Forced Rearrangements

 About two or three years back, Dom and I were discussing making some rearrangements in our kitchen and kitchen nook rooms.    To start the kitchen itself is a very tiny one.   Dom and I can barely maneuver around that space when one of us is washing dishes (usually me) and the other may need to go over to a shelf near the back or pull something out of the fridge.    The entryway is also made narrow by an angled shelving unit that was added to make more storage space.

The nook area is slightly larger, about the size of a small bedroom.   But it lacked the extra space to store food items or various smaller appliances that were needed.    We had a tall metal shelving unit in our basement that we thought would be better suited to go into the kitchen where the fridge resided.

In the nook area, we had an old rolling shelving unit Dom owned that was occupying one side of the nook area and another wider shelving unit on the other side.   We discussed moving the fridge over to where the old shelving unit was.

We also had an old wooden table that I owned with chairs that was in the middle of the nook.   It unfortunately was overflowing with food boxes, storage containers, pots, and other random items.   We also had various other items like extra bags from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods as well as packs of towel papers surrounded the table and some under the table.   In short it was a mess.

On one of our few trips to Ikea, we saw a free-standing wooden kitchen island with an overhang for pots and pans that we thought would be perfect to replace the wooden table and provide some additional storage.   Ikea wanted around $600 for the set which we thought was a bit high.   We said that we would save up for it.

So we made slow progress of making any changes at all.   Dom was also starting his descent into having health issues, including not being able to walk like he used to.    Over the course of a few weekends, I decided that I would work on moving the tall metal shelving unit from the basement to the nook area where the old rolling shelving unit was.

I didn't mention that the metal shelving unit was full of other stuff that was added to it over the years.  So I had to work on removing everything from the shelves before I could move it.   So I basically worked to find new places to put those items.   Dom happened to get some folding tables that he originally was planning for his dolls that made a perfect spot to put some of the items.   Other items were placed on smaller tables or cabinets nearby that were available.

It was another weekend or so before I finally attempted to move the metal shelving.   I tried maneuvering it around the stairs but it was too tall to angle it around the next level of stairs, even after opening the back door that served as the midpoint between the basement and main floor.   I realized that I would have to bring it in through the front door.

It was a bit unwieldly but I managed to bring it over from the back of the house all the way to the front.   I used the sliding washer to keep the front screen door open as I hoisted it over the front stairs and bought it in the house.    It made its way into the main hallway where it remained for another week or so.   During that time I cleaned it off the best way I could.

The plan with the old rolling shelving unit was to move it into the basement where the tall metal shelving unit used to be.   But alas that did not happen.   It wound up being moved into the main hallway while the metal shelving made its way to where the old rolling shelving used to be.

Things remained that way for another six months or so.   When Dom and I went to the Chante Moore concert in Joliet, we went to Ikea the next morning.   We once again saw the free-standing wooden kitchen island which reinspired us.   But I couldn't bring myself to paying $600 for it.

Something told me to check out Amazon.   I was glad I did.   I was able to find another unit which included two stools for just under $200, more than a 66% savings.   The only wood part was the table itself and the wood was much thinner than the Ikea brand.   But it boasted two overhead shelves in addition to hooks over a bar to hang up to a dozen pots and pans.   I was especially happy about that since a lot of our pots and pans made their home on the stove.

So I purchased the Amazon unit and then worked to dismantle the old wooden table and moved it into the basement (where it now resides in the laundry room).   The unit arrived but before putting it together, I cleaned up the area since it was full of dust and cobwebs that settled over the time the table was there.

Dom and I were able to put the unit together in about 2 hours and we were so proud of the results and how it looks.   We vowed not to fill the wooden table with junk.    We were good for about 3 months but unfortunately that promise went out the window.

So the only remaining steps were to somehow move our existing fridge from the kitchen over to the nook area where the metal shelving now resided and then move the metal shelving where the fridge resided.

We weren't really in a hurry to make the switch since it was a hassle even getting the fridge into the kitchen with the tiny opening and angled shelving.

Life of course has a funny way of making things happen.   A week ago Dom started telling me that the fridge was not as cool as it used to be.   I tried moving things around the freezer to open up the airways thinking they were being blocked.   That didn't work.   I tried adjusting the temperature of the fridge and that didn't work.    In the meantime the fridge was slowly dying and the freezer was getting colder and colder.

We decided that it was time to get a new fridge.   We settled on Home Depot after by coincidence his Mom and nieces purchased a new fridge there after their fridge broke down.    We had the standard top freezer fridge that almost made it eight years.    When we first moved in we inherited a french door fridge which we hated.   We mostly weren't a fan of the freezer which always seemed to run out of space.   It wound up having issues after a year and a half and we wound up getting the top freezer from a Sears Outlet store.

We settled on a side-by-side model that I thought would work for us.   With the limited space, I thought the 33 width model would work for us.   The space around the fridge could only fit a 34 width model, not the standard 36 width model fridges that are usually designed.   Delivery of that model was today.    The younger of the two delivery folks came in and did measurements and after consulting with the older partner, they concluded that the fridge would not fit in the narrow area.   While I accounted for the width of the final fridge space, I didn't account for the entryway space.   

I was going back and forth in my mind what to do.   They were suggesting I just get a top-freezer instead.    The funny thing is like I said earlier, Dom and I discussed having our fridge (before it died) move over to the nook area.   Dom however wasn't feeling that idea anymore for some reason.

But we needed a fridge so knew we would have to scramble.   If we went with their suggestion, they would be happy because they wouldn't have to hoist the new one.   However it would likely be another week or so before another fridge would be ready.    Also we really wanted to try the side-by-side fridge.

We agreed to have them place the new fridge in another part of the nook area and then remove the old one.    Removing the old one proved to be a challenge.   For some reason they could not get it to fit squarely through the angled shelving.

The older delivery guy was trying to get me to agree that they did all they could.   I wasn't certain they did and Dom was trying to point that out as well.   But I was resigning that we would have to quickly move things around but still be stuck with a dead fridge in the kitchen without doors.  The older guy suggested we get someone to saw it in half.    But that made no sense.  

Finally I asked them if we cleared out the sink area and the angled shelving, would they be willing to slide out the fridge that way.    They were against it but I offered them $100 each if they would do so.   Dom wasn't thrilled about it but they went along with it as long as I accepted responsibility for any damages.  Money talks.  Thankfully they were able to get it out.   Sadly I only had $184 total in my wallet which they accepted.    That was a mess but I'm glad we don't have to deal with the old fridge just sitting there unused.

 So in the end we wound up rearranging the old metal shelving to go where the old fridge was and the new fridge is now where the old metal shelving resided.   It's funny how things almost are where we were talking about having them a few years back.   Now will the old rolling shelving unit ever make its way to the basement.   That's a problem for another day.

We're slowly rearranging things back in place and the new fridge is cooling off nicely.   After this post I will be getting ready to head out to the church for their open-mic karaoke night.   I need to sing my heart Louise after the day I had.

I'm Still Here

 It's been a week at work.   The Sev 1's were sev-ing.   And life was life-ing.    But I pushed through it.   It's funny how time is going by so quickly.    As crazy as things gets, before I know it, another week has gone by.

Hemingway this oldie but goodie clip from MadTv got me laughing extra hard.

Debra Wilson was playing Beyonce and did the most with the rendition of the music video they shot for their remake of the Bee Gee's Emotions.    It played on the fact that a lot of the focus in Destiny's Child was on Beyonce.    So many gems on this skit.   MadTv did Debra wrong not paying her worth.   She was so hilarious in all of her skits.

Another funny ass commercial that brought me back was a condom commercial for a brand called Trust.   Basically the guy in the commercial was supposedly packing so much that he needs a condom the size of a tall umbrella and proceeds to use a condom to wrap up a lady's umbrella after a rainstorm and catching the attention of many passerby's.   I think I might've blogged about the commercial before in my old blog.    Anyway...it's still hilarious more than 20 years later.

