Terrific Tuesday

Welcome!  I had my Chinese food and the cats were both under my feet.  Not exactly sure why it summons them and they beg so much other than it just smells so good to them.  It was a nice change of pace for me and I’ve got plenty left over so I will be eating on it for a couple days. 

I caught Rudy last night on the kitchen sink.  I know he’s been jumping up on the counter and the stove.  I’ve had a couple times where I almost caught him but last night I just peeked in from the living room and yelled.  It got the job done.  I put out a sheet of tin foil in the hopes that will break him of his habit.  He’s going to be the one that gives me trouble as he ages.  He is rambunctious and really has that curiosity bug bad as of late.  I think it has something to do with getting older.  As long as he doesn’t get hurt or hurt his sister it’s all good but I’d really like to keep him off of the counter. 

I’ve been watching Night Court on Amazon Prime.  The original series from back in the 90’s.  My grandfather watched it and I never liked it when I was a kid.  It’s pretty comical today and while I get the humor it’s very rare that I laugh.  Something just has to strike me the right way to get that audible response. 

I spent considerable time on social media last night doom scrolling.  Mora interrupted me and got me back to reality.  At which time I opted to have a slice of Peanut Butter Pie and a glass of milk.  It hit the spot. 

I also got out something called “the original bed buddy” it’s a cloth type material filled with beads or rocks and there are two rope handles on each end.  It’s made for neck aches.  You throw it in the microwave and heat it up for 2 minutes.  It’s really come in handy when I have a neck ache.  Last night I figured I could use it as my “warm compress” on my hand to deal with this cyst.  It worked but it was a little too hot at times.  The cyst is smaller this morning but still present.  I might give it another go tonight.  Oddly enough the opposite hand feels like I’ve got a cysts there as well but there isn’t anything there.  I think it’s just sympathy pain.  Not the first time that’s happened.  Sure would be nice to be young again and not have to deal with aches and pains!

I got too hot during the night and woke up around 5a.  Never really made it back to sleep.  Tonight I’m turning the thermostat down a degree in the hopes that will help keep me comfy all night long.  Were going in to the negative digits and of course tomorrow is the day I am going into the office.  It’s going to be extra cold but I’ll manage.  Perhaps the ice cold Diet Mt. Dew I will be drinking on the way in will help warm me up.  If not my bun warmer (aka seat heater) and heater will help do the trick.  I do not relish getting up an hour early to make what I think is a pointless trip to waste my time but I do like getting out of the house. 

Since I am not on-call the week doesn’t have a whole lot too keep me terribly occupied but there is always a chance something will break or come up and the tide will shift.  It was kind of like that yesterday as I was trying to get away, I’d finish one thing and something else would come in.  Eventually I broke free. 

Sadly my boss added back to the calendar another years worth of dumb useless meetings twice per week.  I was kind of hoping he’d forget or had changed his mind but no such luck.  Got to listen to him ramble today twice and then again tomorrow.  It’s like the voice I can’t get away from. 

Hope that your warm and well on this Terrific Tuesday. 

Vacation continues

I am in the middle of my time off and I know the rest of it will go by super fast.  I’ve checked my email at work a couple times.  That is something that I normally DO NOT do.  However, it paid off in this case.  I found that there was an issue I could fix and I went in last night and took care of it.  I surprised my boss and called him to let him know what I had done.  He was impressed.  Nothing wrong with earning brownie points, even if I am on vacation. 

Our weather has flipped back to Summer.  It’s been in the 80’s here and I had to turn on the AC much to my chagrin.  I just couldn’t live with the humidity. 

I made it to Sam’s today and actually had to make a repeat run.  I bought this large platter of holiday cookies, I think it was a 60 count.  Special flavors that I haven’t had before and I wanted to treat myself. It’s a $20 platter so quite a bit for cookies.  Damn if the whole thing didn’t spill on the garage floor when I opened my tailgate.  I was pissed.  I of course cleaned up the mess and trashed all of the cookies.  Had to get the vacuum cleaner out to get the crumbs out of the trunk.  Meanwhile once I got the replacement platter I made sure to pull the majority of the cookies out and get them into food saver bags that I sealed up.  There is no way in hell that I will consume 60 large cookies before they expire. 

Had lunch with a friend, it was an okay time and was glad to be able to catch up on things.  I called my other friend who lost her cat and she is doing much better.  That cemented my decision to not make a trip to her vet to donate money.  I am confident that I made the right decision and glad that I had the patience to let this play out.  That’s so not like me but I am learning more and more time can be your friend. 

