In my city, I'm a vibe girl, I'm a Top Ten.....

 As it's now the last day of 2025, it's time for....

The Top Ten Things Of 2025

There were other things that occurred this year that didn't make the Top Ten list.  Things like weird weather (sub zero temps in January, Autumn temps and conditions in August); renewing my passport and getting it back in the mail in only 3 weeks!; reading the new Dragonlance Books and re-reading the old ones from 40 years ago; anxiety, depression and apathy at various times throughout the years; stomach issues (nausea, diarrhea, cramps) which I'm attributing to the Ozempic, happening at various times during the year; binging the first 17 seasons of Law & Order and binging all 8 seasons of Bewitched.  Things like those.  But onto the top ten list.... 

10. Mom Fell

Earlier this year, on a Sunday, I got a call from mom that she fell out at one of the buildings in the retirement village she lives in.  I hurried my way there and got her, she seemed okay except for her shoulder and said I needed to take her to the hospital.  The end result was that she was fine, except for a bruised shoulder and arm where she landed.   They gave her a sling and some pain killers and sent her home.    Thankfully, that's all it was.  (that's a generic pic by the way, not mom or what happened.)

9. Retina Study Ends

Back in 2021 I was sent to the Retina Specialist and they told me I had a retina edema and I was a perfect candidate for a study they were conducting.  So, I got a port put in my right eye and it got refilled every six months as part of the study, which I still had to get a shot in my left eye every month. 

Well after 4 years, they told me study was over.  Once the study ended however the company running he study would no longer pay for anything.   So while over the last four years I had everything done for free now I'd have to pay.  And the FDA had approved the port, so that was all good, but since it was new my insurance said they would not cover treatments for the port.  So it's a shot in both eyeballs now, which insurance will pay for, but there's a copay now.   So I suppose there's both good and bad news  for this result.

8. Deaths

This year had some deaths of people I knew, some more disturbing than others.   There was Puntabupeep Mikey.  There was Sis, the grandmother of a good friend of mine who, 37 years ago, I spent a LOT of time with at his grandparents house, especially on Sundays when she cooked dinner and the whole family was there to eat and play cards and stuff.   There was my mom's cousin Bonnie, who was her age and who had grown up with her.  Also, when I was a younger, they, their husbands and their kids would get together at each other's houses at least once a month.    There were other deaths, but these hit the closest and hardest.  Sadly, as I get older, there will be more of them.

7.  New Doors

When I bought the house the front and back doors (and upstairs balcony door) were all old and wood and drafty.  Finally, after all these years here, I decided to get them replaced.  The new doors are metal and have new door frames so they fit perfectly, no drafts.   They lock a lot easier and unlike the old ones, they have to BE locked, they don't automatically lock when I shut the door behind me, so no more accidentally locking myself out of the house.

6. Reconnecting with Borders' Friends!

I worked at Borders bookstore from 2000-2003, and not only was it the best job I've ever had but I met some amazing people.   The ParisPekings and Ghostie are all from Borders. I still keep in touch, online, with others.   Well this year, one of them, Candace contacted me about going to see Ken Burns give a speech in Gettysburg.  And we went and had a great time together.  Then another one, Kristen, saw me post about it online and since she lives in town, contacted me and we went to the Waynesburger, had a meal and caught up.  It was great fun, too!  I hope to keep in touch with them more this year. 

5. Tooth Issues

Once again, I've had a bunch of tooth issues: problems with a bridge, a big cavity between two teeth, part of a tooth cracked and I had a filling put in, which dropped out, and I had a replacement put in, which later fell out, so I decided to a crown put on it...which I'm still waiting to get put on.  So yeah, like every year, my teeth are crap. 

4. Colonoscopy(s)

So this year, it was time for my second colonoscopy.  After my prep in January I wasn't cleaned out enough so we had to reschedule.  At the reschedule in March, and after a TWO DAY fast and a different prep...I STILL wasn't cleaned out enough.  But after TWO enemas later, I was good to go.  However, one of my nurses said the problem may be that I'm on Ozempic.  So even though I went off it a week beforehand both times, the next time I have one, I'm gonna see if I can stop it for a month, so that i CAN get cleaned out properly.  But on the positive side, they found nothing, not even polyps like last time.  So that's all good.  In the end.  (ba-dum-DUM!)

