2 Weeks and a Year Older

OMG! I turned 51 on the first of October. Some days I feel like I am 100 and others I feel 20 again. Everyday I want to scream. It's not that I look bad for my age but I want to keep doing the things I was able to do when I was younger. I could stand to lose about 5-10 pounds too. Enough ranting on age, let's get back to where I left off.

My Life: So I am in my mid 20's and I have a nice paying job, a good looking man, a nice place to live, partying like there is no tomorrow.

The Souther California Gas Company was making a lot of changes. I kept applyinig for better positions and not getting them. One of my bosses even said to me during one of the interviews "You're probably queer". Back then there were no laws against gay discrimination. It really pissed me off and I decided I wasn't going to work "in" the office anymore. I wanted to go out into the field and become an inspector.

Inspectors would travel all over southern California and go into homes and make sure the customers had proper insulation in their attics, check their low flow shower heads in the bathrooms and caulking on windows and such. My newest boss thought it was great idea for me (Since he didn't like me) and allowed me to transfer. It wasn't an easy position but I only worked half the day and drove from house to house the othe half. I loved to drive back then.

That lasted about 3-4 months and then I got word that the entire company was being taken over and everyone had to re-apply for their jobs. I knew I was doomed. 2 of the 4 bosses didn't like me because they thought I was gay and because the workers did like me. They also knew I was better at their jobs than they were. Needless to say, they convinced the company that I was a bad seed and after five years, I was told I had no job anymore.

The worst part about losing my job was that I had just purchased a brand new truck a year prior ad I didn't know how I was going to make the payments. It was my first new car and was to be my last. Sigh.

So, no job and no income. I pondered what o do for a few days when I saw someone selling a camper top that would fit on top of my truck. I asked Ron (my partner) if he like the idea of just selling everything and hitting the road. He didn't hesitate to say yes. He was, after all, a pretty lazy man and hated working. I bought the camper top, emptyied my 401K and my savings. Sold everything we had and didn't need. Packed up Ron, my bird (yes I had a bird and her name was Blanche)and said goodbye to our roommate and headed north...

Today: The house is being built. YAY! They broke ground and have started the new reality for us. Scott's foot is better but not completly healed. Heck my finger still isn't healed. I started rehearsals for the show I am in. I have all of 10-15 lines. At least I am getting paid for it. am working at the consignment shop 1-2 days a week and have made some money to supplement my income. Winninig the lottery would be so much nicer than having to work.

It's Sunday morning and I have a ton of stuff to do today. So with that said...

Love & Peace,
Clayton