Shake It

Never underestimate the power of a good milkshake. Or even a fair one. 

Whilst in Columbus, on the way back to the car after looking at OSU's bookstore (Doug purchased some shirts, 710 might get away with justifiable homo-cide if I bring home one more t-shirt), Doug spotted UDF.  Or United Dairy Farmers. 

I think at some point in the '80s or '90s, we had taken to calling it U Dumb Fuckers. I couldn't tell you why. 

Anyhoo......Doug just had to go in.  They don't have them in Chicago. Hell, anymore, they don't have them in CLE. But you know, one convenient store is pretty much like the last one. 

All sell tobacco and vape stuff, along with Little Debbie's and assorted jerkies. I suppose not all serve milkshakes. 

I knew if I passed through their door, a vanilla one would be coming my way. And it did. A chocolate malt for Doug. 

It was fine. It didn't wow me, but it's a milkshake. 

That said, I'm needing them again - just to maintain my weight. As I pick up my mileage and speed, my pounds are dropping to where I don't want them. I'm fine where I am as of last Monday, but would really rather not weigh less. 

Yeah, I know: most people wouldn't think being thinner is a problem. Karen Carpenter thought that way too. 

Song by: David Bowie

Mixed Messages

This last weekend, I traveled to Columbus for a few reasons. 

One, I had to do something other than hobble around the house on a cane. Another was to visit my friends. The last was to cheer on folks I knew running the Columbus Marathon. 

I thought this would be fun and a way to participate in the marathon season, since I cannot physically run. 

This last weekend had the Kansas City, Detroit and Columbus marathons. I knew people participating in all of them, but Columbus seemed more doable to me. And there'd be friends, drinks and friends. Oh, and dogs!

I knew people running the full and half marathon in Columbus, so I had a plan to be near the split to see half folks come in and full to go on their second half. Then I'd head out to mile 23 to see the full folks (again). 

There were reasons for this as well. The back half of the Columbus run is sparse with supporters. I ran miles last year without seeing a person not associated with the race. And at mile 23, there was a brewery that was open - so........yay!  And a friend of a friend was the DJ at this brewery.  I've met him, and I can certainly say we are acquaintances but someone would be there to support him as well. 

The weather could not have been better. And Becky showed up at the second stop where we just chilled - and I would clap for the runners. I know, from personal experience, while they don't always acknowledge it, the support is extremely welcome and helpful to the runners. Especially at 23, where people hit walls (metaphorically, that is) and hopefully hear some words of encouragement. That's what I was trying to do for them. 

It felt good to be a part of it. 

Until it didn't. 

Envy and Jealousy started to creep in. And I mean, via a big-assed revolving door.....with a reception inside where they could mingle for hours. And did. 

Curiosity got to me for the folks running and I had trackers on multiple racers and races. And then when I was back at Georty's I made a huge mistake of looking at my running peep's FB posts. It turns out you can be hugely proud of people while simultaneously being hugely resentful.  (see Envy and Jealousy.)

I finally clicked my lid shut (and took a nap) when seeing a guy in a group to which I belong - the Slow AF Running Group - who had the nerve to bitch about his 4 hr 3 min race. Yes, it's not elite level, but it's not slow either. By this point there was no pride and just resentment. 

On the plus side, I knew it was happening and why. I wasn't sure how to regulate it, so I quickly did the My Music Monday post and shut down the computer for the evening. Friends and wine were much better. 

My two hour drive home yesterday just kind of was a regurgitation of my internal conflict. I have no great resolution to this - at least as of yet. 

Morty and I discussed FOMO - or the fear of missing out - while we sat around. I didn't think for the most part I was one of those guys, but clearly I am wrong. Yes, it might be situational, but aren't most things? 

There are a few more races this year - mostly fun run ones - so depending on if I can run, I will have to make some mental adjustments if I cannot. 

Well at least I have something to tell my psychiatrist. 