Got my haircut yesterday and there was a hot guy getting his haircut.  I was hoping to see his body once they removed the cape but damn if he wasn’t still in the chair when I left.  I got a haircut and shampoo from a place that I only visit on occasion and only because they give a great shampoo.  Their prices are out of control but I managed to score as I went on a day when haircuts were discounted so that helped a little bit. 

Did my Sunday vacuuming routine tonight and cleaned underneath the fridge.  It wasn’t as dirty as I thought it would be.  I cleared off a lot of room on the top to provide better air flow as well as getting rid of junk that was just sitting.  I also pulled the unit out and cleaned the floor.  The cats were a little confused but interested that is until the vacuum came out. 

Tried a new diner that is in town for a burger.  I hit them up after I was at the Dentist on Monday.  Nothing special and I might go back but it’s not on my immediate must go back soon list. 

Got a gift card that I plan to use Friday for lunch at my favorite Italian place.  Not sure if I will use it all up but I am craving Spaghetti & Meatballs.  I expect to have some left over or at the very least get more to go as well as maybe some desert to bring home. 

Tomorrow I am thinking of hitting up a place that I went to last time I was off.  Instead of getting breakfast I want their lunch buffet, which looks good.  Hopefully, I can keep my stomach at bay. 

My sleep scheduled it all kinds of crazy.  I’ve decided that Rudy & Mora should be renamed Biscuits & Gravy.  Rudy makes biscuits to wake me up and he will sleep on top of me as well just laying in wait for me to wake up so he can get those paws going.  Mora is Gravy because she loves to roll over and let me rub her belly, she jumps on the bed after breakfast and just lays there.  She will follow me downstairs and jump in my lap rolling over and getting that belly rubbed.  She just lays there like gravy and soaks it all up.  I’m not changing their names but I’ve been calling Rudy Mr. Biscuits all day.   

It’s Trick or Treating time and my lights are off.  The little ghouls & goblins are out and the subdivision is lined with cars and plenty of people out walking around.  It’s warm so it’s a great time unlike most Halloweens when it’s brisk or down right cold here.  We do have some rain moving in but that will be later tonight and early tomorrow. 

I’m finishing up laundry that I started a day or so ago and going to surf away for a bit.

I got the cowboy boots that I have always wanted.  Damn I didn’t know how difficult they were to get on and off.  One is just as bad as the other.  Today I learned all about a boot puller to help get them off.  I added that to my Amazon cart and it will be here on Friday.  I’m kind of on the fence about keeping them but they are paid for. 

Off to surf away for a while and then I will climb the steps and browse TV.  Got a few things on the DVR and who knows what I can find on YouTube. Plan to enjoy the rest of my time off because I will be on-call when I go back and my inbox is already a small disaster I am sure it’s gonna grow given that I’ve still got a couple days. 

Well Ms. Gravy just showed up and doesn’t want me to post this.  I need to tend to rubbing her belly. I am still fighting off some allergy or illness.  My nose goes crazy for a bit when I wake up and then after a couple hours all is fine.  Hope your all doing well, just wanted you to know I am still among the living.

Changes

I hope you like what I did with the template. Before anyone asks the photo is NOT me. It’s Brandon Wooten who is better known as Wooty Booty or by his former porn name Ashton Webber. Hence the name Wooty Booty he’s known for his ass and it’s perfect in my opinion. The kid is also mega hung, but he’s a bottom, at least he was in porn! I did subscribe to his Just For Fans channel for a few months but the content didn’t appeal to me. When he was younger, he wasn’t all tatted up. I am not a huge fan of marking up one’s body but if it’s kept to a minimum it’s fine. He does wear all of his tattoos well; they just don’t appeal to me. I chose the photo because he is waving hello and I thought that was a unique way to welcome visitors. The template (which doesn’t include any photos) is a Blogger theme that I changed some of the colors. Back in the day I used to change the title photos and themes on a regular basis but eventually that proved to be too much work and I stopped. Considering that were in a new year and the month is ½ way over with I thought why not. I found the photo when I was doing some research for a potential post. Once I saw the photo, I abandoned my research and shifted into modifying the blog. I’m a little board and this was a nice escape.

Today was a sleep in and relax day. I did nothing but venture out to get the mail and cat food. The weather is just cold here. Roads are clean but I just wasn’t in the mood to travel. I’ve still got 2 days left in this extended weekend, so perhaps I will squeeze it in. I’m thinking about tomorrow.

