Category: me

Do You Moto?

Ok, its a cheesy rip off but I thought it was funny.

I had another great ride yesterday. We did a route very similar to last week but in reverse. It was warm again and only a tad windy. Well, the City was actually a little but cool but outside the City was warm.  As usual, we deviated a bit from the route but only a tiny bit and only added 20-30 miles. Still very fun.

The Friday rides are becoming are regular thing and I find myself looking forward to it all week. I know, I’m a dork but we all need a hobby right? Well, besides THAT. I am gay man after all. And lets face it, Daddy has needs! On a quick side rant, the boy is doing well. He called and woke me up this morning on his way to the dentist. He had to get a filling over a root canal from last week. Ouch. Anyway, I just melt inside when I answer the phone and he says, ‘hi daddy!’ Go ahead, laugh, joke, and giggle bitches. I can take it.

Ok, back to the topic. We stopped at the Los Vaqueros Watershed for lunch. [1]We picked up cheese steak sammiches for lunch in Brentwood.  Being Friday, it was completely deserted except for this one contingent of old folks that split soon after we arrived. We hung out goofing and talking. A total relaxed environment even though we did get off on a serious subject toward the end.

Here we are getting arrested for indecency in public (just kidding). lol William had the idea to take pics in front of the sheriff vehicle. At the last minute, they decided to pretend they were being searched. I’m taking the picture so I got to skip it. *g*

Left to right, Tom, Don, William, and a new guy to the group, Michael. I think Michael was a little disappointed as he wanted to go fast and race the curves. He seemed a little bored but made the best of it. From my point of view, that can be fun but its better solo or in pairs. Group rides should be more about the group vs pushing your skills. The group has several newer riders and it isn’t fair to push them into a situation where they not only feel left out but could also hurt themselves trying to keep up. Don’t get me wrong, he didn’t have an ego, he just wanted something different.

Actually, one of the things I love about this group is the lack of egos. All the guys so far have been super cool and really eager to be part of the group. To me, its as much about comradere [2]Bastardized spelling of the word as it is the ride itself.

Clearly, we have fun hanging out together. lol And not only did I remember to take the camera, but we used it! See, I’m getting better. Anyway, the guys are fun and I like hanging with’em. I’m sill a bit of a newbie to the group but they have welcomed me with open arms. I’m so shy, lord knows I need all the help I can get. Not buying it? Damn! Anyway, I’m enjoying getting to know everyone. A few guys I already knew from around town, the gym, etc, but it is nice getting to know them better. We all have very different jobs and backgrounds which adds to the mix IMHO.

Here’s all our bikes together like wayward children. lol Front left is Tom’s, front right is Don’s. Back left to right is William’s Ducati, my blue gixxr (GSXR) and then Michael’s Kawasaki.

Today, I have absolutely nothing planned other than minor errands and the gym. I need some new tenny’s, and hygiene product. Oh very exciting to know right? I did indulge myself and have sushi though. I haven’t had sushi in a few weeks and I’m way overdo. Is a beautiful day out so I  might go for a short ride around the city too.

Oh and before I forget, I showed the apartment to a prospective roomie today. Uh, no. I care more about finding a good fit than just having a roomie. A good fit he was not. One, he smoked which was a deal breaker in itself. He also rambled on about how often his boyfriend would be staying over, strike 2. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he had the balls to tell me how drab my furniture was and that we ‘would have to make some changes’. Bless his heart. Better yet, he was genuinely surprised when I gave him the bad news. Whatev’s, me and my drab furniture will keep looking.

😛

References

References
↑1 We picked up cheese steak sammiches for lunch in Brentwood.
↑2 Bastardized spelling of the word

WWMD

This month’s WWMD is a bit heart-wrenching. One of my readers who has never commented confided in me recently. I have his permission to share his question anonymously.

Q: I just found out I am HIV-positive. I’m so scared and I feel like my life is over. I feel lost and confused. What should I do?