And apparently when looking at this video, there was another Trust condom commercial that came up.   It was kind of funny too but not as funny as the Trust Umbrella commercial.   The really funny part came near the end of the commercial.   Homeboy was banging though.   I was fanning myself along with the ladies and I will admit I cracked up when the second lady purposely dropped her water bottle so she could get her bottle capped with the condom as well.

With the commercials, I had to see if Trust Condoms was still in business after all these year.   They have a slick website that shows that they are.   The brand is primarily sold in various African countries.  Fun times.

The Heat, The Heat

 Toni Braxton - The Heat

Intro
Yeah
La-da-da-da-da, la, la
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Verse 1
Where's the sand, I'm set
My body? Thumping, going pitty pat
Getting tan and wet
And when I feel the beat, I lose control of it
Oh baby, I'm feeling you, I must admit
Looking tight and fit
And I imagine you and I in...

Chorus
Summer bodies shaking to the...
Music's going through ya
Can you feel the heat, the heat?
The heat is moving through your body
Temperature is rising
Can you feel the heat, the heat?

Verse 2
Sleeping in till noon
Been naughty, put bubbles in the swimming pool
Skinny dip for two
And as you feel the rhythm taking hold of you
Ooh Papi, I love it when you ooh-eeh-ooh
And I'm hooked, it's true
I imagine you and I'm in...

Repeat Chorus

This song used to be the bomb when Toni Braxton's album titled by the same name came out in 2000.   The song was supposed to depict the hot chemistry between two people that causes things to get hot.   But as I reviewed the lyrics, I couldn't help but laugh at the one line "Been naughty, put bubbles in the swimming pool".    Did the bubbles derive from some farting that was taking place in the pool?  That's definitely not sexy.   I guess as long as you're not pooping in the pool, all is good.   Maybe that's why the chlorine is needed.

Hemingway the song popped in my head due to the unseasonably hot and humid weather that's descended on Chicagoland this past week.    It's days like these that make me long for the central air I used to have in my first home.    When it reaches 100+ degrees outside, the house feels every bit of it.   I completely hate it.

Dom insisted on visiting his Mom this past weekend and wanted me to go.   I really wasn't keen on going but he kept pushing it.    At least he decided to drive this time which was almost a plus.   But his Mom's place was as miserable as ours and I couldn't get 100% comfortable, especially when I saw ants crawling freely in the home. 

While there Ava told me about a product for ants that can be placed outside to eliminate them around the home.   Something called Spectracide Ant Shield Outdoor Killing Stakes.   I honestly was not sure why she was mentioning those to me.   Maybe she's heard Dom talking to his Mom about my aversion to bugs.

I definitely do want to look into it since our area is plagued by ants and they have come inside the house as well.   I see that Terra has their own liquid bait stakes that they sell for outside.   I actually have bought the indoor ones before and they work so well that you stop seeing ants within 48 hours.   So I may purchase that one as well and start planting them along with some granules around the perimeter of the house.   Anything to keep those buggers at bay.

But anyway the heat has been so unbearable.  I feel stinky and sticky all the time.   Going into the office has been the worst as I wind up being sweaty by the time I arrive.    At least I can wash my face up a bit once I'm in the office.   Only bad thing I notice, the water reeks of the Chicago River smell.   But it makes sense since the water is coming from the Chicago River and our office is near there.

I've been noticing I've been pooping a lot more as well since it's gotten extra hot.   Dom told me that is normal when the temperature gets hot.    But I hope it stops.

Summer is definitely in full effect.   Unlike Toni's song, there's nothing sexy about this heat.   It's going to remain in effect for at least another week.   We did get a bit of relief Tuesday but the temps start rising again.

Speaking of the heat, my stock Blackberry has been heating up in the positive again.   They had an excellent Q1 2026 and their main product QNX is proving to be a short-term and long-term money winner.   Total revenue from QNX was 57.5 million which was up 8% year over year.  The price has been rising again from the ashes again as a result.   I try not to get too excited though because it seems BB just can't keep their price momentum going long.    But the company has also been buying back stock (so far they've purchased 10 million shares) which helps increase shareholder value.   I'm very hopeful that I'm in the right horse and it'll pay off in dividends by the time I near retirement.

This post is officially a milestone post.   It's my 200th post since I've started my second blog.   It's not an overly impressive number considering I started this blog in October 2011, so almost 14 years ago.  I did have a six year hiatus where I didn't blog.    However I've made a lot of positive strides since starting up again in 2021 to try and post more about my life.   It's been nice keeping track once more on my highs and lows.     Here's to another 200 posts ahead.  With the pace I'm going, I hope to get there in another 3 - 4 years (God willing).    I'm grateful to continue to have a place to share my thoughts.   Till next time.

I Love Some Molly

When referencing Molly I do not mean the synthetic drug.    I'm referring to the actress by the name of Molly Culver.   I first was introduced to the actress on the late 90's guilty pleasure show V.I.P. that I used to religiously watch on syndication when it aired on the weekends.   The show featured Pamela Anderson as Val Irons who finds herself being thrusted in the world of bodyguarding after a random star meets her at a hot dog stand she worked at and invites her to a Hollywood premiere.   The star gets threatened at the premiere and uses Val as his personal shield.   To save face he tells reporters that Val is his bodyguard.   Meanwhile a struggling bodyguard agency which Molly as Tasha Dexter is part of somehow runs into Val at the same hotdog stand after they see the story on the Hollywood premiere.   They have the idea to hire Val as a figurehead in the hopes of reviving their dying agency which it hilariously does. 

Tasha Dexter is the no nonsense former KGB agent whose hobbies include gun shooting and sharpening her many knives.   Tasha and Val were often at odds with each other throughout the series.   Tasha would get pissed whenever the police would credit Val for solving cases.   Val is the happy go lucky character that dumbed her way out of many situations and the show often played into their frenemy relationship.

I grew to love Molly's character as the series progressed and Tasha quickly became my favorite character.    I even picked up one of her character twerks.   Whenever someone would refer to Tasha's background in the KGB and ask if it's something she picked up at the KGB, she would famously reply with the word "maybe" trying to be mysterious.   I would use that line a lot when Dom would ask me about stuff and I even got him using it to mimic me.

I've had a chance to reacquaint myself with the series since Roku TV has all the episodes available.   I remember being so bummed when the show was cancelled after it's fourth season.   But I imagine it got expensive to produce after a while.   They had a lot of celebrity clients guest star as themselves over the years including Jay Leno, Morgan Fairchild, Marie Osmond, and Erik Estrada (used to have a mad crush on him).

I believe what drew me to Tasha Dexter was her no nonsense approach to handling conflict.  She could hold her own in a bar fight.   Her dominant personality is what drew me to her as a gay man.   It's that whole complex I joked about in the past in my infamous Star Jones roasts.   Basically my attraction to Molly is due to her character's no nonsense personality.   Tasha was strong enough to take no flack from anyone but there was a shortage of eligible straight men that wanted to deal with the drama.

Molly Culver's career however didn't really take off after the show ended.   She's had very few roles after that and no breakout role which is a shame.   But she had her greatest role from what I read being a mother to her only child, a son Sonny.   

When randomly searching on Molly Culver, I came across a random site that hosted an interview that her son did on his Mom.    It's a voice recorded one that sounds like something that may have been done for a school project.

https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/molly-culver-interview/

It was such a short and sweet interview where Molly reiterated that the most important event in her life was the birth of her son.   Towards the end she teases that she hopes Sonny has lots of grandbabies which reminded me of my favorite show Half & Half where Phyllis would tease Mona about wanting grandbabies.    Speaking of Phyllis and Mona, both actresses I believe had a reunion on a Netflix comedy Family Reunion that Telma Hopkins occasionally guest-starred on.   I still haven't seen the episode yet but I'm almost at the end of that series and I believe that episode is near the end of it.   It's a cute show though it's not one of my faves.

