2nd Time Around

I did Zumba again for the second time last night. I really like it and I hope to go two times a week. The instructor is energetic and positive - I love it. It is hard trying to get all the steps down but it is certainly a workout and I was sweating. I think I have said it before and I still believe that since I have the time, although I may go broke, I can still be thinner. I am concentrating on eating right and exercising and am so pleased with my results thus far. I know however it is a long road and I have just started the first steps but away we go!

I also had my second interview with the medical device sterilization company. I know that I did amazing at both interviews. I am very eager over this lead and not because it is just a job but it is a great job with a great company. There is strong competition for this spot and I will be disappointed if it does not pan out but I will continue forward as that is all I can do. I have put it out there and will keep doing so!

Win Some - Lose Some

I joined a weight loss support group - wow - right here in Esco. It is not a diet like weight watchers although they do talk a lot about nutritional topics. It is a group of people that are trying to lose weight and can support and motivate each other through the journey. Turns out that the group is like 13 old ladies, a woman around my age and me. But you me and old ladies, they just love me, so what better motivation than being loved and supported in this perpetual struggle. They do have are rules and regulations though - there is a weekly weigh in - so there is accountability. And you know old ladies love them some rules and they will help me keep on track. I went to my second meeting last night and although I lost 7.4 lbs and was clearly above everyone else - I was not the loser of the week because in my first meeting I was just a visitor so although they weighed me then, it did not count but it will going forward as I am now a member!

I had an interview today with a company that sterilizes medical devices. The interview went really well and I am very excited over this opportunity and company! They asked me to come back tomorrow to speak with the director is who located out of the state but will be in CA. I knocked that interview out of the park, and although I do not know how many candidates the director will speak to - I know that I am prepared, excited, qualified and eager to meet her. Please keep all fingers and toes crossed though! PS - good thing I have more than one interview outfit!

So much good news going on that there has to been some bad, which is I lost my damned wallet. I think it fell out on the floor while I was changing at the gym. I checked with them twice but no one turned it it. I triple checked the car, which needed a cleaning anyway - not there either. So I cancelled everything right away and it is more a hassle than anything. I am so not looking forward to getting a replacement license. You cannot do it online, I already checked :( I am mostly annoyed with myself over this and a bit freaked that a stranger has such personal info - but I will not let this little bump overshadow all the good that has been happening lately.

Plus I got these kicking new sunglasses at the dollar store - that's a perk!

Friday Video

I am going to see OMD this Sunday night so of course they are my Friday video. This is the video for their brand new single. The video is super cool and it was fan produced which is a nice touch. I also love that is it soooooo OMD but not a retread or has been-ish. I am so psyched for this show!

Good News

I got this text picture from my niece Julia today - I love it! This crazy winter brought hail to them and she thought of me and wrote this in the hail on the deck. I never had the paternal instinct or desire but I love being an uncle and I am very good at it. Getting things like this lets me know that although I am not around much I am still a great presence in the kids life and that pleased me to no end. Shortly thereafter my brother called and told me good news - he is going to have a fourth child - my sister-in-law is due in September. Four kids - eeeek - but I am happy I will have yet another niece or nephew in my life to love.

I Loved Her

Elizabeth Taylor passed away yesterday and I will miss her. She was absolutely remarkable. It is insane how beautiful she was and she just had so much presence. I just loved her in all those Tennessee Williams movies. Sure I love Tennessee Williams in general but on film they had to dilute them so much but she still was able by shear will and talent to turn them into something meaningful. Most remarkable though is A Place in the Sun, based off a Theodore Dreiser novel. She and Montgomery Clift at their most beautiful and still it was not just for show, it meant something. I don't watch many movies over and over but I just adore that one - it is breathtaking. She lived life to its utmost and took it for everything she could and yet gave back monumentally in both her craft and her philanthropy - how inspiring and enviable. Well done Liz - you will be sorely missed!

Graffiti Art

I like graffiti art a lot and try to keep my eye out for it. I posted some I found in TJ before and of course there was the Banksy. While walking around the Mission Dolores section of SF with Jim and his friend Jonathan I came across and alley filled with graffiti art. Jim and Jonathan walked right by it so I had them stop and come take a look with me. It was awesome to say the least and both side for the whole city block of the alley were covered. They were in shock as they did not even know it was there and were so excited I found it. It is the city's attempt at reclaiming the walls but I just was happy that so many artists got such a great "canvas" to put their art on. Here are just some of the pictures that I took. (PS there were like 20 murals and of course there just had to be a clown lurking in that alley).