A: First, let go of the guilt, blame, and shame over your conversion. Beating yourself up over a mistake isn’t the answer. I often hear from so many gay men who can’t let go of the shame and guilt of sero-converting. Well, guess what? It just means you are human. We all make mistakes. Sometimes, those mistakes cost more than we ever expected or thought. There are a variety of support groups online and off that you can join to help in this arena, especially if you find yourself struggling to adjust. You will probably find them very inviting and supportive.

Second, your life is not over. HIV isn’t the death sentence it used to be. While people are still dying across the globe, in Western culture HIV is much more of a chronic illness now. With proper medication/management, you can easily live 20, 30, 40+ years. See your doc, get a genome test done. If your doc doesn’t want to do one, find another doc. This will determine which meds are best for you. More importantly, this will also prevent you from going on a poorly constructed cocktail [1]common term for a group of medications taken together to combat/treat HIV and burning thru whole classes of medications.

Educate yourself about HIV in general. Knowledge is power and you want to be well-armed, so to speak, when making decisions about your long-term health. You’d be surprised how many people know very little or are completely ignorant of how HIV is transmitted, etc. There are two main types of HIV [2]often referred to as HIV-1 and HIV-2 along with a variety of ‘sub-types’. Chances are high you probably have a subtype of HIV-1. I could go on and on but that would quickly bore you to sleep.

Along the same line of thought, take care of yourself physically. Drugs, drinking, smoking, etc are all things you should cut out or keep to a minimum in your life. Your diet is equally important. You don’t have to give up all the foods you love however, some consideration must be givin to trying to balance out your diet. Medication or not, your body is fighting a constant war. Taking care of yourself ensures it has the ammo it needs to carry on the fight. Abusing/neglecting yourself suppresses your immune systems ability to fight. If you don’t workout, I suggest you start. You don’t have to live in the gym but working out helps to strengthen your immune system. Sports or other fun outdoor activities can be just as beneficial.

Navigating the social, emotional, and psychological impact is much more complicated. You are going to encounter ignorance, fear, distrust, and even outright hostility at times. Human beings can be callas and even cruel when faced with the idea of their own mortality. I’m not sure I’m really qualified to give you advice here. Everyone is different and their path is often based as much on their personal beliefs and feelings as much as facts. Reach out to other poz guys and listen to their stories. Not only is it empowering, it also firmly moves you out of the “I’m a victim” mentality.

The psychological impact will probably be more of a constant. Some guys struggle with their internal shame and never truly get over it. Others embrace their status and see it as liberating since they no longer have to worry. Others still see it as just a nuisance that has to be managed and sometimes rears its ugly head. Who am I to say which answer or approach is best. You will have to discover for yourself what works for you.

Know this my friend(s). No matter what, you are loved and this does not make you any less worthy or deserving of love, respect, etc. Your right to be and exist is unchallenged. While navigating the hardships ahead may not always be easy, accept yourself (and your faults) and do not let anyone try to make you feel any different.

All my best to you.

References

References
↑1 common term for a group of medications taken together to combat/treat HIV
↑2 often referred to as HIV-1 and HIV-2

Good News & Stuff

First off, we (the Union) were able to come to an agreeable compromise last week that resulted in not only our own staffing not getting cut but also saved another 900+ jobs citywide. [1]The caveat is 2 ballot initiatives in November have to pass.

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We had a good ride again this last Friday. We only ended up taking a couple pics. At least I don’t look like a beached whale in this one. I loved the route, we ended up going thru a lot of the windmills North of the City. I’ve always had a thing for windmills. I guess because we never had any in Texas. [2]Texas and windmills, yeah right!

We had a our first girl join the group this last week. She was sweet and fit in well but I kind of got a kick out of how she pulled turns. I’m thinking maybe because she was so petite she has to pull her weight more to lean that big Ducati she drives. It was a bit comical watching her pull her body to the side on regular turns as if she was doing a really tight turn super fast. [3]If you’ve ever ridden a bike, you know that you can almost do anything with a bike just by shifting your body weight. She was cool though and we had fun with her. We have another ride coming this Friday. A similar route in reverse this time. I’m stoked!

