Blah Blah Blog.....

I'm back!! It's been so long since I've posted an entry. No real good excuse, just busy and sometimes when work is busy and I spend all day answering e-mail, the last thing I want to do when I get home is to hit the keyboard!! This entry is just going to be a data dump of different ideas, events and tidbits that have been going on with me ~ in no particular order (I stole this type of entry from Norman :)

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Sometimes I'm amazed by the simple things that make me happy. I love going to music stores and looking through the CDs. In particular I love going through the used CD racks. Finding a treasure or a Greatest Hits package for your favorite artist who only had one hit can be lots of fun. This week I went to Best Buy out of sheer boredom at work. Thought I would hit the racks and see what was out there. Great way to spend a lunch hour!! I ended up seeing the soundtrack for Across the Universe ~ although it was $13.99. While it is a double CD, I don't know for me I hate to pay anything more than $9.99.....maybe $10.99 for a great one. That will lead me to the second thing that makes me happy....

I broke down and went up to the counter with my $13.99 CD purchase ~ justifying the purchase to myself with the "sometimes you just need to say what the hell!!". To my delight, the cashier rang it up and said "$10.46 please". I'm embarrassed to say, but she could see the look of glee on my face. So she didn't think I was a complete freak, I stated with a sly grin "Don't you love when that happens". Now she could have given me the whatever eye roll, but she just shook her head and said "yeah, but it sure doesn't happen enough". She totally got where I was coming from...that was cool.

Speaking of the Across the Universe soundtrack ~ it is awesome. I am really digging it. While I like the Beatles, I've never been a die hard fan but I had seen a commercial and had really liked one of the guys voices. That's what prompted me to purchase it. I really love it. The songs are definitely great interpretations of these old classics. This CD would have been worth the $13.99

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Last week I auditioned for the ensemble. I was nervous but I decided to go for it. I think more than making it or not I put myself to the "you have to do this to prove to yourself that you can" mode. I was soooo nervous. The audition was in front of Gary, Lew, Joe and Bruce (and the two other people auditioning). I was the last to go and I could hear my voice shaking as I sang. The good thing is I stayed on pitch and it was all over in 5 minutes. I really left with a sense of satisfaction that no matter what happened I was glad I did it. A day later I got an e-mail from Gary extending an invitation to join them. Now the reality of having to do it has started to sink in, but I think it's going to be a great growth opportunity for me.

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Speaking of growth opportunities....we had a meeting after our church service this week for the New Orleans mission trip. I saw the cast of characters going....Lord give me faith. I'm definitely the youngest by at least 15 years. I don't necessarily mind that but they were all like a bunch of hens...picking and chirping about this and that with one thousand questions for the organizers and not a desire to actually stop talking to listen for an answer. I went to a safe place and realized that I do have faith for as I sat there I thought "what lesson do you want me to learn from this experience Lord??"

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I received an e-mail from Classmates.com the other day. I had updated my information on it but did not join so randomly they will say that someone signed your "guestbook" but they usually don't let you see the message. For some reason I was able to see this one and it was from Ruthie. I grew up with her and she sent a note saying she had been trying to get in touch with me for years and she gave me her e-mail address. Now there is a subset of individuals that I grew up with that were also "outcasts" from the normies at school. Ruthie lived down the street from me and she was year or so younger than me. Because we were in the same hood there was a group of us who were friends. Ruthie was a real trip. She was always really heavy and well definitely belonged in Port Chester with the "greasers" and not Rye with the "preps" that's for sure. Ruthie ended up marrying some Mexican guy and having three kids, and that was all before she was 20 ~ for real. Anyway, she was a good girl with a heart of gold and truth be told, I was probably embarrassed somewhat to be friends with her when we were younger. Not proud to say it, but it's the truth. So now I have the ability to re-establish contact with her...hmmm what is one to do? I haven't e-mailed her yet, I feel like that is another lifetime ago. I'll have to sit with that one for a few more days to see what I'm going to do.

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Last night I sang with the ensemble at the FOG (fellowship of older gays) gathering down at shelter island. It went well and they seemed to like us, so that was good. It was definitely my first real exposure to the dynamics of the ensemble....I think the Lord is trying to teach me a number of lessons right now :)

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Spent a great day with Finola on Sunday. It was good to catch up with her. I feel like we hadn't spent a lot of time together lately. Schedules have just been crazy. I love that I can talk with her about anything from politics to poop...and it's amazing that those two topics can be closer than one would think :) I will be very sad if she moves back to NY. At this point it sounds like it is more a matter of when then if, so that will take some adjustment. It will feel like losing family ~ well closer than some of my family actually.

Okay, I'm signing off now. That was enough of a brain dump for now. I'm not even reading it over, so please forgive if there are typos, fragments or any other signs that I'm a dumb ass :)