same guy from the September post here...
Saturday, October 22, 2011
octobery
here are some pics I took today of what I wore yesterday and then I think the other one one Wednesday. I really like wearing browns and greys in the fall, here the khakis with my new grey topsiders.... also greys and orange. the first outfit I have a short sleeved shirt over a long sleeve t that I push up to my elbows. I wear that look a lot in the fall and winter and probably it's leftover style from when I was in college and I still like it so whatever. ha the second pic you can't tell I wear a khaki green shaded sunglasses for some color with the blue and orange. also the newest thing there is probably the jeans which I bought before leaving for overseas in 2007. It was the pair that I came home and saw my ex roomie wearing and he swore up and down they weren't mine (they were) and so I just bought another pair since I was leaving in a day or two and didn't have the time or energy to confront the whole sit. UGH ha. my favorite flannel shirt I got as a gift from a 7th grader one Christmas my first year teaching in Central AMerica. I love it, the orange/khaki/blue combo. the Converse are just my classic shoe since high school!!! ha. the next two pics are one I don't know if I ever posted before from 2 years ago when I was BROKE and had to work at the haunted house at Frontier City here in OKC every weekend of October. the next pic is from my last trip to NYC. I've been reminiscing in prep for trip next week. :)
man I loved wearing that Paul Smith scarf all over Nyc that Dec '09. the pic of me in the mask is in front of the same mirror, you may or probably didn't notice. same one as the first two nippliscious pec pics posted the other day. those weren't me though --they were pics of the hottie yet total jerkwad ex roomie....(I copied them from his computer I found in my house upon return to the states). sigh. (man I'm so bored right now waiting for the OU game with the rain delay!..... thus all the links in this post. :P )
Friday, October 21, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
getting ready
really intersting thing on a social network today I noticed this guy had a post with a pic that points to his profile pic saying something like this person believes gay marriage is fair. something like that. well anyway, the guy is an aquaintance I made while in Central AMerica back in November 2008 when I was coming back from overseas and staying there for a month for tax reasons.
well anyway, he was a teacher at the same missionary school I had taught at for 3 years. and I think dating a girl at the time. anyway, so I clicked right away on his profile and sure enough the dude is in a relationship with a dude. wow. he's in Indiana. well I look forward to getting up the nerve to message him and out myself or whatever and get some dialogue going. that would be pretty cool. ANd good on him for getting back to the states after the experience and moving on and coming out and finding happiness. etc.
in other news. NYC next week. I got a call from both my former students this week. I'm staying with J and his live in gf in Brooklyn. J took off next Tuesday so he's going to meet me at the airport and then ride back on the metro with me etc and then we'll spend the entire rest of the day running around etc.. he is a manager at a signature store on 5th avenue. I'm so proud of him. and then the other former student L called tonight. he's been interning at the Guggenheim for quite a while now and has been working on a project with architects involved designing the new Guggenheim in Dubai. He's also been asked to help with lighting exhibits there at NYC. super proud of him as well. he'll be leaving in November to go live with a sister who's in Asia living now. SO he'll be searching some sort of architectural internship there next I'm sure.
I'm getting myself mentally prepared to come out if the question ever comes up next week with either of the guys. I doubt any of 'em would ever ask but if it did come up, I'm ready to say yup I've been gay etc... I know it wouldn't change anything anyway, what's most important to me is they understand my faith and why I continue to pray for them both and am there to help encourage in any way possible. I have prayed this week that God will give me the right word when/if the time comes to explain myself or to provide any encouragement they may need. if that makes sense. For now I'm just enjoying fall break and looking forward to the weekend. Looking forward to some neice and nephew time tomorrow 'cause my sis is in town. :)
well anyway, he was a teacher at the same missionary school I had taught at for 3 years. and I think dating a girl at the time. anyway, so I clicked right away on his profile and sure enough the dude is in a relationship with a dude. wow. he's in Indiana. well I look forward to getting up the nerve to message him and out myself or whatever and get some dialogue going. that would be pretty cool. ANd good on him for getting back to the states after the experience and moving on and coming out and finding happiness. etc.
