Since RO has been away, I have been amazingly lazy. I almost feel bad about. I'm not even cooking. If it wasn't for leftovers and cold cereal, my belly would be empty.

Tonight I am having a neighbour, Bates, over for dinner. His partner is away on a two month cruise (long story) So we are going to keep each other company.

RO is speculating that Bates and I will have sex. He thinks my type-- handsome, older & mature. RO isn't too far off the mark, but it's more complicated than that. I can't think sexually about Bates without thinking "What will RO say?" or "How would Bates's partner react?" or "Will this affect our friendship?"

On top of that, RO and I don't really have an open relationship. We have an understanding that it's OK if something happens while the other is away, provided we are open and honest about it. We haven't used that option yet and it's a big can of worms that I don't want to open.

RO is away in Las Vegas. He's shopping for the store at the Las Vegas World Market.

I never travel with him on these trip. I don't enjoy shopping for the store.

RO has to keep his cast on for at least two more weeks. His break hasn't healed at all. RO has been lifthing things with his broken arm. Now RO's doctor has has said that RO shouldn't even be wiggling his fingers.

RO keeps taking a dremel to his cast. When the cast itches too much, he takes a sliver off the lower part and little off the fingers.

I hope this doesn't slow down the heeling. His arm is now much more mobile.

I had lunch with Steven.

Steven has found a new job at his company. A promotion in fact. Steven is happy with that.

We talked about our boy friends, our friends, trust and friendshp and how hard those are to maintain.

Steven had me witness signing his divorce papers. It made me melancholy. I hoped Steven and Vic would reconcile. But, that is not to be. Their house has sold. The divorce papers are signed. Soon Vic will move on to the list of people I once knew-- people I'd like to keep in touch with, but never do, because time and distance keep us apart.

Saturday night, we had dinner at Matt and Sandy's. It was nice to see them. Though, to some extent, I am feeling a bit distant from them.

One thing that has occured to me over the past few months, is that I desire friends that are more upwardly mobile.

"Upwardly Mobile." That sounds too yuppie. What I mean is that I want friends who have long term goals. People who want to do more than earn money that they can spend goofing off, shopping, vacationing or entertaining themselves.

It's hard to find those people.

So, it's back to the grind for me. I'll admit, Sunday evening, after three weeks of vacation, that I didn't want to go back to my day job.

This week has been ok. I have enough work to keep me busy. Plus, a re-org is underway so no one is cracking the whip to make sure deadlines are being met. The higher ups have more important things to worry about.

Saturday night was QueenJ's birthday. C4 got his friends together and we all had dinner at a restaurant. Many of the A-list bears where there.

Many months ago RO confessed to me that a guy cruised him at our store. He met up with the guy in a parking lot and had a hand job. RO told me the guy was married and that he never saw him again.

The married guy was at QueenJ's birthday. RO pointed him out to me. I know him. He's not really married, but he is partnered.

I think RO is proud that guys cruise him. For me "guy plays around behind his partner's back" is a tired story. I think, one evening when RO and I go out, I'll flirt with the men-- just to let RO know he's not the only sexy man in Seattle.

At Two AM in the morning, RO and I woke to the sounds of a car engine revving, wheels spinning and smashing-- over and over again. We got up and saw a car stuck in the bushes below us. The driver freed it but then smashed into some trees. It veered down the hill and hit a parked car before it came to its final resting spot in some mud next to the ravine.

The neighbors were all out to watch the commotion. The police, ambulance and firemen showed up with in minutes.

The police said it was an older man in a diabetic shock. I'd still like to know more. This neighborhood is off the beaten path. It's weird to have a stranger show up and smash into half a dozen different things.

The nice part of the new years. Last night, the trio up the hill had a New Years Eve party. It was nice to see them. I had a fun evening, though RO cut lose a bit too much.

When we are announcing our New Years resolutions, RO said that his was to have sex with one of the guests-- a handsome barber. I told RO that that may be considered rude. RO then asked the barber "Would it be rude if it was my resolution to do you?"

The barber said "No"

RO turned me to me and said "It's OK, the barber doesn't think I'm rude."

I said "I consider that resolution to be rude."

When RO realized what he got himself into, he apologized profusely.