Song by: the Bangles

Move On Up

While I have been back to Columbus any number of times since 710 and I moved from there a QUARTER OF A CENTURY AGO (!!!), I've only been past one of my residences once or twice - one of them being 10 years ago. 

The street, E. Poplar, doesn't even show up anymore on Goooooooogle Maps. The west side does, and if you type in East, it takes you to West. Technically Google isn't wrong, I suppose? The east side has been blocked, so there is no actual street or traffic, except for the foot kind.

There were a few businesses at street level: a dry cleaners, some art studio that I always assumed was a front for something else. 

But if Goooooooogle Maps is correct, hard times has hit our building. I'm assuming the picture has been since I last went by in 2011. 

Callendar Cleaners is gone. Aardvark Video: gone. Our front door: gone!

Now it's fenced off and tagged. A semi-end of an era. 

Semi because it's the Short North. Home to pseudo-gentrification, no parking and sky-high pricing. So, it's not like the building or location - which did have fun views when Morty, Dith, the ghost and I lived there. I'm not sure what, if anything, has gotten in the way of those now. 

I'll assume it will still be good for people watching on Gallery Hop nights once the renovated building goes into place. 

Save the glass enclosure and the rooftop terrace - avec foliage - the place looks similar. I'm assuming the rents will be astronomical. 

Friend "Becky" opted to mock up this rendering. For the record, I just resided in the Drunk apartment. Morty and Dith were More Drunk.........but if we're splitting hairs, she really just means Morty. 

I'll assume, anyone who moves in to 10 E....Whatever Ave. will share the space with the ghost. ......assuming he can still afford the rent. 

Song by: Curtis Mayfield

Old Friend

Friday evening, I was back in Columbus based on an invite from that LGBTQ History Group they have on FB.

As ambivalent as I was with the on-line group itself, attending a "reunion" seemed a bit......well, off-putting. I kind of likened it to going to a high school reunion, but with a lot more potential judgement and bitchiness.......and oddly enough, not even coming from me.................necessarily.

There were hundreds invited, there were about 90 on the evite who said they'd attend. While the organization / host (Stonewall Columbus) were prepping for 500. I told Morty, I think they accidentally carried a 0.

The plan was for me to go with Morty and his husband George........and nothing against those two fine gentlemen, but a long time friend, Craig, "guilted" me into coming down, as he was flying in from Kansas City (that's Missouri, not Kansas!) for this.

Ok, it turns out while he was coming in for this, he was also seeing his father and getting him into an assisted living situation. He just based the timing of his father with this event. And while that might sound crazy to do, Craig was one of these people we all knew (or wish we did), who truly was about gay history. He was a catalyst in many things gay-positive in Columbus, when it wasn't such a good time to be gay, let alone out, in the community.

As it turns out, I'm guessing there were 200 folks who might have shown. Save Craig, I knew exactly three of them and none of them well. Michael, who lived next door to Morty and myself for at least three years, kind of / sort of pretended to remember me.......you know except for my name or the fact that we lived next to each other.

There was Kelvin, who was all like, "heyyyyyyyy", he may as well added, "buddy, sport or pal", which is what one does when one cannot place you. Craig introduced me to people who pretended to remember me, which I know not to be the case, as I had no idea who they were. Friends will tell you of my ability for recall, and I was recalling none of them.

As it turns out I didn't even know Morty and George, as they unexpectedly could not attend. I totally missed them being there. Oh, Morty would have gone off making a dozen or two new friends, but Geo and I would have hung and had fun.

I was talking to the aforementioned Michael when Craig showed up. Along with his husband.

I should mention, while friends with Mr. Craig, I have not seen him in about 28 years. We talk, we chat, etc, but after he left Columbus, and then after I did, well, we were rarely at the same place at the same time.

While I wouldn't say we have a complicated relationship, it is...........ummmm.......viewed differently. Not in a bad way, just in a perspective way. He seems to think I'm the one that got away, which is odd, as we never dated. Still, we've always had a close and deep connection, so that's fine.

