Pee&Poo

Jadielady sent me an email with some funny pictures. One of the pictures was this image. I thought OMG how funny and "surely not?" Hail Yes! They are actually available for sale for about $35-$45. Google it to price them but Go here for the official website:

Pee&Poo

I can't help but think:

that my Christmas shopping is over.

every parent needs these if just for a giggle

there's a sub-culture that has been waiting for these.

and, I'd settle for a Musinex Germ Plush Guy stuffie.

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Durn... power of suggestion, brb.

Feeling Witchy

I Am 60% Witch

I've got some pretty witchy stuff going on. Even if I'm not a witch, I've got to admit that I'm a little freaky. I have a strong independent streak - social norms be damned. More power to me. Luckily, the time when I would have been burned at the stake has passed!

Are You a Witch?

I got my candy

What Your Love of Snickers Says About You

I am a very popular person. People can always find something about me to like. I am friendly and approachable. It's easy to feel comfortable around me. I am lively, playful, and sweet. But I am also substantial too. No matter what the situation is, I am good company... and the ideal best friend.

What Does Your Favorite Candy Say About You?

Happy Halloween

Oh! Now that's a Plumpkin!

Blackjack II

Think back to August and the Olympics. Samsung had a Medal Mania contest. They hid gold medals around the internet and you had to find them. I was hoping to win the $100,000.00 Grand Prize, but that seems to have eluded me. But I did win this cell phone: The Samsung Blackjack II.
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Now that I have it I don't know what to do with it.
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I'm sure you just raised an eyebrow or something akin to that. Let me help you understand. Before I received this, I did not have a cell-phone. Well that's a 1/2 lie. I do have a pay-as-you-go Virgin "whatever" phone that I keep in my car and hardly ever use. I tend to be a land-line guy that writes letters to family and friends (well mostly family). The car-phone is more there for emergencies and has mega-minutes on it. It's a comfort item for those "I'm in a pickle" moments. Kind of like the time I was shot at on I-64 (window got blown out) and needed the Virginia State Police to come.
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It's not something I really need. A cell phone was not an item I was jones'n to have. I'm not a gadget guru. The novelty of it is nice and fun to think about. I could sell it, but I don't really know what kind of price to put on it. Not having bought a cell phone before, just reading on the internet I see all sorts of combinations of phone and plan. The phone alone seems to be worth about $300.00 and I admit the plans just confuse me. Maybe that's because I just don't have the patience at the moment to want to think about it. Heck it took 10 weeks to get to me, I figure I can take a few more to figure out what I want to do with it.
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Durn, why couldn't I have won Jason Lezak? Now him, I could work.

Let's be social

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'Twas the night before elections
And all through the town
Tempers were flaring
Emotions all up and down!
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I, in my bathrobe
With a cat in my lap
Had cut off the TV
Tired of political crap.
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When all of a sudden
There arose such a noise
I peered out of my window
Saw Obama and his boys
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They had come for my wallet
They wanted my pay
To give to the others
Who had not worked a day!
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He snatched up my money
And quick as a wink
Jumped back on his bandwagon
As I gagged from the stink
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He then rallied his henchmen
Who were pulling his cart
I could tell they were out
To tear my country apart!
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'On Fannie, on Freddie,
On Biden and Ayers!
On Acorn, On Pelosi
He screamed at the pairs!
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They took off for his cause
And as he flew out of sight
I heard him laugh at the nation
Who wouldn't stand up and fight!
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So I leave you to think
On this one final note
If you don’t want socialism
Get out and Vote!

PASS !!!

Never Give Up, Never Surrender!

