Thursday, October 6, 2011
Thoughts
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
One more step
Monday, April 18, 2011
The waiting is the hardest part......
The new MBP is ordered and is on it's way to me as I type this up. Went with the 15" with the core i7 processor. Tis a true quad core, 4GB of ram, and a 750 GB hard drive. More than I'll need for the next five years, but oh soooo nice to have it be mine!!! Gotta love the $200 Education discount. According to FedEx the laptop is scheduled to be here on Wednesday. My next post here will be from the MBP.
It's like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one. I've been wanting a new toy, and this will fill the bill. Yes I still want to upgrade my DSLR to that new Nikon, but it can wait until later. Learning what I have from my Olympus I know that the better the lens, the better the pictures I get. So I will not be satisfied with the cheap kit lenses that come with the Nikon, that brings up the price I'm gonna pay for my new camera. No sense in getting the better camera if I don't get some quality lenses with it. I'm thinking maybe for Christmas this year. Depending upon if the new Laptop is paid off. (yes there is a plan to have the laptop paid off within a year. I got the 12 month no interest financing on the laptop, so that's an added incentive to have it paid off.)
My other big news.... I now have a Lowe's credit card. Being a home owner I'm sure that will come in handy. I know there are a few things I need to get to do some projects around here, this will be a way for me to get those things. I'm really loving that Lowe's is here in Vallejo, finally another choice instead of just going to Home Depot. First item on the list an 8' ladder, second item(s) Power Tools!!!!
Spring is here, and I hope you all are enjoying the weather. It's been a mixed bag so far here, but there has been the few days of promising nice weather. I've done on BBQ so far, and yes this is just the start.
As always thanks for reading and HUGZ to you all. {*********************}
Friday, March 4, 2011
Vegas
Stratosphere was amazing at night. 1000 feet above the Las Vegas strip and the views were amazing. It's worth the $16 just to go up to the observation deck, even if you don't do any of the rides. The night shots of the strip didn't turn out that well for me, definitely need a tripod if I'm gonna attempt those again.
Gold and Silver Pawn shop, yes the one from the TV show is definitely worth stopping by. Very cool to see many of the items I've seen on the show there in the shop. The Old Man, Rick, Corey and Chum were not there as they are out on the road doing a little tour of the country and prolly filming new stuff to be shown on air.
Was much fun to have the time to do the 'tourist' thing along the strip. We went up in the Eiffel Tower and saw the fountains at Bellagio from that angle. Then we went down and caught two shows from ground level. Still blows me away on how they can shoot the water that high in the air, and have it all set to music. "One singular sensation" (yeah I know prolly not the title of that show tune, but you know what I mean) was just amazing. I think that's from the show "A Chorus Line", but I'm not Mr. Showtunes.
Nascar weekend here in Vegas so we've seen that crowd swell. Last night on the strip we saw the parade of all the team semi's going down the strip. Was kinda cool even though I know next to nothing about Nascar. Never did catch the Volcano, nor the Pirate show at Treasure Island, but that's ok gotta save something for next time. Vegas is HUGE, that being said with a rental car you see how small it is. According to our map from Mandalay Bay to Stratosphere is only 4.1 miles. They sure pack one hell of alot in that space.
Ok people are getting ready and it's going on 1pm. Time to venture out in search of Lunch. I'm thinking the food court over at New York, New York needs to be hit.
{*******************} HUGZ to you all!!!!
I'm coming home with a little money. No I didn't hit it big in Vegas this trip. I'm super rich on memories and in the end those are worth more than the $$$ anyway. Got to spend some good time with an old friend (yeah Darrell and I have known each other for going on 20 years now) and that is something that money just can't buy.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Time to get it out....
You volunteer to serve your country for many different reasons. The pay is prolly the last thing that motivates you to join the military. I was listening to a talk radio show and they were discussing this issue. Many of the callers into the station that were against the repeal seemed to think that suddenly there would be guys making out all over post. In front of the barracks and flaunting their sexuality in front of 'decent, upstanding, christian soldiers. (Trust me this is the underlying feeling). There are standards and 'rules' that every soldier must follow, gay or straight. There are regulations governing 'Public displays of affection', and every other argument these people raise. Do you really think that once gays can serve openly that these regulations will go by the wayside??? Do you really think that Anarchy will reign supreme??? You've never been there and you'll never understand if that's what you think. Men and Women serve in the same units today and it's not an all out sex fest. Come on people it's 2010.
Ugh it's just really frustrating to argue against such stupidity.
