...continuity

Un Vieillard

2010-03-07T12:32:00.002-07:00

A quick trip to Boise this weekend, on a whim. I checked the flights on Friday at 4pm, saw they were wide open, and decided to take my first non-rev flight back home. It was cool, but not cold. Stayed at Shawn and Chris's place, and visited my usual haunts. Also had a decent French Dip at The Tavern at Bown Crossing, which is sort of a high-density shopping area plopped to the east of Boise. Shopped at Powell's, which is a fun candy store packed with lots of sweets and novelties. Later Saturday night I saw Keith and Daniel at the Lucky Dog for 80s night, which was packed and relatively fun.

My father had major back surgery a few weeks ago, and is getting around only with the help of a walker. He seems to be doing well, but he's lost a lot of weight and will obviously be recuperating for quite awhile. I also dropped in on my grandmother. She had injured her neck and back, and was also having trouble getting around and taking care of herself. I picked up her kitchen, cleaned out her refrigerator, and did a little grocery shopping for her. I'm afraid grammy won't be living on her own for much longer. It was sad and frustrating to see like that. I don't think she told her sons how badly she was getting on. My dad sounded shocked, and I hope he'll arrange a discussion with his brothers soon. She has a room at my uncle's house whenever she wants, but has resisted leaving her house and her friends. But it's time.

Back to Phoenix.

Years

2010-01-06T12:40:00.002-07:00

2008: The year of complacency and chaos.
2009: The year of ending.
2010: The year of renewal.
2011: The year of change.

2009

2009-12-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

The year 2009 will go down in my personal history as one of the worst on record, followed closely by 2008. But most of the shit in 2008 happened in November, and apart from my job imploding, the rest of that year wasn't too bad.

By contrast, I end 2009 with a great deal of uncertainty. After a stressful and protracted bankruptcy, my employer ceased to be in July, and I have been out of work for the last five months. Jason and I ended our relationship of 10 years. We parted on good terms, but there is still much there that is unresolved. I'm now dog-less. Jason took Lucy to San Francisco, where she has a much better life than she would have here. Jason takes her to work every day, she gets frequent walks and dog park visits, and the temperature is not 100+ most of the year. Oscar, our tired old blind man, finally deteriorated mentally and physically to the point where it was time to let him go. Financially, I'm pretty fucked right now. Upside down on our house, drowning in debt, and unemployed. Of the three pillars of life�work, relationship, and home�none look great right now.

But I'm optimistic for 2010, if only because it couldn't get much worse. I have a couple of good job possibilities that I'm excited about. I will be taking some positive, albeit drastic, steps on the financial front. And I'm meeting some new people and having a decent time in Phoenix at the moment. I don't know if I'm going to stay in Phoenix long term, and I'm not yet sure what I will be doing about our house. I visited San Francisco for my birthday, and for the first time in a very long time, I felt like it was a place I could live again. I've also talked about Seattle and Portland as places I'd like to live. Perhaps in the next year or so I will make one of those possibilities happen.

So, I'll be drinking tonight to the passing of 2009. It won't be missed.

Holiday Lights

2009-11-24T18:49:00.001-07:00

This will probably be the extent of my decorating this year. I will be out of town for Thanksgiving visiting the family, and an empty house for Christmas.

The holidays are here.

Oscar

2009-11-21T13:45:00.002-07:00

The one-eyed terrier can finally see again, and he's in a place where there are cats to chase, and no pain.

Oscar Brown
April 25, 1996 - November 21, 2009

Lucy

2009-10-30T14:56:00.001-07:00

Oscar

2009-10-20T14:45:00.001-07:00

Lucy

2009-10-18T13:22:00.001-07:00

Beach Weekend

2009-09-07T17:40:00.001-07:00

We spent the weekend in San Diego with Brian and DJ, at their newly remodeled and very glamorous new house. The place went from typical San Diego post-WWII ex-military housing to a very swanky pad with fantastic gourmet kitchen and an extra bedroom. Very nice, and I'm very jealous.

The weather has been wonderful. A bit warm for San Diego, but who cares? It's not 11 million degrees, and the ocean was great. We drank, noshed on fish tacos, went out and surveyed the SD bear crowd, and spent a day on Coronado Island today. Pretty much a perfect long weekend.

I'm not looking forward to the drive home tomorrow.

Gooding, Idaho 83330

2009-08-17T11:28:00.001-07:00

Since I have a little free time, I decided to take a long weekend and visit the parents, the grandmother, and assorted friends.

Why do I have all this free time? My company finally threw in the towel and liquidated. I've been out of work since July 24th. Honestly, it's a relief.

I have an interview tomorrow, and another strong employment possibility in the works, so I'm not too concerned at the moment. If these options don't work out, then I'll panic a little. Until then, I'm enjoying a very French August.... on vacation.

