February 4, 2005 Guys Who Wear Glasses This is the first pair of glasses that I've ever owned that I've liked. They seem to suit my face. I signed out the department's digital camera just to take one shot of myself with the glasses on, because I realized that I hadn't ever posted a picture of me in glasses. Generally, I'll take my glasses off before I have my picture taken, just out of habit. I think I'm growing a lot more comfortable with myself, these days. And hey! It seems to be working...for the women. Sara wrote to me today, telling me that I had to tell Bernice that I was gay. She's right, of course, so I decided that I would let her down gently, by playing "clueless" a little bit. Here's the message I sent to her: Hello! Just a quick question on the upcoming Art Event. I'm assuming that "spouses" includes domestic partners? The Consulting Company is so good about these things, I probably don't even need to ask, but I must fulfill my role as a liaison for the GLBT community. Maybe whatever "immediate family" message about artwork submitted could read "Immediate family: Spouses, domestic partners, children..." etc. Just being as PC as a leftie liberal can be, Patrick Bernice didn't reply to the e-mail (I sent it to the whole Morale Committee). The head of the committee (and pretty much everything else in the Consulting Company) Jaqui, wrote back and said, "Absolutely domestic partners count!" There are some things I do love about this company. So later on, I'd finished some edits on postcards for the bagel breakfast the Morale Committee is throwing next week, and called Bernice down to proof them onscreen. She arrived shortly, and stood behind my chair, looking over at the screen. As we discussed the edits, she casually put her arm around my shoulder. Maybe she's just a touchy-feely type. Maybe she felt comfortable being hands-on chummy with me after I'd outed myself to her. Maybe she didn't know she was doing it. My suspicion, though, is that she's still holding out hope. Terry thinks I'm deluding myself, she said there's no way I could hide the fact that I'm gay, which is what I've always thought. Then again, she has two gay brothers, so her "gaydar" is a little heightened. Terry also told me that she thought of setting me up with her cousin, but then thought better of it. The guy lives in L.A., but I've seen the pictures of her family, and I'm very upset with her! Her two gay brothers are gorgeous (as is her straight brother). It's a good-looking family. Anyway, at least I appeal to the ladies. And Sara? I meant what I said about going straight for you. In theory, anyway. I'm sure I could get past the girly bits. Today was very stress-free, mostly due to the fact that I went into work yesterday for eight hours. I told Terry to call me if she needed me in before 1pm, but if it was slow enough, I was going to take some extra hours off on Friday before the department party, which was fine with her. After checking in at around 8:30am, I took my car to the tire shop, where they found a small slit in the sidewall of the tire that they'd missed when I originally got the flat. They apologized all over themselves, and gave me a discount on the new tire. On the way back, I got a call from Al the Hot Optometrist, who told me that my new, possibly correct contact lenses were in, and we set up an appointment for next week. I'm very excited (no, not in that way...okay, in addition to that way), since my old contact lenses were really out of date, and I couldn't wear them to work, because I couldn't do the fine detail work due to the fuzziness of the prescription. Even though I like these new glasses, I do like having the option to go without them. I like how I look without them better still, but that may just be because I've had glasses since I was in third grade, and got teased mercilessly because of it. I just took that picture as comparison. I don't know if I look better with glasses or without. I do like the shirt, though. It's my favorite shirt, even though I can't "jooje" up the sleeves like they tell you to do on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy Anyway, I got home, putzed around on the internet for awhile, posted an innocuous little message on a message board and promptly got in trouble for doing so, which left me feeling incredibly upset. I apologized in e-mail for my unwittingly angering this person and then drove to work, singing with the Chess original broadway cast recording (thanks, TeKay, for the difference between that and a "soundtrack.") at the top of my lungs. After a couple of renditions of "Nobody's Side," I felt better (hear that, Bernice? Gay! Gay gay gay gay gay!) and got to work. Terry met me with a, "It's awful in here today" comment, which is always nice to hear. I looked at the schedule, and it didn't seem too bad, but apparently the printers were acting up and Dan was in a bad mood. I made it my duty to put Dan into a good mood, because I'm contrary like that, and actually got him to laugh a little bit, which got me a glare from Terry. (I'm not scoring big points today.) Since we were