Penny Lives

I am still here

2005-08-29T08:15:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am still here... I hope I did not lose any readers...but it has been one helluva week last week, and NO...I did not win much money in Atlantic City!

It seems like this week will be just as busy, but I wanted to jot something down for everyone to let them know we are still alive and kicking.

Things happening:

DEF starts his new job today
We bought a brand new mattress, whose price was similar to a down payment on a car
Our new niece has been in the hospital for over a week, with an enlarged heart...please pray for her
Our other niece starts "big girl's school" after labor day
Work is kicking my ass
Bush unfortunately is still in office
I hope that New Orleans comes out okay from Katrina

I hope all is well with everyone...I missed writing, but last week was just too damn busy. I hope I can write more this week...I hope everyone still reads me!

Til next time...Skip

Soap Box

2005-08-18T06:02:00.000-05:00

So, there are a few things going on in the world that I feel I need to say something about:

1) Day Laborers: in Herndon, VA (suburb of DC), the town council voted 5 - 2 to allow a government grant to be used to fund a location for day laborers (mainly illegal Hispanic immigrants) to gather. They will go to this trailer (instead of the local 7-11) where their perspective employers pick them up, take them to the job site, they work all day, and then they get paid cash (under the table), then are dropped back off at the trailer. I am really torn about how I feel about this issue. On the one hand, these people should not be here taking away actual citizen's jobs, but on the other hand, most American citizens are "too proud" to do this type of work for the money the immigrants are being paid. I just am not sure how I feel about this. Thoughts?

2) Cindy Sheehan: I DO know how I feel about this - GO CINDY GO!!!! This is the mother who is camping outside Bush's ranch (1600 acres, mind you - and why don't they just drill for oil on his land instead of the Artic - but I digress) because her son was killed in Iraq. She wants Bush to talk to her, but he won't, and she wants the troops removed from Iraq, but he won't do that either. I am so glad she is doing this - putting a human face on this tragedy we call the Iraq War. I whole-heartedly support the troops, but I believe you can do that, and not support the war. I want every last American to be brought home, walking on two feet, bringing back exactly what they had, body parts and all, when sent over there. You see all of the deaths on televsion, but they rarely focus on the thousands of men and women who have come back with major injuries and mental illness. We will be suffering from this war for a long time, generations to come. I see that there were vigils in all 50 states last night. Let's make these things bigger and better - but support our troops also.

Uumph....Ok, I am stepping down off my soap box. Spam away...

DEF received his offer letter from his new company - 50% raise over what he was making (and it was not much to begin with); very good health, dental and vision benefits; stock options; 12 days vacation; 8 holidays; sick leave; closed and paid leave between Christmas and New Years; paid tuition; and bonuses and overtime. He starts on August 29 - he told his old job last week - and what did they say "ok". That's all. Oh well - they are jerks anyway.

DEF, the mutt and I are headed to my sister's house tonight to visit them until Monday, so no posting til next Tuesday. Hopefully, I can write to say I won thousands on the slots or blackjack tables in Atlantic City.

Have a great weekend, my dear readers.

Til next time...

Skip

Do you read me?

2005-08-15T06:50:00.000-05:00

I found this on Scotty Boi's...and to copy straight (yeah, right) from his blog....

"If you read me on a regular/semi regular basis, leave me a comment and let me know. Then post this in your blog and find out who reads you. You'll be surprised how many different people read you, and you never know who you might become friends with."

It would be cool to hear from those that read my blog - and especially from those that lurk in the background.

Thanks for playing...and til next time.

Skip

3 words

2005-08-15T06:04:00.000-05:00

Gas Prices Suck

Til next time...Skip

YAY!

2005-08-12T11:50:00.000-05:00

Well...we found out today that DEF was offered the job he applied for. It was more money than we thought they were going to offer with stock options! Can't beat that. He starts on August 29 - he can't wait to give his other job his resignation :)

Another "yay" goes to a very dear friend of ours who has co-written a book on special needs and going to Disney World. If you know of anyone who would be interested, please have them go to http://www.passporter.com/wdw/specialneeds/guidebook.htm and order lots of them. She has worked so hard on the book and I saw a final copy last night. It is awesome.

Til next time

Skip

Watch what you are (not) wearing

2005-08-11T08:05:00.000-05:00

It was a restless night - we are at DEF's parent's house for the weekend, sleeping in a small bed, we let the mutt sleep on the floor and his bed we brought (instead of his crate), and it was warm even with the fan blowing. DEF's brother's dogs were also at the house spending the night in DEF's parent's room which is literally 6 feet a way.

Our mutt whined off and on throughout the night (come to find out, the other dog was too), and at about 1:30 a.m., it seemed like our mutt wanted to go out. So DEF got up, wearing only what God gave him, unlocked the door, and walked down the hall to the back door. It was dark, it was late, and he thought the alarm was not set - opened the door, and sirens go off - he fumbles to turn the alarm off, as his mom and dad get out of bed and his Mom starts walking down the hall, with the other dogs in tow...

"Is everything ok?", she shouts over the alarm.

"YES, Mom, please don't come any farther down the hall."

"What did you say?", as she walks closer to wear DEF is.

"Mom, STOP!! Don't come any farther!!!".

"What, I can't here you over the siren!?!?", she shouts as she walks farther down the hall.

The alarm is turned off...DEF yells, "Mom, STOP...I am not wearing anything!!!!!"

"Oh".....She quickly walked back down the hall to her own bedroom. I then sneak back out and hand him a pair of shorts. Whew...no peakage by mom...

Til next time...Skip

Busy as a Beaver

2005-08-10T06:20:00.000-05:00

So, this week seems to be REAL busy at work, and I have not had the opportunity to write like I should. So, I am going to leave you with a joke that someone sent me that I still laugh at...hope you like it:

3 ducks walked into a bar.

"Say, what's your name?" the bartender asked thefirst duck.

"Huey," was the reply.

"How's your day been, Huey?"

"Great. Lovely day. Had a ball. Been in and out of puddles all day. What else could a duck want?" saidHuey.

"Oh. That's nice," said the bartender.

He turned tothe second duck, "Hi, and what's your name?"

"Dewey," came the answer from duck number two.

"So how's your day been, Dewey?" he asked.

"Great. Lovely day. I've had a ball too. Been in and out of puddles all day myself. What else could a duck want?"

The bartender turned to the third duck and said,

"So,you must be Louie?"

"No," she said, batting her eyelashes. "My name is Puddles."

Til next time...Skip

Wishes and Hopes

2005-08-08T07:18:00.000-05:00

I wish....

That I did not like the taste of peanut butter and chocolate together so much.

That the weeks would go fast and the weekends would go slow.

That the Democrats find a good candidate to run and win the presidency.

That DEF hears about his job very soon!

I hope....

That Brettcajun (http://brettcajun.blogspot.com/) is able to either up his current salary or find a new job where he can make ends meet without all the stress he is going through.

That Jeff (http://heresone.blogspot.com/) would successfully get through his latest fight.

That Scottyboi (http://scottyboi311.blogspot.com/) can have his family back together in a one place and his kids are happy.

That the Northwood Guys (http://northwoodsguys.blogspot.com/) continue to inspire being a gay couple in a monogomous relationship.

I also hope that I do not make anyone mad for not listing them here...just wanted to put out some words to some of the blogs I read.

Til next time...Skip

Mmmm-hmmm

2005-08-05T06:08:00.000-05:00

Things I have been pondering this week:

1) Why do paper cuts and hangnails hurt so bad?

2) Why do some of my employees think they do not have to do what I ask them to do?

3) Why after my post two days ago about craving a cigarette and smoking, did I crave one while standing behind two men smoking waiting for DEF to pick me up?

4) Why do I laugh every time I see that new pink T-shirt worn by the guys that says "Don't laugh, its your girlfriend's."?

4) Why is the topic of money in a relationship so hard? (this just came up this morning when reading brettcajun's (http://brettcajun.blogspot.com/) comments from my blog yesterday. I guess I would have to say that I have found that money is a tough thing in a relationship. Tougher than it needs to be - and it is not easy for us. But...I keep telling myself, that if DEF and I are going to be together forever, and we are planning that in so many other ways (house, dog, cars, motorcycles, etc.) then basically my money should be his....and vice versa. But it is not as easy as it sounds unfortuantely. But we try our best - that is why we are humans.
Lots of luck, Brett (and to others...it is already hard being in a gay relationship, then we have to deal with all that other relationship crap - that only makes us stronger.)

Have a great weekend, y'all.

Til next time...Skip

Tidbits

2005-08-04T06:53:00.000-05:00

Well, I am posting here real quick before I go into an all day meeting that basically concerns one of our wonderful president's (and I lower cased the P on purpose) initiatives that is tearing apart the civil service and making the morale of the government plummet lower than his approval rating -Competitive Sourcing/A-76 - anyways, I can at least say I did not vote for the moron.

I just need to say that I am rather upset about the 20 soldiers murdered in Iraq - poor Ohio - maybe they should take a re-vote there now, and see who wins the Presidency....(as I re-read this, I am not trying to be crass or play down the deaths at all...i think what we have gotten ourselves into did not need to happen and the lives of now over 1800 Americans have been lost.)

I also can't believe that no one died in that Toronto plane crash - that is SO remarkable that everyone could walk away. My luck, if I was on that plane, I would have been the only person who died, surrounded by persons who lived - it would have been a weird death, something like he did not have his tray table stowed away, and he hit is head on it...or something like that.)

DEF is going for a second interview today...so everyone out there cross your fingers. We could really use higher salary, and he could use the benefits.

I added some new links to blogs I am addicted to...and I took some off that I don't really like very much anymore.

Hope everyone has a great day. Tomorrow Friday!

Til next time

Skip

Blech...

2005-08-03T15:01:00.000-05:00

I have not smoked in now four years, but I definitely want one every now and then (I wish I could do what some people can - pick up some cigarettes when they are drinking and smoke away, go to bed, and not pick up another one...)but I digress.....

When I did smoke...why in the world did I ever think no one could tell???? I was such an idiot...I really was. I get into the elevator, and I can tell that someone on their had just had a cigarette. I walk down the hall, and I smell smoke on them. I can't believe I ever thought no one knew...oh well.

I just had to share that with you.

Til next time...Skip

Yield

2005-08-02T06:08:00.000-05:00

As many of you probably already can tell, I can be a real smart ass sometimes. As my ex told me, you put the ass in smart ass...anyways, when people piss me off, I usually don't yell at them, tell them where to go, give them the finger, and continue to scream back and forth...no, I like to be a little more subtle, getting my frutration across, but in a more civil manner - call it Skippy's version of passive-aggressiveness.

For example, on my morning commute, I take the metro to my work, where I have to walk about 1/2 mile or so across our campus, crossing at least three intersections through crosswalks. There are no real stop signs, just a sign that says "Yield to Pedestrians". And...when I look up pedestrian in the good ol' Websters, I see that I would be one as I am walking to work, so Yield, Bitches, Yield....

