‘THIS OR THAT’ THURSDAY 12.27.07

 So Christmas has come and gone.  Seems like the last six months of 2007 flew by at record speed.  And here we are only a few days until the new year.  I feel blessed in many ways for this past year.  While the first half had its rough spots, primarily the last quarter of my design schooling, overall it was a year of accomplishment, exploration through travel,  and rekindling and establishing new friendships.  It appears that 2008 will be a challenging one but I hope it will be filled with blessings - with a little luck, lots of residential work and a successful business; evolving relationships with a few visits to new locations.  Man where has all the time gone.

Anyhow, I won’t waste anymore of your time.  Let’s get moving with this week’s Thursday edition of ‘THIS OR THAT.’  I just want to let you know that Spider gave me some input on the selections - so two ‘devilish’ minds were at work.  *smirk*

So tell me how you perceive yourself, characteristics or otherwise, based on the word listings. Be yourself, be honest. There is no right or wrong in any potential response. Select one of two on each line that most closely describes you presently.

Sensitive -or- Stoic

Exhibitionist -or- Voyeurist

Chest -or- ‘Arse’

Territorial -or- ‘What’s mine is yours’

Compassionate -or- Hard-nosed

Activist -or- Pacifist

‘Can keep a secret’ -or- ‘Need to tell at least one person’

Frugal -or- Extravagant

Ticklish -or- Not ticklish

Out-spoken -or- Soft-spoken

Religious -or- Spiritual (think about this one before stepping in with your answer)

Afterlife -or- Reincarnation

Sex on the first date -or- Sex when the individual feels ‘right’

So let me here your answers.  Can’t wait.  In case you are somehow dying to know my responses, here they are:   sensitive by all means; exhibitionist - who moi?; ‘arse’ man all the way and if it’s right I’ll be buried in it;  admittedly both territorial and ‘what’s mine is yours;’ compassionate, to the point I think some people just don’t understand me;
I’d say I am probably more of a pacifist though certain issues push me into being an activist, like children; ‘can keep a secret’ unless the secret/the issue is really bothering me - then sometimes I need to talk to one disinterested person; if I have to pick one over the other, I’m probably more frugal than extravagant; ticklish  - feet, under the armpits, and on the right spot of my stomach; soft-spoken; religious - don’t particularly care what others think of me in that respect, whether your gay or straight; after-life (heaven); and “sex when the individual feels ‘right’ ” though I have gone for it, that’s sex on the first date, if the physical chemistry was just too over-the-top!!  That’s a wrap on my end.

 

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS…

…when all through the house, the big woofy bears were gathering up their ‘honeys’…

Oooops! That’s another Christmas poem. *eg* So it’s Christmas Eve. This is the big day for Brushstrokes’ clan. All but one sister and her family are here to celebrate Christmas but they’ll be strolling into southern California mid-Christmas morning. As always, today will be our family’s traditional day for opening gifts, that is after we attend Christmas Eve Mass. This year is really about the nieces and nephews. My sisters, brothers, and I opted out of our typical gift exchange since funds this year for most of us have been running tight. Perhaps a bit of a disappointment but the fact that family is together is enough. Should be a hoot watching the newest ones open their gifts. They are at that age between 15 months and 2 years old. Smiles and twinkles in the eyes…my heart is melting already. Am I sounding like a big ol’ sap? I am. LOL!!

But enough said about my immediate family. What I really want to do is wish my ‘extended family’ of friends, you in blogland, a very merry Christmas and much happiness in 2008. There are several of you that I have been fortunate enough to get to know on a personal level. You know who you are. To all of you, thank you for being a part of my life. To Spider and Bigg, my wish for each of you is that you find the strength, happiness, and inner-peace that you need in 2008. Live each moment and enjoy them for the moments that they are.

HUGS!

 

‘THIS OR THAT’ THURSDAY 12.20.07

What a week guys! Talk about the ‘ol employer working me good. I just glad this week is coming to an end. I have some news on Spider but I am holding off until I find out a bit more. Just keep sending out some prayers for him. His road may be getting longer!

Anyhow. Let’s change the subject. It’s Thursday! Time for ‘This or That.” Tell me how you perceive yourself, characteristics or otherwise, based on the word listings. Be yourself, be honest. There is no right or wrong in any potential response. Select one of two on each line that most closely describes you presently.

