Friday, July 27, 2007

175 - January 13, 2008

That's the first goal. Flat out, direct and specific. I am frustrated again with the weight I have gained, and it is time to change that.

Last year, at my lowest, I got from 218 to 183. Now, after months of no activity because of this stupid cough, I am ready to get started again. And I will go from 215 to 175 by my birthday. It's a lot of weight to lose, I know, and no crazy diet is going to make it happen. It will take healthier eating and regular exercise. The basics. And there is no time to start like now.

I won't be perfect, but I will continually ask myself - is what I am doing right now helping or hurting my pursuit of my goal? If the answer is hurting, I will have to decide if it is worth the setback. Being realistic, I know sometimes the answer will be yes. But hopefully, the thought process alone will help me make better choices along the way.

So what am I doing here?

I am in desperate need of focus right now. With the aid of this blog, I hope to stop the "drift" I am in and feel once more like I am moving with purpose. In a nutshell, I want my tomorrows to be better than my todays. I know they don't just happen that way, though, and it is up to me to make it so. My actions today shape my tomorrow, so this blog will help me think out loud about the choices I make and the consequences for me mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

It may be similar to Falling Into Forty in that I will post about events and activities with friends. But instead of a diary entry - Joe and I went here today - I will try to evaluate those activities in terms of the effect they have on me.

Be patient as I work the details out.

Monday, July 23, 2007

And so it ends.

I tried. I really did. But since I turned 40, I don't feel the same connection to this blog. I should have ended it then, but I didn't. My mistake.

So please join me in saying goodbye to Falling Into Forty. It was good while it lasted, but I need to shift my focus.

Welcome to "Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful?" Please adjust your blog link and join me for the next round.

John

So, why a new blog?

I turned 40 six months ago, and since then, I have struggled to find my focus. It's trite and common, but I suppose I am dealing with a mid-life crisis. So, rather than purchase a convertible and have a trashy affair with a go-go boy, I have decided to work through it by writing about it.

I started blogging in October 2005, here at Falling Into Forty. I wrote about everything that was going on around me - politics and parties, family and friends, celebrations and sorrows. I tried to keep it going after my birthday, but I really lost my connection to it.

But this blog will be much more focused on me and my goals. I need a reset of sorts, to figure out what is important and where I should direct my energy. So we'll see if this helps me find my way back. I am hopeful.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Gay Day at Petco Park with the Padres!

Congratulations to the San Diego Padres, for being decent and respectful to the gay community and our annual Pride Celebration. This year, as part of Pride, Petco Park and the Padres held "Gay Day at the Park." More than 1,000 gay and lesbian fans attended, making us the single largest group in attendance by far.

The Padres lost to the Braves, 5-4, but it was a nail-biter that went to the very last strike. It was a great game and an even better experience. And a special thank you the San Diego Gay Mens Chorus for their amazing rendition of the National Anthem.

Because this stuff just happens to us...

Brandy and I. On the town.

Ric dropped us off at Bourbon Street, where we hung out, had a beer or two, and chatted with the cool DJ. From there, we wandered over to Cheers. We had a drink or two there, then decided it was time to find someplace more fun. As we were leaving, we met a guy sitting by the door. He kept trying to get us to head to another bar with he and his friend, but we agreed only to give him our phone number and have him text message us later.

So we hopped into a cab and went to Redwing. We were enjoying our drink, and he sent us a message. "I'm coming to get you in my limo, so meet me outside and let's go have some fun!" Yep. He had rented a limo for the night just because he wanted to have a few drinks and not worry about driving or finding a cab. And he had decided that Brandy and I had to be part of that fun.

He picked us up and we all headed to the Loft in Hillcrest. We quickly realized that he had already enjoyed all the alcohol he needed, and we talked to his friend about taking him home. He agreed it was a good idea, so we all hopped back in the limo for the ride downtown. Once there, though, he and his friend said, "take the limo and go have fun."

So we did. We headed over to North Park and danced at Bacchus House until they closed the place down. And then, to cap off the morning, we went with the two security guards out to breakfast. We came in sometime around 4:30am, and crashed out totally exhausted.

What a great night. And is it my fault this sort of fun just finds us?

Another Great Night with Friends

My buddy Brooks has two circles of great friends - the Marine Corps and the San Diego Police Department. And when those two circles meet, it's a good time indeed.

Brooks invited me over for a few drinks and to catch up, since we work different schedules and free time together to hang out is pretty rare. When I got there, I realized he had also invited over several of his police officer buddies.

It was pretty cool to be there with them and listen to them shoot the breeze. Most of the cops there were also former active duty Marines, so I didn't feel left out. It was more a chance to listen in and hear the back stories of some of the cop adventures.

And, of course, it was only a matter of time before uniformed cops arrived and threw me in handcuffs. Did I mention that was one of the highlights of the night?

A Visit from my friend, Andrea

It's always great when Andrea comes to town, because she's fun, fabulous, and always makes me laugh. So why would this last visit be any different?

Andrea made plans to come to San Diego and hang out with another friend for the weekend. But, lucky for me, those plans fell through. She already had a room at the Hotel Solamar downtown, so we decided to spend the evening there and then check out The Gaslamp.

First, we enjoyed a delicious margarita in her room, overlooking the Stingaree rooftop patio bar. Then we wandered down to the hotel "Living Room," where we enjoyed an hour of free beer and wine. We also met Andre, another guest at the hotel, who hung out with us most of the evening.

Our next stop was the j-Bar, which is the hotel's poolside bar and hotspot. By the time the sun went down, it looked like this:



Cool, huh? By this point, our group had expanded to eight people. We decided to grab dinner at Fred's Mexican Cafe'. Good food and better margaritas, so it was all good.



We lost a few from our group after dinner. We wandered around a bit, then finally made it to Tivoli's for more drinks and a little pool playing. The night ended with a stop at Bondi, the Australian bar. By the time I made it back to the room, I was absolutly beat. But it was a great visit.

Come back soon, Andrea. I miss you when you stay away too long!
The Good Life, courtesy of Ric

While I was enjoying Vegas, Ric was hard at work in the backyard making one of my wishes come true. He got my hammock put up. Oh, heavenly day, indeed. It was a lot of work - digging the holes, setting the poles in concrete, fixing the chains, etc. But for me, I just had to come home and crawl into it. The good life, folks. It really is a great way to go through this world.



And the best part? I looked at the concrete he poured to hold one of the poles. I noticed he had written something on it, and I assumed it was the date. Nope. This is what he wrote:
'Cuz I love John. Ric
Why the Marine Corps Reunion mattered to me.

This is the harder one to write. Definitely.
Marine Corps Reunion - Las Vegas

Yes, it's coming. I'm working on the write up.
Hangs up and Delays

Every now and then, I get hung up trying to write something that just won't seem to come together. And because I am so OCD about my blog that I want everything to be in chronological order, I delay posting anything new until the blocked issue sorts itself out.

That is the problem I am having now. My Marine Corps reunion in Las Vegas was an unbelievable experience, and I am so far unable to put it into words. I can say, imagine carrying a horrible burden for nearly 20 years, and then, almost in a moment, that burden is lifted. Honestly, I am still stunned and in a bit of a shock, and I can't seem to get the words down on paper.

So, that's the delay. I suppose I will cheat with a placeholder or two and get myself caught up.