So on to other topics. Had an interesting thing happen the other night. Was sitting at the computer surfing around and I saw that J signed on to Yahoo. Figured I'd say 'Hi' as we hadn't talked in over a month. Well we ended up talking for almost two hours. The upshot of it all is we're gonna meet up for dinner tomorrow. I'm not sure exactly what I'm feeling about this one. Back when it all kinda blew up many issues were brought up, and he told me I should think long and hard about things. Maybe not the best advice for me, or should I say he should be careful of what he wishes for cause he just might get it. I do know that there are some parts of me that aren't gonna change. A couple of those things are things he definately wanted me to change. I'm tough, I'm strong, I'm pretty independent. I'm not perfect by any stretch, but I do like my life and think I'm doing pretty well. I got here by my own two feet and no one can take that from me. We will see how things go over dinner and take it from there.
It was funny at one point while we were chatting on yahoo he asked where we were.... and I answered "Friends, I guess". That's where he left it, and I left the ball in his court. I realized awhile back that I never heard from him unless I sent the first txt. So I decided to just not send that first txt and see how long it went til I heard from him. After three weeks I was pretty sure that I'd not hear from him again. Ah Interesting times.....
Christmas is upon us and the best gift for me will be having family and friends together to celebrate the season. I've got all the 'presents' I need. I'll decorate the house soon and be ready for the big day. Yes I'll get a live tree for the house. Nothing smells better to me than that fresh cut pine decorated with lights and the ornaments that bring nothing but memories.
Looking ahead to the end of Feb and another celebration of my arrival here on this planet. The trip to Vegas is planned and will secure the flights and hotel in the coming weeks. The deals are there to be had, it really is a magical place. A grown ups play ground. This year Darrell, yes THAT Darrell, will be meeting up with Chris and I in Vegas. We're doing a week and I'll get to explore outside of the strip. Trips to Hoover Dam, Red Rocks and whatever else we decide. One day will be spent with Darrell and I in our "I love Las Vegas" t-shirts doing the tour of the strip. Hitting all the hot spots, fountains at Belliagio, Volcano at Mirage, etc, etc. Expect many of the 'tourist' type photos of us hitting the spots and having fun.
Well that's it for now. Thanks for reading. {*****************************} HUGZ to you all!
Monday, October 4, 2010
You've heard by now
My calendar says 2010. How much longer will shit like this go on? When will those that are 'different' from the 'All American boy' mold be able to live their lives? For all the strides the gay community has made. For all the families with two moms or two dads, the thousands of us that are living our lives out and free, there are still the numbing number of cases like this. A boy finally free from his home town, who can start exploring life and finding his path through it. He took his own life because of the cruelty of his roommate. It was a 'joke', it was a 'prank'. Yeah pretty fusckin funny one there, a young man is DEAD.
Even in this day and age getting that courage to come out and be who you are is pretty tough. We are not cookie cutter images and our paths are not all the same. It's scary there in the closet. You KNOW what you are and you KNOW that no one will understand and you will be shut out of the only lives of people you know. I've been there, I've done that. It's really not that bad. You beat yourself up inside your own head more than anyone that truly loves you will.
Because of this, and because of the countless other stories I'll never know I strive to live my life and show others that you CAN be who you are. You WILL have friends. You can DO anything you want in this life no matter your 'orientation'. I have an amazing group of friends, gay, straight, whatever. Remember one thing... always be TRUE to yourself. You'll be amazed where your path leads you if you never forget that.
{**************************} HUGZ to you all!!!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thought provoking
FARTHEST STAR
[December 2006]
The will to greatness clouds the mind
consumes the senses, veils the signs
we each are meant to recognise
Redeeming graces cast aside
Enduring notions, newfound promise
that the end will never come
We live in times when all seems lost
But time will come when we'll look back
upon ourselves and on our failings
Embrace the void even closer still
Erase your doubts,
as you surrender everything
We possess the power
if this should start to fall apart,
to mend divides, to change the world
to reach the farthest star
If we should stay silent
if fear should win our hearts,
our light will have long diminished
before it reaches the farthest star
Wide awake in a world that sleeps
Enduring thoughts, enduring scenes
the knowledge of what is yet to come
From a time when all seems lost
From a dead man to a world
without restraint unafraid and free
If we fall and break
all the tears in the world
cannot make us whole again
copyright © vnv nation - all rights reserved
So that is a song by VNV Nation. I love the lyrics. In a reflexive mood right now. I need to look inside and see if what was there was really what I wanted. I set myself off as a positive force in this universe and will see where the winds blow me.
HUGZ to you all {****************************} Thanks for allowing me this time.