Friday Foto...

As I go through emails and surf the net, I run across things that catch my eye...the following pic caught my eye in an Ambercrombie ad....one question, well, two...Where the hell is this tree house and does the staff come with it??? (hehehe--staff makes me giggle)

Do you think these pansies will look good with the tree house??They look like litte faces...mean spring faces...

Looks like the weather will be good this weekend, so we may get out and start getting the yard together...yippie...wish we had a yard boy...oh well...we will be having last two windows installed in the house Saturday (last time there was some sweet eye-candy)...I think I will be making some blog entries this weekend...If not, I will be keeping an eye out though, cuz is looks like I will be breaking the 2000 mark for visitors to this site...WAHOO!!...not too bad for 3 months work, thank you all for your support and I will shoot for 3K by vacation time (April 20)... I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Roll Call:
Weigh-in: 223.4 (watch out 220 here I come)
Richmond Murders: 26
Weekend Forecast: Blurry with a chance of blackout....

Movie Post: Capote (2005 DVD)

Interesting movie on the life of Truman Capote...Worthy of its Oscar nominations...and yes Phillp Seymour Hoffman does a wonderful job playing Capote...This movie takes a look at Capote, who up to this point in his life, is most famous for Breakfast at Tiffany's the book, and the movie that follows...he is reading the paper one day and sees an article about the horrible murders of a family. He drops everything and heads to the scene of the crime to do a little research...he is there as the two men are brought in...go to trial and their appeals...Capote really gets wrapped up in these two men as they get closer to their death by hanging...He writes 3 quarters of the book before he finds out what really happened the night of the murders...he goes on to write "In Cold Blood" and it changed the face of the literary community...If you want a good movie to sit back and have a few martini's...this is it...well worth the rental...and worth the all the hype it has gotten...rent it...

Rating: A

Movie Post: Derailed (2005 DVD)

This movie perked my interest when it first came out last year and I never got to see it. I am glad I have seen it now. It seems movies are never what I expect, and this was along that line. Besides the obvious eye-candy (Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston)...it was an actually somewhat quirky little plot...the two of them meet on one rainy morning on the commuter train to work...they hit it off...and later on they have drinks, then they are in a hotel room...then they are stopped before they can get it on by someone trying to rob them...well at that point things turn...there are threats to his family...money is being paid and things really do take a twist...I recommend this suspense movie if you get a chance to watch it do so...worth it.

Rating: B+ (the plus is for Clive)

Mama Mia...Mommie Dearest

I just could not resist putting this clip up...I was talking about it with Mikey from work (The Lewis Show)...today and am surprised I found it...pretty funny stuff...hehehe...where's my cocktail???

A milestone...

For those of you who are trying, like me, to loose a little weight and get in shape...know what it is like to have your sight set on something and sometimes just can't break a certain barrier...well I broke a barrier last night at the gym...when I weighed in, I was 224.6...after 3 months, I have broken the 225 barrier....WAHOO!!!! Though I am still fat and out of shape, the mental high this brought on was great...now bring on 220...I hope tonite I will still be below the 225 point, but will try not get disappointed if I top it again in the next couple of days...
Also, part of the new me has to do with work too...I got my new desk and chair at work (above) and now have to wear a tie everyday...ughhh...but being professional can only help my career...I hope...So here is me in a tie this morning and now I must run out the door...
Later Taters!!
Roll Call:
Weign-in: 224.6 Wahoo!!!!!

And the winner for 2006 vacation....

Jeff and I have booked our vacation for wonderful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for late April...wahoo!!! We are going to be staying in the Zona Romantica......in a cute little hotel (Hotel Mecurio) a couple of blocks from the beach and in the middle of restaurants, bars and other stuff......besides spending almost 8 hours on a plane, I am really looking forward to this trip...

So now the super workouts have to begin and watching what I eat is a must...after taking a look at the passport picture the lady at the post office took today, I have got a lot of work ahead of me...ughhh...

Roll Call:

Weigh-in: 226.6
Richmond Murders: 26
Possibility of me loosing 20lbs in a month: slim to none...but I will try...at least get toned up...

A quick post before work...

Having my cup of coffee this morning watching The Today Show...no big surprise...But the story on border patrol and immigration laws got me thinking, well, I thought about it all this weekend as illegal immigrants took to the streets in protest of potential new laws...apparently there are 11 to 20 million illegals in this country working...I have mixed feelings on this...first, I think we do need these folks here working...they are doing jobs that Americans do not want to do without being paid a fortune...yes it is cheap labor, but at least there are people who are more than willing and happy to take the work...so let them...now the down side...I think anyone who wants to live and work in this country should at least learn the language...do you think if I were to take a job in Mexico, France or Italy, I would not have to learn their languages to be able to make it there...so...let them work here, but only after they learn to speak English...and really, there are some really goodlooking Latinos out there (I watch them as they work on the landscaping around my office building-yum!)

