Angelo - my new day time play mate

Three weeks and who's counting?.......I am!

Todays the day when three weeks ago I had that last cigarette. I admit I have had a puff or two along the way of someone else's, but all it did was to remind me why I wanted to stop. Firstly it didn't taste good. That was the first thing I noticed and I thought to myself YUCK. Secondly the almost instant heaviness of my chest as thought my lungs were once again laden with the cancerous product. And then thirdly was the guilt, I felt as though I had cheated myself by having those drags from another persons cigarette. But of course I justified it by saying what I just said, that it just reminded me of why I was giving up.

It hasn't been as hard as other times in the past when I said 'enough is enough'. The cravings have been quite easy to control, unlike the constant shoveling of food down my throat. Yep the old compensation for having the smoke, food, has been on top of my list these days. There is no such thing for me as just a half size meal when I know I don't need a big meal. And what's worse, in the States is that there is no such thing as a small meal. Don't think I'm joking here. Yesterday I had lunch with my new day time play mate, Angelo. We went for lunch down at the Marina. I ordered a Salmon Cobb Salad and he ordered something that I cant remember the name off. When the meals came out mine was over flowing the enormous bowl it was in while Angelo's was less than half the size with half of that being wedges. I ate all my meal and then proceeded to pick of the remaining wedges from Angelo's plate that he couldn't eat. I kept telling myself that most of my meal was just lettuce leaf, but it didn't override the fact that I was full and yet still shovelling food in as though I was storing up for a long winter.

If that is the case then my winter layers are well and truly showing. I can see it in my face, I can feel it when I put my jeans on, I can just feel it and, I feel uncomfortable. But the cigarette cravings aren't really there and in the long run that is what is important. I'm less likely to have a stroke or get diabetes from being slightly 'chubby' over the next month or so.

There is a struggle there for me and I'm sure I have a long way to go before it becomes a more distant thing in the past, but I promised myself years ago that I would give up by the time I was 35 and with that only a few months away I can say with assurance that I'm going to make it, and that is one thing that I am proud of.

So I know I'll come home with a debt form these ten months off work and there's a possibility that I wont fit into my size 32 jeans, but I did what I said I would do and I hope that earns me some bownie points.

Photos from Pride Parade - part 3

Photos from Pride Parade - part 2

Photos from Pride Parade - Part 1

The Pride Parade

The next day, Sunday, is the Parade. It too just like Sydney's goes on for hours. It started at 10.30am and I managed to get myself ready and there by 12.30pm. Better late than never. We watched it for awhile and then walked the parade route checking out what people were up to. Our direction was to end up at the Civic Centre for the day fair. Note I say fair and not party. What they had on is very similar to Sydneys Fair Day, except this is bigger. Bigger in the sense that there were more people in a larger area. But I'm bias towards our Fair Day and would give it a better score out of 10. But I enjoyed the day walking around checking out the people. We headed into the Castro for lunch and then to Badlands yet again. I do like going to Badlands.

Photos from Saturday nights street fair - part 2

Photos from Saturday nights street fair - part 1

San Francisco Pride Weekend

San Francisco Pride is structured very differently to ours back in Sydney. Where as on the Saturday evening we have the parade that leads to the party that goes all night and then the die hards continue on all day. The San Francisco one was spread out over literally two days. The street fair start Saturday afternoon down in the Castro. The streets were full of revilers and the apartments above the shops had their windows full of exhibitionists. There were wanna be strippers trying to be sexy, muscle boys just standing around in the white jocks and some guy fast and furiously jerking off to the crowd. There was even one apartment that was projecting porn across the street on to the facade of the opposite building. Not sure if it was pre-recorded or if people were actually in the bedroom filming themselves and projecting it for us all to see. Kevin had flown back in from New York that afternoon so Will and I met up with him down in the Castro along with Wills other friends Scott and Troy. We walked around taking in all the sights, which included what I just mentioned, a number of completely naked men walking the streets and of course lots of colour and movement in varying costumes. All the bars were full so there was no point lining up, so we left the Castro after awhile and headed for the Metro. There was no line up so it was straight to the bar. My god, you'd think after the number of times I've been to the States you'd think I would be use to the free pour of spirits. I thought the margaritas were strong at El Rio the previous weekend, my first G&T at the metro stripped ten layers form my mouth and serverely scortched my throat. Again it was a drink not for the faint hearted. William and Scott left after our first drink, which in fact was probably equal to ten drinks, and I being me wanted another so Kevin and I stayed on. I ordered another G&T and my eyes burnt from the fumes. This was even stronger than the first. I took a sip and my liver writhered in pain. By the time I was half way through my kidneys were screaming. But I wasn't going to let it beat me. I was determined to finish it. Remarkably I awoke early in the morning feeling fine.