But I'm happy to see that Molly Culver seemingly is in a happy marriage and raised a family.  Her son was born in 2006 and is actually a young adult himself now.   Time does march on.

I'm so glad I'm able to watch V.I.P. again since they only released Season 1 on DVD years back.   I've been watching an episode on Saturdays and I get to share it with Dom...LOL.   Watching the show definitely takes me back to my late 20's when I was living single in my first home in the Northwest burbs of Illinois.   The whole cast had great chemistry but I'll always have love for Tasha Dexter.

1st Of The Month

 

I remember when 1st Of Tha Month first came out in 1995, the radio stations would religiously play this song on the 1st of every month.   Of course they played it every day after that as well.    I will admit Bone Thugs N Harmony made some great jams but I struggled to understand every spoken word they said since depending on the artist, the enunciation wasn't clear.

Nonetheless the "first" 1st Of Tha Month since it's release was September 1st, 1995.   It was actually my first 1st living in the Washington D.C. area.   I was newly living on my own in my first apartment.   Sally was there along with Blanche, whom I talked about in a previous blog entry, and was our 2nd Mama while out there.   

I remember waking up to 1st Of Tha Month playing and it hit me especially when the day actually was the 1st.   Each month does give us a new "starting point" to begin anew with new and existing goals for the given month and year.   At that time I was struggling with my new role and learning about the expectations the client "Bell Atlantic" had for us.

With each subsequent 1st of the month, things got better and I was able to navigate through different obstacles that were thrown at me, mostly from the first company I worked at.   I still remember when my initial contract with Bell Atlantic ended, I used that time to travel back to Detroit and purchase my first car (a 96 black Chevrolet Cavalier).

When projects ended we were in a phase called being "on the bench".   Consulting companies in the 90's used to still keep their consultants between projects and paid them.   You would use the bench time to train and interview for other roles.   These days consulting companies place you and pay for you while on projects (if you get the job after interviewing) but once the project ends, you no longer were considered an employee of the consulting company and would have to start over again.   It's almost like you're a free agent with no support.   I experienced that first hand during my brief 6 month role in 2018 after being laid off.   I was disappointed that the consulting company didn't reach out to me at all during my time to possibly present other roles.   I didn't realize how good we had it in the 90's even in the midst of all the bullshit.   

But anyway while I was in Detroit, the project manager called me and wanted me to interview for a project in some other state that I don't remember.    I had to tell the project manager that I was Detroit which I remember she was peeved about.   She asked me if I had a suit with me if they were to pay for a flight to go to the interview and I told her no.   She was so mad but she said okay as she quickly hung up.    I did end getting my car and then I drove it back to D.C.

That period in my life was crazy.   I was worried after that incident that they would fire me (they didn't).   I was so glad I had Blanche, Sally, and the other ladies that were in the same boat as well to talk to and get advice from about our various experiences.   It was a coming of age moment for me.   And no doubt 1st Of Tha Month was one of many different songs that came out during that time period that brought my levity.

Here's to a new month and at the end of it, half of 2025 will be behind us.    I'm hoping we're all one step closer to reaching or accomplishing our goals.

Sashay Chante!

 

Chante Moore - As If We Never Met

VERSE 1:
The world going by my window
Doesn't mean nothing to me
Why do I feel the way I do
Why am I still so lost in you, I wonder

VERSE 2:
Watching you sleep each morning
Brushing the hair from your eyes
Why do we give ourselves away
Till only emptiness remains

REFRAIN:
Was there a reason you came and changed my life
Cause it won't change back
I'm trying to forget
But I can't act as if we never met

VERSE 3:
The world going by my window
Doesn't mean nothing to me
Why do I feel the way I do
Darling, I'm still so lost in you

REPEAT REFRAIN

I was listening to an early Chante Moore single titled As If We Never Met while trying to minimize work distractions.   Chante's voice was so pure and earnest as she processes losing a love and wanting to forget him and the pain his leaving her has caused but realizing he made an impact of her life and isn't someone she can just forget.  The song stirred emotions in me as I listened repeatedly to it.   It made me think of past loves that still stay on the mind long after they're gone.   It's such a beautiful song by a beautiful lady who has been sharing her talent since 1992.    It's not the first time I've mentioned Chante in my blogs.   I did a review of her 2008 album Love This Woman and expressed my continued love of Chante in a brief snippet.

I still remember walking over to a local record store not far from the college I attended classes in and buying her CD.   It took me awhile to figure out who Chante was when they played her songs on the radio.   I always seemed to miss the mention of her name.  This was before the internet took off so it wasn't like I could just do a Google search.   I still remember my excitement when I finally heard her name.  I couldn't get to a record store fast enough.

I'm excited about the upcoming concert on May 23rd at Rialto Square Theatre to see Miss Chante perform.   It'll be my first time seeing her perform in concert since Tasha and I went to a Luther Vandross concert in the mid-90's at Fisher Theatre in Detroit when Chante was his opening act.  I went for Chante, Tasha went for Luther.   This time of course, Chante is the headliner.   I've been listening to Chante's songs in preparation for the show.

I'm trying to decide whether Dom and I should stay overnight in Illinois.    We had talked about going the next morning to the Japanese market Mitsuwa in another part of town.   Dom changed his mind though wanting us to get home.   However we were also talking about going to Ikea which we haven't been to in almost a decade.   I've been wanting to go there to get a dresser and small computer desk for the spare bedroom/future home office.

But first I have to get through my oral surgery to remove my remaining wisdom teeth coming up on Cinco De Mayo.   I sent the remaining payment for the procedure two weeks back.   I'm still annoyed about paying for that upfront but am hopeful I'll get reimbursed from the insurance company within a couple weeks.   I took a week off from work to recover from the procedure.   I'm hoping everything goes well and I'll be recovered by the time the concert date arrives.   I've been drinking pineapple juice which is supposed to help with pain.   Dom will be my designated driver to the procedure.  I need to give him the address to the location.   Maybe we can do a practice run this weekend (if I can get him out of the house).    He tends to hibernate a lot these days.

Mysterious Neighbor

 Since Dom and I lived in our home back in 2016, there was a small bungalow with a detached garage across from us that was mostly abandoned.   There was an older gentleman that would stop by periodically to do stuff in the garage.   I briefly chatted with him a few times over the years and he seemed nice.   Dom mentioned that the guy told him that he was underwater on the place and for whatever reason couldn't sell it.   For the most part though, the house had no activity.   

That started changing about two years back.   A bunch of random folks would stop by either inspecting the house or the garage and then leaving.   We suspected that something must've happened to the older gentleman.   But then he would appear as well occasionally.   This random activity continued on for a bit.  Then there started to be a crew that would come by daily to make repairs on the roof and other parts of the house.   I looked at realtor.com and then discovered that the house was sold to another buyer.

The repairs started to continue and I got to see the transformation of the house firsthand since we live right across from it.   They finished up the roof, replaced the windows, refaced the outside of the house and garage, added gutters, and remodeled the garage into a separate living space.   Over the months they've unloaded so much junk that the nice older gentleman had accumulated in the garage.  Dom and I used to joke that he had "centipede" people living there that he occasionally came to feed.  My curiosity peaked over who the new owners would be.   Dom and I prayed it would be a hot gay couple.   But of course that didn't come to be.

The new owners it ended up look to be a couple (I know one is a guy but I can't tell if the second person is a guy or gal).   Maybe it is a gay couple after all...but with the winter, it's too dark to make them out completely.   And they are not very sociable.   Then again I guess I'm not either.    They live in the garage and apparently they have random people possibly from the same job living in the main house.   It's basically a smorgasbord of activity now.   This group basically leave the house together but in separate cars early in the morning and then roll back in the afternoon.   I wonder why they can't just carpool together.   It'll be interesting what develops when the weather warms up.  Since they live in the garage, I've seen them grill stuff outside.  The other day I saw they bought in a stackable washer and dryer that they placed by the downstairs entrance.   I assume they placed a bathroom in there as well.   I'd definitely love to see what they did to the place but alas since it won't be in the market anytime soon, I won't know.   Since they made the garage into a home, their cars have to reside outside of the garage which sucks when it's winter.