As I look both ways to make sure no one is within 50 feet of the crosswalk (where they could hit me in a blink of an eye, even though they should only be going like 25 mph, anyway), I step out into the white-lined alley, I like to call my friend. (No, I have not named it yet...I am not THAT strange.) If no one is coming or barreling down the road, I will walk pretty quickly across the road. However, is someone is speeding down the road trying to get that last parking place, while talking on their phone, and reaching back to pick up something off the back seat, I will walk a wee (ok, a lot) bit slower, so they will have to slow down and/or stop. Usually, if they give me a dirty look, I walk a bit slower, or my shoes needs to be tied (even though I have slip-on loafers on)....when I reach the other side, I wave at the driver as if to say "Thanks for waiting for me", and I walk faster up the sidewalk.

Oh well, I enjoy it. Hope no one gets a worse impression of me now.

Til next time...

Skip

p.s...I love getting all the comments from everyone, but I was wondering how you would respond to the comments people leave, or do you just laugh out loud in your office, and the person who wrote it would never know? It would be weird to go to their blog and comment about something they write on your blog, and I think it would be weird if I left a comment on my blog answering their comments, since probably they would not check back, or would they? Ugh...I think I will call this blogcommentstipation....what to do?

Odds & Ends - with emphasis on the first part

2005-08-01T07:04:00.000-05:00

Good morning boys and girls...my did we have a busy weekend. We fully painted our guest room, including ceiling and trim, bought new fabric for a duvet cover, new outlet covers for the room, and new handles for the closet....I think I want to start using this room now :) Actually, we had already painted our room....the house is really coming together now - just two bathrooms and the office need to be painted, and the whole house will be done, then we can move :)

We also bought a motorcycle trailer the other week, and spent this weekend testing it out, putting the tie downs and chocks on it. We think it will be just fine. We hope to use it when we go to DEF's parents this weekend.

I just saw walking to the metro that they are releasing The Cosby Show on DVD....why? I can't imagine owning that, but I guess some people will - and I DID by Seinfeld. What I think is more odd....they are releasing A Different World in December - ok, now that is weird.

I really don't have anything else exciting to say or ponder on - I think I did have some coming into work today, but of course, I forgot them. It is a bitch to get old.

Til next time...Skip

Why - Part Cinco

2005-07-28T06:04:00.000-05:00

Some things that have racked my brain this week...

1) What is this world going to look like in 25 years when the men with their multiple tribal arm bands and the women with "Daddy's Baby Girl" on their upper breasts all get older, saggier and flabbier?

2) How can the 300 pound, 55 year old "security guard" at my building's entrance ever catch a terrorist who runs into the building?

3) How can the metro have a car on their train not have AC on the hottest day of the year? AND....how come I had to pick that one?

4) Why would anyone vote for Rick Santorum to represent them in the Senate?

Til next time...

Skip

15 Seconds

2005-07-27T06:21:00.000-05:00

So...here in DC, the Washington Post publishes a free daily, which is distributed at our Metro - called Express (I mentioned this before when I said I was addicted to their new numbers game - Sodoku). They have a half a page in the back called "The Blog Log", which I read everyday I ride the Metro, to see what they report. They usually quote about 5 to 6 different blogs the come across on various topics - today, for example, they culled quotes about the Labor Split, the recent sinister plot about Osama and the Drug Cartels, watching the space shuttle launch, Al Gore, and the searching of people after the London bombings (these topics were not all in the same quote....)

So, why do I tell you this? - because I am now thining I want to come up with a little quib that would be listed in this section of the paper. They list the blog that the quote comes from, and what pisses me off, the other week, they had a quote that talked about men who wear backpacks with their suitsm and how stupid it is - and to think, that was one of my Friday Why's, that I had not blogged about. They have also quoted a blog that a I visit frequently - Pink is the New Blog (http://trent.blogspot.com/) - twice now!

Why is it that I want to get a quote there? Too much pressure! I guess I will write what I write, and we will see what happens...maybe they will pick up my earlier quote (http://pennylives.blogspot.com/2005/07/what-big-boy-you-are.html) about our mutt and the six titties comment (which I think is only the wittiest thing I have said so far.)

Oh well, I enjoy writing what I do now and not for the newspaper - if that was the case, the newspaper would be bankrupt.

Have a great hump day.....til next time.

Skip

Quick Like a Bunny

2005-07-26T07:23:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been REALLY hectic here at work. I am trying to do my job, but also train my new secretary. She is going to be great, since she has had expereince working for my agency, but she does not have experience working for me :) I always fear that one day, my assistant will call in and say "I can't work with the bastard any more!" So, I keep asking her if she is ok...she told me today that if she wasn't she would let me know....good for her. Now, I need to get her to fetch my coffee, and I will be in heaven....just kidding, well, maybe my ice water :)

Til next time....Skip

Blogs, Blogs and More Blogs

2005-07-25T09:21:00.000-05:00

As I continue to find more and more blogs that I find interesting, I try not to forget about the ones that I started to read when I first started writing my own blog:

Wonder Boy(http://wonderboy.blogspot.com)
Jeff (http://heresone.blogspot.com)
Joey (http://joeydestino.blogspot.com)
Erik (http://www.livejournal.com/users/rebelprince26/)
KnottyBoy (http://knottyboy.blogspot.com)
Jess (http://splendainthegrass.blogspot.com/)

Were all there for me to read, to laugh at, and inspire.

Not to preclude all of the new wonderful people I have been able to read and have commented on my blog and I on theirs, but the ones above have been there since the beginning, and I wanted to make sure I did not forget them. I am not going any where, I just see that is hard to do this blog thing at work, and actually get some work done...so, at times I may be busy to visit everyone, and I want to make sure everyone knows they are in my thoughts and mind (you may want to get out of there while you can...)

Happy Monday

Til next time...Skip

Why - Part Quatro

2005-07-21T06:15:00.000-05:00

1. Wouldn't you think that the person who's one shoe is in the middle of the road, would realize he/she was missing it?

2. Why doesn't the more weight appropriate person wear the mid-drift showing shirts and low waisted pants?

3. When in the world did the collar up fad come back? And....when in the world is it going to go away again? What's next - parachute pants?

4. Why, when I am so barfaphobic, do I look at someone throwing up, thus ruining the rest of my day?

Til next time...Skip

Darwin Awards...

2005-07-21T06:11:00.000-05:00

These cracked me up, so I thought I would share them with everyone else. Now, I know that I will be one of the fittest to survive....

1. When his 38-caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California, would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.....

And now, the honorable mentions:

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine and, after a little hopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.

3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his Vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.

4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence,the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies.The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.

5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on thecounter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from thedrawer...$15. (If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?)

7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.

8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher.Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."

9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at 5 a.m., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast . The man, frustrated, walked away.

A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER!

10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to tryingto steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges, saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

Til next time...Skip

Busy Day

2005-07-20T12:58:00.000-05:00

I usually post in the morning when I get to work , but I had meetings at 8, 8:30, 9:30, 10, 11, and 1....get that???? My secretary left last week on short term disability, so I have been without one. Man....did she ever do a lot. So, I immediately asked our temp agency to find me another...so I interviewed three women (don't any men every want to be a sexatary, I mean secretary???). They all were great, but the one just matched my personality. So, hopefully she will start VERY soon...not soon enough!

Well, I gotta run...but let me leave you with this action for us all....make sure you know all about the next supreme court justice nominee...if he does not seem like you would want him serving 30 years on the bench, then do something about it.

Til next time...

Skip

What you been up to?

2005-07-18T06:22:00.000-05:00

Just some things we have been doing or I have been thinking about:

1) We have a new niece - Olivia Grace - and I must say, she is beautiful - it is DEF's brother's wife who had Olivia last week. We went to visit this past weekend...she is gonna be one good looking kid.

2) So the mutt really seems to be calming down more and more...yeah, he still grabs the rugs and towels and runs, but lately he has been laying down and chewing his toys, or just jumping on the couch and laying next to us. What a great feeling.

3) Do you ever feel like there is so many people to see, and so much to do, that you can't do it all? I have been getting that feeling lately...there are friends we are trying to make sure we see, painting around the house that needs to be done, and family to visit. AND...we want to ride our bikes, play with the dog, go play some golf, go to the pool, eat some crabs, etc...not enough time, and we only hope that our friends and family see it that way - that we are trying.

Til next time...Skip

More Whys?

2005-07-15T05:45:00.000-05:00

1) Why can't I get the time to sit down and post on here? Doesn't my work know that this is very important and that there are people across the country just waiting to read my words?

2) Why on a Friday does a tractor trailer decide to catch on fire right before rush hour? Why can't it do that at midnight on a Wednesday or something?

3) Why would Rehnquist want to stay?

Til next time...

Skip

Straight People

2005-07-12T07:37:00.000-05:00

We went to a wedding from someone who works for me, and we had a ball at the reception. It is really nice when you can just be yourself, not have to put on a show, and just have fun. It did help that the woman who works for me has as her best friend, a gay man. They have been friends since kindergarten, so her whole family just loves him and his partner...so it helped when DEF and I were there - as we were accepted quickly into the fold. I know there are a lot of breeders out there who would not even talk to a gay person, but everyone at the reception were so nice and friendly...that it made us feel really good about the area we live in (it did help that it was an open bar :))

Just thought I would share that with everyone.

Til next time...Skip

Why?

2005-07-08T06:31:00.000-05:00

Things I have been pondering this week:

1) When did it become acceptable for men to wear flip flops at the work place? Did I miss this one on E! or TLC?

2) Why don't we have a major concert here in the US to raise money for people here who need healthcare and are unemployed? Shouldn't we take care of our own people first?

Til next time....

Skip

What a big boy you are...

2005-07-07T06:09:00.000-05:00

Our Mutt (term used affectionately of course) is growing up...he is 15 months old, a male chocolate lab. At night, he sleeps on his bed but is surrounded by a doggie play pen to keep him from wondering around, eating and chewing anything in sight. The other night, DEF and I were laying in bed, getting ready to go to bed, and the Mutt all of a sudden jumped on our bed from the opposite side of where his bed is...it scared the livin' crap out of us. I must have forgotten to lock the door to his doggie pen...

So, we decided to see what would happen overnight if we let him sleep wherever he wanted in our room or the master bath. We shut the bedroom door, turned out the lights and prayed that there were no messes when we got up and that we would get some sleep.

He did great! He started out on our bed for about 15 minutes, then went and layed on the master bathroom tiled floor, and then we we woke up that morning...he was laying on his bed in the doggie pen...I guess old habits are hard to break.