The Palace

The only other tourist type item on my agenda for San Francisco was the Palace of Fine Arts. It was also built for the 1915 SF Expo and although a legendary tourist spot, I had never been to it. The structure was not meant to be permanent but it was so impressive in its beauty that it was immediately loved and a foundation was started to save it. The original lasted until the 50's when it just could not take anymore - how about that, a temporary structure built in the early 1910's lasted for almost 40 years - compare that to today's "planned obsolescence" manufacturing. So in the 50's using molds made from the original they made an exact replica using poured concrete. The palace always looks so beautiful in pictures but in person it is breath taking, even on a grey and wet day. If you look at my pictures below you can see people in it which gives you an idea of the scale of it. It is in a small park and a neighborhood sprung up around it. Can you imagine having this as your view??? Or the price of the house that has this for a view? So amazing and beautiful. You can easily see why it was instantly beloved.

Friday Video

Yes I am back in the 80's but this is BRILLIANT! Not only is this one of my all time favorite songs but the way they are dressed (dated I know but still heaven), the way they dance and the stage are on here are all just spectacular. Then there is Tony Hadley (the lead singer - SWOON for ever and a day!) - he is remarkable - SOOOOO handsome and that voice (SWOON some more) - as you can tell I am just dying over this one! I cannot believe it is from 30 years ago - that is so mind blowing to me. My favorite bar in TJ plays their music and videos from youtube - for a tip of $2 to the DJ he will play anything you request. Once I had him play this and I am not sure which I enjoyed more - dancing like it was still 1981 or a packed bar of very confused Mexicans LOL. You MUST watch this - I will be in the kitchen dancing while you do.

Kitty's West

You know I love world's fairs and so I was thrilled to find out that the original building that was the Japanese Tea House from the 1915 Panama Pacific International Expo in San Francisco was right in the same town as where my friend Jim lives. It is a rare thing as buildings for the expos and fairs were not usually meant to be permanent. Even the Palace in San Francisco is a replica. Then I checked out the reviews and it so sounded just like Kitty's in North Reading that I knew we had to go! Turns out that Jim had never been there before although you could see it from his balcony. He is from MA too and I told him that I thought it would be like Kitty's and he was completely down for it. As soon as we walked in we died laughing as it even smelled just like Kitty's. What a trip in the way back machine for us both. Plus to know that I was in an actual building that amazed and excited so many during an expo - I was thrilled to say the least. After the expo some guy bought it and moved it by boat down to Belmont, CA so his daughters could live in it. In the 50's it was sold and dragged to the top of a hill where it became the landmark restaurant with an awesome view that it is still today - The Van's. World's fairs do not work anymore in this age of instant communication and information so what a terrific thing to find. It was great to spend time with Jim and The Van's was everything we could have hoped for.

Happy St Patrick's Day

Do you know how hard it is to find boiled diner in Southern California? But I did and it was soooo yummy. This year I ask for you to wish me luck but you know I will still be wishing you the same. Plus did you know that yesterday marked the 3 year anniversary of this blog? How nuts in that! I love it though. It seriously is one thing that has made me very, very happy - oh and I hope you have enjoyed too! LOL

Depression Tour 2011

I hit the road and headed north to the Bay Area. I got to see Kym (who is such a doll), and Jim (who I am happy I have been able to get to know better), and Michael (still an amazing and important friend even all these years after high school). My main intent was just to be to social and enjoy the company of some terrific friends - which is exactly what I did - big, BIG smiles. The drive north took me through the Central Valley which is enormous! It took 3 hours of driving just to get through it - I can not clearly see why it is responsible for 10% of all the the USA agricultural output. A bit sad though there as it also has some areas that have been hit the most during this recession. But I digress and wish to focus on the high points.

Kym - we talked and laughed and I enjoyed every second. You truly know a wonderful friend when you can just sit down an gab and gab like you have seen her just the day before but it has actually been a couple years.

Jonathan, Jim and me. Jim is a supremely amazing man. I enjoyed every moment of his kindness and the ability to get to know him better. Very glad there are people like him in this world.

Michael and Bill. Michael and I have known each other since high school and I never tire of him. He intrigues me, interests me and inspires me constantly and consistently. I am a lucky man.

All Points Bulletin

LOST: One Ms. Dew Droppenheimer. Last seen in Saugus trying to protect the poor employees of Kane's Donuts from the ravenous LOU who was supremely pissy that they had run out of maple frosted glazed donuts. LOU was determined to unleash her fury but Dew without one ounce of caring for her own welfare or well being stepped right in to defend the terrified blue haired counter help. Since then, nada! I am worried, I am concerned, and I am jealous as I too want a donut. I sent Dew sardines thinking that would do the trick to coax her out of hidding but I fear the postman might have absconded with them. Dew, Dew where are you! Please come back to me. REWARD OFFERED! (Which is one bag of either onion or blueberry bagels - see post below).

$6.38!!!

I have always liked coupons - who doesn't - but lately they are my best friends! I had a 20% off coupon for Big Lots, 25% for CVS and did great at just buying what I really need. Today I went to the bread outlet with my coupon and got all this for just $6.38. I may be broke but I will not starve - at my size would take a while anyway :) So I am going to give half to Oscar and his family and freeze the rest for me - still a great deal. Maybe I will start a couponing blog!

