tedwords | September 2022

"When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it's always 20 years behind the times.” ― Mark Twain

Corb is stuck at a repair shop with his truck, which is getting new tires. He has been stuck there for about five hours now and growing increasingly frustrated. His whole day has been shot.

Meanwhile, my day has been completely quiet! I have worked out on the treadmill, singing all my favorite songs, loudly. I tend to favor Elton John just at the point where everyone started disliking him in the late seventies--Donner Pour Donner is a particular favorite. I have always been fascinated with artists after the bubble bursts.

He was honored by the White House last night. What a long, tremendous career he has had. Definitely my favorite artist.

It's funny that two months have passed since my last entry. I wish I could post more frequently. I like having this time capsule at my disposal. It's nice to keep twenty years of memories here.

For example, last week I traveled to Cincinnati, and I realized I had been to the city before, probably 18 years ago, and actually stayed at the same hotel--the Hyatt Regency. It was just as Josie and I were splitting up and right before Corb. I remember because I believe I wrote about it at the time. I had been chatting with a guy on gay.com before I headed here and had arranged to meet with him. He drove like a maniac but took me to several nice clubs and we made out in my hotel room afterwards. But the next morning, I realized with dismay that I had left my favorite bomber jacket in the back of his car, and was desperate to get it back. He was nice enough to drop it off, one hour before I had to leave for the airport. It was nice of him, and of course, I never saw him again.

I am not sure I really like Cincinnati that much. The blocks are very large and the city feels rather deserted. Lots of closed out buildings. I don't know if it was like that 18 years ago.

Also, the food. I am getting very judgy about food since the HA. Their local favorite has something to do with chili and spaghetti. It sounds horrible.

It's funny, however, how our minds often turn to our dalliances as we think about past times and events. Last night, Corb and I were having our Friday evening martini and dinner before I tortured him with my weekly shitty musical (last night's was Simply Ballroom, which I enjoyed, but he found kind of predictable and oddly plotted). During dinner, Josie was nearby and dropped in while we finished dinner. And our conversation turned to our final years before the break, and the adventures we would have in gay clubs together. It has quite a bit the past few times we have been alone together. I think she is getting a bit dirtier in her old age. Or at least, more open about it.

What else to add, since this is a "two months later" post? I always seem to do my best when I am traveling at these. Well, happy to report that both Annie and Ashes are no longer working for the prison system. Annie was doing accounting there, but just accepted a job at twice the pay for an engineering firm. She is also headed off to grad school part time. Ashes was working as a counselor there, but accepted a job within the school system in [NAME WITHHELD], counseling elementary school kids. I am very happy with both of these changes. They both seem to be getting their lives together.

Theo I worry about a bit, but he is the youngest and I have always felt he will land nicely somewhere. I am not worried.

The new job as veep is going well. I am still doing my old job, the old job of my colleague, and trying to do my new job too, which is a lot, but we are starting to finally hire replacements. So, progress on that front. Slowly.

Health wise? Feeling good. Every day seems to feel a bit more normal. Took a stress test and they had to stop me, not because I was doing badly, but because I was doing so well they didn't need to get any more. That was encouraging. Still managing to eat well and have kept 20 pounds off, too.

Corb should be coming home now. I will end things there. Hope everyone is doing well in Dreamwidth village! I promise to visit again soon.