Next Ramble...

A friend of mine sent me an email with a link to a myspace profile with this video that I actually sat down and watched, all 80 minutes of it. The video questions a lot about the how and why of the events that took place on September 11, 2001...some things that happened make you really wonder what is going on...Take a look at the video, pass it on to a friend...I am sure it will be yanked at some point. Just watch it all before you make a decision...then form your opinion.

Roll Call:
Weigh-in: 226.2
Richmond Murders: 25
Did Jesus survive the Cross: hmmm...might have to read this book..."The Jesus Papers"...

Historical or Morbid? hmmm...

(shot overlooking the James River)

I was running around today doing errands..decided, what the hell, I will go to the gym...after the gym I decided to explore a little of Richmond and ran across the Hollywood Cemetery...This is a very historical and old cemetery in the city...and this is also where two Presidents of our country and the President of the Confederacy are buried, along with about 8 former Virginia Governors from the 1800's...so I took a few pictures...this Cemetery has a lot of very historical and important people, along with their families buried here...the who's who of Richmond from the 1800's to present day...click here to see the website for this place...pretty interesting stuff...

Jefferson Davis was the President of the Confederacy during the US Civil War.
He lost.

Here lies the 5th US President James Monroe.
He is was one of this countries founding fathers who ironically died on July 4th.
His remains were moved here from New York by an act of Congress in 1858.


The 10th US President, John Tyler lies here.


Sorry, but this one just made me giggle...

ROLL CALL:
Weigh-in: 225.4 at gym...I have got to break the 225 mark...
Richmond Murders: 24
Puerto Rico or Puerto Vallarta: 10% PR 90%PV

When blog-hopping, I sometimes find REALLY good stuff...

I like to check out a lot of various blogs, many are gay related...(there, I have officially said it)...but if you come here often, you probably know my life status now (gay). If you do not come here often, then you should see in the header..you need to have an open mind...I can get political, and try not to offend, just express an opinion...but I ran across this blog entry on a site called Cockoholic.(sounds kinky, but not too often) It is a site I visit often and it is usually a pretty interesting point of view of a gay man in NYC...at first when I read his stuff it was more sexually oriented, but lately he has posted posts from other blogs, but I think the one below is actually from him and pretty much hits it home...If you are gay, you should read and pass along to your friends, if you are straight, you should read and pass along to everyone you know, including your elected officials...he makes a very good point...Thanks Cockoholic for a very very good post! My hats off to you! (and if you did not write, hats off anyway for getting it out there at least for me to see)

AN OPEN LETTER TO STRAIGHTS:

Apparently all this time I’ve been shoving my sexuality in your face and forcing it on you. I misunderstood. I didn’t know. I am so sorry.

I mistakenly thought it was you who were shoving your lifestyle in my face when you called me faggot before I even knew what that word meant.

I thought you were forcing your sexuality on me when you and your friends cornered me in the locker room after gym class in junior high school, called me a goddamn homo and beat the shit out of me.

I thought the coach was forcing his lifestyle on me when he shouted down at my broken and bleeding body in the locker room that I asked for it because I was looking at the other guys “funny”.

I thought you were shoving your sexuality in my face when you spray painted my name and “is a fag” on the side of the High school building.

When you and your friends trashed my car and then afterwards ran me off the road as I was walking home from school, laughing and calling me a “Queer” I thought I was just walking home from school and not forcing my sexuality down your throat.

I was mistaken and apparently trying to force my deviant lifestyle on you in college that day when thought I might be just trying to find someone like me to talk to when you and your cop friends entrapped me, arrested me and beat me up and threw me in jail because I looked at you the wrong way and smiled at you.

Apparently I asked for it when you and your friends chased me down the street, pulled me into an alley and broke my nose with a booze bottle after I had the gall to come out a known gay bar one night in college.

When I was in the military, I thought one of my friends might be just trying to live a decent, honorable life with his partner of 10 years when you and your military police friends pulled him into an interrogation room and accused him of sodomy because he was living with a guy and not dating women. When you kicked him out of the service and dumped him 3500 miles from his home with no money and no job, I didn’t realize that he was forcing his lifestyle on you. I’m sure he’s sorry too.

I didn’t realize that you were offended by us when my best friend asked to be admitted to his partners’ hospital room while he was dying. You see, he’d lived with him for 20 years and they had shared their life together but had the misfortune of living in a state where people like him had no “legal status” and so his sweet love of 20 years died alone surrounded by people who thought that God had given him AIDS as punishment for the sin of homosexuality. He didn’t understand that your religious sensibilities were more important than his misguided need to be with his partner when he died.

