the naked bigotry that Jackie Robinson did.  Oh, I'm sure there will be some.  But I think we are more educated now.  And we know that's not right.  Atleast I hope we do.

The French.  Seriously?  Rioting about gay marriage?  Attacks on gay bars?  Violence against some gay men?  Since when did you all become so concerned about marriage?  Aren't you all the people of mistresses and affairs?  Where is all of this anti-gay marriage anger coming from?  It just seems so surreal.  I just doesn't seem like the France I remember.  And I'm not sure I'd want to go there any time soon.  So weird.

You Left Me

I remember that Thursday night in Nevis.  Sitting on the beach.  Sipping that cheap champagne we had gotten from the gay couple in Antigua.  Watching the sunset.  And we talked about your new job.  About getting married.  Moving to Virginia so you could have your lower taxes.   Buying a house together.  The world was our oyster and I just thought we could have it all.  We both wanted it.  And I think we both deserved it. 

           On the flight back, you got delay at passport control.  With my Global Entry card, I zipped through, but you were stuck in the crazy lines and our connection was tight.  We texted back and forth.  I was flying out to Brussels the next day, so we really needed to get back.  You told me to go ahead and I said no.  I wasn’t going to leave you.  I didn’t want to go ahead through customs.  I wanted to wait for you.  I wasn’t going to leave you.  We were going to make it together.  And we did.  And then that night, after we had gotten home, after I saw you leave in the taxi heading back to your place,  you left me.  You left me here alone.  And I wasn’t ready for that.  I was ready for almost anything, but not that.  Anything but that.   You were gone and I was alone.            

Happy birthday Boo!

I love you.  I miss you.

Bird Man

So John use to complain about living in DC all the time.  His condo was right on Logan Circle and there were quite a few homeless people there so it wasn't that nice.  And apparently he was walking Suki one morning and some guy was taking a dump in the circle.

I would always brush it off by saying: "Local color!"  I just didn't think it was that bad.

But now . . . . .

So some loser has been throwing gigantic chunks of bread all around the neighborhood.  And of course Suki loves to grab them and suck them down before I even have a chance to see what it is, much less stop her.  And it's everywhere, so I'm constantly keeping her at a short lease so I can make sure she doesn't inhale an gigantic pieces of bread.

So the morning I was heading to jury duty, I came out of my condo and I say a guy throwing some bread and crumbs over the fence at the apartment building across the street.

So I walked over to him and I asked him not to do that as it attracts rats.  Which we have plenty of.

And he said there were no rats (?!?!?) and that it was for the birds.

So I said that even if there weren't rats, and there really are a lot of rats on my block because of the two hotels behind my building, I say my dog eats the bread and I don't like her doing that since I don't know what it is.

And then he said that's my problem.  And he started walking away.

Now I was stunned by this whole little episode so I maybe have raised my voices as he walked away and I said, "No, it's everyone's problem since it's littering."

Just just blew me off and told me to calm down.

And so naturally that just made me mad.

I did look it up and it is a DC Health Code violation, but it's not like I can call the cops on the guy.  The next time I see him, I'm going to video tape him and post it to youtube.

Loser.

Special Torture (Part 2)

So I head over to my Self Esteem Crushing Gym (SECG) one day last week and as I go down the stairs, I notice there is a special table set up and they are promoting something.  So they do that sometimes.  It's usually local businesses in the area.  The Bike Rack.  Sweet Greens.

But this time they are promoting Universal Gear (aka Universal Queer).  It's the go-to store for thin, hip, thin, young, thin gays.  So obviously I don't shop there.

The promotion is for their upcoming underwear sale.

So they have some half manikins (i.e thigh to torso) sporting some PUMP underwear.  I know it's PUMP underwear because in BIG BOLD LETTERS IT SAYS PUMP ON THE WAISTBAND.

Anyways, in addition to the manikins, they also have like a little poster.  It's a picture of a guy wearing PUMP underwear.  And it's a rear shot.  And the underwear is so tight and so small, the guy in the picture is showing some significant crack.  Like so much crack that I think the plumbers union would even complain about the amount of crack showing.

