(no subject)

[vicarz]

My gmail account gets more spam than my yahoo account - both free services catch nearly 100% of the spam and put it away.

This morning's iced coffee was unusually bitter. Dunno what I did to it but I kept looking at the screen and absentmindedly sipping - shocked into realizing how WHUMP the iced coffee was. My giant crystal less processed sugar didn't dissolve well into it.

Drove to work avoiding 295 this AM, as in the morning going down the GW Parkway is a far calmer less conflict-ridden ride than through the SE Freeway and 295 aggro freaks. It's 10 miles more and probably 5 minutes longer to get to work - but I might keep doing it even when they finish the 14th street bridge. Going home is more of a burden as traffic does back up frequently on the beltway or the ALBridge. Still, it's even notably cooler when you get to the parkway.

I noted this in a comment, but about my icon:
It is me, cropped for a reason
No fotoshoop (might as well draw the damn person if you're going to polish the image)
I had been sick
I used tungsten light from above which exaggerates the shadows creating a far more muscular picture
I did abs work to make the muscles all puffy for the pic
I flexed and leaned back to make the picture more CK underwear ad like
I ate approximately half of the batch of cookies I made yesterday, and about half of that in the form of dangerous raw cookie dough
Food poisoning would have resulted in more weight loss than the calories ingested, just sayin'

Et tu, JOs Bank? Their sale of buy 1 get 2 free is back on and I was thinking of replacing my wash n' wear work pants. I liked Eddie Bauer but stopped buying their shit because even though they carry my height, I'm not often fat enough for their 30" Now JOs Bank seems to have pants my height...but not waist size. Grr. I'm NOT 30 " round! Not unless I finish these cookies...

I'm looking at how often I work at home, the flexible hours, my boss giving me the secret heads up on some dick who just tried to backstab me again, my lack of dress and related dress code, and the idiots who I am fighting on behalf of the Agency, and still thinking while I'd rather win the lottery that this is not a bad place to be...

BWA! While I was typing this my boss came up and joked "those your abs?" Of course, he got an earful of what I just shared with you. Now, understand this is a ... well frankly, a big black dude. As in benches 405 ex football player BBD. He's also very xtian, and in the past has voiced some not-so-homo-friendly opinions. He has moderated his views a bit over time - partially for work EEO I'm sure, but also just through exposure I think (I think, with my rainbow pin on today, he's figured out that while I have a gf that I'm not 100%, ya know). Anyway, talking gym and abs stuff he pulled me into his office and just happened to have some physique-showing pictures he did for a charity calendar. It was a couple years ago but he basically had the abs that I have in the icon above (but with far more muscle-beef going on in the chest and shoulders of course). So, from a dood I once heard _actually say_ "It was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve..." who suspects I am at least part fag, to showing me his calendar photo while I'm wearing a rainbow pride pin - that's some serious progress.

There's a lesson to me too. I tend to quickly reject people who don't already share my views. Here is someone I had to work with, and I had trouble because his views were so strongly against views I hold so strongly. Still, I worked with him (work makes a big difference too) and tried to focus on those areas we agreed. Look at us now.

If only I had more experiences like this...?

Comments

[have-inner-lady.livejournal.com]

I have heard this type of cropped photo referred to as a "headless horseman" shot. Your pointing out that it's cropped for a reason amuses me, although I perhaps am thinking of a different reason. But it's all good.

I will remember the tungsten lighting trick. I want my boobs to look bigger. Maybe I can rig a tungsten light hat. [laughs]

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Oh no that's the reason. Bag this one! ;P

[http://users.livejournal.com/_blackjack_/]

You're fat.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

but I'm proud!

At least we both like chocolate and ice cream

[fsfitz.livejournal.com]

Hm, we don't have similar views when it comes to poltics or social issues, yet we are friends. I find that it's easier just to accept everyone and learn from differing points of view. I may not agree, but I'll respect. Of course, if someone tries to jam an agenda down my throat, that's a whole 'nother matter.

Re: At least we both like chocolate and ice cream

[vicar.livejournal.com]

I thought we did agree on some important social issues? Hope so - those are pretty crucial to me.

It's a tough balance - I cannot be friends with people who have abhorrent views, only those who generally agree on morality but think there is a different way to get there.

Anti gay rights? Want to prevent moving among social classes? Racist / phobic and besides personal prejudice want to and do act on it? I can't be friends with those people.

Re: At least we both like chocolate and ice cream

[fsfitz.livejournal.com]

Yes, we do agree on some important social issues. Homophobes and racists aren't my cup of tea either.

[freja999.livejournal.com]

That's something I try to do; I compartment what I may dislike about a person and concentrate on what we have in common. I've often find, that I can be friends with people whom I'd otherwise find repugnant in their social or political views and more often than not, I've exposed them to a side they haven't taken into account before and are forced to reevaluate their views. I almost never do that with debate or argument, but with gentle reinforcement of their own supposed beliefs and values using a point that they would otherwise have disagreed with.

For example, I cite WWII heroes from the WAC, Wind Talkers, 442nd and MIS Nisei, and Tuskegee Airmen, to demonstrate how lucky we are in the US to have such diversity that we had the edge to defeat the Axis with their group-think and homogenous cultures. I then further elabourate how that makes for a strong capitalistic society since diversity breaks group-think. I always end with "I'm so proud to be an American where my rights and freedoms are valued and protected. Aren't you?"

They almost always agree.

It's manipulative in a way, but it's true and it works.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Just had a guy today talking about how Israel's military has very high uh...rankings...but has no qualms about hte gayze.

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

1. Even with all those tricks, I couldn't get a photo of such enviable abs. Nice work! (and I might have to give it a try anyhow to see how much shows up)

2. That user icon is so small....do you have a bigger version you'd be willing to post so we can fully appreciate your physique?

3. I love that story of your co-worker that I want to post a link to this entry in my journal. May I?

Power squid

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Of course you may link - thank you for asking.

I'm not going to post the larger version - despite the strategic placement of sea creatures the gf felt it was a bit too much :)
Or too little