OK ~ SO I CAN'T STAY AWAY

Only 24 hours into my vacation and I am on the Internet blogging. But I missed a whole week of not communicating with all you guys. So I am bumming some Internet airwaves from the next door neighbor's wireless setup. Shame on me.

Seriously, I am simply at the halfway point of the road trip up north. I'll be leaving from my mom's house in the SF Bay Area later today with all the goodies loaded in my car, and her, for the FINAL DESTINATION - Lake Tahoe. It was so good pulling into the East Bay yesterday...that home feeling came back. I just don't know if I will ever get northern California out of my system. It is so vastly different from southern California - at least I think so. I managed to see my brother's recently purchased home that he has been remodeling under my direction, long distance most of the time. He's done a pretty good job of implementing the plans I laid out for him and even the furniture I selected for him looks great. He's excited and that is what matters most to me.

After the bro's house I headed back up to mom's and there I crashed for three hours. I am still feeling the sleep DEPRIVATION (does the word look familiar?) from finals. But boy did I need it and did it feel good. And then the biggest event of the day for me...an actual home-cooked meal. I haven't had a decent meal in over ten days, thanks to all the work leading into finals week and then studying, building, etc. There was no time to cook so I often simply nibbled on something in the refrigerator, had McDonald's, or ate Taco Bell. Needless to say I dropped several pounds. I am down to 183 and I know I have lost muscle mass. Really discouraging after spending four months building up 20 lbs in mass. I am down 10 lbs. now.

Now your probably thinking, "what did he have for dinner?" Pan-seared, thick-cut pork chops, fettuccini in a tomato herb marinara sauce, sliced avocado and Romano tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and wine vinegar, and garlic bread. That was finished off with a chocolate eclaire. Man, oh man was I content!

Guess it's time to shut down the computer as I'll be off shortly. But don't hang me if I slip back on to see a few comments. Hugs all!!

I'M SO OVER THEM...TIME FOR VACATION

They're over...and I am so over them. Yes, finals are done and well, vacation is here. Six weeks worth but thanks to the revamping of our Senior Project class, I have homework over my break. Sore subject with me so I am not going there for now. I am so ready for a mental break, some fun, and some relaxation.

As you are reading this post I will be heading on up to my mother's in the Bay Area, to finish up helping her pack some of the equipment we take with us. Then Sunday morning, I'll drive her and the 'load' up to the cabin that our family has rented near the lake. This is our annual family summer vacation. We have been doing it with our relatives since I was born 46 years ago (and it goes further back than me). The family has rented out a large cabin, or maybe that is house. I'll refer to it as the 'compound.' The compound has 6 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, living room and dining room, laundry, etc. Not like camping in the old days but I guess we all get a bit spoiled over time.

Lots of sunning at the beach, fresh mountain air, boating, and waterskiing. I have the biggest smirk right now. I am so ready! My 'duke out' with Oscar is going to have to wait until I get home from Tahoe. Hopefully I'll be refreshed by then to throw that one-two punch and blast Oscar away for another 2 months until the next set of finals next quarter. Fortunately I only have one class and an internship to do next quarter. The class though will be a doozer...trust me. I am already planning on probably doing the minimum time for internship this quarter (20 hours/week) and simply rolling the remaining time of completion beyond my December finish of school. Part II of my Senior project will be developing construction documents, all of which must be done in CAD (computer aided design) output. Need I say, I suck at CAD. Looks like I'll be focusing on getting that intern spot during the first few weeks of school rather than during break, which has me nervous.

For any of you that might be curious, I have no concept how I did on my last two classes but I'll know in about two to three weeks. Anyway, did I say I was so ready for vacation?!?! Guess I did. Well, I am.

****While I plan on taking my computer to Tahoe with me, I am not sure if I'll have Internet access which means I may not be blogging for a whole week or so. I am already having withdrawals from not doing it during finals week...hehehe! Do you think I can go another week? If I do have Internet access, I'll post a few times and maybe send some pictures your way. Ya'll be good, ya here!

WORD PLAY ~ DEPRIVATION

Deprivation
Pronunciation: "de-pr&-'vA-sh&n also "dE-"prI-
Function: noun
1 : the state of being deprived : PRIVATION;
especially : removal from an office, dignity, or benefice
2 : an act or instance of depriving : LOSS

I had some time last night in my schedule to post. Low and behold it's Wednesday WORD PLAY. As always, it's short and sweet! Today's word is DEPRIVATION. Oh, this word applies so well to my current situation. I couldn't pass it up.

Usage: I have been so delirious the past few days, thanks to the sleep deprivation that my studies are currently imposing on me.

To be honest I don't know what I am suffering from these days. Is it really sleep deprivation or is it a bit more (shhhh! - maybe sexual deprivation?). Can anybody out there help me?

So again, the "play" portion...any comment you leave must use the word deprivation in it. Your response can be about anything ~ the post, me (watch it!), something about you, something happening in your life. Knock yourself out thinking of something serious, humorous, or off-beat to comment about. Just have fun with it!