Anyway it's an interesting mystery so far.  I guess as long as they don't bother us we'll be okay.   One good thing to come from it is at least the house is not abandoned now and it's reduced the number of lurkers who would randomly drive by and park there or near our house.   It's the curse of living in a corner home.

Triple Play

 

I was excited to see that Netflix finally added Shemar Moore's show S.W.A.T. to its arsenal.  The show follows the lives of the Special Weapons & Tactics LAPD team as they fight crime.  Shemar headlined the show after leaving Criminal Minds after 11 seasons.    

I'm currently on Season 2 of the series.   Overall I'm enjoying the action packed series so far.  It's been nice seeing Shemar shirtless as well.   He's definitely aging like a fine wine.

 The show is currently in their 8th Season.   I've purposely avoided spoilers as I'm sure some of the current cast may no longer be on the show and I want to be surprised as it happens.    One of the stories explored in Season 2 includes a S.W.A.T. member contemplating joining a polyamorous relationship with a couple.  

I thought it was interesting that the topic was explored since it's a taboo subject.   The episodes I've seen so far show the member in question struggling with the notion of whether they should join or not.   One of the issues explored was how individuals close to the character, including co-workers and immediate family would react to the news.

So far the show seems to be treating the storyline respectively.  I should know as once upon a time yours truly almost became part of a polyamorous (Triad) relationship.

I'm fuzzy on the exact timeframe but I believe it happened sometime after Rock and I broke up.   I chatted with Mark1 on one of my social networking sites.   On his profile he did mention that he was in a relationship and was looking for a third.   I remember at the time being curious about it but I mostly was attracted to the guys in the photo so I replied initially.

Our conversations were good.  Mark1 and Mark2 were located in Tampa, FL.   After about a month of chatting, Mark1 invited me to visit Tampa.   He wanted us to have a trial run and to answer any questions I may have.  It was not my first time in Tampa as I've visited a couple times beforehand.

The weekend of my visit quickly approached and I flew down to Tampa.   After getting my bags, I walked around and received a message from Mark2.   We eventually connected and we walked over to his car where Mark1 was waiting.   I remember we drove to a local grocery store because they needed to pick up items for a dinner they were planning.   Mark1 stayed in the car while Mark2 and I went to the store.

Mark2 and I had a chance to chat a bit while we were shopping.  It's a long time ago but I don't recall there being any red flags.   The two of them were a regular couple who at the time had been together for over seven years.   They were wanting to look for a third person for a while.  It looked like Mark1 was slowing down sexually which was why they were opening things up.

I remember we had a good time that weekend both in and out of the bed.  I was even introduced to important people in their lives.   But ultimately I knew that the Triad life was not for me.

I will say most of the hang-ups were on my side which is why nothing further was pursued.  At the time I was not officially out to my family.   My thinking at the time was that it would be hard for my parents to process not only that I was gay but that I was in a relationship with two guys.   Also I was worried about what other friends (especially Eugene) and family would think.   I also would have to relocate to Florida.   Ironically this wasn't the first time the option to move to Florida would happen.    At my job they were also giving employees the option to relocate to the Brandon, FL corporate facilities.   This was way before I met Mark1 and Mark2.   I decided not to do so ultimately which was for the best given the crazy that Florida is now.

There were of course some benefits of being part of a TRIAD besides the bedroom.   There would potentially be three incomes in the family which would no doubt help with finances and possibly reach financial freedom faster.   I believe Mark2 worked in the Information Technology field like I did and I forgot about Mark1 did for a living.   But yeah that was my foray into polygamy.   

I am definitely curious to see where the storyline goes for S.W.A.T.   I haven't seen the issue explored too much (though I'm sure there may be some shows that have done so I just don't know) so it definitely caught my interest.   So far they seem to be handling it well while still sticking to the premise of the show, catching bad guys.   The character in question was struggling with the idea and the last episode I watched ended with her deciding to give it a try.   So now I'm waiting to see how it goes.

Almost A Wrap

 My trip to Detroit thankfully was uneventful.   I was Abe's Secret Santa.   He made it easy for me by requesting several baseball caps.   He's a cap person.    Trina wound up being my Secret Santa and she got me a three month subscription to Universal Yums.   They send out a monthly box with treats from a different country.   Dom discovered the company a few years back and we enjoyed a box or two from various countries.   The box actually arrived at my home on the 24th (guess it was good that I stayed home a day) and I decided to take it with me.   She also ordered Mariah Carey's 2020 autobiography that I had on my wish list.  I started reading a bit about Mariah's early life.   She's had it rough but she managed to use adversity to eventually make a name for herself.

Tasha brought over dinner for our Christmas meal that as always was delicious.   We spent the evening watching trashy, badly acted Tubi movies.   

Eugene and I hung out for a bit grabbing lunch at Sweetgreen restaurant, an organic outfit that serves environmentally sustainable meals.   After lunch we went shopping at Nordstrom's (well I did...LOL).  I picked up a new jacket for me and some shirts for Dom.

I decided to drive back home on Saturday after stopping by the cemetery to see Mama and Papa.   Trina, Tasha, and I shipped in to get a bed of flowers for their tombstone and also a wreath for our "Grandma" and hubby as well as "Grandma's Dad" who we knew as "Uncle".  I tried to look for "Uncle" where I thought he would be but had no luck finding him.

My Sunday was spent doing laundry in the morning and then a quick trip to Meijer's in the afternoon and a side trip to Chipolte's for our dinner.

I managed to irritate my nose this morning using the CPAP machine.   I wound up going to the office even though I wished I could've stayed home.  I found myself blowing my nose and sneezing all day.  Fun times.

My New Year's Eve is going to be a quiet one.  Dom and I will keep a low profile enjoying some steak and shrimp (well I will enjoy that).   The plan is to ring in the New Year watching one of the countdowns and praying the crazy folks don't shoot bullets at our house.

It's so hard to believe 2024 is coming to an end.   I will say that I am glad that I continued to blog about various events that have happened throughout the year.   With this post I'll have made 50 entries which is 10 more than I made in 2023.   The big highlight for me workwise was getting my promotion, which was my first promotion at a job since 2006.   Work has been nutty as usual but I'm pushing my way through it best way I know how.    I was happy that Dom and I managed to take a couple trips this year, one related to my work and the other related to his hobby.   It is nice that we were able to travel together and try to enjoy life.

For 2025 I do hope I continue to work towards paying off our mortgage.   At the same time I need to start thinking about getting another car.   I hate the thought of a car note (it's been nice not having one for a couple years) but I know Dom has a hard time getting into my Passat.   I'm thinking about the mini-SUV's like the Subaru Forester or the Mazda CX-5.    There's a few other crossover SUV's that I'm looking at as well.    I'm going to have to try to juggle that with getting the mortgage paid off.   I hate to replace one bill with another but I know it's about time to think about it.   I've been blessed that my Passat has been hanging in there since March 2014.    Cars are so expensive these days as well.   We shall see.

Perhaps my stock Blackberry may help me in achieving one or both of the financial goals.   They've had some good news in recent weeks that seems to have helped the stock recover some.    Their product QNX may finally be ready to start making the stock profitable again in 2025.    They plan on featuring QNX heavily at the upcoming Las Vegas held Consumer Electronic Show on January 7, 2025.   I'm very hopeful that things will be looking up there.

Here's to a happy, healthy 2025 for us even with the uncertainty of America's future.   

R.I.P. Tony Todd

 

I was saddened to hear that actor Tony Todd died at 69.   From what I've read, he died from a long illness with cancer.   #Fuckcancer!

