90 Days Left to Go - A Blessing in Disguise

My dear friend Katie has joined 24 Hour Fitness with me, and since then we've been working out together since. She has helped keep me in check, is a motivator in the gym, and it's really nice having a friend to work out with on daily basis. I have so far lost 8 lbs since I started last week. I know most of which is water weight, but it's still a step in the right direction.

This week I will be heading to Napa Valley, CA with Aurora and her parents. I am not really a big fan of wine, but I hope to appreciate it more when I'm over there. Which reminds me, I need to figure out what to get her for her birthday... I guess I will have to go shopping tomorrow, yay. fun. woo.

On a more somber note, my good friend from college, Kristin Idlebird, lost her fight with cancer on September 19, 2013. I miss her dearly... I know that she's in a better place, but I can't help but feel like I let her down. As I try to remember the many different times we were together, I'm starting to forget..

I don't want to forget the times we shot pool and played arcade games at the UC.

I don't want to forget the time we went bowling together with a group of people from her floor when we lived at the dorms.

I don't want to forget the first time she and I went to our very first gay club, South Beach.

I don't want to forget the time she introduced me to her family and her grandparents.

I don't want to forget the times we worked on video projects, scripts, and short stories.

I don't want to forget about a scene she wanted to do on top of the Welcome Center at UH, where Jamie Woody and myself were spies or secret agent ninjas. She loved the view from the roof..

Then there was a time when she drank alcohol for the first time, and I gave her so much grief about it. She said that it's not like she's an alcoholic, and she was right.. back then I didn't understand alcohol that much..

I remember the first time I met her. My forever next door neighbor, Linda Fox, showed me around campus, and we stumbled upon the Library. When we were inside, the library was gated off and closed. That was when we met Kristin. She wanted to check out the library too, but it was closed. Linda had to go, and Kristin and I went on an adventure... and the rest was history...

Then there was the times we worked out together at the Rec Center..

She introduced me to Frenchy's Fried Chicken.

One time, I left two lighters in her messenger bag, and when she was over at her grandparents' place, she dropped her bag and the lighters fell out.. oops.. sorry Kristin...

I remember studying with her.. getting the new radio head album with her..

... I remember when she got her refund check. She bought a desktop computer, an Xbox 360, Bioshock, and for some reason I remember her blanket or comforter..

Oh, and then there was the time I brought her to GLOBAL to meet other gays. She was very supportive of me... and then I remember quitting GLOBAL, and she was still supportive of me and my decisions.

I also remember losing touch with her.. which I hate the most...

I started to hang out more with people on my floor at my dorm and she hung out with Mercy, Jamie, and Brandon. It's like with most of my really good friends though, we hang out from time to time, but we have our own lives and our own different groups of friends. So I just didn't think much of it.. then I didn't hear from her in such a long time. I think I heard she couldn't afford school, she was looking for a job, and then I find out what had happened on Facebook.... really?

I had no idea what even happened! It was like seven months later from when it first happened..!

I called Jamie and she told me everything..

I then find out she was admitted to Memorial Hermann TIRR, which was right next door to where I was working at the time. I brought my violin and went to TIRR to come see her, but she was no longer there...

Jamie ended up taking met to go see her at home.. it was so sad...

I ended up playing my violin for her, hoping it would help her... praying that she could remember....

Rest in peace Kristin.. you will always be in my heart. You will always be in my mind.

(and you will always be with me whenever I watch the Houston Texans play..!)

96 Days Left to Go - I Gained 10 Pounds

A quick update.

Nothing has changed since my last post except the fact I gained ten pounds. Katie and I are going to join 24 Hour Fitness and work out after I get off work. I hope this all works out, and I hope I can follow through.

-D

102 Days Left to Change My Life - Veering Off Course, Adventure Time!

--- Start Rant ---

So what do you do when you veer off course?

You go on an adventure!

I'm starting to change without really doing anything...

I've obtained cleaner and healthier habits.

I'm making poor decisions in regards to my intake.

My boss called me at 6:30AM and let me know I'm late for work.. got there an HOUR LATE!

But being late and letting my manager down has pushed me to do even better at work.

I figured out a way to see Sonja more this year.

Simply hopping in her car and going to school with her on my days off. Ha-zaaah!

New Friends? If you count Jason and Phillip, then yes, yes I have made some new friends.

..and Phillip won when we went to Bingo.

Finally figured out my Birthday Theme: Dennis - 25 Years

Now to figure out where to have my birthday dinner.

Also, this would be the first time my friends would meet my family,

and my family would meet my friends... scary

foooooo  (that was Harvey Duke on my laptop)

so I'm off today, and I have been randomly selected to go to JURY DUTY!

Congratulations...

and what are the chances that I would have Jury Duty with my boss' husband?!

I'm not looking forward to Thanksgiving..

It was when Chuy took me on our very first date..

The Houston Thanksgiving Parade.. and it was so much fun

sigh..

mmm, speaking of the holidays, Halloween stuff are in stores already!

I decided I will be dressing up as................a Matador!

okay, I'm done.

--- End Rant ---

106 Days Left to Go - I Know What I Want To Be When I Grow Up

I remember when I was in High School, I contemplated several different career paths. I remember wanting to be a teacher, police officer, and a chef. I went to UH Hilton because I thought I wanted to own my own restaurant one day, except after I graduated, it started to look nearly impossible. I applied to a hundred different companies, and I got rejected even by Burger King, Pappas, and Starbucks.

It started to look bleak until someone gave me a chance, and that someone was someone I interned before back in high school at the Marriott. He was the Food and Beverage Director at the Marriott, but now he was the Food and Nutrition Manager at Memorial Hermann Hospital. I guess it's true that it's the people you know that help you get that foot in the door. After working three years at Memorial Hermann Hospital, which later turned into Sodexo (formerlly Sodexho) I learned that I have more opportunities in my hands now because it's a very large international company. One thing that I have learned after two promotions within the company is that I love what I do. I absolutely love all aspects of my job.

I know what I want to be when I get older and gain more experience.

I want to be a Food and Nutrition Director.