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People have been asking about the boy. Yes, I’m still enjoying being a new daddy. No, I ain’t sharing those stories. [4]They ARE juicy though. What I will say, he is as charming and endearing as ever. He always seems to put a smile on my face and a chub in m pants. What’s not to like? Seriously though, if he lived closer, I’d be in trouble.

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I got more than a few emails about the last post. Some people felt I was “attacking” religion. Two things, read it again and I don’t care. I’ve picked my side and completely comfortable with that.

References

References
↑1 The caveat is 2 ballot initiatives in November have to pass.
↑2 Texas and windmills, yeah right!
↑3 If you’ve ever ridden a bike, you know that you can almost do anything with a bike just by shifting your body weight.
↑4 They ARE juicy though.

Morality Reloaded

I’m feeling long winded today, you’ve been warned! I’m also touching on a subject I’ve beat a couple times here before. For the best sense of what I’m getting it, you should probably read the previous rant on the old blog. I’m specifically calling attention to an important distinction of the general use of the word vs the reality of how most people apply it.

…morality does not refer to just any guide to behavior accepted by an individual, it is that guide to behavior that the individual adopts as his overriding guide, and wants everyone else to adopt as their overriding guide as well

To start off, I realized a long time ago, I have my own set of morals. I’ve also mentioned on numerous occasions I used to never view myself as an overly “moral” person in the strictest sense of the word. And while I’ve come to realize I am a moral person, my morals are subject to my own sense of overriding right from wrong, hence the quote above. An important distinction here is my personal moral code isn’t an excuse to allow me to behave inappropriately. More importantly, I can look beyond my own sense of morality to the greater sense of right and wrong. There are behaviors I accept as ok to me that would probably not be ok if everyone adopted it. Does that sound like a contradiction? Of course it does. Morality is completely subjective and derisive in nature simply because there is no one moral code that everyone subscribes to. Even worse, the use of morality as a hammer has become common practice in our society.

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The first half of my rant deals with the out of control religious fanaticism in Western culture today. I honestly don’t know how folks can still cling to the term ‘christian’ and look me in the eye anymore. I don’t mind telling you should you have the cojones to actually admit it to my face, my respect for you drops several points. [1]That is not to say, I discourage you from belief in God or a higher power in general.  Claiming ‘its your faith” is not an excuse anymore. Your “side” has made it clear the line has been drawn in the sand. You should be asking yourself, which side you are on?

Besides being responsible for more deaths than any other cause on the planet in our entire history, it seems that belief has become more important than right or wrong. The ‘religious right’ in this country have become extremists and a cult IMHO. They’ve taken up the banner of being in the “moral right” while using every dirty deceitful trick in the book to spread fear and hate. Well, I hate to burst your bubble but you are no longer the majority. You are fast relegating yourselves to the sidelines and will eventually become extinct. Not because of us but your own selfish narrow-minded behavior. When your convictions were tested, you failed miserably. You hide behind ‘your faith’ while resorting to the very tactics you claim to abhor in others. And to your draconian belief system I say good riddance. Offended? Lucky for you there is that lovely little X in the very right top corner of this window. Feel free to click it and never come back. My sympathy for you has been all used up. [2]As a side note, anyone claiming to be ‘christian in defense of their comments here will have their comments deleted.

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The other half of my little rant today is about a disturbing trend I’ve noticed in general in our society lately. Specifically, people no longer seem to care about the truth when arguing an objective based on ‘morality’. You hear the word moral thrown around a lot in circles discussing everything from Obama to gay rights. The sad twist is many of these same folks stoop to deceit, half-truths, and outright lies to prove said moral point. I’m speaking mostly in relation to the gay rights struggle, but it is much broader than that. Seeing the lengths that people go thru to defame and trash our current president is astounding and shameful. He isn’t responsible for this current state of crisis and expecting him to fix it overnight is beyond foolish, it is stupid.