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In last night's post I shared an email I received, wondering if it was the real deal or not. I let an anonymous poster temporarily defeat me. He/she pointed out that Bill Lear (of Lear Jet fame) died in May 1978. And so he did die, of Leukemia. But I'm defying that defeat by re-posting because as it turns out, it's a valid post. Thank you again Anonymous commenter. But if you'll read my by-line, you'll realize I'm stubborn. And my mother would agree!
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Most Americans are aware of Bill Lear, because of his Lear Jet business; however, he has accomplished much more, as you can see at this link: William P. Lear – Britannica Online Encyclopedia (only shared that because it's part of the email) His opinions are worth a read
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A Humble Plea to both McCain and Obama Supporters:
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Dear friends, (you'll understand towards the end)
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I am truly astonished by the ignorance Obama supporters have displayed in their quest to get someone - ANYONE - into the White House. Now, wait a minute. I can well understand your dislike or even hatred of our clown, GWB, but he is not the root cause of all of our problems. Our Congress is. And a change there would be welcomed by all. You ain't gonna get it done with Obama. You gotta fire the whole damnable crooked Congress. (Read my book, "BERNIE'S WAR!")
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Perhaps I'm looking at all of this from a different perspective than you because my life experiences have been so different from yours. I'm 80-years old and have traveled the world where I've seen a great deal. I spent five years on active duty as a fighter pilot in the USAF and another seven years flying with the Air National Guard in California and Texas as well as a few years flying in the USAF Reserve. I spent three years on active duty in Germany flying Czech border patrol with "cold guns" in aircraft inferior to the MIG during the Korean "Police Action" when it was thought that Korea was a diversion for a Soviet invasion of Western Europe.
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I lived abroad for a total of 28 years. Three years in Germany, twenty years in Switzerland and five years in Great Britain where I was based doing "spook" work for the U.S. behind the Iron Curtain before it fell. During that era of the Cold War I ventured to Moscow, Prague, Warsaw, Bucharest, Peshawar, Pakistan and Bulgaria posing as a Swiss French-speaking arms dealer purchasing weapons we surreptitiously supplied to the Afghani Mujahedeen in their successful fight against the Soviets - all of which came back to haunt us.
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I've been there and done that and have had close associations with top government people in Germany, the Netherlands and Great Britain. I've had more foreign affair experience than Obama could ever dream of and, yet, wouldn't have the temerity to deign myself "Presidential" material; although I feel eminently more qualified to judge who would NOT be best for our country. My long-time world experience should count for something in my plea to you to abandon this miscreant flake. You will only be doing yourself and our country an enormous disservice if you persist in your support of this flash-in-the-pan opportunist. On this, you MUST trust me.
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I've associated closely with European royalty and African politicians. I've traveled to the Far East to observe their cultures. My point is that Obama, although formally well educated and a brilliant orator, is a neophyte when it comes to understanding the world and is uniquely unqualified for the job as President of these great United States. His knowledge of economics is nil and his tax proposals absurd and life-threatening to the U.S. not only in economic terms but in preserving our national security as well. I don't want a "citizen of the world" to be President, I want a citizen of the good old USA to be President.

Screw the rest of the world as they have well and truly screwed us. The time has come for us to awaken and start looking after ourselves. Now THAT would be CHANGE if that's what you're looking for. While McCain has abstained from playing "the race-card", Obama is playing it to the hilt even though he's technically not an African-American. To qualify for this distinction you must be at least one-sixth black. Obama is only one-eighth. His father would be, as he was one-sixth. No, Obama is more Muslim than black yet he trades on his blackness.
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The larger question I have about him is that we really don't know much about him other than what HE tells us, what we read on blogs and from some serious non-partisan investigators whose factual reports are, unfortunately, generally ignored and which receive precious little media exposure.
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I, as a registered Independent, a military veteran and a patriot, beseech you to put aside party considerations and vote for the lesser of the two evils. Yes, I am NOT a McCain supporter, but he is, at least, not a flake, doesn't carry Muslim baggage and is a PROVEN hero and patriot WITH experience. It's not a party issue. It's all about electing the best we can trust with what we've got to work with. Mr. Obama is NOT that guy.
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Please, please rethink your voting position. Thanks for reading my innermost thoughts. I care about all of you, but I care more about our country. Please help me to do both.
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William P. (Bill) Lear, Jr. (b. 5/24/1928, very much alive)
lear@cfl.rr.com
Son of William P. (Bill) Lear (b. 6/26/1902, d. 5/14/1978)
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Pass!