in other news. NYC next week. I got a call from both my former students this week. I'm staying with J and his live in gf in Brooklyn. J took off next Tuesday so he's going to meet me at the airport and then ride back on the metro with me etc and then we'll spend the entire rest of the day running around etc.. he is a manager at a signature store on 5th avenue. I'm so proud of him. and then the other former student L called tonight. he's been interning at the Guggenheim for quite a while now and has been working on a project with architects involved designing the new Guggenheim in Dubai. He's also been asked to help with lighting exhibits there at NYC. super proud of him as well. he'll be leaving in November to go live with a sister who's in Asia living now. SO he'll be searching some sort of architectural internship there next I'm sure.
I'm getting myself mentally prepared to come out if the question ever comes up next week with either of the guys. I doubt any of 'em would ever ask but if it did come up, I'm ready to say yup I've been gay etc... I know it wouldn't change anything anyway, what's most important to me is they understand my faith and why I continue to pray for them both and am there to help encourage in any way possible. I have prayed this week that God will give me the right word when/if the time comes to explain myself or to provide any encouragement they may need. if that makes sense. For now I'm just enjoying fall break and looking forward to the weekend. Looking forward to some neice and nephew time tomorrow 'cause my sis is in town. :)
window shopng
the first pic shows a sort of jacket i liked at banana republic and bought this week is 50% wool/50 poly with a cotton lining. I like these sort of things to layer in the morning on the way to work or while traveling etc....plus it finally gave me something to wear with the grey topsiders I got a while back. ha the rest of the stuff above I just thought looked good. and no I doubt I could pull off the navajo blanket but I think it looks cool. below are 2 pairs of classy adidas shoes I thought were cool and then the last pair from revolve clothing online like the 2 above.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
outlet
had a great time yesterday with A. the girl I've been seeing weekly now for a few months. since I was off for fall break, she and I had planned to spend the day together since she works weekend night shifts at an emergency veterinarian place. anyway, we had a great time walking around the new outlet mall in OKC and then up north to check out the new WHole Foods store. We were going to eat the buffet there but she has a thing about germs and food and the place was so crowded that she wasn't feeling it for the buffet at all. ha so we went across the street to Republic instead. got some great pulled chicken cheesy nachos, and then we both had a small salad and the pulled chicken sandwich. yum.
The new outlet mall is definitely geared toward moms I've decided. ha for example the J Crew and Banana Republic and Gap store are all about 3/4 women's and about 1/4 to one side or other for men. that should tell you a LOT about OKC. The men are shopping the NIKE and Under Armor stores and that's about it probably. ha well also the place has about two or more kitchen/cooking places and then some kid and baby and kiddie toy stores etc etc. overall a nice new mall and addition to OKC. We've never had an outlet store before. but still it's not the same as Premium Outletmalls in Dallas or Austin I'd say. San Marcos Texas still one of the most I've enjoyed running around. we did have fun checking it all out, only thing I bought were some gym socks and she got a hat somewhere. I've got the NYC trip coming up to save money for PLUS the PICKUP repair bill.
speaking of my wonderful pick up, I got home by 430 and my mom and dad came and picked me up to take me to the garage that had my truck ready. paid the man and drove home. sweet! got my ranger back. thanks for all the comments bout the truck btw. My dad kept all our cars running growing up and knows this guy who fixed mine and he's completely trusted even if the labor was a bit high. we know he does things exactly right and what's needed. having had my truck since 02, I bought it with only 12k miles on it and it now has 166k so it was time for major maintenance. after fall break I'm going to take it back in for brake pads and then the front end ball/joint replacement. for right now I got wheels again, yee haw!