Touring and Salsa Dancing

Soctt, Williams friend, took us for a scenic drive. More for the advantage of Kate and Andy as I had already visted these sights before. With these photos you have the Golden Gate Bridge and Twin Peaks with the city of San Francsico behind Kate and Andy. After lunch we headed to my faviourite Sunday afternoon event at El Rio down in the Mission District for their famous Salsa afternoon. Their catch phrase is "your local dive bar" and its true but its a dive in the best ways.

More dancing at a bar called Badlands

After three Margarita's at El Rio, I was pretty much done. The margaritas are around $6 plus tip, but man do they pack a punch. Each drink took me an hour to consume, and the third one had to be forced down. Anyone who knows me well knows that I can not sit on a drink for 20 minutes let alone an hour. So all primed up we headed off to Badlands to let our hair down,

Shopping, Sailing and Dancing

As always William has taken good care of us. On our first full day in san Francisco Will takes us shopping. Kate and Andy wanted some fresh clothes so we hit the department stores. By the end of the day Kate came home with no bags and William came home with enough bags for all of us. Tell me again who this shopping expedition was suppose to be for.

The next day we boarded a sail boat and headed out into the Bay for a few hours. The wind chill required a few layers of clothing, but once in a protected area the suns warmth beated down on us. In fact my face got pretty sunburnt.

That evening, Saturday night, we headed into the the area known as SOMA, South Of Market. We went to varying bars in an area that I would never have considered going to on my own. Especially when Scott, who is a friend of Will's, told us to keep our wits about us. Yikes! At the end of the pub crawl we ended up at a club called Ruby Skye, San Francisco's premier Nightclub located in San Fraciscos famed theatre district. The best move we made all night. It had been ages since I had been out dancing and even longer for Kate and Andy, so the loud music and flashing lights was just what the doctor ordered. We got our fix and then left. Just before we did we got our photo snapped for the social pages. Andy and I weren't quite ready for the photo, but at least we made it in.

San Francisco here we come

It's Thursday June 15 and is the day that the three of us head west to San Francisco. Its my favorite city since being here with Adam last October for two weeks. It felt like home away from home and I'm excited to be coming back, this time for even a longer stint. We checked in with Amwerican Airlines at Chicago O'Hare airport and again my luggage was over weight. I took as much of the heavy stuff out and stuffed into my carry on as physically possible without the zipper bursting or the carry straps snapping before getting there, so I just couldn't believe it. Anyway as it happens because I flew over with Qantas, American Airlines doesn't charge excess luggage. You little ripper. But enough is enough of this excess weight buisness, I'm going to have to send some clothes home. Do I really need five pairs of jeans and countless t'shirts and shoes that to this day I have still not worn?

We are also advised that there is no included meal service on our flight. They will be selling snack packs. Pardon!!! This is something like a four and a half hour flight and the ticket cost me a small fortune, ie more than $500, and now I had to pay for my food. It appears that American Airlines is not a full service airline, wholly hell. We still had bits and pieces of food left over from our stay in the hostel, so we found a food outlet where we could buy bread rolls and we took them on board to make out own sandwhiches. Its amazing what Kate can whip up with a few left overs.

We land in San francisco and make out way to my friend Williams place. Again we are lucky enough to have someone put us up. Some of you may remember Will from Adam and my trip over to San Francisco last October. His photo appears a number of times on our blog from that trip.