Brains or Brawn

“Oscar” or “Felix”

 

A Simple Individual or A Complex Individual

 

Hugger or Kisser (outside a serious relationship)

 

Girth or Length

 

“On Top Of It” or Total Procrastinator

 

Need Clarity or Can Handle Ambiguity

 

Leader or Follower

 

Passive or Passive-Aggressive or Aggressive

 

To Be Touched or To Touch

 

A Moaner or A Screamer (I’m so bad for asking! *eg*)

 

Giver or Taker

As usual, I’m thinking you have enough to ponder? So give it some good honest thought and post your responses along with any additional commentary you’d like to share. One more day and the weekend is here again. I needed it. I have a decision to give my employer tomorrow…wish life could be easier. Oh, since I always seem to hold out on this post, I’m giving you my responses to the above questions:

• Probably more brains though I’m still working on the brawn.
• I’m still a bit of Felix but I think Oscar has really taken over my being since changing careers.
• A simple individual.
• Kisser (outside a serious relationship) but if I guy smells good, I love stealing those hugs. *eg*
• Length. But on an uncut…give me girth.
• More of an “on-top-of -it” individual though in some situation I can be and am a total procrastinator.
• Need a blend of clarity and ambiguity to keep my sanity.
• Probably more of a follower at times.
• Passive but I can be very much passive-aggressive if I want something.
• To be touched.
• Oh hell…go for it Tony. I’m a moaner who can reach a nice crescendo if the technique is right. Too much info?!?!?
• Giver.

 

‘THIS OR THAT’ THURSDAY 12.13.07

Here I am writing yet another post trying to figure out exactly when I am calling it quits with blogging. The nerves are beginning to set in a bit with respect to my potential move into operating a design business with two other people. And it appears that decision time is actually here as of next Tuesday, 12/18. I received an email from the firm associate yesterday telling me that he and the firm owner want to meet with me to discuss my future with the design group. I think it will pertain to a full-time salaried position in lieu of my current hourly wage status. I plan on hearing out any offer but I suspect it is not going to meet the current financial need that I have. I’ll sit on it for a day or two and then meet with management again, most likely asking for a reduction of hours to twenty-four or thirty-two hours per week. This will allow me to break into the new business and have a little income earned for needed items. I’m not sure I know what to expect from management when I do give notice. Ah hell, now is not the time to ponder this. I’ll save it for the weekend.

Anyhow. I am picking up today with Thursday’s ‘This or That.” Tell me how you perceive yourself, characteristics or otherwise, based on the word listings. Be yourself, be honest. There is no right or wrong in any potential response. Select one of two on each line that most closely describes you presently.

 

Totally Obvious or Smooth Operator

 

Tempered or Easy-Going

 

Half-Naked or Partially Clothed

 

Provider or Preparer

 

Smooth or Furry

 

‘Human’ or Near-Perfection

 

Jokester or Prankster (there’s a difference)

 

Think the glass is half-full or Think the glass is half-empty

 

Tender or ‘Gruff’

 

Do you think you have enough to ponder? I do. So give it some good honest thought and post your responses along with any additional commentary you’d like to share. One more day and the weekend is here again. Dang this month is flying by…Christmas in less than two weeks.

 

SWAN SONG APPROACHING

Well gents…I rather suspect you have seen that I am not posting as much any more.   With work starting to pick up with deadlines, my future moving toward starting a business within the next month, and a commitment to stick to an exercise/lifting regime, I just don’t have much personal time to keep up with a blog.  And after seeing quite the exhibition on my blog, a week ago yesterday, I think I’m losing interest in it for now.

Additionally, it appears Spider is abandoning what he had done for so long.  He and I have talked about it and I am confident Spider has made up his mind to pass on blogging.  We both agree that the environment has changed.   And we miss the old gang…people like Hypoxic, Pete of It’s Just Nothing, and Ynager.  There was a healthy, playfulness in the writings then.

Guess CHANGE is inevitable in most everything.  so stay tuned.  I may eek in a few more post and then I’m saying ’sooooo long!’  Have a great week.

 

THURSDAY’S ‘THIS OR THAT’

I’m alive! Just have been busy at work this week after coming of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I walked into the office on Monday only to be advised that we had been surprised with a project deadline that ran yesterday, Wednesday. Technically it was suppose to have expired at the end of the business day this past Monday. Sheeze…we aren’t God. Guess when the notification of this deadline was made known to design firm - via email late Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving. And half the office had departed with a return date slated for this past Monday. Sometimes I wonder what clients are thinking.