3. Work Changes

So at work, there's been some changes.  A few people retired.  A few people left under....less than ideal circumstances.  And some 'linear' movements.  One of the other two people in my department decided she wanted to move to a different department.  Which is fine, good for her.  But what it did is open up that position in my department.  Which meant that now, in my last couple years here, I'd have to retrain a new person, and wait for them to hire a new one, and while I waited for that to happen, two of us would have to do that work of three people.   How horrible.  But luckily, there was a guy in another department who had experience in the things MY department does, and he took the open position.  SO I didn't have to totally retrain him, as he already knew quite a few things.  And he's been working out very well. Thankfully. 

2. tRump Clown Circus

I refuse to spend a lot time on these deplorables, but the damage they've done to this country, and in fact the world, will last for years for not decades.  And who knows how long it will take to correct once we've finally rid ourselves of them.  America has a very BIG reckoning coming to it, and I don't believe it will be pretty.  And it WILL get worse before it gets better here.  Sadly.

1. Cedrik

 

Of course he's number one.  He made my year, and changed my life.  He's the first man I dated that I introduced to mom as my boyfriend.  He's the first man I introduced to my closest cousin and her son.  We spent most weekends together.  And then, well then it became clear it wasn't going to work. At least now.  So we split.  But that doesn't change how I (and I assume he) feel.  And maybe sometime in the future we can make it work.  But regardless, he's had the biggest impact on my year. 

POLT

 This is sadly NOT an April Fool's Day post.   Today is the heavenly birthday of my friend Dave S. 

Dave S. was one of the original Puntabupeeps.  He and I grew to be good friends over the Project Runway of that year, doing Palace posts on it together (you can probably find them all if you go back search in the 2008 posts).  Later that year, I went to visit him for a weekend in Columbus OH.  And we had a blast: he was a model in an underwear show at a local gay bar, we walked around town, went to art museum, and went to a retirement party for one of his coworkers.

  And then the next year, in October of 2009, he came here and together we went to NYC to surprise a group of Puntabupeeps for the weekend: karaoke, late night dinner and drinks, and then a tour of the city the next day with Jere and FDot.  And then we returned here and he returned home.  Another blast.

We kept in touch a bit after that, with Dave S. exploring more of the gay side of his bisexual and talking to me about it over the phone.  He actually ended up being a stripped in Columbus (and taking gigs in Cleveland and Cincinnati at times too).  

And then, he disappeared.  Wouldn't respond to any emails or anything, from me or any of the other puntabupeeps.  I couldn't find him online.  Even found a friend of his online I heard him talk about and he said Dave S. had kinda disappeared from him too, although he knew he was alive and around.   And for more than a decade, that's the way it was.

And then a few years ago, on Twitter, I just happen to run into him, under his stripper name Spike Warden.  I messaged him and we began chatting again.   And did so somewhat regularly. 

And then this past December, there was a post on his Twitter account from his son Chaz.  Dave S. had died, and the family asked for respect and understanding in this time of grief.  No mention of what he died of or how.  And I couldn't find an obituary anywhere online (but Columbus is a big big place and so maybe I just couldn't find it). 

Dave S. younger than me by a year or two (or three I forget), and clearly in better shape than me, so it came as quite a surprise, a devastating surprise.  I still think about him from time to time, and the fun we had together.  I hope his kids (and grandbaby, he got to meet him a few weeks before he passed) are all doing well.    I just really feel....loss.  And sadness.  I wish I had gotten to see him and person and talk to him again one time before he passed. 

Happy Birthday my brother, and Rest In Peace.  

POLT

POLT

 Back in the late 2000s I stumbled on a blog named Puntabulous.  From this blog I found a whole horde of online friends.  I've met them all, some multiple times, except for two of them.  Through these online friends I've been to NYC four times, Ohio, a cabin in West Virginia countless times, I've hung out with them in Toronto, they've stayed at my house, I've gone to Bradford PA and the Lucy museum, and Pride in DC and NYC with them, they've just been phenomenal friends. 

The first one i really got close to was Dave S in Ohio.  I have no idea how we got so close to swiftly, but we did.  And during one season of Project Runway, he and I would watch it and then each right up a review.  We'd merge them and post it on my blog (you can probably find those reviews if you go back here and search for them).

In October of 2008, I went to Columbus and hung out with Dave S. for the weekend.  Had a wonderful time.  In October of 2009, he came here and then we took the train to NYC where we hung out with and met a group of the Puntabupeeps at a karaoke place, then got food and hung out into the evening.  Another wonderful time. 

