Just the little things in life...

Its amazing how one day we wake up and we start realizing how much life has to offer.

Spring is getting here and each day the sun shines, it makes me happy that spring has finally gotten here. I have always been a winter person, but I have not been used to dealing with winters up here in Columbus. This is my second one and, thank goodness I am not affected, I see why people are so grumpy in this town! The winter zaps all the happiness right out of people!

Regardless, I have started appreciating the smaller things in life. Each time I go to the Franklin Park Conservatory for a walk, I take in the beauty that the grounds hold, not only from the way its set up, but the way nature comes together and shows us how truly beautiful she is, is remarkable.

In the spirit of appreciating the small things, I have always valued friendship above all in my life. I am deeply humbled by their presence in my life and appreciate each minute I am able to spend with them.

I just felt like being sappy and what better way to express it than on the blog!

Spring Break and a Visit from Veronica and Ashley

Wow, spring break went by FAST! It just seems like yesterday that we were planning the trip for the girls to come up and visit and just like that, they came, and they left.

The week started out by the two of them getting to the house on Saturday night. That was great, because it was Traffic Jam at Wall Street, so I decided to take them there. We met my friend Taylor there and we had a blast dancing all night! It was a good way to start the week.

Monday rolled around and we ended up going to OSU's campus to do some touring. Of course, since we were down on High Street, we started off by having some Cane's Chicken, because Veronica's favorite meal is chicken tenders and french fries. (we both are alike in so many ways!) After viewing the campus and several hours of walking, we decide to go home.

Tuesday thru Thursday, I worked, but I took the girls out for Stomper night (which is a personal view of Columbus, I know) but they had a blast. The pictures below are from that night.



And of course, they couldn't come to Columbus without seeing an awesome drag show, I got tickets to go see Nina's show "Glam Clam" and they were very happy with it. I must admit, it was a hilarious show! The pics for that are below as well.



So, overall, I think they had a good trip. I spent so much time trying to run them around town that I forgot how they just like to lay around and be lazy sometimes, but all is well. They had a great trip and I can't wait until I get to see them again!!!

Columbus Crew Game

Ok, I had never been to a soccer game before, but now I am a fan.

I get a message from my friend Jason yesterday asking if I wanted to go to a Columbus Crew game. I had never been to one and it sounded fun, so I decided to go. I was hoping I would have a good time, and I did!



He messaged me by telling me that I would love the tickets because they were in the hooligan section. My first thought was "great, a bunch of rowdy drunks." But, as the game started, it actually was the best section to be sitting in.

The game started and I watched as people in the stands started getting up and beating on drums, playing horns, cheering and generally having fun. I didn't know the cheers at first, but I ended up cheering right along with everyone. It was a fun day. I know that Melissa, Jason, and I are planning on going to as many games as we can! They are only $15 a ticket, so that isn't bad at all!

Its been a while...

So, today I am updating my blog from the last time (which was around my birthday, about 4 months ago!) So, lets get caught up on my life so far and some of the events that have happened.

December was ok. Christmas was good. We had everyone pull together and buy us gift cards to best buy and we were able to afford a big tv. I am not a size queen, but 52 inches is fine with me! We also got a Blu-Ray DVD player and it is AWESOME!!!

January started out good. I got promoted at work. I am now the MSM Prevention Coordinator. It comes with more responsibility and I am able to be creative in how I approach things. I am making lots of connections and people like my energy and drive. I think I need it to do this job. It requires me to be on my feet and that is great, but sometimes its mentally draining.

February came and went. It was our 7th anniversary. We didn't really celebrate it that much because it was just another day. We went out to dinner and such, but that was good enough. 7 years... that is a long time. I think he is stuck with me for a while. We are getting better at communication and we seem to be happier than ever. Also in February, I had a fundraising event called "Single and Bitter" that was hosted by Nina West and held by ROYGBIV. It made all my budget for the year so I don't have to do any more fundraising for my program!