Anyway. I thought we try something new today. I’m calling it Thursday’s ‘This or That.” Tell me how you perceive yourself based on the word listings. Be yourself, be honest. There is no right or wrong in any potential response. Select one of two on each line that most closely describes you presently.

 

Realist or Dreamer

 

Romantic or ‘Safe’

 

Muscled or Bearish

 

Intellectual or Artistic

 

Introverted or Extroverted

 

Sports-oriented or hobbies-oriented

 

Traveler or Homebody

Spicy or Sweet

Think there is enough for you to ponder. Give it a whirl. I think this should make for some interesting and fun reading at my end.

 

I’VE SURVIVED GLUTTONY

Well…I got through Thanksgiving.  I’ve survived another day of over-indulgence in food.  I think they call that GLUTTONY!  While the smells and the tastes were intoxicating, I think age is finally catching up with me.  I simply can’t eat the amount I used to and in reality, I think my stomach is shrinking.  I really don’t enjoy eating all that much anymore.  Heck…I even crave bland foods more these days.

In any event, I had a blast over the Thanksgiving holiday break.  It was spent amidst good company, visiting, doing a little shopping, getting in movies (Beowulf, Mist, etc.).  I was  extremely sad that it all came to an end.  So I am back home, as of last night (Sunday) at 11:30pm, and it’s off to another rip-roaring work week.  Guess we have 4 more weeks until Christmas and I suspect I will have just about that time left as to work.  I’ll probably know by then if my commercial design firm is holding onto me beyond the new year.  And that’s likely when I need to consider strongly if I make a move to work in residential with my two friends or if I consider other options, such as a move to Chicago.

Anyhoooo!  You all have a great week!  Hug.

 

I HEART MY SHOE SALESMAN

Last week at work was a total drain on me. Deadlines, some dumb mistakes that ate away at money and valuable time (the boss’s issue…not mine, though I felt I tad bit idiotic too). I was plain wiped out and needed something that was a total distraction. And dare I say, ALL ABOUT MOI!

What did I do? Saturday I went shopping. What more can be both a distraction and ultimately about “YOU?!” LOL. I headed on up to “SC” Mall, the largest in the Los Angeles/Orange County area and probably in California that I know of. As I was telling Spider this weekend during our phone conversation, the mall serves the most diverse crowd, socially and economically, ranging from bargain stores equivalent to Target up to high-end stores such as Tiffany’s, Christian Dior, Gucci, etc., covering items from clothing, to home accessories, to art, to electronics, to furniture. It’s a shopper’s dream. And needless to say, the mall was PACKED to the hilt. We haven’t even stepped into the official holiday shopping season yet.

In any event, what did I go shopping for? STUFF!!! LOL. I popped into the Apple Store to pick up the new Mac OSX Leopard software operating system for my MacPro. Then I came oh so close to purchasing an iPod Touch. I backed down though because part of me was disappointed that the maximum storage on the unit was only 16G, a far cry from the 160G on the iPod Classic. So I am still contemplating the purchase though I may opt to wait a year in hope that next year Apple introduces a larger storage capacity on the iPod Touch. I also managed to get into Banana Republic to purchase an assorted color of solid T-shirts. Gots’ta enhance the chest asset (LMAO - the eyes rolling to the back of my head. That’s something BrettCajun would say. Just in jest, bud – you know that!).

Ok, ok…I need to get back on track here. Think theme of post, theme of post. My primary reason for heading out shopping this weekend was to look for a pair of lace-up boots that I could wear booth in casual dress but still get away with wearing if I were to dress-up a bit more. I had seen about three variations of boot in the Johnston & Murphy’s catalog that interested me, so that was the first store in the mall that I entered. I found all three but either did not like the color variation and or the style once I saw the actual shoe, live. The saleslady was nice enough to direct me to Cole Hahn and Timberland. Hit Cole Hahn first. Nothing of interest.

