I've been tagged...

...by Eric.

Five things about me:

1. Despite the fact that I'm a healthy eater, I like ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that's bad for you. I eat healthy because of my active lifestyle and because I like to be healthy, but I could sooo be a fattie!

2. I have commitment issues because of 1 bad relationship...and I hate that...

3. I've NEVER gone skinny dipping.

4. I have a hard time talking to people that I think are HOT (if I talk to them at all). Even if I have a couple of drinks in me, I'm very shy when it comes to that...

5. I don't tell people how much I workout/train (except on my triathlonlife blog, other triathletes, etc.). I "fib" a little and just tell parts of my workout if co-workers, friends, or family ask me. As other triathletes know, non triathletes think we are freaks. LOL.

Best of 2005

~started training for triathlons...
~...and found something I love
~learned how to swim...
~...and actually enjoy it
~1 duathlon, 1 10K, 1 marathon, and 2 sprint triathlons
~bought a condo
~made some really good friends

It might be a short list, but there is a LOT within the list! Yeah...2005 was a good year:)

Birthday Game

Your Birthdate: March 7

You are an island. You don't need anyone else to make you happy. And though you see yourself as a loner, people are drawn to you. Deep and sensitive, you tend to impress others with your insights. You also tend to be psychic - so listen to that inner voice! Your strength: Your self sufficiency Your weakness: You despise authority Your power color: Maroon Your power symbol: Hammer Your power month: July

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

...yeah, I'll buy into it;)

Section 102, Row U, Seat 24

I went to the Star94 T-Mobile Jingle Jam featuring Howie Day, Gavin Degraw, James Blunt, Jason Mraz, and Switchfoot (that was for you, TC;) ) last night. It was a kick@$$ concert! All of the performances were great!

Howie Day--just him and his guitar. He opened up with 5 songs. Acoustically, lyrically, vocally great!
Gavin Degraw--one of the main reasons I bought tickets. Soulful, a great singer/performer, simply awesome.
James Blunt--THE reason I bought tickets. He's my new favorite artist. Lyrics--awesome. Performance--awesome. He switched it up and did an acoustic version of a song that he normally plays on the piano. Freakin' kick@$$!!!
Jason Mraz--the biggest surprise performance (for me). You can just tell that he loves to be on stage and sing his heart out. Period. He's just doing his thing...and enjoying every minute of it!
Switchfoot--your typical rock band. Great songs and performance.

Here are some interesting things that happened at the concert:

~One of the Star94 promotions employees was proposed to...on stage! It was just so sweet. You could tell that the guy was hella nervous! What guts! He professed his love and proposed to her in front of 13,000 people!!!
~A mother (30ish, I would say) and her 2 boys (around 5 and 8) were sitting in front of us. The 5 year old was a little entertainer! He was shaking and moving with the best of 'em. So cute.
~A couple came and sat in front of us right before the 4th act came on. They were a young (in college), attractive couple. He turns around to me and asks, "Jason Mraz is coming on, right? And James Blunt just performed. And that's it, right??" I said, "yes, but Howie Day and Gavin Degraw have already performed..." He started freaking out--in a disappointed way, not a freakish way. Apparently, they had really bought the ticket to see Gavin Degraw and driven from Tuscaloosa! They had forgotten to account for the time change. I felt so bad for them...
~During one of the stage changes, a guy in one of the floor seats started dancing like a maniac to Usher's "Yeah". All of a sudden, all you could hear were people cheering and looking at this guy shake his groove thang. He was on the 2 big screens and all. It was great!
~Both Gavin and the lead singer of Switchfoot went out into the crowd and made a lot of teenage girls happy:)

Line of the Day

*set scene* ...a huge gift basket is sitting at the front desk for the company. It's from one of our vendors... 4 of us are rummaging through it

Me: *opens the "snow balls"--white chocolate covered pretzel balls*
"Of course I pick the balls out of the whole basket!"

L and I bust out laughing...

Stop laughing at me!

The person I am referring to is God. I'm sure he was rolling on the ground...er...clouds?...with laughter this morning. For the past week or so, I've been greeted with a sheet of frost/ice on my windshield in the mornings. So, I usually turn the defroster on and use the windshield wiper fluid to "melt" it off. Well, I was quite proud of myself this morning when I came up with an "ingenious" idea--yes, after a week of this, I finally came up with and idea (only after I'd used up all of the windshield wiper fluid!). I was gonna take a pitcher of warm water out with me so that it would melt instantly! Brilliant!

So...yeah...I walk out to my car this morning...pitcher of warm water in hand...to a frost/ice free car! Cruel. Just cruel.

And I know what you're saying...(as someone else has already said)..."as an FYI, there is this new invention in the marketplace...it's called an ice scraper." Yeah yeah, but my car has been garaged up until this point, thanks! And when it wasn't garaged a couple of years in college, I would use a cd case--lol. And no, not a credit card--I cringe at the thought of *that* valuable piece of plastic breaking! *gasp*

Things that make me happy

~finishing my first marathon
~music
~discovering a great new cd
~the feel of the brisk, cold air
~the laughter of my niece and nephew
~being in good company
~setting personal goals for myself
~...and accomplishing them
~wine
~getting tickets to a concert
~...with 5 of my favorite bands/artists
~running
~...in the park
~biking
~swimming
~anything active
~my beta fish (Benny the Beta)
~...who has lived for over 3.5 years!
~really getting to know people
~catching up with a good friend
~coffee
~cheesecake...mmmm...
~seeing people run
~couples who act like they just met
~seeing people happy

Simply put

'The core element running through my songs is the lonely path one walks through life, the connections you make, and the thoughts that you don't generally share with people. The songs are about life experiences that anyone can identify with. It's just about being a human being. And people seem to be connecting with that.' - James Blunt

I heard his song, You're Beautiful, for the first time today. Wow. Some people just have a way of putting into words the way most people feel. Brilliant.

My life is brilliant.
My love is pure.
I saw an angel.
Of that I'm sure.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won't lose no sleep on that,
'Cause I've got a plan.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.

Yeah, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
Fucking high,
And I don't think that I'll see her again,
But we shared a moment that will last till the end.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
There must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up that I should be with you.
But it's time to face the truth,
I will never be with you.

If you haven't checked it out, do. I'm going home and download his cd from iTunes.

Why, oh why?

A little character building about the 2 female co-workers that are about to be mentioned. Both of them are married, in their early 40's, not particularly attractive (but not totally unfortunate looking), etc. On with the story...

As I walk into the kitchen here at work, I see said female co-workers talking at the counter. One goes over to the microwave and pulls out a long, warm, thermal heating pad. She proceeds to put it on the other woman's neck and then around mine. Mmmm, felt good. As I inquire about the use of it, she goes on to say that her back has been hurting and that this pad makes it feel better.

Me: My mom had back surgery when she was younger and has had lower back problems. She had this long (about 3 ft), tubular, battery operated massager that really helps.
Co-worker: Well, I don't have one of those... I have a battery operated massager...oh...I dunno what shape...

All I could think about was a "female pleasure" device. I just wanted to run out of the kitchen with my hand in the air, screaming bloody murder. I hope to goodness that I am wrong about the "massager" she was referring to...

Where's the line?

About 2.5 months ago, 2 of my friends took a roadtrip out to California to visit one of the guy's brother. The intended plan was a 2 week roadtrip. Unbeknownst to one of them, the other one had been talking with a guy on line before the trip. Once out there, they met up and got along really well. This lead to him staying in Cali for a total of a month and the other one flying back at the scheduled time. Once back in Atlanta, my friend was very bummed and sad cause he had to be back here, blah blah blah. The next thing we know, the "internet guy" has packed up and moved to Atlanta!

Flag #1 - how many 28 year olds do you know who can just pick up and move cross country (literally) without ANY commitments or obligations??? Job? Apt? Bills? etc. I'm 25 and I couldn't even think about doing that!

Flag #2 - he moves out here without a car, job, place to live, a plan, etc.

Flag #3 - he moves in with my friend from the get-go! They'd only known each other for like 2-2.5 weeks!

Ok, ok...so my friends and I decide to give this guy a fair, clean slate. I'm a little skeptical, but who am I to judge, right? Fast forward 6 weeks and nothing has changed. No job, no car, no plan... Finally, he got a job that he started on Monday of this week...very close to where I work. Here is where it gets interesting... Saturday night, he pulls me aside and asks if I would mind if he rides with me... Me, being the nice guy that I am, told him that I don't mind picking him up, but that he would have to arrange a ride home because I go to the gym after work. Then, I start talking with my other friends and they all have a different take on the whole situation... "G works from home, why doesn't he f-ing take and pick him up from work?!?! It's *his* bf and *his* responsibility!" "G is just f-ing this guy and shoving him off on us just because it's inconvenient for him (G)!" "It's his problem that his bf moved out here without a car, not ours." etc. Apparently, they had asked some of our other friends to "help out." So, here's my question:

Where is the line between "being a good friend" and being taken advantage of? They didn't offer to give me gas money or anything. I see what my friends are saying, but I hadn't really thought about it. Am I being a pushover or just a good friend?

What's up with...

...the combining of celebrity names???

Vaughniston = Jennifer Aniston + Vince Vaughn
Tomkat = Tom Cruise + Katie Holmes
Bennifer = Ben Affleck + Jennifer Lopez
BenGar = Ben Affleck + Jennifer Garner

+ more that I can't think of. I just don't get it...

The worst part...is that I even care...

The Biggest Loser...for me...

= The Biggest Baby.

While watching The Biggest Loser tonight, I realized that I am The. Biggest. Baby. During the first part of the episode, I was balling like a little b!+@#. I've never considered myself much of a crier or really emotional, but I guess I have been lately. During the episode, the contestants competed in an "immunity challenge." If they won, they were guaranteed immunity from being voted off and they got a "reward." As they unveiled the rewards that they would receive, I balled like a little baby. The unveiled reward was a loved one. Whether it be a husband or wife or child or parent, it was an emotional reunion. You could just see the shear joy and love that each of them felt for their loved one.

Just good television, folks.

