SPRING CLEANING

Mostly lazy posts of late -- but MAN, this month is going by quickly. Heck, the whole YEAR has gone quick so far, I can't believe it's been four months since Christmas. Wasn't that, like, yesterday??

Anyway. Very busy at work and home, all good stuff, but haven't actually written much, so here's some catching up on things from the past few weeks...

- The "Bears+ThemeParks=Fun" equation proved itself out twice this month, with trips to both Six Flags and Disneyland over two subsequent weekends. Our ad-hoc organizer for Six Flags on Sunday 3/31 was the ever-smiling sluggobear, whose boundless reserves of energy on these whirlwind trips always amazes me -- be sure to check out the photos I've posted of our motley crew, a sordid mix of both SD and LA folk, as well as the always adorable pulsecub along for a weekend visit. The following weekend was the annual "Mini Gay Day", which is a small, unofficial event that's at the halfway point between the official Gay Days in October. It was also cause célèbre for the birthday of redbeardedblond and a SoCal visit from him and his two hirsute hubbies from SLC. No, really! I have photographic proof that they were here!

- A trip to Korea is coming up again for work, the first week of May. Looks like I also might have some research trips in the near future, too -- probably to Orlando, possibly even to Tokyo (!). Exciting stuff.

- The visit to ArtCenter last night was quite interesting. Their night program has a bunch of classes I'm interested in -- and I found out through HR at work today that the company may reimburse my tuition expenses if the classes can be accredited towards a degree. That certainly puts it all in a very different, very attractive light -- so I'm going to dig a bit deeper and see about setting some long-term educational goals for myself. Slowly. Baby steps.

- ourson66 is working here in town this week, leaving Friday morning. I think tonight's big plans for his visit involve some lazing about the house with pizza. urbear's also working here in LA this week, having a visit with us over the weekend, so I'm sure some sort of frivolity will be planned. One quick jaunt I know we'll be taking is out to Valencia on Saturday for my brother's garage sale -- so if anyone has some crap to get rid of (or wants to come browse for crap to take home), lemme know.

- On a more somber note, on Sunday the first of the month, moroccomole and I drove a couple hours North to Kerman, California to pay a visit to our friend Kurt, who is the advanced stages of AIDS (a trip previously taken and reported here quite poignantly by both Sean and Bob). Kurt was alert and engaged with us while we sat and watched some television with him for a couple of hours. His parents are wonderful folks and are taking very good care of him; I've written them and asked them to keep in touch about Kurt's ongoing condition, which has stabilized somewhat but is mostly about lots of ups and downs. I also told them that we'd love to get a group together to come back some weekend soon for another visit, maybe even whip up a BBQ for them or something. Seeing Kurt, and meeting his folks, was a remarkable, humbling, and very moving experience, and I'm glad I had Alonso along to share it all with.

SUE & MATTY

SUE & MATTY
Originally uploaded by davecobb.

mattycub and his mom came to the studio today for lunch, and had a seat on Forrest Gump's bench.