So I spent the last few days in Boise and in Gooding. Ate. Ate again. Ate some more. Had a few beers out. Spent a delightful afternoon outside on the patio at a pub downtown, and then a fun evening with friends.

Life is good.

Jason and John

2009-06-17T15:36:00.001-07:00

Queries and Observations

2009-06-07T16:54:00.002-07:00

This summer hasn't been horrible yet. Today it was 92 or something equally comfortable.

The pool is greenish.

The Metro is running single car trains at night and on weekends now.

Working at home is not all that it's cracked up to be.

I have no dress clothes anymore. Going to work in shorts and flip flops has made me spoiled.

I wonder where I'm going to put all my books.

Filling up a car for $33.00 is a really nice change.

I wonder if Lucy will miss Oscar. I wonder if Oscar will notice.

I'm sort of jealous Jason gets to make a road trip.

I wonder if Florida will be better than here.

I miss London.

I'm tired of awkwardness.

Holy Balls

2009-04-19T17:31:00.001-07:00

Pride in Arizona. They try to host it in April, when allegedly it won't be too warm. But yesterday was in the 90s, and Steele Indian School Park has very little shade. People were desperately hiding in the shadows of tents, cranes, and what few shade structures actually exist in the park.

Nevertheless, we still had a few beers, saw a few friends, and made a day of it. The we retreated to the house for more beer, pizza, movies, and hot tub. Alas, I passed out at about 8:30pm and missed most of the fun.

Union Jack and Irish

2009-02-22T15:42:00.001-07:00

I'm taking three-day weekends to burn up my unused vacation. This weekend was the Scottish Highland Games, pizza parties, nerdy Japanese festival, and back to the Scottish festival. There was much beer, meat pies, bagpipes and boys in kilts.

Pretty much a perfect weekend.

Dapper

2009-02-15T01:21:00.001-07:00

Black tie party tonight for Alex, who turns forty on Valentine's Day this year. Cocktails and cute boys.... We opted for black suits, since tuxes aren't terribly practical in Phoenix. Fun.

Chihuly Desert Botanical Garden

2009-01-26T10:36:00.001-07:00

A New Trend

2009-01-18T21:55:00.001-07:00

Phoenix Sunday breakfast options are often uneven. We're starting a new trend. Ticoz has a brief but tasty brunch menu, $1 mimosas, bloody maries, screwdrivers, and cape cods, and a great patio. I enjoyed my second huevos rancheros plate in two weeks. Tasty green-chile pork on corn tortillas with three eggs over easy. Delightful. The place is not busy on Sunday, so go and avoid the tedious food at Le Good Peep, or wherever the gays tend to congregate for brunch in this town.

The Boi Who Lived..

2009-01-13T20:38:00.001-07:00

Mason should have his Photoshop license revoked.

Flagstaff

2009-01-11T20:16:00.001-07:00

Look, snow!

We spent the weekend at Mike's cabin in Flagstaff with a bunch of friends. Lots of good food, lots of champagne, lots of whisky, and chilly temperatures. It was great to cook in that kitchen, although cooking after several shots of Jack was a bit of a challenge.

A very fun weekend with some fun guys and good friends.

What Obsession Looks Like

2009-01-04T06:49:00.002-07:00

We got up at 6:15am to have Matt's this morning. It's the only way to
eat here without an hour wait these days.

Phoenix has a Train

2008-12-27T21:20:00.012-07:00

We rode the Metro for a few stops today. Everyone was excited to see the trains and get on board. Nobody seemed to get off, however, and the trains were packed after three stops. Standing room only.

We quickly abandoned our plan to ride to Tempe and got off near home. Afterward, pasties and beer at Cornish Pasty Company.

It's cold here.

Christmas

2008-12-25T11:15:00.007-07:00

Christmas hasn't really been Christmas this year. No presents, except from my mother. We put the lights up, but didn't decorate the inside of the house. I planned a Christmas day dinner for a few people, but that's about it.

Yesterday, Jason decorated the house as a surprise. Wreath, pine boughs, ornaments, and poinsettias. Looks lovely.

This morning, I made grandmother's fudge. This is the first year in a long time that I haven't received a box of cookies and fudge in the mail. I miss her.

Happy Christmas.

Oscar and Lucy

2008-12-21T20:53:00.001-07:00

Lucy

2008-12-21T20:52:00.001-07:00

Birthday Weekend Begins

2008-12-13T11:10:00.001-07:00

Mason and Mike plotted to get me out on Friday night for a few cocktails to start my birthday.

I handed my camera to Jay and told him to take pictures. I think that was a good strategy for the most part. I usually leave with no pictures to remember what a good time I had.

We started at Kobalt, ate dinner at Delux, and then wound up the evening at Charlie's. Chuck's we're over. Kobalt was fun.

Thanks guys.