[bulldog]

Pink,

I agree with Trep, just take the day off and go check on her. My mom and I are very close, that is what I would do if the shoe was on the other foot.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Just got off the phone conversing yet again with N for at least an hour. I can't believe how.....comforting, it is just reminiscing with him - what music we listened to during the 80s, the clubs we frequented in our respective city (him Detroit, me Chicago), Peter Murphy versus Adam Ant (we both preferred Peter Murphy's beauty and deep dark atmosphere), that we both used to make mixes on cassette tapes for friends as gifts of love, how the music of Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry made us dream and how very, very few bands and artists are capable of that today.

My longing to go visit San Diego grows more intense. I promised him I'd make him halo halo, that classic Philippine summer parfait dessert of crushed ice, preserved tropical fruits, condensed milk, and purple yam paste.

I find N to be a kindred soul, a human lifebuoy for me. I hope he feels the same about me. We seem to share similar sensitivities and states of mind about things. I was aware of the occasional long pauses between conversation topics. In person those precious little spaces would perhaps be filled in with the most intimate smiles, the searching gaze, and the inevitable kiss, when our foreheads would touch and we feel each other's breath on our lips.

[jacog]

That's awfully sweet, Trep. I am inspired to share a sappy tale myself.

When the lady and I first started corresponding across the ocean via email, one of the first topics of conversation was relationships. I offered a facetious suggestion that perhaps, in order to find a life mate, one should rely less on things calculated, and that random chance has just as much hope of finding you a successful life mate than the responsible way. My example was to ask a random person a completely irrelivant question, and depending on their answer, choose to marry them.

I have a red Etch-A-Sketch... and so my hypothetical example went as follows:

Person 1: "Do you own an Etch-A-Sketch?"
Person 2: "Yup."
Person 1: "Great! Will you marry me?"
Person 2: "Yup."

... and they lived happily ever after. Silly, I know...

Some time within that same week we had our first real time conversation, using an instant messenger... the conversation lasted for about 8 hours, and I never got to sleep that night. At some point during that night though... perhaps around 4am or so, I asked...

"So... if you don't mind me asking... do you own an Etch-A-Sketch?"

The lady said: "Well actually yes I do."





Ok... the romantic thing here would have been to ask her to marry me, and God knows I wanted to, but alas, fear of rejection, responsible behaviour and grown-upness got the better of me... so I chickened out...

My actual proposal was of the far less romantic variety... more of a "So, uhm... you know this uhm... immigration thing... and uhm.. green card... and uhm... you know... well, uhm... maybe... uhm... could we... uh uh ... *gulp* uhhhh, perhaps if maybe we uhm... you know... m... mmmm.... mmmarried."

But anyway... We each have a nice red Etch-A-Sketch, something of a cosmic portal that binds us... Voodoo Etch.

Her Etch's knobs got chewed on by the dog when she lived in Bangor ME though - my nipples still hurt from that.

[Jatsie]

I'm having one of my Edina Monsoon episodes.

[Squinky]

Dear AG Community Blog,

These days, my idea of romance is taking long walks alone in city streets at night, with an impish grin and a bounce in my step, thinking and sometimes talking briefly to an interesting stranger or two along the way.

What's happened to me?

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by jacog

That's awfully sweet, Trep. I am inspired to share a sappy tale myself.

...

"So... if you don't mind me asking... do you own an Etch-A-Sketch?"

The lady said: "Well actually yes I do."

I love that! It symbolizes the playfulness and innocence that too often end up being buried under nasty realities as such is today. My own playfulness and innocence are distilled from my experiences, good and bad. In many ways I value them far more gravely than what purity I had when I was five years old.

[rlpw]

Well, my old job called me in again and I start work Monday in the afternoon shift doing blower housing stamping. The time slot sucks (4:00PM to 12:30 AM) and I don't get to work with the same bunch I did for the past 3 1/2 years but at least I won't be underfoot of Mrs.R anymore. I always feel better when I'm working, must be all that Texas sharecropper blood in me.
So to celebrate I'm posting some naked ladies Enjoy

[jacog]

Awesome awesome news Mr R. The start of a good luck streak perhaps.

[Jelena]

Good News rlpw

[Kolzig]

Dear AG blog...

