Telethons and the Elusive BCHF Factor Not Yet Accounted For

Alright, I thought I had seen it all but it appears that this upcoming campaign is going to be a one upmanship of you ain't seen nothing yet!

Latest on the gall front is the Republican proposal to turn their convention into something akin to a Jerry Lewis Telethon. Before Gustav has even arrived yet, the dark side has already begun a spun of how to try and take a national disaster and use it to their benefit.

Folks, I'm talking about a get-out-the-hankies-and-the-credit-card and let's call in a pledge, tacky.

Now. Don't get me wrong. I'm not against providing to relief to those in crisis. I'm not against the Red Cross. I'm not against helping anyone in our nation who needs assistance. What I find distasteful about this proposal (clink title above to link to the NPR article) is taking what should clearly be a non-partison, all-hands, every-American-pitch-in event and try and make it into a Republican versus Democrat, who-can-be-more-compassionate bull-shit-athon.

Really - if this is only the latest shot of the campagne and not the be all end all, my stomach may completely turn before I ever get to the polls!

And, all the while the media both "liberal" and Anti-Decency-Fox-Network outlets claim to have some insight into the process that we all lack. That Obama's numbers fall while McCains' rise and somehow they are supposed to be neck and neck. Are you blind? Did you not see the largest collected audience in political convention history last week? Are your fingers so numb from spinning hype that there's no feeling left in the finger-tips to even FEEL the pulse of America?

What the media isn't taking into account is a as-yet-unnamed or explained index I like to call the BCHF index.

What that is, is - the BUSH CHENEY HATE FACTOR. Like most Americans I will watch the debates. I may weigh the pros and cons of each side. I'll put on my thoughtful face and see if Palin has any redeeming factors what-so-ever (so far, we're coming up way short). And, I'll grimace at the thought of Hillary's disaffected jumping ship to a McCain ticket.

But just before the polls, people will look at the current administration and man, woman, liberal, middle-of-the-road, Clinton-loving, Black, White, Gay, Straight, Purple-people-eating alike will all say "WHAT WAS I THINKING!?" "Four more years of anything resembling the current Domestic-Axis-of-Evil is just plain LUNACY".

Why don't I just take my retirement and load it into the toilet and pull the handle? Why don't I just push my Prius off a cliff? Because at this pace, the cost of fuel won't even allow me to fill up that tank. Why don't I just stack my furniture furniture into a pyramid and light it on fire? Because if, I live in an oil-heated home, it may be my only option of staying alive this winter. Or, why don't I just lock myself in a bubble, like John Travolta in that movie from the 70's because if I ever get any kind of communicable disease or anything require more than Aspirin, it will be the equivalent to a death sentence without health insurance!

No. The BCHF will kick in and this could be a landslide election the likes of which my generation has only seen on the History Channel. I firmly believe this.

That does not dissolve my necessity to get out and vote, or to talk at every opportunity or do whatever I can to help - but in the end - I trust my neighbors and community aren't suicidal-lunatic-401k flushing-Ditto-heads - DESPITE what media polls may show today, they will come to their senses, and do the right thing.

There's no way at this juncture to account for the BCHF - but as we get closer to election time: Watch Out.

On the Way to San Antonio

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My friend Daniel, aka Miss Tution is visiting and we're going to head out to the San Antonio Round Up.

We're having a slow morning because we were up late last night visiting. So here he is with his coffee and I'm having pomegranate tea.

But crawling back in to bed seems like an option.
www.everythingchristopher.blogspot.com

Labor Day Saturday in Austin Texas

I'm having pomegranate tea this morning. It's a white tea that they sell at Trader Joe's in Sacramento so I'm missing California just a wee bit this morning.

They don't have Trader Joe's here (yet), and it's one of those places you don't realize how much you love, until it's not just down the street anymore!

Kelly was sweet enough to remember that I loved this tea and shipped it to me from Sacramento, wasn't that nice of her!?

This picture is the dots from the Blanton Museum here in Austin. It's a great museum and when you pay your admission the give you a dot to put on your shirt.

