The GF and I started off the new year by attending the "PBR Baltimore Invitational Rodeo" and it was a really neat event! You'd never thought that events like that (the rodeo) would even come to this part of the country, but they do, despite the fact that they don't enjoy nearly as much popularity as they do in the midwest or the southern states. Not that I'm not that big of a fan, but I do enjoy watching those cowboys getting thrashed around and bucked off of the bulls every once in a while!
We went to see the event with our friends J&B, this young (younger than us) and intellectual couple (one has a Ph.D and another one is pursuing his... by the way, they're married and straight couple... we don't have other gay friends that we hang out with.) They actually also spent new year's eve with us.... which is something that had never happened before... sharing new year's eve with friends, that is.
Did I tell you how making friends has since (from my army and college days) become a whole new game to not only myself but also to the GF? The GF had a lot of friends who she had met during her church-going days, and for one reason or the other (I'm sure being with me has got to be one of the reasons) her friends started to distance themselves from her. I don't know what will become of our friendship with J&B, because they're so different than us... but I wish it well!
I've been at my new job for 4 months and counting... and I'm itching to be somewhere else again. What can I say? It's a big fault of mine... I get bored so easily as well as get bored with people that I don't think are "interesting". I will update again when (you know it will!) something happens again in that front! One of the advantages (or disadvantages) of living in this town, and possessing a certain set of so-called skills qualifications, is that you're almost never at a loss for finding a job.... you just have to be able to live with the fact that most of these jobs are the same type of jobs at different places. (Not much as far as variety is concerned.)
Speaking of jobs, in regard to my other job with the reserves.... let's just say that I don't know where it is going. I was hoping for a medical discharge, but now I don't know when/if that will happen. You see, I had turned in medical document to the big green machine, they then promptly proceeded to sit on my paperwork for a whole year without rendering (or close to) any type of instruction or decisions. In the meanwhile, the unit that I belong to became this barely functional unit that I'm wondering why it hasn't been disbanded yet.... so we're all just going through the motions. Thankfully, the blessing in this whole thing is that I don't really have to depend on the army for a steady paycheck anymore... I also think I'm simply getting too old for a lot of this stuff. (Yes, I have heard of, and seen, 40 some odd year old junior officers.... but I also do believe that there are other ways to show your patriotism.)
So, I'm putting all this in God's hands...however it'll all turn out.
My grandfather had a bout with a respiratory condition a few weeks back, he had to go into the hospital, but thankfully has since recovered enough to come back home. I don't really know how he is feeling on the inside, I mean, imagine having outlived your spouse, most if not all of your friends, and even your son. When I do see him, I can see how frail that he had gotten, and sense how tired he just is overall. I really don't know how much longer he will be around, but I do know that my family will not have a patriarch anymore once he is gone.... as my father is now gone (he wasn't really much of a figure of authority while he was alive anyways), and both of my aunt and uncle don't really get along with one another too well.
I am therefore grateful that my sister and I have a good relationship so far. She has just graduated from culinary school, I am really proud of her, and I wish her all the opportunities and luck in the world!
Here is to a great 2009! May you and yours get what you wish for, be it $, or love, or a child... etc.!