The first movie I've seen Tony Todd was Candyman.   I remember falling in love with his voice playing the title role of Candyman.    One of the most iconic scenes in the movie is where Tony was covered with bees crawling and flying around him.    I found that scene so creepy.   It was cool learning that Tony made a provision where the producers of the movie had to pay him $1000 for every bee sting he received.    He wound up being stung 23 times, netting him $23,000.

It was said you invoked Candyman by saying his name 5 times.   You would think knowing the outcome when saying his name would be enough to make people not say it.   But of course there wouldn't be a show without it.   And what a show it was.

Besides Candyman, Tony would also lend his voice to the Final Destination series which of course I enjoyed.   He also has done shows on Broadway as well.

There would be three more Candyman movies released over the years, with the last one being in 2021.  I looked up on streaming to see which channels have his Candyman movies.   Max has the 2nd and 3rd movies (oddly enough not original recipe) and Freevee has the 2021 version.   I plan on watching the 2nd movie in Tony Todd's honor.

Busy Thursday

 This past Thursday found Dom and I on the road again back to Shipshewana, IN.   This time we were going to see a performance by Dom's favorite singer Sandi Patty.   The last time we saw her perform was in 2016 at a venue in Evansville, IN.   I even got a package at that time where we got to see her backstage and take a quick photo.    We had some other plans while in Shipshewana that included stopping at the local grocer there and picking up some frozen goods like their peppered bacon, some boneless chicken breast, and other jellies and jams.

But before heading there we both had errands we needed to do that morning.   I had fasted the night before because I was heading to a lab to draw some blood for various tests including a PSA test that I had wanted to do last year.   Dom needed to take his minivan to a local repair shop to fix the Air Conditioner.   He didn't get paid till Friday so needed me to stay nearby.   

The last time I got blood work done at the specific lab I went to, it took almost two hours before I was done.   So I anticipated it taking just as long.   The plan was for Dom to head over there once I'm close to being done and then I could meet him there.    But you know what they say about plans...LOL.

I did wind up finishing earlier than planned.  While I was in that part of town, I wanted to run a couple more errands.    I needed to get my tires checked to make sure they had enough air before the trip to Shipshewana and my upcoming trip to Detroit (which I'm heading to in another hour after posting this entry).   In addition I needed to get a new toilet seat.   I had just gotten a new seat two or three months ago and the seat decided to crack under pressure when I sat on it.   I've never had a seat crack before.   I know I'm heavier these days but that was a shock.   Granted Dom is a bigger guy himself and of course had sat on it as well.   But it chose to crack when I sat on it...LOL.

Both errands were done and I got home by a little after 9:30am.   I got home and Dom made breakfast for us to enjoy.   Then around 10:30 he quickly put some clothes to get ready for us to head to the repair shop.   The owner of the shop said the repair would take 45 minutes.  Two hours later it was finally done.   We headed back home and Dom needed 30 minutes to shower and freshen up for the trip to Shipshewana.

So we got there around 3:30 PM their time.   I had thought of us doing the grocery stuff first but both of us were hungry by the time we got there so instead ate their famous Blue Gate Restaurant.  We thankfully were seated pretty quickly.   Dinner lasted about an hour.   I decided to check out the restaurant shop while Dom went to use the restroom which takes him a lot longer these days.   He wanted to meet me in the restaurant shop afterwards but since I knew he would take a while, I wound up completing my small purchase, which included some zucchini bread and black raspberry jam.   Yes apparently black raspberries are a thing.   I learned that from Dom a few years back. 

So I waited till Dom was finished and then we headed to Yoder's Meat & Cheese.   By the time we got there it was close to 5pm.   Next door to Yoder's was the Red Barn Shops.   I wanted to check out their tea store to see if they had any Avocado Leaf tea (my latest health kick obsession...LOL).   I decided to walk to the Red Barn Shops while Dom went to Yoder's.    It wasn't long before I found out that the particular tea shop I wanted to go to was closed.   So I left and went back to Yoder's.   I saw the "Closed" sign on the door and wondered where Dom was.   He was waiting inside and directed me to come in.   The store manager was nice enough to let us quickly shop for our items.   Thank goodness too since we had the freezer packs all ready for our haul.   It was a bit of a rush so we didn't have as much time to think about our purchases.   But thankfully we did make some selections.   After paying for our items the store manager escorted us out before locking up.   He asked Dom about the concert we were going to and Dom shared the details.   We both couldn't help but notice how handsome the store manager was.   We definitely wouldn't have minded some three-way action...LOL.

We got to the concert hall about 30 minutes before the show.   There were two other acts that would also be performing.   The opening act was a gospel group called High Road.   Dom and I had seats near the front row since I know he is a big Sandi Patty fan.    So we had a great view of the concert though really there aren't any bad seats.   Overall we both enjoyed High Road.   Of course Sandi Patty was a hit as well.   We got to listen to the other group called The Hoppers that would be coming out to perform after Sandi Patty.   One of the singers looked like a cross between Brendan Fraser and Tom Arnold.   But we opted to leave after Sandi Patty since we had a two hour trip back and I wasn't sure if I was going to the office or not.   Dom had thought about going back to work Friday himself but quickly decided to take that day off.   I also decided to work from home.    Our time-off apparently doesn't count as an office day so I'll have to work 4 days in the office either next week or the week after that.   Fun...LOL.

So after I post this I'll be getting ready to head to Detroit.  My last time visiting my sisters was during Christmas.   It'll be good to see them once more.   The suckiest part is the drive which takes a little over 4 hours (though it takes me slightly longer since I usually make a pitstop at Firekeepers..LOL).   It used to take longer though when I lived in the northwest burbs of Illinois so I am saving a little time.

Feeling The Pain

 

Sade - Feel No Pain

VERSE1:
Mama been laid off 

Papa been laid off 

My brother's been laid off 

For more than two years now 

Ooh can't get a job 

Billy can't get a job 

They gotta listen to the blues 

REFRAIN:

Help them to strive 

Help them to move on 

Help them to have some future 

Help them to live long Help them to live life 

Help them to smile 

Don't let them stay home 

And listen to the blues 

VERSE2:

Papa been laid off  (Oh Papa)

Mama been laid off (Oh Mama)

Billy can't get a job 

For too long, too long 

Don't let them lose 

We gotta give them a chance 

It's gonna come back on everyone 

If you don't make them dance 

Don't let them stay home 

And listen to the blues 

BRIDGE:

There's nothing sacred 

Breathing hatred 

We have to face it 

No one can take it 

And feel no pain

I had forgotten about this song.  Feel no pain was my life for a few years after I got laid off from my long-term job.   It didn't seem like I would ever find another job.   Looking for a job is quite the humbling process.  I've had to bite my pride through it all.  I even had a brief stint as a food delivery driver for a local Chinese restaurant in early 2019.   One night was enough for me though.   I shortly wound up finding temporary work at Amazon that lasted almost three years.   But thankfully someone gave me a chance and I was able to work in corporate America again.  So far I'm hanging in there (some days are crazy but that's with any job) and am able to breath again.

I used to love listening to Sade.  Even though when you think of Sade, you think of the individual lady that graced us with her singing, Sade actually is a band.   In fact there's often a male voice that can be heard singing occasionally in the background, sometimes briefly as lead.   I found out his name is Leroy Osborne.   His voice definitely compliments Sade's.   It's cool to know that they've performed together over the years.

Sade has that unique ability to make you feel her pain in all her songs.   I find myself grooving to the beat when listening to her.   But I listen sparingly so when I recently ran into a video highlighting her hits, I was reminded of some like the aforementioned Feel No Pain.   Her last song was released in 2018 on the Soundtrack of the movie Widows starring Viola Davis.    It's called The Big Unknown.   The melody reminds you of what makes Sade great.   One of the comments on the video best describes Sade's last effort.   "Sade comes out from the shadows. SINGS. Drops the mic. Back into the shadows like a Boss!"

This was six years ago.   LOL come back from the shadows once more Sade and Leroy.