****Finals Update: Waiting for tomorrow, Thursday, to come. My last two classes are then and both are presentations. My portfolio prints will be picked up this morning. Keep your fingers crossed that they look half way decent. I have my model to construct today while pondering what I will say Thursday about my Seattle project. And then I am so over school...for at least one week.

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? (#12)

Tuesday is here. THANK GOODNESS! Just another two days beyond today and I am done with the Spring-Summer session of design school. Time to roll into another HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

So let's roll! Today's question is:
How do you like your mattress ~ cushy soft, just ever so firm, or rock hard?

My reply to this is I want my mattress just ever so firm. I like a little give but want the extra support. One can't afford to get lost in the mattress when one is having heated sex. ;-) On a more serious side, my bed is beckoning me fast and hard! It's 2:40 am. I finished working on my Senior Project. I am done with the drafting portion ...just need to build the model. Well, I need to hop into bed on that 'JUST EVER SO FIRM' mattress and kiss Mr. Sandman!

So as always, fess up. Lay out those details for us to read.

Oh! By the way I aced my Ecology test last night. I am almost sure of it. I figure the worst it could be is a 98%.

I AM ALIVE! BUT FEELING THE SQUEEZE

Well, I am alive still ~ studying for finals and finishing up two class presentations...models, portfolio presentations, and schematic drawings. But damn if I ain't feeling the squeeze, like Al Capone has a tight chokehold on me. Feeling pretty wiped out right now as most of the last several days have been not stop from morning until midnight...actually later. More like 1:30-2am. In fact, I was speaking to Spider on the phone Friday night and he said I was slurring more words and 'rambling' aimlessly. He said I sounded as if I had been on drugs. What can I say? I am not in my 20 somethings any longer. My body is simply not made for these late nights any longer. In fact I told Spider that I didn't know how he had managed to get through this past week at work, given his 16-17 hour days, 7 days straight (longer if you factor in the previous week).

Am just hoping my body doesn't breakdown at the end of finals week as it has in the past. I have a had a couple of schools breaks where I started the first portion of my vacation sick. At this point I don't want to be sick for my Lake Tahoe vacation. Guess its time to sign off. Back too drafting of sorts and meeting with the graphic artist again later today to attempt to finish out my portfolio. Chow!

CRUNCH TIME IS HERE! ~ FINAL PRESENTATIONS

Well, its here! It's Friday and I am heading into 'Crunch Time' weekend ~ the weekend leading into finals. So much to do. The ol' head is spinning faster than a top. I have a 'TO DO LIST' a mile long. And there isn't enough hours in the day to get it done, but I guess I'll manage to get it done. The results just may not be up to TONY standards...those are high standards typically.

But when all is said and done, I am out next Thursday for summer vacation. I am just looking forward to a week of relaxation with family up in Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada. Waterskiing, yippee! Summer nights with cool, crisp mountain air. Perhaps some blogging if I can manage any type of Internet connection, but its no guarantee.

I won't be posting again until probably Tuesday, with my usual HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? Hope you guys won't forget about this West Coast dude! Keep you fingers crossed that I manage to at least pass the three finals. Be good, keep me posted, and to a few of you close bloggers buds, don't be bashful about shooting off an email or two. Later!

HELP! OSCAR IS CHOKING FELIX

OK! I embarrassed myself back in May, May 4th specifically, posting an article called PART I: AN 'OSCAR OR A FELIX' MOMENT? Remember this:

As you recall, Felix won out. Order prevailed. Well, Oscar is burying me again. I fear Oscar is going to be around for at least another two weeks. Can I survive? Maybe I can call Derek? Derek will you fly out West and clean my room? So here are the pics (below), and Oscar has not only moved back into the bedroom but into the living space area too. Felix so wants to give Oscar a 'one, two' punch! But Oscar is managing a chokehold right now. See what the final weeks of school can do to an innocent soul like me. HELP!!!

I'm embarrassed! This is the mess in the living room. It's actually part of the mess from that May blog installment of Oscar/Felix. I never quite got to putting it in the storage bin outside.

The latest picture of that infamous corner in my room. Oscar is definitely back!

And the newest spot in my bedroom accumulating some of the mess. Lots of bagged design products.

WORD PLAY ~ FLATULENCE

FLATULENCE
Pronunciation: 'fla-ch&-l&n(t)s Function: noun
1 : the quality or state of being flatulent (gassy)
2 : flatus expelled through the anus

Today is another installment of Wednesday WORD PLAY. Short and sweet! Today's word is FLATULENCE. Try to get me in person to say that with a straight face!

Usage: Cut the bullcrap...I don't want to hear about flatulence. Just tell me you have the 'farts.'

You know...odd to say this but as we were growing up, a recurring topic that came up at the dinner table, surrounded by nine bodies, was that of farting. On occasion, it still does at get togethers. Always a good laugh. I know, WEIRD!

So again, the "play" portion...any comment you leave must use the word flatulence in it. Your response can be about anything ~ the post, me (watch it!), something about you, something happening in your life. Knock yourself out thinking of something serious, humorous, or off-beat to comment about. Just have fun with it!

****FINALS ARE NEXT WEEK FOR ME. Just to let you know in advance, I may not be posting after this Thursday for several days due to all the elements of finals week being thrown at me!! I'm hoping to at least post next Tuesday and Wednesday, 7/25 & 7/26.

