Test results

A few weeks ago I took the Myers-Briggs personality test. I got the results yesterday! I find it interesting that this fits me perfectly!

I am an ISFP.
Quiet, friendly, sensitive, and kind. Enjoy the present moment, what’s going on around them. Like to have their own space and to work within their own time frame. Loyal and committed to their values and to people who are important to them. Dislike disagreements and conflicts, do not force their opinions or values on others.

Now that I've been reading up on this and the compatibility with others; I wish everyone would take the test and wear a t-shirt! That way we all would be able to figure each other out.

I wonder what initials my blogger friends are! If you have taken this before and know your personality traits let me know, I think it would be interesting.

Something new...

This past weekend I went to the Houston area for the closing weekend of the Texas Renaissance Festival. It was great to see my friends again, I really miss them. We ate, drank way too much Loki (remind me to tell y'all about Loki in another post), laughed, talked and got caught up on all the latest. We decided that someone has got to keep a journal of all the crazy stuff that happens to us at the Ren Faires. We already have some great stories, some can't be told in a decent setting like my blog. (Email me if you want to hear some crazy stories, or check out the photos I'm tagged in on Facebook) LOL

One new member of the crew had a little surprise for us. A taste testing! The drink;

Lambic

It is a Belgian beer that is double fermented with fruit. There are plenty of entries on Lambic if you really want to know more about it, just google it! lol

We tried all the flavors except Current. My favorite is the Kriek.

I think this will become my drink of choice for the Pagan Holidays!

Huzzah!

(Let me know if you all have tried it before or even heard of it! I had never heard of Lambic before)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a great day.

This is my favorite of the "traditional" holidays because it is all about being thankful; for the people and things in your life. And I love all the foods of this holiday!

I hope you all get to spend the day with loved ones and friends.

Funny video & song (possibly NSFW)

Just a little something to make y'all laugh. I sure need to....!
You need to check out his other videos too, makes me LOL!

Weekend Adventures

I was very undecided about what to do this weekend.

Friends wanted me to come down to Houston for the renaissance festival since I missed last week. I wanted to go but the vehicle repairs were way more than I thought, so I am putting myself on a very strict budget.

The weather in Dallas is great! It was 71 degrees yesterday and was 75 today! I got out on the mountain bike yesterday and rode a trail near Joe Pool lake just south and west of Dallas. I completed the 12 mile loop and decided to make a second run and got about a mile or two into the trail when I shifted gears and heard this loud grinding noise and a pop! "Oh great", I thought; "The chain has fallen off again". I hopped off the bike and saw that the derailleur was just hanging there... not even connected to the bike frame anymore. Gggggrrrr! Well, I turned around and headed back towards the parking area and then straight up to a bike shop.

"We don't have the part" I was told the third time at the third shop. But this one said they have a local supplier and they could get it, hopefully, by Monday! The other two places told me it would be after Thanksgiving before the part would come in.

So, last week my vehicle was out of commission, this weekend it was my bike. DAMN IT!!

Oh well, changing plans is a part of life. So today I go get a message, then meet some friends out for brunch. I get home and decided to go running. I ran my usual three mile course but my left heel kept hurting! I knew my running shoes were worn in the back, but it hadn't bothered me before. When I got home I took off my shoe and my sock was bloody. And I still needed to get to the gym for a workout. Instead I headed to a local shoe discount store and got some new gym shoes.

So much for staying on a tight budget! I wish I had one of these:

Bullying

There has been a lot of press about kids being bullied and how it needs to stop! But are they targeting the wrong audience? They're trying to talk to kids about it, but I believe that children only mirror what goes on in their home.

My last post is a perfect example and it made me realize something. Organized religions foster bullying! When a family in their church hears that homosexuality is a sin and is wrong and that "God hates fags" that sends a clear message out to parents that they can have this same attitude in their homes. Children hear and act in school the attitudes they learn at home.

Also, organized religions are becoming more and more vocal in the media and in organizing against gay rights and gay marriages. This fosters the belief that we are inferior and are second class citizens. To a kid this could sound like it's OK to be a bully to someone who they think is gay or different, their parents and ministers do it, why can't they?

Even those like the closeted guy who emailed me foster this belief. If they sit there in their church services and remain silent they are contributing as well. Part of my reply to Christopher mentioned this; that I could not sit silently and take the belittlement, the condescension and the verbal bullying that goes on in churches.

