Wow

The Coworker just found some pics from our very first office cruise back in 2006, including some of me. I don't know that I really have all that much room to talk anymore about how much I think I weigh these days. I'd forgotten how big I was back then. Remembering back on it now, I had to buy new clothes and I had to get pants in a size 42. Today, I'm wearing a 38. So, I guess no matter how bad I think it is right now, it could always be worse...

Operation: Garden Makeover Phase 1 Complete!

I've finished Phase 1 of Operation: Garden Makeover, basically just ripping out the old mulch and weeds and remulching everything. I rather pleased with how it has turned out so far.

Garden #2 Before




Garden #2 After





There is still a little to be done. I need some weed killer for around the edges and whatnot, but this is a huge relief to me to have this done.

Accomplishment!

I actually feel like I got something accomplished today! I've been embarrassed to walk in front of my place because the gardens have completely been overrun with weeds. So today, I decided to do something about it. I bought some mulch, and I'm completely remulching the gardens. I'll add more flowers and plants to them next year, but for now, at least I'll be proud to walk in front of the house!

Tonight was Garden #1. Saturday is Garden #2, which is 3-4 times bigger than Garden #1.

Before:



After:

Today, it's a good day. =)

From My Bookshelf

For anyone that cares, I'd like to direct your attention to my book blog, From My Bookshelf. There's no particular reason for wanting to draw your attention to it other than I've been working on it for a couple of years now, and I'm really proud of it. It took quite some time for me to be comfortable enough with the design elements of Blogger to be able to come up with a finished design that I really like. Stop by, let me know what you think, and you might just discover a new book or two that you'd like to read!

It's amazing how just a few minor, insignificant happenings can totally throw me right back into familiar habits. No sleep. Eating non-stop (I've ballooned at a staggering weight gain of 20lbs now - fatty fatty bum bum). Ah, if only I could live in a perpetual vacation, doing nothing but reading and sleeping. Now, that would be something.

I felt a minor accomplishment the other night. I mowed the lawn and weeded the front garden. And then I think to myself, "That's an accomplishment? That shouldn't be an accomplishment, that should just be life. When did mowing the lawn become an accomplishment?" I'm in desperate need of some focus.

Focus. Focus. Focus.

Did I mention I need some focus?

Oh, shiny!...

project:Re-Invention 10 IV 2010

Have you ever woken, realized that you have a perfectly good life, wonderful friends and family, a good job... and still think that there is something missing from your life; that you are meant for something more than what you currently are?

I think I'm just beginning to wake up to that.

This is an amazing video that I just had to share

Favorite quote of the day

Posted on Facebook from one of the local bakeries in town:

lent, new year's resolutions....the harder you try to be good the more we bake ;). It's easier to make you all fluffier than for me to get skinnier.

These Friends of Mine

I was introduced to this song the other night, and I fell in love with it. I hope that Rosie Thomas doesn't mind me reprinting the lyrics here.

These friends of mine
Live their lives
Spend their time
Hoping to find
Who they are
How they're made
Thought maybe they'd
Hope to find the way

These friends of mine
They have lives
They work hard
To live them right
And when they laugh
Makes me high
They'd take a train
10,000 miles, before they'd fly

These friends of mine
They feel alone
When the shows are over
Don't know where to go
In Philadelphia
At Christmas time
They question love
Wonder why they try

And when the show is over
oh I hope that they discover
The joy that they bring
And I hope they remember
This bond we have together
And how they love to sing

These friends of mine
Live in New York
They were raised in Michigan
They don't know things
They don't hold hands
Guard their hearts
The best they can

And when the show is over
How I hope that they discover
The joy that they bring
And I hope that they remember
This bond we have together
And how they love to sing
They sure love to sing

Maybe I needed this time
To be reminded for myself
Maybe I needed this time
To be reminded for myself
That I love to sing.

Rosie Thomas These Friends Of Mine lyrics

Hi Aunt Bunnie!!

It was great talking to you! I miss you!!! Lots of love!

My days have not been that boring. If nothing else, I've been out living life lately, and it feels good. I will try to post some of the pics soon.

Not so fatty fatty bum bum!

I've lost 10lbs! Yay! Apparently the working out (along with having the cold of the century) has been helping after all!

Hello, new addiction!

KenKen

I got a box of happy in the mail!

I just received my box from Amazon that included the Absolutely Everything Absolutely Fabulous boxed set, the Vicar of Dibley Immaculate Collection boxed set and the final performance of Rent on Broadway. So I watched a disc's worth of AbFab, and it was just what the doctor ordered.

Just in case you were wondering...

car accidents are not the best way to start a morning.

Chicago and Wicked, one last time

I had a great time in Chicago with C this past weekend! We got to see the penultimate Wicked performance (my 8th time!) and it was a beautiful thing. We tried for tickets for the final performance, but no luck for me. All around a great weekend: Wicked, lunch at Tweet, Big Chicks and fun times with C. Here are a couple of pics of the outside of the theater, lit for the last time at night before Saturday's performance.

Because sometimes we need to be reminded that strangers can be friends too

I want to thank Beth for posting this on her blog.

Interview with Penelope Przekop

Penelope Przekop runs a blog called Aberration Nation. In her own words, her blog "is not about world peace, going green, or gay pride. It's not about healing all the ills that exist in our growing culture of materialism and instant gratification. It's about individual self-reflection and optimism. It's making lemonade out of lemons and smiling through our tears, knowing tears are part of package, and that tomorrow is a new day filled with opportunity and greater wisdom." What she's doing there is a really great thing. She takes people's aberrations, or the things that they perceive or that others perceive as being different or wrong, and cast them in a new light, showing how we can grow and take something positive away from these "aberrations."

She is also the author of the book, Aberrations. It was one of my Top 10 books read for 2008. Give it a read sometime, you won't be disappointed.

Penelope recently asked to interview me about what it is like for me being gay. To most people reading my blog, you already know me and this won't come as a surprise to you. To some it might. It is part of who I am; it's not a defining factor, but just a part. I'm honored that Penelope wanted to interview me, and I'd like everyone to stop by her blog, not just for my interview, but to read what she is doing there. If there were more people like her around who wanted to take the time to show that our differences can really be our strengths, I'd think that there would a lot less discord. Thanks, Penelope!

More snow...

...is on the way. 5-8 or more inches by noon tomorrow.

**sigh**