7 Days remain

Everyone once in a while you'll get an email that you don't know if it's true or accurate or not. I tried to figure out the following letter/thoughts and did find it on the Investor's Iraq Forum. I could not disprove it on Snopes or TruthorFiction. But I tend to lean toward wanting to share it because I relate to the sentiment. So what the heck:

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A serious comment by Bill Lear (Lear jet)
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Thank you to the anonymous blog-commentor.
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But you're WRONG!

Absent Minded

How can one teeny little item that you use on occasion cause so much discomfort, disarray, and frustration. I suppose with the change in weather it was bound to happen. And in the fall I tend to get a cold sore that I protect against. Well the chapping of the lips caught me off guard. I always have a trusty tube of lip balm around. This past Thursday they were just bothering me beyond belief and I went to find my tube before work and couldn't find it. Now all my toiletries are always in the same place. I began a morning, crap I need to get to work, run around the house, throwing things every which way for a white and blue tube of goo. Nothing. So at work I went down to the convenient store that we have and purchased this:

Carmex, for cold sores and dry chapped lips. I had never heard of this brand. Never. So I bought it and tried and I like it very much. It's cool and mentholated. mmmmmmm, my lips feel so much better. It's my new buddy for the winter. Oh no, I just found my Vaseline Lip Therapy and he is pissed. Figures... and I still have to clean up the mess he caused.

A bit about me

Meme Time
I'm lifting this from earth2karen who pilfered it from Sassy and Tina:
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I am: Trying to restructure my life patterns.
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I think: I should have left work on time yesterday to mow the lawn.
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I know: Jesus loves stupid people.
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I want: Immortality.
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I have: Very tolerant friends.
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I wish: I had more energy
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I hate: And can’t forgive the boys that mugged and raped me when I was 12. They challenge my prejudice everyday.
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I miss: Andrew
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I fear: Black cars on I-64. I wonder if I’m going to get shot at again.
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I hear: That the 2008 Presidential Election is right around the corner. You’d think that the news would report on that a little bit more.
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I smell: Smoke…. Oh, that’s me.
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I crave: Carbohydrates, damn it.
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I seek: To know the blonde guy at work a bit better.
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I wonder: If the blonde guy at work digs dudes.
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I regret: Trying to burn a house down when I was a teenager. I also, oddly, regret failing.
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I love: My dog.
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I ache: At my left shoulder and left hip. I don’t care if the x-rays came back negative. I know something’s not right.
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I was not: Guilty of pelting the substitute high school music teacher with an acorn. It was probably Obama.
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I’m not: A Barack Obama follower.
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I cry: When I watch the Color Purple.
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I believe: That children are our future… oh please! shyeah right!
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I dance: Unexpectedly, anyplace. Just to make you giggle.
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I sing: Similar to how I dance.
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I read: And write all day long and come home and do more of the same.
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I don't: Have a significant other.
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I fight: More intelligently now that I’m older.
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I write: And read all day long and come home and do more of the same.
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I win: When luck is on my side.
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I lose: Cause I’m best friends with Murphy.
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I never: …Oh yes I do.
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I always: …and often do.
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I confuse: My co-worker on purpose.
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I listen: But you do not hear.
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I’m found: At work or at home and often at friends.
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I’m scared: Of heights.
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I need: A lovah with a slow hand…
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I’m happy: Most of the time since age has mellowed me.

TAG You're It !!

Boss Lady

Today I was dreading my monthly meeting with my BossLady (BL). I'm fairly good at what I do and I take a lot of pride in how I do my job. But this has not been my year. The type of work that has crossed my desk has been idiotically complicated, required a lot of research beyond the norm, and heavily focused in an area that is by far my biggest weakness. I can run circles around people in the areas I'm fully competent in. But this one area has been the bane of my work existence. My work-items drag toward resolution and I'm not confident of my results. I tend to be overly critical and analytical in my research. But I'm like that because people's money is at stake and I believe I owe it to them to be thorough; whether they get a positive or negative outcome.

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I swamped with these hateful work-items. So I took my labored ass into my meeting to have a *Thomas sucks and I need help* session. Gawd, I hate asking for help and/or understanding or guidance about my own performance. Usually my monthly meets take all of 5 minutes. My new BL has been in her position for 4 months now. Each of my meetings has been 45 minutes or more since she came on board. She has a brilliant mind. Clearly she thinks much faster than I do and I don't know how she does it. But she's patient to listen to my issues and guide me where I need to be. This is her first time as a manager and so far she is doing a wonderful job. As task oriented as she is, she has the time to stop and wrap her head around issues at a moments notice and completely "get it".