After that, Dave S. kinda drifted away from the group.  He and I stayed in touch for a lil while and then he drifted away almost entirely.  About two years ago, I stumbled on him on Twitter and we corresponded there and sent cards and messages and stuff.  I saw his visits to his mother, I saw him with his first grandchild earlier this Fall.  I saw his pupper Ethan a lot.  And I saw a bunch of nearly naked pics of him on Twitter, which is what he posted the most there. 

Earlier today, I saw a message from his son on Dave S's Twitter account.  Dave S died this past Friday, December 13, 2024.  No other info.  I have no idea if he as sick for a while, for a little bit, or if it was sudden. 

I am shook, shook in a different way than when my Fairy Godfather Mark died in February.  Mark had been sick for years, very ill for the last three months of his life.  And he was older than me by 9 years.  Dave S.'s death was a total shock and surprise.  And Dave S. was a year younger than me.

I'm numb. I really don't know what to say or what to feel.  We've not been close for some time, but still....it's just such a shock. I've been passing the word to some of the Puntabupeeps who I think knew him, but since he has been out of that loop for like 15 years, there's not many.   I...I just don't know what else to do.

Here is a pic of Dave S back when knew in 2009 when we were in NYC for the Karaoke.

And this is a pic if him from his Twitter feed earlier this year, over the summer I think. 

I know this isn't much of a tribute to him, certainly not considering how close we were 2008-09.  But I'm kinda in shock, this is really the best I can do right now. 

Rest in Peace, buddy.  HUGS.....

POLT

 Today is the 25th Anniversary of my first trip to Toronto!

My Fairy Godfather Mark (who's originally from Michigan) was going to Toronto to meet a friend of his Paul who was traveling there from Michigan.  He asked me to go along, cause he said three to a room would be cheaper than two.   I had never thought about Toronto, never thought about going there, but it had been several years since I'd taken a vacation anywhere, so I said, eh, what the hell?

So we packed up and off we went: a four hour ride through PA, a four hour ride through upstate New York, crossed the border and then a two hour trip on he QEW and we were in Toronto!

And I was almost immediately in love.  I was certainly in love by the time we left four or five days later.  We checked out a bunch of stores in gay ghetto along Church Street, ate at several restaurants in the downtown area, visited several gay bars, and had fun at the big strip club.   And I had insatiable desire to return.

Which I did.  I made it to Toronto 20 times in the last 25 years...although since I bought the house 13 years ago I've only been there twice (2009 & 2016).  So in 12 year I went 18 times, and that seems about right since I was going twice a year, usually in April and October.  (can't go as often now because I have a mortgage and such).

Anyway, I went through my Toronto Photo Album and found some photos.  The first batch are from my first trip there, 25 years ago in 1997.

The Hotel Selby, where we stayed.  It was in an old mansion with a bunch of additions to it.  It was kinda run down and had seen better days, and it was several blocks north and east of where any action was, so I never stayed there again.  But it was fine for a first visit.  After going through several different changes, the mansion part is all that remains and it's a fancy-schmacy French restaurant called the Masion Selby. 

The red brick part and the concrete part too are the additions made to the hotel to expand into.  Our room was in the concrete part in back, along the street on I think, the third floor.  Underneath both of these was a huge gay dance club opened in the 80s and open until the early 2000s called Boots Warehouse.    Unfortunately, now, everything you here has been torn down and some high rise building is there going up many many stories.  I think it may be a Clarion hotel, but it may also be a business building...not sure.

While we were there, we stumbled upon a Caribbean Festival behind the Ontario Legislature building.  Lots of music, food, smells, and eye candy. 

The Eaton Centre, that huge shopping mall, four or five stories on an entire block of downtown Toronto.  Have always had a great time there, even if I never bought anything.

We made it to the CN Tower, although I could never go up to the top.  Mark and Paul did.  I stood on the ground and took this pic.

Next to Mr. Sub, is Remington's, imo, Toronto premiere gay strip club.  Spent lots of time (and money) in there over the years.  This as well as everything else on this block, is gone now.    Google street view shows me that there's not a high rise apartment building or office building or something like that here instead.

And see that rhino on that tarpaulin over those steps?  That's the entrance to Woody's Bar, the premiere gay bar in Toronto.  Spent lots of time in there too over the years.  It's also, incidentally, where they did some filming for the American version of Queer As Fold 20 years ago, as was also done in a lot of other areas  of Toronto itself.