And that brings us to March. March has been rough at work. More and more younger people are coming in and testing positive. We had a total of 5 so far. The hard part of the job is telling them, but I know its helping them understand where they are and how they can keep themselves healthy, while advocating to their peers about safer sex. Let's hope we can turn things around SOON!

One Year closer to gay death... lol

Well, here it is... the inevitable.

Sunday, December 14th, at 12:15 am, I will officially be another year older.

To me, its a good thing because I enjoy the ability to say that I am older because I have always been a grown up. I will now be and "old soul" in an old body. It was bound to happen!

I just am planning on spending the birthday as I have always done. Maybe some friends or Jeremy will take me out to dinner and the day will pass without a hitch. I am not used to big, elaborate birthday parties so this is fine with me.

So, happy birthday to me and I hope this year is better, emotionally, than last year.

Dreams: What I view them to be...

Dreams rarely happen for me. So, when they do happen, I always wonder what triggers that mechanism in my brain for the dreams to actually happen. Most people do not pay attention to their dreams, but they happen so rarely to me that I try to take what I just dreamed and put that into perspective in my life.



I do that because I believe that dreams are like letters being passed from one state of consciousness to another. Dreams are my natural way of taking what I try to suppress and forget about, and bringing it to the surface so that I have to deal with it and put it out of my head. Being able to process those dreams is important in my life because I have to deal with them.

Last night, I had a couple of dreams that just irritated the piss out of me. I woke up this morning, almost in tears because of the intensity that they caused me to feel. I don't know why these dreams came into my head, but apparently I had to process thru them and get past them because I had been frustrated about them. As I am writing, I still feel upset by them, but as I write, that feel is also going away.

I just felt I had to write something about this. My dreams were extremely intense.

Disappointed, but not Surprised...

This morning, after falling asleep knowing that Barack Obama was elected and having the feeling of relief that our world is heading in a new direction, I was brought back to earth with a phone call from my father, in Arkansas (which as we know, went for McCain).

Me: Hello, Dad.
Dad: Did you vote for that N****R?

Me: Yes, I did.
Dad: That is stupid to vote for him.

Me: That is your choice to feel that way, but I voted the way I wanted to.
Dad: I hope that n****r treats the country the way they treated me.

Me: You have the right to feel anyway you want to, dad.
Dad: At least I live in a state that is smarter than the rest of the country.

Me: Why do you say that?
Dad: Because Arkansas voted for McCain.

Me: These are the same people that told me that I am not allowed to adopt a child, whether I am gay or straight. They told your son that I can't adopt. I am sorry, but I don't trust the judgement of Arkansas people, especially with voting for the President.
Dad: Well, they were smart enough to vote for someone other than that n****r.

Me: Did you vote at all dad?
Dad: No, I didn't. I don't ever vote.

Me: Then I am not talking about this anymore. I refuse to have a conversation with you and let you bitch when you didn't even vote.
Dad: Ok, I love you son.

Me: I love you too dad. *end call*

The reason for this post is to show where I grew up and what I grew up with. I fully expected to have a conversation like this when I went home for Thanksgiving, but he threw me off guard when I woke up and was getting a phone call from him, just to talk about that.

This is a prime example of how the world is going to change. Most people my fathers age are set in stone, bigot, hypocrit, racist, stubborn, hate-mongers. They grew up in a time when it was acceptable to hate people because of the color of their skin. That is not the case today.

I am very proud that I do not share that view of the world with my father. He taught me many things in life, such as my work ethic, my values towards my country, my views on family and friends, and I am grateful for that; however, I refuse to accept the ways of hatred and prejudice that he tried to instill in me. It didn't work then and it won't work now.

Arkansas: Last Day

As I woke up Saturday, I wanted to surprise my parents by showing up to a car show that was being held in downtown Little Rock. So, thats exactly what I did! I went to the show and visited with them and my sister, uncle and nephew. Below are some pics from that.



After that, I went to Arkansas Tech, to go to the game. I went to CJ's Big Boy Burgers, because they are the best in Russellville, and then went to visit one of my best friends, Veronica.