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? (#11)

Holy cow! Another Tuesday is here. Time to roll into one more HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

So without any further ado and in the spirit of brevity, let's get started.
How do you like your shower ~ steamy hot, pleasurably tepid, nice and cold?

Well, if you must know my take on this, I want my shower a certain way depending on the environment I'm in at any given time. If I have been outdoors snowskiing all day in 20-30 degree weather, make that darn shower hot and steamy. If I am in hot, humid temperatures, give me a tepid or a very short, cold shower. Oh, and I can think of another reason when I like my shower tepid due to other things heating up the space!

So as always, fess up. Lay out those details for us to read.

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEL, OFFICIALLY!!!!

GIVING A FELLOW BLOGGER AN EARLY HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHOUT

I love birthdays! Any birthday other than my own. So I just had to get a birthday wish out early to a fellow blogger that many of you may be familiar with. Tomorrow, July 18th, is Kelly's (Rambling Along In Life...)birthday. Yap, that spring chicken is one more year older and one year closer to being 40. Hehehe! I just had to sneak that in Kel.

I had such a hard time trying to figure out what he would want for his birthday. At first I thought cash would do. Nah! Then I thought... well you'll just have to wait until your reach the end of this post and see.

I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Kelly yet but I am hopeful that he and his partner might make the trip to Orlando in late August for the bloggers' gathering. Kelly's blog always manages to spark up the doldrums I get periodically. What I like about it, is you get this straightforwardness that says, 'this is me!' I like his splash of humor, his sincerity, his 'laidback'ness, and that crazy, 'let's celebrate' attitude that surfaces as well.

So, let's all whip up one of Kel's infamous COSMOs and toast this gent with a 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!' Happy Birthday Kelly. Enjoy your special day tomorrow. Oh, I can't forget the gift...

...A nice hunky stud serving you prime, Grade 'A' BEEF!

BLOGGING FRIENDSHIPS

Just felt compelled today to talk about blogging friendships, having spoken to Derek, Past, Present, & Future, Pete, The Shortbus, and my Spidey! again yesterday. I have had the fortune of gaining some terrific friends through my blogging. Thank goodness for this! It could be the other way. Lately, I find myself asking why is this so? Perhaps it's because one can reasonably screen people for a period of time through reading their blog. Obviously this process allows one to get a sense of whether there is any common interests and thoughts. But in any event, I have remained lucky in this arena.

So many of my initiated phone contacts have revealed people who are genuine. Each one has felt like a person that I have known all my life - engaging, friendly, at ease, interested in getting to know me (and vice versa). I can't imagine what I would do without each of them (you) in my daily life. Still I wonder what creates this ability to communicate so easily. Is it because we bloggers possess a sentimental, emotional side, moreso than the rest of society? Is it possibly because we tend to be more introspective, constantly evaluating ourselves, constantly trying to find how we can make a difference in this world, even if it merely affects one person? It is so easy to get into this mode of questioning.

I am learning to just 'go for the ride!' And I am loving every minute of it. Hugs to all my blogger buds. You're the best.

DOG TIRED!

Why is everyone so dog tired these days? Is it because we push ourselves to the limits for reasons that we should not? Is it because we feel a need to push ourselves to gain some reward ~ perhaps monetary, perhaps material, hell perhaps physical? Is it because we seek self fulfillment which is really beyond our means or needs? Do we push ourselves because we are hiding or running away from something ~ hurt, loneliness, lack of self-confidence. All wear at the very core of our being. And to whose benefit? Certainly not ours. More often than not, it benefits someone else, not us. It can be an individual. It can be a corporate entity.

Pause....Take a moment! Think about it. Really, think about it! I bet if you do, you'll see that there is some element of truth to what I say if not in full agreement. Heck, I'm tired just thinking about what I wanted to say here. I guess we keep trudging along in this "PUSH, PUSH, PUSH" mode because we have this innate sense of obligation. But I think we put too much emphasis on obligation at times. Don't get me wrong. There are times where we do have obligations or are better served for taking the occasional plunge fulfilling them.

I'm for moderation. And every now and then I believe you simply need to tell someone, "STUFF IT!," including employers. Of course, the comment should be tailored to the situation. To some of my friends, I know your working your butts off and all for good reasons. Just remember to live some of that life too. Now if I can only repeat that to myself a couple of times, maybe I wouldn't be so stressed over school. Well, I've spoken my piece. I guess I am just dog tired!

COMPLETING THAT FIRST MEME

So here is my first meme challenge, sent to me compliments of that wacky, studly, "I-Can't-Stand-To-Lose" southerner, Mr. BrettCajun. Not too complicated. Perhaps you'll gain a few new insights about me.

Things you may not have known about me.....

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Insurance Claims Management
2. Claims Litigation
3. Property Damage and Personal Injury Claims Adjuster
4. Retail Assistant Manager - Computer Printers and Software

Four Movies I have watched over and over:
1. Shawshank Redemption
2. Sound Of Music - Ok, I'm gay, but I like watching it with the nieces and nephews.
3. Lord of the Rings (Trilogy)
4. Mrs. Doutbtfire - Sorry, I love Robin Williams!!!

