Despite the pouring rain, forgetting to empty ALL of my kitchen cabinets this morning for the bug man � and consequently running late to arrive for my disintegrating job� optimism is today�s diary theme.

After recently becoming a member of more-or-less a gay Dallas professionals group, I attended my first mixer this weekend. I met a couple of very successful guys my age (partnered), and they immediately invited me to a party they were throwing for a friend�s birthday the following night. I attended the party, met quite a few new people, and more importantly, realized THAT is how I plan to meet people from now on. These guys seem to run with a good group of friends, and hopefully mine will expand because of it.

Above: the birthday boy�s favorite waiter in town was hired to bartend for the party. Although he didn�t know there was a difference between soda and tonic, I didn�t complain.

A friend from Orlando � the one who has introduced me to a few people here already � will be in Dallas to spend time with his parents for Christmas. When he learned I�d be spending Christmas alone, he invited me to his family�s ranch � a few hours from Dallas. Christmas at the ranch? I ignored the images of Mandrell sisters, a children�s choir and artificial snow. He mentioned horseback riding and food � both of which I wasn�t planning to have much of. I�m lucky to have the friends I do.

I cried in my Hamburger Helper last night� not from the health consequences I�ll undoubtedly face, but because I was dining during the last 10 minutes of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Each week without fail, the tears flow at 10 til 8. It feels good to see good things come to good people� and honestly, it feels good to cry a little sometimes. I was trying to piggy back some other frustrations on my EMHE cry-session -- things that weren�t heavy enough to warrant their own cry, but needed to be addressed regardless.

Hoss

Even with my non-stop eating, after a calorie tally last night, I found that I�m still about 500-600 short each day. I don�t want to hear �How hard it must be to have to consume 3000 � 3500 calories a day� � I would SERIOUSLY bet gaining weight is AT LEAST as difficult as losing it. The catch is eating the RIGHT kind of calories. When you tell someone you�re trying to gain weight, they perceive it as a pass to Krispy Kreme 3 times a day.

My biceps were complimented this weekend. It did make my night.