My Furry Gator has enjoyed having her human around. She has cuddled with me for a good portion of the day. She is still eating food like a vacuum cleaner, so I am all too happy to put it out for her. I just wish the frequency would slow a bit.

I’ve been watching YouTube videos on belly fat and how to get rid of it. I stumbled across a couple of unique videos about taking cold showers, it has nothing to do with weight loss. It’s about getting outside of your comfort zone.

I also took time to look up my tire size and shopped for new tires. It’s kind of depends on what you’re looking for but it can be really cheap or really expensive. I’ve got touring tires which is mean for just riding around and they have low noise and aid in gas mileage. The other type of tire is performance and that is not going to help with gas mileage and won’t provide a quiet ride. I didn’t make any decision or place any orders, just wanted to see what options I had. Oddly enough the same tire that I have was one of the recommended tires that I install. The warranty on the tire is 50,000 miles and I haven’t gotten anywhere close to that. More like 20,000, which is horrible considering they were a little over $300 per tire.

That’s all I know at the moment. Take care and I will talk with you peeps again soon!

Being Gay - what does it mean?

After the death of my spouse, I wrote a book.  It was therapeutic.  Below is a chapter taken from my book verbatim.  The book was written a few years ago but the general nugget of knowledge I am trying to impart still holds true today.  My hope is that this will help someone out there.  My belief in God has changed a bit over the years.  I am still somewhat on the fence.

I also decided to look up the definition of the word GAY and here’s what it says according to Dictionary.com

 

  

Being gay only applies to my sexuality and my sexual preference.  Outside of that, it doesn’t define who I am, what I like or anything else.  It just defines the sex of the person I want to have sexual relations with.  I know that there are people that say it’s wrong; it’s against the Bible, God Hates Fags, etc. My personal feeling is that gay people were created to be martyrs and when you discriminate, hate or treat us differently you are doing that to God.  For that, I believe those that do shall be punished.  I think that one day; we (gay people) will reap rewards for the hell we have been put through here on earth.  Now just because that is my opinion doesn’t make it so.  However, I don’t believe there is anything wrong with homosexuality.  I suppose I am biased there.  It’s how I was born and just like you can’t pick your parents you can’t pick your sexual preference.  It’s not a mental disease.  You are not sick or twisted.  You can’t pray the gay away.  You can’t convert yourself because while on the outside you may appear to be living a “straight” life inside your true desires for a person of the same sex linger.  That is something that no “straight” life will be able to quench.

Gay people who are trying to hide their secret become exceptionally good at deception and lying over time.  Some people might suspect but until you confirm it no one knows for certain.  Depending upon the circumstances, it is sometimes best to keep people guessing.     

If you are gay, the sooner you and those that love you come to terms with it the sooner you and they will be able to move forward in life.  Coming out is a very personal decision and something that you have to do when you feel it’s right.  If it’s never right, well then so be it. Don’t let anyone pressure you into something you don’t want to or aren’t ready to do.  

If you have thoughts of committing suicide, realize that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.  I understand that in the heat of the moment, with all of the pressure weighing on you, that you feel it’s your only option.  Stop and think about those around you, those that depend on you and how they will get by.  I’m certainly not a doctor or a mental health expert.  I mean if you’re bound and determined to take your own life and you won’t entertain opinions or thoughts from others or won’t reach out for help before you rush to your decision then there is very little I or anyone can do to stop you.  It’s like a runaway train.  Think of what it will do to whoever discovers your lifeless body.  Then there is also the possibility depending upon the method you have chosen, that you may not be successful and you could wind up having to live your life with a disability, disfigurement, etc.  There are a lot of factors to weight before rushing into a decision that will determine your future. 

Growing up gay is NOT easy.  People are always making fun of you because you are different.  I promise you that it does get better as you get older.  I hear college is a real fun time, I wouldn’t know because I never went.  Once you are an adult in the working world, I think is when you will find that things are truly as good as they are going to get.  Society as a whole is starting to come to terms with Equality.  Marriage isn’t for everyone but it’s nice that those of us that want to get married in many states can.  I think we are just mere years away from society viewing gay as becoming common place.  It’s like growing up with regular TV and then one day you get Cable and don’t realize how you ever lived without it.  I think society one day will wake up and say who cares and move on.  