Yada Yada Yada

~I hate the saying, "the grass is always greener on the other side." While I *know* that we all *think* it is, we all know that it really isn't. It just *seems* greener, people! You know what I want to do to the guy who came up with this saying? I want to take a dump on *his* grass.

~I was bored the other night, so I went to MTV.com to check out some videos that I hadn't seen yet. I'm in love...with...Kelly Clarkson! Her videos for "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and "Because of You" are great! She looks great, the concepts are great, the songs are great...just GREAT!

~Online dating services like Match.com or E-Harmony...do you actually know anyone that has a success story from said sites??? Sure, you see the commercials with couples boasting about these sites claiming that they have "found 'the one'", but do you actually KNOW said couple??? I've heard dating stories that have gone awry due to meeting from these sites, but I--and no one that I know--don't know any success stories... Someone should do a study on this...success vs. failure. BUT...I'm willing to bet that said sites wouldn't be too keen about the findings of said study...

~For the past week, we have had a cold front come through Atlanta. To me, it's a nice, refreshing, crisp change. To others, this means that you need to put the heat on full blast, bring out the heavy parka, drink coffee/hot tea/hot cocoa for the sole purpose to keep warm, etc. Get a grip, people! Shesh!

~The world is ending. You heard it here first, folks...

A new look

With the lack of "post worthy" entries, I decided to change the look of my blog:) Enjoy!

10 things that made this past weekend great

• Laying on a blanket in the park after my run...soaking up all of this wonderful weather, people watching, vegging out...just enjoying the day:)
• Not having to cook at all this weekend. If I didn't eat out with friends, I was at a housewarming party or a dinner party. Alotta great food this weekend...yummy!
• Driving around with all of my windows down, sunroof open, sunglasses on, radio turned up, singing...ahhhh...
• Meeting new people who have the potential to turn into some really good friends.
• Sitting around a large dining room table drinking wine, munching on appetizers, and talking with good friends.
• Laying on large sofas with friends and watching X-Men 2 on a 60" HDTV.
• Drinking Mimosas and Bloody Mary's with old and new friends at a housewarming party on a sunny, crisp Sunday afternoon.
• Walking barefoot on the grass at the park listening to Coldplay on my iPod.
• Eating a Willy's burrito and drinking a frozen margarita outside with friends.
• The weather. Period.

Follow Through

Oh, this is the start of something good
Don't you agree?
I haven't felt like this in so many moons
You know what I mean?
And we can build through this destruction
As we are standing on our feet
So, since you want to be with me
You'll have to follow through
With every word you say
And I, all I really want is you
You to stick around
I'll see you everyday
But you have to follow through
You have to follow through
These reeling emotions they just keep me alive
They keep me in tune
Oh, look what I'm holding here in my fire
This is for you
Am I too obvious to preach it?
You're so hypnotic on my heart
So, since you want to be with me
You'll have to follow through
With every word you say
And I, all I really want is you
You to stick around
I'll see you everyday
But you have to follow through
You have to follow through
The words you say to me are unlike anything
That's ever been said
And what you do to me is unlike anything
That's ever been
Am I too obvious to preach it?
You're so hypnotic on my heart
So, since you want to be with me
You'll have to follow through
With every word you say
And I, all I really want is you
(For) you to stick around
I'll see you everyday
But you'll have to follow through
With every word you say
An I, all I really want is you
(For) you to stick around
I'll see everyday
But you have to follow through
You have to follow through
You're gonna have to follow
Oh, this is the start of something good
Don't you agree?

My new favorite song right now.

FREAK!

There is something that I need to address that just freaks me out. The particular gym location that I go to is quite busy. During "peak" times, they feel the need to pay a guy who "monitors" the locker room. He's an older gentleman--around his mid-50's, I would say. Ok, first of all--WHY do we need someone to "monitor" the locker room AT ALL??? What do they think is gonna happen? I just don't get it... He literally just stands at the entrance and walks around the locker room lurking about. This alone freaks me out.

On several occasions, I'll put my towel down on the floor beside my locker to go get water or a plastic bag. When I get back to my locker, he's already snatched my towel and put it in the "lost and found"!!!! WTF?!?!?! Dude, I was gone for like 5 seconds! Do you just follow everyone who walks into the locker room? This freaks me out AND annoys the crap out of me.

On top of being creepy, he's also a "bible banger." People who try to shove religion or their beliefs down other people's throats annoy me...period. I think that religion/faith/spirituality is something that is individual to everyone. If I want to be preached at, I'll go to church--thanks. He always inserts a religious note into his conversations. "So, where do you go to church?" or "well, the way I see it, God..." or "the bible says..." Totally inappropriate...and freaky...and icky.

He really put the icing on the cake yesterday. As usual, he was grossly meandering around the locker room when he decides to stop and chat it up with this particular gentleman. Mind you, said gentleman was getting undressed and obviously getting ready to take a shower. Did this stop him? Nope. They had apparently exchanged pleasantries earlier and he felt the need to continue...AT THIS VERY MOMENT...as this man was taking off his tighty whities!!! He started to make his way to the showers before the "monitor" quit talking! Invasion of privacy? Yes. Personal space? He has no concept of this. Common courtesy? Has none.

Freak.
Gross.
Ewww.

Music...makes the people...come together

Isn't it funny how a song can change over time? Sometimes you can hear a new single, love it, then quickly grow sick of it because the radio plays it over and over and over...and over. Sometimes you can hear a new single, sorta kinda not really like it, but then grow to love it. Then there is the "moo" song--you don't like or dislike it...it's just "moo"--like a cow's opinion (it doesn't mean anything)--yes, this "moo" concept is from Friends ;)

Well, I was with one of my friends this past weekend when a "moo" song (to me) came on the radio. This was one of his favorite songs. It was interesting to see how his love for said song made me change the way I heard the song. Now, everytime I hear this song, I go back to that moment in time when he was singing at the top of his lungs and acting goofy. This song will forever be "his" song. It's not that I necessarily like the song any more or less--I just have a new association with it.

I was channel surfing the other night and came across Keith Urban's concert on CMT. He's one of my favorite country artists, but it's now on a new level. When he sang "You'll Think of Me," you could see his passion and the hurt he must have felt when he was going through this break up. He sang the country version, not the "pop" version, which is a little longer. Now, I like the song even more than I did before.

That's another thing I love about music...the associations that you put with a certain song...it just takes ya back:) Good times...

What's been up?

~I’ve been arguing with the condo mgmt about the leak from my upstairs neighbor. It has leaked into my unit twice now and they insist that it isn’t coming from anywhere upstairs. They finally actually took a look at her washing machine drainage pipe and found out that it was in fact hooked up improperly. No, I was just making it all up…GEEZ!!! They had to cut through her drywall, so that might have been what they were trying to avoid. Sucks to be them!

~Busy busy busy at work…

~I went over to a friend’s apt to watch the UGA game on Saturday. It ended up just being him and me, but it was fun. Beer and chips:) Then, he invited me to a cookout at his sister’s house. His sis, bro-in-law, and parents were all there. It was only the second time I’d met them, but they treated me like they’d known me forever. More beer, hamburgers, chips, etc. Good times:)

~The Fall tv line-up has once again sucked me in. The Amazing Race, How I Met Your Mother, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Related, Twins, Nip/Tuck, Will and Grace, Ghost Whisperer…just to name a few…

~Nothing on the dating front. When it rains, it pours…when it’s dry, it’s bone dry…

~The only numbers I’ve gotten in the past week or 2 have been from girls. ??? Hello?!?!?!

~In the past week, I’ve been asked to take in a stray puppy and kitten (on different occasions). By the time I finally decided to give in, it was too late. Maybe that’s a sign… I *do* want a pet, but do I want the responsibility??? I don’t think so right now. I’ll stick to Benny the Beta for right now;)

~With the events of the past week or 2, I’ve come to the conclusion that being a grown up sucks… Ahhh…to be a kid again…

It could be worse...

I'm feelin' down today...this past weekend wasn't the best...

Let me recount all the things that went wrong...

I went out with some friends on Friday night. The bar/club/lounge that we went to was packed, so I had to park in a gravel lot. This lot is lit, but the outer edges are slightly sloped down. Being limited on the parking, I decided to back into one of the only spaces available. As I was leaving, I was on the phone talking to one of my friends--I was not intoxicated. Well, as I moved my right foot from the brake to the accelerator, I reversed into the concrete base of a light post. Yeah. I went to go get an estimate today...at least $2550.

Last night, I went to bed around 11:15. As I lay in bed, I heard the sound of running water. I just thought it was one of my neighbors flushing the toilet or something. As I waited for it to stop, it didn't. I jumped out of bed and ran into the kitchen where I saw water coming down the wall. While freaking out, I got some towels and pans. It wasn't nearly as bad as it coulda been, tho--pretty minimal. I went up to the unit above me to see what was going on. She had just moved in on Friday and was doing some laundry. Her washing machine apparently wasn't hooked up properly. While we were exchanging info, we heard a knock on her door--it was her neighbor. The water had leaked into her unit, too. So, all-in-all, 4 units were affected... I finally got back in bed around 12:30.

(fast forward to 4am...)
I'm awakened by the sound of my neighbor "partying it up" at 4am on a Monday morning!!! WFT?!?!?! I could hear at least 3 different voices. This is the same neighbor that I never see! I finally fall back asleep around 5 and then my alarm went off at 7. I normally turn my radio alarm off, but this morning...no way! I blared it without any regard. Paybacks a BIATCH!!!

So, bummed about my car...no sleep...hella busy here at work...other things...I'm a little down...

I did come across something yesterday that I have been trying to focus on today when I start to feel down again. I went for my usual run at the park, but I noticed that it was way more crowded. The Breast Walk was taking place. After my run, I just sat in a shady patch of grass and watched all the walkers go by. They were focused on a much bigger cause than their everyday lives. It makes ya think...

It could be worse...I *am* lucky...

10 things people might not know about me

1. I went through a "husky" phase when I was younger--around middle school time frame.
2. I think I'm a boring person.
3. I sing everywhere and all the time...except in the shower.
4. I've only been in love, truly in love, once.
5. I like to flirt...
6. ...but can't if I think the other person is really REALLY...REALLY cute.
7. I'm very hard on myself.
8. I want kids one day.
9. Sometimes I think I'm fat...sometimes I don't.
10. I talk to myself...but I'm not crazy...seriously, I'm not! LOL.