I'm going to take a stand and tell my family that I resigned from the mormon church for this reason. I can't remain silent! Maybe my small effort will help someone to realize where bullying starts and maybe one less kid will feel threatened and bullied.

An interesting email

I think I've mentioned that I have my life story, (well, the part about growing up Mormon), out on the website Gay Mormon Stories. I included my email address at the end of the story and occasionally I get an email from someone in the world who has read my story and wants me to know that my story helped them.

I got an email this week, but it had a different tone to it:
(I'll edit it...)

Jim,
I enjoyed your story but I was frustrated at your conclusions. I experienced much of the same as you... the difference is that I did believe that if I wanted it bad enough and if I exercised my faith that I could learn to control and deal with my homosexual attractions.

I met a wonderful girl when I was seventeen but I first fell in love with her younger 14 year old brother. I never did anything sexual with him but always wanted to. Years later after serving a mission I ended up marring the girl and we now have 7 children, three married and three grand children.

...I just chose to fight against what I believe is a trial in my life that god allowed me to have, he could help me overcome this thorn in my flesh.

I am not writing this to you to preach to you or to try and win you back. [blah blah blah]

...I do appreciate your story and I don't mean to make judgment on you. [blah blah blah]

...Sorry this is so long. I wish you much happiness in your life. Thanks for taking the time to share your story.
Christopher



Hhhhhmmm... I read this story early in the morning and was kind of sleepy. I first missed the parts that I put in bold above. Here is the edited version of my reply: (I know this may seem like a long post, but there is a hilarious end to the story, trust me!)

Christopher,
Just to let you know, I don't believe we have the same feelings. There are not just 3 types of people in the world; straight, gay and the bisexual who is exactly in the middle. There are way more shades of grey in between gay and straight than people in society want to admit. There are varying degrees, so you cannot judge that I am at the same place where you are!

...In my opinion, all organized religions, the LDS church included, believe that God's love IS conditional! You firmly believe that the ONLY way to ever be with God is to follow and live all the church teachings!

...don't belittle and berate YOURSELF because you're not 100% straight. Love this about yourself, your uniqueness! I believe it's not just a trial or a torn in your side, it's you. I hope you can love and enjoy your life right here and now, not just hope for happiness later.
Jim

OK, let's understand this guy. He knows he has "same sex attractions" before he is 18 yrs old. He falls in love with a guy who is now his brother-in-law!! And he doesn't want to preach, BUT...

Now, here is the funny part. As I'm clicking on the "Send" button I notice the email address; jizmebaby@[???].com

LOL!!! I think someone isn't being quite honest here...

2 years old!

I began writing Jim's Stuff 2 years ago today. I ended that first entry with this:

With this blog I hope to just write about the stuff from my life, what I'm feeling, thinking about, what's in the news or media now, sometimes just silly stuff that makes me laugh. That's why I'm calling this blog "Jim's Stuff" it's just stories and things from my life.


I keep telling myself that I've got to do better and blog more, it's just at times my life seems pretty boring. Sure, lots of things happen, this last weekend was a crazy one, I have lots to write about that soon.

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by to read and I really, really do appreciate all the comments people have made!

Poor guy

A friend sent this to me and it made me laugh! Thought I'd share:


A man escapes from prison where he has been for 15 years. He breaks into a house to look for money and guns and finds a young couple in bed.

He orders the guy out of bed and ties him to a chair, while tying the girl to the bed he gets on top of her, kisses her neck, then gets up and goes into the bathroom. While he's in there, the husband tells his wife:

"Listen, this guy's an escaped convict, look at his clothes! He probably spent lots of time in jail and hasn't seen a woman in years. I saw how he kissed your neck." If he wants sex, don't resist, don't complain, do whatever he tells you. Satisfy him no matter how much he nauseates you. This guy is probably very dangerous. If he gets angry, he'll kill us. Be strong, honey. I love you."

To which his wife responds: "He wasn't kissing my neck. He was whispering in my ear. He told me he was gay, thought you were cute, and asked me if we had any Vaseline. I told him it was in the bathroom. Be strong honey. I love you too!!"

Screech....!

