I have a new website! www.robrough.com

www.robrough.com

ROB'S BLOG - REST IN PEACE

It's official. I have one thing, too many, to update and keep track of. The blog's gotta go. I am writing this with the knowledge that no one, except MAYBE Christopher and Kelly, will read this.

I aspire to be like my husband who is so digitally connected, I wonder if he is actually part of the Matrix.

I am keeping my gallery page up. You can find that at http://gallery.mac.com/rrough#gallery.

If you read this, e-mail me and let me know. I would be totally shocked if anyone responds.

One Word

1. Where is your cell phone? desk

2. Your fantasy? censored

3. Your hair? disappearing

4. Your mother? ironing

5. Your father? designing

6. Your favorite thing? paper

7. Your dream last night? significant

8. Your favorite drink? coffee

9. Your dream/goal? showing

10. What room you are in? studio

11. Your hobby? designing

12. Your fear? inattentiveness

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? here

14. Where were you last night? studio

16. Muffins? no

17. Wish list item? Tree-house

18. Where you grew up? Toledo

19. Last thing you did? oatmeal

20. What are you wearing? jeans

21. Your TV? heavy

22. Your pets? alive

23. Friends? important

24. Your life? full

25. Your mood? happy

26. Missing someone? yes

27. Car? driveway

28. Something you're not wearing? underwear

29. Your favorite store? SoCo

30. Your favorite color? Calcified-copper

33. When is the last time you laughed? minutes

34. Last time you cried? Milk

35. Who will resend this? yes

36. One place that I go to over and over? bookstore

37. One person who IMs me regularly? Goose

38. My favorite place to eat? Booth

39. Why you participated in this survey? tagged

40. What are you doing tonight? yoga

41. Favorite animal? human

42. Beach or Mountains? mountains

43. Cake or Pie? pie

44. You? smiling

Losing the Beard and Rydell High

I finally shaved off my beard. I said I would when I hit 200 pounds. That's officially the 50-pound mark. It's a trip to observe the aging process. It's been at least 5+ years since I have not had facial hair and last time my face was a giant balloon. Now that it's shrank a bit, there are a few wrinkles and a couple sags. You know, it doesn't bother me - in some ways, I kind of like it. But don't mistake this as an invitation to look like Ghandi any time in the near future. I am now a regular purchaser of high-end moisterizers for life.

Recently, I helped paint sets for a local high school musical of Grease. What a trip it was to watch the theater kids rehearse. I was flooded with memories of Central Catholic High School. My therapist is back on speed dial.

I was having a not-so-productive afternoon at work the other day and changed my wallpaper on my computer so it would look like a window that you can see through. (see pic) I hope my boss doesn't read my blog!

E-mail vs. iPhone vs. Facebook

I am having communication option overload. But Teaya, my Uncle Walt's wife, e-mailed me and noted how horrifically out-of-date my blog was. She's right. Facebook took over during the holidays - after beating-out my iPhone as the primary chatting tool. How do people keep up with it all? My husband, Christopher, can update his Facebook profile while updating his iTunes, watching YouTube while talking on his phone about his next social function.

So, I am doing my best to get with it and add some more ditties to this site. Today's strategy is taking a break from work with my laptop and hanging-out at Starbuck's.

I think I am going to hand-write a note and send it in the snail mail to someone just to see if it still works. I wonder if there's an application on my phone that will adhere the stamp to the letter for me...

25 Random Things About Me

1) I have reoccurring dreams about tornados, vampires and biting fish. The tornado and vampire dreams are never scary – they’re exciting. I have an incredible fascination with severe weather. Biting fish, on the other hand, freak me out – completely.

2) I love to delete chain e-mails. Every time you hear about a little girl in Africa on an iron lung that ran out of rice – it’s my fault. I didn’t forward the e-mail to ten of my best friends.

3) Power tools make me giddy. Home Depot is intoxicating. I love to build things.

4) I don’t like milk. No, I don’t want to try soymilk. Creamy textures give me the heebee-jeebees. I don’t even like guacamole for that reason. I run from mayonnaise.

5) I have no sense of direction. None. I need a Tom-Tom to find my way back from the bathroom.

6) I didn’t always know I was gay. Everyone else did, though.

7) I have never bought anything from QVC or an infomercial.

8) I have a goal to never see the movie “Footloose” before I die.

