OUT FROM BEHIND THE MASK OF ANONYMITY

The blog world can be a challenge at times but rewarding similarly. I believe we all recognize that the greatest challenge in blogland is accepting the other person at the other end to be genuine, real, and sincere on all levels. The mask of the computer, with all its ability to ship information around at incredible speeds, does not provide that personal interaction, enabling an individual to make a proper assessment of a counterpart. It also provides a buffer that allows individuals to remain in the background safely, to some degree, assessing situations, conveying opinions without fear of retaliation, perhaps even studying an individual. Sound intimidating, eerie, perhaps creepy? It should be...we all need to approach this environment with some degree of caution. Otherwise, we risk the chance of being hurt - physically depending on the situations, but most definitely emotionally.

Then there is the opposite spectrum. Blogland provides more overt individuals, publishing blogs and/or commenting in those environments, an opportunity to interact with people having similar views, to possibly befriend readers in a positive way, to even meet some of those individuals and create long-term friendships. We live in an entirely different yet progressive environment when compared to twenty years ago. And the Internet is part of that progressiveness. It is only natural that it would become a place to acquire knowledge on a broad spectrum, a place to express our freedom of speech, and a place to meet and interact with other human beings.

I am part of that progressiveness I guess. The Internet has been a place for me to meet other people, to meet other gay individuals. And like any other person, I am human. I do have my inherent fears still of the Internet. Obviously that would encompass the blog world. Fortunately, I have had a positive experience blogging to date. I think one element of blogging that has caught my attention, as of late, is monitoring my readership. I like seeing where my readership is coming from....is it local? is it regional? is it within the U.S.? is it from other countries? It gets me thinking, "why or how did they come to my blog." As of lately, I have found several repeat readers stopping by my blog. But these are readers that my sitemeter picks up...not readers that are identifying themselves openly through comments.

So, I have found myself wondering why are these anonymous readers coming back yet never stepping out to identify themselves and express their thoughts. Why not share your thoughts? If you have reached a point of wondering how this post is to conclude, here goes. I'd like to take this opportunity to say to those of you who read my blog, but chose to remain in the background, come out...introduce yourself...share your thoughts and opinions openly...say HI! I know I have some readers from San Francisco, the San Francisco Peninsula, south unincorporated Orange County, and even San Diego that stop by regularly. If you fit the profile, I'd love to hear from you on my blog. I am pretty low key, generally shy initially, but love to make new acquaintances. Just come in as "anonymous," maybe type in your first name at the end of your comment if you are comfortable with it.

That's my post! Ya'll have a great weekend. Thanks to those of you that left the most gracious comments about my design work and skills in yesterday's post. I think it should help my self-confidence a tad. Hugs!

INTERIOR DESIGN - RESIDENTIAL AND MODELING

It has been a while since I have posted anything related to my design schooling - I guess three months probably. You have seen my perspective drawings, my color renderings, and my original certificate program boards (these boards did not show any detailed renderings, full house spaceplanning, multi-room finishes and furniture/in other words they were basic). What I have to show you below evolved from my RESIDENTIAL DESIGN I class. This particular class was amongst the last of my associate degree classes. It was to demonstrate an accumulation of my conceptual, spaceplanning, perspective/rendering, color, and period style skills. It also involved using the modeling techniques that we had learned to demonstrate our finished interior and spatial design.

The project was a New York City LOFT which was to house three generations of women - basically involving a youth, a middle-aged woman, and an elderly woman. So if you think this through carefully, you will realize that each has certain needs in addition to desired items in a household. We created our own scenario of these three women, what they desired, and what ultimately would be needed. Based on the image created, we were asked to chose a period style and apply color based on that to finish the design picture while considering the clients' opinions. Because the project involved NY City, I thought of the many Art Deco buildings in that city. I had stated that my clients' residence building was of that period. To keep things consistent with the client profile and the architecture of the building, I opted to do Art Deco for my period style. From there, appropriate furniture was selected, appropriate fabrics suggesting the period, and appropriate color was chosen . In selecting color I also had to consider the art inspiration I had chosen from the Georgia O'Keefe's collection. The piece that I chose is seen below in the first board, upper left corner.

As you look at the boards, the renderings are what I envisioned the spaces looking like. I even designed the chandelier that you see in the dining room drawing. I went with black and white boards since that was one color combination of the Art Deco period.