TGI(almost)F

Odd things that happened to me last night (in no particular order):

~I went out. I usually don't go out during the week, but one of my friends called me at 10pm to meet him and another one of our friends out. The other friend had just moved back to Atlanta and I hadn't seen him yet, so I felt like I really needed to go socialize.

~I got felt up by said friend. He said things like,
"The last time I saw you, you were a boy. I come back and now you're a man" Dude--it's only been a year or so...
"You look bigger..." This is said as he's feeling my chest...which he did all night.
"Dang, you've beefed up!" I didn't know that this was noticeable, but it's nice to know that it is:)

~A group of 3 asian guys were walking towards us and one stopped and said "hey" like he knew me and proceeded to give me a hug. WTF!?!? Just cause I'm asian I'm supposed to know you??? Don't think so, dude! I just stood there as he gave me a hug with a "I don't know who the F you are" look on my face. He went on his way. LOL. That's right, BIATCH! Keep on walking!

~I felt very popular last night. I saw people I hadn't seen in forever. I would classify then as acquaintances more than friends, but it was nice to catch up with everyone. It's odd, but I didn't realize that I "knew" so many people--LOL.

~One of my friends was being stalked by a guy. No matter where we went, he was sure to follow. He finally mustered up the nerve to stand right next to us and then proceeded to talk to C. He bought all 3 of us a shot--SCORE! BUT...C was soooo not interested. After some ignoring, the guy got the hint and left.

~I got felt up by a drag queen. Ewww! Why do middle-aged drag queens feel like they can prey on 20 somethings? After she/he started moving towards the abs, I quickly let her/him know that this was not ok! Go prey on some other 20 something cause I'm not having it! Ewww!

~I was late to work this morning. Here's the thing...I set my alarm for 6:20am and I awoke this morning at 7:57am. My alarm did NOT go off and I don't believe the power went out. This has happend at least 3 times since I've lived in my condo. I had previously chalked it up to the power going out during the night, but I don't think this is the case. Is there a ghost that lives in my place who turns my alarm off? Odd...

3 Strikes for Bottled Water

A while back, I had heard an “expert” on the radio who claimed that bottled water was making people sick. He went on to explain that there are “good bacteria” in tap water that helps your body fight off common sicknesses. Strike #1 for bottled water, but I didn’t take too much heed in this.

Well…yesterday, a co-worker sent this link around: http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DentalHealth/tb/1756

It basically says that bottle water is contributing to a rise in cavities because it lacks the fluoride that tap water naturally has. Strike #2 for bottled water.

Bottle water costs money and tap water doesn’t. Strike #3.

3 strikes and you’re out, folks. I usually walk over to the other side of our office to get filtered water, but no more. From now on, it’s the water fountain for me. Plus, I figure that people got along just fine without filtered or bottled water since the beginning of time, so why change it if it ain’t broke?

My "Seven's"

Going along with RQOTD's post, here are my "seven's".

1) Seven things I plan to do before I die
~as many Ironman’s as I can
~travel to all 7 continents
~do something I love (professionally)
~be the best Uncle I can be
~live life to the fullest
~become fluent in Spanish
~live in another country for a while

2) Seven things I can do well
~run
~sing (I think…)
~sleep
~cuddle
~eat
~avoid things (confrontation)
~spend money

3) Seven things I can’t do at all (or hardly)
~rollerblade
~suck up to people
~lie
~hurt someone’s feelings intentionally
~be rude outright
~carry on a conversation with just anyone
~settle or be settled for

4) Seven celebrity crushes
~Steve Sandvoss
~Brad Pitt
~Michael Vartan
~Tom Welling
~Colin Ferrell
~Josh Hartnett
~ Britney (she's trash now, but pre-trashy husband, she was hot)

5) Seven things I say most often
~Yeah
~Seriously
~...just kidding…
~Alrighty
~Ewww
~”I was at the gym and…”
~Really?

6) Seven things that attract me to men
~idiosyncrasies
~they have to be funny to me
~and cute to me
~eyes
~can carry on an intelligent conversation
~smile
~a good heart

7) Seven things I’m listening to
~anything Kelly Clarkson
~specifically “Because of You”
~and “Gone”
~anything Coldplay
~Sara Evan “A Real Fine Place”
~Josh Gracin “Stay With Me”
~anything Sister Hazel

*My* cheesy commercial

*set scene*

1GAR accelerates as he merges onto I-75S. Out of his peripheral vision, he sees a Honda that he’s never seen before. In an attempt to get a closer look at this car, he changes 3 lanes of traffic and accelerates next to the foreign vehicle. He looks over…ah…the new Honda Civic coupe. After getting a good look, he accelerates past and goes about his destination.

*end scene*

I’ve often watched commercials similar to this and thought, “who *really* does that???” Apparently, I do…

Friendships?

The trip out to California was something I just couldn’t pass up. One of our vendors that we do A LOT of business with was showing their appreciation to all of their top accounts with an all expenses paid trip. My account was one of those, so hence my trip out there. The only “business” we had to do out there was an hour tour of their campus. Free trip…an hour tour…too good to pass up! As an added bonus, we got to bring a guest, too! Score! I decided to take my friend Jennifer.

A little background…

I met her my Sophomore year in college. She lived across the hall from me at O-House, and we fastly became friends. Throughout college, people constantly assumed that we went out because we were always together—little did they know…lol. She was the first person I came out to. Even though she is a year older than me, I graduated a year before she did—yeah, you do the math—LOL. Since college, we haven’t stayed as close as I would like. I moved to Atlanta…she got married and moved to Savannah. We talk on the phone now and then, but life has just gotten in the way. Jobs, location, etc.

Well, when thinking about who I wanted to take on this trip, it wasn’t even a question. I automatically called her up and told her that she was going—lol. We both wanted to “re-live” the D.C. trip that we took during Spring Break of my Junior year. Two of the other people that were supposed to go with us had backed out, so it was just the 2 of us. We had a blast! We had originally planned on a 5 day trip, but due to a snow storm coming through D.C., it ended up being a weekend trip. No worries…we still had a great time.

I had a good time with her, but I don’t think I would go on another trip with her. She freaks out about flying, she got nauseous on the ferry rides to and from the island, she complained a lot, she never once said “thank you” for inviting her, she stayed in the room a lot reading, she didn’t once go swimming cause it was “too cold”…I could go on…

Things I learned on this trip with her:
~people change…
~…in good ways and bad
~never try to “re-live” past events
~don’t fly with someone who hates to fly (especially since I love to…)

A bird's eye view

No matter how much I fly, I still feel like a little kid at heart. I’ve done my fair share of flying, but I still have the awe and amazement of a first time flyer. I’ve heard the “I’ve done it so many times now that I don’t think twice about it” comments, but I don’t think I’ll ever get to that point. Without fail, I make sure that I have a window seat so that I can soak up all of the incredible views. I take a carry-on bag full of stuff to do during the flight (iPod, books, magazines, etc.), but I rarely open it to utilize its contents. Instead, I sit in my window seat glued to my bird’s eye view of the earth below. The geometric shapes…the cotton-like clouds…the bluest shades of blues…is this how a bird feels? We should all be so lucky. Will I ever get tired of it? I hope not…

Things I can't get enough of

~cheese...I've been on a cheese kick for quite some time now. It's just odd cause before this little kick, I was never a huge cheese eater. I've always liked it, just didn't have to have it. Is my body trying to make up for lost time?

~Kelly Clarkson...no matter how much they play her on the radio or how much I listen to her on my iPod, I can't get enough of her music! She is fastly becoming one of my favorite artists...

~drama...it just seems that my life is getting bogged down with dating drama lately. I've never been the type to "date around," but it seems to be the case lately. I realize that I have a hand in this whole situation, so I need to handle this thing head on...

~DHC...Discovery Health Channel...plastic surgery, trauma, twins, oddities...I can't get enough...

~Healthy Choice Pizzas...these things rock! All the taste of a real pizza without the bad stuff:)

~trying new restaurants...you would think that I've come into some money or something...nope.

~trying new wines...this is in no way methodical...if I like it, it's a good wine:)

~runs in the park...fresh air + exercise + my iPod = good for the soul:)

~family and friends...this just goes without saying:)

I wanna...

...understand why things happen
...travel all over the world
...know what I wanna do when I grow up
...career that I have a passion for
...not have a care in the world
...be independently wealthy
...say what I mean
...do some things over
...find "the one"
...be fluent in other languages
...stop judging myself
...leave work and enjoy this beautiful day

Just now...

I wrote my first mortgage check on Sunday...

BAM!

It hit me--I'm an *adult* now. I'm 25 and I'm just *now* feeling like an adult--LOL. It's a crazy crazy world we live in...hehe.

An All-Time Low...

On my way back from running at the park on Sunday, I decided to stop by the Kroger on my way home to do my weekly shopping. This isn't the normal one I go to, but it was on the way. To my surprise, a new Starbucks "station" has been added...inside Kroger!!! Can the gays not live without Starbucks to go grocery shopping?!?!? It's just ridiculous...

What next? OH, I know...a Starbucks in LA Fitness (cause none of the guys that go to that location actually workout--LOL) . What is that, you say?

Well, 1GAR, there is a Starbucks right outside that LA Fitness...

...and you think *that* matters?! HA! Just wait, just you wait...

I C

If I hear another freakin' radio commercial about I C*, I'm gonna go crazy!!! Why are the airwaves bombarded with it all of a sudden?!?!