Four places I have lived:
1. South San Francisco, CA
2. Redwood City, CA
3. Dublin, CA
4. Laguna Hills/Laguna Niguel, CA - Oops! How did I land in So. Cal after living in Northern California for so long?!?!

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. American Chopper - Oh yah! REAL MEN! WOOF!
2. American Idol - Don't ask me why I like it. I just do!
3. Survivor
4. Project Runway - Another don't ask me why!

Four places I have been on vacation:
1. New York
2 Hawaii
3. Lake Tahoe
4. Europe - 3/4 of it (inclusive of the old Eastern Bloc countries)

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Veal Scalapini
2. Homemade pasta and marinara sauce
3. Chicken Marsala
4. Fried Calamari

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Orlando, Florida - meeting all my new blogger buddies!
2. Salzburg, Austria
3. Positano, Italy
4. Hawaii, Hawaii, Hawaii!

Four people who will respond:
1. Pete
2. Spider
3. Derek
4. Sorted

I hope my four buds above will help me out by completing the meme challenge. I would have hit 'Y' (Ynager) up for the challenge but he is hopeless now that he has gone in to total vacation mode!! Hopefully, it's one you haven't done yet, but if you have, oh well!
Feel free to take the challenge yourself but let us know the results by copying them into the comments section. Any other thoughts, leave them behind. Hope you all have a great weekend.

Hey 'Y,' have a great vacation in Florida! We want pics when you get back and no editing anything. ;-)

WORD PLAY ~ 'CREVICE'

**Thanks for allowing me to make yesterday's post. So here is Wednesday WORD PLAY a day late. It will post in its normal slot next week, 7/19/06.**

CREVICE
Pronunciation: 'kre-v&s
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French crevace, from crever to break, from Latin crepare to crack
: a narrow opening resulting from a split or crack (as in a cliff): rift: cranny, breach, or gap : FISSURE

Welcome to the official kick-off of Wednesday WORD PLAY, one day late of course. It's short, sweet, and to the point as I mentioned in my preview post of it this past Saturday's post. Today's kickoff word is CREVICE.

Usage: Mom used to tell me, "Be sure you clean behind all the nooks, crannies, and crevices to be sure everything is clean." Perhaps not the true usage of the word but it works for what I wanted it to work for. ;-) [Ok, I am wondering where your minds have gone with that one. Shame on you, if they did go there!]

So again, here is the "play" portion...any comment you leave must use the word crevice in it. Your response can be about anything ~ the post, me (watch it!), something about you, something happening in your life. Knock yourself out thinking of something serious, humorous, or off-beat to comment about.

WHEN LIFE THROWS US CURVES

**I am pre-empting my planned new weekly post, Wednesday WORD PLAY, to make this post. I will post Word Play tomorrow (Thursday).**

I happen to be reading Hypoxic's blog the other night. He had made a comment in his posting about an article in Gay Men Rule. I had never been to that blog so I decided to 'pop in.' I realized when I did visit the site that it was a collaborative blogsite. I began to check out who the authors were and noticed two who frequent my blog, Scotty and Marc. I began to look into the other site participants. One caught my eye. It happen to be Joshua of I KEEP SMILING. I began to peruse his blog and realized he had not been on Blogger much longer than me, that he in fact was Marc's brother, and that he had lost his partner of 20 years this past October 2005.

I, being the emotionally-compelled type, began to read Joshua's blog. Here is a very attractive man who appears to have had much going for him in his life ~ a partner with a deep commitment, a career as a dentist, and close ties with his family. Then life threw Joshua a curve. His partner was taken from him due to a brain aneurism. Imagine, 20 years of living, breathing, loving someone so deeply. Personally, I can't imagine the pain of losing a soulmate as I have never been partnered. One of these days hopefully. But I can share in the experience as I have lost a father and I know what a bond my mother and father had. I've watched and communicated with my mother through her ups and downs these past 4 years. She has gotten through it much like I suspect Joshua will. All it takes is one thing - unconditional love and support from family. I suspect ~ no, I know Joshua has those gifts from his siblings, much like my mom has received from her seven children.

Life does go on. We simply need to open our hearts and realize that we can handle change and new challenges, regardless of the simple comforts and routines we have grown accustomed to. Joshua, there are other guys out there that will 'fit the bill' of who you are seeking. Perhaps not in every minute detail, but don't compromise on the big points, especially age if your idea is to have someone in your age range. They 're there. Some of us, you and I, may just need to look a little harder, recognizing that a genuine person is sometimes more than simply the physical components. I think there is nothing new in that statement. Wouldn't you agree?

Well guys. I know that I had made the commitment to shorten my posts a bit but I just had to write on this topic. Marc, if you see this post, I hope you will pass its sentiments along to your brother. I am re-posting the following poem that I shared with you all back on May 6, shortly after I started to blog. Somehow I think it speaks to how we need to approach life each day. Life does move on. So this re-run is for Joshua...

MOV’IN ON
– A Collection of Thoughts For A Friend –


Woke up today.
Mind focused, spirit lifted.
Heart racing.