Now mind you, it's pretty good crack.

I mean, if my ass looked like that, I'd be sporting that look as well.

But let's face it, the underwear doesn't do that.  Being thin and young does that.

So feel free to talk to porn star look-a-likes at my SECG, but not me.

No.  Do not even try to talk to me about your underwear sale.

I'm going to do my work out and just focus on that.



 

Special Torture

So after the cruise (and yes I'll come back to that), I decided it was time to really got back to the gym.  So I signed up for a personal trainer and now I've got a perky little sweet young thing who has never had a weight problem in her life punishing me on a weekly basis.  So I've got that going for me.

Anyways, tonight was an "off" night but I still wanted to work out and I thought I would hit the pool.  My self esteem crushing gym (SECG) has two of those flowing pools where the water flows and you sort of swim in the middle?  I've used them before and they are not particularly fun, but they are good work out.  So I decided to do the treadmill for 30 minutes and then swim for 30 minutes.

Which is all good, but this required me to use the locker room at the gym.  And that's normally something I avoid.  Ostensibly because I live a block away so I can change at home, walk to the gym, work out, come home, shower and change, etc and so I don't need to lug my gym bag full of stuff there.  Now the real reason is that like most gay men I've got a healthy case of body dysmorphia.  And since half the guys at my gym look like porn stars, I've just avoided the locker room.  Why feed my body issues (so it speak).

Anyways, I braved the ripped abs and chiseled torsos in the locker room, changed into my swim suit and went down to the pools.  I got in and finagled with the controls.  You need the water flowing at a certain rate so you stay in the middle of the pool.  If you swim to slow, you ended up banging your feet on the back rim.  If you swim to fast, you jam your hand on the metal covering of the water pump.  So I get in and set it for a moderate pace.  I haven't swum in while.  So I get into position.

And that's when I notice there is a mirror below the water pump.  It's there to help you stay in the right position in the pool.  Which is great.  But unfortunately it also shows my whale-like body that I'm pulling through the water.

Really?

Isn't the exercise punishment enough?

And now I can't lift my arms.  That's normal.  Right?

Happy 2013!

Museum Man, the PI Princess and I stayed in and had pizza, St. Germaine champagne cocktails, and watched movies.  They hadn't seen Pitch Perfect, so we watched that.  Just love it.

And then The Matchmaker.  Old, but fun.

We were supposed to have our traditional New Years Day brunch, but Museum Man was under the weather.  He apparently had more fun after he left my place.

And the PIP and I decided that we didn't need to start the new year with a 4000 calorie meal.  So we skipped it.

Just as well, I wasn't really hungry anyways.

Spent the day with Suki.  Washed her beds, took her for a long walk, watched some TV.  It was a very relaxing day.

I'm looking forward to 2013!

1K Weekend

So I have a confession to make.

I'm a little bit of a mileage whore.  I'm not Flyer Talk crazy, but I do enjoy my status on United quite a bit.  And while I'm typically Premier Platinum, I usually don't make the 1K status where the really good perks are.  So I decided to do a mileage run in order to make 1K this year.

And my run?

Depart Washington Dulles at 540PM on Friday.  Arrive Johannesburg South Africa at 545PM on Saturday (after a stop in Dakkar Senegal).  Depart Jberg at 9PM on Saturday and arrive in Zurich on Sunday at 6AM.  Depart Zurich at 9AM.  Arrive Brussels at 1020AM.  Depart Brussels at 1230 and arriver Washington Dulles at 245PM on Sunday.  So basically my weekend.

Part 1:  Some where over West Africa:

So far so good.   I did manage to get a little sleep.  My persistent little cold isn't killing me yet.  Thank goodness for NyQuil.  And DayQuil.  I was lucky enough to have an empty seat next to me.  So that was nice.

There is a church youth group on the plane.  They are fun.  But they are talkers.  And even the noise canceling head phones aren't enough.   But they are nice kids.

I should be in Paris now.   That's what I'm used to.  An overnight hop across the pond and then arriving at Charles de Gaulle.