After a couple years of the ten hour drive straight through, Ag, my travel companion, changed out route to go through Bradford PA, where Johnnie was attending college. and it also cut our entire one way time down to 8.5 hours.  And we spent the night in Bradford both going up and coming back and it broke the long trip up.

In Bradford, we found two great places to ear: Beefeaters, which is where one can eat the BEST DAMN STEAK OF THEIR LIFE!  I guarantee it.  And then the next morning, we have a great breakfast at the European Pastry shop. 

Beefeaters

European Pastry Shop

And I also found pics of my friends who accompanied me to Toronto over the years.  (I could not find one of Mark and Paul on this first trip, I assume I didn't take any pics of us.  And Ghostie went one time, but I can't find any pics of him there either.  I assume I took those with my digital camera and they were on some computer that has since died and I was not able to get the pics off beforehand).

Ag, God rest her soul

In, I think, 2001, a group of us went: My Fairy Godfather Mark, me, Ag, and Johnnie

One trip, Poodle went with Ag and I (his real name was Scott and I worked with him at Borders, but we all called him Poodle)

And in 2009 and 2016, Michelle went with me (and in 2009, she and I went to another Toronto landmark: Casa Loma)

In Toronto, I met two famous people.

On one trip, I met Shawn Ashmore (Iceman of The X-Men movies).  I met him on the street, he actually stopped and we had a short conversation: about the X-Men movies, about Toronto, and Canada in general, where I was from, etc.  He was very nice and pleasant.  And he even allowed me to take a photo of him when I asked.  Great guy.

And on the 2009 trip, Michelle and I got to meet Canadian, Puntabupeep, and all around great gal, Tam, and her purple iPod.

And also, in Toronto, hooked up with many MANY people.  (Ag and I would always say since everyone was so cute and sexy in Toronto, people that were fat and ugly like us were desirable here!)  A few of them I hooked up with on multiple trips there.  And I got pics of those too.

Sam.  He was Iragi, he got me into some gay clubs without paying because he knew the bouncers, he took me to both the apartments he lived in both times we hooked up, and was a voracious bottom!

Ed was Philippino, but had grown up in Canada.  He worked as an International Banker.  He and I hooked up on several trips.  He was planning to come visit me on his trip down the East Coast, but then 9-11 happened and he canceled the trip. 

Fizul was of Indian descent.  He worked in his father's import-export business.  We met up on two trips and then just by total chance, I ran into him on the 2016 trip more than 10 years later.  His father had passed and HE was running the business now and was doing VERY well.

But all of this stuff I talked about happened on subsequent trips.  Twenty five years ago, in 1997, I just had a very fun time with Mark and Paul (and by myself) and fell in love with the city. 

It boggles my mind to think it's been 25 years!!

POLT

If I were a hero, I'd be Martin Luther (Part 1758)...

 Superhero Anydays

Today we have, by BoyBlue, the original Teen Titans, and their mentors.

The Flash, and Kid Flash; Robin and Batman; Wonder Girl and Wonder Woman; Aqualad and Aquaman; and Speedy and Green Arrow.

********************

And today we have my buddy and the original Puntabupeep, Craiggers, in a his Justice League Of America shirt!

Totes jealous.  (of both Craiggers AND the shirt)

POLT

Like a top ten song, I hear it all.....

SO...

As it's now December 31st, last day of 2018, and I have here my Top Ten Things Of 2018!

There were a lot of important (and not so important) things that happened this year that didn't make the list: TUMBLR slitting its own throat by banning adult content; a new pair of glasses; snowstorm, aka blizzard, Toby; Johnnie returning to Philadelphia (with his wife) from Shanghai; Ollie's batch of DC Comics graphic novels at insanely low prices; having a date (and some bedtimesexxyfun) with one of my ex's Tim; scorching heat in July, freezing cold in January, record temps both; Mom starting the year in early January with a visit to the emergency room with the flu, and ending is just yesterday at the same place with the same thing; one entire week of no 'decongesting'; tooth issues, like cracking a tooth and losing half of it in Sept, and then deciding on getting some bridges at the end of the year; hanging out and getting to know mom's 'friend' Howard (he's a nice guy), etc.  But with all that, THESE below are the top ten!

10. Avengers Infinity War

Marvel continues to hit it out of the park!  This movie was damn near flawless.  A perfect culmination of ten years worth of previous movies!  It's worth every single penny of the billions in profits it's made.  Marvel knows their shit.....unlike DC movies, which continue to be just...shit.