We were both emotional when seeing each other. A few times during the evening, he got a little, well, weepy, when expressing his thankfulness for my friendship.

As it was the first time I was meeting his husband - though I'd seen him on FB - I was on good (ish) behaviour. It turns out, Dan and I got along extremely well, and no awkwardness, which is kind of a feat in itself.

While I didn't really want to be there the full four hours (well, three, as I showed an hour into it), I figured Craig would be, which was fine. I did stay for the speeches, which focused mostly on census and voting issues, along with how far the Columbus gay community has come. However, it was Craig who wanted to leave early, and was good with my suggestion of getting dinner.

The three of us (710 could not join for the trip, but knows Craig as well), had a great time.

I'm glad I went, more for Craig then the FB group reunion. They didn't need me, nor I them.



Song by: Marti Jones

Unknown Brothers

Greek life has changed. And it hasn't.

I know - right out of the blue, I start with that.

And I don't mean life in Greece, though with their economic turmoil, no doubt life has changed there too.

Normally, this last weekend's events would have been something I did for the blog's sake only. Just a subject to write about. But in reality, while I knew I would touch on it, I went for other reasons.

A few months ago, one of my fraternity brothers passed away. Chapter Eternal, if you will. Oh yes, that is a thing. One of the other members, a former roommate of mine, started a private Facebook group and organized what was to be a remembrance of Dave - but at a fraternity alumni event, and the Ohio State - Penn State football game.

I agreed to go.

I agreed for a few reasons. I love going back to Ohio State and Columbus. I really wanted to see a few of the guys from the house. But only a few. I knew I'd have to deal with the dickheads that I hated back then and still dislike now. I did the cost-benefit analysis in my head and weighed that the pros outweighed the dickheads.

Now, as it turns out, I probably ended up pledging SAE, one of the more racist and anti-semitic houses on campus, but of course, didn't know it at the time. That and being gay in a kind of not gay house always held me back with many people - of course, after the fact, it turns out a number of people in my house were homos besides me. But that all came much later in life that this was found out.

After agreeing to go and actually getting a hotel room (though Georty graciously offered me a room in their house, I knew my schedule would be sporadic and late, and that seemed rude of me to do that to them). I didn't go down on Friday, but Saturday morning, as what was supposed to be the main event was Saturday afternoon, before the game.

As it turns out, only a few folks showed to Saturday's event. Quadruple that number went to a bar the night before. That probably would have worked out better for me in some aspects, but that wasn't in the cards. And earlier in the week, two of the biggest draws to get me to come back out. Bastards.

Allegedly, my name came up a lot on Friday night. I never asked in what context, and it was never offered - but I can't imagine it was always in positive light.

Others who said they'd be there Saturday never showed, texting hours later, "where are you?" Really???

Saturday was a fraternity alumni thingy. A pig roast. The agreed meet-up time was 13:00 and I was kind of second-guessing going, but I was there, roaming around campus waiting to head up to the house. I love campus on game days. Not that it isn't always alive, but much more so the day of a big game.

As I traipsed up 15th Avenue - or Sorority / Fraternity Row, and arguably the one time main entrance to the University - a number of things leaped out at me. Many of the biggest, most popular houses (in my day!) were gone. 'For Lease' signs posted on them. Other, smaller houses, which could not have occupied the bigger structures on 15th now had moved there. Door after door had been shuttered. It was an odd sight to see.

Houses on Indianola were no different. Our house, looked the same - for better or worse.

I had not stepped foot in this house for 31-32 years. As I was getting closer, one of the folks I was to meet up with was across the street on his way. I hadn't seen Michael for that long either - and I was happy not to have to walk up the step alone.

It was great seeing Michael, who basically looked the same. His curls were gone and had some weight, but that's about it. His wife seemed nice, though very meek.

The current brothers at the house had something we never did - gumption. Most were all too eager to come shake our hands and know when we were there and how things were then.