Dakkar is not Paris.  I don't have a window seat, so I can only see a little bit outside the window.  But it looks like what you expect.  A tropical feel with palm trees.  Low rise buildings.  Made from cement blocks.   When we left we passed over the ocean and the beach looked nice.

Some people got off at Dakkar.  And some got on.   I still have my empty seat.  So that's good.

The flight map is so weird.   I'm expecting Dublin, London, Amsterdam.  And instead I have Banjul, Bamako, Conakry.   Places I've never heard of.

Another 8 hours to Jberg.  We should arrive early.  I got my boarding pass for my next flight.   So that's good.

Part 2:  Africa Hot

Holy cow.    A long flight. 

So it's summer here in South Africa.   It's hot, it's humid, and like DC, they get thunderstorms in Jberg.    We had managed to dodge most of them, but as we made our descent, we hit a bad pocket.   The plane dropped a good 30 feet.  It was not pretty.  And I had the death grip on the seat handles.   One of the flight attendants broke his leg.  So it was definitely not fun.  

But landed safely, to many applause.   International transfers, cleared customers.  And I've got boarding passes for the rest of the trip. So that's good.

It's hot. Africa hot.   So I hit the gift shops for a pair of shorts and a t shirt.  I have no idea how much I paid.  350 rands?  Whatever.   I really, really, really hope I can find a shower at the lounge in Zurich.  Otherwise I'm going to be ripe by the time I get home.  

Had an iPad problem and now I can't watch my movies.   Not good.  Hopefully I can figure out what the problem is.  Glad I brought some books. 

The next flight is the worst.  10 hours.  But I struggle on.  

Part 3:  Entering Libyan Airspace

Interesting fact.   The Johanesburg airport is 6500 feet above sea level.  At that altitude, the planes can't fully load up on fuel.  They are too heavy to take off.  So for the really long flights to Washington or NYC, they have to stop some place to get fuel.  Hence Dakkar. 

The Swiss Air plane is nice than the South African Airline plan.  Maybe newer.  The business class (which is not full!) has a cool Ikea like vibe to it.

So we are somewhere over the Sahara desert and about to enter Libyan airspace.  More cool names on the map:  Kano, N Djamena, Agadez.   

So I've been to Egypt, Kenya, Tunisia, and Morocco.  And I would like to come back to South Africa some time.   But there are huge parts of Africa that I have no interest in.   I know the term "fly over states" can be condescending in the US, but I really do think there are a lot of "fly over countries" here in Africa. Nigeria? Rwanda? Angola?   Not exactly high on my list for vacations.  

I fixed the problem with the movies on my iPad.   So that's good.  Watched Pitch Perfect which was great.  And Total Recall.   It was different enough from the original to be interesting.   But it still kind of sucked,  though Colin Ferrell is still hot.  

My mission in Zurich is charging the iPad and getting a shower.   Needless to say my little travel adapter that is perfect for Europe didn't work at the lounge in Jberg.  I really want a shower.  Thank goodness I did bring some change of clothes.  

Part 4:  Mission Status

Successfully rendezvoused with the agent in Johannesburg and picked up the package.  Exchanged package in Zurich as planned.  Being followed so I am heading hime via Brussels. 

Sorry.   Watched the Bourne Legacy on the flight and I started to feel all James Bond-ish.  

No shower in Zurich.   Or in Brussels.   Oh well.  I'm almost home.

This has been weird/fun and if, and I do mean if, I do this again, I'm not going to try to do so many miles at the last minute.  This is a little bit crazy.   

Home for the Holidays

To the oxygen and humidity deficient Colorado Springs.

I went for a three mile walk this morning and I felt like I needed to carry my own oxygen bottle with me.  And have I mentioned how dry it is here?  It's pretty bad.  Plus, my Mom is cold all the time so the house is like a sauna.  So good times.

Let's see, where was I?

So I was actually in Charleston for my birthday.  Charleston is great.  North Charleston, where my meetings were is not.  It's really kind of sketchy/seedy/sad.  Strip malls, pawn shops, and payday loan places.  Kind of sad. 

