5-1-09 Friday (Friday, I’m In Love)

I haven't mentioned smoking or not smoking in a long time. I've just forgotten about it. Jim and I are still both smoke-free. Do I feel better? No. Do things taste better? No. Is my sense of smell better? No. It doesn't matter though because these aren't reasons why I gave it up. If you remember, it was just to beat the dependency... the way smoking a cigarette is something to do before or after everything. "I just smoked, I should have a cigarette to celebrate." It's a great thing we stopped smoking, I've been told the price has went up a $1 a pack in Florida.

I briefly mentioned buying new shorts the other day but here's the story. Somewhere I managed to drop a few pounds from my 192 weigh-in in March. I'm worried I'll find them soon. As we switched over to a warmer climate, obviously our clothes have changed as well. So out of the gazillion pairs of shorts I have, I fit into 2, maybe 3. I was pretty upset. I don't want to spend a lot of money on clothes I SHOULDN'T have but I need shorts. Walmart had shorts for $7.00. Where else can I get shorts for so cheap? Unfortunately they are elastic waist band fitted, no belt loop equipped, pull string using, Velcro pocket closing, no fly zipper zipping, old man shorts! Plain and simple. I'm posting a photo of them (I bought 3 shorts and 1 swim suit) to motivate myself to lose weight. Maybe it's the perfect motivation knowing that everyone knows what I'm wearing!

I’ve been wanting/waiting for Blogger to come out with an offline version. It would be awesome to have the ENTIRE blog done offline with photos, videos, links and all and then just upload it to publish. I found Windows Live Writer. It seems to work well and with just about any blogging website. It even gives me the ability to make cool effects on photos. I love it.

You can also insert tables, maps, emotion , and the software allows plug-ins so that you can download other cool stuff! This will be much easier for me, especially with spotty internet connections. I love this!

Jim and I don’t have health insurance anymore. At my last cholesterol test, my results were very bad. I’m on a cheap medication but I need to be retested before the doctor will allow refills. Blood and/or cholesterol tests can be expensive. About a month ago, Jim found an online article about discounted prescription drugs. The article mentioned Quest Diagnostics also has a Uninsured Patient Program. $10 annual fee + $11 cholesterol test = one great deal! Oh, and I’m lovin’ that too.

Well, our week here at Apache Palms is up tomorrow. We decided to stay another 5-6 days. Our trip to the office led to disappointment. We can’t stay longer, they’re booked up. We walked across the street to another RV park and it’s not that great. We drove a few miles away and found another RV park that isn’t that great either but at least more the price we’d prefer to pay for parks that caliber. It’s a pain in the ass to move. This Live Writer program has a map feature which I’ve used in this paragraph. You can click on the photo and it will take you to an interactive map. Using Microsoft’s Virtual Earth, it shows exactly where we are. How useful is that? Yeah, probably not very.

Tonight, Gregg is meeting us at the RV. We’ll give him a quick tour, and then follow him to a local bar for a Happy Hour get together for some social group he belongs to. After the Happy Hour gathering we’re going to downtown Phoenix for “First Friday” which is a monthly art walk event.

“First Friday” was a blast. It was more like a freak show. It was about art… in many forms… some just about free speech. Some even protested against Scientology or carnivores.

Gregg makes plans

Levi texting Tony.

We ate at Carly’s Bistro. The food was good. Levi, Gregg, Jim and I sat at a table facing the sidewalk. That was the best part. Watching everyone pass. When someone looked in, I snapped their photo. Someone had their photo taken in front of the window and Gregg made gestures over their shoulder. The photographer was laughing. The subject of the photos will too, once they see the picture.

Above: Outside Carly’s

Above: I’m not sure what’s different about the free vs. the deluxe hug.

Advertising some in your undies event.

Above: Vegan display.

Above: Left: A girl who wanted money stuck her head in the photo and then asked for .50. Middle: Pete (friend of Gregg’s), Right: Gregg.