All this time I thought you were forcing your sexuality on me, but now I know that I was forcing mine on you. I am so sorry that all my life, I’ve mistakenly thought that being left alone to live my life, to work and to have a home and family and to be allowed to love who I choose was just living my life - like you live yours.

Little did I know that all that time I was cramming my disgusting sexuality and lifestyle down your throat, forcing you to accept me and demanding “Special Rights”.

Now that I’m older and wiser, you’ll excuse the silly idealism of a dotty middle aged guy who had a vain hope that maybe I could marry the guy I’ve been living with for fifteen years and not have to worry if my religiously devout family will decide to ransack my home after my death because my family – the family who have largely cared less if I lived or died – have more legal rights than my partner, no matter what I say in my will.

You’ll excuse my mistaken notion that I should be allowed to have a good job and not be fired at will because my boss might find out that I live with a guy and am still “single”. You’ll pardon my liberal sensibilities when I think I should be able to rent an apartment from someone who might decide that two guys living together is “an abomination”, or be able to open a joint checking account with my partner, because now I know that it isn’t “normal” for two guys to set up a home together.

Hopefully, you’ll excuse my mistaken notion that my life and my love and my family are at least as important and significant as yours – yes, even when you beat the shit out of your wife the day after she caught you fucking the underaged babysitter, even when you tossed your 15 year old gay son out on the streets, even when I gladly pay very high taxes to send your kids to good schools and you cheat on yours.

I hope you will understand when I was momentarily struck speechless when you raised up your bible and told me that God thinks that I am an abomination and will go to hell. You’ll excuse me for my silly notion that God maybe has other more pressing matters than to care that much if I decide that I want to live with someone I love instead of being alone and celibate. You’ll pardon my weakness when I want a family and have to do it by shoving my homosexual lifestyle in your face.

Finally, please excuse the silly sentimentality of an old man who after nearly six decades of life sees a movie with two “normal” guys who are cowboys who fall in love together. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen any people like me in the movies who aren’t silly and shallow or tragic and dying of something or another. It’s been years since I’ve seen someone like me love someone like my partner and not die because of it or end up some tragic stupid queen. So the movie made me happy and so I was momentarily blinded by the hope that it might be recognized as a watershed moment in tolerance. I now know it was a shameful use of one of your dearest symbols of American manliness to once again shove my disgusting lifestyle down your throat.

You’ll excuse me please.

All this time, all my life – I just thought you were trying to make me be something that I can never be. I just thought you were forcing me to conform to your idea of normality. I mistakenly thought you hated me.

I was mistaken. Obviously, all this time I was forcing my lifestyle on you. Please accept my apologies.

I have lost all hope! Thanks Duke! You Too Have Screwed Me

Quick Ramblings this morning...

Yup..I am done...I had Duke and UNC in the final game of the NCAA Tournament...well I am screwed...I guess I should have paid more attention this basketball season...I guess I can now focus on watching movies this weekend...(well, I will throw my hoop hopes behind George Mason...Go GMU!!)

Texas...what the hell? Arresting people for being drunk in a bar...like they are at a DUI check point...what the fuk?? Yes, it is legal, but is it right, NO! They even arrested a woman who was drinking in the hotel bar where she was staying...how is this curbing the drinking and driving problem?? When you are arresting someone for public intoxication, how do you know if they are actually going to drive home...some have DD's, some take Taxi's, some are just staying in the hotel where the bar happens to be...hell some may even walk home...If I were a bar owner in Texas, I would be furious and join what ever group that is going to fight this...I mean hell, I would get arrested everytime I went to dinner or dancing the way they are doing things...and I take cabs everywhere when I drink (chalk that up to lesson learned getting popped for DUI... I did the crime and did the time, and financially and mentally paid for it...no arguments...was my fault)...We now either have a DD, take a taxi or just walk up the street to our favorite bars...I could go on, but I think it may be getting too rediculous when getting arrested in the bar, before you even step out on the street...yikes!

I must go to work...so
Roll Call:
Weigh-in: 225.6 gym scale on Thursday
Richmond Murders: 25
Chances I will be legally drunk in a bar tonite: pretty good

A little snow and WHAM! Richmond Drivers prevail! NOT!!

The Carillion in Byrd Park this morning after the snow...

Of course the beauty of things around Richmond had to be destroyed by the lack of people who know how to drive in the elements...come on folks! Below freezing temps and water on bridges...hellooooo ICE!! = Slippery= 42 Car pile up in Richmonds West End...

Then there was my trip to work...these two on the side of the road, caused a back up much longer than normal...ughhh!!!

Let's face it...Richmond drivers can't drive worth a shit when there is a little rain...when you throw ice on the road, it is chaos...I was two minutes late to work...hehehe...

