Hello 31

Know what has flown by? 31 years of my life. Holy-crap-balls, I’m 31. While I realize this blog entry about what the hell I’ve been doing with my life is about a year late, and I really wanted to have this all done by the time I was 30, but I’m gay, Mexican and from Santa Cruz, CA. Basically this is as on-time as anyone is getting from me. But also, I wrote a blog last year about what it was like for me to turn 30. I was super excited and I kind of kicked ass in my 30th year. 31 is looking rather tame in comparison, which is fine for me, I need a damn break. Meanwhile…

Thursday marked basically the seven month anniversary of my stay here in Chicago. Thats what we say here in “Chi-town” btw, its not “where do you live?” its, “where do you stay?” I hate it. Its one of those cultural differences that actively gets on my nerves (also, people here say “San Fran” which is like nails on a chalkboard to me). In some ways, it makes sense, but I don’t understand what the aversion to the word “live” is all about. I also don’t understand the relationship of Mexicans and Filipinos and the sport of boxing, but thats a whole research paper just waiting to explode right there (or quite possibly a shallow blog looking at stereotypes of both cultures and relating them to violence, probably be way easier and more fun to read and write).

So seven months later, a small list of what I’ve been up to.

• I have managed NOT to become a full on hoarder while living by myself.

• My clothes don’t get draped over the bed or kitchen counter, well, for the most part. Old habits die hard really.

• I have not yet learned how to cook anything other than rotisserie chicken from the super market. Of course, when I say “cook” you do realize I mean open the container it was already cooked in. Sides include hummus and pita chips. Yeah…bachelor much?

• I have a full time job, I manage a website for a law firm. Difference between this job and the one I had in San Francisco? I have an office, but no window. Also, I don’t have to listen to those cable car bells all day.

• I’m pretty sure I have established a reputation at the gym for being the only gay who shows up on a saturday morning without hair done, makeup and matching gym outfit.

• I’ve racked up enough frequent flyer points for a free flight already, and I’ve already booked it. Miami and Key West, here I come!

• While I knew I was a competitive person before I left home, I’ve come to realize that I need competition in my life or I get bored. This realization may come from the many fights and sports and games get into in my dreams.

• In the same vein, if I don’t have a sport to train for, I really don’t care about being in the gym. Weights are not nearly as fun to throw around as people are.

• I sold my car…Yes, Maxwell and I had been together for 10 years. I bought him two days after my first boyfriend broke up with me. Kristin took me car shopping cause it always made me feel better and Maxwell had awesome cup-holders. To those of you who don’t know. I come from a very car centered family and community. Me not having a car at my disposal is a first in 15 years and while it was liberating in the moment, let me assure you, a bus schedule is not as liberating as everyone thinks it is.

• I have lived off a skillet, spatula and crockpot for 7 months now. No microwave, no other cooking utensils. You have NO idea how creative you can be when it’s thrown upon you.
• I have learned how to date and not have it be relationship oriented…I hate it.

• I decided to be Mr. Nice Guy when I moved here. Its really fucking boring. I’m tossing that to the side and going back to being a bitch. It was way more fun and I’m SO much better at it.

• Making friends in a new city when you don’t have a sports team to participate in is SO hard. I can’t do cheerleading cause of the schedule and I’m not even close to waterpolo shape, which leaves me with swimming. Not exactly super social, you know, you stare at someone’s wet speedo butt for hours on end…oh wait, there is an upside to swimming, maybe I’ll give it a shot.

So yeah, thats kind of me at 31. No big plans to kick ass at the moment. Just going to enjoy the slow ride and keep marching towards financial independence (also on the list for this year, so I guess being boring and having few friends to spend money with helps that goal…)