Opportunity abounds.
But only with an open heart.
Growth, challenges, evolving friendships.

Momentary fear overwhelms.
It succumbs to happy thoughts.
Family, friends, lifetime dreams.

Time to pause.
Remember blessings.
Life itself, second chances.

With a smile, step forth!
Beaming enthusiasm.
Teeming with energy.

The world beckons.
Absent prejudice and hate.
Seize it!

Hear a lone cry for help.
Listen! Care enough.
Respond –give back graciously.

Ah! Love.
Hopeful and everlasting.
Relentless yet endearing.

With focus and commitment.
Hear the inner self elate.
“You’ve come so far!”

Step forth.
Head high.
Passionately embrace this new day.

But every so often remember...
“You’ve so much to do.”
It’s time to be mov’in on.

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? (#10)

Yet another Tuesday has crept up on us and it's time for the usual Tuesday fun, HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

This week's question to ponder is: How do you like your man's 'arse' ~ full and round (bubble-butt), tight and muscular, or average and hairy.

If you ask me, variety is the spice of life. Wahoo! But I do have a weakness for a beefy, muscular, hairy 'arse.' So as usual, speak your mind because there are other inquiring minds out there who are 'panting,' waiting to know.

FRIENDSHIP

Friendship is such a blessing in one's life. It's a true necessity. It's what keeps us energized, mentally healthy, challenged, and gives us a sense of purpose. Think of what life would be like without a friend, without someone that you could hold in affection and high regard, without someone with whom you could share your deepest feelings with and not feel judged. Simply said, somone that you can shoot he sh*t with , laugh, cry, or whatever other mood fits the situation.

Yet there are those out there who are isolated in some way from this most precious of blessings. I often stop and reflect on this. And many times I am overwhelmed. See I have never had a large group of friends. Part of it was me isolating myself because I didn't see individuals fitting into my mold of a friend, someone with similar life values and morals. I have grown out of that stage though I still, on occasion, protect myself from certain types of individuals such as those into drugs, those into an overabundance of alcohol (Mind you I like to have a good time like the average Joe but I am not into the drunkenfest of every day or evening drinking.). But I have digressed a tad. Friendship is often companionship that replaces immediate family ~ family that some have never had, that some have lost due to death, or that some have chosen to separate from because of differences. I feel for those that don't have friewndship to fill the void of immediate family. Life can be overwhelming without this means of grounding and very, very lonely.

Well enough of my drivel. I am just thankful and happy for my expanding network of friends, many of whom are you, my readers, who I have met or will be meeting. My hope is that the foothold of friendship with each of you will take root, and be the foundation for building a lasting relationship. So how do you view friendship? Cheers!

JUST AN EVENING 'DIP'

(I JUST LOVE MEN IN WET T-SHIRTS! WOOF!)

Last night was absolutely fantastic. After a great phone conversation with the incredibly sexy Spider and finishing up with the movie, BLADE 2, that I was watching, I took a stroll out into my sister's backyard. Oh! ~ I neglected to mention that I was at her house while this was all taking place. Anyway the weather during the day had been in the mid 90's with some humidity but the evening air was phenomenal. Upper 70's, no breeze, a clear, moonlit sky, and utter quiet with the exception of the crickets chirping in the distance.

You all have seen my sister's yard from a post I did this last May. She has a huge pool. And as I was strolling the backyard it was beckoning me in a major way. Well since I have the entire place to myself for two weeks (I am popping in and cycling mail, newspapers, packages into the house with some light yard watering), I just had this urge to get naked and take an evening dip.

One minor thing first. I needed to go upstairs and cover the security camera to ensure my endeavor wouldn't be recorded for all posterity. Once that was done, it was back downstairs and into the yard, leaving the clothes in the house. Wahoo! A warm night's air circulating around the body and then nice cool, refreshing water. Absolute paradise! Now I'll leave the rest up to your imaginations. Hmmm ~ might have to revisit that tonight too!

WORD PLAY - "BREVITY"

BREVITY
Pronunciation: 'bre-v&-tE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ties
Etymology: Latin brevitas, from brevis
: shortness of duration : shortness or conciseness of expression

Welcome to WORD PLAY. Short, sweet, and to the point. And what better way to start than with the word brevity.

Usage: In practicing brevity, one hopefully can increase readership of one's blog.
(Ok, no comments from the peanut gallery, please!)

So here is the "play" portion...any comment you leave must use the word brevity in it. Your response can be about anything ~ the post, me (watch it!), something about you, something happening in your life. Have fun with it. I may move this segment ultimately to Wednesdays for caption as Wednesday Word Play.

COMFORT FOOD

Comfort food. Something that soothes the blues and lifts the spirits when the time is right. And last night was just that...the right time.

The week was another drudging week of schoolwork even with the 4th of July holiday stuck in there. As, usual my body started to go into that retreat mode the minute I finished out my mock interview last night at 7pm. By the way, the mock 'taped' interview went well for all intent and purpose. I even got a quick, "Good job," from the instructor that was doing the interviewing. Mind you, that means I did ok but I am sure I will have plenty of feedback from my professor next week. Honestly, I was critiquing myself when I came out...then again what's new.