Let me tell you about my day yesterday and tell you how this word applies in so many ways;

I decided to get out on a bike trail early before I left for Houston. It has rained during the week but the trails were nice and dry, not muddy as I had expected, so I was enjoying the morning. I'm sailing along nicely and came to this area I know well. A large tree fell over the trail and so they built a ramp up over it. The tree is about 3 feet high and I have seen people miss the down ramp on the other side. The boards are about 2 1/2 to 3 feet wide and I couldn't imagine how it would be that hard to fall. Well.... As I went over the top I realized that my front tire was very near the left side, and sure enough, about a foot from the end my tire went off the edge. The problem is that the momentum of my body was going very fast and downhill, so when my tire immediately dropped my body kept moving forward. I landed on my helmet and shoulder. Me and my tires made that screeching sound!

I sat there stunned for a moment. Wiped the mud off my face, arm and leg and then checked the bike. All OK; except I was just a little dazed. I got up, took this picture and then got a little pissed because it was starting to sprinkle. By the time I got off that trail and onto the area where you can go back to the parking lot or to 2 more trails it was pouring down rain! I headed back and was soaked to the skin and muddy by the time I got back to my vehicle. UGH! What a muddy mess.

I got back home, cleaned the bike and the back of my SUV and then the sun decided to come out. I showered and headed to a shop to have my vehicle looked at. During the week it had started making a weird rattling noise in the engine, I figured I had better get it looked at before I drove to Houston. Well, it wasn't something easy to fix. Something about the timing pulley and chain. They would have it fixed for me by tomorrow evening! That's when my plan to go to Houston for my friend's birthday came to a screeching halt! When they told me how much it would be to fix it I made another screech! You don't want to know....

In Dallas, where everyone has to drive to get somewhere, I felt very stranded without a vehicle. A few friends suggested I meet them out for dinner and drinks, but I have no vehicle. And am too cheap to call a cab. [Whine, whine, whine...] But by then my neck, shoulders and clavicle were getting stiff and sore from the bike wreck.

I took some muscle relaxers, put in a movie and stayed in for the evening. What else could I do? I know plans always change; change is about the only constant thing in life. I just don't like it when they come to a screeching halt like it did yesterday!

[Big sigh] Oh well.....

Updates and such...

Hello!

I'm coming out of the doldrums, sorry about the gloomy post. I know why I was there and know I have to drag myself out of that place. I've always said that life isn't always perfect; every day isn't a sunny day, there are some dark, cloudy and rainy days. I just have to watch that my rainy day mood doesn't turn into several days or weeks at a time.

Work has also been extremely stressful for the last several months. There is light at the end of the tunnel (and it's not the light from a train that's about to hit me!) LOL. Although that is how I've felt the last 3 or 4 months! Then something clicked when people started planning their days off during the upcoming holidays. I checked my available time off and I have 8 days to take before the end of the year! Huh? OK! That train coming through the dark tunnel can hit someone else while I'm gone; I'm taking some days off! [big sigh]

The weekends have been great, I'm enjoying the nice weather that Texas had during October. And even almost halfway through November it's still nice. I've been out riding some great off road trails. In fact, the last couple of weekends I rode for about 5 hours! And could have ridden more too. It's been a great cardio workout!

This has all resulted in a big change for me. When I'm stressed I don't eat, I lose my appetite. And with all the biking I do on the weekends, and while I was sick a few weeks ago, the antibiotic I was on made me nauseated too... The result: I've love over 20 lbs in the last 2 months! I'm able to wear a size 32 waist pants that I haven't worn in over 5 years! Coworkers and friends have really noticed!


Now I'm headed off to visit friends in Houston and of course visit the renaissance festival. Huzzah!

Y'all have a great weekend!

Doldrums

I haven't been feeling like myself lately. It's like I'm observing someone else in my life. I keep asking myself: "Who is this inhabiting my body; saying these things and acting this way? Who is this person? I know I'm not my job. I'm not my car or my home or possessions. I'm not even my preferences or this person making these judgements. Who am I really? That's what I've been trying to figure out the last little while.

It was Jung who said: "You must go in quest of yourself, and you will find yourself again only in the simple and forgotten things." Maybe I have lost the simple and forgotten things, the simplicity and joy of nature.

Maybe I need to get out two-stepping to get me out of this doldrums.

This is one of my favorite country songs:

Buddhist quote

The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.
Atisha

November Tarot cards

Keeping on this new tradition I drew these Tarot cards for the new month:



A man with a high level of energy! A man who is happiest when creating and has good vision. Like the rest of the Kings, the ruler of the Wands suit will appear in two ways in your life: either as a person or as a part of yourself that must be awakened.

Hhhhmmm.... could be an interesting month! YAYZ!