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

*if you don't know what I C is, then you have apparently not been listening to the radio (lucky dog)*

Routine, or the lack thereof

Like I’ve said many times before, I’m a creature of habit. I’m not *rigid* about it, just merely routine really. For example, when I workout, I usually try to put my things in the same locker. This is for a couple of reasons. One, so that it is as “thoughtless” as possible and I don’t have to “think” about where my stuff is. Secondly, I just go to that locker without even thinking about it. Having said all this, I haven’t been as “routine” with my training. Sometimes I’ll go in the morning one day, at lunch the next, after work another, or a mixture of the following. Well, yesterday, I went after work. I normally put my stuff on the bottom set of lockers—this time it was the top. I normally put them on the right side of the U-shaped isle—this time it was on the left. So, it was just all backwards for me. I finish my workout and go to my locker to get my stuff and leave. I had just gotten back from the pool, so I was wet and in my shorts-style speedos. I went to my locker and twisted the knob with my combo…nothing. Sometimes you have to do my lock twice, so I just did it again. Nothing. I tried to open this lock 4 more times before I realized that this wasn’t my locker! I proceed to where my locker is…did the combo once…it opened. DOH!

Isn't it funny...

...how the show "Top 10 Most Beautiful Homes" is a SCAM!!! This show isn't true to it's name. If it were, then you woulda just seen the ONE show and that woulda been it. Just those 10. But no, this is a weekly show that shows 10 homes EVERY week. So, it should really be called "The Most Beautiful Home"...period.

...that the title of my blog is "One Guy's Anonymous Rants," but every one of my posts are posted with my name. Hrmmm...

...that I've had my reversible duvet cover for about 3 years now, but I've never "reversed" it. I finally got a wild hair up my butt and did it. A whole new bedroom ensemble just like that! Viola!

...that you can be all geared up to do something one day and then not want to do it when the time comes? I bought all this car washing stuff (bucket, special car washing mits, tire shine, car soap, brushed for the tires) on Friday with every intention to wash it this weekend. My condo has a "car center" with a pressure hose and vacuum--it's quite nice. Well...yeah...Saturday came and went...and Sunday was just so busy with regular chores and errands...the car didn't have a chance. Poor Hazel Orangello (the name is for another post--LOL)...

...that I go grocery shopping every Sunday, but never feel like cooking that night. I have a refridgerator, freezer, and pantry full of food, but I don't cook. And not to mention that I have more time to cook than I would during the week. Nope. The microwave does the cooking--LOL.

...how you can meet somone a time or two (or not at all), but chat with them all the time online, and feel like you "know" them? I don't know if you would call them a 'friend" in the traditional sense, but they are sorta. Technology...it's a crazy thing.

A Good Deed

As most of y'all already know, I had some trouble with my mail. Long story short--I was given the wrong mailbox keys when I finished with my closing. I didn't discover this little oversight until after about a month of living here. Anyway, I have just now gone through all of the junk mail when I came across your standard "movers envelope." Inside, it was mostly junk...except for the valuable Kroger coupons. On this folded over "lottery ticket" were 3 "$5.00 off of a $35 or more purchase" and a free carton of eggs. Woohoo! Jackpot! I go to Kroger every Sunday to do my weekly shopping, and I always drop about $50 no matter what I buy--odd, I know, but it always ends up this way... So, knowing my shopping habits, I knew that one of these coupons would expire before I could use it (expires Aug. 31, 2005)--BUMMER!

Anyway, I go to the store today to do my weekly shopping. I get to the checkout line and the ringer finished ringing all my stuff up--yup, right around $50! So, as I'm putting the 2 other coupons in my wallet, I decided to do a nice deed. I turn to the young lady behind me and ask, "Would you like this coupon? It'll just go to waste otherwise..." The look of utter surprise and genuine thankfulness was worth it right there. It was only $5 off, but the gesture means more than the actual face value. We chatted for a bit...me saying she looked like she had more than $35 there and her agreeing, the hot as Hates weather, and some more small talk before I left and she thanked me again.

Isn't it sad that a nice gesture is so lost in today's society? Well, I did my part:) Karma, right? It feels good to make a total stranger smile...

Keep it straight!***

Upon talking with some of my straight guy friends, I've come to a conclusion. There is only one thing (other than who you find attractive) that separates gay and straight men: mental processes vs vocal expression. Let me explain... I've come to realize that both groups *think* the same things on certain issues, straight men just never express it vocally. They are too afraid that they might be perceived as "gay".

Some examples:

• I honestly believe that men can distinguish a good-looking man from an ugly one. My thought process on this is simple: a guy can CERTAINLY pick a pretty girl from an ugly one, right? Heck yeah! AND...guys will be the first one to point out an "ugly dude." But alas, straight men will NEVER say, "yeah, that guy is cute." The closest that they will get to ever acknowledging another guys good looks is, "yeah, I can see how you would think he's cute"--and this is only said by the utmost secure guy. But the sad thing is this--if a guy were to ever say that another guy is good-looking, he would automatically be considered gay, no question. Why? Girls say that other girls are pretty ALL the time and they are never accused of being lesbians--but guys LOVE the lesbianic action! Double standard? I think so...
• You will never hear a straight guy say, "I'm getting fat." Instead, you will hear them joke about "how much hard work it takes to get "this" (puts hands on belly)" or "I don't have a six pack, I have the brewerybrewry", etc. The straight guys that I know are conscience of weight gain, they just never put it in terms that would be considered "gay" or "girlie".
• When getting ready to go out, both gay and straight men are conscious of their physical appearance. A gay man will ask whether a certain shirt makes him look fat or if the belt looks okay with his outfit. A straight guy may look at himself in a mirror for several minutes debating whether his outfit looks ridiculous or stylish, however under no circumstance will he ever solicit advice on fashion from any of his male friends.
• Straight guys DO get bloated--they just vocalize it in terms of gas. There is one exception to this rule, however. Straight men are much more vocal when it comes to human defecation. A group of gay men may be hanging out together one night and one of them may have the sudden urge to use the restroom. He will most likely sneak away from the group, do his business, and return shortly after. Straight men feel as though they need to announce that they've got a "turtlehead about to pop out" and that they have to go take a dump before they go in their pants. Additionally, a detailed description of the feces is often given by straight men and they are somehow proud of this fact.
• Under no circumstance will a straight guy admit if he likes a song that is sung by a boy band or a "girlie, pop singer" (ie Britney, Christina)--and definitely not Madonna or Cher!!! LOL. And if a straight does like the song, then he feels weird about it. Why??? It's just a song people! Just because you happen to find a song catchy and start singing along to it doesn't mean that you are going to spontaneously start liking guys! LOL.

There are more examples, I'm sure, but this is all I could come up with right now. Have one? Share.

...and don't even get me started on Metrosexuals! They just mess things up for everyone! LOL.

***this was in corroborative effort with Chris***

Unneeded...Unwanted...Uninvited

Talking with many of my friends and co-workers, I've found a common theme throughout--no matter if you are married, single, live close/far from mom and dad, etc:

Family stress

Case in point: My mom calls me today as I'm leaving from work in a panic.

"Call your sister! She's lost in Athens and I don't know what directions to give her! She won't stop to ask for directions! Call her cell--do you have it?"

No, she's my sister--I don't have her cell number! Hello?!?! So, I call my sister and she just chats it up. Panic was not in her voice... We chat for a bit and she tells me where she is, etc. I eventually get her on the right way home and we hang up moments later after catching up. Why does my mom feel the need to over-exaggerate things? This isn't the first time she's called me with a situation like this. One time, my sister was lost in Atlanta and I was chosen as the "phone a friend" option to get her back on her merry way. Am I their personal MapQuest?!?! Apparently so. This is just unneeded stress for me AND my mom AND my sister. All the way around, just unneeded! URGH!

And then, if it's not this, it's something else.

"When are you coming home to visit?"

Ummm...it goes both ways. Plus, I have my *own* life that I live from time to time, too.

AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!

Rules???

This past weekend was unlike many weekends for 1GAR--(why did I just refer to myself in the 3rd person?!?!?!). Anyway, I have to preface this post with a couple of thoughts. When you break up with someone, it’s sort of an unwritten rule that the friends that they brought to the table goes with them and vice versa, right? Well, when J and I broke up, that’s what “naturally” happened. We had a core group of friends that was comprised from both his and my pre-dating life. We tried the whole “let’s hang out and be friends” thing, but it just didn’t work. So, I was already in Atlanta and started making some new friends and he was in Athens with his. As time went on, his said friends gradually started moving to Atlanta. I would see them out every now and then and we would do the whole “we should get together and catch up” thing. This never really came to fruition—mainly because of the said “unwritten rule” rule.

Well, with my move back to Atlanta and trying new things thing, I’d decided to let go of all that petty crap and just let things progress normally. Upon going out with some friends one evening, I ran into some of these said friends. We chatted and caught up, blah blah blah. They genuinely wanted to get together and hang out, so I went with it. While J and I had gone out, his friends and I came to be really good friends, so why not, right? For the month that I’ve been back, I’ve hung out with said friends on a weekly, sometimes more, basis.

***ok…to the point of this entry now***

This past weekend, we all went out to shoot some pool, “bar-hop”, and go dancing. One guy in particular, S, and I have spent more time together than the rest of us. So the night progresses…yeah…ummm…there was dancing…drinking…and yes…kissing! It didn’t stop there. He and I had ridden together, so there was more making out before he got out of my car.

My question is this: What are the “rules” on dating a friend of an ex?

For me, I was torn. It felt good and bad at the same time. Good cause…yeah…you know why. Bad cause I just felt wrong about the whole thing. Is this widely frowned upon? Does the length of dating to broken-up ratio count?

This is an interactive entry. Your 2 cents are welcomed!

Convos between L and Me

*coming back from sushi*

Me: I'm stuffed.
L: Me too. Hey, look at the huge cock!
*laughter errupts*
Me: You said "cock"! And we're in 6th grade again... hahahaha
L: I just couldn't pass it up...I tried, but I just couldn't...
*we were passing the Folks off of Cobb Pkwy that has a huge rooster out in the front*


*later on in the day...delirium has set in...*

L: Is your *work program name here* down?
Me: I dunno. I haven't worked on that all day. Wha choo talkin' about, Willis?
L: haha
Me: Wha tha madder wit choo?...Hrmmm...I just suddenly turned black--hehe
L: HAHAHAH--LMAO--HAHAHA
Me: HAHAHA

Can you tell we crack each other up?