When we had alumni functions, I would say we all went out of our way to avoid the returning brothers. I'm not sure how we weren't equipped for that, but we just weren't. Maybe social media and the internet age make things way way different in how people socialize.

Mike, Pat (who eventually showed) and myself talked about how different things were for them - and yes, I'm sounding like an old man. In our day, to invite anyone, you had phone banks, or had to copy letters, fold them, stamp them and mail them. Now it's a FB page, an email distribution list - it's all very very easy.

I joked that we were the old guys we use to try to avoid. Truth be told - I'd say about 3-4 older alumni showed, who were a few years older than us. And I met a few who graduated in 2012 - so I don't count them.

Mike, Pat and I roamed the house. The rooms haven't changed that much. Things were cleaner - though that's the other change. University Housing has taken ownership of all Greek houses - they maintain them, they clean them, etc. Which explains why the floors were never that clean when I lived there.

SAE's are a troubled bunch - nationally. Always getting kicked off of campus, no matter where they are. But that is true for so many nowadays. When our chapter got kicked off Ohio State's campus in the early 2000s (for the second time), the then brothers trashed the place, setting fires to all the old composites that hung on the walls. So much of the history vanished like ISIS in Syria.

One composite remained from my day. Michael and Pat had been gone a year, so I was on one.

Oh - that was unfortunate that this didn't perish in the fire. I don't even remember owning a convertible. As I looked at the others in the picture, I maybe knew one-third of them. It was funnier to watch the current brother's reactions see someone from the oldest composite on the grounds.

While there was plenty of beer there, the guys were well behaved. Walking up 15th, other places had rap blaring. Which is fine, and I smiled the 731 times I heard the word 'fuck' coming from their PA systems. SAE's made me smile and comment, that of the music they chose, not one of the current members was alive when the songs were released.

One of the alumni, who came at the end of my stay in the house, yet I don't ever remember, was kind of a dick. And by 'kind of' I mean 'was a dick'. He is the one who parked his Hum Vee (so you know he's got a small dick) on the lawn. He carried an ammunition case to hold his cigars. He talked about how he married and divorced the same woman three times. By all accounts, he was a bigger dick the night before, so I'm glad I wasn't there.  Some men just can't grow up and live that life they did in college.

It was fun to bring up people's names and tell stories - some I hadn't heard that were disturbing, but it was about one of the dickheads to which I earlier referred.

I have to say, one of the current members seemingly took a shine to me. I thought it was my imagination until Pat said something to the same effect. I was invited to attend any Chapter Dinner (every Monday!). Just to stop by. And when I ran into him later in the street after leaving the house, he was equally attentive. And very cute.

Pat just laughed at me. I laughed at me and the situation. Where was he when I was 19?  I mean, besides 20 years away from being born.

So we got one shot in front of the house and then headed to Varsity Club for beer.

I got chastised by that dickhead I mentioned earlier (though via FB - though I'm not friends with him there...or anywhere). He said, seems like I didn't get the message about it the game being a Black Out (wearing all black). I go to one game every few years - fuck if I was plunking down $60+ for a sweatshirt for one game.

He's a dick.

BTW, we did raise a glass to Dave. He was a nice enough sort.

Sunday, I met another brother / friend for breakfast. He couldn't make it Saturday, and he was one of the few I really wanted to see. I got to apologize to him for introducing him to his first wife - which did NOT end well. He laughed at me for that. He never once blamed me for that introduction.

He asked a lot about 710. He liked the fact we were married.

So the cost-benefit analysis still came up on the positive side. It was worth the trip - and we won the game, so, there is that too.



Song by: the Black Keys

Capture

We had a grand time in Columbus this last weekend....headache non-withstanding.

Yes, you hear me talk about my "email group" often and have even seen visits from four-fifths of us.  It is rare you hear that we are all physically together as a collective.  Yes.....like the Borg.

