Starting to settle in

I am sitting at one of my new favorite Austin-haunts. It's called the Epoch coffee shop. It is privately owned (very typical of Austin) so there is lots of second-hand furniture, funky music, AA people, gay people, hippies, cool music, free WIFI and.... a BIG covered porch that lets me sip my coffee while it rains! I am in heaven.

The trip down the second time was LONG. 33-hours in the car. But we (including the cat and our friend Drew [aka: Poodle]) made it without killing each other.

I have a second interview with the University for a great job. I am trying not to count my chickens before they are hatched, but it is encouraging.

The moving truck arrives sometime between this Saturday - Monday. Of course, CJ leaves for his speaking engagement in SF on Friday and Poodle flies back on Saturday. Needless to say - I am trying to make friends ASAP. It's kind of like this... "Hi! I am Rob. I just moved here from California! Now that you mention it... the moving truck arrives this weekend... what are you doing this weekend? HEY? Where are you going?"

Wear sunscreen when driving with Christopher

Now I know why he wanted that convertible pick-up truck. All of the cowBOYS think it's "sic" y'all. He's shameless the way he parades it about. I like to think that they are all stopping to look at me. Actually, if they are looking at me - they are looking at the third degree burns on my head. You see, unless it is raining or the asphalt is melting, the top is down. And sometimes, the latter doesn't apply. Remember the scene in "Interview with the Vampire" when little girl vampire Claudia is put out into the sun and bursts into flames? That's me riding with Christopher. Send aloe. Soon.

Oh, no... the cops, again.

Actually, this time we wanted to see them. Check out Christopher's blog to get the story. There's a link on this site.

We made it to Austin!

I will have to add to this - but wanted to check in for now. We made it! It took two days. The first leg was 13 hours with an overnight in Mesa, AZ with Christopher's cousin. Then, there was day two.

MAPQUEST LIED! We ended-up spending 18 hours. YES! 18 hours! In the truck on day two.

But we're here and I have to tell you, Austin is even prettier and more neat than I remember! We are at our friend Wayne's (aka "Pearl") house for the next couple days and then hopefully we'll have secured our apartment.

Oh.. did you know that you can get a speeding ticket for going 89 in an 80 MPH zone? I was it bit crazed with "Dessert Fever." But, the police officer didn't buy it. I am convinced it's the California plates.

Check out the photos I've uploaded. More to come.

Why Austin?

I've been getting this a lot lately... "TEXAS? Are you out of your mind?" So let me explain - Reader's Digest style:

1) We decide about a year ago that we want a decent home to live in after I graduate.

2) We look at the real estate listings in California for our next home.

3) We realize that we want to live somewhere else besides California after reading the listings.

4) We write-up our ideal city description. Night life, gay community, arts, AA community, etc.

5) Christopher spends a lot of time in Texas - especially Austin and Houston during disaster relief work and at conferences.

6) Austin keeps popping-up in our research.

7) We go to Texas in July '06 to research Houston, San Antonio and Austin.

8) We fall in love with Austin and the University of Texas. (Rob hopes to get MFA there, CJ can work there.)

9) Rob finishes school and we get ready to move to Austin this June.

It's a very cool town. Exceedingly liberal, arts-oriented, HUGE nightlife, historic and VERY affordable. Also, it is only a day's drive to one of our favorite places in the world - New Orleans.

Y'all need to come visit.

The Scene of the Crime

Mom and her friend, Joyce, have come to visit for my graduation. Part of the celebration was a great dinner with friends at The Melting Pot. It is amazing how much one can eat, one searing-hot forkfull at a time. This is what our table looked like before we all crawled out of there as if it was Thanksgiving.

We did it!

23 years later.... Rob gets his degree. I didn't do this alone. Christopher has been a saint and very supportive. I also have Art and Kelly to thank too. They have been rooting me on and looking at my artwork saying, "That's nice. Now how many more of these do you have to do in order to graduate?" I am really a fortunate guy.

How many moving boxes can you fit into a Geo?