He is getting to be a big boy now (well, except for him chewing up the front door rug last night because he was mad I would not let him out!)...I guess pretty soon he will be sneaking out of the house to go drinking and carousing with all of the other dogs in the neighborhood, and watching "Labs Gone Wild" on Animal Planet - with the lab bitches lifting their shirts up screaming "Look at my 6 titties!!!".

Oh, well...it was gonna happen someday.

Til next time...

Skip

Friday = WHYday

2005-07-01T05:52:00.000-05:00

A new feature here on Penny Lives will be my on Fridays when I pose burning questions that have been bothering me all week, and that each of you get to think about over the weekend. Now most of them will ask "why", but a few "when", "how" and "wtf" may pop in...

1) Why did the Post (and its free Metro paper) have to add a new logic puzzle "So-du-ku" to its paper which now has me addicted to it?

2) Why did my work cafeteria make the salmon cake so spicy (but sorta good) this morning?

3) Why do some of the metro cars spell so mildewy and moldy?

4) Why didn't my Degree heat-activated anti-perspirant work this morning in this wonderful DC humid weather?

5) What history of psychiatry did Tom Cruise read?

Hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday weekend - with your loved one, make your own fireworks in your bedroom (or any room you choose).

Til next time

Skip

My First Meme

2005-06-28T07:22:00.000-05:00

This is my first meme I have completed - I like this one because it asks interesting questions Thanks to http://www.brechi.blogspot.com/. Enjoy.

1: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says:

He made a big discovery, robbed some Mayan temple, and smuggled the stuff back.

2: Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first?

The top of my messy desk - specifically a merit promotion certificate for some administrative officer candidates (anyone in the government who is a supervisor should know what that is ;))

3: What is the last thing you watched on TV?

Channel 9 news this morning.

4: WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what the time is:

7:30 am

5: Now look at the clock; what is the actual time?

8:01 am

6: With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

My employees talking about something non-work related, as usual - I think I heard one of them say Fantasia was great in concert...

7: When did you last step outside? What were you doing?

I walked from the metro to my office - about 1/2 mile or so.

8: Before you came to this website, what did you look at?

E-Brechi's website (http://www.brechi.blogspot.com/)

9: What are you wearing?

Tan RL polo, olive dress pants, socks, shoes, and boxers.

10: Did you dream last night?

Sure did - couple different ones, but I now do not remember them.

11: When did you last laugh?

This morning as I turned around to wave goodbye to my partner, he flashed me at the front door.

12: Last person you talked to on the phone?

My contract specialist asking me if I had two minutes to sign a document

13: Seen anything weird lately?

If you read yesterday's post - the guy just non-chalantly laying on the sidewalk at the Shady Grove metro.

14: What books are you reading?

The Codex - by Douglas Preston

15: What is the last thing you ate?

1 scrambled egg and fried potatoes from the downstair's cafeteria

16: If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?

A boat, trailer for our motorcycles, and a single family house with a fenced in backyard where the mutt can run around all day.

17: Tell me something about you that I don’t know.

There probably is lots since I have not revealed much on the blog - I could say what my favorite movie is (A World According to Garp, with Steel Magnolias and Finding Neverland a close second), or that my father did not talk to me for 6 months after I told my parents I was gay (he now loves my partner, I think more than me), or that even in sixth grade I liked to look at guys at the urnial....well, I think that is enough :)

18: Are you too shy to ask someone out?

I am not shy, just taken.

19: Favorite flowers?

Not really, most of them make my allerigies go haywire - I am more a plant guy.

20: What item in your line of sight have you owned the longest?

Since I am sitting at work, on my desk is a picture of my partner and the chocolate lab beanie baby he gave me before we even got our real one.

21: Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you name her?

Haley, Mary Elizabeth

22: Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you name him?

Aiden, Carter

23: If you were dating someone a lot taller/shorter than you, would it affect the relationship?

Yes

Metro Musings

2005-06-28T06:56:00.000-05:00

Boy, when you take public transportation everyday, you sure see some weird and annoying things:

1) It definitely is summertime in DC - the tourists standing on all sides of the escalators, and of course it happens when I am potentially late to catch my bus up 270.

2) At the Shady Grove metro station, I have to wait for my commuter bus, which picks everyone up at the last bus stop of about 7. So, as I walk up the gauntlet of freaks, I mean commuters, I get to see the wonderfully dressed (?) woman selling flowers (as least the flowers look great); smell gobs of smoke from all of those cigarette suckers; and yesterday, got to walk around a man who decided he wanted to lay on the sidewalk to wait for the bus....LAY ON THE SIDEWALK....and he wasn't even a bum....ugh.

3) I have noticed that there are a number of young adults (teenagers probably) who like to snap pictures of people with their cellphones....I can only wonder where my picture is - Wanted Posters, Bad Hair Day Annoucements, etc.

4) Why do people think it is okay to take up two seats (and they don't have too) and when you ask them politely to sit down, you would have thought you carved out one of their kidneys?

Til next time...

Skip

Friends (?)

2005-06-27T06:41:00.000-05:00

Do you ever get the feeling that if it wasn't for yourself, some of your friendships would even stay together?

A good example would be what happened this past Saturday. We drove 45 minutes to Baltimore to celebrate a dear friend's (?) 40th birthday at his house, along with many, many other people (supposedly close to 100 had RSVPed). We got their about 15 minutes early, only because we had to drive so far. We offered to help with things (for example, they were putting out over 200 votive candles around the outside of the house and next door, with flowers and such), and we did as much as they would allow us to do. We got to talk to the birthday boy (BB) for 3 minutes prior to people arriving and never talked to him again. We did talk to his partner (HP) another 5 minutes or so, but that was all for him too. We did not know that many people, and the ones we did know were ones we cared not to see. The caddiest part about the night was that BB and HP supposedly could not stand some of the people there (for example, one of the attendees spread horrible rumors about BB, and another person there had actually been giving (or receiving, I can't remember) a blow job in their front yard at their last party and it was not with his partner either.) BB and HP though could not stand these people a couple months ago when we hung out with them, but you could not tell on Saturday. We actually quietly left after being there for about two hours, nevering saying anything to anyone about leaving. We thought for sure we would hear from BB and HP on Sunday, but never heard from them, which is not unusual, because we usually call them to do things anyway - we are the ones who try to make sure we find time to see them.

Which brings me to my point - why should DEF and I spend so much time and energy making sure we talk to, see and do things with our friends, when they do not do the same with us? It gets tiring to continually being the ones who call/email and ask when we can get together. I really think that if we did not do that, we woud go a couple months without hearing from some of our friends...or are they really our friends? We know people are busy, but so are we. However, we find and make time to do things with them...why can't they?

Sorry about the rant...but it has been on my mind all weekend since this party.

Skip

Happy Pride Month

2005-06-24T07:49:00.000-05:00

Well, it is Friday, and we are glad about that. We have a busy weekend planned, as usual. We are playing golf tomorrow, then a 40th birthday party for a dear friend, then Sunday a cookout with our neighbors. Tonight I think we are hitting the driving range with our straight neighbor, then hopefully some yummy food somewhere.

Living where we do, we have the option of going to Baltimore or DC pride...but we did not go to either this year. Not sure why....but in some ways, they just don't seem as important any more. With my ex when we lived in Baltimore, we used have a huge pride party where lots of our friends would come, then we would all leave our place and go to the parade and block party in Baltimore...now, it seems like a hassle to go down there, then be standing around with a bunch of drunks...just my feelings on it. Don't flame me :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend enjoying themselves.

Til next time....Skip

Please leave a message

2005-06-23T07:48:00.000-05:00

Ok, I have made another decision in my life - I hate all of these cell phone rings, songs, tunes, sounds, etc.

On the bus last week, I think we have run over a cat, I am frantically looking out the window to see what we ran over...and lo and behold...the crazy lady sitting a couple of rows in front of me answers her phone - and the horrible meowing has stopped. Meows for when someone is calling, WTF?

Tuesday in a meeting, I hear a band coming from somewhere in the room, playing a familiar school fight song - yep, you guessed it, it was the queer dressed in the madras pants (boy were they ugly) reaching desparately in his bag to shut his phone off...why? why? why?

What ever happened to the nice annoying bell tone ring? or the wonderful sounding phone ringing in the show "24"? Or, even vibrating????

Sorry about my little rant, and I am sure lots of you have some fun songs, sounds and tunes coming from your phone...but some these are getting pretty weird...

I think I am going to download a ring that goes something like this when someone calls this

"Yo, stupid fuck, I am calling you - and now I am annoying all those people around you"

I would want it to be in the voice of Kramer, or Joey, or John Waters...and have it repeat over and over again until I answer the phone.

Til next time...Skip

I don't have some gray for nothin

2005-06-20T06:53:00.000-05:00

Okay...now I again think I am getting old (what do you mean getting, right?)

Do you go ever go upstairs to do something, and when you get up those 13 stairs, seconds later, you forget what you went up there to do? Then you go back down the stairs, pissed, and then you remember? Story of my life....maybe I have too much on mind, and it is not about me getting old(er)....yeah, that's it, I like that reasoning.

Also, I wanted to tell you about....oh I forgot.

Til next time...Skip

On my mind

2005-06-16T06:38:00.000-05:00

Sorry boys and girls for the lack of posting...I am sure no one will come back to read my blog. It has been so busy at work, that I have not had the chance to post a damn thing. There are lots of things on my mind that I want to write, but have not had the time to do it. But here are some things that I have been thinking about and doing, and I will write about them very shortly...

- the movie King Arthur (specifically about my experience as being picked to play Sir Gallahan at an Epcot Center street performance, purple costome with a big "G" on the front)

- DEF and I are playing more golf - with my new clubs and all...

- why everything with the people I surpervise is a "black/white" thing

- why people can't get to work on time - even when they want to take 2 hour lunches and leave early

- how are we going to transition the pup from crate to staying out of it while we are not there

- the great time we had on our cruise

Hope all is well with everyone...I promise I will get better :)

Til next time

Skip

Restroom Horrors

2005-06-08T13:59:00.000-05:00

I kinda was busy and did not post this morning as usual. Sorry guys....I actually had an idea of something I wanted to post this morning, but I got busy, and now it has flown right out of my head.

But, I always have back-ups, and this is one of them....I have now decided I dislike people at work who try to engage in a conversation standing at the urinal (especially the women, just kidding). Just today, I was finishing up my business, and in walks someone I know casually at work, who also goes up to one of the urinals. He starts talking to me about my job, all the while holding onto his dick taking a piss. It made me very uncomfortable...now I like dicks, but not ones being held by co-workers, who are surprised to hear I left my one job and I am now in another one....I am not trying to be prudish, but it was just plain weird...

I wonder if women do this....

"Hey Barb, nice shoes...I was looking at them in the budget meeting."

"Thanks Betty, I got them at DSW. Along with the nude hose, you see em....down by my ankles?"

"Oh yes, they are gorgeous. I just got this g-string at Ross...and boy, can you ever dress for less..."