Shenanigans

When I was still the “new guy” here at work, people thought I was shy, quiet, etc. HA! When people got to know me, they found out otherwise. See, I started working with my company about 2.5 years ago, but the first 1.5 years of that was spent on-site at my client’s office as a rep. for my company. When I moved back up to my company’s office, I was considered the “new guy,” even though I’d been with the company for 1.5 years at that point. All of this is to say that I had to get to know everyone like I had started a new job. Anyway, before I became friends with the now absent A and M, I would go eat sushi once a week at a favorite local sushi restaurant. When A and I became friends, she refused to eat sushi. In an attempt to get her to try it, I told her that she could always order one of their “normal” dishes. She reluctantly agreed to go and over time, she became to like sushi. Now that she’s left, L is my new sushi partner.

*I am going somewhere with this…*

When I would go to this sushi restaurant by myself, I usually had the same waitress. She speaks very broken up English, so I just smile and nod like I understand what she’s saying (like most men do when women talk, right—LOL, JK). Anyway, she would flirt with me…ewww! Not that the idea of a woman flirting with me is “ewww,” but it’s the fact that *she* was flirting with me. First off, the broken up English. Secondly, she has breath that kills plants when she breathes. Ewww…

So, when A started going with me, I noticed a huge difference in the way the waitress acted. She no longer tried to talk to me nearly as much as she used to, and if she did, it was when A was at the bathroom or not at the table. A and I thought this was funny, so we would play along with her. A would put her head on my shoulder or put her arm around my waist or the like to make it look like we were going out. The waitress even asked me if we did! (when A was at the bathroom!—I told her no…)

So, this has been an ongoing joke amongst us (L now, too). Little does the waitress know that she’s not my type…for more reasons than one…

L and I are meeting A today for lunch to make our waitress jealous one last time before A moves…

MPH

I made a very odd observation yesterday. Have you ever seen a speed limit sign say "52 MPH" or "67 MPH"??? No, they always round, right? 65 or 70 or 55, right? This is what I thought before I saw one that says "9 MPH" in my complex. 9 MPH??? Most complexes or shopping malls or the like will have low speed requirements like 10 MPH or 15 MPH, but 9 MPH??? Who has this job, anyway. Is there a "private property speed limit" guy who has to decide what speed limit he thinks would be appropriate in a given area? Was he just feeling spunky one day and thought that he would just make my complex a 9 MPH speed limit zone for $#!+'s and giggles? Maybe this was his way of just playing a practical joke to see if anyone would even notice the odd number on this sign. Maybe he and his "private property speed limit" co-workers sit around and just laugh about stuff like this... Whatever floats your boat, man.

Things that are irking me...

...that I've been in my condo for about a month now and I found out today that I have the wrong mailbox key. It was by accident, really. I just happened to notice that the little inside sticker on the door said L21, not I21. No mail for a month...bills need to be paid...yup...can we say late fees??? With the move and change of address, I just didn't know how long it would take...URGH!

...that I've been without a phone at work for 2 days now. Our tech is new, so he has no clue...

...that I think I need glasses. I work in front of a computer all day, and I'm finding that I'm squinting. I also strain to see the writing on the tv at night. Come on...I mean, my eyes can't get ANY smaller! Geez...

...that I'm getting addicted to coffee. I've always liked the taste, aroma, warm-goodness of coffee, but I'm drinking more and more. Today, I had 3 travel mugs full...not good...

...that I'm back to little sleep. I was getting a good 7-8 hours for about 1.5 weeks or so, but I'm back to maybe 5hrs/night.

...Gas prices...

Random $#!+

~I went out with a couple of friends this past Saturday night. We were all just standing around drinking at one of our favorite "drinking holes" just chatting it up. Throughout the night, I had noticed that a group of 3 guys kept looking at me and my group of friends. Whatever. So, on one of my trips to the bar, I saw a guy take my picture. After he took it, he came up to me and asked if he could take another one. He said he was with a local magazine (yeah right!...with a non-professional camera? NOT!) and wanted to take some more pictures of the night life. I kindly told him no, but he kept insisting. While arguing/talking with this guy, the group of 3 guys were standing behind me and "rescued" me. I talked with them for a bit and they bought me a drink. Long story short, I exchanged numbers with one of them and I went back to my group of friends. Well, on Tuesday night, I get a call from the guy. We talked for a bit and I commented on how it seemed like he was with one of the other guys with him that night. He reluctantly confirmed my suspicion and we chatted some more about it. I asked him how long they had been together, etc. He told me that it probably wasn't a good idea that he called me because his bf wouldn't like it. I asked him, "If I can be blunt...why, then, did you call me? No straight-forward answer, just that he wanted to make sure I had his number. WTF?!?!

~I've noticed that I'm much more of a loner than I ever thought I was. The older I get, the more this is confirmed. I've always had a lot of friends, but how many out of those friends would I ever call on if I needed to? I can only think of a couple. Is this bad? I was always used to having a close-knit "group" of friends growing up and throughout college. Is this just the natural progression as you get older? I dunno...

~The statement "Mind Over Matter" *is* sooo true. Before I moved, I woke up at a crazy early hour to drive without any traffic to go workout before work. I did this for about a year and never missed a day. The biggest deterrent was traffic. I knew that if I *did* miss a day, then I would be caught in rush hour traffic...and I wasn't going to do that. Well, since I've moved back intown, I can't seem to get my @$$ out of bed in the mornings! Without the major deterrent of traffic, I have no real reason to get up early cause I can always workout after work. I've lived in my place for a little less than a month, and I can count the number of early morning workouts on both hands...so sad. It really IS mind over matter.

Friday Hodgepodge

~Orange seems to be my new favorite color...by accident, really. It all started with my running shoes. They are mostly light grey with some white and orange as a "punch" color. Then I got my car. Some call it orange, I call it Copper. The official name of the color is "Sunlit Copper" with "Cabernet Leather". Most call it "orange" with "orange leather"--LOL. Then, when I moved into my condo, I had to switch cell carriers because I didn't get any service inside my unit. I went from T-Mobile to Cingular. The Cingular logo is orange. Plus, my phone's keypad lights up orange. Coincidence? I don't think so. Maybe orange is *my* black right now...

~My power went out yesterday. It was a huge headache because the road was blocked and they were only letting people who live in my complex through. At that point, I didn't know why there was a road block, but I quickly found out when I entered my unit. The power was out. All I could think about was the episode from Friends when Joey's refrigerator broke. He was in his recliner with ALL of the food surrounding him frantically trying to eat everything before it went bad. When Chandler walks in, Joey has a nauseous, sick look on his face. I thought that would be me--sitting in my dining room, food everywhere, gorging--LOL. Fortunately, the power came back on before I had to resort to this...

~L and I cut up with each other here at work. She's my new A & M. Sometimes we just bust out in laughter. For instance:

L: I have a bone to pick with you.
Me: Hehe. You said bone.
L: *erupts in laughter*
Me: I just reverted back to 6th grade. HAHAHAHA!

~I met up with some friends last night that I hadn't seen in forever. We drank, played some trivia, and caught up. Sometimes all you need are good friends, beer, and fun:)

Empty Office

M's been gone for about a month.
A's last day was yesterday.
Empty nest syndrome?
Yes.
My partners in crime are gone.
My girls are gone.
Work won't be the same.
Sadness.

MY top 5 lists

Piggy-backing on Nat's blog, I've come up with my own list of top 5's. I im'ed her with things I felt she had left out, and she kindly reminded me that it was HER lists, not mine. So, here are some of mine (in no particular order within each category):

Songs:
Stay With Me, Josh Gracin
Dream Big, Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand
XY--the whole cd, Coldplay
Inside Your Heaven, Carrie Underwood
Fast Cars and Freedom, Rascal Flatts

Beer:
Newcastle
Killians
Bass
Corona
Michelob Ultra

Guys:
Steve Sandvoss
Tom Welling
Brad Pitt
Colin Farrell
Josh Harnett

Girls:
(you can raise your jaw now...lol)
Jessica Alba
Jennifer Anniston
Halle Berry
Eva Longoria
Jennifer Love Hewitt

Cheap Eats:
Willey's
Moe's
RuSan's
Noodle
Little Azio

Stores:
The Apple Store
Gap
JCrew
Banana Republic
Ikea

Shows:
The Amazing Race
Desperate Housewives
Will & Grace
Friends
anything Ironman or Triathlon related

Bands:
Sister Hazel
Coldplay
Vertical Horizon
Dave Matthew's Band
Rascal Flatts

That's all for right now, folks!

Playing detective

I've been at my new place for 2 weeks this Thursday. While this is still a short amount of time, I've made 2 odd observations:

~There are 2 cars that NEVER move! It doesn't matter what time of day or night it is, they are ALWAYS there. Just odd...
~I've yet to meet any of my immediate neighbors. The girl to the left of me (I'm assuming she's a girl because maintenance was fixing her ice maker and I looked in her unit as I was leaving mine. The unit was furnished with "girlie" things--I guess it *could* be a gay guy, but what are the chances?) is NEVER there! I think I might have seen signs of occupancy once, but I'm not sure. Her blinds are always closed and the lights off. I mean, you would think we would have crossed paths at least once in almost 2 weeks. Same with the unit to the right of me, but I'm not as sure about that one cause there are no visual signs that anyone lives there. The one to the left of me has chairs, plants, a table, and a door mat on her patio entrance. Odd...

Could these 2 observations be related??? Maybe the owners of the 2 cars that never move are the occupants of the units on either side of me...hrmmm...

Am I onto something? Hrmmm...

A "feel-good" song...

You know the scenario, you're just driving along when a song comes on the radio that seems to automatically conjure up nostalgic memories, good thoughts, visions of children laughing, your most treasured mental images flashing through your mind, etc. Well, right now, for me it's Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand's Dream Big. It's a "country" song, but I think it goes way beyond those boundaries. It's just a "feel-good" song...