It's time to open up a little about the recent happenings.
I've had some serious emotional troubles in the past few months as I suffered a breakup with my girlfriend, then we got back together, broke up, got back together and broke up again... This time it's final, because I just couldn't take it anymore. Mostly the relationship was awesome and I believed it to be The Big One, but we got in to these nasty fights and arguments too often and it was just too much. I believe that it's best for the both of us that it came to an end.

One other big emotional situation I have is that I'm really worried about my grandmother, grandfather and also our old over 15 years old dog Lolli... My grandmother's and our dog's conditions have deteriorated very rapidly in the past six months... they both used to be full of life and always so happy, these days they just sleep and rest all the time and are always very tired...


And in other happenings, I've been working four months in two month periods at Wärtsilä Finland. It was a job practise thing through my school, but I had to acquire the job by myself. Two weeks ago I got offered a real job at Wärtsilä! It's "an hourly help" job, so I can come and go as I want. I get paid by the hour. I've got this job until the end of May and then I'll start as a full time summer replacement.

My school is ending in May and I'm right now working on my "thesis" which isn't a big thing, just 20 pages long work. Also I'm studying once again to University entrance exams that are in middle of June.

Also I can pretty much reveal it now that I have big plans for the last few weeks in May, I'm going to go tour the Europe with the little money I have. The goal is to reach Santiago del Compostela in Spain, where my friend is studying right now.

So, it seems that a new page is turning in my life, everything is changing.

[Jelena]

Kolzig
Although some clouds in the sky you seem to have things under control. I guess that's how life is. Ups and downs in a big mix.
Congrats on the part time job and the summer job as well. I bet that money will come in handy on your tour of Europe. Will you be travelling by train (InterRail)? I did that a hundred years ago, it was a great way of seeing Europe.

[Kolzig]

Train might part of the trip, travelling will be done by plane, train and bus, the details are still a bit unclear.

But part of my trip will be to go with my friend to Rennes-le-Chateau, I just have to see that place once in my life with my own eyes.

[rlpw]

Thanks for the thumbs up guys

Kolzig, You get ups and downs in life but as long as the pluses are more you're doing great. Please do your best to have some fun while younger though.
Paul

[bulldog]

rlpw- congratulations on the job.... I know Mrs. R is probably dancing a jig all a round the house...teehee.


Kolzig - I'm sorry about you and your girlfriend. As far as your grandmother, grandfather and your sweet dog, try and spend as much time with them as you can. That would mean more to them then anything.

Congratulations on your part time job, and the summer job that is coming your way. As far as touring Europe, in a way I wish that I had done something like that before I got married. If I may make a request, will you take pictures of your tour for us? That would be great.

Keep in mind the trials and tribulations that you go through each day will only make you a stronger person. And all of us will always be there for you in your time of need.

[Sage]

Paul- Awesome news about the job! Yay!

Kolzig- I'm so sorry to hear about the troubles you're facing. I hope they all work out for the best in the long run. On a lighter note, your forthcoming trip sounds like a great idea and just the thing to improve your outlook.
By the way, I owe you a package, don't I?
(I'll PM with details later this evening)

[Squinky]

Originally Posted by Kolzig

So, it seems that a new page is turning in my life, everything is changing.

Sounds like a bit like a situation I went through in 2005. In the end, everything turned out for the best, and I'm sure it will for you, too.

[Kolzig]

@rlpw

Thanks for the good advice, I'll try to have as much fun as I can.

@bulldog

Thanks and of course I will take as many pictures as I can, and I will promise that I will show at least some of them to you during summer, I know I have failed to show UK pictures before...

@sage

Thanks, hmm yeah the package...

@squinky

Yeah, I'm really hoping that everything will go well.

[Giligan]

Good luck, Kolzig. I'm with Bulldog; don't forget to take pictures. And congrats, Paul. Glad to hear it.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

[Jatsie]

I think I've been cursed by a mummy.

I feel really feverish. One minute I was shivering, the next I sweating. I think I'm burning up, my forehead feels warmer than it should be. My head is throbbing, and spinning. My sense of balance is all messed up, it hurts when I try to move - not that I have the energy to move. I feel parched all the time and have to keep drinking. I feel tired and have been asleep most of the day.

It's so horrible.