Jp in SD

Where to start....

I've been über busy, doing lots of stuff, some of it fun, some of it not. In the interest of trying to get everybody up to speed, I'll just bullet list some of the things that have happened in the past month+

• Helped kingfuraday celebrate his birthday with pizza in the park, frisbee, and other silliness.
• I was elected Vice Chair of the Communications Committee for the San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership
• Met with the Dean of the College of Sciences to try to work out some way to find funding for me, or ultimately make me a College– or University– wide resource No comments about being a 'wide resource', or you will be pelted with demonic Furbies next time we meet
  • The dean is well aware of my work, is very pleased with me, and wants to keep me on. The problem is funding, and the $897 million cut to educational funding this year. Still, he's doing what he can to keep me on.
• Two amazing people that I am honored to call my friends got married. Cheers and best of luck to cpratt and danlmarmot. I fully admit to getting all misty–eyed during the ceremony. I also met many amazing people from out of town.
• Went to see Spring Awakening with the bears. I must say that all of kingfuraday's hype was worth it. I didn't want the show to end. It was interesting and fun and emotional. The set design was clever and the music was exactly what the story called for. I really enjoyed it
• went with a bunch of other bearz to Black's Beach on Saturday. I haven't been there in ages (about 15 years). I missed it — although I sure didn't miss the climb down, and then back up! The water was a bit chilly at first, but then very nice after a few moments. I realized that that was the first time since i moved to San Diego in 1988 that i have been in the Pacific over my head. Before that, I've only stood in the water up to about mid-thigh. I love swimming in the ocean! I wanna go back again, and soon and yes, i got nekkid, as did almost everybody else. It's Black's beach, after all! you gotta get nekkid!
• crimsonsaint and I went to balboa park Saturday, and took lots of pictures. I actually took about 800. Of those, about 31 or so are actually worth posting. Check 'em out on my flickr stream

And that just about brings us up to date. Lots of little things and fun things have happened in the mean time as well :-)

The day started off with sunny clear skies and that relaxed, 'anything goes' feeling that you get when you just know everything is going your way.
I met a bunch of guys at 11 to see Iron Man ( awesome fun movie) then went to lunch with kingfuraday, maverick1303, and jcubmn– who's in town for the weekend – at the Cheesecake Factory (awesome yummy food)

Brian and Jason headed off for a tour of San Diego, and Matt and I headed over to Bloomingdales in search of new and manly fragrances, then we headed over to Starbucks for some coffee and conversation.

On my way home, I stopped by my P.O. Box, and picked up my new USB Turntable. This thing is awesome cool!

I really hadn't planned anything for today. I just wanted to have a nice, relaxing day and planning a party is way too much stress, so I asked raisincub if he would plan something. Over the past week or so, he let me know that we were gonna eat out, but that it looks like it was just going to be him, me, Don, and Carl for dinner, since most people were going to be out of town, or already had plans for Friday. I was totally fine with that, too, because i was sure I would see everybody on Saturday night at Bacchus House's Bear Night.

I was told to meet Justin at his house at 6:15 ( I got there a little late). We all piled into Justin' s car, and headed over to Sammy's Woodfired Pizza.

We walk in the door, and two huge tables of guys all yell "SURPRISE!"...

I was floored.

Dinner was awesome, as always, but it was even better because 25 friends were there to surprise me, and help me celebrate my BDay.

After dinner, we get into our cars, and head out for the second surprise: "The Movie".

We then went to this place I've never heard of called Cinema Under The Stars... which is exactly what you would think. A giant outdoor movie screen, with seating for about 50 or so people. The chairs are reclining chaise lounges. There are heat lamps above, and blankets on the chairs if you get chilly.

We watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's". What a fun movie! Also, a total slice of early 1960's mentality. I'm sure the concept of seeing a "kept man" was rather shocking for the time. It was doubly interesting that the woman who was paying him was, herself, a kept woman, judging by the age of her husband. We dont actually see him, but we get a good closeup of his old, liver-spotted hands mixing a cocktail for her. Having Andy Roony play an over-the-top, non-descript Asian guy was laughably un-pc.

I gotta say this: I'm totally sold on the Cinema Under the Stars. That was such an awesome, casual, and comfortable way to see a classic movie. And it was a fantastic way to end the day.

To everybody who txt'd, messaged, IM'd, and called me, in addition to everybody who surprised me at dinner: Thank you all so much for making my 42nd the best birthday I've ever had.