When you cry be sure to dry your eyes,
cause better days are sure to come.
And when you smile be sure to smile wide,
and don't let them know that they have won.
And when you walk, walk with pride,
and don't show the hurt inside,
because the pain will soon be gone.
Chorus:
And when you dream, dream big, as big as the ocean blue.
Cause when you dream it might come true.
When you dream, dream big.
And when you laugh be sure to laugh out loud,
cause it will carry all your cares away.
And when you see, see the beauty
all around and in yourself, and it will help you feel okay.
And when you pray, pray for strength
to help you carry on when the troubles come your way.
Chorus
When you cry be sure to dry your eyes,
cause better days are sure to come.
And when you smile be sure to smile wide, and
don't let them know that they have won.
And when you laugh be sure to laugh out loud,
cause it will carry all your cares away.
And when you see, see the beauty all
around and in yourself, and it will help you feel okay.
And when you pray, pray for strength to
help to carry on when the troubles come your way.
Chorus 2x

The raw lyrics illustrate the positive feelings I'm talking about, but the video hits it the nail dead on the head. It's one of those songs/videos that you're watching/listening to and you suddenly realize that you're smiling. Even if you're not a country fan, check it out.

Oh, what a gay night!

Since I've moved back to Midtown, I've made a pact with myself to try new things and broaden my horizons. I think I was getting too complacent with how my life was before I moved up to Gainesville. For me, it was nice to get away from the city and just reflect on me and certain aspects of my life. (I know, I know--blah blah blah, but it's true) Don't get me wrong, I'm VERY VERY glad to be back in Midtown, but I honestly believe that everything happens for a reason and that getting away has done me some good.

Well, last night was the first venture in the horizons of 1Gar being broadened. A friend invited me to go with him to a dinner function here in Atlanta. It's called "The Gay Supper Club"...or something like that. I had heard about this before from another friend, but I'd just never made the effort and gone to an event. This club meets once a month and you get a pre-selected variety of hors de vours, appetizers, salad, entree, and dessert for a set price (excluding alcohol or drinks). They know that gay men love to drink, so this is where they make the moolah--LOL. They pick a different place every month at a "in" Midtown restaurant or a near by neighborhood--nothing OTP *gasp*. It's a really good deal, a great way to meet other people, fun, social, etc. Well, my friend and I ventured off to Dish last night. He had gone to one event before, but I was a "virgin" and everyone makes sure to call you out as a first timer. Even though it's like a gay bar with a meal inserted in the agenda, it's an alternative way to meet new people. You basically meet about an hour before the set dinner time to mingle and meet new people. The tables are arranged so that you sit with a group of people, so you can sit with whoever you came with and/or with totally new people. It was a good time and the meal was awesome! We sat out on the patio and the weather couldn't have been better. My friend and I separated ourselves from the people we knew and sat with total strangers. I met some cool guys, had a blast, got an awesome meal for an even more awesome price, caught up with some acquaintances, and just "let loose" for a night without the bar scene.

I shall go again:)

A day in the life of a housewife

I'm taking today and tomorrow off just to sorta tidy up all the loose ends of moving and to just "chill" in my new place. It was nice. I slept til 9:30--when I normally would have been up at 4:15 to go to the gym. I then leisurely got ready to go to the gym. I did my normal training and started making some observations. The gym was not dead like I thought it would be. It was rather busy. Housemoms, the self-employed, people playing "hookie", the college kids, the high school kids, the elderly/retired, etc. While I am a regular early in the morning, it was nice to see some new faces. It was more humbling, really. To see all these different types of people working out--I love it! Early in the morning, it is all the same--people working out before work.

I then ventured to Ikea. I had gone once before during lunch on a Friday--big mistake! Let me just preface all of this by saying that department stores overwhelm me. I'm not a big shopper normally, so a place like Ikea is a bit like a kid at Walt Disney--overwhelming and exciting all at once. So, I decided to just start at the beginning and walk through the whole store--what else did I have to do on my day off? :) Like any other project or job--take it little by little and it doesn't overwhelm you as much. I mosied along the maze of rooms like a mouse looking for cheese. I saw many things I wanted, but alas, my eyes were bigger than my wallet. After finishing the "showroom", I made a pitstop at the cafe and enjoyed a delectable meal--fuel for the lower part of the store! Off to the lower level of goodness:) All in all, I got out of there with a desk, entertainment stand, 2 floating nightstands, doormat, trashbag caddy thingy, and some other knick-knacks. Trust me, I coulda really gone to town, but I refrained. While I was there, I also people-watched--much like the gym.

***note to self--either become a housemom or self-employed***

Upon arriving back at the condo, I assembled the desk, entertainment stand, and nightstands with relative ease:) It feels good to have every single box gone! Ahhhh...

MIA

Ok, so I know I've been MIA lately, but I have a good reason for that. I've been really really busy. Ok, ok...I know what you're saying..."1GAR, we're all busy." ...and I hear that, but I honestly have been busy. I took 2 days off at the end of last week, so that made the 3 days of work extremely busy. PLUS...I became a homeowner! I took those days off for closing and general moving. So, since Thursday's closing, I've been busy packing, moving, and unpacking. I never realized how stressful, detailed, frustrating, or rewarding becoming a homeowner was. The Uhaul reservation was all messed up, closing lasted almost 2 hours cause they were running late, I had to "schedule" the move around the freakin' rain, gas pumps not working, essentially moving everything myself (my bro-in-law helped with the big items, that's it), having a 2-5 cable appt on Saturday and finally showing up at 5:30, spending WAY too much money...need I go on? Needless to say, it was not the smoothest move, but I'm finally done! So, I'm back to normal now...somewhat.

So, since I've been busy moving, some of my friends called me up Friday night to go out. I decided to take a break from unpacking and meet them out for a couple of drinks. I was told that J would be there, so I thought that this would be a good chance for everyone to see that we are SOOO ok with being around each other. I had a blast that night. We all just caught up and talked and drank and played pool and drank and drank--LOL. After we had "played" all the pool that we could handle, we all had the dancing bug. So, we went out dancing. I hadn't been out dancing in FOREVER! Good times.

It's very odd how one certain "event" can put everything into perspective. Let me explain. While we were out dancing, J did something that made me realize how over it I am with all of it...he had a cigarette... I know that this isn't a *huge* deal, but it is to me. First off, WHY??? Secondly, gross! Thirdly, he knows how against it I am. Forth, OVER IT! I've often wondered how I would react if the idea of us getting back together was ever presented. I now know how I would react...

Monday Morning Funnies

Funny #1
My mom has the gayest little dog. She's had him for about 4 years or so. If you have ever seen Jessica Simpson's dog (the Malti-Poo), that is what she has. It's an acutal breed--a mix between a Maltese and a Toy Poodle. It's really a crime that these dogs even come as a male because they are just the most prissy, gayest dogs ever. Well, my mom also has a fat cat. He's a Tabby that probably weighs a good 20-25 pounds. He is HUGE!

So, I was at her house over the weekend and witnessed something hilarious. The dog was humping the cat! This is funny for so many reasons:

~The cat is way bigger.
~The fact that I openly call him the "gayest dog ever" and he was humping a MALE cat!!!
~The cat was too fat and lazy to even care.
~They were going at it like champs--hehe.

Funny #2
I was getting ready at the gym this morning when I noticed something odd on the counter. A stick of deodorant. This isn't odd, you say, but oh on the contrary, my friend. It was a stick of Secret deodorant. The next thing I notice is who comes to get it. Up comes a big, black guy who grabs the Secret and puts it in his bag. I guess it *really is* strong enough for a man! HA!

Conspiracy Theory?

I have to preface this post with the fact that I tend to have a bit of a heavy foot. This being said, I have a radar detector just to cover my bases--LOL.

On my drive to the gym this morning, I looked down at my speedometer and started thinking (I wasn't speeding, btw--hehe). My particular speedometer goes up to 160 mph. Why would car manufacturers even put such a high speed capability on a car when 96% percent of all US speed limit signs are 70 or under? I put 96%, because there are some places that don't have a speed limit, I think...right? Like Montana or something? Anyway, I digress... Are car manufacturers and policemen teaming together to bully more money out of heavy-footed citizens like myself? Did a police officer schedule a meeting with the CEO of a car manufacturer and ask them to raise the speed capability of cars so that they could stop more speeder, and thus get more money from speeding tickets? I don't think this is too far fetched...but I'll let you ponder this...

A bunch of fatties

A co-worker brought in some watermelon first thing this morning for breakfast. I was the only one who ate any. Here it is 10:30am and most of it is still there. If it were donuts, they would have been gone in 1.5 seconds. Just too funny...

Isn't it Ironic?

Why is it that you always want what you can't have? On my commute home this afternoon, my cell phone was not working. I don't know if it was T.S. Cindy, T-Mobile service, or what, but I was not able to get a signal for over 30 minutes. I drive this route everyday and never have a problem with service. Normally, I drive home listening to my iPod or the radio. I like to take that time to unwind from the day and not chat it up on the phone. Mind you, I'm not opposed to it, but I'm just not one of those who has to have the cell phone attached to my ear when I enter my car. Well, I kept trying and trying, but to no avail. I was wondering if I had forgotten to pay my bill and T-Mobile might have stopped service, but no--I had paid it already. Finally, my phone became operable! Success! So, from that point on, I chatted it up on the phone with friends--LOL.

This little mishap got me thinking about other areas where this applies. Por ejemplo...

~When you just HAVE to get online when your cable modem is temporarily not working.
~You just have to have Chik-fil-A on a Sunday.
~You just have to wear a shirt that is dirty.
~You just have to buy the overpriced jeans just because they don't have your size.

...and the list could go on forever. Sorta like Alanis Morisette's song "Ironic"...

Line of the Day

L is taking M's place here at work. She's fittin nicely in our office.

She's been looking for a new car for a couple of days. Well, she went to go look at a car today during lunch. She came back and told us that she's gonna pick it up on Saturday.

L: Well, I guess this will be a great motivator for me to stop smoking!
Me: ...yeah...forget about the health issues...stop smoking 'cause you bought a new car...

A, L, and I bust out laughing! Good times...

Fun on the phone

The next time you're on the phone, use these words for verifying a letter:

A as in @$$
B as in bastard
C as in cooter
D as in doodoo
E as in eat crap
F as in fart
G as in gynecologist
H as in hallucinate
I as in insane
J as in jack-off
K as in kill
L as in Levitra
M as in masturbate
N as in narcolept
O as in orgy
P as in penis
Q as in queer
R as in racist
S as in sex
T as in tits
U as in uterus
V as in vagina
W as in wack-off
X as in x-con
Y as in you're crazy
Z as in Zoloft

Have fun!