Once people walk out they tend to put all the dots on the telephone polls outside the museum. So, walking down the street after, there were dots all over the place!

My Weight Progress as of August 2008

So, I wanted to provide a visual for my friends and family on my progress. But, I need to do this as much for myself to give myself some encouragement since I've hit a short plateau.

Plateaus of course are natural. It levels off before some more weight loss, but you know how anxious I am! So, here's a visual reminder for myself and so that you can see too how far I've come, really in just a short time. It averages to just under a half a pound a day. Which, is pretty good!

There. I said it, "Pretty Good!".

Be well.

Bowlathon 2008

Good times
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

We had a great time this weekend bowling with friends. Here's a picture of our friend Eric and Rob.

Which one is the real blond huh?

Hmm.
www.everythingchristopher.blogspot.com

Just a Pretty Window

photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

Was in New Orleans and went into this hat shop. They do custom couture hats, that are - unbelievable. We had a good laugh, as everyone there was so nice.

I showed them princess la la's glowing shoe and they were mesmerized - as is everyone who sees it!

Another Fun Weekend In Austin - Blinding Performance

We had a wonderful weekend. Our friend Eric had his family visiting from West Virginia so we had a pool party at Janis' Dog House. There was swimming and Wii. We played Rock Band and it was great fun, including a fantastic rendition of Roxanne by Wishbone. Awesome.

Saturday was the Queer Idol show fund raiser. I sang with Eric accompanying on the piano. He was awesome! I, on the other hand, went completely blank in the bright lights. The spotlight was so blinding that I forgot what I was going to sing. It was really like that Brady Bunch episode where Cindy Brady goes blank looking at the camera light. Yikes.

It was also the weekend where Jon moved in, aka: Selena Medina our friend the Latina. We've been friends for a little while now so I think this should work out well. The only draw back is that I don't have a poor picture of him in all of my gallery of photos. I mean - WHO takes a perfect picture everytime? Never one with the eyes closed, or mouth contorted. Wow. Like a freak of nature. I'm determined to get a seriously ugly picture of him. We'll see if I'm successful or not.

I hope you all are doing well. I'm currently 246 from a start weight of 280. So, plugging along! Slowly but surely!

Take care and keep us updated on what's going on with you!

So pictures from top to bottom:

1. Our friend Felony Conviction aka Jeremy. I prefer to call him Miss Demeanor.

2. Rob and Jon, painting Jon's room on move in day (August 2, 2008)

3. Jon, trying to catch him spontaneously in an ugly pose. Nope.

4. Princess Ethel Karen, Desha and Linda at Q.I. 2008.

5. Our friends Heidi Ho and Miss Monique at Q.I. 2008.

6. Janis working the camera at Q.I. 2008.

The Weekend of So Much Fun

Well, I lost more weight this week. Now, it's 246 from a start of 280. So, slowly but surely. We had our Idol weekend last Saturday. Where I sang (or attempted to, no really - attempted) and Eric played the piano. He did such a good job! I wish I'd practiced more because he worked so hard and when the lights hit me it was like that episode of when Cindy Brady goes on TV. I was all .. what? duh.

Eric was so sweet and played a few extra stanzas until I could remember what the damn words were! It was horrible and we didn't make it even into the top 7. Sorry Eric! I'll try harder next time! If there ever is one.

We worked to clean up the hall on Sunday as we have been for a few weeks now. And, Friday was Eric's pool party. His family came to visit from West Virginia so we were over at Janis' playing the Wii and having a great time.

I hope you're doing well! If you haven't checked out facebook lately, I've been uploading pictures and stuff - so check it out at facebook.com

Take care!

This I Believe - Essay

Alright Rob.. stop nagging! ...or, the next essay of "This I Believe" I write will be .. "I Believe in the Lethality of Whining". LOL.

I wrote an essay for NPR's series of "This I believe". After several months, still no word.

We were driving in the car the other day listening to a podcast of the NPR program and I mentioned, off-the-cuff, "Oh. I wrote an essay and sent it in sometime ago but haven't heard from KUT the local NPR affiliate". He was all.. "what?"

