In With The New

[eggwards]

It's been a busy few days as we got to year end. Chris met more members of my family this weekend as my parents were in town for the funeral of my great-uncle on my mother's side. Chris didn't go to the funeral, it would have been awkward since he hasn't met that part of the family, but he did get to meet my aunt Suzanne who was up for the funeral. We met for lunch before the funeral.

The funeral itself was boring. Two funerals in a short span is a bit rough. However, it's more of an expectation when it's a 95 year old man that it is for someone who was three years older than yourself. My great-uncle's son (my cousin of some sort) is a lawyer and both father and son were members of Sigma Chi, so the reception has the feeling of being at a Republican convention...including women with high hair.

Chris also got to meet my great-aunt on my father's side, Ojeda. She is always a hoot, a chain-smoking, margarita-drinking hoot. We had a nice dinner with her and my folks on Sunday.

One of the good things at the end of this past year was hearing that my dad has a clean bill of health after his prostate cancer surgery. He's not healing as fast as he'd like, but the prognosis is good.

Chris and I both had to work on New Years Eve, but we did go out last night, first checking in at soonercubntx's apartment for a movie, then off to the biggest bear party in town, the shindig at Mark and Ami's (amisadeh). It's the fourth year we've gone to the party, and I think this year's was great. I'm sure it was the largest turnout they've had There were people visiting from all over. Near midnight the house was packed, and it's one of the best looking and friendliest crowds you'll see.

Now normally a crowd like that gets me running for a far corner, but this year I felt good, confident and occasionally even sexy. It was nice, and it made it easy for me to strike up some conversations here and there with bears known and unknown.

One of the best moments for me was running into someone who had just recently come back to Dallas after living elsewhere for the last couple of years. He was very complementary to me saying that he noticed the weight-loss I've had over the last couple of years. It's good to know that it's paying off.

I would like to shop for some new clothes. I haven't dropped so much that I can't wear what I have, but I do find some of my biggest shirts are just that, big, and I need a size smaller in belts as I'm on the last hole. I'm hesitant because I want to make sure I keep this shape and don't backtrack. I've been very good about working out regularly and I need to keep that up in 2008.

Of course the other reason I'm not buying new clothes right now is I'm very cheap. I've seen some 50% clearance sales this week, but I'm waiting for the 75% off sales. Why any one shirt costs over $30 I'll never know.

Not so much happening today. I cooked up some cinnamon rolls from a can and we started the year in trivia off right playing at BW3 in the middle of all of the bowl watching football fans. Then it's enjoying another Worlds Strongest Man marathon. Otherwise, its back to the grind tomorrow.

Comments

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

We'll take you there when you come to town, Dean. It will be fun!

[pajamas-johnson.livejournal.com]

when you get down to xxl or xl you can get cute cheap stuff at old navy, and target has great stuff now and then. congrats on your ongoing weight loss- i could tell too in a recent picture of you, your midsection and your face are showing it. something to be so proud of, congrats again.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

I've bought a few polo shirts at Old Navy recently. I have a long torso, (aka, I wear my pants below my belly) so it can be hard to find shirts that are long enough not to come untucked. I still need 3X in button up shirts to look like I'm not going to pop a button.

It's been about two years of working out and its been slow, but when I think about it, there has been progress. Thanks for the complements!

Good to hear that you are gaining some creative outlets there in NYC!

[cubziz.livejournal.com]

Confidence is a nice side effect of positive changes you've made. :) Enjoy it.

As for your belt, make another hole, or two. Seriously. Not only will it be frugal, but you'll go down in size without really "knowing" it. (As it is the same belt you've had for... ages.) But then when you DO switch, you won't really think about it. (Or better yet, have Chris make the extra holes.)

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Well, in my brown belt (I have to that I wear regularly) I've already added two notches and I'm already down to the last, so i think it is time for a new one. my black belt I could still drive a couple of holes into.

What I need are pants, because my current ones aren't necessarily big, but getting worn down, torn, etc. I'm just trying to decide to go down a side, and hope for more loss, or stay with the same size to be safe...

I've gotten into a good habit with my workouts, so I'm hoping it will stick, but I know I could get distracted easily.

[cubziz.livejournal.com]

Ah, okay. Hunter and I picked up new belts today. I only had one and it was almost dead. He was down to one and it was barely hanging in there, so yeah, we needed some ourselves.

I need pants too. My problem is that I need an odd size. 46x32 or preferably, right now, 48x32. I'm big AND tall. And it's hard to find that, without getting custom work done, which usually costs $60/pair.

Congrats on the workouts, I need to find that groove again.

[grande.livejournal.com]

i wa remarking to cole how much weight you'd lost. you really did look great, healthier than last time i saw you for sure. kudos mister.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Thank you Lloyd! I think the jacket was slimming, and helped, but then when I was in chicago that summer, that was pretty much my heaviest. With working out over the last two years I've lost somewhere between 50 to 70 pounds (I'm not a stickler for accuracy, really) but I think I've alo re-distributed some of it as well.

Again, thanks for the complements and it was good to see you again!.