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I left today's meeting with my pile of work and an action plan. I left the meeting feeling that I had been heard and understood. I even suggested a solution to a team process that I had been offering up for the past three years that always considered unnecessary. My suggestion offered up a more fair distribution of work and work-types that will balance ownership. She totally bought into the concept. It's such an easy concept to administer. But it's so very much going to tick off my remaining colleague-bitch. (yeah maybe that was unnecessary but it's true.)

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So Thomas, was the entire day a success? Hail no!

My Political Profile

My Political Profile:

Overall: 55% Conservative, 45% Liberal Social Issues: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal Personal Responsibility: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal Fiscal Issues: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal Ethics: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal Defense and Crime: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal *

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

American Family Fitness

It's entirely possible you support discriminatory actions. If so, please feel free to check the X Box. This post is about supporting an effort impacting change and it's not even about the Presidential Election. You have a unique opportunity to have your voice heard. There is an upcoming manager's meeting at American Family Fitness that may actually discuss Gay Marriage/Domestic Partner Benefit packages. Refer to this POST if you do not recall me speaking about it the recent past. I'm not asking that you write a letter the size of a novel. A quick note to management and the CEO will suffice. Even if it simply says: AFF Domestic Partner Benefits package - Make it Happen! They will get the point. So here's your opportunity. Copy/paste the following email list and send off a message of support. Thank you.

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fwood@amfamfit.com, jlakey@amfamfit.com,

dmayton@amfamfit.com, destes@amfamfit.com,

sreed@amfamfit.com, svaden@amfamfit.com,

tbrightwell@amfamfit.com, brown@amfamfit.com,

bevans@amfamfit.com

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Isn't that easy?

Say "Yes Thomas, it is!!"

Drained

My sugar levels are down a bit. But I'm feeling drained. I fight one battle only to bring about another. Not sure how to explain it. I guess it's part getting used to the new medications. And another part taking away other medications my body was used to. I suppose my body is whining at itself. Shut up - no, you shut up. Stop it - no, you stop it. Run - Fat boy - Run. Hail NO!

Sugar

The picture is of skulls formed from sugar. I found it sort of fitting for how I'm feeling right now. No, in general I'm in good spirits. But my blood sugar levels are horrendous. Sugar is killing me. I am diabetic and have been so for 12 years. But really, it's been since I was a teen and was just not diagnosed. Many iterations of medications later, I find that more serious insulin strategies are in my future. I've maxed out the oral medications, done the non-insulin injectable, back to oral and extended release insulin. My body just seems to hate them and refuses to respond. I normalize for a while. Usually months on end, but lately it's been just months or recently even weeks. My latest medication was a combination insulin and oral medications that lasted about 4 weeks and I saw my sugar levels drop, then pop back up to "unacceptable". So, I have been to an endocrinologist with whom I will be working with for the foreseeable future. I am also taking other medications for other issues. The doctor took me off those and we are basically going back to scratch. Today I started on a mixture of a short extended release insulin that I blend with a quick release insulin. The very first thing I noticed was NOTHING. The next thing I noticed was that I was dog tired by 1:00pm. I suppose that should be expected. I'll pace it out and deal with the fatigue. I tend to get all excited when I see my sugar levels drop to normal and get to feeling much better. Right now, I feel like my body is pumping syrup/molasses through my veins. It's tiring. It makes me sleepy. It makes it hard to think. It makes it very hard to be nice to stupid people. *Thank you Lexapro* And now the weatherman is talking snow. Jesus Christmas, right now I just want to spank a Grinch. I wonder if google has a picture for that?

Moody Mr. Grumpy Pants

The photo was a google picture find when I was searching for a "moody" shot. I ran across this photo that made me giggle. It's a drawing by Tom Moody and from what I see of the limited art I've found, he draws images in unsual positions. You won't often find me with my nose up someone's ass, so don't be thinking that I relate to this picture folks. It just tickled me.