9) Being an uncle, rocks.

10) I am not a phone person and am notorious for taking three months to answer an e-mail. (But I never throw them out until I have responded… seriously.)

11) I love to paint and draw. Don’t ask me to make a ceramic bowl unless you have a forklift handy.

12) As a teenager, I pierced my ear every time I got drunk.

13) Speaking of that – I got drunk a lot. My left earlobe could strain spaghetti due to all of the holes in it.

14) I love to organize things. I could make this list just as fast with a label maker.

15) Timelines are great. I have a journal where I mark significant events in my life. It starts in 1966 and goes to today.

16) I am a lazy cook.

17) I loose lots of weight on years that end in the number eight.

18) One time, I got to get everyone at work a half a day off because I farted. I’ll have to tell you that story in person.

19) I want my ashes to be sprinkled in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee.

20) I think Cedar Point is one of the greatest influences on my life. I have a LOVE to old-school amusement parks and retro rides. I still revert to 7-year-old behavior when I hear the “click-click-click,” roars and screams of a roller coaster.

21) My Uncle Walt was my favorite babysitter as a little kid. I had no idea that he used to make me beg for free cookies at Zindorf’s Bakery so he could spend the cookie money, left by parents, on éclairs all for himself.

22) I can write databases for hours, loosing track of time and forgetting to eat.

23) I HAVE to cut the tags out of my shirts. They drive me crazy if they touch my neck.

24) One of my favorite sounds is an oscillating yard sprinkler on a summer day.

25) I am madly in love with my husband, Christopher. We have been together for over 19 years.

PICK THE SECOND FEATURE!

For our second feature movie on Saturday, January 17th, you can pick from three documentaries. Here's what we've lined up:

After Stonewall:
Melissa Etheridge narrates this documentary that explores the progress and challenges of the post-Stonewall lesbian/gay rights movement through archival footage and interviews with leaders such as Barbara Gittings, Armistead Maupin, Jewelle Gomez and Dorothy Allison. The film chronicles key events from 1970 to the end of the 20th century, including sexual liberation, conflicts with the feminist movement, AIDS and political organization.

Celluloid Closet:
Narrated by Lily Tomlin, this acclaimed documentary takes its name from Vito Russo's groundbreaking book. The filmmakers examine the subtext of more than 100 Hollywood movies -- including Spartacus, Rope and Thelma and Louise -- and chart the cinematic journey of lesbian and gay characters. Film clips are paired with director, producer and actor interviews featuring, among others, Gore Vidal, Tom Hanks and Whoopi Goldberg.

Before Stonewall:
Life was very different before the 1969 Stonewall riots put the issue of gay rights front and center in America . Using archival films and interviews with gays and lesbians who were forced to hide their sexuality for fear of reprisals, this documentary by Robert Rosenberg, Greta Schiller and John Scagliotti sheds light on American gay life from the 1920s to the 1960s and the sociopolitical climate that finally led to profound change.

The day after the Nike Human Race 10K

We did it! But what kind of ribbon do you get for coming in 152,151st? And once again, my arch nemesis Gunther Weidlinger of Munich, Germany came in first. Some day, Gunther, I will beat you. Also coming in ahead of me is my former friend, and roommate Jon Medina.

Here's what makes this so funny. In preparation for this race I have been running my butt off for over three months, lost an additional 20 pounds and have eaten dirt and twigs with a side of arugula for every meal. Jon, on the other hand, has been telling me over a pint of Haggen Daas ice cream that he really should get out there and at least try to run - once. But he hasn't had the time to train. Skinny, young people... grrrrr.

Actually, I am quite proud of myself. This is a big deal. When I topped-out at 250 pounds a few years ago, I thought my days of running were a thing of the past. When we moved to Austin a year ago, both Christopher and I decided to reclaim our health. Back in May, Christopher had lap band surgery and since then, has lost 40 pounds! I thought this would be the perfect time for me to get back into action.

I can see why people get hooked on these races. Of course, I'm an addict - and anything worth doing is worth OVER DOING! So I am registered to run in my next 10K, in November, when I visit Sacramento. The challenge is to beat my previous time. That means I am only competing against myself (plus Gunther and Jon).

Thanks for all the encouragement and support via e-mail and facebook! It really helped - thank you!

See more pics of the race by clicking here.