After I visited with her, I went to the game. Unfortunately, every team I rooted for on Saturday lost. ATU lost by a touchdown. Arkansas lost by 2 points and Ohio State lost. So, it just wasn't a good day for me to be rooting for football, but I had fun visiting with my friends and visiting my old school! So, it was worth it!

Friends on Friday

All I can say is that I love my friends. We went out and had a blast on Friday night!

I started out by going to my favorite restaurant, Lilly's Dim Sum, Then Some. My friend Kathy Webb, who is a State Representative, owns and operates the restaurant and was there to visit with me.

My friends Wes, Dax, and Warren showed up for dinner. It was a great time!



Afterwards, we all went out to Backstreet where I met up with other friends and they reminded me why I go back to visit them. I do miss them and I love my friends. They make me want to come back and visit home as often as I can.

Arkansas: Little Rock scenery

On Thursday, I didn't have anything to do. My friends were all at work and I was not going to sit around all day and just wait. I decided to go take a hike at Pinnacle Mountain State Park and The Big Dam Bridge, over a lock and dam on the Arkansas River.

The scenery was beautiful for Fall!

Trip to Arkansas, Friends

I finally decide to go back home to Arkansas to visit my friends this past week. I left early on Wednesday morning and get to Arkansas around 3pm. So, I leave earlier than expected and get to Arkansas earlier than expected. Which is ok!

The first thing I do, is go see Dax at Bed Bath and Beyond. The bitch is waiting for me at the door! Who knew! We caught up and I waited for a phone call from Tiger.



Well, during that time, my friend Brett called me and we went for a drink. Thus a night ensued of visiting and catching up. Brett and I were joined by my friend Elizabeth and Tiger.

We went to Bene Vita and had a few drinks, which were cheap and not very strong. We decided to have dinner, so we go to a sushi restaurant in downtown Little Rock. It was a fun night! The lady's name was Kat and she had a great personality, along with her mother who were working. We sat and ate and they drank, and it was a great night!

Obama Rally in Columbus

So, Thursday, I get this text message from the Obama Campaign, stating that Barack is going to be in town today for a rally. I have not seen him in person, so I decide to take the time to go down and see him, in person. This is a big election year, so being able to take part in someting like this is history in the making, so naturally, I would want to be a part of it.

The gates opened at Genoa Park, in downtown Columbus, at eleven in the morning. I decide to get there early, so that I could get a decent spot to be able to see him. Well, upon parking 6 blocks away, I start walking. As I get closer, there is table after table of people trying to sell crap. Thankfully, I don't buy crap, so I just walk past them.



As I get closer, I notice I am not the only one who is early. There are already long lines to get in. So, I stand in one of the lines, waiting for them to open at 11. While I am standing there, a volunteer for the campaign brings a form for me to fill out, and asks me what I am doing on election day. I tell her that I am already planning on taking the day off to take people to the polls. She hands me a different ticket, and tells me to go to another line.

I get to the line, and start talking to this nice lady, who overheard about the blue tickets. We start talking, and upon a few minutes of dialogue, we find out we are both Arkansans! How odd is that! Out of the 15000 people who went, I find a fellow Arkansan to chat with.

We get to the place where the volunteers are supposed to go and stand there and talk about Arkansas and the places we enjoyed eating and visiting. She is a very nice lady. She and I stood there for about 3 hours visiting, which is good because it made the time fly!

Well, after a while, the speeches started and I got to see Mayor Coleman, Govenor Stickland, and Barack Obama. It was a very spirited event and it made me feel good about my choice. I am not gonna launch into why in this post, but those who know me, understand!

I hope you enjoy the pics!

Scooter Savings Update...

Here is an estimated breakdown of the scooter savings so far:

Scooter:
2404 kilometers = 1494 miles.

