Even More Ginger Loving!

Here's some more redheaded loveliness!!

My Name is Matt, and I am obsessed with Redheads!

The first step is admitting you have a problem! LOL Seriously, there is something so amazing about a redheaded man. Whether it's the hair, or the pale skin, or the eyes - they just get me all worked up! And when a redhead is hot, he is REALLY HOT!

God's Promise of Hope

So, I just returned from Richmond (where I was working) and I am so glad to be home! It's unbelievably COLD outside, and it's snowing!! The snow part I love! The cold? Not so much! So, because I am tired from working a long 2 weeks and 2 store renovations, I am laying on the sofa, and watching "What Not To Wear" on TLC. LOL. I freaking LOVE that show! Clinton and Stacy are so great together, but I gotta tell you, Stacy is freaking HOT! Normally, as a gay man, I don't comment on women being hot - but she's got it going on. (she's gorgeous, dresses like a diva, and is hysterical!)

So, I am single again. It's ok, I am doing fine. I mean, of course I'm upset - but Danny and I were just 2 people who weren't meant to be a couple. You know, just because there's an attraction, doesn't mean that a fairytale happy ending is on the horizon! One of my best friends, Dan (I know you're reading this - Hey Handsome!) has already said "You are forbidden from dating anyone who was born AFTER 1979!!" LOL. Too funny. He even went so far as to say that he wanted to interview potential future candidates!! I am not so sure men would put up with that. But I like the premise. I have decided that I am going to stop "hunting" for love, and let it find me. For now, I am focussing on me, and getting myself back into shape physically and emotionally. (I'll be joining the Downtown Athletic Club - which is a block from my apartment - VERY SOON!) And I wish Danny the best in his life.

So, yeah - the BIG news is that I got a NEW JOB!! Hallelujah! I won't be starting until March 2nd, but my new job will be working as a Visual Trainer for Pandora. Pandora is a jewelry company that is based in Denmark, and the North America offices are in Columbia, MD. I'll have a region, and there will still be travel for work, but mostly day trips. And when I open new stores for them, they will only take 2 to 3 days, instead of the 5 days that I currently have to finish a new store at Joseph Bank. I am excited about the possibility of international travel (Denmark, Thailand, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean) that I'll be experiencing!! But it's more money, bonuses, and great benefits! I am so freaking excited!! But, I won't be giving my notice to JAB until February 8th, so if any of my current co-workers are reading this, DO NOT SAY ANYTHING! lol The last week of February, I'll be going to Houston with my Mom to visit my sister, Geri and her family. That will be nice - especially if it's warm there - and i hope it will be! (she has a pool and hot tub!) So, yeah, the future looks bright!!

Who Is This Guy?!

I have no idea who this is, but I want him to be my boyfriend!! WOOF!

Man, oh Man, oh Man - part 2!!

The Destiny of the Wicked and of the Good

So this past week has been busy and surreal. It turns out that Mom is doing well - much better than they anticipated! So, that's very good. She had a sonogram done on her gall bladder - seems they think it might need to be removed. I don't know the results of that - she'll find out on monday. So cross you fingers - I know I'll be saying some prayers this weekend.

I spent this past week working in Virginia Beach. There are definitely worse places to work - that is for sure. The first 2 days, the weather was amazing! The last 2 days? Cold and rainy! Blaaah. As much as I loved the company of my co-workers, and the fact that we stayed in a Doubletree Hotel, the store staff was awful. My company has some amazing Regional Sales Directors. They are very "hands on", and give 200% of themselves to the job. We also have some that are.... how shall I say this?.....wastes of flesh. They believe their position is to delegate everything out, and do nothing. So, we arrive in VA Beach, and the store managers tells us that the RSD won't be there until after (AFTER!!) we leave, and that he's not scheduled any extra help. The store is HUGE. How he could possibly think 4 visual people could do it in 2 and half days is just incredulous! The store staff also told us that he said we would "do everything". Oh really? So, that set the tone for the week. We worked our asses off, and the staff stood around, talked, and critiqued what we did. I did a LOT of couting to 10 this past week. And as much as they probably hated me for doing it, I did manage to get the staff to help. It took a lot out of me, but we finished. There were still some things to do, but we are only human. The drive back to Baltimore was a long one - especially since it was raining off and on. We stopped in Richmond and ate dinner at a Cracker Barrel, and finally got home at 7:45. It was so nice to be in my own bed!

Friday was a very interesting day. I can't really get into it now, but I can say that I'll probably be announcing something on here about big changes that are coming!!

So, it's saturday, and the weekend - and I am looking forward to some nice, quiet time. And tuesday, I have to head to Richmond to do another mini-renovation. This one should hopefully go smoother - better RSD, store managers coming to help, and a great Visual team.

Man, oh Man, oh Man!

Here's some loveliness to make you smile.... and hopefully make you smile down there!!

Team Conan

I just wanted to say that I think NBC is making a HUGE mistake. I never liked Jay Leno, and I am more of a Letterman and Craig Ferguson fan. But what they did to Conan is particularly shitty! He can be hysterical. He'll be fine though - someone will scoop him up. And NBC will continue to support someone who just should have retired gracefully and quietly disappeared.