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This past Thursday was a wonderful day. I was all by my lonesome. The chatter-box no longer works behind me. The bitch was gone for a day to do something mundane with her family. The boss was out (I rather like her though). Her boss was never in her office. Her administrative assistant was never at her desk and the lady that works behind her was absent half the day. The woman to seats behind her was out. And one other lady was also on vacation. She'll return to a huge surprise when she returns to having a teammate that is simple annoying, having been assigned to the cube behind her. So you get the theme. It was quiet because all the she's were gone and it was just us testosterone heavy he-men at work. Diligently doing what we do... peacefully. Thursday I was able to accomplish so much work it was AWESOME!!!

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Friday, the bitch was back. I was constipated and was creating enough greenhouse gases to justify global warming. I had a dinner date with an estrogen pack from work that I do actually care for and value. All of us were in attendance but it was a bit shaky for me. Any given Friday at 5pm is not a time to still be at work in the job I do. Why the hell people wait until that time of the day and week to call and complain about a problem that must be fixed by 5:01pm is beyond me. Everyone with a brain high-tailed it right at 5:00pm. Don't think a problem is going to be fixed folks. But sure as hell pass it on to me because it's so urgent and I'm the only one available and you're to lazy to "think" for yourself. I was late to the gathering, along with the Queen. She and I went together. She left her Dr. Pepper in my car if she or her husband are reading this post. Beer and gassy constipation don't mix. Add to that a dash of pissed-off and I was mister sinister. I tried to socialize the best I could but I was brain tired too-boot and we were sitting at a table that was abut the most redneck crowd you might find from Crewe, Virginia or any city in West Virginia. One lady was picking her teeth with a sugar pack, another was taking her false teeth out and grinning at people and there were more men there with hair longer than Crystal Gayle's. There was also the special lady that mimicked a mouth and tongue gesture that eluded to her cunnilingus abilities. Though she admitted afterward she was as agile at it as the man next to her. He had to be every bit of 75 years and FUGLY. The thought of either of them performing in that manner should give pause to all women to run from the hills.

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Saturday I was a whore for sleep. I couldn't get enough. Until I got a call from a friend that was in town and wanted to meet up. We went to the TGI-Friday's (twice in one week to a restaurant I had never been to before) and drank ourselves silly. (don't tell my doctor cause he's already peeved that my sugar levels are off once again. That's another blog post but I'll wait until after my endocrinology appointment on Monday and the results to get into that).

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I friggin' broke a nail last night too. WHINE! To let you know how really traumatic that is you need to understand that ALL my life I have been a nail-biter. Nerves, I guess. But last November I started taking Lexapro for my nerves because I was very much wanting to kill the woman that used to work behind me. I could visualize it so clearly and I was happy about it. So I talked to doc about this issue and we went with Lex to help. And help it did. I was so much more mellowed out and thinking clearly. I also noticed that I was no longer a self cannibalist. I've had nails. On occasion I liked letting them get a bit long so I could really drum them. But I was doing it this time so that they'd get long and I could shape them well. Damn it. I go and crack this one nail and fracks up how I shape the others. OMG - It's all that estrogen I've been succumbing to, isn't it. women.

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Solomon is not a fan of me sticking my finger up his ass. I have to do that (with a glove on) to put the medication on his anal gland area that is infected. But he's over it and starts walking away from me when I put on a glove. Smart dog. And damn it again, my doctor told me it was time AGAIN for my prostate exam. I think he secretly likes that job.

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They better hire that replacement for the chatter-box soon. I need some time off.

What kind of bagel are you

I am a Blueberry Bagel

I am outgoing, optimistic, and open-minded. I find a lot to love in life, and I'm always discovering new things to be excited about. Of all the types, I'm the least likely to be a picky eater. I tend to have fresh, home-cooked food for breakfast. Breakfast truly is the most important meal.

What Kind of Bagel Are You?

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Truth?