And on driving...jeeze...will have to mortgage the house again to pay for gas prices as they go through the roof...even though oil prices are down...hmmm...

Watching the news in the gym this evening, Bush was in West Virginia talking up his stance on the Iraq War...just admit you are wrong Sir...jeeze...we are all over it...pull out gracefully, if that is possible now...

Went to Target at lunch today to pick up ironing board and garden hose...decided to eat at their little cafe'...they were not prepared at all for lunch...all they had were hot dogs, no chili...ughhh...then the number one contraceptive pulled up at the drink machine...this little brat yelling at the top of his lungs "I don't want water...boo hoo hoo"..over and over...if it would have been my mother, she would have taken me to car and given me a good ole spankin'...as they pushed away in the cart...we got up to leave the cafe' and snooty woman with child spots snooty woman pushing cart in store...both in their late 20's and somewhat attractive...snooty 1 says "Oh my God, I am so embarassed, I am in here"...snooty 2 says "oh, I am in here way too often too, it is embarassing, I should make a list so I don't have to come here SOO often"...if you are soo fucking embarassed, then don't shop at Target...and blab at the top of your lungs how much you hate it...there are a lot of people who actually like to shop there...there are good deals (obviously these two ladies know that)...some of these people actually work hard for their money and have to watch how they spend it...I could go on, but I think you all get the picture...I has somewhat of a lack luster day!

Roll Call:

Weigh-in: 226.8 at the gym

Idiots on the road: what's the population of Richmond minus 1 (me)

I would like to thank UNC for screwing me this weekend! (Updated with snow pics!)

(I updated this post with pics once the last snow shower of the season came through)

I am not usually a big UNC fan, but when you have them going to the final game of the NCAA Tournament, you kinda hope they WIN! I am happy to see George Mason pull the upset, but am a little upset that I am out of the pool I was in...oh well...Go GMU!! I did not get to see the game, but I heard more a few rumblings in the NCAA pool world...anyway...

I am a little pissed at Spring...I mean, if it is going to be this cold and wet..I want enough snow to get me out of work for a day or two...not this cold rainy crap...bring on my spring weather so we can get some pretty flowers growing in the yard...Winter's Last Blast (we think)

I liked how the pic of my car turned out in this last snow shower tonite..Kinda neat I think...

I think little Pino wants to be a Huskie...he enjoyed snow on the hot tub

As you will see in previous post this evening, I spent my day off watching a few movies...trying to see some of the Oscar nominated movies I did not get to see beforehand...I was a little disappointed in Good Night, and Good Luck (it got 6 nominations and won Best Supporting Actor for George Clooney--ehh)...

A friend of mine sent me this quick little story he found:

On Wednesday, March 1, 2006, in Annapolis at a hearing on the proposed

Constitutional Amendment to prohibit gay marriage, Jamie Raskin,
professor of law at AU, was requested to testify.

At the end of his testimony, Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs said: "Mr.
Raskin, my Bible says marriage is only between a man and a woman. What
do you have to say about that?"

Raskin replied: "Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed
your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You did not
place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."

The room erupted with applause
I think I also ate way tooooo much junk food this weekend...well, I probably drank waaaayyy too much too...over three months now and can't shake the weight...missed the gym a bit, but went again today...gonna make a better effort to eat better this week and drink less and work out more and change up workout a little...ughhhh...

Roll Call:
Weigh-in: 228.8 YUKKKKKK
Richmond Murders: 24
Richmond Police Shootings that have been cleared: 2
3 days to the weekend!!!!

Movie Post: Good Night, and Good Luck (2005 DVD)

Nominated for 6 Oscars...ehh...For me, a former media person, the movie was pretty interesting. It gives a behind the scenes look at Edward R Murrow and how he and folks at CBS pushed the limits during the age of Sen. Joseph McCarthy and Communism...They ended up bringing all of McCarthy's accusations and blacklisting under control in the early 50's. George Clooney does a pretty good job of playing Murrow's right hand man, but worth an Oscar? ehh...Overall, kind of a slow moving film...interesting in the history aspect, but Oscar hype...hmmm...worth the rent if you like history...
Rating: C

Movie Post: A History of Violence (2005 DVD)