today I'll be jumping into the 20 essays I have to grade this week. I'm going to do 4 or 5 and then reward myself with some time working outside in the yard some or watching more of the "Doc Martin" series on Youtube. I'm just finishing series 4, and there's only one more series to go. yikes. cheers
The new outlet mall is definitely geared toward moms I've decided. ha for example the J Crew and Banana Republic and Gap store are all about 3/4 women's and about 1/4 to one side or other for men. that should tell you a LOT about OKC. The men are shopping the NIKE and Under Armor stores and that's about it probably. ha well also the place has about two or more kitchen/cooking places and then some kid and baby and kiddie toy stores etc etc. overall a nice new mall and addition to OKC. We've never had an outlet store before. but still it's not the same as Premium Outletmalls in Dallas or Austin I'd say. San Marcos Texas still one of the most I've enjoyed running around. we did have fun checking it all out, only thing I bought were some gym socks and she got a hat somewhere. I've got the NYC trip coming up to save money for PLUS the PICKUP repair bill.
speaking of my wonderful pick up, I got home by 430 and my mom and dad came and picked me up to take me to the garage that had my truck ready. paid the man and drove home. sweet! got my ranger back. thanks for all the comments bout the truck btw. My dad kept all our cars running growing up and knows this guy who fixed mine and he's completely trusted even if the labor was a bit high. we know he does things exactly right and what's needed. having had my truck since 02, I bought it with only 12k miles on it and it now has 166k so it was time for major maintenance. after fall break I'm going to take it back in for brake pads and then the front end ball/joint replacement. for right now I got wheels again, yee haw!
today I'll be jumping into the 20 essays I have to grade this week. I'm going to do 4 or 5 and then reward myself with some time working outside in the yard some or watching more of the "Doc Martin" series on Youtube. I'm just finishing series 4, and there's only one more series to go. yikes. cheers
Monday, October 17, 2011
$969
I wanted to say thanks for the comment yesterday about my truck. It's very cool to hear opinions from readers of the blog whether mechanics, tour guides, home repair, docs etc...The timing belt broke in my pickup yesterday. Max called and says they are also replacing the water pump and flushing it out. apparently there has been some leaking of water and that might have been near the timing belt etc etc. also they're replacing a "serpentine belt" whatever that is. ha. So yeah I said go right through with it, they are also doing an oil change which I'm overdue. also asked them to check the plugs and wires.. ouch. My ball joints are still worn out and need to be replaced the front end. they want another $800 for that, which I told 'em I'd have to wait for a few more paychecks on that one. BLAH.
ok well that's my truck update. now I got my buddy S picking me up from school tonight I just need to find a ride there, all my local car rental places had no cars until after 5pm today. go figure. :)
ok well that's my truck update. now I got my buddy S picking me up from school tonight I just need to find a ride there, all my local car rental places had no cars until after 5pm today. go figure. :)
Sunday, October 16, 2011
oh ranger
went out to lunch with the folks today after church, then over to cimarron pottery to pick up 5 bags of pine bark mulch ( they have a better $4 price on a 3 cubit foot bag with finer mulch than home depot or walmart etc...). I use the mulch both on top of the soil and also mixed in to aerate the soil when amending for a new bed. well, anyway, I went by my folks place afterwards to pick some mail that was delivered ( by mistake a paypal purchase went to that address, this magazine from london called Wrap)
on my was home, about a mile from the intersection near my folk's addition, my truck just suddenly stopped on me... shifted to 5th and the engine just quit and wouldn't start again after I pulled over. engine turned, plenty of gas in the tank, but nothing doing... UGHHHH. didn't have my cell with me (you may remember I don't really ever use a cell phone unless on road trips, then I take my ghetto AT go-phone). I walked to a nearby house and knocked and asked to call my folks. turns out it was a teacher's house I used to work with at my old job, small world. Dad came and picked me up, we called a tow truck, got it towed to a place in town and tomorrow morning my dad will go in with my truck key to see what they can find out etc..... my mom drove me home since my dad had choir practice at 5pm. We had a nice time getting some yogurt first and talking some, and then of course she got out of the car and looked around my yard to see what was growing and blooming. :)
So I sit at home tonight no pickup in the drive.. :(. I will wait to hear some sort of diagnosis tomorrow whether it's something repairable and how MU$H and how How long. HMPH... next I'll rent a car for as many days needed. SHEESH. well at least I'm off work all week so it could've been a lot worse, also nice that it happened so close to my folks place and not on some random highway between my places and theirs. I thank God for that. I'm open to getting another car as well and started thinking about what sort of car I'd look for, right now, I' thinking something between 5-10 thou and with less that 75k miles. I dunno seems like start. I've been needing a real car for a while now anyway, it's awkward having just a Ford Ranger to go around in and have passengers in, instead of an actual comfortable car... we'll see, I'm not jumping the gun just yet and hopefully the Ranger will be up and running in no time......?