Initial board showing the 1st floor spaceplan, models, and the dining room rendering.

Board showing the dining and living room furniture and accessories.
Board showing the second floor spaceplan, the master suite furniture, materials, etc.
Board showing the master suite bathroom, the materials, lighting, accessories, etc.

To give the client a better idea of the full home interior design and how it relates to the building, we create a 3-dimensional foam core model. Other materials are used in the model to get our point across visually. Trust me this is not an easy task. Modeling is an art in itself and if you're good, can be a pretty decent paying profession. But darn....you have to have a lot of patience and great vision! I spent hours on this model...hours. And its not the best model I have ever done.

Full view of residential design showing what would be the top of the building only.

View showing the interior / second floor of the two-story loft in place.

View of the interior / showing the first floor after the second floor is removed.

So there you have it! You have now seen what one of my more extensive projects has involved in my Associate and Bachelors degree programs. I take a lot of pride in what I have accomplished and done. I know I have weaknesses as a designer but who exactly is perfect. I look at these weaknesses as opportunities to excel, to challenge myself. Admittedly, I do have a hard time feeling confident in some of the challenges but I am working on it. Hope you enjoy what you see.


***Note: Current status on what I chose to do with this quarter given the needed CAD skills in my Senior Studio (Project) class...I chose to drop the Senior Studio II class in hopes of picking it up in the Winter Quarter (keep your fingers crossed please), to stick with my internship program (I am looking at the moment), and to seek an outside Art History class (to complete my FIDER GenEd. requirement that I was surprised with last quarter even though I have a degree and adequate GE credits already). It looks like I will also try to obtain some short two - five day crash coursework in CAD - that's computer-aided design.

WORD PLAY ~ LUST

LUST

Pronunciation: 'l&st
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German lust pleasure and perhaps to Latin lascivus wanton
1 obsolete a : PLEASURE, DELIGHT b : personal inclination : WISH
2 : usually intense or unbridled sexual desire : LASCIVIOUSNESS
3 a : an intense longing : CRAVING [a lust to succeed] b : ENTHUSIASM, EAGERNESS [admired his lust for life]

It's Wednesday WORD PLAY! Short and sweet, so I am shootin' today's word at you now...it's lust. Gosh, will I be in trouble with what might be posted here today?!

Usage: I long for his gorgeous smile...I lust for the warmth of his muscled body. Or is that... I lust for his gorgeous smile and long for the warmth of his muscled body. Ah heck, with my luck it's the later. LOL!

Again, the "play" portion...any comment you leave must use the word lust 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!

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? (#19)

Hope your week is rolling along, lookin' good! It's time for HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? Tuesday.

I think I'll just step right in and ask the question:

How do you like to present yourself in attire?

Personally, I have changed over the years. I use to want to present myself in a more sophisticated light. I had a small closet merely housing my suits, dress shirts, slacks, and sportcoats, not to mention the 150-200 ties I had at one time. Today, they collect dust (albeit that may change once I rejoin the working force, depending on where I am employed...and that's if even half of it still fits me...see I am a bit fuller in the chest and arms these days). In the last ten years I have gone totally casual though trust me, I can put on a mean 'dressy casual.' Were talking in-style jeans, dressy chinos (if you desire to call them that) along with Tommy Bahama slacks, shorts, and camp-style shirts. In fact, much of my shirt selection these days is short-sleeved versus the long-sleeve of years past. Even a variety of T's are part of my wardrobe. Some of this is due to better 'body image' - and well, having 'come out,' one has to flaunt it a smidge (eyes rolling... a slight chuckle). And the shoe of choice for me, and I am sorry if I offend, is sometype of zorrie or sandal. Hey, I live in southern California. For now, it's me, and I don't much care what others think...even my gay compadres!

So me and the rest of blogland are waiting to hear your response. Make it good! Tomorrow, look for Spider's post on me. It's suppose to be revealing. Oh brother!

"WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" MONDAY (#3)

After a week last week that started high and spiraled downward by Friday, I had a ho-hum weekend with some occasional blues mixed in. If it hadn't been for some quality phone conversations with friends like Spider, Pete, Derek, and Tom this weekend and a Smileygram, I'd probably been "sittin' in the dumps." I wish I had gone with my impulse late Thursday and headed up to homeland, San Francisco Bay Area, to see family and hit the Folsom Street fair (lions and tigers and BEARS, oh my! - more like sweet!). Well, I have done my wallowing. It's a NEW WEEK... time for "WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" Monday.

Today's question is: What would you do today (Monday) if you had it off? A simple question but I am sure one that will have a whole spectrum of answers.

Since I actually have no class on Mondays and am still looking for an internship at the moment, I guess I can disqualify myself here. I will say this, if I didn't have to worry about calling all new companies tomorrow to inquire about that needed intern spot, I'd have been up in San Francisco this past weekend staring at all those gorgeous men struttin' their stuff on Folsom. **sigh**

Here wondering what you will hit me with in terms of comments this week. Don't you dare hold back. Have a great week! Just think, only 4 more days until the weekend and two more days until Spider's special post.

MUSIC SPEAKS 'OF' ME

My dearest Spider over at A Spider's Web in Thornton Park just had to beat me to the punch and post his results off a borrowed meme from Jake over at Jakely Justified. He seems to be doing that a lot these days. Didn't he just do this to Sorted on a meme?! Hehehe! In any event in this meme you describe yourself using five (5) song titles. Mine have no thematic thread tying them together. They merely befit my personality traits or describe me. And unlike my east coast friend, Spider, I stick to the rules...I have five, not ELEVEN! (Again LOL - you're such a good sport Spidie!) I have left a brief description of what the song says of me.

• Over The Rainbow (Eva Cassidy version)......Speaks of my desire to dream.
  
• Get Over It (Eagles)......Talks about that occasional urge to be impulsive, to literally tell the world sometimes, "take this and shove it!" Gosh, I wish I did this more often. TO LIVE!
• Once in a Lifetime (Only You Soundtrack - Michael Bolton)......It tells of the romance within me and the hope in finding that one element in my life that says 'LOVE.'
  
• Mayberry (Rascal Flatts)......Tells of my simple nature, perhaps the occasional naivete that still exists in me. How I miss those days when my life was simpler!
  
• Climb Ev'ry Mountain (Sound of Music Soundtrack - Peggy Wood)......Perhaps best speaks of the inspirational/spiritual being within me. Of the tenderness locked inside searching to come forth, to be accepted and embraced unconditionally.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Now, without breaking any rules, every GREAT album (ME) has a bonus track. Mine is: Ain't No Mountain High Enough (Michael McDonald)......Have to say that I am true to the bone as a friend.

So there you have it, ME.....a dreamer, a searcher of life, a romantic, a simplistic man, a spiritual being or rather a man of faith, a true friend. Do I embrace all these readily everyday of my life? I sure try but I am human. I don't always succeed. Nor am I in perfect sync with them - yes conflict does exist. But this is who I am.

Thanks to Jake for sharing this post. I actually enjoyed putting some thought into this meme challenge. Y'all have a great weekend. Be sure to check out Spider's blog next Wednesday, 9/27, 'cause there's gonna be a special post about me. You never know what you might learn. And a special shout out to 'Smiley,' that would be my bud Josh! Wishing you the best as you take those steps onto the path of the next phase of your life...they'll be just as memorable as those gone by! Hugs!

A STORY BORROWED ~ "THE CAB RIDE"

Today a received an emailed story that really offered an incredibly beautiful and powerful message. Apparently it is a from a chain email. It came by way of Derek from Past, Present, and Future.

Thank you Derek for taking the time to send it to me. It really tells us that we reap rewards a hundred fold when we give of ourselves unselfishly, without hesitation, and demonstrate compassion. I thought the message was important enough to share with you all. If someone desires to pass it along to a friend, a family member...great. So without further ado...

THE CAB RIDE

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, and then drive away. But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself.

So I walked to the door and knocked. "Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.

"It's nothing," I told her "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated."

"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said.

When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, and then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"

"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.

"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice."

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.

"I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says I don't have very long."

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to take?" I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now.”

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

"How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse.

"Nothing," I said

"You have to make a living," she answered.

"There are other passengers," I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.

She held onto me tightly. "You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you. "

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT 'YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID ~BUT~ THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

You won't get any big surprise in 10 days if you send this to ten people. But, you might help make the world a little kinder and more compassionate by sending it on. Thank you, my friend...