I hate Blueberry Bagels... bleck

Butts

There were actually much more offensive pictures I could have selected, but I elected to go rudimentary. I was having one of the politically incorrect work conversations today with a friend. We were discussing days that you feel fat versus days that you don't feel fat; even though truth be told, you are fat. The conversation led to ass-fat. Now, I for one acknowledge that I have a cute butt and you won't be able to sway me otherwise. Don't even try, it's adorable, really. My friend admitted to having a square ass. But I did share that I could visualize the past heart-shape that did once exist. To which she advised that at one time there was a killer fanny there, but no more. It had been reshaped by her desk chair. *I admit to an evil thought of the chair having had some help along the way but did not say that* So the conversation led to some individuals with no butts, flat butts, oddly misshapen butts. We even talked about the wonder-butts that are so round that they migrate to the front. But I think the funniest were the butts that are shaped by how a person sits. Ever notice those folks that have one big butt-cheek and a sort of smaller other cheek that is slightly angled. We think that's caused by sitting on one cheek all day long. We did not however discuss the cottage cheese butts squeezed into Lycra pants for a 12 year old. That would have put the conversation into the harassment arena.

Hell

Oh dear jezus, I was in my own personal corner of hell today. You will recall the unmentionable and annoying co-worker that finally found a path out of her job recently. It's been so nice. Today was our send-off lunch for her, even though she has been departed now for 2 full weeks. We went to TGIF's, the one close to work that I had never been to. I was asked to sit on the inside, hence the beginning of my little corner of hades.

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I was the only one there with testicles. The conversation promptly started with "Did you get your nails done?" by the most chatty of cathy's that has departed us. I immediately retracted into boredom and wondered if this was how the lunch would take shape. Yes, Yes it was.

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I generally take lunch away from work to go walk the solomonster. But no, today I had to endure chatter. The conversation quickly turned to her new job and how she is excelling. Really? Within 2 weeks? fine. Then it turned to more work talk. Umm, I get away from work at lunch to get away from work during my lunch break. See my theme. Then the other She started in about how busy we have been. Then the tolerable she chimed in about numbers and issues. And yet the other "she" added her two cents about how her area which is similar to our area yet different and the impact it has on the workload. I was unusually silent and the tolerable "she" caught on, but did nothing to alleviate my exclusion.

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I suppose I could have joined the conversation, but I didn't have a thing to say. Especially when the conversation turned to husbands. Seeing as I don't have one, I had a bit of difficulty relating to husbandly stupidity. Even within my potential self.

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Food! YES thank you god for the food. It was horrible and our terrible "she" waitress must have left it sitting up on the counter too long as she was waiting on other tables.

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I was never so happy to get in my car to light up a cigarette and get back to work.

Gas Prices

With gas prices at my favorite station charging $2.68 a gallon for regular unleaded; dropping about .04 cents a day, I was thinking:
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22 days left until election day - at .04 cents a day, is there time enough for an .88 cent drop. Might gas prices go down that far? Is a $1.80 a gallon in our future? *I can dream*
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I can't wait to see the amazing jump in gas prices on November 8th, back to over $3.50 a gallon for regular unleaded.
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Now if I can just figure who my vote goes to for a current Thank you.
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*Nobama*

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End of Day update: $2.54/gal at my favorite station

A dog's life

Wow, I'm a Bulldog!
Bulldog
The Comedian

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I may look like the troublemaker of the pack, but it turns out my tough guy mug is worse than its bite. I'm really a softie, loyal to my friends and family and A-OK with meeting new pooches, but I prefer to do so with a high-five instead of a paw-shake. Proud of my great sense of humor, I have got a whole litter of jokes I draw from to keep the mood playful and the positive energy alive. A perfect afternoon for my involves a leisurely stroll with a pal, followed by a little downtime in an easy chair with a frosty can of brew and a remote control within easy fetching distance. I shed accusations of being lazy, knowing perfectly well that I'm kenneling the energy I might need for... well... something.

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FAMOUS BULLDOGS: Ellen DeGeneres, Whoopi Goldberg, Jack Black, George W. Bush

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LIKELY PROFESSIONS: Comedian, Firefighter, Racecar Driver, Bartender

Today is:

• Pedigree - Celebrate Your Dog day, and
• National Coming Out Day

That explains a lot. Solomon went to the Vet today and had to have his anal-glands expressed. He's feeling so much better. *here's to you little buddy - ya freak*

Gay Fat Fury

Read: Open Letter by Earth2Karen

I wrote the letter below to the folks listed and if you agree you might consider writing to share in your support.