expecting an influx of work from consultants as a result of us closing early, I had Dean and Brad on-call from their offices, and they helped out quite a bit. Around 4:30 or 5:00, I was running around like a maniac, because suddenly everyone wanted something printed, one of the copiers broke (and I mean BROKE), even though the technician was just in this morning "fixing" it. At that time, Laurie poked her head into the copy center and said, Mary Ellen and Jeff had stopped by for a visit. I got my binding job done and joined the three of them in Laurie's cube. Mary Ellen showed me the iPod she's planning on bringing with her to the Usual Suspects convention in Cancun. It's going to be a lot of fun having her stay with me. If you asked Mary Ellen, I'm sure she'd say that my assertion that I had a stress-free day at work was totally untrue, but she hit at a hectic time, when I was printing things, the phone was ringing off the hook, and Jan was complaining VERY LOUDLY about the work she had to do. It was nice to see her again, since I haven't seen her since Christmastime. I don't have all that many get-together friends, and I'd like to hang out with her and Jeff a lot more. Laurie and I are hanging out with Stephen and Val on a regular basis right now, and I like that a lot. After everything was tied up at work, Dan came into the office and said, "Why is everyone still here? C'mon! We need to get to THE PARTY!" Mind you, he'd just spent the past three hours at the Super Bowl party being thrown downstairs (it was after his full shift, but still, we were working, he could have a little more tact) while we were scrambling to finish everything. He got us cab vouchers, and we headed to Boston Beer Works for the department get-together. Lara met us just before we piled into the cabs, and Terry and Mark P. met us at the pub itself, but otherwise, it was pretty much the night shift for Friday night that showed up. I think it was just the right number of people (10). We all got to talk to one another during the massive amount of appetizers (a bucket of gravy fries, shrimp, calamari, quesadillas, nachos) and really good entrees (I had their country fried chicken, which was excellent. It was a gravy sort of night) and beer for those who drink. Dan was in a great mood, and was very complimentary about all of us on-staff, and we all talked like we don't really talk at the office. After food, we headed upstairs to play some pool. Despite working in the campus pool hall for a year at UMass, I completely suck at the game, and was going to sit it out. But after a couple of rounds, watching Jan get hosed by the sharks we have in the department, I decided to jump in. Mark P. and I teamed up and talked to each other during that hour and a half than we have the whole six months he's been with the department. We actually won the first game (because the other team scratched on the 8-ball, but still, a win's a win), but lost the second. Dan kept giving me pointers about how to shoot better, which seemed to help out a lot. (Like when I was first learning how to bowl, and someone made the suggestion that wherever you point your thumb, that's where the ball is going to end up.) Laurie chose not to join in on the game, but sat on the sidelines and jeered at everybody, so that was entertaining. She actually didn't seem to be having a bad time, which is rare for a company event, which she and I tend to avoid like the plague. So I had a good time at a department party, am planning a company party, am on the Morale Committee and want to get together with friends more. Maybe I did have social phobia before. When I report all this to Dr. B., he's going to wet his pants with excitement. The last thing to report before I head off for the night... I joined the gym at the office! Everyone in the department has been going to the gym during their breaks, and I know that the gym was overhauled, but I didn't realize to what extent. It's completely free and open 24 hours a day. There are a lot of treadmills and elliptical machines, as well as a full barbell rack and a Universal weight machine. I have everything I need there that I would use at the gyms I paid for. And the locker room? It's like something out of a country club. The lockers are all light wood, there are private shower rooms, two nap rooms, free towels, and the like. It's really fantastic, and considering the hours I keep at work, I'm sure to be just about the only one in the gym when I go there. If I can at least get there three days a week, I should be back to my fighting weight (about 25 lbs. lighter than I am now) in time for Cancun. Which will be nice, because I'd like to go snorkling without having to wear a bulky sweatshirt to cover my pale, flabby abs. I just have to pack up my sneakers and workout clothes every day before work, and I'll be all set. Maybe I'll even start eating healthier. I wouldn't count on it (today's entry was brought to you by the letter "Cake"), but stranger things have happened. Part of a healthy routine involves getting the proper amount of sleep, so I'm out of here for the night.