The ‘fundie” extremists and I do agree on one thing. Our society is facing a moral decay. It isn’t ‘the gays’ that are causing it though. It is our personal greed blinding us to the simple truth that we are no longer a righteous people. Western society has become nothing more than a bunch of controlling corrupt power mongering whiners focused on their own personal gain. We can’t say the word ‘fuck’ on prime time TV but it is perfectly acceptable behavior for hospitals to turn patients out into the street because they are too poor to pay for health care. Gays can’t get married but it is perfectly ok to defraud hundreds of thousands of people out of jobs so you can run a get-rich-quick scheme. No, we are too focused on me, me, me, me to care about our neighbors, fellow man, the planet, or the common decency that used to bind us all together.

So, is this where I complain about moving to another country or planet? No. Instead, I continue to live openly and honestly about who and what I am. I continue to see the good in all of us. I continue to behave in a way that I can be proud of and look back on without shame. I strive to better myself and move forward w/o the need to trample over my fellow man to do it. My own moral compass may be fractured and flawed in comparison but it still points me due North. I will follow it until the end of my days. Can you say the same?

References

References
↑1 That is not to say, I discourage you from belief in God or a higher power in general.
↑2 As a side note, anyone claiming to be ‘christian in defense of their comments here will have their comments deleted.

Fly

Yeah, I know, I haven’t updated lately. I’ve been a bit busy.

Work was a bit stressful last week. The Union has been in negotiations with the City for a few months now. They City obviously is having a serious financial crisis and wants the Union(s) to give back. Without our contract being open, they can’t force it but the Union clearly understands if they don’t come to the table, the City turns to layoffs. Actually, the City has already given out almost 500 pink slips.

Last week the membership voted down the 2nd negotiated compromise. My understanding is there will be no more talks. With this latest offer being rejected, the City will most likely return to laying people off. I’m not worried for my own job but I am rather sad knowing more people will be getting pink slips in such a rough economy.

I’m a bit torn on the outcome of the last vote. At first thought, it seems like people are being greedy and selfish. And while that may be true to some extent, there is more to it. Many people are scared of giving back in tough times and I can’t fault them for that. And frankly, the City has pled poverty for so long now that they are in a true financial crisis, their pleas are falling on deaf ears. Things are going to get ugly in the next few weeks. *sigh*

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In somewhat exciting news, I went indoor skydiving this past weekend. One of the motorcycle groups I ride with decided to go and it was an awesome! Basically, its a 100 foot chamber surrounded by plexi-glass walls and a huge fan underneath. The floor is mesh wire. After instruction and suiting up, an instructor guides you to the edge and pulls you in and away you go! It is hard to describe the feeling of floating on nothing but air but it was an amazing experience. Besides having your face blown every which way, the sensations are hard to describe. I was a tiny bit apprehensive at first but upon arriving and seeing people in action, my fears melted away and I was all for it. I’m not sure I’d ever go skydiving for real but this was a good alternative. We all loved it and plan to go back and do it again soon.

There is a video coming but I’m waiting for William (links to a Facebook profile) to rip the disc and upload the files for all of us to share.

I could write more but getting sleepy and need to hit the sack. More to follow soon.

WWMD v3.2

So last month we talked about meeting new people in the plutonic sense.  This month is more about the intimate or sexual sense.  *This is a bit of an adult topic.*  I’m clearly very open about sex and see nothing wrong with it.  Not everyone fits the same mold and I fully understand that.  I do what works for me and so should you. 

Q: How do you meet new people for casual fun or possibly dating?

A: First and foremost, be yourself.  Have a clear idea what you are and are not looking for and stick to it.  Don’t be afraid to tell someone you are inexperienced or still discovering what floats your boat.  Some guys get off on that and it might make for even more fun.  If you are looking for someone to date, I highly recommend taking the plutonic approach and letting things build.  Don’t try to make everyone you meet into a potential boyfriend.  You’ve already prejudiced yourself if you do that. 