The Language of Music

 I was feeling a bit nostalgic about my childhood when on Sunday afternoons my Mom would play some records that were from my parents time.   A lot of the music were from French artists since my family were from the islands.   One of my Mom's favorite artists was Mireille Mathieu.   She's a French singer born July 22, 1946, the oldest of 14 children in a town named Avignon.   She truly is the story of rising from rags to riches.   The family lived in poverty for many years and she worked various odd jobs to make ends meet.   She starting singing at age 4 and started singing at a local contest in 1962.   She lost twice before winning in 1964 singing a song by another famous French singer Edit Pilaf.   From there she worked her way up and went through her own ups and downs on her journey to being a world-wide musical sensation.

My Mom had several of Mireille's albums.   One of my favorite albums to listen to was her album J'étais si jeune, which translates to "I Was So Young".   Weren't we all?   It especially became my favorite since the album was released in 1972, the year of my birth.

My Mom would translate the songs for us to try and better understand.   I did appreciate the effort but always felt bad because I would later forget.   I hate thinking that my Mom's efforts were in vain.   They weren't though and what I couldn't forget was the amazing melodies themselves.   Music indeed is the universal language that evokes feelings no matter the language.  I remembered enjoying listening to them and the memories of seeing the joy in my Mom's face when it played.   She would lovingly sing along to the music.   They were happy times and it makes me miss my Mom.

This is why I wanted to take this time to translate the songs from Mireille's J'étais si jeune album.   I have to give credit to the Lyrics Translate website for the translates.   I'm so grateful that translations are so easily available today.   Without further ado, here is the translations of Mireille's album.

Song 1 - J'étais Si Jeune

Verse 1:

I was sixteen

The promises were beautiful

The days passed as if in a dream

When I saw him so grand in the sun

The fire of love flaired in me

Refrain:

I was so young for my first love

I was so young but it was my turn

It was my dream come true

I forgot everything when he held me tight

The sky all around danced

I could have died in his arms

So much did I already love him

Verse 2:

We gave ourselves all the joys of life

A marvelous passion

But he was a prisoner of his past

Another love waited for his return...

Refrain 2:

I was so young for my first love

I was so young, goodbye to my most precious days

It was my dream that shattered without a sound

I will never forget, throughout my life,

Those days passed close with him -

And the scars in the depths of my heart

Reminds me of my happiness

Outro:

I was so young for my first love

I was so young, but I think about it all the time

I was so young for my first love

I was so young, but I think about it all the time

My thoughts:  First off the song in English definitely does not sound as good.  I wouldn't change a thing about it though.  I do now remember my Mom telling me this song was about a first love.   I was young back then so didn't really understand that kind of love.   But I only had to live life to learn the same lessons that Mireille sang so beautifully.   I had to grow into love though.  I don't think I ever truly fell heads over heels with anyone.   I definitely fell in lust initially but I grew to love in time.   Such a beautiful song and a great way to start the album.

Song 2 - Le Chemin Du Ciel

Refrain:

To You

To You

To You

Verse 1:

To you the soldier of a fight you who had no other weapon or goal other than love

(To you)

To you the whole world runs to forget its tragedies and live better here below

Repeat Refrain

Verse 2:

To you the humiliated, the offended who fight under the weight of the burden of your cross

(To you)

To you a burning world turns and proclaims the right to have faith

Bridge:

All roads lead us to you

You are light and joy

All roads lead us to you

Listen to our voices

On this Earth as in a desert

Man is lost without you

It's your sun that will open it to him

The path to heaven

Repeat Refrain

Verse 3:

To you legions of twenty years throw to the four winds the echoes of their songs

(To you)

To you millions of unbelievers will seek a creed for a new world

Repeat Bridge

Repeat Refrain

My thoughts:  My mind is blown.  I never knew this song was a dedication to Jesus Christ.  Now that I think about it, when I hear the men in the background chant "to you", they did sound like a marching song.  And Jesus truly was a soldier who died on the cross for our sins.  Now that I know the meaning, I'll never think of the song in the same vein again.   

Song 3 - Corsica

Verse 1:

Your own love is your country

Your island is sunny day after day

For your life is the same color as the sky

Everything is finished

I won't come back and tonight,

We fall in love for the very last time

Refrain:

Goodbye Corsica, it's over

The love of your life was not me

Corsica, I'm leaving tonight

The love of your life is your country

Verse 2:

You love your big skies

And your plants in bloom and in your eyes

I see flames of so many pleasures

You think about them, and then you forget about me

I won't come back and tonight,

We will live to fall in love for the very last time

Repeat Refrain

Outro:

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Repeat Refrain

My thoughts:  This song is so short and sweet.  I didn't know what Corsica was growing up but now I know it's an island not far from Tuscany, Italy.   Clearly in the refrain you can hear the Italian influence in the melody.  In short it sounds like a song about a country that is no longer home for the singer in question as they leave to chart off on new adventures.

Song 4 - Une Passerelle

Verse 1:

A gangway and there you are on a plane, the plane waiting

A footbridge that is removed you leave and I see you leaving

A caravel went up there, my head is upside-down in the sky

And I stay there, I who believed that nothing was ever going to separate us

Refrain:

It all went away in one day, all this love, so strong, so sweet, yes

Everything went away our clear mornings when the Earth only turned for us

Verse 2:

Where will our honeymoons go if you never come back

Wherever you call me from, I leave everything immediately to go to you

Forget our quarrels, I will rush to throw myself into your arms

It was sunny and I stood there in despair, shivering but it wasn't the cold

Repeat Refrain several times

My thoughts: I don't remember this being a song I particularly liked.   And now that I see the lyrics in English, I can understand why.   Poor Mireille was pretty much a doormat in this song.   It's definitely not something to aspire to.   She lived her life only for her love and would drop everything, even to the detriment of her own well-being.   But I do get that.  When you are in love, you do silly things.  I will say I've done my share of "silly" for some guys but thankfully I woke up and smelled the coffee not too long afterwards.   Or I had a Eugene or Sally telling me the errors of my ways...repeatedly.  Till it sunk...LOL.

Song 5 - La Chanson Du Depart

Verse 1:

Never say no, never "goodbye"

The departure song, it's a "see you again"

Never say no, never "goodbye"

Into a drink with friends who are here tonight

Bridge 1:

They are coming to tell you goodbye

We are going to sing of love and hope

And pretend to believe

Verse 2:

We love each other and tomorrow you leave

The departure song, it's a "see you again"

Never say no, never "goodbye"

Think about us sometimes when you are happy

Bridge 2:

I would have wanted to sleep in your arms

And to forget that love had gone

Tomorrow for you and me

Verse 3:

If sometimes I close my eyes

Don't believe I will cry, it's better to see you

Never say no, never "goodbye"

The departure song, it's a "see you again"

It's a "see you again", nothing but a "see you again"

It's a "see you again", nothing but a "see you again"

Outro:

Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh ,oooh, oooh

Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh

My thoughts: I loved the melodies and harmonies of this song.   I do love this song is almost similar to the previous song except it doesn't give a sense that she's a doormat this time.   It's more like not wanting things to end but knowing that it has to.   But it'll be a happy memory when you think of that person again.   I do hear the slight Italian influences similar to Corsica.   I definitely enjoy listening to this on repeat.

Song 6 - En Frappant Dans Nos Mains

Verse 1: 

All together, we are there

The night is grand,

Populated joy,

Some people play

On their guitar

Then suddenly start a song

That the crowd resumes

Refrain:

Clapping our hands, we wait for the morning

We're ready to live, this life that we love

Clapping our hands, we forget our sorrows

We dream elsewhere, on a world of the best day

Verse 2:

Your eyes are blue

Mine are black

What is your God?

I want to know

All is magic around us

Everything seems easy and crazy

And the sky is at us

Repeat Refrain

Bridge:

I watch you and my heart beats

You're beautiful, I love you, I love

We're together and the happiness is there

My life starts with you

Verse 3:

We leave from the day

Across the horizon

And our love

To our friends

Cries 'thank you'

For grand and happy night

Who reunites us

Repeat Refrain

La, la, la, la, la, la...