"Barb...you are so right. Also, at the Dollar Store next to the Ross, I got the best deal on pads. They are a new brand. Here have one...try it, you will like it."

"Oh, Betty. Thanks so much. I will when I have my period next week, which will be during that all morning long meeting we have."

"Oh no...Barb...can you spare a square?"

Til next time....Skip

I believe, I believe

2005-06-07T06:08:00.000-05:00

DEF and I belong to Netflix (actually I have been a member since 2000, and was grandfathered in to continue to receive 4 DVDs, where new members can only get 3)...and we have not watched many movies in the past month or so because of all the shows we were DVRing. However, we have caught up on some movies, and I must say, that Million Dollar Baby better be a damn good movie because Aviator and Finding Neverland were awesome movies.

We watched Finding Neverland, and I was not sure I wanted to watch it. However, I am glad we did...it has been a very long time where I actually cried several times during a movie, you see, I am NOT a crier. Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet were awesome, and those kids in the movie...they are the ones that made me cry, especially the one who played Peter. If you have not seen this movie, rent it now...i was totally enthralled with the movie.

Now, I will be expecting my check from the producers of the movie for that glaring review :)

Til next time...

Skip

Monday already?

2005-06-06T08:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was DEF's 31st birthday...he is not a baby anymore, as I like to remind him. He will always be MY baby, but he is getting older (which of course means I am getting older too...oh well.)

We played golf yesterday - I was able to play with the new clubs that he talked me into getting last weekend. Should I blame the bad shot on the clubs or me? I think the clubs....we did not do too bad since this was the first time out this summer. I look forward to many more chances to play this year...or should I say, many more chances to lose golf balls. Actually, I found more than I lost - which is not bad, huh?

Til next time....

Skip

Open Wide

2005-06-02T07:54:00.000-05:00

It is a little busy today at work becasue I get the pleasure of visiting the dentist tomorrow, so I am off. However, in writing where I am going tomorrow, it does beg a question - why doesn't the dentist do anything when you go for a cleaning except a final quality assurance inspection??? If I were the hygienist, and all the dentist did was come in and check my work, I would be like - "Don't you trust what I do?"

Oh well, at least the last dentist I had was remotely cute, in the straight-man-who-likes-to-drill-teeth-sort-of-way.

Til next time...Skip

An Old Dog Can Learn New Tricks

2005-06-01T06:11:00.000-05:00

You ever do something so many times wrong that you finally learn to do it right? That description describes my relationship with my yogurt in the morning. I continually kept opening the yogurt facing towards me, and basically every time, as I slowly peel the lid back, the pressure (from what, who knows) splurts out some yogurt, hitting the nearest object - usually my shirt. Now, I love the flavor of strawberry-banana, but I do not look good in pink, especially blobs of it with pieces of strawberry.

So, finally I have learned to open the yogurt away from me....not I just hope that the person who wrote the contract on my desk likes the smell of day old yogurt.

Til next time....Skip

Run, Runaway...

2005-05-31T06:20:00.000-05:00

Ugh...DEF and I have XM radio and our presets include the comedy channel, the dance station (BPM) and the 80's to name a few. Since gas prices have been so high, I have been taking the Chevy Tahoe Z-71 we have to the park and ride to catch the commuter bus - all of 2 miles, 5 minutes tops. I start the truck, and on BPM there is a song I do not like, so I switch it to the 80's station, and a catchy tune that I have not heard in so long comes on - Run, Runaway by Slade. Actually, I did not even know the name of the song, but I liked the beat to it, but now that I heard it this morning - I absolutely hate the song.

Why, you may ask? Because it has been stuck in my head since I heard it - and it will not go away. So, in honor of all of my great readers out there - I give to you the lyrics to "Run, Runaway" by Slade (as found on http://www.lyricsdownload.com/) - and as I read the lyrics, they make no freakin sense to me. So, I hope you too can experience this song in your head until it explodes.

Don't say I have never given you anything....

Skip

p.s....hint - sing each line like "bum, bum, bum-bum-bum".

RUN RUNAWAY
Slade

I like black and white
Dream in black in white
You like black and white
Run runaway

CHORUS:
See chameleon
Lying there in the sun
All things to everyone
Run runaway

If you're in the swing
Mud in everything
If you're in the swing
Run runaway

CHORUS

If you got it soft
Don't beat around the bush
If you got it soft
Run runaway

CHORUS

Oh now can't she wait?
No no come on and wait
Oh now can't she wait?
Run runaway

CHORUS

I like black and white
Dream in black in white
You like black and white
Run runaway

CHORUS

Sorry...

2005-05-27T06:06:00.000-05:00

...that I have not written lately. I hope I have not let anyone down (yeah, right, whatever...as if anyone reads this rag :))

I have spent the past 3 days playing catch-up at work. I have also been trying to be good about all of the weight I have gained. So, I am eating better, and trying to exercise. I am bringing my lunch from home that consists of salad, tuna or chicken, yogurt and some peanuts...yum yum, not. Ugh, I hate getting older...and fatter. I am not huge, just my pants are not fitting the way they used to...maybe I should stop trying to get into the 30's I had when I was 12...just kidding.

As I get more time to write, I will post some insights about the cruise we took. It was a great cruise, and I would suggest anyone who is thinking about going to Alaska (or any other cruise) they should do it. There is a great website www.cruisecritic.com which you can find out ANYTHING about any cruise or distination you are thinking about. They were invaluable to us as we planned our trip.

Well, time for the "4th day after vacation" work things to do. I am almost caught up on all of my emails. So that is good. I hope everyone is well. I have tried to catch a couple of my favorites blogs (listed over there ---->) like Wonder Boy and Joey Destino, but I plan on reading more today...I hope.

Oh, by the way...the finale of Lost and Alias...MAGNIFICENT! As for the finale of 24...we did not have enough room (unbeknownst to us) on our DVR to catch it....that really sucks, since I watched the previous 22 hours of it!

Enjoy the holiday weekend...be careful out there.

Til next time....Skip

East Coast Time

2005-05-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

Well...we are back home and work...ugh! I need a vacation from my vacation...this time zone change (from Alaska back to Maryland) is a bummer, and I am sure to feel it some time after I have lunch. They may find me under my desk asleep. I wonder how long I can get away with that?

I will write much more about our wonderful cruise to Alaska, but I have a shitload of emails and work to do. At least I can say they can't get along without me!

Til next time.

Skip

As if I did not already know...

2005-05-12T08:12:00.000-05:00

So, I take this online Personality Defect Test (which I normally don't do) and my results are below. This one fit me to a tee. It is located at :

http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=4741219933576750506

Smartass

You are 85% Rational, 85% Extroverted, 71% Brutal, and 85% Arrogant.

You are the Smartass! You are rational, extroverted, brutal, and arrogant. You probably consider people who are emotional and gentle to be big pussies who are obviously in lesser stature than you. You have many flaws, despite your seeming intelligence and cool-headedness. For instance, you aren't very nice. In fact, you're probably an asshole. And you are conceited and self-centered. Not only that, but you are very loud and vocal about all this, seeing as how you are extroverted. There is no better way to describe you than as a "smartass", I'm afraid. Perhaps just "ass" would do, too. But that's a little less literary and descriptive. At any rate, your main personality defect is the fact that you are self-centered, mean, uncaring, and brutally logical.
To put it less negatively:
1. You are more RATIONAL than intuitive.
2. You are more EXTROVERTED than introverted.
3. You are more BRUTAL than gentle.
4. You are more ARROGANT than humble.
Compatibility:
Your exact opposite is the Emo Kid.
Other personalities you would probably get along with are the Capitalist Pig, the Braggart, and the Sociopath.

You will have to go to the website to see the definitions of each category, but I like the three that I will get along with!

Til next time....Skip

Just sit right back

2005-05-12T06:22:00.000-05:00

And you'll hear a tale....

Well, tomorrow we start our journey to the Pacific northwest for the much-anticipated and needed cruise we have been planning forever. This cruise is the first for both of us, so we should have lots of fun.

We will be cruising to Alaska aboard the Sapphire Princess for my Mom's 60th birthday. You can see where we are by going to http://www.princess.com/bridgecams/, if you are so inclined.

We are really looking forward to the trip and the great sights we are sure to see and experience. With that, I will not be posting til we get back the week of May 23. So, take care all, wish us luck, and be careful out there.

Til next time....Skip

A small rant or two

2005-05-11T07:57:00.000-05:00

I have decided that I do not like backpacks on wheels. I think they are tacky looking, with the handle poking out behind people's heads as they are scrambling to get off the metro. I am not trying to be mean, but I think while these maybe helpful in trying to cart things around...they are ugly and I hope they become part of the ever-expanding cadre of fads gone away (i.e., jellies, combs in the back pocket, parachute pants). But...i guess like anything else, they will be back in 20 years...maybe they will look better...like the cute messenger bags.

Also, what is up with this new women's fashion of wearing tops that are too small - baring their stomachs, tatoos, belly button rings, stretch marks, moles, cellulite (to name a few things) and pants that are right above where pubic hair should be? Why is it that the ones that should not be wearing these outfits are the ones most proud of them? I do not understand.

Ok...i feel better now.

Til next time....Skip

Your prince has come

2005-05-10T06:52:00.000-05:00

Here at my work we have metally challeneged persons who deliver our mail. I think it is a great idea where they can come to a worthwhile job and make money to support themselves. Some of them have been here for many many years, knowing many faces and names.

I have been at this agency for 12 years, and I like to talk and joke with anyone. So, I will say hello to each of the aforementioned persons (except for this one guy who will loudly hoot at people and has decided that getting tattoos all over his hairy body and to wear tank tops and shorts to work is cool...)

For the past 11 years, one sweet woman - Jan - says hi to me every time she sees me. Now, she always wants to give me a kiss on my cheek - which is a pain in the butt (especially when I am walking with my peers or boss, or I am in a hurry - but I will sometimes allow her to do it if I am not in a hurry).

How do I describe Jan - she is not a mongoloid (which we do have at least one young woman who is - and she just cracks me up because she will look at you with these sexy and alluring eyes and say hi - and if I happen to be talking to a woman, she has been known to sneer at them and has actually said something to them or me)...anyway, I digress...

Jan always wears skirts and pulls behind her a briefcase that she holds all of the mail she delivers. She does some interesting things like twirl around in the hall 3 times at certain places. There are posters of animals in some of our halls, and she touches the pictures and talks to them, and supposedly one day she was having a bad day and decided to lay down in the street and stopped traffic and on another bad day decided to pee in her boss's chair...but they just may be rumors....