9. New Mattress

(old mattress on top, new mattress on bottom)

Back in September a local furniture was selling their mattresses at half off.  My old mattress I had had for 15 years or so.  And I figured with the discounts, I'd get a new one.

Big.  Fucking.  Mistake.

See, my old mattress had a mattress pad on both side.  That made it fluffy and comfy.  I didn't think about that when I bought the new one...that does NOT have a mattress pad.  Oh.  My.  GOD!  It was so hard.  So rigid.  So uncomfortable. I had to go buy a sheet that had extra padding attached and put that on it, just to make it so I can lay on it.  But its still, even now, not really comfortable.  Oh, I'm used to it and can sleep on it, but it's not at ALL like my old mattress...even though that one was 15 years old.

I've learned my lesson. If I ever again in my life buy a new mattress (which probably, realistically, wont happen) I'm getting it with a mattress pad already attached!

8. Rye Bread

I've always eaten white bread, but it's not that good for me.  I don't really like wheat bread at all.  This year, back in February, I was ordering a sandwich from Rutters, and I saw the option for rye bread.  I've never had rye bread before so I ordered it.  And I LOVED it!  Now, that's all I get.  Both at Rutters and it's what I buy for here at home.  It's much better for me than white and tastes a LOT better than wheat!  So it's a win/win!  And it's a change to my diet that I have no problem making or keeping!

7.  Plays

Last December, my theater buddy, Michelle, and I decided this year, we wanted to see an average of one play a month.  So our goal was to get to 12.  We did good at first.  By May (the fifth month) we had seen 7 plays!  And then.....we kinda slacked off.  Right around Thanksgiving, we were chatting and she said we were only at 9, we needed three more plays!  So we crammed three of them in in ten days in December.  For 2019, we've sworn to not ignore the summer months.

In the pic abover, left to right, front row to back:
It's A Wonderful Life; The Barbara Ingram School Winter Extravaganza
Chicago; The Addams Family; Death By Design; Harvey; The Fantastiks
Hairspray; Shrek; Cabaret; Deadly Murder; The Queen Of Bingo

In the top row are two plays I saw without Michelle: The Play That Goes Wrong and Deceiving Granny.

And all the ones we saw together were local productions and all but one (The Queen Of Bingo at The Totem Pole) were amateur. We've already talked about some plays this year upcoming.  Hopefully we won't be cramming them all in right before Christmas again.

6.  Belle Broke

Lovely way to start off the year.  New Year's Day, not 12 hours into the new year, I drive to Rutters to get my morning coffee before heading out to mom's for lunch, and I can't get the key out of the ignition.  Won't budge at all.  So then that involved the AAA, towing her twice, my local mechanic, the Volkswagen dealership, parts needed to be ordered, several unplanned days off work, and some unforseen expenses.  ultimately, though, Belle get repaired and is running fine.  And I found out I had some pretty darn good friends who unexpectedly offered me the use of one of their cars, which I was prepared to take them up on. But then the part arrived at the dealership earlier than expected, so I didn't need to.  Hopefully, this New Year's Day is a little more....unexciting?  Conventional?  

5. VUBOQosity!

This year, I've hung out with VUBOQ quite a bit more than before.  He's invited me several Saturdays up to The Cabin Of Ill Repute in West Virginia.  He came to my house once because he was running a 10K in my little town.  We had planned on hanging out for the day, but it was cold, damp, rainy, and I was sick with some stomach bug.  So he just ran the race, came back to my place, cleaned up, we ate at the Waynesburger, and then we back to the cabin.  But this year, we've played my favorite board game The Road To The White House a few times, and I even got him his own copy of th game for the cabin itself.  We shared many vegetarian meals up there, food that I never would have eaten, as well as some alcohol I wouldn't have tried either.  And lots of fun conversation as well.  And none of this includes the time we spent together, with all the other Puntabupeeps, in NYC in August. And after all this VUBOQness this year, I'm looking to a whole lot more in the new year.

4. Old Man Issues

In February, my lower right back started hurting. I feared it might be my kidney (since I'm diabetic, I don't wanna fool around with that).  Went to the doctor. After tests, he says, it's just skeletal/muscular issues.  Still hurts periodically (although not as bad) throughout the year.

Last year I had physical therapy for the strain in the bicep of my left arm.  This year, while that still hurts, my right arm started hurting the same way.  Both shoulders hurt when I wake up in the morning, but it gets better quickly and doesn't bother me too much.