So back to the point of the article. My body was beginning its 'mellowing' state and I felt like chatting on the phone. The problem was I couldn't get anyone to chat long enough. Guess its not particularly easy when people live in another time zone and I am strolling in at 8pm West Coast time. Found myself feeling a little 'bluesy' afterwards so what did I do? I went looking for comfort food. While I have several comfort foods, there is one that always managed to make me feel good ~ SOUP. Perhaps it is the memories it rears from when I was a child. Seems like we were always having soup on cold, stormy nights or on those nights when one just needs to 'chill.' I like so many varieties and there is nothing like homemade soup. My dad made the best chicken broth with pastini and minestrone soup. I have a cabinet stocked full of Campbell's SELECT soups ranging from Beef and Roasted Barley, Split Pea, Mexican Style Corn Tortilla, and one of my all-time favorites, New England Clam Chowder. Top any and all of them with fresh-cracked pepper and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and I am feeling real good.

And last night it was Beef and Roasted Barley that soothed this man's blues and lifted his spirits. Almost like having a good cup of Maxwell coffee. Do ya'll have any particular favorite soup?

Have a Great Weekend!

THE BRUSH'S COLORFUL DAUBS ~ MISCELLANEOUS TIDBITS #6

Full day of classes today so a relatively short and to the point post today...unusual for me, aye!

5500 Hits:
Can't believe I am just a tad over two month into blogging and I am essentially at the 5500 hit mark. I would never have expected this. I appreciate all my regular readers and all those of you who stop by merely to take a peak at my blog.

Incredible Edible 'EYECANDY!':
Ok... Check this eyecandy out. Both look pretty hot, but man the gent in the front of the two gets my gord, bigtime. The whitish blonde hair is even kinda sexy! Thanks to J.M.G. Folsom East post for this.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iilgemini/
172464199/in/set-72157594173644524/

Blogger Looking to Expand Music Repertoire!:
Hey guys. CW over at CityWOOF is looking to expand his music library. Check his post out here, for Tuesday, July 4, 2006. He doesn't think he is current in music. Perhaps...but isn't music what we really like rather than what the current popular trend is?! JUST A THOUGHT. Check CW out anyway. He's back from his Tampa Bay stint.

Blogger PowWow - Speak Up!:
Hey, if you are coming to Orlando for the Southeast bloggers' get together in late August, speak up! Start making those hotel reservations and let Spider know via email ( or me, and I'll be sure to pass it along to him).

Pass Along Some BIGTIME Hugs:
Hey, there are a few people out there that could use some bigtime hugs:
...Pete - he's had an up and down past seven days or so with a variety of frustrating things.
...Derek - he somehow threw his back up and spent most of his 4th of July weekend layed up in bed or chilling. Sounds like he is on his way to recovery but still.
...And Mark over at Zeizeuge - if you read his blog at all, his ex-partner, Mike, passed away this past Saturday from his battle with AIDS. Always hard to hear this type of news.
HUGS TO ALL OF YOU!!

Keep Your Fingers Crossed!:
Well I only have three and a half weeks of school left. My 'panic' is shifting from my Senior Project class over to my Senior Portfolio class now. I so need to pull all my materials together for the graphic artist to create my layout and slip the materials into it. If I don't hurry up, I may be stuck doing it myself and struggling majorly since I don't have the right or best software programs to pull it together electronically. Get me through this quarter please!


Guess this is enough tidbits of news for the day. Time for class. WAHOO! (*sarcasm)

A PARADE, FIREWORKS, AND FRIENDS

The cousin's house - slightly visible chairs were part of his 'gig' too.

Another 4th of July has come and gone. The day started of with a bang and finished off in quiet reflection.

I was up at 7am and out of the house heading over to my sister's place by 7:45am. We were going to combine to one car, the Suburban, since parking near the parade is a 'bear.' But plans changed, long story, and we went in three cars. We were on the road by 8:30 am and arrived at my cousin's house in Huntington Beach (California) at 9:10am. See my cousin's house is actually on Main Street in Huntington Beach and this is the main parade route. The people that live on this street turn there yards into party locations and set up seats for prime viewing. By 9:30 am I was in full form...Mamosas were flowing. Mind you I am not a heavy drinker by far, but when I get together with family and relatives...well the hair comes down just a tad! By the parade's end, I had a bit of a buzz. Oh! the parade. It was great ~ some of the usual floats and organizations, but several new floats and bands. There is always a good mix. The military service and the veterans, especially those survivors from Pearl Harbor, are always the big crowd pleasers and draw the loudest round of applause. This year, the parade finished off with a small band of renegade harikrishnas. I always think of an 'ACID trip' when I see them. Hehehe!

Then there was the good ol' fashion barbecue with all the fixin's, much like I blogged about in my Tuesday HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? segment. And guess what? My cousin chose to do wieners solely this year. Who would have known that my blog post yesterday would segway into the day's prime cooking event. And in case you are wondering...my wiener was a bit bigger than 'bun'-sized but definitely all beef and uncut!