I would say most weekdays we all exchange a few emails. Some days, depending on the event, it might be dozens.  This has gone on for years and years.  Normally we do take weekends off.  Still it is great to be in touch with a group of friends for 25-28 years. (I've known Jon longer, hence the stretch in years.)

While I certainly hope not to take my friends for granted, isn't it odd how to a degree we do. Not in that traditional sense, but the way that we assume things will always be the same and that we will always be there.

But they are not, and we are not.

Time moves on - and we have too. We stay in touch almost daily, but we are a little spread out geographically and it make it hard to all be together.  ...and when we were all in one place, we didn't do a great job documenting that togetherness, other than our memories.

In those, let's say 25 years, I can think of (and find) only three pictures where all five of us exist.  ...and one of those was taken this last weekend.  Well actually, multiple were taken this weekend (thank digital phone cameras!).

Still three pics of five people over a quarter century?  That's bullshit.

But when you hang out as often as we did, I don't believe any of us thought we needed to capture it on film. We were in our 20's and would always have 'this'.

Silly silly us.

Oh, but yes, all five of us were together for almost three days this last weekend. It was divine.  Of course, we had stories of the past, but we talked about the now - even mundane things, like we would have any other time.  The gathering was a non-event event.  In certain ways, that is how it should be. Just five folks and their significant others hanging - eating and drinking.

Of course, the weekend allegedly revolved around my birthday, but I'm hoping that was just an excuse (though I did get 9/10 of a cake out of the deal - don't ask) since who needs the attention.  The cake yes, but not the attention.

It is hard to believe that it's been since 2002 since we've all been together.  Morty and I have seen Jon once or twice since, but the others have not.  It's even been eight years since just the boys got together - and yes, no pictures.  WTF.

Since none of us is Ponce de Leon, we're not getting any younger.  It is time to make these visits count - and I think we did.

I don't mean to give Jon a big(ger) head, or to demean the rest of the group, but the vibe is slightly different when all of us are together - like a jigsaw puzzle.  Sure if you had four-fifths of that puzzle you could guess what the image would be, but it is not the same as being complete.  ...and no, I'm not going all Jerry McGuire on you.

Anyways, I'm hoping we will make more of an effort.  It is unfair to ask Jon to always come to Ohio, but the other four live here (three in Columbus).  I think it would be nice to meet elsewhere, but that involves more eating out and less just 'hang time'.  We'll work it out.  I just have to believe.

As for those three pictures - eh, just for shits and giggles, I'll post them here.

1988.  Holiday Party at Jon's apartment.  For the life of me, I couldn't tell you who took this picture. 

2002.  Sorry, it is a picture of a picture.  I am sure somewhere I have the original digital image, but lord knows where. 

Meredith had coloured her hair outside at Morty's the day before.  1,000 of worms died when the colour was rinsed out. Seriously, whatever was in the product brought worms up from the depths of the earth.  Poor poor worms.  

Ugh - I was a bit heavier back in 2002 and using a faux tropical shirt to cover it up - unsuccessfully I might add.

2013.   Not a bad looking bunch of chaps and chapettes. 

710 took 11 pictures.  11 !!!!  Not his fault, but none were perfect.  Eyes closed on one or more of us, or bad angles.  This might be the best of the bunch unless someone knows ye olde photsohppe. 

It's frustrating (in a good way) that Jon (the man is still wearing a J Crew shirt he bought 20 yrs ago!) and Morty look so much the same. Age has been kinder to them than to me - though oddly, I like how I look now than I did back in 2002.   ..and oy, that Frankenstein monster head I had in 1988.  WTF!

Of course the girls look fine too.  Maybe aging isn't such a bad thing. 

Hopefully we don't have to wait another decade for the next group picture. 

Song by: the Pat Metheny Group

Moving Away

While in Columbus over the Memorial Day weekend, we all traipsed......yes, traipsed....through the Short North.

The Short North is now a horribly trendy 'hood.  Back in the day, before it was up and coming, it was not quite there yet.  It was not so (over) developed and pricey.  When I first moved there in 1986, I lived across from a place that was called the T&A Cafe.  "Ladies" danced in the windows and there were signs outside that said 'boxed lunch specials'.  Indeed.