1494 miles / 80 mpg = 18.675 gallons

18.675 gallons x $3.80 (estimated average) a gallon = $70.96 total gas expense


Truck Equivalent:
1494 miles / 22 mpg = 67.91 gallons

67.91 gallons x $3.80 a gallon = 258.09 total gas expense


Cost Difference:

$55/month (monthly payment) x 3 months = $165

$165 + $70.96 = $235.96 (total scooter cost)

So, as of right now, riding the scooter has saved me $23 dollars, over 3 months. So, imagine after I get it paid off! It will save me about $700 a year in fuel expense! That is worth having, if you ask me! So, the scooter was a good investment.

Mound Tour, Small piece of Ohio History

Marshall told me about the mounds of Ohio that Indians originally used for living. He asked if I would like go to and, being a history buff, I said sure!

I am not going to put all of the information on my blog, I am just gonna link each mound to Marshalls blog and you can view the information there!

It was a fun time! It was very interesting to see the mounds and it was a beautiful day. It was worth the time!



Mound Tour, Day 4 (The only day I was able to go)

Tarleton Cross Mound - Interesting mound itself, although not that impressive to look at.

Mound City Group - This one was the best group of mounds, by far!

Adena Mansion and Gardens - This is the spot where the Great Seal of the State of Ohio gets the insignia. I don't understand why they put the emphasis on the seal, instead of the state. Shouldn't it be the Seal of the Great State of Ohio?? Food for thought!

Hopewell Mound Group - This took us on a LONG walk around the mounds, only to find out that after about 2 miles, that the mounds were no longer there, just the imprints of where they used to be. It was a good day for a walk though!

Siep Mound Earthworks - This Mound was HUGE! There are pics to show the size of this mound. I looked so small in comparison.

Story Mound - A mound, literally, in the middle of Chillocothe.

Great Seal State Park - Once again, the Great Seal... hrm?!? We think there is misinformation on the plaqard. I am looking into it!

So, overall, it was a great trip. It was a beautiful day and I got to see parts of Ohio that I had not seen yet. Take a look at the pics! Leave some comments!

Trip to Niagara Falls

Jeremy and I both had the weekend off, so after some searching online for some good deals on hotels, we decided to go to Niagara Falls.



Truth be told, we both had never been to Canada and we didn't know what to expect. Its not that far of a drive. It only took us 5 hours to get there. Considering we had to drive thru the border and stop at 2 toll roads, the drive was not bad at all.

We get to the hotel. Jeremy decided to stay in a nice hotel for a change instead of the Motel 6 type places we normally stay. So, we splurged and stayed in The Embassy Suites, on the 34th floor, overlooking the Canadian and American Falls. It was a beautiful view from the room.

Pics are posted below to browse thru.


On Friday, we ate at "The Keg" restaurant that was in the hotel. It was a good dinner. I had tiger shrimp with rice pilaf. It was very yummy.

On Saturday, we did the toursity stuff. We went onto the "Maid of the Mist" and actually went INTO the Canadian Falls. We got a view of the American Falls as well, but the Canadian Falls are the real attraction.

After we did that, we went on a walk to look at the "whirlpool." The further along we got, the more we realized that 5km is quite a ways to walk! We were told that we could go down to the whirlpool by going up the road to the Totem Pole Park and walk down to the Whirlpool itself. It was supposed to be a 40 minute walk, there and back. Well, after going down the 6 flights of stairs and walking for about 20 minutes, we were no where close and the trail was POORLY designed, so we turned back.

Overall, it was a great trip, but in the end, its just water falling over the edge of a cliff, LOTS of water! It was beautiful, but next time, we are going straight to Toronto!

Friends: Why they are here.

Most of the time, I don't think that people look at their friends with the same kind of love and admiration that I think I do. I love my friends just as much as I love my family. In a lot of instances, my friends are my family.

When I left Arkansas, I left a lot of friends behind and I miss them terribly. I find myself just sitting at my desk, wondering what they are doing and how they are doing. Dax, Tiger, Veronica, Danielle, Brett, Tara, Casey, Warren, Chris, Brett, Gary, and so on.