I love to hear coming out stories.  They are often filled with drama but in the end, it’s about a person letting those they care about know their sexual preference.  Why do we (meaning gay people as a whole) feel compelled to share this?  I mean “straight” people don’t walk around and advertise that they are straight; it’s just something that is assumed.  I suppose it’s because we want and need acceptance and to know that no matter what those that we care about love us unconditionally.  

If I can help someone deal with their sexuality through this book that would be awesome.  I had next to no one there for me when I was feeling all of those strange feelings and thinking it was wrong.  Being raised Roman Catholic didn’t help either.  Talk about guilt!  

The bottom line is to talk to someone about your feelings.  Don’t let it go all bottled up because that is a recipe for disaster.  That applies to most problems in life.  Holding it in does no good and is self-destructive.  Do not think that you are all alone or that you are the first person to experience this because you are not.  I know there are many emotions that come with being gay.  So your different, you are as God wanted you to be.  Society today deals with that in a much more accepting way than when I was growing up. 

I encourage you to reach out and talk to someone.  If they won’t or don’t want to listen then move on to another person.  Consider looking online for resources.  There is a program for youth called The Trevor Project and they can and do help a lot of younger folks.  Talking is therapeutic and necessary for survival.    

Happy Monday

I am a little concerned about Bear.  He hasn’t peed since Saturday night, early Sunday morning.  Now I am sure that I will walk in the door tonight and he will have gone or go shortly after I arrive home.  I just don’t get how he can hold it that long.  I mean I have some mad bladder skills but eventually enough is enough and my body says it’s coming out like it or not, ready or not and presto it’s done.  I worry about him blocking again even though he is on food that dissolves the crystals.  I just love him so much and don’t want to lose him.  I’ve checked the camera and it kind of looks like he went but due to the view on camera of his special litter box with pee pads I can’t tell.

When I woke this morning I had more money in my checking account thanks to a state tax refund.  I am holding on to that and not touching it.  Waiting for the big fish from the IRS to be deposited and then I am going to start whacking credit card debt.  Tomorrow is pay day so tonight I get to pay bills.  Normally I don’t look forward to it but I kind of am right now.  I want this to work out so that I can get the toys and other things that I want but at the same time have some money left for savings.  Rainy days happen often and when you least expect them to.  It’s nice to have money stored away for when you really need it.  I’ve got enough credit to pay for most anything but you have to pay that back.  I remember when I was fresh out of Bankruptcy.  Cash or debit was my only option because I had no credit cards.  Now I’ve got several and while I am thankful for them and the convenience they offer, they can also be weapons to trap me in bondage and debt.  Debt is a part of life, I mean I’ll always have a mortgage and probably a car payment but outside of that I really would much rather pay cash for everything.  Life is just simpler and I can rest easier.  It just means I always have to have a receipt so I can keep track of my expenses and I’m pretty good about that today regardless of how I pay.  Accuracy in finance is essential.

Marv slept with me last night until the early hours of the morning and then I had to let him out.  I started him on a pill for diarrhea, then he got his regular prednisone and his antibiotic.  It was pills and liquid last night.  A good portion of the liquid wound up on the back door, but I know he got some of it in him.  I hope that I can bring him some comfort w/o having to lug him back to the vet.  They will want to do tests and those cost money.  Once he settled down Momma had the same problem.  So I gave her some liquid antibiotic.  They both hate it because it makes them slobber like no ones business.  They don’t want your help, they want to be left alone so they can work it out for themselves.  I try to help but they fuss and fight me.  Momma is big on her independence. It’s like hey I survived being outside, I am a tough old bird and I can take care of myself.  Yet she still clamors for attention just as they all do. 

Once I pried myself away from the keyboard and the ice cream container, I sat down on the couch a cushion away from Ruth.  She perked up quickly and discovered that Daddy could pet her.  So she moved closer and allowed me the privilege of scratching her back.  Then she ran away and quickly came back.  She never would jump back upon the couch no matter how much I asked her to.  She had to stay on the floor so she could sprint away from me when she had enough.  I keep hoping that she will warm up to me even more than she has but I don’t know that I will see that day.  She did flex her claws for me so I could see they were not over grown.  She will be due again for a trim next month and I really don’t look forward to it anymore than she does.  Wish I had a dart I could hit her with to knock her out, trim her claws and then wake her up.  I’d do that in a heartbeat rather than fighting with her.  I could also brush her much more easily.  My little dragon.  That is what she should have been named is Dragon.  No one in the animal kingdom in my house has a temper quite like hers.  I mean I am sure if you pushed them they would all react but Ruth it’s the littlest things that set her off. 