I cracked a tooth in September and ended up losing half of it.  And now, the dentist and I decided I needed to get some dental bridges, so that'll be fun and costly (although those are necessary).

I got new glasses, but I still have problems reading small print and without enough light.

In addition to being sick with the stomach bug in May when VUBOQ was here, in January, I was knocked on my ass by some of the worst flu I've ever had.  Had me down for most of the week. It was only the second time in the 22 years I've been at my job were I was off sick more than two days and needed a doctor's excuse to come back.  I missed the entire week as a matter of fact.

My knees crack a lot and hurt sometimes when I take stairs or get up off of chairs.

And it's only gonna get worse.  Yeah, getting old sucks.....but as they say, it beats the alternative.


3. New York City

This year, Tam left the Middle East and returned to Canada.  And before leaving North America again for Central America this time, she (and Kristen The Kid) came to NYC and got an apartment for a week.  For a weekend, I, john eliot, and Michelle M. stayed there as well.  VUBOQ came up for an overnight.  And we had a few hours long party attended by Craiggers (we got to meet his man Steve), Adam and Drazen (we got to meet baby Jack and his hair), Mikey and Ty (we got to meet Annabelle), and FDot!

A group of us also went to the Metropolitan Museum Of Art and then later to THE funniest thing I have ever seen on stage: The Play That Goes Wrong.  And we ate at many varied, but always awesome, restaurants. 

But the best part of the trip was just hanging out at the apartment with old friends who I haven't seen in many years!

2. Democrats Take The House

This one should be on EVERYONE'S yearly list, but I know it's not.  Now, FINALLY, we'll have a governmental check on the obscene, chaotic, insanity of the tRump administration.   If tRump and his supporters have not liked the Mueller investigation....well they aint seen nothing yet.

We're gonna get a HURRICANE of subpoenas from the House.  Into his Administration, his campaign, his finances, his tax returns, his university, his children, and all the corrupt practices that his corrupt Cabinet members have been perpetrating on the USA.  Yes I'm going to LOVE watching it all crumble, but much more importantly, no more of the destructive bills of the last two years will see the light of day again.

Thank God. 

Oh it'll be ugly.  And messy.  And nasty.  But it's the ugly, messy, nasty first step to saving this country from the pox in the White House that has befallen it.

1. Diabetes 

My diabetes has basically been uncontrolled since I've been diagnosed.  A bright spot this year is that, in the 6 years I've been tracking it, this is the first year in which my A1C level never tested above 8.0.  But that's not much to brag about really (it SHOULD be under 7.0 all the time, or under 6.0 if you're not a diabetic).

Then, in July, the outside of my right big toe started getting sharp pains.  Never having had one before, I thought it might be an ingrown toenail.  Ended up going to a podiatrist (for the first time) and finding out it's not.  Its some calcium growth at the base of my big toe.  Made it much better with new shoes and specific insoles.

But after this, I finally decided it was time to see an endocrinologist (a diabetes doctor).   I finally got to her ten days ago.  After a two hour meeting, I had some of my meds changed.  And after having taken them for that ten days period, the results have been simply phenomenal!  In that time, I have not had a blood sugar level over 180.  And I have only it over 160 four times (out of 20 times checked).  It's crazy how swiftly and totally that has worked.

So I can only hope the progress continues in the new year.  And I've got home this cuts down on the sometimes pins and needles in my foot.   And the foot aches.  And the eye issues.  And maybe even lose some weight as well.

I just want to hopefully make my uncontrolled diabetes, more controlled.  Because this will continue to have very detrimental effects on my health otherwise.


So that's this year's Top Ten!  Some good, some bad.  Hope you're year was more good than bad.

POLT

Review the situation, take part, take over.....

So it's the end of 2017, and that means it's time to review the year and give you My Top Ten For 2017.

10. Turning 50

I'm half a century old!  My God, it just doesn't seem possible.  Course, I'm relly not complaining about it, because a LOT of people don't even get to turn 50, they die beforehand.  And the birthday itself really wasn't bad and quite uneventful.  Which is, frankly, just how I wanted it to.  It's just crazy to think I'm that freaking OLD!


9. Road To The White House

My favorite boardgame, for the last 25 years or so, has been The Road To The White House!  I loved this game.  When I lived back in the apartment, I played it at least once a week I'm sure, usually more than once a week. Ag would play it with me. Phoenix, when he and I hung out, would usually play it.  Anytime Johnnie visited, we'd play at least once game.