I have gained a lot of new friends here in Columbus. I have found a few that I really feel that I have come to know and they are going to be some of my best friends. I have found a few that the more I get to know, the more I want to know better. They are just good people. I meet new people every day and its a great part about being in a new city. I only hope over time, these people still remain my friends.

One good thing is that my best friend Karrie lives here now. She is the greatest and I love her. My other best friend Josh is here and thankfully he keeps me sane. Whether it be by medicated alcohol or listening to me on a hard day, I know they are my best friends. Marshall is getting close... not quite there yet!

I just felt like blogging a tribute to my friends. I have been on an emotional roller coaster today and wanted to do it while I was thinking about it.

The Hardest Part of My Job...

I am in HIV Prevention. I am going to come into contact with people who have HIV. I am going to come into contact with people who do not. I am going to come into contact with those who believe that they cannot get it as well as those who believe it is inevitable for infection to occur. I can handle all of that. I do both testing and counseling and for the most part, I can handle that too...

The hardest part of my job is telling someone who is just starting their life, that they are infected with HIV. I had a twenty year old guy come in today and I had to give him the unfortunate news that he was infected. I don't know why the younger guys give me the most grief, but I have given results to older guys and it doesn't affect me as much.

I know HIV is not the "death" sentence that it once was, but it still ensures the people who are infected hardships that we cannot imagine, as people who are not infected. People's lives change in almost every aspect due to that one thing I have to tell them during the testing period. It is such a humbling experience. It puts reality into perspective when compared.

I don't feel sorry for people infected with HIV, but at the same time, I do. It is a double edge sword that I have to deal with. Bad decisions lead to mistakes and that, unfortunately, is what it is... a mistake. Due to that mistake, people who are infected are treated so badly...

I love my job and the work that I do, but having to do that is the hardest part of my job.

A Weekend... thats all...

This has been an enjoyable weekend so far. After work on Friday, Marshall and I went to the Greek Festival in downtown Columbus. First of all, this is an awesome church. They are in the process of renovation and addition right now, but you could tell it is a very beautiful church. Go here for the website to view: Greek Festival.

You wanna talk about some GREAT food! I had a Gyro, it was an overstuffed, full filled, mouth full of goodness. I also had some black pepper greek fries, awesome! After the food part, I had some Greek desserts. Apparently these pastries are cooked by little old greek women. I don't know if that adds to the appeal, but it made it worth the payment! Talk about some GREAT food! YUMMO!

Well, after that, I went home and got some much needed sleep. Saturday morning: Guess what... first day of fanatic Ohio State Football. I was sooo not in the mood to deal with the first game traffic. I was headed to the gym and surprisingly there was no traffic, well, none to deal with directly for the game. After the gym, I headed down Neil Avenue, taking the scenic route home, and I noticed that the leaves were either changing colors, or they were dead. Either way, I was just remembering how things happened last year. Autumn is early...which means that winter is right around the corner! Yay!

I am fan of winter... call me idiotic, but I hate heat.

Part Time Job

Ok, who thinks I am mean enough to be a security guard/bouncer for a LESBIAN club?

Well, apparently the good people at Wall Street seem to think I am! (I am, I am just being dramatic.) So, with that, I started working there.

They are a GREAT group of people to work with. They are fun and they know how to have fun. The job requires that I be stern with people, to protect the bar itself, but I am enjoying it so far. With the bar on my side, I can kick people out! WOO HOO!

Anyway, its a great place to work so far. The only things I don't like is that the hours are late night and I cannot dance while working. I love to dance, but I make due!

Here is the club: Wall Street

Back to School... UGH!

Its that time of the year again... time when you start signing away your life's savings before you even get to save, time when you start burying the nose in the books with hopes of making a difference in the life you are leading... hoping to get a great paying job.

So, just like millions of other students, I start back to the grind this week. In doing so, I am taking Principles of Accounting II and Human Resource Management. It should, hopefully, be an easy semester!