Choices

Hello, peeps!

Been a busy week here. Things are in a state of flux, but all seems to be moving in a good direction.

The personal fitness program progresses. I still want to firm up some more and lose a few more pounds before that fantastic vacation I'll be taking in June. Did I mention that? If I didn't, I will now...if I did, you can skip on. :-)

I'll be leaving with my 12 year old son on Father's Day to take our first cruise ever. We're excited to be taking a four night cruise on the Disney Wonder. Both Matthew and I are in the habit of counting down the days. I must confess that I'm very excited. For myself, it's my first time on a cruise ship. For Matthew, it's also his first time on a cruise, but it's his first time out of the country as well (we're stopping in the Bahamas one day). So far, we're planning one "extra" expedition (of course, those cost money)...we're planning to snorkel with stingrays.

Of course, it's gonna be a blast taking our first vacation together in three (?) years. I remember back to the last vacation, where we went to Florida. I packed the week with all sorts of activities, wanting Matthew to remember it forever. We spent four days in the Disney theme parks. We went to Sea World. We drove over to Clearwater Beach and spent the day on the beach. We also went to the Kennedy Space Center and had lunch with an astronaut who'd flown three shuttle missions. What does my son still remember most fondly to this day? Building sand castles on the beach with his dad! Yes, the one "free" activity. What do I remember most? On our drive back home, we ran into a huge traffic jam on I-75 south of Lexington, KY. I started to get agitated at the slow pace. Matthew's outlook on this? "Don't be angry, Dad. It just means we get to spend a little more time together." OUT OF THE MOUTH OF BABES! Puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

Back to the week's activities. Drew is emerging from his social shell. Guess what? He actually went out on a DATE Wednesday. A very nice guy. We talked for over two hours, through dinner and after. I'm being very objective and pragmatic about things. I haven't fallen "head over heels", but there's something worth possibly pursuing...remembering at the same time that I've been out of the dating scene for over a year, and that there are many possibilities out there.

Thursday I inherited three new teams at work...25 people in all. That brings the count of those that I manage to about 60. I'm certainly going to be busier...not to mention the added responsibility. Maybe this means I'll finally graduate from a cubicle to an office! Yes, I know...the little things in life....

Last night, Michael and Dan and I went out on the town. Second time in a month, after having gone six months without stepping foot in an establishment. Again we had a great time. I feel much more like the Drew that existed oh so many years ago. Again kept things in check and enjoyed the evening without going overboard on the libations. At the first of the two places we stopped was an old "friend". His citywide nickname is "Nelly"...more like "Little House on the Prairie" than the singer. :-) It was good to see him, although nothing seems to have changed in his life. Nelly is one of those people who is friendly with anyone and everyone...but five minutes of him is enough for some people. It didn't take long for us to decide to move on to Haunt Number Two. There the crowd started to fill in a little more than the first place. I ran in to a really old friend there. He and I are probably the only two gay people we know to have graduated from Madeira High School in Cincinnati...and we lived 9 houses away from each other.

Catching up on old times with him and his husband, I noticed that he has lost an incredible amount of weight, and that his facial features seemed more sunken than they ever have. Another patron commented on that, to which he seemed just a tad too defensive in responding that he was back to the weight he carried when he met his husband. Now I know that, when they go out, they're on a mission to practice their arithmetic. Usually 2 + 1 = 3. I don't want to make any assumptions that could be made about his weight loss, but (like a threatening rain cloud) they creep up and consume my thoughts.

I'm amazed with the concept of looking back at the things which have led me to where I am today. I think it's an interesting concept to wonder what life may have been like for me, had I made a different choice in this life's path. What if I hadn't met and fallen for my ex- (and he for me)? Would Michael and I have become best friends? If I hadn't been at a specific place at a specific time, would I have met this person or that person in some other setting? If I had not bought this house, I wouldn't have had it robbed twice...but if I bought the house next door instead, would that still have happened eventually?

Today I'm going to likely do some spring cleaning and maybe burn up the gift cards I received for Christmas. Yep...I've got about $200 in cash and gift cards that I still haven't touched. Since I'm emotional in a very positive mode, why not treat myself?