A typical Saturday afternoon, my partner and I were busy working in our yard.  We realized that we had our yard ready for plants, so we jumped in the Blazer and headed for Home Depot.

Home Depot was busy with all sorts of weekend warriors out to make their yard the best in the city!  Young, old, preppy, redneck, and your cruzin dykes.

Ok, so we were browsing through the garden area and headed indoors to the patio furniture, plants, bamboo fencing, when out of the corner of my eye, here she came just walking down the aisle!!!  Cruzin’ dyke had a curly 70’s do, khaki bermuda shorts, a multi-colored windbreaker, crew calf high socks, tennis shoes and the ever present sunglasses.  She casually walked over rounded the corner, saw my partner, turned on her heel and walked with a quickness in the other direction.

We picked up few things and turned to go inside.  Lisa and I assumed that she thought we were following her because she picked up her pace and disappeared.  Lisa asked if I knew her and I replied no.

Ladies, if you’re going to Home Depot for some cruzin’ , please dress accordingly!!!  Dykes and butches are known for their denim jeans, shorts, and tee shirts.   Don’t forget the baseball hats!!!  Femme lesbians, ladies just be yourselves.  You will attract attention!!!!!  Cute shorts, tank tops, and the occasional hat are very becoming.  Andro lesbians - you are the bi group of the lesbian population, givers and receivers do what you do best and attract those like minded folks.

Please, keep in mind  the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s are past when cruzin the Home Depot know that up to date is in style!!!   Enjoy those concrete floors, orange accented walls and lock eyes with the one that makes your heart flutter in the magical world of home improvement.

Well, today was it…I’ve officially put myself and Lisa into a Calorie Coma!!!  Ok, now I know you will understand what I mean when I say this…a relationship can be hazardous to your belt size.  Why?  Why can’t it make you loose weight?  Well, there are times when it can make you loose, but those aren’t the happy -I’m in it for the long run times.

I’ve been out of work for one week and starting my second week of surgery recovery, needless to say beyond pure boredom  it has been a easy journey.  However, boredom for me leads to eating, eating leads to weight, and weight leads to that one foot on the banana peel and one foot testing the cream colored lining of a cherry wood casket.

Today was no exception.  I started the day off with nothing calling my name from the GE.  Our teenager asked me to take her over to a friend’s house, so I obliged.  Of course, that friend just happen to live less than a quarter mile from my favorite ice cream joint…Brusters.  Ok, so butter pecan began to beckon as I sat at the stoplight staring, eyes starting to glaze over.  I made an attempt to call Lisa, get my mind off that creamy, slightly salty goodness.  Damn, no answer and the light was green.  So, what if I got a little cone of ice cream so I journeyed on over.

Sitting in my car, relishing the taste of my butter pecan ice cream I finally reached Lisa.  “Where you going?”  Lunch was the answer.  I thought well  I guess I could go sit with her for awhile.  Captain D’s was the easiest and less crowded option that Lisa  chose, so we met there.  Fish, fries, and cole slaw…hmmmm….ok.

Feeling rather guilty, but just only a little  I drove home on a full stomach and ok I had dessert before lunch.  Don’t you do that some times, isn’t that little food devil sitting up there on your shoulder poking you telling you it will be ok?!

Hours passed the late rays of a partly cloudy day began to show.  Lisa came home,  we talked, ate some cooked cabbage, and ran through our ideas for our future endeavors.  We should have been thinking about what flowers we might need on our spray!!!!

A couple of hours later, boredom hit us both!!!!!!!!!  Hmmm, cherry yum yum and peanut butter pie.  Ok, quick call to Rosie’s.  A little ride 4 blocks to the south and we pull in the lot.  Laid back and loyal little food joint for the area residents and calorie coma seeking couple.  Dinner????  Add two cheeseburgers all the way, one order of fries, and one soda to our original order of pies and coffee.  Ok, so we tried to share part of our meal!!!  Teen calls and wants an order of cheeseburger and fries to go.  DONE!

Now, almost 3 hours later  we are in a caloric coma.  Why?  Everything is a trigger!!!  Will power….hmmm, maybe that is more like will executor!!!!  

We made a pact to end our calorie countup and start to take our lives back.  We are not going to spend the next 10 years living fat, sassy and happy.  I don’t know what its going to take, but I don’t want to be on the layaway plan at Whitley’s funeral home, sitting in an office picking out dogwood flowers or wheat stalks on a marker!!!!