I next strolled on over to Timberland, a shoe store that I honestly have never entered or purchased from. Well…did I score. My eyes were going buggy on quite a few options. And then the real fun began. Up comes this absolutely handsome, woofy bear-type shoe salesman. I mean I could have planted a huge kiss on those lips of his instantly. He was about 6’-2”, not overly muscular but definitely defined in the upper torso, thick in body. He had a shaved head, with a jet-black goatee, dark-brown eyes, nice thick, full, eyebrows, and an olive complexion. Mr. Salesman was sportin’ a nice copper-colored camp shirt with a white t-shirt underneath it, designer jeans – the antiqued, worn-finish variety, and a pair of Timberland nubuck lace-up boots. *sigh* Then came the words, “May I help you Sir?” Music to my ears - deep masculine voice, upbeat, actually able to articulate intelligently.  I immediately said, “Yes…I need to try on some boots.” (while my mind was saying “And a few other things.” *evil grin*) Let’s just say I had him run back for four pairs of different style boots. I had to hoard him to myself for a little bit. Right?

Alas, I know Mr. Shoe Saleman was straight. Just not enough eye contact to send off those other signals. But man did he make my day. I heart my shoe salesman. I walked out of that store with a little step behind my walk…and two pairs of boots.

 

THE MIND IS ALL CLOUDY

Hey all! Sorry I haven’t been writing much. Work is going into it’s typical chaotic period. Always that way around the holiday season in the commercial design field. Some clients have excess budget monies that they need to spend by years end or loose it. So naturally, any work we pick up needs to be expedited that much quicker.

In any event, the timing is bad ‘cuz the body seems to be going into LOW GEAR! I have had a headache almost every day since the beginning of October. Some extremely dull, some average, and well, some full-on raging migraines! I’ve had a few evenings where I have had to take a hot bath, slide back, and submerge the backside of my head under water. All I know is that half my time at work feels like an outer-body experience. I’ll admit that with that ‘zoning out’ effect, I’ve had some raging fantasies. Of course, those are for me to know and you never to find out about. Oh Spo, Jack was there! LOL. Thankfully, it appears that the migraine is breaking, at least for tonight.

Well, in another three weeks my friends, ‘A’ and ‘K’ (females), will be graduating from the same design program I did. From there, it looks like they are going full out setting up a residential design business and I am leaning toward joining the team. I just hope we have some breaks that allow any business to grow.

We’ve been trying to think of a name that creates an image for us. Anyone care to take a stab at coming up with some creative ideas for business names? This would be for a residential design firm that will predominantly deal with high-end residential remodel and new home design.

Anyhow, you all have a great week. My thoughts go out to Spider! I actually talked to him twice yesterday. I don’t know how in the heck he managed to get through to me twice. He’s lucky if he connects to me once in the span of ten days, let along twice in one day. He is hanging the best he can - predominantly nausea and tiredness. He has been suffering headaches for the past month. Not a good sign with respect to the stage his cancer was diagnosed at … Stage 2+. Later.

 

WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE…

…ABOUT YOURSELF?  Have you ever asked yourself that question?  I suspect most people have.  I know that it has crossed my mind on a number of occasions.  It often crosses my mind when things aren’t going my way and I’m in a bit of a ‘funk.’

It’s not a particularly an easy question to answer forthright and sincerely. Heck, I struggle with it.  It is, in essence, an admission of being flawed.  And heaven forbid if we’re not perfect.  So, I suspect you are probably asking, “What is it you would change about yourself Tony?”  This isn’t particularly easy to admit in this type of environment but I am going to go for it.  You’ll probably understand this statement when you see my response momentarily.  While at times I may come across as a very public person and social, I am not.  If I could change one thing about myself, it would be the inherent fear I have always had of not meeting someone’s expectations.  Think about how many  fears seem to narrow down to this one particular fear.  Fear of failure, fear of not being attractive, fear of intelligence or lack of .  You have the picture!?  I’m not saying these apply to me but I have always put pressure on myself.  And it only seems in the past five years that I have recognized this and tried to come to grips with the fear.  I think I have come a long way but, at the same time, it seems that as of late, I am slipping backwards.  I hate that feeling.  What am I doing?  I simply try to slow down for the moment and tell myself that I am doing the best that I personally can do and no one, I mean no one, has the right to say otherwise than moi!

With that all said,  I’m asking YOU,

“What one thing would you change about yourself, if it could be granted?”

And here is the kicker, you need to consider that the change, if not granted, could still be something attainable by an individual.  Make sense?  Let me know.