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

WORD PLAY ~ ENAMOR

ENAMOR
Pronunciation: i-'na-m&r
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -ored; en·am·or·ing /-m&-ri[ng], -'nam-ri[ng]/
Etymology: Middle English enamouren, from Anglo-French enamourer, from en- + amour love -- more at AMOUR
1 : to inflame with love -- usually used in the passive with of
2 : to cause to feel a strong or excessive interest or fascination -- usually used in the passive with of or with {baseball fans enamored of statistics}

It's time for another Wednesday WORD PLAY! As always, I'm keepin' the post short and sweet! Today's word is enamor.

Usage: The smiles of many men enamor me in such a way that I go "GA-GA" ~ handsome men such as Spider, Josh, and Pete. And let's not forget Derek, BrettCajun, Rob, Hypoxic, Sorted, CW, Jake, Kel, Ynager..gosh I could go on. Hell, did I just name off half of my blogroll?! I knew you all were here for some reason. I'm just a sucker for a man with a great smile.

Again, the "play" portion...any comment you leave must use the word enamor 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!

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? (#18)

What question comes after, "What would you do?" I believe it's, "How do you like it?" That's right, it's HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? Tuesday.

It's a 'hopping, snap-to-it' week for me so moving right over to the question that I have for you today...

How do you like to view your sunsets? I am leaving this as an open-ended question rather than providing a couple of choices because I know the number of choices is far more than two.

My ideal view of a sunset is to be on a grassy knoll or bluff at the shores of Maui, Hawaii, lying in a hammock, sipping on some tropical drink or cervesa, soaking up nature's painted skies as the sun slips slowly past the horizon. Ah! The perfect sunset. The perfect end to the day! Trust me...I've seen that view and it's somehing to behold. Slip in someone special on that hammock and I'm probably looking at heaven's sunset.

And your thoughts? I'm anxiously awaiting.
By the way, if you didn't catch my WHAT WOULD YOU DO? post from yesterday, take a gander. I had some fun with it!

"WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" MONDAY (#2)

Yah, it's Monday. The start of another week, another work week for most! Hopefully your weekend provided a bit of a respite. I trust you're ready to get step into another "WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" MONDAY.

This Monday's question is: What would you do if your dream fantasy man had a free evening to spare you? (And tell us who he is, unless it's an acquaintance that you must retain his privacy. If that is the case at least give an idea of his relationship to you, ie. long-time college buddy.)
**More text content below pictures.**

SOME OF MY FANTASY HUNKS!

I hide absolutely nothing here. And for some of you this will not be eye-opening news. My dream fantasy man is Jack Radcliffe (we'll leave his real identity alone here), gay adult movie star. If I had him willingly for one evening, I'd pass on any activity outside my pad. This may sound 'hokie' to a few of you but I'd have an incredible dinner for two prepared and we'd be having lots of conversation, just enough for me to get plenty of that great smile. I've heard he's got the sweetest personality. I sincerely would be happy just getting to know him, finding out similaries and dislikes, and sharing some laughs. And I am only human ~hopefully there might be a special moment slipped in there too ~ a kiss, a cuddle. I'd be one happy man.

And now we're all waiting to hear what you have to say! Don't you dare hold back.

Jack Radcliffe
Photographed by Chris Komater.
Pose in the 'Giovanni Bellini' style.
"To think I came so close to meeting him at a housewarming party...damn!"

****Sigh!***

PET NICKNAMES

I was reading Curtis' 9/12 post, PONY BOY CURTIS, the other day and got a good chuckle. It brought back some old memories ~ memories about nicknames. I am not talking about merely a shortening of your name such as Anthony to Tony or Joseph to Joe. I mean 'pet' nickname, ~ nicknames that people, friends have given you due to traits, particular events, or as a joke. I can think of only two that have been bestowed on me in the course of my life time. Well, maybe four, but the additional two are, hmmm, 'personal.' Yah right!

The first was a high school nickname from a few of my old schoolday chums. It was merely a play off my last name so don't go on a tangent with your dirty imaginations here. Come to think of it, maybe it does say something about me. Only one other person, Large Tony, as of late has been given the OK to use this nickname. Should I dare disclose this....BALLS. There I said it.