In her 40's, Jan is always asking me to be her boyfriend and asks if I have a girlfridnd (boy do I have her fooled). She does complain that she will never have a boyfriend or that her parents won't let her do things or that her boss is mean. She is a very sweet woman that lots of people make fun of (especially when she dresses up like Arial from Little Mermaid for Halloween), but she is a real person with real feelings. Recently, she has told me that she is retiring - forced to retire with disability. I am not sure how she will cope without having the stable part of her life taken away....I am a little worried about her, but I am sure she will manage.

On the briefcase she pulls around, there is taped a haggard looking colored picture of Arial and the Prince. There has been different renditions of the two, but since I have been here, she has had some picture of the two taped there. In asking her one day who was in the colored picture - she gleefully explained that of course, it was her and I.

I smiled at her and continued to do so as a walked down the hall - with a warm feeling in my heart for her and how with the little hellos and kisses on my cheek, I must have really made her day.

You know what? When she retires, I will miss her innocence, her twirling around, her wacky clothes, and believe it or not, that kiss on my cheek.

Til next time....Skip

I don't see you

2005-05-09T07:08:00.000-05:00

DEF and I went shopping for more clothes for the "smart casual" meals on the cruise, and we went to the Hagerstown Prime Outlets. We got some great deals at the Gap and Banana Republic so we are going to look sharp and in style...not too hard with hundreds of old people in their seersucker leisure suits and Dame Edna dresses ;)

Anyway, you could not swing a dead cat around the outlets without hitting a gay couple...I mean that. They were every where. So, as we walk around (with my parents) and shop I noticed something that I see all the time - why don't gay men or women acknowledge other gays or lesbians? I don't mean the come hither look some gay men give to guys as they head to the bathroom - I mean the saying hi, nodding your head or something to just say, "Hey - I am one too...peace out."

It is just weird. I think that gays and lesbians should come up with a sign, a secret handshake or a word to acknowledge that "I am gay too - good luck in this cruel world." Any ideas?

Til next time [gesturing the secret universal gay symbol]

Skip

Cruisin'

2005-05-06T05:59:00.000-05:00

So, DEF and I leave for our cruise to Alaska next weekend. We are very excited and are looking forward to getting out of dodge for awhile. It looks like the weather will be just as warm as it is here...weird, huh?

I am not looking forward to leaving the dog behind - DEF's parents are watching him. This will be the first time we will be without him since we got him. Sorta sad, and I hope I won't miss him or worry about him while we are gone.

We will see I guess...any suggestions?

Til next time....Skippy

I can't help it

2005-05-05T06:22:00.000-05:00

Are there ever any TV shows (or movies for that matter) that you watch and are sorta embarrassed to let anyone know you view regularly?

DEF and I have gotten into a routine of DVRing lots of shows...some that lots of people watch - 24, Amazing Race, Survivor, Grey's Anatomy, etc...but some we just find hysterically funny, and sometimes when we tell people we watch them, we get these weird looks - like why in the world would you watch that show - aren't you grown up???

The shows are Mad TV and South Park. DEF and I just crack up laughing when we watch these, and when we try to tell everyone about Mr(s). Garrison's new vagina or the "Lillian Verner" game show, people look at us like we have two heads. We are sitting there with tears streaming down our faces trying to explain what we watched, and all we get is a giggle and our friends looking around trying to find someone else to talk to.

We don't care that it is not what the upper eschelon of our friends think of our TV watching habits - it is a nice getaway from work, school, cleaning up dog hair, etc....

So if any of our friends are reading this now - watch those shows yourself - you will have soda coming out your nose too.

Til next time...Skip

Who?

2005-05-04T06:37:00.000-05:00

Ok...I turn 36, and I think I am senile, or at least have "someztimers".....

I am standing in line waiting to pay for my breakfast at work, and a guy comes up to me, says hello, shakes my hand, and asks how I am doing...I mumble fine thanks and you...and he says good. Then he leaves.

I have no effin clue who that person was. I have been trying to deduce who he is all morning, and I still haven't the foggiest idea. He was wearing the uniform of one of the contracts I used to manage for my other position, and his name on the uniform says Rob...still no clue...eh, who knows...life goes on.

Skip

Don't burn bridges or use white-out

2005-05-03T06:26:00.000-05:00

So I am going over resumes to hire a purchasing person and I come across someone who used to work for my old organization. So, I did a little snooping and find out that this person did not "resign" as her paperwork says...she was basically fired. And...as I look at her last performance review, someone (presumably her) whited-out the previous supervisor's name and put in a co-worker - I guess thinking no one would notice - well, duh. Any supervisor worth their salt would do some checking with references and previous supervisors. Unfortunately, I have to interview her, but I would love to ask her other questions, such as:

If I hired you, would you white out my name on the outside of my door?

What is it like to be fired from a job - a government job at that?

What have you been doing since 2003 when you were fired, I mean resigned?

Can I have the last 15 minutes back of my life that I just spent wasting on you?

Oh, well...one can dream.

Actually, this reminds me of a story that a friend of ours was telling us about someone who applied for a position where he worked. There were a lot of resumes in the bunch and he had to go through them all. As he did, he comes across a rather young man's resume and as he was reading it, he saw the email address of the applicant - igotpimpjuice@yahoo - now wouldn't you have gotten another email address for your job hunting????

Til next time...Skip

The final total is....

2005-05-02T07:18:00.000-05:00

36...36 stinkin credit card/home equity line applications in one month. Can you believe that crap? What a waste of time, effort, trees, etc. What good is it for Capitol One to send me 5, count them 5, applications in one month? Do they honestly think that I would open the third one of the month and say...oh, that is what I have been missing in my life...a Capital One credit card...do they really think I needed to help pay David Spade's salary??? (even though the latest commercial where he blows the air horn into the phone and all the crap happens to the office is pretty funny - especially the guy whose head goes through the wall).

Oh well...now that I am done with my experiment, what now? I have had one suggestion, but any others? Also, what other experiment should I do for a month?

Til next time...Skip

You got your peanut butter in my chocolate...

2005-04-28T06:10:00.000-05:00

Well, I hate to tell everyone, but I have the best partner ever...

I love peanut butter and chocolate combined, so when asked what kind of birthday cake I wanted, I threw out there that I wanted a chocolate cake with peanut butter icing...the kind my mom always made for me growing up. It is very hard to find a cake like that, and not thinking he would ever find one, I really just kinda gave up on the idea that I was going to get one, especially when we went to my parent's house on Sunday, and she did not even make me one!!!

So, I bowled in my league on Tuesday (my actual birthday), and they had a regular ol' (yummy) cake from Costco. And one of the members on our team (I affectionately call her my Bowling Bitch - B-squared, for short) said she looked everywhere for this cake I love. She even asked the Costco baker where she could find anyone who made a cake that I wanted, and all the baker said was "My mom".....B-squared looked at her as if wondering if that was an option, and she shook her head no....

So last night, DEF picked up Chinese food, and we ate that watching the DVRed Amazing Race from Tuesday. Then he goes upstairs for about 10 minutes and calls down to me to come upstairs. Knowing that I still had not received a brithday present from him, I am thinking that there would be a birthday present sitting there waiting. Lo and behold, a beautifully lit peanut butter icing-ed chocolate cake was sitting there with bowling pin candles and a bowling ball sitting there. He had found me a cake!!! He did it...he suceeded where no one else could...he is the best. Sorry guys...he is taken :)

So, if you are in the Maryland area, and are looking for those hard to find combinations of icing and cake....contact the Carriage House Bakery - http://www.carriagehousebakery.com/ - it is worth it....that cake was awesome.

Til next time...Skip

You smell like a monkey...

2005-04-26T07:34:00.000-05:00

....and you look like one too....

Happy Birthday to me. Well, at 5:56 pm, I will be 36 years old...I will be pushed into another demographic category on surveys, and I guess this is my last year as someone "in their mid-thirties".

I have been celebrating since Saturday and will conclude this Thursday, so not too shabby. Just little things here and there with friends and co-workers.

I do enjoy birthdays and the attention I get - hehe.

I wonder if I will be more mature acting....nah.

Til next time...Skip

Ex-Men

2005-04-25T06:15:00.000-05:00

So DEF and I went to a fundraiser at The Rowan Tree in Baltimore (never been there before, and it is not bad for a very gay friendly bar in "federal hill" (not really, but that is what they say)).

The fundraiser was for the Prideriders who are riding in the two-day biking event from Rehoboth to Baltimore to support Moveable Feast. Three friends of mine are part of the Prideriders, and we thought we would drive into Baltimore City to help them out. One of the friends on the team used to be my partner for 9.5 years, and it struck me as funny that throughout the whole night, when he introduced me to people I did not know, it went like this - "This is Skippy, my ex."

So, all weekend long I kept thinking....when does a person not become your ex anymore?

Til next time...Skip

25 apps now.

How does my butt look?

2005-04-21T06:08:00.000-05:00

So I am watching TV this morning (doing my morning 5:00 am ritual of drinking a cup of wake-me-up and watching Channel 9) and a teaser comes on and the annoucer says "Why a new study says a few extra pounds may actually be good for you"...my ears, my few (?) extra pounds and the Reese's cup I had last night perk up and pay attention.

I look up at the screen and all I see are rather large persons from the neck down waddling down unknown streets carrying fast food bags, hot dogs, cigarettes and whatnot. Now none of these people actually had from what I can tell a "few extra pounds" (and I know that TV supposedly adds some weight)...but I digress...

What really struck me was this...none of these people knew that they were being filmed. They were just doing what they do best, minding their own business, not thinking their ass and love handles were going to be on TV.

If I was watching the news and looked up to see my ass covered in stretch pants on the screen waddling down Main Street, I would be so pissed.

At least get me in my Lucky jeans.

Til next time...Skip

p.s...23 applications now

Tourist Season

2005-04-20T06:28:00.000-05:00

With the cherry blossoms, comes tourist season.

I can always tell when it is tourist/school trip season in the metropolitan area. Hordes of persons wandering aimlessly around the metro kiosks, turnstiles, and lobby areas. A lot of these people have no clue on what to do, and they act like they have never been to the big city before.

The ones I hate are those who like to stand on both sides of the escalator, wearing their sun visors, holding onto their strollers, looking at the metro map at rush hour. Don't they know that there are people who work around here - and we have places to go, people to see????

But then...I wonder...when I go vist San Fran or NYC, do I do the same thing?

Til next time....Skip

Which way did he go?

2005-04-19T06:14:00.000-05:00

Living in the burbs and working in the urban areas, you tend to know every different option in commuting to work. I take a commuter bus (which I pick up at 6:02 am, only 2 miles from my house) to the Shady Grove metro, which is about 20 miles away.