The movie starts off really really slow, but once you get into it...it flys. I was amazed at how graphic some of the sex was, but no complaints here...and ladies (and gay men) you get to see Viggo Mortensen's ass once or twice...with jeans off...hehehe...anyway...and Mario Bello, the chick from Coyote Ugly does a wonderful job...and guys (and lesbians) you get too see a lot of her too...anyway, with the sex out the way...The plot is they are this nice midwestern family who all the town loves and they live in a town where everyone helps everyone. One night Viggo is closing up the diner he owns in town, these two guys come in trying to steal money and beat up some folks...Viggo kicks their asses, well, he kills them...becomes a hometown hero...gets a lot of national attention and then his past comes back to haunt him...SPOILER ALERT...come to find out through a few more ass kickings and tense moments...Viggo's character is just that, a character...he changed his identity and moved away from his Philly Mafia background...it has now come back to get he and his family...in the end, he wins, but it is touch and go...one thing I have to ask about this movie? How did William Hurt get an Oscar nomination for this role...it was at the end of the movie and only about 10 minutes, if that...and not that great...anyway...if you can get past the first third of the movie, you will enjoy the last two thirds...worth the rental...not for the kids though...
Rating: B

Movie Post: Jarhead (2005 DVD)

I had heard mixed reviews of this movie, and I can understand. The movie follows a man named Swoff from his days in boot camp to his days a sniper in the First Gulf War. In a movie when you would expect it to be politcal and it turns out to be just a story, it is kind of refreshing. We just see what is going on with this guy and those around him as they go through some really trying times. Republican or Democrat, you should enjoy this movie and its real look at the armed services. Jake Gyllehaal and Jamie Foxx do a good job of acting in this movie...and I have a feeling these two guys will be our generation true Hollywood Actors as every role they take, they take it to heart. If you do have a chance to see this, rent it. Good for a dreary day at home.
Rating: B

Sunday is such a Drag!!

Yes I have taken the day off today...more mental than actual illness...With that said, my fraternity brother Steve, who is leaving for Russia in the next couple of weeks, wanted to see this Drag Brunch that takes place downtown at Godfreys, so we took him yesterday...Now when you think of food and drag queens, you think a place full of gay people...wrong! This place has been voted the Best Brunch in Richmond more than once...and it is soooo entertaining (and the food is great too). So it is me, Jeff, my brothers girlfriend Amanda and Steve. This is the second time I have been and each time I had way toooooo many screwdrivers. You have to pretty much get down there at the crack of dawn to get your name on the list to get in for the 11am show...it is pretty much sold out each week and usually a waiting list, and those people have to sit on the stairs for a couple of hours until someone leaves...here are a few pictures from the show...I would have had more, but my camera batteries died...dammit...used my picture phone the best that I could...and if you ever get the chance to hit Godfrey's for Drag Brunch...DO IT!!!

Me, Jeff, Amanda and Steve
Before the games begin

This is Cary, "the door whore". It was actually her birthday yesterday...so, happy 29!
She is a hoot!



Man...I feel like a woman!

Throw that hair!!


Here's your one chance Fancy, don't let me down....go Reba!

Somewhere over the Rainbow (she took my money...lalalallaa)


and the Men who made my drinks...Derrick(?) and Hot Toddy!!
SLURP SLURP!!

St. Patrick's Day...

St. Patrick

Not much to say tonite...Jeff is coming back shortly and I have to run to the airport to pick him up...haven't had a chance to start the festivities...so will be a sober St. Patty's Day for me...unusual...hmmm...I still have Saturday and Sunday...hehehe...Thanks to everyone who has left messages on previous posts...I will try and make a more substantial post either later tonite or early in the morning...Hope everyone has the luck of the Irish!!

Roll Call:
Weigh-in: 227.3 at the Gym...ugghhhh
Richmond Murders: 24
Wilder vs Braves: toss up right now

With a name like Kelly, I gotta be Irish...so KISS ME!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Top O' the Mornin'!

Let the games begin....

I have paid my money, filled out my brackets and like many Americans this month..I will be watching as the 64 NCAA Mens Basketball teams take off on the road to the Final Four...I have joined ESPN.com for this big deal and even joined the Fantasy League with some of my fraternity brothers in this competition...so let the games begin...

In other sports...A tale of two cities...Richmond and Washington DC...baseball teams...are they that important???

Richmond Braves...Mayor Wilder announced yesterday that he had not heard from the Braves home office on whether their farm team here will be staying and if they will be moving to new location within the city...They currently play at the Diamond, and talk has been for them to stay they would need a new stadium...First and foremost...will a new stadium increase attendance...not likely...will it make more money for the city, not likely...will it cost tax payers, most likely...I know this organization has been a big part of the city for a long time, but maybe it is time to just let it go...I do not see where this team has really made a big difference in Richmond in a positive financial way...Sure, there are big numbers on nights of the fireworks surrounding the 4th of July...but do the stands really fill up any other time...unless there are free tickets?? I say, as a Richmond City taxpayer, if the team wants to stay in Richmond...stay at the Diamond...do a little facelift over there and be done with it...otherwise...good riddens!