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General Manager fwood@amfamfit.com

General Manager jlakey@amfamfit.com

General Manager dmayton@amfamfit.com

General Manager destes@amfamfit.com

General Manager sreed@amfamfit.com

General Manager svaden@amfamfit.com

General Manager tbrightwell@amfamfit.com

Events cbrown@amfamfit.com

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Kelly would have you know that Gold's Gym does provide discount packages for any people that reside at the same address and can provide a valid license that documents the address. Here's my letter if you want to see more of how I think:

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Dear Ms. Wood,

It is my understanding that you have received an email from an acquaintance of mine. I just finished reading her open letter to you, shared on her blog. As you can imagine she suggested that interested parties write to you as well. I write for two reasons:

1. I support Karen in her efforts for your company to amend their current practice of discrimination of the GLBT community with regard to special rate packages for couples and families, and
2. As a current consumer seeking a health and fitness center for myself, I was strongly considering AMF as a choice for me since there is a location nearby by home on the Northside of Richmond.

To my knowledge, her email was only directed to yourself. I have included the other General Managers as part of my email to bring this issue to their attention. Thoughtful consideration of this matter can only be accomplished when all are involved. I have also included Ms. Brown, as I would think she might appreciate the impact that the GLBT community has on regional sponsorships, community relations, and events.

Please draw your attention to your FAQ section your web-site, it states:

How much is membership?
American Family Fitness offers several different memberships including special rate packages for couples(1), families(2), seniors, students, and police. We also have special corporate packages. Please contact your local club for an appointment to discover all applicable membership rates.

• (1) is a membership available to a legally married couple as defined by Virginia law or a parent and a child or stepchild.
• (2) is a membership available to 3 or more people consisting of at least 1 parent, children, or stepchildren, who regularly reside in the same household, but excluding children 21 years of age or older, unless they are full-time students and reside in the same household.

While it is fully legal for you to discriminate based on Virginia law; I challenge you to think outside the box and consider becoming innovators and initiators in your field. I ask you to consider publicly displaying heart in your business ethics. What dumbfounds me is that Karen is now a legally married woman in a committed relationship for a number of years. Many employers locally provide "domestic partner" benefits and require little to qualify for those benefits. Karen has a marriage certificate! Not just a year of bills to show a couple resides together.

It seems to me that your end goal is human health (also ironic given Karen's profession); and that should be your focus. But your company practice is to turn folks away that want to give you money, to benefit in the glory of your goal. I am not "fit as I want to be"; and sadly my perception of your company is that you are "not as fit as you could be."

I'm still considering AMF since it is so close to me. But as a gay male, I seek out businesses that appreciate me and my money.

Your turn and thank you for your time and attention.

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Readers, please consider writing your own letter in support.

The Silver Fox

In this corner - Kelly !!

The Silver Fox

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He needs your votes on Gay.com to win the contest for the Silver Fox category.

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No log-in is necessary, but you are going to a Gay friendly website.

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Vote as often as you like and frequently.

Nutcase

Last Friday, my final act of the day was to listen to a raving lunatic scream at me on the phone. He was screaming so loudly that I could not understand a word he was saying. I wanted to help him. Really I did. It was so bad that my supervisor had to get on the phone to "try" to "help." The experience was no better for her. This lasted an hour and a half, with the occasional lull in conversation so he could catch his breath. He did not want either of us to speak. It ended with the need for a follow-up call this morning.

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Lord help me, I did not want to make that call. I think we woke him up calling him at the hour he requested. He was calm at first then lunged into his tirade. An hour later we had all his issues down pat and we began working on his issues. Which were not really issues that were terribly bad. He just wanted to vent. The minor details were easily navigated. I had to write a letter and my boss and her boss had to call the man back. I was relieved that I did not have to be on that call. I actually had a headache from that experience.

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For the most part, I spent the better part of the day working to manage that one situation of relative nothing. To appease a freaking lunatic.