If you are more of a slut like me, then keep an open mind.  Not every booty calls has to remain that way.  If you find you have a good connection with someone, see where it leads.  It might start off as sex and turn into something more meaningful.  Either way, if you don’t feel a spark or connection, don’t lead the other guy on.  Besides saving you a lot of drama, it shows you have integrity. 

Again, I don’t recommend bars but if you must. . .  If you go out looking for nookie it is probably better if you go alone.  Or at the very least, have a clear understanding with your friend(s) that you are on the prowl.  I’d highly recommend not expecting to always score.  This often leads to either lame sex w/someone you aren’t really interested in or personal disappointment. [1]And yes, I realize sometimes easier said than done.  For safety reasons (and a little common sense), I’d recommend you have a buddy system.  Someone you can text, call, or email if you make plans to go home with someone.  Never hurts to take a modicum of precaution. lol  And for the love of crackers, if you are neg and wish to remain that way, do not let what a complete stranger tells you about their HIV status dictate what type of sex you have.  You should have a range of sexual activity you are comfortable doing regardless of a person’s status.  This avoids making poor decisions that may lead to very unpleasant consequences.  Ultimately, no one is responsible for your health but you.  And frankly, people lie!  Being in the moral right won’t do you much good if you seroconvert. 

If the bars are as unappealing to you as they are to me, there is online and of course, places that are geared for sex.  There are plenty of online sites out there focused on dating and/or hooking up.  Some are free, some charge.  I do find on most of the free sites the ratio of drama and frustration tends to be higher.  A buddy system works equally as well here.  Again, a little common sense goes along way.  And don’t fall into the lame ass trap that so many do.  Be honest about your desires, stats, and pics.  You may get less interest but the interest you do get will be legit.  Trust your instincts, if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. 

Depending on where you live, there are a variety of places you can go to find sex w/o all the online BS.  This, of course, is a comfort level.  Some people don’t enjoy sex clubs, some are too uncomfortable, some just can’t relax enough.  Ya never know unless you try.  Bookstores tend to be dirty and rather degrading.  However, there is a bit of fetish involved in such an anonymous hookup. [2]Depending on where you live, this also could be a little risky.  Sex clubs and baths are often a tad cleaner.  Sex clubs usually follow a theme or cater to certain fetish(es).  At the tubs you usually have the option of privacy and the ability to clean up before and/or after. heehee  Again, it depends on your comfort, what you are looking for, etc.   Myself, I like variety.

I don’t really recommend outdoor sex like parks, public restrooms and such.  Again, this tends to cater to a fetish however, public sex is still illegal in all 50 states.  If that floats your boat, just be prepared to deal with the consequences. 

Regardless, the goal here is to be creative and don’t limit yourself to one area. 

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Of course, my advice here assuming you are out and open.  Lying or deceiving a significant other is just bad karma and often comes back to bite you in the ass.  This is also assuming you aren’t one of those guys who constantly cloaks his booty calls under the term “dating”.  If you aren’t into random hookups, there is nothing wrong with that.  If you are, still nothing wrong with it.  What works for one may not work for all.  I’ll say it again, be honest with yourself about your desires, fantasies, wants, etc.  You won’t find fulfillment if you can’t learn to express yourself both emotionally and physically. 

References

References
↑1 And yes, I realize sometimes easier said than done.
↑2 Depending on where you live, this also could be a little risky.

Interest

So everyone is chomping at the bit for more news about "the boy". Actually, its been ages since a post on my blog generated so much feedback, online and off. I’ve even enjoyed the jibes from offline friends. First, I made a typo in the last post. He is 46 not 42. No, he didn’t deceive me, I knew his real age. Yes, we are still talking. No, I am not moving to LA nor is he moving here. [1]I’m not exactly sure how my last post conveyed anything like that.

It has been and continues to be an unusual experience for me. I’m enjoying it and I still find myself wanting to take on the role for the boy. He continues to be just as eager. We talk pretty much daily. I’m not really sure where things will evolve. Nor am I trying to force it into anything in particular. The boy has managed to show me parts of myself that I wasn’t even sure existed. For that, I will always be grateful.