As I get up this morning at 5:00, I pour me some coffee, sit on the couch to settle in for my daily ritual of groggily staring at Mike Walter and Andrea Roane blabber about what happened overnight. As I sit there staring, I see that a garbage truck overturned at 270 and 121...fuck, I say...and I am immediately awake going through every option of how to get to and from work today. I could drive to Shady Grove (but I would be stuck in the traffic)...I could drive to Rockledge where my meeting is this afternoon (but I would still have to go down 270)...I could drive through Damascus (a long way around)...I could take the 6:02 bus (but I would be really late to work (since I have to be there at 7:00) and I was late yesterday because the 6:02 bus did not show up)...I could take the 5:42 bus (and give me an extra half hour to get to work)...all this is going through my mind and it is only 5:05 in the morning!

So, I am in the shower by 5:12, and on the road to pick up the bus by 5:28. I got to work on time, and got to read on the bus for an extra half hour while the bus driver got to figure out how to get to Shady Grove.

It is just amazing what we do to get to work sometimes....

til next time...Skip

p.s...I now have hit the 20 mark for credit card and home equity line of credit applications. I never thought I would get this many. I have gotten more than one from some compaines...Disney included.

But Mr. Officer

2005-04-18T07:04:00.000-05:00

So, we headed to see DEF's parents in VA this past weekend, and on our way down, a very nice (yeah, right) police officer decided that 70 in a 55 zone was not appropriate. So, he decided to pull us over, write us a ticket, and told us to have a nice evening. How in the hell can you have a nice evening after that? The weird part is that the ticket they give you does not give any fines on it, you have to call up a number to find out how much you owe. Maybe we will subtract the long distance phone call charge from the fine ;)

Til next time...Skip

A Dollar Short

2005-04-14T06:31:00.000-05:00

Lately, I have been reflecting on my life (maybe it is because I am turning 36 in 12 days), and I am actually appalled at some of the things I did to other people over the years since I have been out of the closet.........

I was in undergrad, had not been out that long, and went to the Allegro (yes, the same fire-hazard basement gay bar in Baltimore that is still there) with my friend Les. I saw this rather attractive man standing along the tiny dancefloor like me. I got up the nerve and took a swig of my wine cooler and asked him to dance - he told me he could not really dance in his sneakers, so I said ok. I went back to hanging with Les, and I look out onto the dance floor, and lo and behold, the guy was out there just dancing the night away.

He got off the floor, I took another long drink of my hip cooler and went up to him and said to him that I thought he could not dance. He kinda stammered, and we then went out to dance. We ended up talking the rest of the night and exchanging phone numbers. I got back to my apartment on campus (which I shared with 3 other guys, but I had my own room and phone, since I was an RA) and called Les to tell him all about what happened after he left. I see that it is close to 2:00 am, and I am ready to go to bed. The phone rings in my room, and it is Keith, the guy I met earlier. He asked me to come pick him up at his place and bring him back to mine. His "roommate" was there and he did not want to bother him. My being the naive 21 year old said ok...

I sneak him into my apartment, and we have whatever fun two guys can have in an apartment where all the rooms are next to each other. I was not out then, but that did not stop me...before the crack of dawn (which was only a few hours after I picked him up) I drove him back to his apartment....where he proceeded to tell me that his roommate was actually his partner...egads, I thought, what did I just do.

Well, after several months of a torrid affair with Keith (which included doing it at their place; having his partner drop him off for work, and I pick him up and take him back to my place at 5:00 in the morning; meeting his partner; having dinner with the 3 of them without his partner knowingn about us; all going out as friends, etc.) I finally told him that he needed to make a decision, his partner or me. And, he needed to make the decision by the next day. He did not make up his mind, so I went out to the Allegro that night, had a guy by me some drinks, we talked and danced, and this guy (we will call him Hechts (since he worked there)) asked me back to his place in Fells Point (this guy ended up being a very good friend for many, many years....but that is a different story). As I was getting ready to leave, in walked Keith.

He came up to me and said "I did it."

"Did what?", I asked slightly intoxicated.

"I just broke up with him. I have decided to be with you."

"Keith. You are a day late and a dollar short." as I continued to walk out and left the bar with Hechts.

Time travel up a couple of months...I meet my future partner of 9.5 years; Hechts and I are very good platonic friends; and we were all good friends with Keith and his partner.

All four of us were together doing something, and Keith walks up to me, slides a dollar in my shirt pocket and says with the most serious expression "Now we are even".

It took me awhile, but I finally figured it out....

15 years later, that memory is still as vivid as it was the day it happened. I was young, naive, and a gay man...but it still did not call for the comment I made to him.

So, Keith, if I ever run into you again, there is a dollar bill in my pocket with "I am sorry" written on it. It is all yours....

Til next time.....Skip

Bowling for Dollars

2005-04-13T06:15:00.000-05:00

Well, sorta...as I had mentioned in a previous post, I joined a bowling league on Tuesday nights in good ol' Frederick (Fredneck, as some of my city dweller friends have called it). It has actually turned out to be a lot of fun, and I will most likely bowl in the same league come the fall again. I am not that good, but I enjoy going there, seeing all of the weird people, and being able to make fun of them. And I tell you what....it is VERY easy to make fun of them.

If someone were to say to you "Bowling league" - what would come to your mind? Well...whatever is in your mind right now...that is what I see every week. The people are really nice though, and they really have no problem with the gay thing (I don't flaunt it at all, but our team name sorta gives it away if you pay attention to what it is.) I have actually had multiple people ask me where my partner/friend is (because DEF will stop by after his class). That is pretty cool I think....maybe Frederick is becoming much better about it. Actually, there was a young woman there last night that had a t-shirt that said - I (Heart) Lesbians - No lie! I am gonna git me one of them there shirts.

Now up to 15 credit card apps....ugh, I can't believe it has been this many.

Til next time..Skip

Oh Crap....

2005-04-12T06:11:00.000-05:00

****WARNING****

If you have a queasy stomach or are eating your breakfast/lunch/Reese Cups,

you may want to finish first before proceeding.

We have a 13 month old chocolate lab whom we just love to death. It is so great when you come home from a long day at work or school and the dog is there just waiting for you to let him out of his crate, jumping up and down, excited to see you....unless he has crap all over him.

Yes, my friends, the dog decided he did not like his breakfast yesterday morning, and decided to crap and barf in his crate. The wonderful smell that hit my nose the moment I walked in the door was my first hint that I was not going to be having a fun evening.

I walk over to the crate, and our poor boy did not have a good day. He must have gotten sick early in the day, because he had to lay in some it, which in turn was all over him. Being the only person at home at the time, I had to figure out where to start first...so, after an hour and a half of giving the dog a bath, cleaning up the bathroom, cleaning out the crate with a hose out on the deck, and then getting a shower myself, we have our house and dog back to normal.

The weird thing is, I was not mad at all that I had to do it - grossed out at times, but never really mad. I was just upset that he had to be in his crate the whole day like that...and I tried to determine what would have made him sick.

But I will say...if I come home today and it is like that again....does anyone want a beautiful chocolate lab? just kidding....

Til next time...Skip

p.s...I forgot that I changed the rules on my credit card application collection...I am now adding mortgage refinancing and home equity line applications...so, I am up to 14 now.

I don't want to go to work

2005-04-11T06:26:00.000-05:00

After one of the best (weather-wise and fun-wise) weekends DEF and I had, I really did not want to go back to work. I love my job, don't get me wrong, but we just had a great weekend with friends etc. We went to bar-hopping in Frederick (yes, it is up and coming, maybe not in the gay-sense, but we had a great time), rode our motorcycles, saw the cherry blossoms, ate at Lauriol Plaza, and had dinner with friends. What a jam-packed weekend, but it was loads of fun. The weather was just gorgeous all weekend, and now I have some color, yeah me!

Someone from my old job, just sent me through our interoffice mail, a 3-pack of Reese Cups...good lord, now what a great way to start the week!!! As you probably read in my likes...Reese Cups rank up there with sex! Now, I think my week will go just fine.

I now have 11 credit card applications...we will have to see what today's mail brings.

Til next time

Skip

Uhh....I forgot

2005-04-08T13:48:00.000-05:00

I forgot to mention in my post this morning that I am trying to think of a tag line for my blog. As you can see, it is entitled Penny Lives - and I am trying to think of something catchy (or is that kitschy) to make people at least crack a smile, but I just can't...if anyone wants to try, just let me know....

One thing about our good ol'prez and the Pope...this question was posed to me during my weekely night bowling on my league (more about the bowling experiences in another post)...Do you really think that Bush would have had our flags at half-mast if another religious leader or head of state would have died?

Til next time...Skip

Whew...I made it through another week

2005-04-08T06:43:00.000-05:00

Well..this is my 25th day in a row that I have worked (work days that is). I used to have off every other Friday, but since I was promoted into this new position, they do not (yet) offer the option in this position to have the day off...so, it is a little rough, but not too bad. I am kinda getting used to it. However, I was really nice last fall and winter, that I did not work a full 5 days from like the end of October to the middle of January (with my every other Friday off, the holidays, and my use or lose leave.) As you can tell...I work for the government :)

I am enjoying writing this blog, and it is even more fun that people are starting to read it and give me some comments and emails. Also, I have added more blogs that I read so you guys can go lurk there too.

I received another credit card application yesterday, so I guess I am up to 9. What a collossal waste of paper...I think I am going to take Erik's (http://www.livejournal.com/users/rebelprince26/) advice and rip them up, send them back, with a note asking them to recycle...what a great idea! I think everyone should do that.

Let me know if you have other ideas.

I am working on a 100 things about me, so as soon as I can get it done, I will post it.

Til next time.

Skip

Why Can't I Pee When I Want To?

2005-04-07T06:15:00.000-05:00

I swear the woman who cleans the bathrooms on my floor at work has some sort of psychic power where she can tell when people have to go to the bathroom...I can almost guarantee you that when the urge hits me, I get up, walk down the hall, and that stupid yellow sign (maybe it is yellow because so many men have been frustrated...) says "Bathroom Closed". So, I walk down a flight of stairs, round the corner, and lo' and behold...the cleaning lady on the 2nd floor has the same psychic/psycho powers...I am going to just have a bucket by my desk so I don't have to waste my time going three levels down to find a bathroom...but, with the ability for the cleaning people to read our minds...I would start to use my nifty bucket, and the guy will come to vacuum my office.

If they can determine when I have to pee, why can't they figure out that I have not had my trash dumped in three days?

Til next time...Skip

p.s...8 apps now.

No More McFood for Us

2005-04-06T06:19:00.000-05:00

If you haven't watched Super Size Me...I would suggst you give it a gander. DEF and I have decided never to eat at McDs again after watching that movie. It is absolutely fascinating what happens to him from eating Mickey Ds for 30 days straight, every meal. I also think the most fascinating part....spoiler coming - if you don't want to know something about the movie, look away - was the amount of time it took him to lose the weight he gained as opposed to gaining it from eating those Big Macs and Egg McMuffins.

No credit card applications yesterday...still hanging out at 7.