The good news is that I caught an earlier flight out of Charleston so I actually got home at an early time and had drinks and dinner with Museum Man.  So that was fun.

And then I threw my little bday/Christmas party on the following Friday which was fun.  We had champagne with mixers and Barbi-tini's.  Don't ask.  And amazingly enough I didn't wake up with a hangover.  So that was good.

It looks like it will snow here Christmas Eve and into Christmas Day.  That's great.  As long as I can get my flight back on the 26th!

Merry Christmas to all!

12-12-12

If You Were Born Today, December 12:

You have a distinctly dual nature that, at your best, makes you versatile, and at your worst, downright confused (and confusing!). While a great lover of peace and harmony, you are also determined and fiery. While idealistic, you mostly have your feet on the ground. In relationships, the need for partnering and cooperating is strong, but freedom also matters to you. You are a natural counsellor, offering excellent advice. There is usually quite a bit of drama and colorful emotion in your relationships, whether it's because you bring this to the table or attract these kinds of people.Famous people born today: Frank Sinatra, Edward Koch, Connie Francis, Jennifer Connelly, Bridget Hall, Bob Barker, Dionne Warwick.

Your Birthday Year Forecast:

This is a year when you are likely closing important projects or "chapters" in your life. It's not the best year for major new beginnings. The year, in a general sense, is best used as a meditative time for inner searching. It is a time for letting go of the past in order to prepare for the new. Although the new is still totally unrecognizable, it is important to permit the necessary surrender to the unknown.

Work is solid this year, and you can see results from your efforts, or at least foresee success down the road. This gives you a sense of responsibility and a feeling of directedness and purposefulness. Traditional methods work, and thoroughness brings rewards. Practice or refining a technique is favored this year. The approach that seems to work best with this aspect is a step-by-step one, with modest ambitions and the appreciation of slow but steady progress.

You are very likely to attract loving relationships and/or new warm social contacts into your life. Your popularity increases and efforts to smooth over challenges in partnerships are more likely to succeed. It's a good period for negotiations, marriage, and business partnerships. You are more able to find others who share your values or tastes, and your charisma runs high this year.

You are able to find new insight into old problems, and your thinking processes during this period are likely to be especially original. This is a good year for projects involving technology or New Age topics. You may find more opportunities to attend meetings and other organized group activities, to communicate online, and to take part in activities involving computers, science, or metaphysics. Relationships with younger people in your life are rewarding. A subject or even a person can be especially inspiring, prompting you to explore new perspectives. Nevertheless, there can be some disappointments with friends, and it's important to keep your wits about you. Also, ignoring important details of your plans can have consequences. Aim for clarity.

Intensity characterizes your personal relationships and romantic attachments. Passions, feelings of jealousy, and possessiveness run high, and these emotions are in direct proportion to fear of losing someone. You are likely to have to deal with these emotions in yourself, but you may also need to handle the jealousies and possessiveness of a partner. You may have some tension over your personal finances, and/or need to make a large payment that necessitates changes in your spending habits. Finances may be complicated or there could be power struggles with money.

This is likely to be an especially stimulating year on social and intellectual levels. Your charisma is strong, and you can enjoy good company that reinforces your own values. Nevertheless, you are likely closing important projects. Try to tame escapist and compulsive tendencies this year.

2012 is a Number Two year for you. Ruled by the Moon. This is a year of potential companionship. It is a quiet, gentle, and mostly harmonious year that is less active than other years. Instead, you are more responsive to the needs of others. If you are patient and open yourself up in a gentle manner, you will attract both things and people. This is an excellent year in which to build and develop for the future. Advice - be patient, be receptive, enjoy the peace, collect.

2013 will be a Number Three year for you. Ruled by Jupiter. This is a year of sociability. It is a friendly time, when it is easy to enjoy life and other people. Focus is on personal freedom, reaching out to others, making new friends, and exploration. You are more enthusiastic and ready for adventure. It is likely to be a rather lighthearted year, when opportunities for "play" time are greater than usual. It's also a good year for expressing your creativity. Advice - reach out, but avoid scattering your energies.