The only other nickname came to be during my time as a bodily injury claims adjuster (personal injuries - auto accidents/homeowners) in San Francisco. You would have to have known me back then. See I was this very shy, quiet 27 year old man. I really think my work in claims slowly changed my personality due to the type of interactions I had with customers, peers, business entities, etc. As a bodily injury adjuster, I had to deal with exceptionally pushy claimants and attorneys, all demanding more money than what a claim was worth. That shy, quiet man got pushed around for a spell and went through his claim authority fairly quickly. I even had my supervisors concerned that I might not be able to cut the position. But something finally sparked in me.

I can remember this one aggressive demanding paralegal, Nadine Z., that I had to deal with on a frequent basis. I had had enough of her blatant rudeness to me one day. I did something I had never done before...I lashed back. I told her, "Now you listen to me. Your client's claim is soft tissue and not worth a damn penny more than $***.00. There was a damn ding in the bumper. Take the offer to your client and if she doesn't like it then I guess we'll see you in court." Does this sound a bit out of character for me? Well it was, and in some respects still is. Anyhow, let's just say I was loud enough that many of my peer adjusters seated around me overheard most of the conversation, including my lead supervisor. After I got off the phone, feeling a bit guilty, I went over to my supervisor's desk to tell him about my conversation and that he should possibly expect a call from Nadine Z. He merely looked at me, said "Don't worry about it. You know... you were quite the ANIMAL," and gave me a big smirk. From that day forward through the time I was in that position, I was ANIMAL any time I got aggressive with a claimant or an attorney. When I was promoted to Main Office Claims, the BI Department threw me a party and one of the parting gifts was a small trophy. On the engaving they had included ANIMAL in the quote.

Those were the days. Now that I have totally embarrassed myself I'd like to know...have you ever had a 'pet' nickname? Spill the beans! What was the story behind it?

SADNESS BROUGHT ABOUT A FRIENDSHIP

With my whirlwind vacation trip to Orlando and New York, and now the nightmare start of what I thought would be my last quarter in school, I really haven't had an opportunity to write a meaningful post ~ something that gives away the real me.

Well, I happen to go into a friend's blog yesterday morning. You may recall me mentioning him before in a few prior posts. His name is Rob from ROBLOG. I was reading his Tuesday (9/12/06) post called ONE YEAR. While this post was about Rob 'remembering' a dear friend and ex-partner who had passed away, it brought about another sort of remembrance for me. I think the easiest way to start with what I have to say in this post is by giving you a portion of the content I left under Rob's blog article Comments section:

"So you posted about the anniversary. Strangely it hit me yesterday (9/12) while I was getting ready to bolt out the door for my first class of the fall quarter...I had quickly checked your blog to see if you had posted. I caught a glimpse of the DIVERSION post and it triggered.

I remembered. I remembered when I first read your blog and those posts about Chuck, thinking Chuck past away on my first day of Fall Semester class 2005. See the connection again...the anniversary yesterday was on my first day of class again, and there was no guarantee I would have had classes the same day.

When I got home last night from classes, I checked your blog to see if you had posted any article. It was too late to call you, I thought. You were in posting about 25 mins after I was in your blog.

So to the point...you're just where you should be. We all told you you'd get there in your own time, that the pain would diminish, but that a part of you would always miss Chuck. And look at the other things it has helped you to do...focus on your relationship with F***, write about your brother's death, etc. And well, hopefully, brought another friend into your life...at least I hope you feel that way as your openness about that event brought me into blogland for good, gave me only my second gay friend (at the time), and the courage to start to be comfortable with my gay self.

Perhaps this is too much to place here on your blog, but quite frankly, I want those that read your blog to know what an incredible person you are. So indulge me bud!..."

It is funny how people come into your life and effect it in so many ways. They can be a support system, a source of friendship, a true confidant, a 'savior' of sorts, and so much more. I was fortunate enough to have stumbled across Rob's blog back on November 3, 2005. I actually found him through his ex-partner's profile on BigMuscleBear.com one night as I was trying to pull myself out of long bout of depression (over another on-line profile situation which I have blogged about here too). Somehow the pain I read about in the posts over his ex's death and about Rob's own feelings transcended my own. So I left my first blog comment on his site and from there somehow started to pan out to other blog sites. In fact, I met Pete, through Rob's site and there's another friendship that is not going away anytime soon.