So after Rob read it he insisted I post it on here and even instituted a deadline. So, here it is....

This I Believe. I Believe in Matrimony:

At an alter two years ago I stood surrounded by my friends and family. I resisted this day. Not because I didn’t love the man I was about to give my vow to, not because I had any particular fear, or cold feet about it. It was a decision we made, together, years before based on testimony from those who had ventured down the isle before us – many who found themselves disillusioned by ugly divorces and broken hearts. “Unnecessary”, or some variation, some had called it. And up until the moment I looked around, accompanied by those who had brought me life and through it I couldn’t deny that my non-belief in matrimony was being dispelled.

I arrived at this day, not because I’d had a sudden nuptial-epiphany. It occurred to me in Christmas 2005 that my parents were aging. For years my Mother and family had inquired if we were ever going to get married. “Unnecessary” or some variation of the answer I’d respond. I was delicate – not wanting to appear uncaring for their belief in a tradition that they nearly all had taken part in.

It was encouraging that they held such a high regard for an institution so many of my friends disparaged. But as I watched my Mother standing over a steaming pot of Tamales, as she had for a multitude of Christmas eves and my Father appearing non-phased by the overexcited grand children asking if they could open their gifts – that all of a sudden tradition seemed to be something impermanent. It would require successive generations to carry on these tasks and to reinvest in their importance for them to continue. It was in that moment that I realized if I changed my mind about the “necessity” of matrimony those that I would want most with me on that day, might not be here.

I became emboldened through my melancholy and before I knew the words were coming out of my mouth, I asked my family “What do you think about a wedding?” My sister in law Gina stopped stirring the beans, my Sister Rocki looked up from the table, and my mother, who is a stroke-survivor, did her unsuccessful best to not contort her face before she began to cry.

I recall these memories now that I live in Texas, far from my family in Sacramento.

I remember the lovely April day - rainy on the outside - sunny on the inside. We decided to make it a surprise wedding – another story in itself. But after 16 years, I was fairly assured that Rob wouldn’t decline the proposal.

In the moments before our walk began, I peered down from the balcony at the gathered guests, array of family-favorite wedding cakes and Mariachi musicians and I was assured I was doing the right thing.

And in that moment, when I said “I do”, it was though I was responding to the question, “Do you believe in marriage?” “I do.”

Christopher lives in Austin, Texas with his Husband Rob. They celebrate their wedding Anniversary, April 2nd. They've been together since October, 1989.

The Most Awesome July Ever

So we're recovering from our 4th of July weekend, that was packed with so much fun. We enjoyed spending time with friends and enjoying the fireworks. Our friend David TMT hosted a wonderful rooftop party to watch the fireworks over downtown. I made a 4-layer berry biegnet. It was tasty and tall. Then we celebrated our friend Rob's birthday at the Romeos restaurant on Barton Springs. It was good food and great fun. Earlier that morning we had taken our aim at trying disc-golf for the first time. We went to Zilker Park to meet with Mike and Jeff and throw the disc around. It was a good time. Then that evening we were back at Zilker Park at the theatre to see Beauty and the Beast. Our friend Leslie was onstage as Lumier the candelabra. What fun that was! We had a dessert picnic and it was a lovely evening. On the weight loss front it hadn't been going well. I began to refer to my lapband as the hoola-hoop because it was about as big and about as effective at stopping/slowing food into the stomach. Holy jamoly. All that money, time and effort - and nothing. But, that was just me being discouraged and not getting results from the scale as fast as I'd like. I've now gone to the Drs. office and had a new saline fill. This time they added some more at my request - and I can already tell the difference, and it's only been 48 hours. I'm hardly eating but don't feel like I'm suffering so much. I don't know if I feel "full" as much as I feel nauseous at the thought of eating. But hey, I'm not starving - and that was what I most feared. I hate feeling deprived and hungry and I haven't felt either of those things. Let's see how it goes. Starting weight: 280 - Today: 253.