Back into the swing of things

Since my little wake up call on Thursday, Feb 28th with the Grim Reaper (and by that I mean my doctor), I've totally changed my diet, completely stopped drinking any alcohol, and have been to the gym pretty much every day save 2. What's been awesome is that Andy is now going to Gold's so I've got a partner in crime. It will help keep me honest about going and him too for that matter. I should post my pic here as the starting point and use the blog to track my performance. Hmm... let me think about that. Anyway, it feels good to look forward to the gym. Went tonight at 9pm when I REALLY didn't feel like it. But afterwards I was SO glad I went. Feel super good. YEAH!!! Eric Bana... lookout!

Predictions

I'm addicted to American Idol. I've watched it from the very first episode of season 1. Here we are in Season 7 and I'm still totally into it. So, I thought it would be fun to cast my predictions for the Top 12 - putting them in order of their departure from the show. It will be fun to come back to this in 12 weeks and see how I did. Feel free to post your predictions in the comments.

12. Chikezie
11. Kristy Lee Cook
10. Amanda Overmyer
9. Ramiele Malubay
8. David Hernandez
7. Brooke White
6. David Cook
5. Michael Johns
4. Syesha Mercado
3. Jason Castro
2. Carly Smithson
1. David Archuleta

In love again after all these years

I didn't think it could happen this fast - but it has. I met him a while back through some friends. Every chance I got to be around him - I'd take it. I would often try to create situations that would end up with my hands all over him. And man - did I quickly learn how to push the right buttons.

I had recently thought about pursuing some other suitors but everytime I was with them - I kept comparing them to him.

We became an official couple on Sunday. We "made the deal" as it's often referred. We've been hot and heavy now for just under a week - but it seems like an eternity. I'm constantly looking at him, checking in with him, sliding my fingers all over him. I can't imagine how I got along without him all these years.

I know this is the one because I can't stop doodling "Mrs. David iPhone" all over my Pee-Chee folder ;-)

Just decided...

...that this is what I'm going to look like in 1 year's time... Watch out Eric! You're going to have a twin soon. Well... with just a touch less hair on top...

Hoping to turn that frown, upside down

Well - the doctor insisted. I tried to ward off taking the prescription for high blood pressure but he said that it was against his medical advice. And if I didn't take the meds, he would add in my file that he strongly advised and I ignored his advice... he got all "Hold my baby!" with me. Which I appreciate, actually.

So about 1 hour ago I took my first high blood pressure pill. I insisted that after 6 months and proven weight loss, if we could try and wean me off to see if I can maintain it naturally. He said fine. He stressed to me that even thin people have high blood pressure - and it's not always due to weight. But he's willing to work with me if I prove results.

So - I'm a sad camper today. I feel like a fat old man. It doesn't feel good to feel this way. I rarely get down about things. Really... rarely. I've been lucky to be a pretty upbeat guy about 99.9% of the time. Don't know why this is such a big damn deal for me. But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. It'll pass. I'll forget about it in a few days.

I think I need to play some Rock Band to pick up my spirits. Singing "Long Time" by Boston always puts a smile on my face. Or Chant and I will have to go the mall and do DDR with the other 12-yr olds - or come over and we'll sing "What is Love" and do our silly drug-sniffing, mosh-pit dance moves a la SNL. That'll make me feel like a kid again.

But for right now, that emoticon says it all.

Signs of mortality

Well - I officially feel old - or mortal for that matter. Went the doctor's the other day to find out I have high blood pressure and gout. Yes, gout. Wasn't that from the time of the plague and consumption? It's such a horrible word. But what it means is that I have high uric acid levels and that deposits little crystals in the joints.

What causes it? Excess red meat...and booze. Well, I don't eat a great deal of red meat, so I guess we know what the culprit is. And liquor is also contributing to my high blood pressure. (Along with the excess 40-50 lbs I'm carrying around) so the doctor has forbid me from drinking any liquor INDEFINITELY until all conditions are under control.

He said, and I quote, "Dave, if you blood pressure continues, and you don't change your health - you're going to have a heart attack...soon."

