SwimFinsSF

The Closet

Arguably I’ve led a charmed life when it comes to being ‘out’. My family has all been amazing when I came out to them – it didn’t seem to phase them at all.. The only change in their attitudes I could see was that my mom switched from trying to set me up with girls to trying to set up up with boys ( ask me about our Hawaii trip some time! 😉 ). My friends were equally cool too for the most part.. I had one friend of mine from college that seemed wierd about it but thats it.. The rest were wonderful (and even he is fine – just cautious)… And same at work – telling co-workers at Apple has NEVER been a problem and the same with my management. Had many managers ask me if I was married and when I told them I had a partner they didn’t skip a beat..

So thats why I’m always surprised when i run into people in the bay area that aren’t out. I was out for beers friday night with some friends and ran into another group of friends… As we were sayin hi one of ’em started actin freakey and turned his back. I tapped him on the shoulder and said hi to which he said hi then darted into the crowd.. One of my other buddies used to be the HR manager at the company the other worked at (he just left the HR job but the other guy didn’t know that yet)… Turns out the guy who darted into the crowd wasn’t out at work and didn’t want people from work to see him at a gay bar.. They ended up talking later and it was all OK but still struck me curious. I’d think that it wouldn’t be an issue if they were BOTH at the bar..

Too wierd..

I know everyone comes out in their own time and I don’t believe in anyone coming out before they’re ready to deal. But even so, I’m always curious what kind of things makes it hard for people in the San Francisco area to come out.. Its a pretty gay cool place.. Not many work places would have a problem with it (and in most discrimination is a firable offense). Not many people in the area are phobic… If someone lived in Stillwater Oklahoma or was a teamster I’d understand.. But living in SF and working in Technology isn’t the same…

Is it family? Is it religion? Is it friends? Is it historical? Is it Politics? Or is it just cuz it shouldn’t be anyone’s business under certain circumstances?

Mind you i’m not judging or scorning in ANY WAY… Coming out is a VERY personal thing and I respect everyone’s own reasons for coming out or not and their own timing… I’ve known people that came out at age 7 and i’ve known people who have come out at age 45 and everything in between. I didn’t comeout myself until age 23 (which seems like a lot of wasted time in retrospect! 😉 ) I’m just always curious what makes people tick and why some people choose to keep this part of their life to themselves and others seem to want EVERYONE to know…

Guess I should add this to the things I ‘wonder about’! 🙂

Here we go again…

He just posted an article that sounds strikingly familiar:

Special forces ‘prepare for Iran attack’

I’m speachless.. not surprised mind you given how out of control the administration is already.. But… uggg… I’ll just let the article speak for itself… I just hope the folks that supported the LAST invasion (and the one before that) hold the administration accountable for their claims justifying that one before we move on… Or do we really have as short an attention span as our fearless leader is counting on us having?… Hmmmmmmmmmm

sorry… I’m ranting… I’m gonna work now – least I have some control over THAT!

Oh my LORD

Workout KICKED my ASS today and I don’t think it was just the routine we did… Matt and I are trying a new routine that we stole from one of Kevin’s books and it seems really good so far – all about compound super sets which seems to be a good thing.. But part of the deal is going straight from one set of one muscle group to a set of another, 90 seconds rest – then back.. So, for example, 12-15 One Arm Rows then 12-15 incline dumbell presses, 90 seconds rest and repeat – 3 sets of this… Then on to the next.. Seems to be a good thing but a switch from our more liesurely routine we were doing before and today it zapped me…

I think part of the problem too is that I’m trying to work on my diet a little too (summer swimsuit weather after all! ;)) so I probably didn’t have enough fuel! 🙂 Gotta remember to make sure there is something in my stomach before I work out..

Anyway.. Suppose i should get my act together… Just thought I’d share… 😉

From the 7th Grade

I just found this little thing I wrote in 7th Grade English in a Drawer here at work. The assignment was to describe the image shown in a picture she gave us. My parents and my teachers LOVED it.. I got an A.. To this day I STILL don’t know why.

A Pine Needle
Sight

A pine needle, deeply browned by the pasing of time, lay stuck in the greyish sand of an ocean shore. It limped very low as if saying I am tired of being battered by the clear ocean surf. A small ripple of water closed in on the needle, foaming at the edges like a dog gone mad. The water totally covered the sand like a blanket being pulled over a bed. The sand, dulled to a grey brown by the passing of time, layed motionless as if waiting for the tide to wash up.

Happy Father’s Day

Happy Father’s Day Dad – I love you! 🙂

The CDC

and the current administration never cease to amaze me (ok.. well, frankly, i’m not surprised at all – but still)… Driving home from the south bay today I heard on NPR that the CDC is threatening to cut federal funding to the Stop AIDS Project. It seems that they don’t like the sexually explicit nature of the campaigns and panel discussions the organization hosts..

WHAT THE FUCK?

One of the primary ways that AIDS is transmitted is via sexual intercourse. How exactly does the CDC expect to educate people about the consequences of HIV/AIDS in a way that they will pay attention to without talking in a very frank way about sex. Having Marion the Librarian get up infront of a bunch of young gay men and lecture them about the science of HIV isn’t exactly going to work (assuming you get them in the room). You have to convince people they need to pay attention to and have frank discussions in a non judgemental forum in terms that people relate to… Its the ONLY WAY for this to sink in… The fact is – people will have sex.. deal with it… and if they are having sex they need to be educated… and to educate people in a way that will sink in takes creativity… and the Stop AIDS project is doing that…

One of the things I find most disturbing in recent years has been the cavalier people have begun to take about HIV and safe sex. I’ve seen LOTS more people being careless about safe sex and protecting themselves against HIV and it really upsets me.. I don’t know if its a youthful invincibility thing or if people think that living with HIV isn’t so bad or if they’ve just grown wary… but regardless its happening and the Stop AIDS project has done great work trying to stem that tide…

nuff ranting… just had to share…. This SFGate article gives more scoop…. Looks like at least the city will try to step up and help out with the funding …