Thank God our friend, Doug, moved back to Sacramento from the Bay Area last month. We inherited all of his moving boxes. I got just about all of them into the Geo. I couldn't see out of any of my mirrors, of course. So I hope no one was hurt in the transport.

Back Up & Running

OK, I am going to make an effort to use this blog more now that we are getting ready to move. Right now, it's all about packing and getting ready for my mom's visit. She arrives this Friday for my graduation. This entry is so boring that the only people who will read this will be Christopher and Kelly.

I'm seeing dead relatives...

I went to HOT Bikram yoga today. Imagine a room heated to 100+ degrees packed with the healthiest, granola-eating, people you've ever seen. These people rival Cirque du Soleil performers. Then there's me. These days, I consider eye contact with my toes a good workout. Holy crap! That sweet, limber, DEMANDING girl in the sports bra was out to kill me. At one point I had to sit down (in a traditional manner that didn't involve putting my feet on the top of my head) and ride out a major dizzy spell. I think I saw the bright light and some passed-on friends and relatives looking at at me saying, "Aren't you a bit early?"

I can't wait to do it again tomorrow. I'm on my way to Costco right now to buy a drum of Motrin.

A Great Hike in the Auburn Ravine

Doug & Me down by the water
Originally uploaded by robrough.

This holiday weekend, Doug came to visit and we went on a long overdue hike up in Auburn. Our new friend, Mark, from North Hall also joined us. It was a great way to kick off the summer! The terrain (according to Doug - a regular hiker) has been really modified by this year's wet spring. You can still see a lot rapids and swift moving current due to the melting snow.

I wish the photos did the beautiful scenery justice. It's days like this that I still get excited I live in California - even though I have been here for over 16 years!

I definately plan on doing this again a few more times this summer!

The Cakes...

IMG_5083.jpg
Originally uploaded by robrough.

The number one question I've been getting about the wedding is, "What's with the cakes?" Aren't they amazing? That was CJ's idea. Instead of having just one wedding cake, we had the chosen favorites of our immediate families and wedding party. Pretty cool, huh?

Rocks for Jocks & Other Seismic Activity

ROCKS FOR JOCKS
I have just put down my #2 pencil and completed my final exam in Geology at American River College. It's the last of the pre-requisite classes I had to take to meet California's requirements for an undergrad. I have been officially accepted to Sac State and am in my senior year of college. FINALLY! I have been a Junior since 1988. It was a tough grade...

Returning to college after all these years has been one of the best things I've done for myself. I LOVE being in school - but it makes me feel kinda' old. I have been older than my last two professors. The younger students look at me like some kind of living history exhibit when I tell them that we did all of our papers on typewriters when I was in school at Bowling Green. By the looks of shock in their eyes you would have thought I told them we burned co-eds at the stake who didn't rush the right sorority.

MORE SEISMIC ACTIVITY
Since it is an even-numbered year, that means I am trying to loose weight. So if you hear of seismic activity reports from Sacramento - don't be shocked. It's just me trying to run again. I have dropped over 20 pounds from my peak and am feeling like a new person. I have noticed that I am in better health when I like my job. This job allows me the flexibility to go to school and take care of myself. We are doing Weight Watchers and it really helps. Although I feel like such a LOSER when I get giddy when correctly guessing the points values of my food. It's like playing "The Price is Right" with Calories, Fat & Fiber. Oh well, I may look like a dork, but my jeans are too big now - so I don't care.

Ryley Pours the Bubbles!

Ryley's Pours the Bubbles!
Originally uploaded by robrough.

Never, ever let the 5-year-old help you pour the bath bubbles. Although I want to see how well you say "no" to someone as cute as this little guy?

This is in the giant jacuzzi bathtub in Lake Tahoe that Ryley referred to as "The Inside Swimming Pool." To make matters worse, he loved turning on the water jets to make the bubbles rise higher.

It took me an hour to towel dry the room when we were done.

Post-Wedding Trip to Lake Tahoe

Gondola Ride to Heavenly Summit
Originally uploaded by robrough.

