5K

This past Saturday, I decided that I would enter a local 5K run/walk.  While I’ve never participated in something like that, I knew that it was a challenge that I would enjoy.

I knew that I’d never be able to run the race so I signed up as a walker only.  Once the race was underway, I was sucked in by the competitive spirit.  I felt a sense of accomplishment when I passed someone, and felt disappointed when someone passed me.

I finished the race in 00:50:02.  I was satisfied with the time considering this was a trail run.

I had no idea that I looked that bad. This is just more motivation to get the weight off.

Reinvention

There is something about reinventing oneself that is both a bit admirable and a bit comical. Madonna has reinvented herself countless times over her career. So has Cher. Now Danny Bonaduce’s ex-wife is doing for the world to see on her own reality show.

I think as a whole people reinvent their lives at least once or twice during their life time. It can be something small like a change in career paths or giving up a vice, or it can be huge like gastric bypass to drop weight or moving to a new town where you know no one. Whatever it change is, whether we realize it or not, we need a change in our lives from time to time.

Now is my time.

I’ve spent the last several months trying to change habits that I’ve had for years as well as creating new, healthy habits.

For years I was a smoker. At the start of 2009, the company I work for initiated a tobacco cessation plan. I quickly signed up. It has been a struggle. There have been times that I didn’t think I could make it. There where times I didn’t care if I made it.

The main thing my tobacco coaches stressed was changing behaviors in order to kick the smoking habit. I fought their suggestions for a long time. I didn’t want to exercise or find something physical to distract myself from the cravings. Over the last couple weeks, I’ve come to realize the importance exercise.

In the last couple weeks, I’ve taken up walking. I hope to progress from walking to running very soon. I realize it’s going to take some time and I just have to be patient.

One thing that I’ve noticed with exercise is my increased desire to eat better. It think the two go hand in hand. It’s almost as if there is a subconscience shift.

I realize that there’s more to just putting this information on paper – virtual or otherwise. I’ll just have to keep you updated on my progress.

100 Things About Me

This seems to be a bloggers rite of passage to create the 100 things about me list. This is actually my forth list as I have had them on past blogs that are no longer in use. Here it goes again.