What a year can do...

Isn't it crazy how much can happen in a year? It amazes me everytime I think about it. You grow, you learn, you live, you experience new things, you learn more about yourself and about others...I could go on. Here are some things that have changed with me in the past year:

~I had not even thought about triathlons. I'd heard of them, but my love and awe of them had yet to surface.
~I "moved up" at work.
~I have become friends with some great people.
~I'm not friends with some people anymore. The ones that you "grow apart" from aren't really friends.
~I hadn't raced in a couple of years due to my focus on work.
~Because I hadn't raced, I hadn't won the medals that I now have.
~I have a *little* more direction now.
~I've realized some passions in my life.
~The older I get, the more I discover that my mom is an amazing woman.
~I've reunited with some great friends.
~I realize that there is more to life than going out every weekend.
~I can challenge myself and be good at whatever I challenge myself in.
~I don't have to be dating someone to be happy.
~I have a more clear understanding of what things are important to me.

I know that these kind of posts are typically written for the new year, but I decided to do a mid-year evaluation. Here's to more in the coming year:)

Option Overload

Now that I have sworn off carbonated products, the cola companies are offering a myriad of options. Are they trying to lure me back? Was I *that* much of a force in the diet cola profits? Was Diet Coke not sufficient for the active, calorie conscience consumer? Apparently not because they now offer Diet Coke with Splenda, Coke Zero, C2, Diet Coke with Lime, Diet Cherry Coke, Diet Vanilla Coke and other diet drinks (Diet Sprite, Fresca, etc.). Then you throw in Pepsi products and Diet Dr. Pepper and their new Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper and you have option overload! So many choices...if only I drank them like the good 'ole days...*sigh*...

P.S. Of course I *had* to try the new ones. One a week is my standard:)

Benny the Beta

Is it bad that my longest relationship since college is with...

...

...my fish??? I got him when I got my first apartment out of college. It was the first place that I had all to myself--no roomates. I wanted to get a pet, but I didn't feel like I could/should get a dog. I'm not a cat person. So, I decided on a Beta fish. When I got him, all of my friends told me that they only live a couple of months max. Well, here we are 3 years later and Benny is still with me:) He's seen 3 apartments/houses, I've never argued with him, he's a considerate roommate, etc. What more can you ask for?

I'm over it, why aren't y'all???

I went out with some friends last night. I had dinner with a friend (T) and I was gonna call it a night, but that didn't happen. Some of my other friends (M and D) were already out and begged me to come meet them. It was already 10:30, so I decided to just go and meet them for a couple of drinks. I met them and chatted for a bit before I went to go get a drink. When I went to the bar, I saw 2 guys (S1 and S2) that I hadn't seen in forever! S2 in 2, almost 3, years and S1 in over a year. We started catching up and they asked why they hadn't seen me. This is where it gets sticky... You see, they were friends that I met through my ex, J. When you break up with someone, the friends sorta naturally follow the one they were friends with first. This being said, they didn't buy it.

S1: "We are YOUR friends, too!"
*pause*
S2: "Well, I just want to let you know that J is going to meet us here in a little while..."
Me: "OK...so? S2, it's been almost 3 years since we broke up!"
S2: "Really, it's been THAT long???"
Me: "Yup..."
S1: "Yup..."

This just baffles me... I mean, it's been almost 3 years since J and I broke up! I'm so over it. J is over it. We are both adults. It baffles me that people still feel like they have to "warn" me if J is going to be there. People, get over it! I am.

Oh, J never showed up.

ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
Michael Jackson
Lindsey Lohan
Britney Spears and Kevin Federline
Britney Spears and being pregnant

ENOUGH ALREADY!!! Can the world move on now???

Getting to know 1GAR

~What CD I'm listening to right now: Coldplay's X&Y
~Favorite Color: Blue
~Favorite sport: Triathlons (seriously, I love watching 'em!)
~Favorite alcoholic drink: Red Bull and Vodka
~Favorite dessert: cheesecake (any kind--YUM!)
~Favorite band: Sister Hazel
~Dog or cat: dog
~Morning person or night owl: Morning
~Last movie I saw: Monster-in-Law
~Last concert I went to: Britney--Onyx Hotel
~Favorite season: Fall
~Snow or sunshine: snow
~Favorite type of food: I love it all--I can't choose...
~Favorite accessory: iPod
~5 things you can't live without: family, friends, ipod, running shoes, chapstick
~love or money: love
~Coke or Pepsi: Diet Coke
~soup or salad: salad

Just a little bit more about 1GAR...

Bumm-er Part II

So, since the lunch "date" was cancelled, I went to go get something to eat. I had my sights set on Schlotzky's (I know the spelling isn't correct), but it was WAY too busy. So, I drove down the street and decided on Chic-fil-A because I had a coupon for a free Chic-fil-A sandwich with a purchase of a drink and fries--SWEET! As I was getting the coupon, I noticed that it was expired! Bummer... The drive through was crazy busy, so I decided to go in. This one didn't take cards and I didn't have cash. DANG IT! Finally, I ate at Quizno's. I got a Classic Italian sub, regular Salt 'n Vinegar chips, diet coke, and a cookie! This is sooo not like me. First off, I would never get an Italian sub, but for some reason it looked good. I would normally get a turkey, no cheese. Secondly, I would never get REGULAR chips--normally Baked Lays. Thirdly, I would NEVER EVER get a cookie. I couldn't refuse...

Yeah, I'm a little bummed today...and my lunch is proof...

Watch out people, we have a wild one here...

Bumm-er

I'm a little bummed today...

~I found out that A got another job. M is having a baby and won't be coming back. They are the only ones that I *really really* love talking to and have fun with here at work. *sigh*
~My lunch "date" cancelled on me today. I was looking forward to it. *sigh*

Hrmph!

Foo-Man-WHO???

I am not a hairy guy. When I was younger, people would ask me if I shaved my legs because the inner and backs of my legs were bare. I had always thought about shaving my legs, so when I started triathlons, I took the plunge. With all of this said, I don't have that much facial hair. I only have it in the sideburns, mustache, and chin area and under my chin. I have an electric razor that I use every morning just to get the little bit of stubble that I have off. Well, over the weekend, I decided to try something. I wanted to see if I could grow a foo-man-choo. So, with this little experiment in mind, I stopped shaving that area on Saturday. Well, as of this morning, I had 4 hairs there...4!!!...in 5 days!!! So pathetic...

So, with my electric razor in hand, I shaved off the 4 hairs and the dream of a foo-man-choo...

Line of the Day

Me: Hmmm...I'm ahead on my water intake for the day.
A: With all of your training, eating habits, WATER INTAKE, you have you're own form of OCD! You're a dork...

Just hilarious...and maybe true...

Work Day

Going on personal experience (and those of other co-workers, friends, acquaintances), I have come across an interesting observation:

How many hours during a typical work day do you *actually* do work related activities?

I know that there are the overachievers out there that *only* do work related stuff, but for the most part, I'm willing to bet that most people *actually* only work maybe half of a work day. The other half is spent checking personal e-mail, blogging, reading other blogs, browsing various websites, online banking, etc. And I know that I'm not the first person to ever make this observation, so why hasn't something been done about it? Here are some suggestions that I propose:

~Employees can schedule their own 4 hr work days. As long as one works 4 hrs a day, then all is good.
~Just work 2.5 days a week and then have the other 2.5 days off. (I'm in favor of this one)
~As long as you work 20 hrs a wk, no worries. Any combo of days and hrs will suffice.

I honestly think that if any of these 3 suggestions were put into place at every company, then employees would be more productive! I think I'm on to something here...

I know, I know...

...I haven't been a good blogger lately. Nothing new and exciting is going on in my life right now, so I would rather not blog just to blog, ya know? Outside of training and work, nada. No creative juices flowing, either. I'll get back into the swing of blogging soon. I promise...

A New Found Freedom

So, as some of you know, I did something impulsive and drastic on Memorial Day...I shaved my head. It's a 4 all the way around. I went from having long hair about a month an a half ago (about 1.5 inches or so below my ears)...to getting it cut a little shorter...to shaving it. With this new "do", I've have discovered a new found freedom:

~no hair products needed
~it takes no time to "do my hair"
~less shampoo and conditioner needed (might even go to an all-in-one...*gasp*)
~my swim cap just glides on now
~I don't have to worry about "messing up my hair"
~I never wake up with "bed head"
~it always looks the same

Who knew life could be so easy???

"No thanks, I'm just looking"

I'm a pretty routine kinda guy. Don't get me wrong, I can be all crazy and spontaneous, but on a day-to-day basis, I'm not.

***as a side note: I can be all crazy and spontaneous...hrmmm...said more facetiously than anything--LOL***

Anyway, I usually stay in the office for lunch because I bring my lunch. And there is another HUGE reason why I don't leave for lunch. If I *do* go somewhere "just to look" or something, I always always ALWAYS buy something! It never fails! So, going out to lunch for me = spending money. Is there some sort of early childhood correlation that I'm not aware of???

What Would You Change?

One of my co-worker's (T) last day is tomorrow. He came in our office to talk with me and M this morning (A is on vacation). He is leaving our company to pursue his passion in life--aviation. He's going back to flight school full time. He has been taking flight lessons and had been enrolled part-time in flight school at one point. Life, money, other things got in the way, so he took time off from flight school and came to work for our company. He's one of the 2 people that is my age here at work. I've been here a little bit longer, but he's put in a good 2+ years here. We, also, went to college together--we didn't know each other then.

We started talking about how/if we would do things differently now that we know what we know. This got us thinking...

Do I regret anything I've done? No, 'cause it ultimately makes me who I am today (I know this sounds cliche-ish, but I honestly believe that).

Would I change things knowing what I know now? Yes.