After the wedding, Mom, Jim, Ted, Amy, Ryley, Christopher and I all piled into the car and went up to Lake Tahoe. We were very fortunate to be the inspiration for a made-for-TV-movie called, "They Ran Out of Cheezits: The Donner Party II." The reason we were so concerned about making it over the summit was due to the rain. This past spring was one of the most freakishly wet springs in recent history. My family - eager to bask in the California sunshine - were hearing reports that the weather back in the midwest was warmer and dryer. We got lucky. The rain/snow stopped long enough for us to not have to put chains on the car tires when going over the summit.

Our friends Sandy & Steve have this AMAZING house in Lake Tahoe that sleeps 735 (738 if you use the sofa bed). The view was not to be believed! Of course, we didn't see much of the view with Ryley - he wanted to be in the BASEMENT. Why? Steve has a slot-car race track down there. Ryley's favorite game when playing with me on the race track was called, "Oh look Uncle Rob! The car fell off ! Can you walk over there and put it back on?" After crawling over the track (and finding the occasional lego in one's knee and trying not to use colorful metaphors in front of the nephunit) we'd watch the cars go around the track for 10 - 15 more seconds and play the game again.

But how can you complain? He had a ball and you don't get to do stuff like that every day.

Our Wedding Day

Back in December Christopher and I got to talking about my upcoming 40th birthday party. My family from the midwest decided that this milestone was NOT to be missed, so they planned on coming out to witness this sign of the apocolypse. I seriously think my brother, Ted, was keeping a rolodex of middle-age jabs in preparation for the visit. We couldn't let them down - so we decided to throw the mother-of-all-birthday bashes.

That's when my partner Christopher went mental and started cooking-up his own plans to turn my birthday party into a surprise wedding! You know, it was a great idea. What a wonderful way for our friends and family to all be together at the same time. We have been together for well over 16 years now and we haven't made it this far without the love and support of all the great people who are so close to us. It was really a celebration of EVERYONE who has contributed to the quality of our lives.

If you want to read about the WHOLE story that led up to the wedding on April 2nd - go check out CJ's blog (there's a link to it on this page.) I will just tell you that it was hands-down the happiest day of my life to date. It was also the most CONFUSING! It's hard to describe the shock of walkng into a room (that you didn't know the location of until minutes before you arrived), expecting it to be empty and to see 200 of your best friends and family! All dressed up! Then... CJ takes me up to a balcony two stories up that overlooks this amazing space (see the photos... it was a 6-story atruim!) and then... with a microphone... PROPOSES TO ME! Holy crap! I had no idea what hit me. After I said "Yes" - immediately - my next thought was, "I'm wearing jeans! I can't get married in jeans!" (please refer, again, to CJ's blog for the sneaky way he had a tuxedo on-hand).

It was amazing what they pulled-off. My best freinds Kelly and Art, my sister-in-laws Rocki & Gina, my family from the midwest - they were all planning this thing for months! Some people have asked, "Were you disappointed that you didn't get to plan your own wedding?" Absolutely not. They got it all right. The whole family was in on the ceremony, Mariachi musucians represented CJ's cultural background and I had a real bagpiper playing when the family walked down the isle. (It was at that point I went from tears of appreciation to the snorting, hiccupping, ugly cry!) Instead of one wedding cake there were several - each one a selected favorite of each member of the wedding party and immediate family. It was beautiful.

Toasts were given by Rocki, Christopher's sister; my brother Ted; CJ's dad, Richard; and my best friend, Kelly. They were all moving and fun - and once again, after gaining some composure, I had projectile tears shooting out of my eyes.

I could type all night about this - so suffice it to say, we are very blessed. And yes, it does feel different to be married now. It does mean something more to be in front of everyone you love and say "This is the person God has chosen for me." I am humbled and grateful for the wonderful man I get to have as my spouse and moved by the unconditional love and support of my friends and family.

Now explain this to me... How does that threaten the sanctity of the definition marriage? As far as I can tell, divorce rates haven't spiked since April 2nd.