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Where's your optimism now Thomas. Well it's inside my heart-felt letter of apology on it's way to that clown by way of FedEx. What a joke.

PessiOptimism

A lot of folks would describe me as a pessimist, or cynical, even warped. Warped - definitely, Cynical - maybe, but not pessimistic. I tend to plan and be prepared for the worst to happen and have a positive outlook on things. So while I may state the negative, I try to find the better spin on things that I actually focus on. I like to think that I'm pessi-optimistically inclined.

• Financial Crisis: bad, bad thing. But there's not much I can do about it to make it better. So I'll roll with the punches and manage my life accordingly.
• Financial Bail Out: bad, bad thing. There is no way I support that decision. I prefer the ill-run institutions fail miserably and let it all work out. But since I have no control over the decision, I'll roll with the punches and manage my life accordingly. I did send my congressman a letter to advise that I did not support the bailout. See what good that did. My employer preferred I send a supportive email, but I get to vote my conscience, my way.
• I planted a Lilac bush in April and it was doing wonderfully. Until a family of ants decided it liked the taste of the root system. So I'll plant another next Spring, and educate myself on how to get the critters to move onto that Japanese crap tree that's in my back yard. Or, I'll gleefully have it cut down next year.
• I'm registered to vote because I want my voice heard. Which it is, in local elections. But if you think your voice is truly heard on the national level, you're delusional. I'll still vote, for President, but I know my vote won't matter. Nor will yours. Unless you have representatives that vote the "will of the people" and that's not going to happen. And since some people think you can't complain about who's in office unless you vote - I'm voting.
• Lately I've been going in to work feeling like I'm just shooting myself in the foot trying to get anything done with all the past complainers calling in whining about the economy. So I'm not going to answer my phone on Monday and hunker down on the folks that really need my help. I'm not a counseling hot-line. But the good in me will eventually call them, to make them feel better.
• I used to be one of those kids that wanted their parents to divorce. I really thought it would be better for both of them. Now that I'm older I see that they have stuck together, and have grown to depend on each other. An exercise in pessimism that with my father's optimism proved right.
• I have a group of friends that make some really wacky decisions. The pessimist in plays devil's advocate with them as they bounce off ideas. Though for the most part I know they have made up their mind when they discuss the issues with me. I love them and their individual freakish quirks. And they hate/love mine. Otherwise they wouldn't be friends.

Any obstacle in life is just a fun opportunity to put your unique spin on it. Enjoy.

Rock em, Sock em

I am not often on the fence about issues:

1. If a friend needs assistance I will do what I can to be of assistance. Like watching my friends dogs or helping a friend move. Yes, of course I will be there for you.
2. If you're a pushy and demanding regulatory agent that uses your position to get your way, I will not help you win your battle. I believe contracts are contracts are contracts. So to you Ms. Bitch out there on the west coast, I still say NO. You may have won your battle by pissing and moaning about me to my superiors, but I am confident by your actions that YOU are a biased piece of shit motivated by your own personal convictions an not by fairness.
3. If you take the position of the urinal next to me, and rip one mother of a fart; I'm going to laugh and make some sort of remark. Don't get ticky with me because you couldn't have been a tad bit more civil about it. I get that it's a bathroom, but your effort to break the sound barrier at Mack 5 was a bit overkill. and yes, it was funny.
4. I am very selfishly giddy and gayly happy that a co-worker has taken a new job and moved the hell on. Now maybe I can try to like her... or not.
5. My job is hell right now. The financial world has gone just a tad bit stupid and along with it all the people we service appear to be fearful. Granted I understand, but folks you really need to chill and just let the machine work. The bailout is a bad idea. Let the sharks fight it out. Let the economy suffer a little bit. Maybe it will knock some sense into everyone. You're not supposed to coddle a whiney baby ALL the time. You're not supposed to let your kids off the hook when they've been bad. Spank the crap out of them and let them pay the price. Tighten your belt a bit, suck it up, grow a pair.
6. oh and one more fencing issue: Nobama!!!

I let you off lite. I was also going to rant again about St. Mary's Hospital. But I'm still waiting to see if they respond to my "very enlightening and educational" and blaming letter.