My visit with my cousin and all the other relatives in attendance ended around 5pm. I drove my mom back to my sister's place as she had to leave a bit early. Once at my sister's, I hit the patio and plunked myself down on a lounge chair by the pool. On came the 'siesta.' I was out for nearly 2 hours until I got my call from Mr. Spider!! He filled me in on the East Coast celebrations that had already transpired and managed to pep me up a bit. He always puts a smile on my face.

By the time I complete that rather lengthy call, it was getting near fireworks time here on the west coast. I went in to see if my sister was planning on taking the niece and nephew to the local fireworks show. I got a NO response. It was kind of a downer. No one wanted to go. I almost opted out myself but as I was driving home changed my mind, diverting to the prime location to view the show. And mind you, our city's viewing location is pretty prime. It sits on the bluff of a hill. It actually is the outer edge of a local park. From it you can see the fireworks show directly across the small valley, not to mention that you have a clear view of about 5 other cities firework displays.

When I arrived at the bluff and was waiting for the show, my mode seemed to change. I was having one of those 'anti-climatic' feelings, much like I did on graduation day two weeks ago. Don't get me wrong. The day was great and I got to share in it with some of my family and relatives. But this year, I felt for the first time in a long time, that I was missing a key ingredient. I have always thought of the 4th of July as a time for gathering of family and friends. This year I really wanted MY FRIENDS around. By the time the fireworks show kicked off, my mind was far off staring into the darkness, thinking about my new friends and friends-to-be (hopefully). Yes, I truly was thinking about several of you. I would have loved to have been gathered at my own house, celebrating this day with people like Spider, Pete, Rob, Brett, Derek, Ynager, Kel, Kev (Hypoxic), Keith (Sorted Lives), CityWOOF, Scotty, and others. Why is it that I have to have people that I feel a connection with live so far away? Why couldn't I be fortunate to have such fun, spirited, warm individuals in my immediate backyard?!?!

Well...there you have my Independence Day. I know that soon my path will cross with a few more of you, and for others it may be a bit longer. But I do hope we meet up eventually. Thought I would slip in some parade photos starting off with my cousin's truly 'Americana' house at the top of this post (and its worth a pretty chunk of change given its prime location on Main Street in a beach community - the bum!).

Pre-parade: Main Street looking north from my cousin's house.

Pre-parade: Main Street looking south from my cousin's house.

The start of the parade with the old-fashion city cop cars.

The Stars and American Bald Eagle floats.

Our armed forces - the Marine. Hoooooo - rah! The crowd pleaser!

Float carrying Miss Huntington Beach (California).

One of the many equestrian displays throughout the parade.

A church organization float/band. They are a staple and typically good.

One of the several county high school bands invited to the parade.

Another equestrian display, this time with riders in the old Wild West clothing of the day.

The skating bulldog - this sweet hound was another crowd pleaser. So 'SoCal!'
This bulldog actually used his hind leg to push...too funny.

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? (#9) HEADING INTO 4TH OF JULY

So here is another Tuesday, a very special Tuesday. Time to wish America happy birthday. Yes, it's the 4th of July. I hope each of you has a special July 4th and find the time to share the riches we have been blessed with as a nation with those that are special, whether family, friends, or both. And while your at it, grab your favorite beverage, and make a salute to our troops fighting and patrolling abroad. Cheers!

Well, aside from it being Independence Day, it's HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? Tuesday. In honor of this day my question, or rather questions, are in the spirit of the moment. Part of this national holiday has always encompassed a good ol' American barbecue with all the fixin's. Steaks, hamburgers, and for some, yes, the hotdog.

So the questions are as follows:

How do you like you wiener

~ jumbo or 'bun' size?
~ beef or kosher?
~ cut or uncut?

If you really must know what I like, I like my wiener 'bun' size, all beef, and uncut. ;-) Now don't you dare go putting those minds in the gutter! And oh, I want it hot and spicy, with any type of mustard that is. So let's see what you have for answers today. Get'em into my comments section.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

DESIGN ~ COLOR IS BACK FOR ROUND 2

Back on June 7, 2006, I did a post entitled DESIGN ~ THINK COLOR IN YOUR SPACE. I had mention that I could go on and on about color. I made the decision to end my post where I did so as not to create too much confusion and or anxiety over its use. Well I am back with more on color.

I thought I would start by letting you know that there are basic categories of color that create color harmonies. The color schemes are: monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and neutral. In a monochromatic scheme there is only one color in use but the lightness, darkness, and or strength of the chosen color may vary. Monochromatic color schemes are often used because they are soothing and create a sense of sereneness. Analogous schemes involve colors that are closely related to one another. They in essence sit next to each other on the color wheel. Analogous schemes tend to be a bit more dramatic than monochromatic color schemes. The complementary color scheme commands the most attention. The colors usually lie opposite each other on the color wheel. The last color scheme would be the neutral. Your neutrals would be your black, gray, and white. These colors can create depth in a composition, making other colors look brighter and deeper. They can, in essence, separate colors that clash or that are too strong. Neutrals even tone down complementary schemes in daylight.

To quickly give you examples of the first three schemes for color harmony I will use the color wheel which has the actual colors listed. They are based on the definitions of each that I provided above. Here they are:
Monochromatic - RED (using various shades of red, moving light to dark or simply maintaining one red tone).
Analogous - Red-Orange, Orange or Red-Orange, Orange, and Yellow-Orange.
Complementary - Violet and Yellow.