Jesus, The Resurrection and the Life

This past week has been filled with many happenings - both good and bad. First, I had a crazy beginning of the week. I had to get my tire repaired (there was a screw in it) - and I guess I'm pretty lucky that the tire didn't burst! I'd been having issues with the tire pressure for quite awhile - and I just chalked it up to the colder weather, and the fact that they're low-profile tires. Thankfully, my brother Ben fixed it and all was well. I had to work 2 very long days at our store in Towson, MD - and I was just physically exhausted. I mean literally exhausted! My legs were cramping, and every step I took felt painful - like I was trying to run while in a pool. (so weird!) Thankfully, we finished that.

Thursday, my sister Geri called me to talk about booking flights for the trip to Houston I am taking with my Mom. We had to make sure I could get a seat on the same flight - me using my free tickets on Southwest Airlines, and Geri paying for Mom's tickets. Thankfully we worked that out and booked the flights. But, while on the phone, she asked me if I knew anything about my Mom being in the hospital the night before! WHAT THE FUCK??!! I think my head almost exploded. Apparently my Mom had been having chest pains, so she had my sister Ellen take her to the hospital. She was there for 6 hours and NO ONE called either me or Geri!! I mean seriously - WHAT THE FUCK??!! My brother Brad found out at 5pm the next night. When he asked Ellen about it she said "I didn't want to wake you up." Wow. I mean, all of us would want to know what was happening. I definitely wouldn't mind being woken up if something bad has or had happened. So, this morning, after not hearing anything, I called Mom. She said she had a minor heart attack. (Is there such a thing as a "minor" heart attack?) I felt like the floor dropped out from under me. She said she had chest pains, went to the hospital, and at 4 am they released her because her vitals were ok and her blood pressure was back to normal. She has to go back on Monday to take several tests, including a stress test and get a sonogram on her gall bladder. Thankfully she seems fine now. She was baking when I called!! FUCKING baking?!! lol. My Mom is such a strong woman - she just wants to prove she's fine. I'm headed to see her on sunday - and I hope she's taking it easy.

Today was the 33rd wedding anniversary for my sister Anna and her husband Pat. I am so happy for them. The sad thing is that Pat has inoperable brain cancer. He's been battling cancer for over 3 years now! Before christmas, the doctors gave him a prognosis of a few days to a few weeks. It's been over 3 weeks now and he's still the same. Before my Mom's heart attack, we were all worried about Pat. I had no idea that Mom was feeling unwell. It sucks that life hands you these things when you least expect it.

The Supreme Ruler

Ok, so the other day I emailed Tabatha Coffey (star of BRAVO's "Tabatha Takes Over"), to tell her I was a fan, and to mention that I talked about her on this very blog. SHE WROTE BACK!! Yowza!! She said: "Thanks Matthew and thanks for mentioning me in your blog and belated Happy Birthday!"

I was "gobsmacked"!! But so excited. I love her. Maybe she'll become a regular reader? I can dream, can't I?

Confidence in God's Protection

So, I have had some interesting experiences over the past few days. First, it was my 44th birthday on January 4th. Also on that day, my younger brother was sworn in as the Mayor of my hometown, Hanover, PA! He's only 41, so that's an amazing feat! Usually the mayors of Hanover are men in their 70's. They're mostly a figurehead, but Ben wants to change that and make Hanover a better place! So, it was a great way to end my birthday - watching him sworn in, and then the whole family getting together for a meal.

Earlier in the weekend (on the 2nd), Danny took me out to dinner for my birthday. It was very sweet and romantic. We ate dinner at a place called "Woodberry Kitchen". It was amazing! I think we both ate too much. They had these pears with sea salt and honey on them as an appetizer. (I could have died and gone to heaven! So good!) We even had dessert. I think Danny almost had to roll me home. Ugh. But it's been a long time since I've had a meal that was that good! We had an amazing time together - as we always do. For New Year's Eve - on the 31st - he and I had dinner at City Cafe. It was an excellent "prix fixe" meal. It did seem like they were trying to rush us out, but overall it was a good time. I got to wear the birthday gift Danny gave to me - a silver pocket watch that was engraved on both sides (one side has my intials "B A M", and the other side says" Stay with Me For the Best is Yet to Come".) VERY SWEET!

Today, my boss took us all out for our belated Christmas lunch - as he always does. We always seem to have it in January, because December is filled with craziness, and lots of vacation days - and it's just easier to get us all together now. Today, we met up at the Harryman House - and wonderful, and old restaurant in historic Reisterstown. Because I had to work this morning in one of our stores, I had to change in the car, in the parking lot of the restaurant!! (so goofy!) I wore my vest so I could wear the pocket watch from Danny. (which everyone loved!) Suzanne surprised everyone by giving us all fake mustaches to wear during the luncheon - which was hysterical! I ended up looking like an extra from "Sherlock Holmes"!! After lunch, Suzanne surprised me with cupcakes, decorated with barbie shoes and barbie legs! (she's so crazy!) I always love that my birthday is so close to Christmas. I used to get screwed because of that - everyone telling me the gift was for "both" holidays (ugh! what a shitty thing to do to a kid!) but now I am lucky to be on the receiving end of much love, and gifts and celebration for my birthday. It was nice to sit down with my co-workers - and it's a rare event to have us all together at once! And now with my job supposedly changing back to traveling, it's anyone's guess as to when we'll all be together again. I have a busy month ahead of me, but thankfully I was able to slow down a bit, relax, and celebrate with those I love.

Happy Birthday to ME!!

Ok, so it's January 4th, and I am 44 (yikes!) today. I ate pork and sauerkraut on the 1st of January (see Mom, I do listen), so hopefully this year will be filled with happiness, and success! (and more money!!)