Since I've discovered blogging, I've been spending 2 - 3 hours daily reading, writing and editing. And it's led to a few other projects. Probably anyone reading this site is savvy enough to know about the templates you view here, that include all the HTML coding. Well, the coding intrigued me, and especially after copying the code in for the nifty webcounter and guestbook, I picked up an old HTML book and started reading it. Earlier tonight, I signed up for a free webpage -- www.hugshyhermit.012webpages.com. I think it's empty right now, or who knows what happens when you click on it. But hopefully, as the days go by, you will see it develop. Right now, the base of it looks like a (horrors!) webpage from 1993. Maybe six months from now, you'll see spinning heads, fire-breathing dogs, set to the soundtrack of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". Hey who knows, maybe this Blog will feature that, too. (Or MORE!)

One can hope...

So for all one of you that might be reading this -- do you know how a week ago I was trying to reach out and talk to old friends? Well, tonight, an old friend called me! I've known Richard since 1986 -- July 6th, 1986 to be exact. He, and my other friend Betsy, are on my list of folks to call, but I guess he beat me to the punch! I thank my mom for this, because she sent him a birthday card -- his birthday is on the 23rd or maybe the 26th.

Richard is one of my first boyfriends, and I will always have a tender spot for him. I met him right after I came back from England and a few months after I moved out on my own and into an apartment with some college friends in Fall River, Massachusetts. He was "older", meaning he was 28 when I was 23! ha ha ha! I think we both had mullets! I got a job the first day or so after arriving in Fall River, on the management training program for Apex Department Stores, "the largest discount luxery retail store in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts" (so said the assistant store manager at the interview). ha ha! I was hired on the spot, and that should have been a warning sign! I worked in Swansea Mall, in the men's department. It was horrible.

But I met Richard that summer. I was clubbing all the time, a lot with my little Apex Department Store friends -- and we would hit bands, I remember seeing NRBQ in Providence, and catching a lot of local punk bands at this giant warehouse just north of town. I had a "girlfriend", a woman who suprise! also had a mullet (and later one narrow "Til-Tuesday" braid) and wore black-and-white business suits with padded shoulders and matching black-and-white men's shoes. I met Richard at "The Looking Glass", an unpopular dance club in Newport. He always used to say that I talked non-stop when we met. I guess that's true, it's nerves. I'm really sort of shy, and talk less and less as I get to know you.

I dated Richard for just over two years, until I moved to Philadelphia. You will probably not believe this, Blogalongs, I can barely believe it myself but I didn't have my priorities on right back then. I remember having to work two and sometimes three jobs to support my expensive wardrobe habits -- this was the 80s. Even so, Richard and I have stayed in touch since then. The last time I saw him was two years ago, just before I took the transfer to Dayton. Richard has been with his current boyfriend Bobbie, for gosh, I think like 5 years now. They just bought a condo in New Bedford "Freeport". They're planning a commitment ceremony. I'm very happy for them and I hope I can make the event. Richard has always made me laugh.

And, changing the subject abruptly: Right now, I can hear the Television upstairs blaring a James Bond soundtrack. Jamie, my upstairs neighbor and landlord, is also a friend. Jamie likes to eat at trendy restaurants that are bland and unmemorable. We went out for brunch today at Cafe Brio, and we had a good chuckle. We bought, for $15, a Bellini -- some sort of frozen fruit wine concoction. It was tasty, but... $15. Did I mention I'm having financial probs? This doesn't help.

Also, I had a hissy with my tenant yesterday. I got a new Dayton Power & Light bill, and I left her a voicemail: "You agreed after the last bill to switch the utility to your name. I am not happy." When I spoke briefly with my Colorado friend Chris, we were snorting about the "I'm not happy" line. Along the lines of "...and when I'm not happy, ain't nobody happy." ho ho chuckle chuckle. I think he's horrified and tickled that I have stories like the one about evicting the tenants on New Years' Eve. (Yup, that's true. I'll save that story for another time, Bloggies.)

Stay tuned. You may start seeing some changes occur to this site over the next few weeks.... (Or not.)