But for the last ten years perhaps, and certainly for the last 8 (because that's how long I've lived here in the house, and I never played it here), I've not played the game.  Until this fall.  

When Ghostie graduated Law School and took the bar (which he passed, congrats Ghostie!), I told him now that he had free time I'd teach him to play.  I was joking, but he said he wanted to learn.  So he and I have been playing it since....October?  Perhaps September.  We play about once every other week.  And it's still as much fun as it always was!  Whether I win or lose is irrelevant, I just love playing the game!

8. The Flu

I get the flu once a year usually.  Feel sick for a few days, rest, drink a lot of fluids, and then I'm over it.  Not THIS year!  I started feeling sick on a Saturday in January, and I'm telling you, this flu kicked my ass!

                                          

I was sick for like ten days.  I was off work and entire week.  I have NEVER in the 21 years I've worked at this job EVER been off sick anymore than three days at a time.  I just couldn't beat this thing...without a trip to Urgent Care and some anti-biotics and things to help with my cough, I don't know that I could have beaten it.  I don't know what it WAS that I had, but damn, I NEVER want it again!

7.  The Theater

This year, I went to the theater multiple times....and enjoyed myself at each and every one!

                                                       

Saw this in January (right before getting that horrific flu, see above), with Michelle, Lynn and Susie at the Kennedy Center in DC, and featuring a meal beforehand with them and VUBOQ!

                                                    

Saw this in April with Michelle at the Kennedy Center in DC, and I'm pretty sure this too included a meal with VUBOQ beforehand!

                                            

Saw this in May at the Old Opera House in Charlestown WV, with Michelle, her mother Betty and our mutual friend Celeste.  It was a....different play.  Unusual.  But entertaining.  And one of my old fuckbuddies had a small part in it as a butler!

                                                     

Saw this at Williamsport High School in April with Michelle. (We go to see their productions every year, not only because we like supporting high school theater, but the co-directors of the plays are the wife of a co-worker of mine, and the other one is an occasional fuckbuddy of mine)

                                             

Saw this in July at the Maryland Theater in Hagerstown with Michelle, Betty and Celeste again.  The same fuckbuddy who co-directed Guys And Dolls played the Scarecrow in this one.

                                                

Saw this in July at the Kennedy Center with Michelle and Lynn.  And even though the play, food and company were fantastic, the rides down and back were HORRIBLE.  Traffic jams, Metro closings, shuttle buses, torrential downpours, closed Metro stops.  Just horrible.

                                                      

And finally, I saw this in December at the Hershey Theater (in Hershey PA, duh), with Michelle. Not the best performance we've seen of Kinky Boots, but it's always a fun time!

6. Home Improvements

I had several things done to the house this year to improve it.

In May I had the old wood of the back porch replaced with that vinyl stuff.  No painting or rotting of wood like before.  And, since the old carpet on the porch floor was green (like the shutters) and getting ratty, I had it replaced with this spiffy new grey color! 

In June I repainted the front porch.  It was last done in 2010 and it was faded and chipping in places and very much needed it.

In July, my old fridge finally went KAPUT!  So I bought a new one. 

In November I FINALLY got the trench in basement fully filled in.  The plumbers had to dig it up to replace a pipe back in January of 2012!  I didn't start filling it in until Last fall, I think it was.  It took six different times and I have no idea HOW many bags of sacrete to fill it in.  But now it's done!

5. Physical Therapy

My left shoulder and bicep have been bothering me since the spring of 2016.  I finally mentioned it to the doctor and he got me to physical therapy the end of the last year.  I went three times a week, starting the first week of January through the end of February.  I was improving so much, the therapist cut it back to two times a week.  And then, in April....I plateaued.  I wasn't improving anymore.  I could feel it, she knew it.  So the beginning the May, after doing another assesment, she said she was discontinuing my sessions, as I wasn't improving.  I still had several sessions left that my insurance would pay for, if I needed them for anything else the rest of the year.  But she gave me directions and long rubber bands to take home and to keep practicing with and wished me good luck.  And I did the same to her....

...and promptly did no more exercises.  At all.  And now, not only has my left bicep reverted to the way it was last year, but now my right bicep hurts the same way.  Don't know what the outcome is gonna be on all this, but that's where it stands now.