Til next time...Skippy

I am going to hell...I just know it

2005-04-05T06:14:00.000-05:00

If I am not going to hell because I am gay, then I am certainly going to end up there getting my eternal sunburn for what happened yesterday. Yes, it was an accident, but I feel so bad, and it would only happen to me...I can only hope, I am going to hell in a nice coach bag or longaberger basket :)

It was right before lunch, and I have been trying to drink lots of water, and I had to use the little boy's room. So I get up and walk down the hall, and with my new job, I am thinking about lots of things, not really paying much attention to anything as I glide towards the men's room. I push the entrance door open and I hit something on the other side. I know it is another guy, who was planning to come out, but the loud thud of me seriously whacking him with the door makes me immediately feel so bad. As I push a little more gentle on the door, it swings open, missing the guy on the other side because he now has stepped away from this deadly piece of wood. The door fully opens, and I am starting to say I am SOOOO sorry for doing it...and I hear "It is okay" before I can see who it is...then I see him and immediately feel the fires of hell on the soles of my feet...it is the blind man that works down the hall. Luckily, he does not know my voice...

By the way, I am doing an experiment at home. I get so many credit card offers in the mail, and it bugs the shit out of me. So, I decided to save them all from March 31 to April 30 to see how many I get, then at the end I will tally up all of the offers, by company (as if I have nothing better to do) and I will let everyone know what the stats are. So far, in 4 "mailing" days, I have received 7 offers - 3 of which are coming from the same address (I am not opening them up yet.)

I have another idea on what to do with the offers, but I am not sure if it is illegal or not - my idea is at the end of the month, open up all of the offers, tear them up, and mail all of the torn up pieces from one company to another company and so on, and so on...using their very own business reply envelopes....what do you think?

Til next time...Skip

Metro Weirdness

2005-04-04T06:38:00.000-05:00

When you commute to work everyday using mass transit, you see some very unusual and some rather rude things. For example, a youngish hip woman gets on my section of the train and sits in the row of seats next to me...before she could even get comfortable, another woman, who I would say had some developmental issues sat next to her...I don't think she was at all crazy, or would have bitten the woman or peed in her seat, but she was clearly not a rocket scientist. The other hip woman, rudely gets up, and moves to another seat...and I felt so sorry for the second lady because she says "You don't have to get up"....it made me want to sit next to her...for a brief moment, then I continued to read the paper.

I also think that backpacks on wheels should be banned....they are so tacky looking and really a quite weird invention, if you ask me. My opinion tho...

Til next time...

Skip

Come out, come out, wherever you are

2005-03-30T18:29:00.000-05:00

Hello all...I know I am slacking somewhat, but I can't help it. This new job is kicking my ass. I like the new job, but it seems liks everything happens all at one time....but then, of course, this morning, I spill an entire 20 ounce cup of coffee on my pants - thank for they were dark blue. The two worse parts about it was it was NOT a White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks, and I had to smell the coffee and cream all day. Ugh..I am bringing a pair of pants to work to leave there.

Our anniversary went off just fine. We did not do anything special since DEF is in class on Mondays. I had a candelight dinner all ready for when he came home...so he really liked that. He just makes me smile all the time.

I came out to two people today at work...I have a picture of DEF on my desk, but not many people can see it unless they come to my side of the desk. Well, my new assistant saw it today and asked me if that was my "friend", and I said yep..and she said that we are both really cute :)
Then not more than 2 hours later, my "right-hand" person was talking to me, and she came to my side of the desk, and voila...she asked. She told me that she was going to invite me to her wedding in July and sit me at the "gay" table - supposedly her two best friends are gay men. So, how cool is that. You never know when you start a new job what people may think or how they may act, so this is all good.

Til next time...Skip

Happy Anniversary to Us....

2005-03-28T10:42:00.000-05:00

Well, it is now official..we have been together for 2 years. Yay, us. It really has not been that bad of a two years at all. We have gotten a dog, ride motorcycles together, built a house and created a home, met wonderful friends, and have had lots of fun. This is definitely the man I will be with for the rest of my life...so there, world, take that :)

Not much planned as of yet...he starts a new class tonight, so I will prepare him a nice meal and have some candles lit for when he comes home. It will hopefully surprise him. God, I love him and us...I love the life we have created. I hope everyone finds the happiness we have found...

Til next time...

Skippy

"800-588-2300...call Empire today"...AHHHHH

2005-03-25T07:36:00.000-05:00

I absolutely hate it when I see this commercial first thing in the morning. The stupid lyrics are stuck in my head all morning long...so, now, I hope whoever reads this, you are now singing it....hehe. You are welcome.

Til next time...

Skip

"I am the only person around..."

2005-03-23T07:16:00.000-05:00

Why do some people think that they are the only person around and do whatever they want? For example, as you are trying to get out of Wal-Trash, scracthing the hives that you got by only spending 5 minutes in the store, a woman, her five kids, and her three shopping carts o' crap stops right in FRONT of the exit so she can talk to her girlfriend about her baby's daddy and how he is now in jail...you have to walk all the way around her just to get out the front door...screaming and seething, swearing you will never go back (but you do....)

Or..like this morning, I finally get to work, take our shuttle bus to my building, a woman gets off the shuttle, the proceeds to walk VERY slowly looking for her ID (which she could have gotten out while sitting on the shuttle bus), and then she STOPS in front of the door to where again, I have to walk around her. What a pain in the arse.

Anyway...good morning all. Gotta run...

Til next time...

Skip

I'm ba-ack

2005-03-22T14:03:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I have another 3 minutes to write, but I had to share something I read on A Fool's Fate (http://afoolsfate.baltiblogs.com/) blog...the fool and siblings were playing with a label maker and they were labeling stuff all around their mother's house..."poo", "useless waste of money", etc...it just cracked me up when I read it. You have to go to the site and read it....what a hoot.

Also, I saw a quick blurb on TV the other day about "A Current Affair" coming back to television..well, I don't pay much attention to it, but I saw a quick glimpse of the host..and it is none other than the author of the book I just got done reading, Tim Green. How weird is that? He is going to take the place of Maury Povich? Impossible...and...why did I read a book, (and enjoy it, mind you) from the person who will be hosting this show...ugh. I have to find new authors :)

Til next time...

Skip

You want me to work the weekend???

2005-03-22T07:20:00.000-05:00

When I wrote yesterday's post, for some reason I did not take into account that some people actually have to work the weekends....so in fact, some people may think "I can't wait until Monday gets here..." So, here's to Wonderboy and others...working the weekends. Let's all have one for them...cheers.

Today is a busy day, I hope to write more later this afternoon.

Til next next time...

Skippy

Why do Mondays come so fast?

2005-03-21T07:14:00.000-05:00

That is what I would like to know...I guess it is based on the fact that I want Friday to come so fast...what do you think?

Our weekend was great...we got to see different sets of friends all weekend long, and I got to get out on the motorcycle for a ride...that was great to do on Saturday. DEF would have ridden, but his battery was dead, so I rode my motorcycle and DEF drove down to Germantown to pick up a sun visor for me, and a battery tender for him. So, we are anxiously awaiting the next nice warm day. I am liking it more and more...I just have to clean the bike...ugh!

Don't you hate it when you buy something for your partner as a present (in this case it was for our anniversary, and it was a special bottle of wine that he talks about all of the time) and he decides to try to buy it??? We went to a wine tasting at a wine store in Columbia (which I don't think we will go back because the guy we knew there does not work at the shop any more), and DEF spotted a Chateau Monteglena (sp?) Cabnernet that he just loves...i had already bought him a bottle back in the fall when I went down to that store without him. I kept trying to say different things so he would not buy it, like you don't really need that, why don't you buy this one instead...on and on...but he would not have it. So, finally, I had to say...Babe...I bought this for you as a surprise for our Anniversary next week...so he put it back...oh well, at least he was happy I had bought it for him. Of course, my lesbian neighbors who were with us, told me after I told him, that all I had to do was have them buy the other bottle off of me and not tell DEF, but of course I did not think of that! Oh well...

I hope some people start reading my posts. If you are reading this, please just say something in the comments, so I know!

Well, I have a busy day today...out of the office all day.

So, til next time...

Skip

TGIF

2005-03-18T07:03:00.000-05:00

Whew..it is Friday...lots of meetings, but it is Friday...Thank god.

I my previous positions, I had what they call Alternate Work Schedule, which meant I had a day off every other week....now, with this new position, I am not allowed to have it (yet...). So, now I have to work Fridays...ugh, I am not used to 5 day work weeks...what am I gonna do? For example, from about Veteran's Day to mid-January, I did not work a single Friday, with all of my use or lose leave and the other Fridays I had off. Now, I usually worked from home, but I did not have to drive down the traffic of 270 either...oh, well...this new positon is paying me more money and it was a promotion, so suck it up, kiddo. (Well, I did wear my Lucky Jeans today!)

I will most likely be taking the weekend off from writing here, but I will hopefully pick it back up on Monday. We are off to a wine tasting tonight with our Lesbian neighbors, and then we are having a great male couple come over Saturday night for some dinner and games...so as usual, a start of another busy, but fun weekend...

Til next time....Skip

Best Boyfriend Ever...

2005-03-17T07:20:00.000-05:00

So I was reading a blog by Wonderboy (http://wonderboyblog.blogspot.com/) and in one of the many posts, I read where his partner surprised him with a limo and such for Valentine's Day...and it made me all warm and fuzzy inside...

Then, from a link from Wonderboy's site, I started to read Jeff's blog (http://heresone.blogspot.com/) and just the other day, he had written about doughnuts and how it was a big thing growing up where his parents would have doughnuts on Sundays and he missed that...and the morning after he posted the story, lo and behold, there were two doughnuts next to the coffeemaker the next morning...compliments of who else, his boyfriend, who he said was "the best boyfriend in the world". So, I write to Jeff telling him that I really liked his story, but that I had to disagree with him on one point...that I had the best boyfriend in the world, at which he wrote back and told me that we should agree to a draw on that point ;)

Why do I think I have the best boyfriend in the world? There are many reasons that stand out, but I always think the ones that are not related to major holidays or birthdays or anniversaries really stand out to me. Now, getting a limo for Valentine's Day or surprising your partner with a room at the Ritz for your anniversary are wonderful and memorable gifts...however, why I would have to say I have the best boyfriend in the world, are the small things you really don't ever expect to happen. For example, just the other day, I come downstairs from changing my clothes after a long day at work, and I see an envelope addressed to me on the counter. I open it, and inside was a really cute card with two Great Danes laying on a couch. You could see the one dog laying his head on the hind end of the other one...just laying there comfortable and content. Inside the card, it says "You are my favorite pillow..." It just made me feel so great inside that for no other reason other than he loves me, he gave me the card. It is now hanging on our fridge for all to see.

I just felt I needed to tell you that story....I hope you too get to experience the "best boyfriend in the world"...and if you feel you want to share a great story, feel free to add a comment (if I did them right...)