My thoughts:  This song seemed like a good camp song.   Now that I see the words translated, it does seem like my sentiments fit here.   The best part is near the end where Mireille's accompanied by an unnamed singer who effortlessly repeats her every line until the end of the song.    This continues to be one of my favorite songs and was a good way to end "side one"...back when we had to flip the record over to continue hearing an album...LOL.

Song 7 - Adieu Je T'aime

Verse 1:

I'm getting married tomorrow

Say goodbye to me

And then get out

There's no more time

To tell me you love me

I'm getting married tomorrow

Say goodbye to me

This evening, you and I

No longer have the right 

To say "I love you" to each other

I'm getting married tomorrow

And you come back

It's too late

In our story

There's nothing left

But a little love

A little choice

In a blow of heartache

It's too late, you see

To say, "I love you"

Verse 2:

I'm getting married tomorrow

And yet, you know

If you wanted

We could have left

Both of us, together

I'm getting married tomorrow

You don't say anything 

You don't want any other duties

But a little pleasure

That we took together

And then you'll leave

It's no longer you 

It will never again be you

Who will hold me

In the hollows of your arms

Bridge:

So get out

There's no more time

To say "I love you"

I'm getting married tomorrow

Good bye, I love you

I'm getting married tomorrow

Good bye, I love you

I'm getting married tomorrow

Good bye, I love you

My thoughts:  This song always had a twinge of sadness in it.  It's quite a sad way to start the second half of a record.   In fact I thought of this song in recent years as a farewell song to my Mom, especially the ending where it's sung "Good bye, I love you".  Obviously now that I know the song is about a guy who lost his chance at a love for procrastinating and not expressing his feelings, the song takes on a different meaning.   Yes guy, she's getting married tomorrow.  Did you hear her?  She repeats it several times over.    However I choose to remember the sentiment I had on the song prior to the translation.   I love and miss my Mom so much.   Such a beautiful and sad song.

Song 8 - Ils S'en Vont Tous Un Jour 

Verse 1:

Don't cry Fanny

Do not cry

It's not yet today

That your love Fanny will come back to you

His beautiful journey is not finished

Refrain:

They all go away one day that we love and nothing can ever hold them

They all go away one day that we love they have that day their most beautiful smile

Is it the mountain or is it the sea or the sky that comes to us take them one morning

They all go away one day that we love neither you nor I will we never be able to do anything

Verse 2:

Don't stay Fanny

There on the port

It's starting to get cold outside

Long is the wait

We don't get used to it

I knew her just like you

Repeat Refrain

My thoughts:  I just remembered the intro to the song breaking me out of the somber left from the previous song.   I will say the translation seems a bit weird.   I feel sorry that there are folks with the name "Fanny".   But maybe "Fanny" is the girl in the song "Une Passerelle" (song 4) who stays out in the cold too long when Mireille sings in Verse 2 to not stay out in the port in the cold.   I hope you listened Fanny.   I do love the beat of the song if nothing else.

Song 9 - Emporte-Moi

Verse 1:

Take me aboard a great love 

In a long-term dream all around the Earth

Take me between sky and water

Towards new countries bursting with light

I stayed on this platform too long 

To watch from other hearts on a cruise

Come take my hands in your dreams

And let our love show us the way

Verse 2:

Take me aboard a great love 

In a long-term dream all around the Earth

Take me everyday of your life

Every hour of your days in each of your dreams

I want to love you like we no longer love each other

How afraid we are to love today

When we love I want to love you like you only love once

And build this love with you every day

Bridge:

We must remember the dreams before they end

Let time take them away 

I closed the door to dream with you

Repeat Verse 2

My thoughts:  The Italian influence is strong in this song as well.   I like the sentiment of the song.  It's mostly fantasy obviously but it's nice to dream grandiose thoughts when being with the one you love.

Song 10 - Quand J'entends Cet Air-Là

Verse 1:

When I hear that tune

Love is good, close to you

When I hear that tune

This is the signal that you are home

As I live below I hear this tune when you play it

When everything is asleep I will see you without making noise

Refrain:

Beating heart I join you

My parents don't know anything about it

In your arms until the morning under the roofs

We are so good

Verse 2:

When I hear that tune

Love is good, close to you

How to go back down

It's a long day without you

When I hear that tune

Everything is changed, I dance with joy

It's night and it's time

On the stairs I tremble and I'm afraid

Refrain 2:

In your room we are hidden

And without fear we can love each other 

Under the roofs we see the sky 

And sometimes the Eiffel Tower

Verse 3:

When I hear that tune

Love is good, close to you

One day we will be taken

And without fanfare we will get married

As I only think about that

Everytime my heart beats

When I hear that tune

Love is good, my love

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

My thoughts:  I liked the melody of this song and who wouldn't love a guy who has a room with the view of the Eiffel Tower.   Dom and I talk about going to Paris one day to see it.    He has been years back but not with anyone he loves.   I do hope we get to see the Eiffel Tower in person one day.   Yes that's what I got out of this song...LOL.

Song 11 - Dieu Te Garde

Refrain:

God bless you, oh my love

God keep you, until I return

God saves you from the bad days

I have to leave my love

Verse 1:

When time tells you (forget)

When the wind tells you (forget)

And when day after day you will remain alone

All alone in life

When your heart tells you (forget)

When the night tells you (forget)

And when it gets cold

That winter will come bringing the rain

Repeat Refrain

Verse 2:

When boredom tells you (forget)

When love tells you (forget)

And that adventure 

Will open arms to that nostalgia

Repeat Refrain twice

My thoughts - The song starts with a rock type of beat which is catchy.   And I'm laughing at the word "forget".  In French the backing singers say "oublie".   All these years I thought they were singing "Ooh  Wee"...LOL.   From the mind of babes.   I never corrected myself till now.    It reminds me how for the longest time when SWV sang Downtown (and what a departure from Mireille...LOL) I thought they were talking about going downtown shopping.   It wasn't till years later I realized they were talking about oral sex.    Even Coko admitted in an interview she thought it was about shopping at first.   I'll choose to sing "forget" as "ooh wee" thank you very much.

Last Song - Pleure Mon Coeur

Verse 1:

Cry my heart - cry my heart

Cry, cry, my heart

You who were made to sing

The joy of life - cry, my heart

What makes the bird fall from the sky?

What does the wounded bird do?

He no longer can fly

He cannot even sing anymore

Like the bird, I'm cold - I'm scared

You can cry, cry, my heart

Bridge:

My heart, you remember

He had taught me everything - it was beautiful - it was good

He knew how to take me away

On mad trips to sunny islands

The world was mine

For a moment of joy in the clasp of his arms

You, my heart, you beat

And you laughed and you sang

Verse 2:

Cry my heart - cry my heart

Cry, cry, my heart

You who were made to sing

The joy of life - cry, my heart

What does the child that you abused do?

What does the lost child do?

He does not know why

But he knows that you do not love him

Like the child, I'm cold - I'm scared

You can cry, cry, my heart

I love him - 

I love him - 

I love him - 

I love him - 

I love him -

I love him - 

My thoughts:  This song always spooked me as a kid.   When I started watching horror movies, the movie Jason theme reminded me of this song.    I remember that Mom would always start this side of the album first and then the other side which was the first half.   And now I know why.   What a sad tragic song to end the album on.    It is hauntingly beautiful especially the ending where she repeats "I love him..." till you barely hear her over the louder and louder music, the Jason horror ending.

Hot Cop Short

 

No I didn't get pulled over recently by a hot cop.   But OMG...this video gave me the laughs that I didn't know I needed today.   This woman definitely did her part to get herself out of a parking ticket.    The cop in question (assuming it wasn't a staged video) was all smiles and damn it, he is hot.   She threw a few truth bombs in there such as if all cops that were hired were as hot as he was, there would be no violence.    I just had to share this video with whomever still reads my blog and most importantly for me to periodically look at when I need a smile on my face.   