4. Anxiety 

Yep, my old enemy anxiety came back this fall.  And at times, with a vengeance!  One night, I couldn't get to sleep and I think I had a panic attack in bed.  But I got through it.  At times, it was almost crippling. Still, it wasn't as bad as it was a few years ago when I had to go on meds for it.  And in the last two/three weeks or so, it's kinda subsided and gone away.  But for most of the fall, it was a continual, unwanted, companion. 

I guess this is something I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life. 

3. Visits

I had a number of unexpected, yet wonderful, visits this year!

In April, FDot visited for a week!  We went to the Gettyburg and Antietam Battlefields.  We took a tour of my workplace.  We walked along Carroll Creek in Frederick MD.  We ate at many local places.  He met and got a meal from Mama Polt.  I had an amazing week, and I hope he did too.  And I'm looking forward to a return visit sometime.

In June, I got to hang out with two very old and dear friends.  Thirty years ago, there were five of us who inseparable over the summer and beyond.  Now, we've all kinda drifted our own way, as happens.  My friend Duff and I still see each other every year for the Super Bowl, he hosts a party at his house.  We've done this for over 20 years.  But I've not seen the other three for years.  This year, Scott tried to get us all five together for a meal, but only three of us could make it.  So me, Scott (in the middle), his son, and Duff (on the right) had a breakfast/brunch one Sunday morning in June.  It was amazing to catch up with them (well Scott specifically, since Duff and I are kinda caught up).  Scott mentioned doing it again, and we both were for it.  Hopefully it happens.

In August, Long Island Travis came down for a weekend visit! What a great time, of fun, hanging out, bedtimesexxyfun, walking around, waching tv, and eating at the Waynesburger and from Rutters.   He loved Waynesburger so much we had food there all three days he was here.  For his Christmas present, I got the Waynesburger logo and made him a t-shirt with it on.  Hopefully he too will make it back for another visit sometime soon!

In October, my Fairy Godfather Mark, who moved back to Michigan more than ten years ago, made a trip back here.  He stayed with friends of his in Hagerstown, but he came up one evening to visit me.  We ate at Waynesburger and hung out at my place catching up.  It's like he hadn't even been gone that long, we got on so well.  He says he going to try to come back once a year, and that would be great to see him more often!

In November Dr. Ryan With The Cupcake, who lives in San Diego, was in DC for a conference.  I made the trip down once Saturday evening and we had a fun time, going to the National Zoo, walking the streets of DC and eating in a Chinese restaurant.  I've met most of the Puntabupeeps, he was one of the last I hadn't yet met (Mel and Mush I think are the only remaining ones).  And he's just as much fun and great company as you'd expect of a guy who mailed a banana cross country to Craiggers in Long Island a few years ago!

2. tRump destroys America

Everything this man and his administration are doing to this country, from legitimizing neo-Nazi, to vilifying the Free Press, to throwing 24 million Americans off their health care, to gutting social programs so billionaires like him can get obscene tax cuts, to throwing a lighted match onto the dry tinder that is the Middle East by moving our embassy, to making us the laughingstock of the world, to insulting all our allies while cuddling up to the world's dictators (in Russia, Philippines, Turkey, etc), to daily violating the Constitution's emoluments clause by having foreign governments spend money at this businesses, to lying every single time he opens his mouth....everything they are doing is destroying the fabric of this country.  Even if we are lucky enough to get a Democratic Congress next November that can halt his destruction, it'll still take decades, if not generations, to repair the damage these people have done to the foundations of our nation.  It is indeed a dark time.  Other than the Civil War, it is certainly THE darkest time we've ever had in the USA.

1. Diabetes

The end of may, my lower left leg went numb up to my knee. 

I started immediately eating even better than I have been and walking more.  And it went away.  Although since then, I have periodically had numbness and tingling in my toes, foot, ankle and lower leg.  It's VERY scary.   And it shows me how UNseriously I have been taking my diabetes in the last 17 years.  I've been trying to do better.  And have succeeded, somewhere.

In March, my A1C (long term diabetes number) was 9.4.  In July is was 9.4 still.  In November though, it was down to 7.6!

7.6 is still not an optimal number, but it's a helluva lot better than 9.4!  I hope to keep it lower or even get it lower still.  It's not been the best over the holidays, sometimes, but that's to be expected.  After New Years, I can get back to what I was doing in the fall and hopefully get and keep the diabetes under control!

So that's my list of events for 2017!  I hope everyone has a great New Years celebration!  I'll seeya all in 2018!

POLT