Roadtrip

I need to break out of this rut and reconnect with the world so I am going to take a small road trip to help me kick start the process. I am going to drive up north to San Francisco from this Thursday to Monday. I have not been on a road trip in a while and SF is about 8 hours away by car. I have no major plans but am going to be able to spend sometime at points in my trip with Kym, Jim and Michael - which is exactly what I want and need - to see people and get out of my same old same old. I am very excited over this and of course will post pictures and updates.

Ah, What the Hell

Oscar is a good guy. He is just a friend and he is great company plus he kinda makes me think of Adrian Brody for some reason. He is fun to hangout with and although young he certainly is not a boy. I do not want anything from him other than enjoyable company and I don't do anything special for him that I would not for any other friend. He lives in TJ so that is kinda a pain but it is always great to see him and also always fun so it is worth the trip. Once in a while I might pay for Carl's Jr for us but he has a job and takes care of his own. I was invited to to his house for New Year's Eve and it was a blast. His crazy Mexican family were so kind and welcoming and just as crazy as any other crazy family in the world. Once I went to Big Lots and they had Axe deodorant on sale for $1.50 for a pack that included a spray and a solid. It was a total deal since normally one can of spray is $4 - $5. I bought 5 packs because it was such a bargain but do not use solids so I gave the 5 solids to Oscar. You would have thought I gave the guy 5 gold ingots - he was so appreciative, really was sweet. True that lately I have been fairly miserable. I am not always miserable but I am clearly in a bit of a rough patch. Oscar texted me to go out and I figured what the hell? We danced and laughed and drank and best of all for a short period of time there were no problems at all in the world. Tomorrow is Monday and I will be back at it and I will get to where I want to be. In the meantime it does not mean I cannot enjoy a small bit good time with a good friend.

Friday Video

For those of you think that my Friday Video's will just be a steady stream of 80's videos - you are wrong. I certainly could do that and there will be plenty of 80's videos but it is not all about the past. I am excited also about the here and now as well as the future too. Sure the 80's were great but I do not solely exist in the past. This song came out in 2010 and although the band is on 4AD like some of my all time favorite 80's bands like the Cocteau Twins and Throwing Muses, it certainly speaks to today and was one of my favorite recent songs.

Time for the Gym

I am obsessed with time - too much of it, not enough of it, using it wisely, wasting it, how much I have of it - time, time, time. A lot of questions there but one thing I know for sure it is high time to get going back to the gym. I should have been going all along but I am going to focus on the positive and am leaving now to get in some cardio. I just have to stick with it. I know how important it is but I get so lazy - time to change that.

My Time

I do legitimate things with my time - I have an interview tomorrow - but I have also been getting to that someday list. As you know I have been cranking out and mailing the homemade cards like a madman. I love doing that and it just got put aside for awhile so I am excited to be back at it. I also got around to my Swatch watches. I had a bunch of my own and some I bought a long while back as a dirt cheap fixer up lot off eBay. Here are just some of them and they came out excellent. The one top row center is actually mine. I got it in 1987 and wore it to bits. I even lent it out twice to two different people and hunted them both down to get it back. I was researching and almost had a heart attack as I saw it valued at $2500 but then I noticed they issued two versions of the watch. The one without the date is valued at $2500 and mine, with the date, is $250. I still love it.

The one on the bottom row left was my brother-in-laws. It was beat to hell when he gave it to me - really you should have seen it. I sent him a picture of it now and asked if he wanted it back but he said no because if I put that much work into getting it back into shape then I should wear it. The one in the bottom row middle is my new current favorite that I have been wearing a lot. It is from 1991 and from a junk lot I bought for 5 bucks. It is in awesome condition now and worth about $100.

I probably have about 6 or 8 more not in the picture because they are in the actual swatch boxes. I love my Olympic ones a lot but have not worn them too much lately. They are all running and look great now. My only Swatch regret is my Swatch Memphis. It was my first swatch and I bought it in 1984 at Fanueil Hall. I took so much crap in high school for that watch - serious, a lot of mean and evil crap just because I had a watch that was different. It was before Swatch really broke big in the US. I wore that watch to death - literally. Then even after it was dead I kept it for many, many more years because I loved it so much and it spoke a bit of what I went through. Finally in one of my cleaning sprees I got rid of it. In good condition today it would be valued at $3000 but even if I still had it, I would never have sold it.

Why Not?

I actually found some good leads today. The one I am most excited about is a little far away but I still sent my resume. I also sent my resume for a listing I saw for a Funeral Arranger. I know I could do it and actually be good at it but I sent it more out of curiosity. I have no delusions of it being like "6 Feet Under", it just kinda intrigued me so I figured why not, trust me - sending a resume does not mean anything. We shall see about the other leads though that I was super pleased to come across.