I grew a beard for the last month and have decided to keep it while in NYC next week. thing is I like it for the cool fall weather, and plan to have it shaved off when I go in December anyway. I've found myself wearing collared shirts only to work lately while having facial hair. something about a crewneck with a beard seems mismatched, for work anyway, for casual time, who cares. I have also tried cutting my fingernails straight across last week instead of all the way around. I like the way it looks, sort of a nice blunt thick looking finger at the end. SOunds ridiculous doesn't it. I'm having second thoughts about it though since I have these little corners on each side of my fingernails. but I do like the way it looks. now you're getting all the details more than you'd ever wanted to know. I'll try to get back to posting pics! ha
Have I mentioned I'm down to about 163 lbs. I've lost about 10 pounds since swithcing to mainly cardio at the gym and no free weights. I know I'll go back to lifting after the daylight savings time change. but I do like a glimpse of myself in the mirror sort of back to my college day size. ha now if I can just get the arms and back and legs back to a good size with muscle weight ONLY!!! I'm already dreading the first week or two back and all the soreness involved. but I'm ready for it.
oh yeah, btw have I ever mentioned my mom grew up in Long Island? we were looking at some photos of her house as a kid, and I'm thinking of going to look for it and taking picture for her to see how it is nowadays. also I thought of making copies of the old black and whites to give to the person who lives there not just for fun.
8 days countdown to NYC...... tic tic tic...
on my was home, about a mile from the intersection near my folk's addition, my truck just suddenly stopped on me... shifted to 5th and the engine just quit and wouldn't start again after I pulled over. engine turned, plenty of gas in the tank, but nothing doing... UGHHHH. didn't have my cell with me (you may remember I don't really ever use a cell phone unless on road trips, then I take my ghetto AT go-phone). I walked to a nearby house and knocked and asked to call my folks. turns out it was a teacher's house I used to work with at my old job, small world. Dad came and picked me up, we called a tow truck, got it towed to a place in town and tomorrow morning my dad will go in with my truck key to see what they can find out etc..... my mom drove me home since my dad had choir practice at 5pm. We had a nice time getting some yogurt first and talking some, and then of course she got out of the car and looked around my yard to see what was growing and blooming. :)
So I sit at home tonight no pickup in the drive.. :(. I will wait to hear some sort of diagnosis tomorrow whether it's something repairable and how MU$H and how How long. HMPH... next I'll rent a car for as many days needed. SHEESH. well at least I'm off work all week so it could've been a lot worse, also nice that it happened so close to my folks place and not on some random highway between my places and theirs. I thank God for that. I'm open to getting another car as well and started thinking about what sort of car I'd look for, right now, I' thinking something between 5-10 thou and with less that 75k miles. I dunno seems like start. I've been needing a real car for a while now anyway, it's awkward having just a Ford Ranger to go around in and have passengers in, instead of an actual comfortable car... we'll see, I'm not jumping the gun just yet and hopefully the Ranger will be up and running in no time......?