YIKES! So that day I went straight to the market, bought a crapload of veggies, tuna, chicken, and course, sandpapery fiber products...and headed directly to the gym. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

Next week the doc wants to put me on blood pressure meds. He said that once you're on - it's rare you come off of them - EVER. I don't like the sound of that. So I'm going to ask that he give me some time with diet and exercise to bring my blood pressure down naturally.

As a natural born project manager - I know I can manage this one. I have to admit- it really scared me when he said "Dave, you're going to have a heart attack!" That's not a great thing to hear. So I've been to the gym 3 days in a row - been eating well - and am determined to get this under control myself.

Thursday, February 28, 2008 will forever be known as the day I became mortal. I guess every human being, at some point in their lives, comes to this moment. When they cross over from eternal childhood where you never think it's ever going to end - to really being aware that this is definitely going to end someday... and that I'm approximately halfway there.

I think that moment is what triggers the midlife crisis. Oh great - now I guess I have to go buy a Corvette.

There's no way in hell!

Referencing an earlier blog entry (Bye, Bye, Miss Mathematical Pi) I've come across one of those "College SAT Questions of the Day" that I can't even begin to figure out. It scares me that I knew how to calculate this when I was 17.

Can you figure this out?

If the diameter of a bicycle wheel is 0.5 meter, how many meters has the center of the wheel traveled when the wheel has made 3 complete revolutions along a straight road?

1. 



2. 3



3. 12



4. 



5. 25

Here He Comes...Miss Sogyny!

While at the doctor's office this morning, one of the office workers, a buzz-cut butch-ass lesbian, was passionately (and loudly) complaining about how during a recent debate between Hilary and Barak, two men in the audience were yelling "IRON MY SHIRT!" during Hilary's responses.

This enraged woman was screaming "In America, racism is far closer to being dead than misogyny." I didn't really get her point at first. But then she said, "If two white men had yelled 'SHINE MY SHOES!' during Barak's response time, the media would have jumped all over that and it would have become a huge public issue. America gets enraged by racial improprieties - but doesn't go anywhere near misogynistic ones. "

Kudos to her. That's was an excellent point. And I absolutely agree with her. It is a shame that it wasn't made an issue in defense of Hilary and all women. In a male dominated world (Earth in general - not to mention politics), it's a shame that behavior was tolerated.

Once she realized how loud she was, she looked around in a bit of embarrassment to realize the entire waiting room could hear her behind the closed glass wall. When we caught eyes with each other through the glass, I gave her a big thumbs up. She smiled. I smiled. And in that moment - I really, truly understood for the first time what misogyny is, how it can hurt, and felt bad if I've ever demonstrated any of that behavior during my life.

iThink iMight. Actually, iReally think iWill.

iHave been contemplating turning in my hand-crank Nokia phone (you know, the free one that comes shrink-wrapped to the service plan) for some time now. iThink it would be cool to have access to the web, maps, and my personal email. So iHad given in to the fact that iWould probably be getting a Crackberry Pearl or Curve to stick with t-Mobile. But as iReview those, and hold them in my hand, iCan't help but compare it to the experience iHave when iPlay with someone's iPhone. So... iThink iWill just bite the bullet, pay the $175 termination fee to leave t-Mobile - so iCan iPhone.

iMay do it this weekend. We'll see. If iDon't get the iPhone soon, iFear that iWill be forced to write like this forever. iHope for your sake, iDo.

Weekend in Los Angeles

It was Andy's birthday on Thursday so to celebrate, Andy, Diego, and I flew down to LA to visit our friends Wilma & Andrew. Wilma and Andrew threw a cocktail party at their place on Friday night in honor of Andy's birthday. We all got trashed and had a great time. But the big moment was Saturday morning when Matt (Chant) who wasn't able to come with us due to his new job - surprised us all and showed up on Wilma/Andrew's door step at 10am. Matt is Andy's best friend - so Andy was SOOOO excited. It really changed the whole weekend for the better. We were all so happy to see him. This is a pic of Matt surprising Will/Andrew while they were still in bed. Such a great moment!

















Saturday was a mellow day. We enjoyed some local Mexican fare for lunch and had a great time.































and then played games until it was time to head to the Eagle for "Meat Rack", a once-a-month bear party. It was packed at the Rack. Met up with White Will and Brian, and my friend John Forest and his friend Johnny too. We had a real good time being fresh meat.