The Job that Ate My Brain!

Six jobs in seven years. SIX JOBS IN SEVEN YEARS! How does one achieve that? Am I confused, ambitious, brave, resourceful, unfocused, unplanning, all-over-the-place, adventurous? How did end up at another crossroads of looking to the next job? Do I do what I like but have a schedule that keeps me from having a normal life with friends? Or do I do something a slightly despise but gives me the normalcy of a 9 to 5? Do I stress now but look ahead, or go back to restful sleep with no plan for the future? Do I feed my ambition and push myself up, or nurture contentment and coast?

Taylor Ham from Jersey

Been so busy but I had to share this. One more reason why leaving Jersey was close to impossible for me: TAYLOR HAM!

Ledger Live - 12-18-08

Be Fair

I do not discuss politics with people who don't agree with me. Whether it's my nature to be non confrontational, my laziness, or a combination of both, I cannot tell for sure. One thing I do understand is people. I know why they are against gay marriage. Religion is often used as the reason why people are against gay marriage or gay people in general. The real truth is that it just doesn't feel right to them, what one journalist called the "ick" factor. I understand that. I grew up with that. If I weren't gay, my gut feeling would probably be to agree that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

I'm sure that's what people felt in 1967 about interracial marriage. Gut feel: it's wrong. But aren't human beings defined more by their intellect and their compassion. Our own parents probably felt the "ick" factor seeing interracial marriage, believing it was "wrong" and "unnatural". Yet we know now that it is NO BIG DEAL. Not right, not better, not threatening to our culture. If you were alive then, which side would you have been on? Would you have let your "ick" factor, even if validated by religious beliefs, keep you from doing what you now know to be fair?

And it really is just about fairness. Two adults want a chance for love. To have what everyone else has. Why pick and choose which religious doctrine to fight and which to ignore? Divorce is a BREAK of the sanctity of marriage yet there are no movements to ban that.

I do understand homophobia. I grew up in it, my religion preached it, my family taught it to me, and I still have it. But I know what is fair. Marriage for all is fair.

Saturday Night

So Pinky decides to make a last minute trip to NYC (I baptized her a "NYCHI", borrowed from the New York-London jetsetters called NYLONs). I took the Saturday afternoon bus to Port Authority and worked out at the Times Square branch of my gym. Met them for dinner at Wan Dee Siam, a shoebox of a restaurant that serves amazing Thai food (total cost of bill with tax and tip= $10 each). Katrina and Pinky hand me a coupon for 50%-off the play they are about to see (The 39 Steps). I get a last row center seat in the mezzanine and watch an award winning play last minute wearing gym shorts. Kip and I had made plans to meet up for drinks that night so I take the subway to Chelsea, have a lot of drinks at a gay sports bar, and ride with Kip back to my home in Montclair.

A night like this is why I cannot leave the NYC/NJ area.

SNL Spoof

Can't get enough of this short....

Kayaking

About 12 years ago, I got it in my head that I would start white water kayaking. Took a class in North Carolina, bought the gear, went out a couple of times. Never really had fun because I was so scared of flipping over then not being able to right myself (the eskimo roll). What then ended up happening was I would bail out of the kayak into frigid waters, drag my boat to shore, drain it, and get back on the river as my party waited. I never went out with friends, always strangers. Afraid of making mistakes, I became nervous kayaker, making me flip over even more.

Kayak moves to the basement.

Last month, Paul bought a kayak and he now wants to learn how to do an eskimo roll. The first time I got in my kayak in Alan's pool, my heart started to race. What the hell am I doing back in this thing?!?! But being with friends in a warm pool on a sunny day: completely different experience. So after many tries, I was actually able to do it! I wasn't able to get Paul to successfully roll but next week, we're headed back to Alan's. Don't know if I'm ready to face the cold rivers again (don't tell Paul) but this is definitely a start.

Fun with Photoshop

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Originally uploaded by Tengaport

Alan's Dad was giving me my first golf lesson. Alan and his photoshop tricks made it look like a Jedi weekend in Boca.

Peak Potential Dinner

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Originally uploaded by Tengaport

The past and present board members (and administrators) had a dinner courtesy of Dr. Fu and his wife. Food was amazing and you couldn't beat the company. It was great getting to know Fu's parents. Their work ethic and dedication to their parents is truly inspiring. Plus I got to hang-out with Dawn.