I grew a beard for the last month and have decided to keep it while in NYC next week. thing is I like it for the cool fall weather, and plan to have it shaved off when I go in December anyway. I've found myself wearing collared shirts only to work lately while having facial hair. something about a crewneck with a beard seems mismatched, for work anyway, for casual time, who cares. I have also tried cutting my fingernails straight across last week instead of all the way around. I like the way it looks, sort of a nice blunt thick looking finger at the end. SOunds ridiculous doesn't it. I'm having second thoughts about it though since I have these little corners on each side of my fingernails. but I do like the way it looks. now you're getting all the details more than you'd ever wanted to know. I'll try to get back to posting pics! ha
Have I mentioned I'm down to about 163 lbs. I've lost about 10 pounds since swithcing to mainly cardio at the gym and no free weights. I know I'll go back to lifting after the daylight savings time change. but I do like a glimpse of myself in the mirror sort of back to my college day size. ha now if I can just get the arms and back and legs back to a good size with muscle weight ONLY!!! I'm already dreading the first week or two back and all the soreness involved. but I'm ready for it.
oh yeah, btw have I ever mentioned my mom grew up in Long Island? we were looking at some photos of her house as a kid, and I'm thinking of going to look for it and taking picture for her to see how it is nowadays. also I thought of making copies of the old black and whites to give to the person who lives there not just for fun.
8 days countdown to NYC...... tic tic tic...
Life life life
had a good beginning to the fall break this weekend... doing a whole lot of nothing. ha
my bud S is in AR visiting his bf, they've been doing a lot of back and forth lately due to the long distance relationship but he's such a great guy, he deserves the happiness. man I had a really busy week in school last week. I mentioned the 15 y/o kid from Honduras who entered the country alone via a traffiker through Mexico and was left in AZ to die and he had to turn himself in, right? well he's living with his dad who he hadn't seen since he was two, having been raised by his gramma. well anyway, this kid has become a real behavior problem, a sort of dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He was all right one day and then despondent the next... well it's pretty difficult 'cause you can see the kid is struggling with all sort of feelings, yet you also have to follow though with consequences for behaviour of doing nothing, disrupting class, or not following instructions. Eventually I had referred the kid, then another teacher, to where the VP conferenced with the dad and we had a note sent back saying the dad was sending him back to Honduras. Well we don't believe that til we see it, and I have to say the kid was a lot better all this last week. ha but we were waiting for the ball to drop. You may remember the 2 kids I mentioned the 17/ pregnant sister and 15y/o brother. well they weren't at school the last 2 days of this week. and the brother was being a real problem. this kid was so happy and fun the first part of school. anyway, now with his sister being pregnant and what with living here 2 months and finding it sucks being away from their mom and dad, they aren't adjusting so well. turns out they live with an aunt who is single with 3 kids already. she had threatened to throw them out but can't really cause she gets more food stamps with them in the house. Well the brother's behaviour, what with all his rage and uncertainty inside, got him a lunch detention, and he was so angry and defiant, he wouldn't even eat his lunch, and we are sitting there in our classroom with the kid saying, hey eat your lunch, no reason to be angry at your teachers etc etc.. anyway, the good thing is the school has a lot of resources. We contacted a counselor who can get a translator and work with the kids, also the latino agency for a welfare person who works with homeless situations in the neighborhood ( some kids live with relatives who don't have legal custody which makes them "homeless"), and then also the teacher at school who counsels and works with pregnant teens. anyway, your tax dollars at work. Of course we want to teach these kids English and wish them the very best opportunity. We actually have about half of our kids who were born in the US and have legal passports, but after being born were taken back to Mexico and then returned now as a teen to ------- ?? learn English? get a job? send money back to the family??? I dunno. I like to think its the current situation of danger in Mexico that makes parents sent their kids away. half of our kids are living with some relative other than the parents which I think is also sad at 15.