~I wouldn't have finished college in 4 years. What was my rush? Why didn't I take my time?
~I woulda been more dedicated to running in high school. But...since I didn't get burned out on it in high school, I kept running for fun...which made me better...which makes me enjoy it more...
~I woulda picked a more specific major or a different one all together...
~I woulda traveled after college. When else can you do this without obligations? This goes back to my "I've gotta finish college in 4 years and start a job the last day of classes" attitude. Yeah, I started my first job after my last class...again...what was my rush?
~I wouldn't have been so naive...but is that *really* all that bad? I think more people should be naive...

These are just a few of mine that I can think of right now. What about y'all? Knowing what you know now, would you change anything that you've done in your life?

Dorkious Maximus

Hi, my name is Stephen...
(hi, Stephen)
...and I'm a...

...DORK!

Yes, I admit it, I voted last night for the American Idol. I voted 7 times (my lucky number) via text message. I have never voted before, but I felt it was my civic duty last night to vote. I don't want Bo to win! He's a good singer, but I just don't like the whole long hair, rocker, spastic thing he has going. Plus, I'm partial to Carrie 'cuase I like country and she is a great singer:)

Who knows, maybe my 7 votes will make her win...YEAH RIGHT! hahaha

Fun stuff

http://www.nmfn.com/tnetwork/longevity_game_popup.html

According to the link above, I'm gonna live to age 83. So, that is 58 more years...hrmmm...how should I spend 'em...?

Oddities

Odd...

...how something can consume your life so much. Since I've started this triathlon journey, it seems that all I do is eat, train, work, and sleep (on occasion--lol). I've become a member of several websites that I *have* to visit a gazillion times a day, most of my e-mails that I receive are triathlon-related, everything I buy is triathlon-related, everything I read is triathlon related, I'm a member of several triathlon organizations, and the list goes on. I know it sounds a little obsessive, but you really can't be totally dedicated to triathlons without being "consumed" by it. If you aren't consumed, then you aren't doing it right...

...This older guy at work ALWAYS buttons EVERY button when he wears polos. Why?!?!? Does he think he looks cool? Who told him that this looks ok? He is honestly the only person that I've ever seen that does this. He just looks like a big 'ole dork! Just odd...

...how much a person can change over a couple of months. Going along with the aforementioned "oddity" #1, I obviously don't go to bars/clubs nearly as much as I used to. With my dedication to triathlons, getting drunk, staying out late, and partying regularly don't fit any training programs. With this said, I went out with some friends last night for a drink. They still go out on a regular basis (by this, I mean a couple of nights during the week and Friday and/or Saturday nights). When I went out more often, I still didn't go out *this* much. Well, I'm just sorta over it now. When I'm gonna hang out with friends, I would much rather hang out at someone's apt/house, catch up, drink a beer or a glass of wine, etc. Is it that I'm just getting older? I'm only 25!?!?! Am I growing up/maturing? Who knows...

...how much more vocal I'm getting at work these days. I can't be rude to anyone, but I *am* more vocal now. I wouldn't say that I'm a total pushover, but on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being stern, a hard@$$, etc. and 10 being a total pushover) I would probably be about a 7 or 7.5 (maybe a 8). Does this go along with the whole "getting older/maturity" thing? Who knows...I'm just not gonna take people's crap anymore...LOL.

...how I'm commenting on "maturity." Me? NAH!

...how much I crack myself up. A & M just laugh at me laughing at myself. It's amusing...

One Chaotic Hour

Ok...I'll admit it...I watched Britney and Kevin: Chaotic last night. Let me preface this post by saying a couple of things:

~Yes, I like her music...
~Yes, I think she's a good performer...
~No, I don't think she's a great singer (definitely not live--the 2 songs she *actually* sang at her Onyx Hotel concert were awful! Bless her heart...)
~Yes, I went to her last concert when it came to Philips Arena...
~Yes, I think she USED to be sexy, have a great body, killer abs, etc. (uh...sooooo not the case now!!!)

Whew...ok, now that I have that out of the way, I can go on with my post. Let me just tell you that her reality show SUCKED A BIG FAT ONE!!! I think she is trying to do the whole Jessica Simpson thing with the ditsy, airheady, dorky bit, but it doesn't work for her. As much as I hate to say it, she comes off as a white-trash, redneck, unintelligent, immature, desperate, Girls Gone Wild girl. This might be the nail in the cofin that kills her career. I was listening to the radio this morning, and they were commenting that any sex appeal that she USED to have is ALL GONE NOW!!! Amen to that...

Will I watch again next week?...probably...

The Many Roles of 1GAR

runner
son
brother
uncle
friend
brother-in-law
co-worker
roommate
TRIATHLETE!!!

Yup, this weekend, I added another title to my name. Now, the next one is gonna be Half Ironman and Ironman (it'll be a while, tho...)

Why do I feel the need to...

...buy stuff and "hoard" it. For example, I will be half more than halfway done with a tube of toothpaste and go on and buy another...even though I will get like 2, 3 weeks more out of the existing tube...

...buy all the flavors available in a product. I bought some Gatorade Endurance and HAD to buy all 3 flavors. Why?

...get up at the same time every morning when I ALWAYS finish my workout around the same time and get to work 30-45 minutes early??? Why don't I just get up 30 minutes later and get to work on time??? (...but, I can legitimately leave work 30-45 minutes earlier:) )

...arrive early everywhere I go??? What's gonna happen if I get there right on time?

And once again, I thought there would be more, but alas...

Challenge ON

A & M extended a challenge to me yesterday. First off, I have to preface this with the fact that I love to sing. I think that it is virtually impossible for me to NOT sing when music is on. Whether I like the song or not, I just feel the need to bust out in song. So, I non-chalantly said, "I wonder if I can go a full day without singing--hahahaha." They both said, "no way!" "yeah right!" etc. So, I bet them on it.

The Challenge: They bet that I couldn't NOT sing for 1 full workday.

interesting...

Challenge accepted! What do I get if I win? hehehe (rubs hands together). If I win, A has to pat another co-worker on the butt and call him "sweetie," "honey," "babe," "sugar," etc. This is a coworker that she can't stand!!! It's SOOO worth it...

So far, so good...

Too little too late

An article from today's AJC.com:

Brazilian Town Declares Orgasm Day
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Sex rarely makes the news in Brazil's conservative Northeast — until a small town declared an official Orgasm Day on Monday. Espertantina Mayor Felipe Santolia endorsed the May 9 holiday, which he said was intended to improve relationships between married couples. "We're celebrating orgasm in all its senses. There's even a panel discussion on premature ejaculation. But from what I've seen, women have more trouble achieving orgasm than men, especially in marriage," Santolia said by telephone from Esperantina, 1,300 miles north of Rio de Janeiro. Santolia said the remote town of 38,000 people has been unofficially celebrating orgasm day for years, but that the town's former mayor had vetoed a bill making it an official municipal holiday. The city council passed a law Saturday creating the holiday. Santolia, who took office earlier this year, said he would sign the bill later Monday. "I'm 32, single and I have an open mind. Beside the theme is very much of the moment," he said. Orgasm Day celebrations include a series of panel discussions by sexologists from across Brazil and a presentation of Eve Ensler's play "The Vagina Monologues." Santolia said the idea of celebrating Orgasm Day at first created a scandal in this poor region, known for its religious fervor. But he said residents gradually residents warmed to the idea. "I've seen scientific studies that show when a woman is unloved, when her husband can bring her to orgasm, it affects all aspects of her life, her relationships with her children, at home, with the city and at work," Santolia said.

NOW they tell us--a day AFTER the blessed day! Dang Brazillians!

A friend of a friend of a friend

You learn something new everyday...

So, it seems that I have gotten somewhat intertwined in the messed up interworkings of a little click here in Atlanta. I got an IM today from one of my girl friends that is linked to my blog. It seems that I am linked to her ex's blog.

Who, oh, who could it be...???

Smells

So, I went on a ride last night after work. During the 26 miles ride, I came across some rather distinct smells:

Normal/pleasant: the sweet smell of flowers blooming, fresh cut grass
Bad: Cow manure, road kill
Odd: Wacky weed!!!

Yup, you read right! I biked past a seemingly normal looking house and got a huge waft of pot. Even though it is a conservative part of town, whodathunkit?!?!?! Nothing like a riding your bike and suddenly getting nostalgic thoughts of Dave Matthew's Band concerts...

The Colbert Report

Well, here it is folks...I've finally made it in the world:) Who knew I would have my very own show one day??? I'll invite y'all on as guests when I can fit it in;)

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=190110

You're it!

Ok, in an attempt to add a little variety to this dang blog, I will answer ANY question from the person who is the 300th one to visit. Choose wisely...

(it'll be 1 of like 5 people--LOL)

Questions

Being bored at work, my mind wandering, thinking about pointless things...I got to thinkin...some of the questions that people ask are really not questions at all. For example:

"Hi, this is ______, can you hold?" What would they say if you said "no"? They are expecting you to say "yes." The next time you're asked this, say "no" and see what happens.

"How are you?" When this is asked, it is usually assumed that the other person will say "good," then both of y'all will go about your separate ways. There are those occasions when someone will say "sleepy" or "tired" or the like, but I would go so far as to say that the "good" response is expected 95%+ of the time. Most people just ask this in passing as a "filler"...they don't want all the details...just say "good" so I can go about my day. Thanks.

Hrmmm...when I thinking about this, I thought there were more...not as good of a post as I thought...

So much laughter...

This past weekend, A went down to Valdosta for a “girl’s weekend.” They went to the Kenny Chesney concert in Jacksonville and just made a weekend out of it.

Well, one of her good friends, S, came up yesterday to pick something up in Atlanta and wanted to meet her for lunch. They talk all the time at work and she hears me in the background, so I sorta know her. I’ve talked to her several times on speakerphone, so we have a rapport. When she came up, she told A that I HAD to come to lunch, too. So, A and I went to lunch with her. Man, what a time! She is drop dead gorgeous, hilarious, full of stories about A, and just non-stop fun! When I first met her, she gave me a big ‘ole hug like we had known each other forever. I don’t think I stopped laughing at all! A is a fun gal, but put her with S and they are off the hook!

I’ve made plans to go down to Valdosta to hang out/party with them. THAT will be fun!