Sunday Favorite 29

I have much to share so let's get started!

As you may remember, I was in San Francisco for work. I shouldn't complain, right? It's a great city and I really enjoy my time there. The work part was okay; it was a little different routine than usual so that made it not so bad. As usual, I stayed in the City (the Financial District) and commuted to my workplace in nearby Alameda. However, on Monday I visited one of our offices to train an individual and on Friday I visited another office to train two individuals. It was at the second office on Friday that capped the week perfectly. Both gentlemen were bright, quick to learn, and willing to do what it took to get a handle on the two systems I was training. Here's the fun part: Friday was R's birthday! Ironically, tomorrow is P's birthday, which is also my own. So three Taurus men together equals lots of laughs.

I was able to spend time with a couple of friends in the evenings. On Monday evening, my friend J took me on the Tenderloin tour...which basically means that we hit several bars and had dinner in the Tenderloin District which, if you don't know, is not the best area. Still, it was fun. We got tipsy and got a little high and had lots of laughs.

On Tuesday I met up with M for dinner. What can I say about him? I could so easily fall for him. I try to keep my emotions in check because, aside from the distance, he already is partnered. Anyway, M and I went to the Mission District for dinner and sangria. Then we went to his apartment. This was totally unexpected for me because he's pretty much kept that part of his life at arm's distance from me. I understand; he loves his bf like no other (his words) and I know he's very happy. I am just a friend, not a romantic partner or even a sexual partner. I felt honored that he took me to his "inner sanctum." So while at his apartment we each peed, I met his cat Gigi, and we watched a compilation of bad movie flicks that he puts together for a midnight movie madness show he does. He pulled out his pipe and we took some hits before bar hopping.

Now, let me make this quite clear: I don't normally do the pot thing. In my YTP days I did a little but really haven't partaken much in the past 20 years. So for me to do it once on this trip was out of the ordinary...to do it a second time was very uncharacteristic of me. Still...when one's host/bearguide offers it's rude to refuse, right?

Well I didn't get high. I got completely stoned. I couldn't talk, the conversation was totally in my head, and I even experienced a moment of paranoia. Have you ever heard of a 'marijuana minute?' It's when you think a lot of time has passed but really it's only a minute of time. That happened to me. M was talking to a friend of his at the Lone Star and I went away in my head. In looking back, it was quite funny. I kept apologizing to M who kept saying it was his fault. We walked to the BART and I thought I was going to venture alone but he decided to walk me back to my hotel. The cool air and soda I had been drinking helped clear my high and by the time we got to my hotel I was almost back to normal. We just talked and he eventually left. I thought it was sweet of him to walk me all the way from SoMa to my hotel.

On Thursday I went to see "A Single Man" at the Opera Plaza Cinema, which is where M works. He was a little upset that I paid to get in; he was going to comp me in. So he gave me free popcorn and soda (in his own extra large plastic tumbler). Although I only got to talk to him for about 10 minutes after the movie it was very nice to see him. Have I mentioned it would be easy for me to fall for him? M introduced me to his coworkers who said if they knew I was the bear M was expecting that they would have let him know. The one coworker is an older gay man who checked out my profile on a bear social networking site. We've started chatting I guess.

If you haven't seen "A Single Man" I highly recommend it. A wonderful film, beautifully acted and the cinematography is wonderful. Tom Ford should be very proud of his efforts; Colin Firth's Oscar nomination was well-deserved.

So those are the highlights of this past week. I hope everyone enjoys their week - I know I am. I'm on vacation!

BEHR HUGS!!