Fireworks - Navy Pier

These don't rate compared to what we get in Sydney

That Ferris Wheel on Navy Pier

Chicago Millennium Park and Crown Fountain

Hostel

Kate and I in the common dinning room of the Hostel. We had a 'quiet night in' and between the three of us polished off two long neck beers and a bottle and a half of Vodka. Ever since leaving Sydney last December, tea drinker Kate has turned into one big boozer.

Meeting back up with Kate and Andy

Kate and Andy arrived in Chicago today from there visit to Montreal. We have booked into a hostel in the Northern Beaches. A very good choice and would recommended it for its location to shops and public transport. I've never stayed in a hostel before, so I originally found it a bit much. Thankfully we able to get a room just to the three of us. The rooms were basic but clean, and same with the rest of the amenities. But after coming from the comforts of Robs place it was a bit of a downer, and I wanted to go back there. But after the first night it was all cool. I had been spoilt by being able to stay with Kevin in New York and with Rob in Chicago, so now it was time to rough it a little and enjoy the experience. And that I did. We had a fantastic time in Chicago.

Of the things we did it included a huge walk along the cities water front, going to the viewing deck of the John Hancock building, a architectural cruise along the Chicago River, fire works at Navy Pier. The fireworks weren't anything to write home about, but my ride on the Ferris Wheel is. I hate heights, I hate them with a fierce passion. Its not natural. Anyways Kate talks me into going on this monster of a Ferris Wheel. As soon as the gate is closed and we are on this thing I start to sweat. My hands get clammy and all I wanted to do was to get off. I'm trying to focus on the view of the city skyline, but nothing could distract me from the fact that the ground was getting further and further away from me. But I wasn't the only one, Andy was in the same boat. Poor Kate, she was enjoying the whole thing and us two boys were cowarding. I showed them both my palms and I had rivers of sweat in their creases. It wasn't until I noticed that we were on our way back down that I could relax and start taking some photo's.

Then to top the evening off, on our way home a car cut us off as we were crossing the street. We had the walk signal and he drove through a red light. He was so close to us that Kate reached out and hit his boot with her hand. The car came to a screeching halt and out got the guy throwing all sort of abuse at us about touching his car. The fact that he ran a red light and nearly plowed over us meant nothing. His response was 'I didnt hit you so dont hit my car'. After a few more verbal exchanges between Kate and this guy, I kept out of it as I was busy tightening up my shoe laces in readiness to run for my life, the guy hops back into his car with the final cry of 'Punk Bitch'. We were speechless. It was the funniest thing we had heard. Kate was from that moment known as 'Punk Bitch'.

So if Kate was to be Punk Bitch, what were Andy and I to be? Andy always had the maps and would navigate us around, so he became Map Man. And I like to plan what I want to do and see and on what days it is to be done, so I was called Itinerary Man. The Three Muscateers now had names - Punk Bitch, Map Man and Itinerary Man. May sound a little stupid, but we had been together and living in each others pockets for a while now so it added a bit of spice to our lives

Milwaukee Pride

Day two in Chicago and yet again I'm off to another state. After spending the Friday in Clevland Ohio, on the Saturday we left for Milwaukee Wisconcin for Milwaukee's Pride. Not a lot to report on this. I met Robs friends and it was a freezing cold night with the wind coming straight off the lake. My god I dont think I have ever felt cold like that before, and yet there were people walking around in singlet tops. Some of the women were wearing mini skirts, and here was I in jeans and as many layers as possible. After the main party we headed into town to go to a few bars. As I said, not a lot to report.

But one thing to report is that I made it through the event without having one cigarette. I haven't bought a pack since finishing off that last one on Thursday. I thought that neing out and about drinkng and not smoking would be difficult. the fact of it was that I not once gave it any consideration. Some of Robs friends were smoking and it didn't worry me. I did say before leaving home that one of my goals was to kick the habbit while away. All part of the growing and changes to my life that this trip is based on.

Chicago airport - United Airlines terminal