No, I Have Not Fallen From the Face of the Earth...
I just have been lurking. Actually, I have attempted to spend less time online and outside since the weather has been mostly agreeable. I have for the most part updated Facebook twice a day, got on Bear411 maybe once a day at best and checked emails. What do I have to show for it? Well, I have a much better tan (thanks vacation), I have taken over 3000 photos, and I got to spend a little time with one of the dearest online friends I have.
Well, I have also kicked my healthy living effort back into a higher gear as well with nearly twice daily gym drops and a big increase on my hiking. Work is a bitch and I am hoping I only have to endure it a couple of more months as I wait to find out whether I get into the GIS certification program at UT- Dallas or not. I have some trepidation about my chances since my undergraduate GPA was dismal (for some good reasons), but that record that is now 20 years old does not accurately portray my current capabilities.
My family is hoping that my grandpa can hang on one more month for his 100th birthday celebration. I have been told to go ahead and prepare a statement to be read at his funeral just in case he does not make it. He is not doing well at all right now and has seriously declined physically in the last couple of months. His mind is still clear and sharp though. He told my mom week before last when he was in the hospital, "You know, my birthday is in 45 days." My guess is he will do what he has to do to will himself to get to July 21, but after that I have no idea what will happen.
Just to clarify - it is not all bad. I was VERY happy to have Dominic / cuboz stay with me for part of his US tour and we, as the saying goes where I am from, "got along like a house a-fire." I took nearly two weeks off from work the end of May into the first week of June and got to spend a little time with a man and his dogs. I think I will keep that budding friendship under wraps for now because I think he is a good guy, but it is a complicated situation for him to be more than a buddy right now as he cares for an elderly parent. I think it best at this point just to give up on "dating" and just enjoy the friendships that happen anyway. I am tired of guys flaking out that I get romantically interested in.
AND - photos...