Supper tonight will be Lasagna from Maggiano’s, it’s in the fridge waiting for me.  I made a pizza last night so I have one piece left, I’ll enjoy that along with the pasta and then if there is room have some ice cream.  Wow that sounds so good and is probably the best I will eat all week.  Until the weekend. 

Happy Monday if there is such a thing.  Groundhog day is Thursday.  Winter thus far hasn’t been too bad.  Let’s hope that we get some spring soon, very anxious for that time of year.  Not anxious for the sneezing that goes with it but the warm up in temperatures will be a nice change.  Take care, stay warm, be well and I will talk with you all again soon. 

Fresh Start

New or Old reader ….Greetings and welcome!  For unknown reason Blogger decided to delete my old blogs.  I have been going through the appeal process to get them back, but with so many horror stories on the net I decided to cut my losses and start over.  Hopefully, this blog will be safe (crosses fingers) and be able to stay on-line for many years.  If you remember me you will recall that I had two blogs.  My main blog was on-line for around 7 years, so loosing all of those posts really hurt.  Not to mention the hours I spent designing this new site.  Time really passes quickly when your engrossed in a project.  The hard part for me was doing the tweaking and making sure everything was just perfect before I forged forward.

For the new folks, read my profile to learn about me.  Just in case you can’t tell by the name of the blog I am gay (shocker, I know).  I have a partner and we have been together for many, many years.  Our children are our cats, we have 7 of them.  1 Momma cat and her 4 kids.  The other two are strays that we took in.  Actually the one stray TAZ had been coming around for years and once we brought him in he brought along a friend.  His friend is male and has not been neutered yet, so he howls to go outside because he wants a female.  He sprays the house to mark his territory and TAZ is really his only friend in the cat world.  We love them all but they don’t all love each other and always get along.  Cat fights or disagreements are a little too frequent.  Someone is always hissing, which drives me absolutely crazy.

I am in the Technology field and have been unemployed for 16 months.  I have had plenty of interviews but no offers.  I suspect but can’t prove that the reason why it’s taken me so long is because one of the people I used as a reference was actually giving out bad information.  I only say I suspect that because last year and again this year I had to places interested in me.  Suddenly after they talked to this person they decided to hire someone else.  So I am now using a different reference in place of that person.  The problem right now is getting interviews.  Last year was great but this year not so much.  Funny thing is when all of this happened I thought it would be a couple months.  Boy was I wrong!

Given the fact that I have been living on unemployment and didn’t know any better, I tapped into my 401k.  That hurt me on taxes as well as wiping out a good portion of my retirement.  Fortunately I am young enough that if I get back to work soon, I will be able to save some of that back.  I am in the process of filing Bankruptcy.  It’s not like I wanted to but I am backed into a corner and really have no choice.  Turns out I didn’t need to touch my retirement after all because it’s protected and exempt from creditors.  Damn!  If I had only known that sooner I would be in less debt and have more savings.  When you know better, you do better.  So now I’m telling folks about it so they too are educated and if they are in my shoes they don’t touch what they have worked so hard to save for.

What can I expect to see here?  There will be some photos of guys on occasion.  I will be talking a lot about my life and what I am going through at the present time.  You will hear all about my partner, cats and what ever is on my mind.  I enjoy music a lot so you will see music videos.  Some advice and commentary on current events.  That is pretty much it in a nut shell.

I welcome your comments, feedback and suggestions.  Feel free to share anything.  Comment moderation is enabled so if you post something that you don’t want me to share with the rest of the world be sure to type in ***DO NOT POST***.  Otherwise, I will publish what you write. 

If your gay and just coming to terms with that or have questions about gay people, I am more than happy to help out with any advice.  I know it is not easy being gay, it can be a difficult thing for you to come to terms with, let alone dealing with how other people react when you tell them the news.  Younger guys hang in there when you grow up things are much better.  The important thing is that if your having any kind of problem be it sexual identity, bullying or whatever TALK to someone, DO NOT hold in your feelings.  That only makes things worse.  The hard part might be finding someone trustworthy.  If you want that person can be me.  Otherwise, seek out a parent, close friend or counselor. 

Well the hour is growing late and I need to prepare to turn in.  Thanks again for stopping by.  I hope to hear from you and see you here again real soon.  Take care!