I have been pulled over by office cutie decades back.   I wish I could've gotten away with doing this.   Maybe I wouldn't have gotten a ticket.   Though I wound up getting that ticket dismissed.  Who knew too that I would wind up relocating almost ten years after that incident to Indiana, not far from where I had to go to court that time.   Hopefully this woman didn't get one either.   She definitely put a smile on my face and also on officer cutie.

Hodge Podge

 I stumbled across a YouTube channel that I used to watch on the regular in the mid 2010's.   They were a pair of sexy physically fit twins named Keith and Kevin Hodge born in Virginia.   They started their original channel to try and see if they could supplement their income while both were working as insurance agents.    Things quickly took off for them and it wasn't long before the money they made off Youtube was enough for them to quit their jobs and do their channel full-time.

Most of their early work comprised of answering "viewer" letters that they received asking them for advice on various topics like Friends With Benefits, Getting Your Partner To Go Downtown, or Signs Your Partner is Cheating.   Their videos would start with antics where Keith will initially be sitting alone on camera on the right-hand side background and Kevin will slowly appear on camera, primping and posing and starting off the topic before Keith would leap up in front and playfully shove Kevin aside saying "Move out the way" before he starts primping and posing himself and eventually tag-teaming with Kevin on the given topic.   Some of their older videos which I can't find anymore they used to actually read the letters and at the end Keith would always say "but you can do whatever the fuck you wanna do".    I loved hearing them talk about "mushroom tips" and "getting in sugar walls".

I definitely enjoyed watching their antics and while both are hot, I had more of an attraction to Keith.   He was the more serious of the two twins and maybe that's what appealed to me.    Both were big on fitness and also had various fitness videos as well both on their channel and as guests on other Youtube fitness channels.   They also for a time made various food videos where they review items from various restaurants.

Anyway they got so big that they started scheduling comedy shows and selling merchandise.   I never did attend any of them and I remember stopping watching them after they started showing their "conversative side".

Apparently they lost a large number of their viewers once they did so.   I was also dismayed to learn that they are Donald Trump fans.   I just can't imagine anyone with a brain supporting him.   Plus it seems like a lot of their posts are on attacking trans folk.    They come across as ignorant during those times.

But I do feel like a lot of it is that people will root for their team no matter what.   In their case since they consider themselves conservative, they'll support Trump no matter what.   The same happens on the other side as well.   I know growing up we were raised to support liberal no matter what.   The Hodge Twins were no exception as black men growing up in a liberal family.   But somewhere along the way they decided that their opinions lean more on the conservative side.   

I will say that I have found that I have some conservative values.   I do believe in individualism in the sense that I believe in relying on myself to make things better.   At the same time though I do know sometimes folks may need a helping hand.   I just don't like it if people abuse the system (whether they receive welfare instead of betting themselves or get to shield the majority of their riches from being taxed and not helping those in need).   Also a person's individualism should not infringe on any other person's rights.   

But getting back to the Hodge twins.  I actually do find their videos to be entertaining.   Even though they tend to harp on the negative stereotypes of black folks, they do sometimes seem to try and apply logic in trying to understand the other side of things.   For example they drew a conclusion that if a trans woman "tricked" them into having sex, they would not consider themselves to be gay since they were attracted to the feminine aspects of the person.   I also agree with them that trans women (though I wonder how they feel about trans men) should not trick straight guys into having sex with them.   I do get that they are attracted to straight men but I feel that honesty is the best policy.   If a guy doesn't want them because they are trans, they have to move on to the next.   I've had to learn that lesson with gay guys that weren't attracted to me so that should be the same with trans.

I think for me what I most like about the Hodge twins is that it's cool seeing how they both interact with each other.   They are brothers in every sense of the word.   They joke around with each other and have an inside language all their own.   They seem to balance each other out too.   Kevin is the mellow jokester to Keith's stern serious nature.

I always remember wishing I had a twin growing up.   I feel like my life would've been more interesting.   I do wonder if my twin would be a carbon copy of me or if he would be completely opposite of me.   

Seeing the Hodge twins interact fulfills that fantasy for me.  I do believe that is their main appeal even if on the underlying level I do not agree with a lot of what they say.    Needless to say I'll still occasionally watch their videos.

A Coughing Matter

 Another new year has officially made its way.   It's a reminder of how fast time is flying.   As far as major accomplishments go, I would say my biggest one was paying off my oldest credit card debt.   I am at the point thankfully that I'm able to pay off my credit card balance every month w/o carrying over debt that would quickly snowball into interest.   Workwise I obtained 3 new certifications and received recognition for my work from management.   I'm in the process of renewing my Comptia Sec+ certification that is set to expire 01/11/24.    Thankfully they give an option (for $200) to take a training module and successfully pass five assessments to renew it.   The alternative is to retake the exam for $329.   I am not utilizing my Sec+ knowledge since I'm not in a cybersecurity role but nonetheless I do feel like it's a good one to have on my skillsets.  I so far completed four modules and passed 100% after several dozen attempts (each assessment)...LOL.   I anticipate finishing the last module by this weekend, well before my current cert is set to expire.

Dom and I made it through another year of living together for better or worse.   We're currently experiencing the worse part of it.    As a school teacher he is unfortunately susceptible to catching "bugs" that his students and/or fellow teachers have.    One of his teachers was out of the office and in the hospital for the RSV that seems to be the latest virus plaguing the U.S.   He started feeling stuffy and coughing violently the week before their holiday.   He forced himself to go to work (because he was no more time off) which I think helped me initially not succumb to it.    In fact I left for Detroit while he was at work on his last day.

So I was fine while in Detroit.  I staved off a potential sore throat that was coming my way prior to going.   I came back home on the 26th and the next day I started getting sore throat symptoms again.   I tried gargling with salt water like I did the week prior but it didn't go away.    I woke up on the 28th with a severe sore throat.   I continued to gargle to no avail and drank hot tea with honey and lemon.  Dom in the meantime was still hacking and feeling stuffy.   I didn't feel any cold symptoms.   That changed the morning of the 30th.

I was disappointed because I was planning to hang with Eugene and his friend on NYE but knew I would not be in any condition if I was coughing and sneezing.   Things got worse on NYE and I knew that I would not be making it there, my third year in the row not attending.   2021 I had "stone drama" and in 2022 I was in Detroit.   I am glad we did get together over the summer for a day this year at least.   I was feeling feverish as well and barely ate.    Dom made some tasty beef barley soup that I did manage to eat a bowl and half of it.   I popped some Tylenol and before 9 I decided to head upstairs and spend the rest of the night in bed.   I opted to watch a Netflix movie called "The Noel Diary"   It honestly wasn't that great though I was pleasantly surprised to see cameos by Dexter's Dad actor James Remar and none other than Half & Half actress Essence Atkins who is my age.   The lead actor in the role was pleasing to the eye but the lead actress worked my nerves.    The ending was so stupid too.   But it did help me pass the time.   I went to bed just around midnight (I could tell because our resident idiot[s] was [were] out shooting firecrackers or a gun).   So that's how I rung in the New Year.

I'm not coughing as much today but it's still there.   And my mucus continues to feel very thick even though I'm trying to drink more water.   I'm actually trying different approaches.   I took a zinc pill and also some manuka honey and black seed oil.   I also resumed gargling and did a neti.   Dom and I went to the store on the 30th and I bought some knock off Lysol that was 80% cheaper that I've been spraying periodically hoping to kill the virus we keep spewing when either of us coughs.   I unfortunately go back to work tomorrow though I may opt for a sick day to give me one more day of recovery.   I have days that will go to waste so I may just do that.

Dom says he's almost at the tail end of his cold though he still has the cough.   I am praying this goes away.   It's not the way I wanted to end or start the year.   Not that I welcome this at any time.   Uggh.