Til next time...Skip

Halitosis

2005-03-16T07:09:00.000-05:00

Look who has now posted for a third day in a row....ME!

Anyway, I did not have to testify yesterday, long story short, the complainant would not agree to the government's terms, so they argued all day long..oh well, I got to sit in a small room with four other people, one of which had the WORSE breath ever...I mean ever. I could smell it across the table. Don't people realize it?

I know that the Metro has to shut down esclators to upgrade them, but why at what I think is one of the busiest stops in the afternoon, Shady Grove, they have one shut down til JULY(!), a set of stairs and the other escalator running UP...so you have a couple hundred people racing for busses and carpools, etc., running to try to all get to these bottleneck of a set of stairs??? I think Metro finally realized their mistake and changed the only working escalator to run down in the afternoon...duh.

Speaking of the metro...if I catch the right one, there is this older man, I would say at least 60, wearing a knit cap, Members Only jacket, with a soft briefcase, that runs...and I mean runs....down the stairs, through the turnstile thingy, aroudn the bend, through the tunnel, to what I would think would be to catch a waiting bus...but no...he runs to the garage...go figure. Odd, I tell you...another Olympic moment in people watching.

Am I getting old??? I can be in the shower shaving and say to my self..."Self, remember to cut your fingernails when you get out of the shower". Three minutes later....I dry off, deodorize, put cologne on, get dressed, kiss the husband, play with the dog, gather up my things, and drive to the commuter bus lot...and BAM....my fingernails are still gauging into my face when I scratch an itch...three minutes...that was all...how could I forget? Are there exercises for that?

Ok, gotta do some work, since my day was wasted yesterday smelling whatever the guys across the table had for dinner over the weekend...

Til next time...Skip

Look who's talkin...or shall I say testifying...

2005-03-15T07:04:00.000-05:00

OMG...I actually am going to be writing two days in a row...if I can beat what I did last year, that will be a major accomplishment. Today looks to be a very busy day at my job. With me starting the new position last week, I have a lot on my plate, and unfortunately, I have to go to Baltimore late this morning for a hearing...not with my ears...but an EEOC hearing. Ugh..don't ask. Ok, I will tell you any way...

I was a nice guy a couple of years ago and let them detail a person to my office who was not getting along in another office (welcome to the government...). Well, while he was not a bad employee working for me, he alienated himself with all the other employees, so no one really liked him. So, we came to a mutual agreement that he would move on to another area...so long, fair well, Auf Wiedersehen, goodbye....or so I thought. In the next position he was in, he did not do well at all, supposedly, so they tried to get rid of him. He filed a complaint, and now I have to testify in front of the EEOC. It will take me longer to drive there than what my testimony is going to be...go figure. That is what I get for being jsut a great guy. Oh, well..you live and learn.

Last night, as I was waiting for DEF to pick me up at the metro...I had the opportunity to People Watch, which I think should be an olympic sport. I wish there was someone there standing with me...we would have had a lot to crack on and laugh at. It is very interesting to watch the dynamics of the people getting picked up by their wives, husbands, fathers, mothers, significant others, johns...whoever they are. One young lady got into the back of what appeared to be her parent's car, and none of them even said hello, goodbye, who are you?, or anything..she just got it, sat down, barely closed the door, and off they went. Another very attractive Asian lady, dressed rather nice with black high heels that had some sort of pretty glittery bow thing on them (it was not as ugly as my description says...) stands there and waits for her ride. You would expect a nice luxury car or large sedan or something...nope, nada...up pulls a large all-white Ford Econovan (driven by what looked to be her father). That was not that bad, but as she opened the door and had to step up to get in (keep picturing her high heels, nice coat and dress) she had to step over a yellow bottle of antifreeze, a large wooden box, and some balled up fast food wrappers, etc....I can still picture her trying to get up and over that yellow bottle...oh well, I found it amusing.

Ok, I got to run and get ready to go to some meetings before I head out up to Baltimore. Wish me luck, as I try to step into the witness stand as that I do not fall down...or trip on a bottle of anti-freeze.

Til next time...talk to ya.

Skip

Well, it has been a long time....

2005-03-14T14:31:00.000-05:00

Ok...don't shoot me. I really did not keep up with this blog thing like I thought I was going to. Not sure why it has been almost a year since I posted something, but I think I want to get back to doing, and I will need to find some time to do that.

I just started a new job last week....I am really looking forward to it and the money and the experience it brings. It is going to be VERY challenging, but I think it will be worth it in the long run.

DEF and I are still going strong, and we will be celebrating our 2 year anniversary at the end of the month...now don't go sending us all those presents and all...a small card and some Reese Cups will do just fine.

I guess since the last time we talked, we did not have our dog...well, he will be a year old on March 24. He is a pure bred chocolate lab who is lots and lots of fun, but boy can he be ornery. I think he is going to be a puppy for the rest of his life. It is a lot of fun, though, and sometime I just look forward to coming home and having someone greet me (when DEF is not there) and give me a big lick. I am sure there will be plenty of stories about the mutt to fill up space here.

I am not sure what else to catch everyone up on. We are doing very well, with me starting my new job, and DEF going to school and working, and us getting the dog, there seems to be less and less of OUR time, but when it is OUR time, we have a great time.

I hope I will be able to find some people to read my blogs...however, it is fun to write things down that has been happening to let the reader (that is you...) know what is happening in our neck of the woods. My goal is to write every day, so cross your fingers!

Til next time....talk to ya...Skip

Woohoo...it is Friday

2004-02-20T06:42:00.000-05:00

Good morning all.

Boy am I glad it is Friday. It has been one helluva week. DEF is taking classes and started a new job three weeks ago, so our schedule has been turned a little upside down. We used to have a pretty tight schedule where we knew what was going on most of the time. Now DEF has to work later, study, take tests, blah, blah, blah...but, it is all for the better for him and us. So, we do what we have to do ;)

We are having neighborhood friends over tonight. We moved to our humble little enclave about 10 months ago, and it is very suburban. We have views of the mountains (well, we are slowly losing those views since new townhomes are going up), and we have wonderful walking trails, tennis courts, a community pool, etc. It has been a great experience so far, but we had only met a couple of neighbors, and those are "family". Don't get me wrong, we love them to death, but being a gay couple in the burbs can be sorta hard. We now have met more people, including a great straight couple right down the street. It seems like our neighborhood, while it was very rural 5 years ago, has progressed into a tolerant area. We will see...but, why would they not like us? We keep our house looking good, the yard looking great, we help our neighbors when we can, we are good looking, and we are considerate....so, what's not to like :)

I am sure you all are wondering why the site's address is "pennylives". Well, first, I could not think of something clever at the moment when I signed up, and second, "penny" has a very personal meaning to DEF and I. Most likely, we will never explain what it means on here or to anyone, for that matter. But...I see that someone could read it as Penny Lives - with a LONG "I" instead of the SHORT "I" that I meant when I picked the name. So, it could be that our lives are worth mere pennies...or actually, one penny. I meant it to be "lives" as in "He lives for the moment"...or "Penny lives in our basement". But I like the other way it could be taken...I will have to ponder the other meaning. Off the top of my head at 7:00 am, I do want to point out that I do not think that our life is worth pennies..on the contrary it is worth so much more....oh well, too early to think about it too much, or I won't get any work done today.

Does anyone watch the Ellen Show? If you haven't, I need to put a plug in for that show...she cracks me up. William Hung (the "She Bangs" dude from American Idol) was on the show this week..hilarious!

I added a link on the left for a friend of ours - Rodney Fox - who is running for Congress in Maryland's 6th District. I think he will do an excellent job if given the change. If you are a Democrat in this district, check his site out. You will be amazed by his passion for wanting to make Maryland and the US better from what it has been these past four years.

Well, I better get to working. Hope you are enjoying reading my posts.

Talk to ya...Skip

The morning after...

2004-02-19T06:50:00.000-05:00

So, in boredom last night, I decide to start a blog...now, as I sit here today, I say to myself - "Self, why did you do that? Do you have time to write something everyday? Will you get your work done? What will your boss say when you don't get the budget done? What will your employees say when you don't get their awards processed?" Hmm...right now, who cares...hehe

One of my employees just called in. We will call him Food Dude #1. He calls me 15 minutes past the time he is to be here and proceeds to tell me that he just woke up. Long night, I guess. It just so happens that Food Dude #2 had the same thing happen yesterday morning. Let's see if Food Dude #3 does it tomorrow...oh wait, he is off tomorrow anyway...for now on, Food Dudes will be known as FD#, so I don't have to type as much....it is early you know.

When I sat down at my desk this morning, I had the best little email from DEF. He is the best, he really is. We will have our 1 year at the end of March, and I feel more connected and in love than I did with my 9.5 year relationship I was in. We are so much alike, that it is scary sometimes, and we really believe in fate...I walk into a bar finally getting to hang out with my friends, 5 days after my bad 20 month relationship was over, look at this really hot man playing pool, afraid to actually talk to him, had one too many Madrases, and 2 hours later, DEF is having sushi with me and some of my friends. The rest is blissfull history, and I mean blissful... Just to give you some clue as to why we believe in fate...his birthday is the exat same date as my 9.5 year ex...AND...we met on the exact same day 12 years after my 9.5 year ex (now known as 9.5, just to get a rise out of you size queens) met. Is that fate or what - or is in coincidence - or is it ironic - or good luck? I dunno, whatever you call it, it is now love.

Wow...look how much I wrote in like 20 minutes. I think I can do this. I am more interesting than I thought I was...ok, stop the presses...it is only day 2 of this. Let's see what I think on day 202...if there is one.

Until later, my friends (is anyone actually reading this, or am I writing for myself? - and - how do I find out? I have so much to learn about this, and so little time during the day, I could make time by putting off tomorrow the work I had to do today, or I could just make someone else do it, or....stop!)

Talk to ya...Skip

My first shot at this...

2004-02-18T18:32:00.000-05:00

hmmm...what do I say? Or should it be, how much should I say? I have never done this before, but I have run into some blogs on the web, and they made me think to myself (thankfully not out loud) maybe I could do this too. So, here I am. Who knows how long it will last, or if anyone would remotely want to visit our site, but let us see what happens.

I will try to talk about us throughout the upcoming days and weeks...maybe never giving away our true identities (to protect the innocent of course, me being the main one, yeah right.) My goal is that everyday I post, I will add another tid-bit, story, history about my partner and I , but I will also ramble about what has been on my mind or happening around town.

I am in my mid-thirties...and you know what, that is the first time I actually used that term about myself - mid-thirties...hmm. Actually, I am 34, and not really sure it is considered "mid"....never thought about it. I will be known to one and all on this site as Skip (there is a story behind this, that I will save for another day). My partner is 29 (yes his big 3-0 is in June) and for this site he will be known as DEF (until he makes me change his name to something else more original or inspiring.)