Rob began to communicate back through replies on the comments I left. From there a dialogue initiated and the 'door cracked open' for a friendship. The kicker for me was when he got wind that I was going to be in San Francisco in late December '05. He actually asked me if I would like to meet up somewhere for coffee or a bite to eat. I was floored and, of course, I had to say yes. Here was my first opportunity to really see if I could interact in this new community I was now part of. We met up that one day in late December and since then the friendship has evolved. It continues to evolve.

Rob has come a long way since that day. His hurt over the loss of his ex seems to have healed (I know it has!). I have come a long way. Rob's willingness to be open, to be genuine, to be himself, to invite me into his life...gave me a chance to feel comfortable in my shoes. For that I am extremely grateful.

So on this day I remember a friend too! Hugs Rob!

I borrowed this from your site Rob...hope you don't mind. (Rob, Summer '06)

WORD PLAY ~ INDOCTRINATE

INDOCTRINATE

Main Entry: in·doc·tri·nate
Pronunciation: in-'d¤k-tr&-"nAt
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -nated; -nat·ing
Etymology: probably from Middle English endoctrinen, from Anglo-French endoctriner, from en- + doctrine doctrine
1 : to instruct especially in fundamentals or rudiments : TEACH
2 : to imbue with a usually partisan or sectarian opinion, point of view, or principle
- in·doc·tri·na·tion

It's time for another Wednesday WORD PLAY! As always, keepin' the post short and sweet! Today's word is indoctrinate.

Usage: If I were to look back and determine who indoctinated me into the world of blogging, I'd have to say that nod goes to Mr. BrettCajun, the crazy Cajun from the Bayou! Was that good or bad? Lordy, you tell me. Now if I could only indoctrinate that pistol-whipping, SLAB smackin' southerner into the world of tasteful sportsmanship. HEHEHE!

Again, the "play" portion...any comment you leave must use the word indoctrinate 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!

P.S....If you haven't already done so, why don't you join me in indoctrinating Pete's new blog, IT'S JUST NOTHING. It really reflects his personality... a great sense of humor (maybe a little warped at times, God love him), silly, heartfelt at times. Give him a read if you haven't. Hugs bud!

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? (#17)

Tuesday, Tuesday. Tuesday is here! Time for my HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? Tuesday post. What surprise answers will you throw my way.

My question for you today is:

How do you like your cheesecake ~ traditional New York style, coated with some sort of fruit topping, or made up in some specialty form (ie. chocolate chip cheesecake)?

Why am I asking...'cause I have dessert on my mind. When I get stressed my 'sweet tooth' magnifies a hundred fold. AND DAMN, I COULD EAT A WHOLE CHEESCAKE RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT. I tend to love the traditional New York style cheesecake as long as it is creamy. I have had a number that come off as exceptionally dry. But my favorite cheesecake is made by dear ol' mom. She has a recipe that utilizes a vanilla wafer crust that is just phenomenal. Its appeal increases even more as a morning snack. I am gaining 5 lbs just thinking about this subject.

So how do you like your cheesecake? Fess up!

"WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" MONDAY (#1)

First and foremost today...take a moment to remember those who lost there lives back on 9/11/2001 and for those military personnel who have given their lives in defense of the values we hold true to America as a result of this incident.

As for today's post.............
School is just about to begin for me as of this Tuesday in some shape or form. I may be dropping one class. Yes, it's those damn Senior Project floor plans that I have been trying to transfer over to AutoCAD. Lets just say this past weekend was one problem after the other, enough to essentially put me behind for good with this project. I'll be speaking with my counselor who happens to be one of the class' instructors to determine what the ramifications are, if there are any, for withdrawing from the class and delaying it for a quarter.

So enough said there. Back to my point...with school starting, I have found that time is limited for heavy thought on posts. Plus I like to read some of the comments my readers leave. With that in mind, I have dubbed future Mondays to be "WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" MONDAY.

To kick things off today, here is the question. What would you do if you won the LOTTO today, netting a mere $1.5 million?