1. I was born on October 14, 1980.
2. I came out of the closet in December 2004.
3. I am extremely gullible.
4. I am extremely impressionable.
5. I have lived in two states: Arkansas and Tennessee.
6. I have visited 8 states: Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Minnesota, and Georgia.
7. I have only flown 4 times in my life. The first flight was on a small Cessna plane.
8. Christmas is my favorite holiday.
9. I hate Halloween. I don’t like to be scared.
10. Everyone in my family knows that I am gay, but they treat it like the big purple elephant in the room that no one talks about.
11. I love reality TV. I will watch just about any reality TV show on the air now.
12. HGTV and the FoodNetwork are my two favorite television stations.
13. I have never liked sports. I only watch the Super Bowl for the half time show.
14. I do watch the Olympics. I prefer the summer Olympics over the winter.
15. I have a Siamese cat name Niko.
16. I drive a Chevy S-10.
17. My first car was a Ford Tempo.
18. My dream car is a Chevy Corvette. Preferably an early 80’s body style.
19. I am currently taking the antidepressant Lexapro.
20. I love houseplants, but can’t seem to keep them alive.
21. I have a vast appreciation for music. I like all types. I don’t have an all time favorite song because my favorite song changes weekly, sometimes daily.
22. I enjoy watching live music. It doesn’t really matter what type of music it is as long as it is live.
23. My dream job is to be a writer.
24. My next dream job would be a hair stylist, but I don’t really want to work for the public any more.
25. I regularly read several magazines: GQ, Men’s Health, Details, Men’s Vogue and Out.
26. My favorite authors are Stephen King and Richard North Patterson, but my tastes are beginning to change.
27. I prefer to have a small circle of very good friends rather than have a huge group of acquaintances.
28. I would estimate that about 75% percent of my friends are gay.
29. I work in the transportation business.
30. I have worked in retail and never want to do that again.
31. I love the smell of rain on asphalt and of mechanics (the sweat and grease just reaks of testosterone).
32. I smoke about a pack of Marlboro Lights a day.
33. I have two adorable nieces that I wish I could see more.
34. My mother and I are very close; however, I do not have the same relationship with my father. My step-father and I are also very close. He is the best father I have ever had.
35. I have a sister, step-sister, half-sister, brother-in-law, and two step-brothers.
36. I have voted in every Presidential election since I was old enough to vote.
37. I consider myself a Democrat, but I focus more on issues, such as gay rights, environmental policies, etc, when I decide to back a candidate.
38. I have always wanted to be a back up dancer for someone like Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, or Madonna.
39. I have also always wanted to be a cheerleader.
40. I think a receding hair line is sexy.
41. I am obsessed with my own hair. It has to be styled just right. And God forbid I ever start loosing it – Bosley here I come.
42. I do not like my natural hair color. I think it is too mousey. It reminds me of dirty dish water.
43. I pledged a fraternity in college, but did not complete the pledge process. It is one of the biggest regrets in life that I have.
44. I graduated in the top 10% of my high school class.
45. I have 2 Associates degrees and a Bachelors degree. I don’t feel like I am using them in my current job.
46. I want to go back to school and get my MBA.
47. English was always my favorite subject in school.
48. I have only had one serious relationship. It lasted one year and 10 months.
49. I wish I was more creative than I am. I want to be able to paint or draw, but I can’t.
50. I think women have a better selection of clothing and shoes than men do. I am a shoe whore.
51. I want to visit New York City and Philadelphia. I have no desire to visit much of the West Coast; I prefer the Northeast.
52. I collect decanters.
53. My favorite actresses are Julia Stiles, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Debra Messing.
54. I don’t really have a favorite actor.
55. My alcoholic drink of choice is Bud Light.
56. My nonalcoholic drink of choice is Dr. Pepper. Sweet Tea is next in line.
57. I am trying to learn more about wine. I prefer white over red.
58. I have a tattoo on my back, between my shoulder blades. I want more, but don’t know what I want or where I want it.
59. I am a very jealous person.
60. I over-analyze everything way too much.
61. I have had to wear contacts or glasses since I was in the first grade. I desperately want to get lasik surgery.
62. I don’t have an idol or anyone that I look up too. I honestly can’t remember ever having one.
63. Calla lilies are my favorite flowers.
64. I walked my sister down the isle at her wedding instead of my father doing it. When asked who gives her away, I said her family and I do instead of her mother and I do.
65. I am related the the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. She wrote the poem “How do I love thee / Let me count the ways”.
66. My heritage is primarily German, but I am not really sure as my grandmother was adopted and never wanted to find out who her real parents were.
67. I have always wanted to sky dive and bungee jump.
68. My first homosexual experience happened when I was 14. It was with myself and 3 other guys.
69. I have never done anything more than kiss a girl.
70. I was about 2 years old the first time I tasted alcohol. I got so drunk I was puking.
71. I used to stay up at night to wait for my father to get off work so that I could share his dinner and beer.
72. The gym and I have a love/hate relationship. It is a necessary evil.
73. I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas. Sometimes I feel like I single-handedly keep Little Debbie in business.
74. I have struggled with my self esteem most of my life.
75. I love to shop and often buy things on impulse. When it comes to big ticket purchases, I am more meticulous.
76. I don’t enjoy straight clubs anymore.
77. I have an acute case of A.D.D. I find that it is worse when I am around my friends.
78. I can trill my r’s and roll my tongue.
79. I prefer getting my news from CNN rather than Fox News or any other source. I am not a big news person though. I prefer to read the news on the internet rather than watch it on TV. It allows me to get what I want when I want it.
80. I am extremely interested in personal finance. Although I may not show it in my current financial situation, I do want to change.
81. I loose interest in things quickly. Sometimes I come back and finish things and sometimes I don’t.
82. I have never really been interested in playing video games. Nor have I been interested in board or card games. However, I am more apt to play a card or board game than a video game.
83. Besides my siblings, I have never been in a real fight. I will typically run from a fight than actually fight.
84. I should probably stand up for myself more, but I don’t like confrontation.
85. At the moment, I am very interested in mediation and affirmations and what they can do for my life.
86. I have never had a major surgery.
87. The only bone I have ever broken was my collar bone.
88. I’ve had stitches twice in my life.
89. My interior design style is more modern and contemporary than classical or traditional.
90. My dream house is a loft apartment or condo. The closer to the downtown area of the town, the better.
91. I am ready to be a homeowner, but I know its gonna be a couple more years.
92. Lighting can make or break the design of a room.
93. I am not opposed to trying to make something for my home rather than buy a pre-made piece.
94. I hate leftover food. I will typically throw it out instead of reheating it for later.
95. Bell peppers are my favorite vegetable.
96. Pineapple is my favorite fruit.
97. My biggest goal in life is to live my life to the fullest.
98. Cuddling and spooning is more fulfilling than sex most of the time.
99. I have never been to a Pride celebration. I really want to go to one.
100. I am extremely happy this post is over.