Give me Health, before Death!!!!!!!!! 

First of all, let me say I am happy this couple can have a child together.  Thomas Beatie is sharing his pregnacy with the world and I am sure getting a lot of good and bad attention from the media attention.  Do I think the media should be making such a big deal of this…..NO. 

The reality of the situation is that he is a genetically born female who will be giving birth to a child.  Yes, Beatie is mentally, emotionally,  and physically a transgendered male, but when it gets down to the facts he is still a female born individual giving birth.  Believe me, I understand Beatie more than you might think from my post.  I am transgendered too.  I understand the mental, physical, and emotional desires to be male. 

I wish Mr. Beatie and his wife Nancy many happy endings in this story.  I am sure they will be reaping some benefits from the media attention, hopefully they will not receive any negative results.

It’s April Fools Day, I have to spend it at home recovering from surgery.  It’s cold  and rainy outside but I am not complaining.  We need the rain to help with the drought.    I’ve been thinking about our local LGBT community.  It is a pretty cliquish group.  I’ve sat back and watch the local organizations for many years and if you really look at them, the same people are always involved.  They don’t allow new individuals to become involved.  If someone approaches with a fresh perspective, they are brushed aside, because it isn’t the way its been done in the past.

I have to wonder if the local Charlotte community will ever progress.  Ocala, Florida which is a smaller municipal has more going for it than Charlotte.  I would also include Gainesville, Florida in that list.  These communities use all of their sources and welcome other members of the community to take an active part in all aspects of the LGBT community unlike Charlotte who has the same group of people who don’t want anyone else to really be involved.

 There are so many other options that could be held in our local community.  As big as Charlotte is, you would think we would have more social activities besides the bars.  Not to say they don’t provide a social outlet, but wouldn’t it be nice to do other things and meet other people.   I hope that is were Lisa and I can make a little bit of a change.  The LGBT community has so many wonderful members whose voices aren’t heard because they aren’t part of the clique!!!  Let’s celebrate our community with all members having a voice.  Look for some great events coming from Stone Essence!!!!  Join us for fun!!!!!

Good morning,

 Lisa and I decided to put a blog link for Stone Essence, so welcome to My Everyday Stuff.  The blog is written by me, Kel.  It is solely my opinions and writings.  Don’t blame Lisa…lol.  I can be a little out there sometimes and I don’t always hold the popular opinion. 

I’ve grown tired of the popular social sites (yes, I am referring to Myspace and Facebook).  I wanted something a little more personal.  I still have my listings on those sites and will maintain them, but I find that I am not visiting them as often as I have in the past.

I also plan to do some DVD reviews and product reviews on here.  So, check back often to find out what we’ve been up to.  I hope to meet a lot of folks through this little journey of opening up my life and discovery.

BTW, I am gay!!!!!!!!!!!  Yea, it feels good to put it out there.  I spent most of my childhood and adult life up to 4 years ago keeping my life hidden.  My parents as well as most of  my family were/are anti-gay, some racial issues, and some just plain old ways of thinking.  My parents are no longer living, so I have been free to be me so to speak for 4 years.    My remaining family are not really in my life.  I have several cousins, aunts and uncles.  I don’t see hardly any of them.  I have one uncle who is so uncomfortable around me that he can’t look me in the eyes.  Hey, I am still the same person I’ve been all along just now living my life as I’ve wanted to. 

One uncle is just a joy.  He is always happy and seems to really love me no matter what, but I don’t really see him that often which is mostly my fault. 

My remaining uncle is living about an hour away.  I haven’t seen him since my father (his baby brother) passed away in 2000.  I hear he is doing well but our lives are moving in totally different areas now.

As for my cousins, they have their own lives and well, we rarely keep in touch which is a shame.  I don’t know if I should reach out to them or just go on with my life.  They haven’t really put forth a lot of effort either except for my oldest cousin who has kept in touch with me and is supportive of my lifestyle.

I am fortunate to have some great co-workers who support me.  They are really great folks from different backgrounds.  I hope to maintain contact with them once my full-time job (Philip Morris) comes to an end.  Yep, yours truly is about to be unemployed, so stay tuned for the adventures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Do I dread it….Hell No!!!  I am looking forward to a new start in life.  I really want to be a part of the NC gay community and do some good in this ole world.

So, check back often.  I will be setting this up so you can register and leave comments.  Give me a  little time, ok?  Thanks for stopping by and…..

Peace!!!!!!!!!!!!