While $1.5 million is not chump change, it is not the biggest lotto pot ever to be given. I'd see myself buying a house outright and seeking the assistance of a financial advisor to maximize the returns on the remaining money for trips and retirement down the line. Yes, I'd likely be working for a spell but at least I'd know the money was there to enjoy myself and that I could afford to retire out early.

We're all waiting to hear what you have to say!

ONE LAST PHOTO VIEWING OF 'THE TRIP'

Well...I am going to throw one more batch of pictures your way of my vacation venture. The following pictures are a mixture of Orlando and New York City photographs. They are the last of the ones I have enjoyed viewing. I do have one other group of photos from my trip but they are of a specific subject matter which I will be posting at a later date. As before, I hope you find some enjoyment from the photos whether it be reminiscing about your own personal visits there or daydreaming about your trips to come.

ORLANDO

Swampy area off the St. John River.

Is Derek squeezing the life out of me or tickling me?

Look closely - we road the 'SSS' Ms. Amber. Yes, that's SSS. Just a little printing error!

Captain John aka Captain Jack.

Postcard sculpture in Orlando, Fl.

The Orlando skyline.

Part of Thornton Park, Spider's neighborhood. Sweet!

Winter Park, Fl. just outside Orlando.


NEW YORK CITY

On the road to Saratoga, New York.

The dashing and dapper, Pete!

Yadoo Retreat House in Saratoga, a retreat for artists.

The theater showing THE LION KING musical on Broadway at Time Square.

A sneak preview of the interior courtyard of TAVERN ON THE GREEN, Central Park.

The SoHo Area.

Little Italy, NYC.

St. Patrick's Cathedral organ pipes.

Rockefeller Plaza.

More SoHo area - all those old iron fire escapes.

Me at the theater after the Lion King showing, Time Square to my backside.

The New York City Skyline as seen from the Hudson River.

Street scene in the Chelsea District.

Yankee Stadium as seen from the East River.

MY MIND IS YET ELSEWHERE AGAIN

My mind was in so many places last night...just a 'capper' to a very bluesy day. I guess the reality of having to return home to 4 days of cramming set root - all to complete a preliminary school project prior to the first day of my Senior Project Class II after two plus weeks of total vacation bliss. But other issues were stirring around in my head. Worries about picking up an internship with a good company, worries about a real paying job in another 4 months, worries about what direction my personal life will take after school, frustrations over the fact that students (me included) were given an amount of work over our break that was much larger than it should have been. I think you probably have a picture of why I was restless.

I simply want the ride to be over with and I think many of you know what I am referring to in my life...SCHOOL AND THE UNCERTAINTY OF FUTURE WORK. I know...you have heard this before but bare with me. This is one of the few times that I do DO it...worry, stress, bitch...whatever you chose to call it.

Hell, humor me here...you all must have something to bitch about, something that has been gnawing at you. Well fess up! Maybe by me reading your issues, mine won't feel so disproportionately HUGE. An if they aren't on par with mine at least you will have had the opportunity to get it out of your system.

So....

A PHOTO PERSPECTIVE OF THE MODERN MUSEUM OF ART ~ NEW YORK CITY

OK GUYS! It's time for some culture. Some of you may not be art fanatics like I am but I have to admit, the twenty something dollars that I spent on my visit to the MoMA in New York City, was worth every dollar spent. Pete and I spent nearly 3 1/2 hours in this museum scoping out every floor 's nook-and-cranny! Even outside in the courtyard area. This was a well thought out building design from interior views to outdoor views. Simply phenomenal! So without further ado, here are some of my highlight photos....

ENJOY!

The Exterior of the MoMA building.

Entrance to MoMA.

Interior shot - top floor.

Entry to DADA art exhibition - Primarily Audio Visual Art.

Lower Gallery and entry to MoMA.

Guess even a helicopter suspended in a museum can be art!

Artist - Gauguin.

Artist - Van Gogh.

Artist - Claude Monet.

Artist/Painting - Picasso.

Artist/3D Art - Picasso.

Artist - Andy Warhol.

3D twisted metal sculpture.

Mies Van De Rohe BARCELONA Chair.

The evolution of vehicular transportation as art.

MoMA Courtyard / Sculpture pieces present.

P.S. Posts may be infrequent over the next 5 days or so since I have a floor plan to convert to CAD (computer graphics) by the start of my 1st fall class next Tuesday.