Content-type: text/html Ray Manning

Monday, May 31, 2004 8:58 PM

Let's Finish Off May


On Monday, 5/24, I'm up early to go run. Even though I spent 4.5 hours on the bicycle on Sunday morning, I'm not sore or in pain. I get out for a 4.5 mile pre-work run. After work I lift weights (first 10 repetion session), paint two ceilings, go for a walk, and start packing up some of Person N_V's non-essential things. I've taken the liberty, without Person N_V's consent, of obtaining moving boxes and packing up the things that have laid around almost unused for 6 months in order to get a jump on the move date. Rather than finding tears during this effort, I find that the tears have already flowed and it is time to go. I just keep having thoughts if both of us had 1) taken more time, 2) shown more consideration and respect for each other, and 3) both been more willing to compromise in our daily living habits and style, then we would not be separating. But packing up the things is good therapy as I keep making progress.

On Monday and Tuesday I spend 2 hours each night on the phone with Person D_P. At least Person D_P breaks the string of Person M_somethings. We talk about all sorts of things including family, school, life outlook, philosophy, movies, sports, and stuff.

On Tuesday night I am in bed and asleep near 10 pm. And awake just after midnight as the mobile phone starts ringing with text messages and voice messages. The last phone call is from Person N_V who calls after 1 am as he is getting out of a cab to return to his friend's apartment where he is staying during his San Francisco business trip. It's a short conversation, but Person N_V asks, "Why can't I have you?" I cannot answer this question at 1 am, so I bypass it. But now I'm awake and cannot fall back asleep. So I get up and answer email and surf the Internet until 2:30 am and try for sleep again.

On Wednesday morning I'm to run 4.5 miles before work. At work my mobile phone starts ringing again with text and voice messages from people in need (or in desire). But I try to make it a productive day at Northrop Grumman before going home to lift weights and pick up Person N_V from the airport. The first few things out of Person N_V's mouth are related to Armani, Zegna, Ferragamo, and $100,000 watches that he has seen. The reinforcement of the right decision to call it quits with Person N_V is evident.

On Thursday morning, after having moved again over to the bedroom that I've only slept in twice before in 17 years of living in this house, I get out for a 6.5 mile run. My move to the other bed was only done because Person N_V was snoring loudly (from a long and weary business trip) and because I just couldn't quite get comfortable. There was nothing else to it. But I miss waking up with my hand in Person N_V's grasp.

Thursday after work I mow the lawn as Person N_V packs for his San Diego trip to see his family. He's out the door near 8 pm. The phone starts ringing and I have another long conversation with Person D_P. I'm laying down for sleep near 10 pm - it has been a long day - and just as I am shutting the phone off I receive a text message from Person M_Fl and a phone call from Joe. Before I know it Person M_Fl is knocking at my front door as I throw on a bathrobe to answer. He stays for a couple of hours as we talk about things. And I finally get to go to sleep after midnight.

I sleep in until 6 am on Friday morning and bypass the morning run or walk. On the motorcycle ride to work I pretend that I am Valentino Rossi pushing the Yamaha MotoGP bike as I hard as I can in order to stay up with the more powerfull Hondas. When I look down at the Yamaha's digital speedometer I see 147 mph this morning. 147 miles per hour, baby! This gets the day off to a great start.

On Friday I come home a bit early to lift weights, wash the motorcycle, wax the motorcycle, sand dining room, and update some financial records. By the time that 10 pm has rolled around I am very tired and can feel a great night of sleep.

I wake up on Saturday morning 2 minutes before the 5:10 am alarm goes off. It was great sleep! Seeing that I am awake and refreshed, I get up and watch qualifying for the European grand prix (live), get out and peddle 25 miles on the road bicycle, and wax the motorcycle rims. By 9 am I have accomplished a lot and this day is only beginning. At 10:15 am I meet up with person M_M for a few minutes, but neither of us have enough time to really hang out. So I trim the dining room in preparation for painting, get out for a long walk, and perform some other errands around the house.

Person T* comes by and we head to a wedding reception in San Pedro. It is between a Filipino man and a Thai woman...or it a Thai man and a Filipina woman? Person T* notes that I am not the only white person at this wedding.

Later I'm headed to a club in West Hollywood without Person J_VKPi (who got a bit confused and missed the boat). Tonight is the most fun that I've had out clubbing in a long time because:
1) Person N_V is not around and I don't have to worry bout him drinking too much and doing something stupid
2) The music is great - all techno/trance/euro dance with not a single hip hop song played
3) There are many, many friends and acquaintances of mine present to occupy my time
Person E_F (who I have the softest spot in my heart for) is present and I ask him for an extra big smile and an extra big hug. Person T_U is also present and we hang out for a long time talking about the Long Beach city council election runoff. At one point, as Person T_U and I are talking, an entire string of 10 people that I know coincidentally walk by and each gets a hug or embrace or touch of affection from me and a few words of greeting. This prompts Person T_U to say, which he has said before, "Geez, Ray, you sure know a lot of people here". But this is a fun night and I'm still in bed by 2:30 am for sleep.

On Sunday I'm up at 7:30 am to walk, watch the European Grand Prix, paint the dining room walls, talk with Person D_F, and finally to get out rollerblading along the ocean. I get some serious striding in as well as some liesurely cruising. Later, after relaxing, I lift weights and go for a 60 minute walk. Now I am tired.

But this Sunday is not finished yet. Joe calls and wants to go out with Brandon and me. But later I cannot connect with Joe, Brandon, or peson J_VKPI. Just as well because at 9:30 pm I am staggering around the house from exhaustion. When i decide to head for bed, I drink some water, and sart leaving the kitchen. Before realizing what I'm doing, i repeat a ritual that I've repeated for the last 15 years: I say, "Good night Nopester. It's bedtime". And then I realize that Nopey isn't lying on the kitchen floor.

On Sunday I get up and ride the aquarium bicycle ride. I take a little detour and, because it is Memorial Day, stop by the site where the majortiy of Nopey's ashes are spread and say a little prayer for him. I go home and paint the dining room and relax. In the middle of the afternoon I get out for more than an hour of rollerblading. As I'm finishing I have a 30 minute conversation with a pseudo-ChiChi, Person K_C, about a number of topics. And I leave with, "I'll see you at one of the clubs".

The rest of Sunday is spent cleaning up and out the house of clutter and preparing for a long Tuesday at Northrop Grumman and ResourceScout.