Even backing up a year, the Short North was where Denton was living when I met him.

And then scootching up to 1989, it is where I moved back to, and into the same building as Morty and Dith.  I have mentioned in passing, we were the only two apartments in the building.  Many a-time, we didn't even lock our apartment doors for easy coming and going.

The first Saturday of every month is/was the Gallery Hop.  One would tend to stay in on that night, as you'd never get your parking space back if you ventured out.  More than once we had dinners where people would stop by and maybe once during a Hop, a drunk Blobby danced in the window in red briefs and in only red briefs.  It might have been viewed as 'performance art', but trust me, it was not.

So this last Saturday, as we attempted to avoid throngs of people doing a bar crawl (at 13:00!), to raise money for cancer....but ironically enough, not for cirrhosis.....we ended up eating a block away from where we lived until I moved out in 1993.  Morty had moved out first and when I got a place with Denton, that left Dith as the only surviving original tenant.

We had good memories there.  We had some tough ones too (oooh, appendix and cancer - mine; and one very very mean kitty - not mine).  We were young and going through a lot, as we do when we grow up.  Clearly, we are stronger for it.   Well.....clear to us, maybe not to you.

So as we were walking back to the car, Becky got a scathingly brilliant idea to ring the doorbell and go on up and see the old place(s).  No one else seemed all that interested, save me.

She rang both bells and lo and behold, the folks who lived in my apartment came down and agreed to let us up to see the place.  You could see the skepticism in this young guy's eyes, but his "roommate" was there too and we are fairly harmless - unless you cross us.

It was such a fucking trip going back like that.  I have never done that in any house I ever lived in - on my own or as a kid.  But to be transported back 20 years.  Freaky.

As much as the apartment had changed, it remained the same.  The "plush" variegated brown carpeting was gone and rustic hardwood floors were now present.  I'm not sure if those were under the carpet or installed later.  One entrance door was completely missing (yes, I had two) and they had rearranged the kitchen for some reason, but I swear the appliances were exactly the same.  My mannequin with the cowboy hat had long been tossed out.

Actually, we weren't even up the steps (there are like 25) when Becky blurted out to the current tenants:  "have you guys seen any ghosts?".  

If you recall, I have told my tale of the apartment ghost.

Both "roommates" acknowledged a ghost themselves: seeing it and things moved that cannot be moved without a 20 ft ladder.  I feel totally vindicated.  I think they totally felt weirded out bit, by all we knew and that we were actually there.

But they asked about what the apartment had been like. I think they asked why I moved and I told them to move in with my partner.  Oddly enough, this was their last day in the place.  They were packing up and moving to the same street where Denton and I relocated.  Freaky.

I asked them how much they were paying in rent in "our" place - and it was like $850.  I paid $215.  Of course, I had variegated plush brown carpeting.

Ditto took the picture of me outside the front door.  You can embiggens it.  If you do, you kind of catch a reflection of my husband.  You also almost see my beady eyes.  What's up with that?   But on the plus side - you get to see my well developed calves.   Working out has some benefits that don't include increasing my HDL.

Of course, the killer was, everyone else waited down the block for us and wanted a full report.  Why they didn't come up, I have no idea.  I'm guessing it was the 25 stairs.



Song by: Herzog

Friends of Mine

I know it is not just me, but it could be.  I have the bestest group of friends. I'm sure you could all argue the fact, but since I don't know all of your friends and vice versa, it's my word against yours.   pffffffft.

Rebecca, Morty, Jon, Dith and I have been friends for better part of a quarter century.  Isn't that crazy?  I think it is possible, that as a group we have emailed almost every day since 1999.   Almost every email we send goes to each other and the responses fly - or sometimes not.  Talk about knitting and the boys responses come to a screeching halt.  Talk about new cars or new car potential, and we've lost Rebecca.   We're a delicate bunch.