One reader who is apparently deep into the scene has inferred that this will change my entire life and I’ll find myself subsumed by the role and scene. And while his inference (and advice) implies it to be a good thing, I humbly disagree. My focus thru this blog has always been about becoming a more well-rounded person. And while this experience has certainly been enlightening, I have no intention of molding myself into a pre-defined image of anything or anyone. Being well-rounded means recognizing parts of yourself and then reconciling those parts into the id as a whole. So don’t expect me to give up mani/pedi’s and/or start wearing leather full time. It ain’t gonna happen. lol

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Work was a bit busy last week. Besides normal workload increases for warm weather, our contract re-negotiations are coming to a close soon. Surmising a very long winded story, we had two offers so far. The irony was the first offer was a better offer but because it was overly complex, most employees were resoundingly against it. The feedback was so bad the Union didn’t even bring the offer to a vote. The City had gambled on playing hardball but when it realized how poorly it was going, they came back to the table for round two.

The second offer is simpler in design and seems to have much broader support even though we will be giving up a lot more than the first offer. If anything, it just goes to show that the ’mob mentality’ is still as strong as ever in our society. I get to spend all day tomorrow explaining the new offer to the membership. Joygasm!

References

References
↑1 I’m not exactly sure how my last post conveyed anything like that.

Speedy

Officer kristaki and I went for a round-a-bout ride today. I met up at his place in Richmond. [1]I’ll skip the getting lost part We started out driving over to Fremont so he could put a deposit down on a rifle he has been wanting. The guys at the gun shop were hysterical and scary all at the same time. The crowning moment was watching this very white trash couple buying his/hers guns.

Here is kristaki looking all butch. Of course, we didn’t get a pic of me dropping my bike. lol I was only moderately embarrassed. As we are pulling into the parking space, I’m making a U-turn and made the classic mistake of going too slow and over-braking. I didn’t drop it so much as laid it down. kristaki got a kick out of seeing me do it, the bastard. I came away with only a minor scratch on the exhaust. [2]Those sliders finally came in handy On a side note, the leg workouts are paying off. It was nothing for me to lift the bike. I distinctly noticed how light it seemed.

Here I am at lunch looking very high in this pic. I won’t post the other pic of my funny face. It was not pretty. kristaki gave me a nice compliment, telling me how big my arms were getting. He was instantly forgiven for laughing at my previous little accident. heh heh. I’ll even sport for a nice gift when he gets married later this year.

This was only the 2nd time kristaki and I have ridden together since I started riding. We rode together once a few years ago back when I still had the GS-500. Since I had virtually no idea where we were going, I let him lead and was impressed at how aggressively cautious he was. He, like me, likes to be aggressive w/o being stupid and making rash decisions. We played follow the leader weaving thru traffic and I had a blast. There was one scary part. This cadi came flying onto the freeway at I can only guess 120 mph. We were doing about 85 mph at the time and this guy easily shot passed us while entering the freeway. I’m thinking to myself how absolutely crazy he is when I see him almost crash.

He is roughly about 3 blocks ahead of us when I see him swerve across three lanes of traffic. He lost control of the car and almost flipped it over. I shit you not, two of the wheels came off the pavement at one point. Luckily for him, he managed to regain control w/o crashing or killing anyone. kristaki and I had already moved to the far right lane to make sure we were well clear of his bullshit.

We are supposed to go on a more proper ride tomorrow. I’m hoping to take him down South Hwy 1.


Here I am striking a nice pose on the beast. I had the sudden urge to flex but decided against it. lol
It was a very nice day for a ride, if a tad warm. I overdressed and had to “de-layer” a bit while we were stopped getting gas.

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I finally broke down and got a Fastrak today too. I’m not sure why it took me so long to get one. Ok I do, say it with me…pro-cras-ti-nate. They’ve gone all digital so registering was a snap. The irony here is the toll booth I went thru today was broken. The guy waved me thru so I’m assuming all is good.