New DC Stadium for the Nationals

Washington Nationals...DC is grappling with a whole different issue...they have agreed to a Major League team in their city, and now they are going to have to displace several businesses (many gay oriented), to build the new stadium...of course DC is shelling out a fortune to get the stadium done and of course costing the taxpayers there a fortune...to top it off, they are not really willing to change some zoning issues to help with the relocation of clubs and restaurants, except in the high dollar downtown area, where rent is typically 2 to 3 times that of the current locations...this article shows what is going on there.

Do these teams/stadiums really have such a large positive financial impact that it is worth all the money and taxpayer money that is dumped into them...do these localities actually make their money back, or do they just get money from businesses that already exist and would be paying anyway...baseball or not...hmmm...just a thought

I have watched a couple of movies and will post reviews to them later tonite...until then...gotta work...TTFN

The Ides of March...

I almost let the day go by...I forgot this was a big day in history..."Beware the Ides of March"

NCAA Tournament Start tomorrow...

and only two days to St Patty's Day...wahoo!!!!

Lame ramble tonite, but under the gun to post by midnight...

Got gas? Thank God (or diety of choice) it is payday!

Gas Prices are going up more than a penny a day, which does not sound like a lot, but it just mentally hurts to have to pay so much for gasoline. Here is a link to check out the rising gas prices on a daily basis... AAA Gas Gauge I understand needing to make money to help pay for refineries and other costs, but jeeeze...how many billions does it take...These gas companies need to take it in the shorts for a year and let America feel a little relief...I know, I know, we have grown too dependent on oil...I am guilty as charged...but that is life and I would be more than willing to use alternative fuel sources if they were readily availible here in Richmond and my car could use them.

Will Pat Roberston ever learn to shut up?? This man is out to get himself killed. He again has stuck his foot in his mouth by trashing Islam and its followers...If Pat Robertson thinks he is getting into heaven by offending everyone on Earth, he has another thing coming...take your Bermuda Shorts Pat...Hell is a little warmer than Virginia Beach...And I think today is the day is the day that the gay rights advocates are supposed to show up on Robertsons Regeant University Campus...what will this lead him to say on the 700 club about this organization...his lawyers must be going crazy...

Richmond Area Twin Towers? Does Henrico County really need to have these two 18 story buildings and adjacent shopping center and condos?? Ummm...have the county leaders actually tried to drive through the Short Pump area recently??? It is a cluster fuck!! With the Short Pump Town Center, movie theatre, gym, ice skating rink and new bowling center all clustered together, it is next to impossible to find a parking spot in this over crowded area...the only time I ever head to this area now is during the middle of the day during the week...and only if I have to...I try to go elsewhere to shop...There has to be a limit to what this area can handle traffic wise...I mean, on any given day, traffic is backed up all the way down I-64...They need to rethink this idea...

And, what is the deal with the guys who drive fuel trucks at Richmond International Airport?? Can you not see the huge planes, typically with huge letters on the side, when you are driving on the tarmack...today is the second time in a month that a fuel truck has run into a plane...are the fumes getting to these guys or what??

Puerto Rico


Puerto Vallarta
Still up in the air on vacation...hmmmm

Gotta go to work now...ughhh...

My home is my castle...

Watching The Today Show this morning there were a couple of interesting stories out there. The one that caught my attention initially...people who want to build huge houses on their own property, and getting grief for wanting to do it...now they were all over the country with this, from Miami, to the Northeast, to ranges in the Midwest...There a folks out there who want to build gigantic homes (one guy wanted to build a 79,000 square foot mansion)...My problem is with the neighbors of these people...they are bitching because they don't want these wealthier people shoving their huge homes down their throats....excuse me! If I had thousands of acres of land in the midwest and hand a freaking fortune in the bank, I would build what the hell I wanted to build on MY PROPERTY...this would be like my current neighbors telling me not to build the deck and add the hot tub that we did because it might increase the value of their homes...come on...I have never really understood why people would want to move into neighborhoods where you have to keep manicured lawns and can only paint your house a certain color...if I shell out a ton of money for MY investment I should be able to do with it what I want...and paying taxes on said investment, the roads leading to it should be paved and free of pot holes (City of Richmond take note)... In the end this just some jealous people who don't want to see others success out shine theirs...GET OVER IT...

Another interesting note...The NCAA Tournament will cost US employers billions of dollars in lost work time as folks fill out their brackets and follow the games over the next few weeks...only Super Bowl comes close to costing as much down time at work...but hey, if we did not have this little bit of fun every year, there would be more workplace violence...this brings people together for fun at work...cut them a little slack...(I know it is a sorry argument, but hey...I put in my $20 and filled out my brackets yesterday..I also lost two Super Bowl pools this year too)...

Now my big problem of the day...what will I have for lunch...hmmmm...