The additional color wheel I have is to merely show you that colors break down into multiple levels, all evolving from the three primary colors. When YOU are trying to create color harmony in your home, hopefully this tool can assist. Keep in mind that when using several colors, you want to generate a feel of rhythm to the design. You want a person's eye to travel around a space, a room, without there being a break in the travel of the eye. So remember to spot colors around a room. Don't distribute an additional color to one side of the room. If you do, the eye will stop there and not be interested in any of the other elements in the room. The color can be spread around a space through additions of materials, accessories, etc.

Well, now you have some rudimentary knowledge of color. Hopefully you find it helpful for some project down the line. There is so, so much more to color and color combinations that also sets a variety of moods. But I think this is more than sufficient for the average 'do-it-yourself' individual. Any questions, let me know. Enjoy!

IS MY 'AMERICAN DREAM' REALLY WITHIN GRASP?

Today I spent a chunk of my time running around taking care of mostly school-related errands. First I ran to the bank to make that desperately needed transfer of funds to my checking account thanks to the monthly rent being due. Yes, I have to be that good responsible American that pays his bills timely. Then it was off to Kinko's to make reduced copies of the building plans we received in our Senior Project class. The reduced plans will get cut up and become the foundation for my building's mock model. I then headed out to get some styrofoam, foam core, cardboard, and several paints. These items will be used to create the blocks that will represent various spaces in my commercial/residential building.

Once I completed the run of errands, I plunked myself down and did a little drafting of some ideas I have for the spacial organization of my building. Nothing is final yet. Still variations to explore. At about 4pm I took care of one other personal item. Then I cooked dinner. The weather here in Southern California has been absolutely hot for the past week, ranging from 85-99 degrees where I live specifically. Since the weather was so nice. I decided to sit outside, eat my dinner, and enjoy my margarita. Well, two margaritas later, I was gazing across my sister's backyard (you've seen her house in my earlier May 24, 2006 post called A Sorted Pictorial: A Place I Called Home For A Year...), soaking up the greenery, the tranquility of the space, catching the subtle shouts of kids in neighboring yards having fun in their pools, watching the hummingbirds buzz around the yard's trees and flowers. I was in another world, wondering if I would ever own a house even remotely 1/5th of their house and yard. My sister's house feels like such a home even if it is a bit large for my personal tastes. But here I am at 46 starting over with a new career and considering partnering at some point to form a design corporation, perhaps a dicey chance. All I have ever owned have been townhomes, and their environment have never given me a sense of home or personal satisfaction. Seems like an insurmountable task to get over the financial hump to move me into the house shopping category.

Come to think of it now, why am I even worrying about it. Life is too short. I have to believe I will have reasonable success in the design field and if it is meant for me to own an actual house, it will happen. If not, then I'll go on and enjoy what I do have. There are always other dreams to aspire for or obtain. Wouldn't you agree?

Hope ya'll are having a great weekend.

A LITTLE OF THIS AND A LITTLE OF THAT

Last night I found myself in the same boat as the previous night. No not necessarily tired...hell I slept to 11:00 am yesterday. So typical these days for me after a week of mental torment from school. Rather I found myself having another 'brainfart,' or maybe that's a 'writer'sfart,' on what to blog about. So I set things aside and simply started to read some of my favorite blogs. What can one do when this happens anyway?!?!

Well after reading a post on PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE, dated June 30, 2006, something struck me. Have you ever noticed that there seem to be distinct types of blog genres. Sure, there are a number of genre but only three stand out in my mind as large forces ~ political, introspective (personal), and light-hearted pieces. Maybe its just the type of blog reading I have managed to get hooked on but I tend to think no. I have hopped around to various blog sites and am amazed at how many are dominated by introspective, reflective and personal issues. I am often amazed at how many people open up and reveal themselves in this virtual environment. I am no different. I probably happen to be one of those who write in the introspective/personal genre.

What I find amazing is some of the talent, much like Derek said in his post, that exists in our blogosphere that needs to be pushed out into the real world. I 'feel' for some individuals in the blogworld because I sense, for a few at least, that they don't take advantage of what gifts they possess. It often seems that they lack support - someone to encourage them to be "all they can be" and more. (Hmmm! Did I just borrow that cliche from the US Marines' commercial?) And yes, there are those that I don't think fully recognize that they have true talent. What I do find great about the wacky world of blogging is that one can really get encouragement from others, hopefully genuine encouragement and positive feedback. Beyond this, the next step belongs to the individual who is receiving the encouragement. You have to believe in yourself , want to make the change, and then take the risk. If you don't try, you will never know.

I have found it easy myself to sometimes get lost in this virtual world, to use it as a means of escaping, expressing myself, and perhaps looking for positive encouragement. But as a dear friend of mine said last night in a conversation (paraphrasing) ~we are the ones in control of our day to day lives. We make it what it is.

Well, I guess I have bounced around just a tad but heck, 'a little of this and a little of that' is better than nothing at all. RIGHT!

Have a great weekend and perhaps for some, a great extended weekend with the holiday just a few days away.