All in all, I was proud of myself today. kristaki has been riding quite a few years longer than me. The first time we rode together, I sort of felt like a total amateur. Today, I felt completely at ease while we were riding.

References

References
↑1 I’ll skip the getting lost part
↑2 Those sliders finally came in handy

Wrong Turn

I went on a ride this past Saturday with the moto group. It went well except for a bit of confusion in the beginning. The group sponsor who also happened to plan the ride sort of pissed me off. He took off and left the group behind. 

The ride was supposed to be a short but scenic one thru and around the City. There were about 8 or 9 of us to start. We started at Gayway [1]Safeway on Market and headed out for Ocean beach via Golden gate park. Now, in a group this large, it is easy to get caught up w/traffic, lights, stop signs, etc. We hadn’t even made it to the park before our host was completely out of sight. We stopped and texted him to see if he was pulled over somewhere waiting for us. We didn’t hear anything so headed for the first official stopping point, which was Ocean beach. We texted again from the beach and he was already over the Golden Gate bridge! I don’t care how good of a teacher or rider he is, that was just rude.

I kept my temper in check as I am still a bit of a n00b to the group. However, several other guys were obviously annoyed and two even abandoned the ride out of frustration. The remaining 6 of us ended up driving down Hwy 1 South. [2]One of my favorite rides The ride was a bit windy but the sun was out and it was beautiful driving down the coastline. We stopped for lunch at Alice’s [3]a local biker hotspot in Woodside before heading back. Round trip, it was about 150 miles. 

Today was the first day I took the lead with the group. Normally, I stay to the rear as I don’t know all the routes that well yet. Anyway, I set a brisk pace w/o leaving anyone behind. The guys seemed to like the fact I was a little aggressive w/o being reckless.

On a side note, I sort of use the group rides to test how far along my skills have developed. I’m doing pretty good overall I think. I’m by no means an expert rider yet but I’m getting there.  And even though the accident in August was in no way my fault, I still found myself being overly timid on curves. That seems to have passed thankfully. It might of had something to do with the fact this particular route is very familiar to me. The strip from Hwy 1 off the coast along Hwy 84 is a motorcyclist’s dream come true. It has a little bit of everything; open runs, windy roads, and a variety of curves.

References

References
↑1 Safeway on Market
↑2 One of my favorite rides
↑3 a local biker hotspot in Woodside

WWMD v3.1

So this month’s What Would Moby Do is much less risqué. lol  Actually, I find this question comes up a lot and is a doozy for newbies to the world of gay.  It is also a two part-er, hence the 3.1.

Q: How do you meet people for friendship?

A:  There are a variety of ways to meet new people.  Bars, online, social gatherings, volunteering, etc can all be venues based on where you live. [1]Living in a remote or small town might mean having to trek to the closest big city. 

Make an effort.  Don’t show up somewhere and just expect others to magically engage you in conversation.  You don’t have to be the life of the party, little nudges go a long way though.  Be yourself, be honest.  Let go of any unrealistic expectations of what or who you should or shouldn’t be.  No one likes a phony and it often takes way too much effort to maintain such a facade. 

Volunteering is a great way to not only meet people but you get to do a good deed.  Find gay related charities or organizations in your area.  It doesn’t have to be a lifetime commitment but it should be something you can relate to or enjoy.  Play the “newbie” angle.  Use it as an excuse to introduce yourself to others.  You’d be surprised how many people will reach out and try to make you feel welcome. 

Join a social group that involves hobbies or activities you enjoy.  Same as volunteering, you get to meet new people and work that “newbie” status! lol  This can go hand in hand w/online social sites.  There are plenty to choose from.  Chances are high any hobby you pick there will be a social site dedicated to it.  If you take the online route, take the time to fill out your profiles with your info, likes, dislikes, goals, hobbies, etc.  Like anything in life, you get out of it what you put into it.  I keep a master word (text works just as well) file with all of my profile data in it.  I can easily copy and paste it if I find myself joining a new or different site. 

Continue reading WWMD v3.1

References

References
↑1 Living in a remote or small town might mean having to trek to the closest big city.