Well gotta run get ready for work...TTFN

Just another walk in the park....

I believe today was the last of the wonderful weather here in Richmond for a while...so I took the dogs for a little walk in the park..

Pino and Cricket watching the Geese in the lake during a little break...


Fountain Lake in Byrd Park March 13, 2006

I tried to take some creative pictures of the beautiful lake and moon, but having two dogs pulling on you in all directions, the pic above was about the best I could do...it looks a little artsy, I guess...the others look way artsy, since they are even more blurry...hehehe...and I was sober...lordy...

And why is that new game show on NBC so damn addicting...or do I just have an addicting personality...hmmm..."Deal or No Deal"....love it...I want to be on it...I would probably just take the first offer over $100k and haul ass...that would pay off everything I owe, except the house...hmmm...

Not really in the mood to get political tonite...but I am happy to be adding one of my fraternity brothers to my blog list to the right...On a Tangent...he has the cutest kids...I was able to see he, his wonderful wife Kesley and their three kids this past weekend...warm fuzzies...It is always nice to see folks you haven't seen in a while...most people change...like I gained 60 pounds...but Mike and Kesley look exactly like they did in college, and if I had pics on this computer to show you I would...they are great!! I look forward to being the blog world with them now...

On a somewhat sad note...I found out a good friend of mine from way back when has recently been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma...he says he will be fine after all the Chemo and 90 percent of the time it is cured...so we are all looking forward to a celebration in about 6 months...but things like this just make you think about life sometimes and you never know what is going to be around the next corner...Enjoy Life...Stop and smell the roses...take a chance sometimes...

Roll Call:
Weigh-in: 221 (home scale)
Minutes before pizza arrives: 43
Days to St Patty's Day: 4
Days to Jeff's return from Atlanta: 4
Chances of Puerto Rico for Vacation: 60%
Chances of Puerta Vallerta for Vacation: 40%
Bills Paid tonite: TOOOO FREAKING MANY (but we have cars for another month)

Finally got the official count

Do I go to work today?? It is already 65 degrees and nice outside...ughh...it is so nice sleeping with the windows open and nice fresh air flowing through the house...makes me much nicer in the morning...I guess I will go to work...maybe go to park with dogs after work...the weather is supposed to get back to normal with some rain...all good things must come to an end...

My goal this week is to find a vacation package for me and Jeff...looking at Puerto Rico and Puerta Vallarta (sp.?)...hmmm...an nice sunny beach at the end of April...hmmm...

So, if you typically stop in and take a look at this blog, you know I do a roll call thing sometimes with the Richmond Murder Count...lately I have been trying to figure out what the actual talley really is...it is kind of tough to keep track, but finally on Saturday I read an article that put the number at 23 after a body was found in an alley...then this morning read about another shooting last night being classified at a homicide...so the count is now at 24 for the year...compared to last year from what I can tell on the Richmond Police website...it looks to be about the same....I will try and stay on top of this more...I hope it is not too often though...

I need to look at the NCAA pairings and make my picks...who will win??? hmmm...

Roll Call:
Weigh-in: 221 at home
Richmond Murders: 24
Chances I will be day dreaming at work today: 150%

Sunday morning rambling...

First I have to say we went to the party yesterday afternoon and I had a great time...I did see some of my fraternity brothers I haven't seen in years...it was sooo cool to see them. Also, everyone seemed pretty cool with Jeff there...It was not as uncomfortable as I thought it would be, one of my brothers actually came over a shook my hand in congratulations on our engagement and wished us luck finding a state to get married in...I was a very happy person...But Jeff and I had to leave early so we could get home and get him ready for his business trip...but back to my fraternity brothers...many people hate the whole college fraternity thing, saying you are buying your friends...I have to say these guys in the pic below and many others from the Radford Kappa Sig Chapter have long quit paying dues and still keep in touch, play golf, go to each others weddings and many many more things...these are life long friendships that were created in college and continue today...so if you are in college and reading this blog...if 'buying' your friends for a couple of years in college means you will have friends that will do anything for you the rest of your life...cut the check...it is worth it...everytime I get together with these guys and their families, it is a great time. I hope everyone else has a good group of friends like this...

The Brothers

Now on to Sunday morning news stuff...