the night class is going well, and I'll be busy all this next week grading essays that are due tomorrow night. Starting in November I am doing to be teaching on Thursday nights also, taking over a class for another teacher, so that will give me some extra $ to help pay for the Dec trip with my sisters. I wanted to link to this article "Black and White Twins" that someone had passed along on a social network. let me know how you're enjoying fall. I plan to check out the new Whole Foods store in OKC this afternoon maybe for buffet lunch or dinner. Also I've been watching "Doc Martin" non stop on youtube. I'm on the 4th season, and man after a marathon of watching episode after episode all last week, it really makes you see the difference in culture, I find myself wanting the reserved characters to just EXPRESS SOME FEELINGS!!!! now and then please... ha ha.
my bud S is in AR visiting his bf, they've been doing a lot of back and forth lately due to the long distance relationship but he's such a great guy, he deserves the happiness. man I had a really busy week in school last week. I mentioned the 15 y/o kid from Honduras who entered the country alone via a traffiker through Mexico and was left in AZ to die and he had to turn himself in, right? well he's living with his dad who he hadn't seen since he was two, having been raised by his gramma. well anyway, this kid has become a real behavior problem, a sort of dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He was all right one day and then despondent the next... well it's pretty difficult 'cause you can see the kid is struggling with all sort of feelings, yet you also have to follow though with consequences for behaviour of doing nothing, disrupting class, or not following instructions. Eventually I had referred the kid, then another teacher, to where the VP conferenced with the dad and we had a note sent back saying the dad was sending him back to Honduras. Well we don't believe that til we see it, and I have to say the kid was a lot better all this last week. ha but we were waiting for the ball to drop. You may remember the 2 kids I mentioned the 17/ pregnant sister and 15y/o brother. well they weren't at school the last 2 days of this week. and the brother was being a real problem. this kid was so happy and fun the first part of school. anyway, now with his sister being pregnant and what with living here 2 months and finding it sucks being away from their mom and dad, they aren't adjusting so well. turns out they live with an aunt who is single with 3 kids already. she had threatened to throw them out but can't really cause she gets more food stamps with them in the house. Well the brother's behaviour, what with all his rage and uncertainty inside, got him a lunch detention, and he was so angry and defiant, he wouldn't even eat his lunch, and we are sitting there in our classroom with the kid saying, hey eat your lunch, no reason to be angry at your teachers etc etc.. anyway, the good thing is the school has a lot of resources. We contacted a counselor who can get a translator and work with the kids, also the latino agency for a welfare person who works with homeless situations in the neighborhood ( some kids live with relatives who don't have legal custody which makes them "homeless"), and then also the teacher at school who counsels and works with pregnant teens. anyway, your tax dollars at work. Of course we want to teach these kids English and wish them the very best opportunity. We actually have about half of our kids who were born in the US and have legal passports, but after being born were taken back to Mexico and then returned now as a teen to ------- ?? learn English? get a job? send money back to the family??? I dunno. I like to think its the current situation of danger in Mexico that makes parents sent their kids away. half of our kids are living with some relative other than the parents which I think is also sad at 15.
the night class is going well, and I'll be busy all this next week grading essays that are due tomorrow night. Starting in November I am doing to be teaching on Thursday nights also, taking over a class for another teacher, so that will give me some extra $ to help pay for the Dec trip with my sisters. I wanted to link to this article "Black and White Twins" that someone had passed along on a social network. let me know how you're enjoying fall. I plan to check out the new Whole Foods store in OKC this afternoon maybe for buffet lunch or dinner. Also I've been watching "Doc Martin" non stop on youtube. I'm on the 4th season, and man after a marathon of watching episode after episode all last week, it really makes you see the difference in culture, I find myself wanting the reserved characters to just EXPRESS SOME FEELINGS!!!! now and then please... ha ha.
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