The New Year 2013

Well it is a brand new year and I have to say that I'm kind of curious as to what will happen.  I spent the night at home with my dog watching Numbers on Netflix. Sometime after 1 am I stepped outside to smoke my last cigarette of the night and the first one of the year, I saw one interesting thing. I saw an act of Chivalry.

I will admit that inside I have a little racist streak and once in a while I will judge a whole people by their misfits. It's the loose chickens and dogs and the rooster calls at all hours of the night that do it. You can chastise me for that later but this habit gives me a little distance from the fact that I live in a very bad area of San Diego. Couple this habit with my low opinion of today's youth and you have a very surprised Ms. Townes at 1 am.

While I was smoking my late night Camel and watching the cars do 80 in a 35 mile zone, I witnessed a young couple walking by. The girl was saying in spanish how cold she was. The boy stopped her across the street from me, gave her a quick kiss, took off his jacket and wrapped her in it. Huzzah gentleman DO exist in the world!

I like that I got to witness that moment, it makes me think that not all parents are just phoning in their duties to educate. Granted I don't know anything about these two kids, I'd like to think they are going to be alright. Once in a while I like to be reminded what optimism is.

You see, in that one act of gentlemanly kindness all of my stereotypes about the community I live in, fell away for that one moment. I felt lucky to have witnessed such intimacy. It had the makings of romance, the blossoming of young love and offered the promise of a solid foundation on which they would build their relationship. My inner romantic fool practically melted.

In the light of day I reflect that most likely the two of them went back to someone's home and had kinky New Years sex or something and we can all expect a little one some time in September but, as I said before once in a while I like to pretend that I'm an optimist. There's hope for the human race after all.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Uh What???

 I haven't written much over the Holidays. It's not that I've been out partying, neither have I been wallowing in sadness for being away from my family. I've been adjusting, this adjusting just happens for fall during Christmas and New Years. I've moved out of my home in Muira Kaigan. My lovely fortress of Solitude, is now just an empty house in Japan. It's part of the process of getting out of the Military. As long as I serve, the Navy will provide housing. Since I'm not serving anymore I have to move.  Oh sad face, sad face, what will I do now? 

I'm not panicking I am one step closer to getting to California. While I sit in a barracks room surrounded by cheap college dorm room furniture, I'm going to try and not gag. Sharing a bathroom is not how I planned on spending my New Year.  I also did not plan of spending my New Years completely sober. If you asked me six months ago what my plans for New Years were, I'd tell you that I'd be stupid drunk and singing Karaoke at the top of my lungs and tongue kissing random Japanese strangers. Cue euphoric recall, good times. Well that what I did last New Years anyway…

This year I should start with  resolution. I should think long and hard about what I should do to change or improve my life. I should, really I should, that's what everyone does right? Well not this one right here. Ms.Townes has outright refused to make a resolution. I'm making enough changes as it is. You can go make a resolution, sure say you're going to get to the gym more, or that you'll finally get up the nerve to ask for that raise you totally deserve. You can even say that you'll date better quality men, or that you'll make a budget and actually stick to it. Maybe you will finally take time off and go on that vacation you always wanted. What ever it is I hope you succeed in it. In my capacity to support you I might even remind you of it sometime later. But for me, I'm not making a promise that might get pushed to the back burner until next New Years.

As for this move, well I'll have to move two more times before I land. I'm not looking forward to it. The end result though is so worth it. I just hope I find a place to stay. If I have to look at more cheap polyester furniture I may scream. I miss my couch already.



**Shortly after the New Year began for the east coast of the United States, Japan AND Ohio were struck by a 4.0 earthquake.  How creepy is that? Two places roughly the same time frame having exactly the same magnitude! I just happened to be sitting in Starbucks next to three guys playing Skyrim. These guys didn't even look up from their computers.