1-The Republicans are in Tenn. for the first round of "who will run in 2008"...Frist comes out ahead here...and our Senator Allen is in third...the so called front runner McCain for the Republicans placed fourth...it will be interesting to see where this goes...
2-The ports...so the UAE Company that was going to run the ports has backed out of the deal because of all the flack the Dems and Reps have been giving the President about this deal...I will again state that I don't think it matters who runs these ports...it is up the US Government to provide the security and in the end it will fall on their shoulders should something happen, not matter who owns and operates the ports...come on people, get a clue...there are bigger fish to fry out there...
3-The Democrats: HELLOOOOOOO...what are you doing? Seriously, what are you doing? The Republicans are in a downward spiral and there are a ton of opportunities for you to gain some ground with the upcoming elections...do something...get some good mid-term candidates out there...come on...
4-Jerry Falwell has members of the group Soulfource Riders arrested as they attempted to go onto the Libery University Campus to inform students of gay rights...they were told ahead of time that they would not be welcome there...now wait...isnt this a publically funded college in the state of Virginia...do schools not have to let the US Military on campus to recruit (now set forth by the Supreme Court), even if the school does not support the war??? hmmmm...this sounds like a double standard...if campuses are required by law to allow all groups on campus, should this also include Christian Universities that are supported by taxpayers, even if the school is not in same belief??
5-All new episode of Desperate Housewives tonite...wahoo!!

I think that will do it for me right now...I may go out and take some pictures today and blog a little more tonite...who knows...have a wonderful Sunday!

Roll Call:
Weigh-in: 222 at home
Richmond Murders: 21

Has spring sprung already??

After having to work Friday, one of the nicest days of the year...Jeff and I walk up to our new favorite hang-out...Avalon...and of course the same bar flys are there and we have a blast...I have to admit I was kind of in a bad mood, so when Jeff was hell bent on going to the club, he went and I came home and had a few more cocktails and watched Bill Mahr (who is one of the funniest guys in the world)...I proceeded to fall asleep on the sofa, then work my way up to bed...so I did get a pretty good nites rest...now I am sitting outside again, in this beautiful weather...the windows have been open in the house since yesterday and fresh air is abound...
Pics of Byrd Park...my neighborhood...trees blooming already

So today is a pretty big day for one of my fraternity brothers...he is having his going away party and I will be seeing people I haven't seen in years...Part of me is looking forward to it, another part says keep my fat ass at home...but Steve is leaving for Moscow in a couple of weeks and this may be one of the last times I get to hang out with him. He is going to Moscow to study the language and culture for two years...he always lives on the edge...and hell, if I had the money, I would go somewhere and study too...well, maybe...hehehe...So now I have to figure out what to wear that will make me look a little thinner, or at least feel a little confident...I wonder what time drunk boy upstairs will fall out of bed...hmmm...Well, almost 9...time to get a haircut...will post pics from todays events and editorialize it all this evening...while I am six sheets to the wind, of course...hehehe...TTFN....

Things I miss...Things I now enjoy...and ???

I am driving home from work today...My co-worker Mikey is with me and I see an older GMC Jimmy...and I say I miss my old GMC Jimmy...I had a green one with the big tires on it and I used to drive it around Snowshoe, plowing through snow and feeling all cool and butch...I have to say it was one of my favorite vehicles over the years...(I am now pissed that the picture of it is on my old computer hard-drive in the basement...ughhh)...so this got me thinking about other things and people I miss...I miss my friends from my days in Blackburg when we were all just out of college with our first real jobs...every night at PK's...or Top Of the Stairs...having fun...wahoo!!!

Jason, me, Ben, Bob G., and David-- April 1999

I actually miss working at Snowshoe, to a certain extent...the television and PR stuff there was cool, but really liked working part time bartending---then spending alot of time and money on the other side of the bar...

Me circa 2000

I miss not being so fat that I could take stupid internet shots like this and not feel too bad...
Me circa 2002 (185 lbs)

I miss high school (Jefferson Forest High School -1988) and being in the drumline having tons of fun for being a band geek...I miss my college days and my fraternity brothers...I miss working in the media and meeting famous people...I miss Christmas Eve at Grandma's when everyone would show up...I miss being all excited about opening presents the next day...So now that I am depressed, let's turn this around...

Things I am currently happy about...

I am happy I have Jeff in my life...

Jeff and I in Snowshoe last summer...

I am happy my Mom and Dad are still with me (though in Lynchburg, VA)...but they love me as much as I love them...and are pretty much letting me live my life...not really overbearing...

I am happy we have a wonderful home in historic Richmond, with two wonderful dogs...Pino and Cricket...

Let sleeping dogs lie...

I am happy my brother moved to Richmond and we have become very close...closer than we have been since we were kids...

Todd and his girlfriend Amanda

I am happy with my job and the direction my life is going right now...I am better than I have ever been before...and I look forward to keep growing my career, my relationships with my family and friends and having fun along the way...cuz each day I get up, that means there is not 6 feet of dirt on my chest...I am lucky...and if you are reading this, thank someone that you are alive and can go on with your life....there are some who will not see tomorrow...

ROLL CALL:
Weigh-in: a nice and plump 228.0...
Richmond Murders: 20 or so...
Open seats on the school board: 1