As time and tide take their toll, we have migrated to different cities and states, have met others and moved on - but only somewhat.  I don't see a world where we are ever not in touch as much as we currently are.

And every now and then, we all get together. Physically.  Ok, it's rare we are all together, but we try and sometimes a number of us get the opportunity to hang - as it was last weekend.  Alas, Jon could not make it and he was so very missed, but it is even a rarity to get 4 of the 5 together.  Morty was happy to host.  Or at least he said he was.

So I flew into Columbus relatively the same time Rebecca did and Ditto was there to meet us.  As mentioned, I never got out of the airport without a beer. It'd been that kind of day week.

Truth be told, I took a big swig of Becky's beer before ordering one of my own.   Which explains (well, kind of, but not really), the belch I was doing when Becca snapped this pic of me and Dith.

The weekend was filled with beer, wine, food, and a lot of sitting around yakking.  And pictures.  Our smartphones were making us dumb, but we captured more shots than we ever normally would - most of which you are not privy to, but I'll share what I can.

Denton's knee and the rest of the gang.  Well, they are my fingers.  Photosynth didn't let me spin the camera around fast enough to capture me.  Phew.

One day we went to the "office" of Morty's partner.  He's a bug man.  It turns out Blobby does not like bugs, spiders and creepy crawly things.  I'm the first to admit to being a total wuss to that.  Scorpions, tarantulas and other genus and species I cannot pronounce, I certainly won't touch - unless with a rolled up newspaper or flyswatter.

What I think is a great pic of Becca and myself. ...and while we might have been drinking, I did not use the image where we looked drunk.

Dith and me again.  And look folks, I. Am. Smiling.  Hell, I'm laughing. 

Becky also taped 25 minutes of us on her MacBook.  The idea was for us to edit it so I could post it here on this blog thingy. I think I'll have to have her DropBox it so I can work on it.  I have DB, but ti's been so long, I don't know how to use it. 

I don't really know what the future holds for us.  We get along with such ease - at least for 2-3 days at a time.  I know there was high falutin' talk about where we'd all retire.  Fuck, getting together for a weekend is hard enough, agreeing on one place we'd all want to live seems beyond monumental.

I think it would be fun.   Only time will tell.  I don't even see a future with retirement.  I hope I'm wrong.



Song by:  the National

Bloodbuzz Ohio

We're in Columbus for the weekend. I wish we could say it was for fun - and we were smiling and laughing - but we are here for other reasons that may or may not be expounded at a later date.

But we cut our work day short a bit and headed to Morty's for the weekend and we are here now. Becca was here by the time we arrived.

Last night we just hung out, got pizza and each of us played on our respective iPhones.

I showed the group PhotoSwap, which I yakked about here years ago, and we had a back and forth going with two girls sort of showing me their boobs, so I did the same. I wasn't showing my areola to you all (again). There was another one where I was pushing my titties together like the girl(s) were doing, but we didn't save that photo - thankfully.

The other three also downloaded PhotoSwap and we tried experiments that if we all hit send at the same time, one of us - if not more - should/might get back one of our own pics. It only happened once. The rest of us got butt shots, boob shots, beer bottles and lots of blurry pics back our way.

As we were doing it all, Becky says to us, she says......"what did we do before iPhones", Morty and myself jinxed each other (no Cokes) by saying: "talk".

Becky keeps harping on me that I'm too skinny and that it is disturbing to look at me. I'm sure she meant I'm too "ugly", because everyone knows you can't be too thin (or rich) - I mean, unless your Karen Carpenter, because that didn't turn out too well for, ya know?

For the record, I'm three pounds thinner than last time I saw her.

btw...here is Becky holding Skeeter. He's more relaxed than you think.

So we're off today to do some stuff together and then head to campus to look around and see what's new and possibly where I may have "played" with "Dale". Nahhhhh.....knowing my pattern, I pretty much know where that would have happened.


Song by: the National