A lot of you wanted to know a little more about me through my friends so I took the opportunity to ask them a few questions about me. I am hoping this information helps you learn a little more about who I am:
Becky:
How did we meet?
We met when I started working at Fairfield resorts. I remember when I had to sit in the cube with the printer and you had to come into it every five minutes. NOBODY in that department was welcoming or friendly other than 60 year old Betty. You were the only one who was nice and extended yourself. The rest is all tiny orange hazard cones and pennies falling from heaven.
What is one of your favorite memories of our friendship?
There are so many. I think one of my favorites is when I went to HH Nights with you. It was my first time and there was a pretty big group of your friends. That was the year that one whole section of universal turned into a giant foam party. There was so much foam and I remember at one point looking over and you were standing under the foam machine and it was up to your neck. I laughed b/c you were standing underneath it just giggling and then I realized I was up to my neck and totally panicked b/c I couldn’t see where anyone was! You rescued me and lost your flip flop in the process. This was also the same night we got sick of seeing everyone in a couple walking around holding hands so we decided we would walk around as a couple and tell everyone about our two children, LuLu and Lala conceived through pineapple juice and a turkey baster.
You know me well, what is something you know about me that you think I don’t know about myself?
I think you know yourself pretty well. Sometimes I’m not sure if you see how fast you’re going. Meaning I’d love to see you just totally relax and take a much needed real vacation. (Out of the state of Florida). Get you out of your home zone and really get away for once.
I talk about living life out loud, what does living life out loud mean to you. Can you think of an example of me living life out loud?
I think it would be more of a challenge to think of an example when you aren’t living life out loud!? When you are in the room, everyone knows it and that’s a great thing!
Robert:
How did we meet?
The first time I saw Michael, I was a new student at Florida College Of Natural Health and Michael came in for our first day of orientation to talk about his job as Student Services Department. I have to admit, I was very grateful for there was finally another gay guy at this new adventure in my life and I really didnt care what he had to say at that moment, I knew I liked him already and was more nervous about starting school again after not being in that environment for almost 15 years…. He was funny and kept everyone laughing, but you could tell he did this speech a hundred times before… I was looking way past his spiel and was very impressed that someone so young ( 22 years old at the time ) had such a professional manner about himself… He had tons of confidence ( things don’t change ) and really knew how to keep things from getting boring on such a long orientation day… I don’t think I saw Michael for the next few weeks, besides a passing hello in the hallway but he was always around campus and you could always hear him coming (still things haven’t changed). I guess it was about 6 weeks into our program and I heard something that bothered me about students cheating on their exams and I did want to tell administration, so who did I go to… Yes, Michael.
I was nervous about what I learned and didn’t want to come across being the class snitch, but I did want someone to know the information I learned from another student…. So, I went to Michael’ s office and asked if we could chat for a minute… I blurted out what I knew and he stared at me for a minute in shock.. well, to make a Long story short, from that day on, I had a very good feeling about Michael and really respected him as not just an administrator, but as a person… As time went on, and I graduated from school, I never lost contact with Michael, our friendship was taken outside of school and have been friends since.. Wow, amazing how things happen in our lives…
What is one of your favorite memories of our friendship? I talk about living life out loud, what does living life out loud mean to you. Can you think of an example of me living life out loud?
I have so many funny stories about Michael but I am going to tell the one that a lot of people know about him and how I was a bad influence… and if this isn’t the definition of ” living out loud” then nothing ever will be… So, we are at a party at one of his friends houses in a very upscale development in Orlando called Celebration. Its the community designed and owned by Disney and its the typical Main street USA idea that Walt Disney had in mind when talking about community living in Orlando. Well, to say the party was boring is an understatement.. Michael and I had been just bored to tears, trying to stay awake and keep ourselves sane… Then, we decided, Lets go swimming… Of course Michael’s friend didn’t have a private pool so we were going to go use the community swimming pool… There were 4 guys and one girl in the group that decided to go swim and we all brought our suits and towels and went to the pool… well, we were the only ones in the pool, so I decided, time to skinny dip… and the suit came off… well, after the ice was broken, Michael was the next one to drop trow….Everyone followed, well except one.. and we spend that evening skinny dipping in the public pool in this upscale neighborhood… Needless to say, we had a great time and its a time in my life I will ever forget….
So… That is how my relationship with Michael has always been… we keep each other guessing, we always have fun, but we know that we have each other no matter what… Almost 10 years have passed, we may have been getting older, but we are not Old yet…… Here is too many more years of keeping each other entertained and sane…. Cheers
And of course, I asked Justin:
How did we meet?
I was the first person to message you on Myspace and send you a friend request. I had already looked into and made up my mind that I was making the trek from Washington State to Florida in 2005. Shortly after we started to talk, you told me that your job was hiring and this was a better opportunity that transferring with my current job so I interviewed over the phone and then moved across the country over a 3 day drive. When I got to town, I called you and we went to one of my now favorite restaurants, Brio, in Winter Park and we talked and talked about my drive and my excitement to move. You took the time to drive me around town to see Disney, Celebration, International Drive, etc. thoughtfully remembered to buy me a lemonade when we stopped for gas since this was what I drank at dinner, and then we watched Sin City together. I had seen the movie before and it is alright, but seeing it with you put it in a special place as our first movie we saw together. Over the next series of months, I grew to know you more and more and you have become my best friend and lover and partner in life in everything I do. I love you Michael.
What is one of your favorite memories of our friendship?
Some of my favorite memories are the random things that I get suckered into involuntarily. I like when we went to a tiny old home in Thornton Park where we had aura pictures taken and interpreted separately and then also as a couple. I do not place too much stock in it, but it was really fun and unusual. We laughed and joked for hours afterwards that my explanation was so much longer than yours and that I was the Dali Lama of the Aura world and all the servers at the asian restaurant we went to afterwards were bowing to me (you can edit that part if that would be perceived offensive =/ ). It was a good evening.
You know me well, what is something you know about me that you think I don’t know about myself?
I just think that in some instances you get down on yourself or doubt your ability and not because it is not there, but you do not realize how much of an impact you do have on people or how able you are. You are extremely intuitive and intelligent and I would like to see you accept and untilize all of your abilities more and more and never second guess or doubt yourself. =)
I talk about living life out loud, what does living life out loud mean to you. Can you think of an example of me living life out loud?
Living out loud to me is not having limitations or striving to live up to others expectations of you. It means being at peace with your life and being content with what good things have been given to you, but not being complacent and accepting of stagnancy. There is always room to grow and improve and through your blog and constant reminders, you cause growth and positivity all around you. It is like taken a soaken sponge representative of life experience and wringing every last drop out of it to have the most exciting, fulfilling and meaningful life with the somewhat short life that we are given on this world. I think this means being spontaneous and ready for adventure and trying new and different things. I think that you have given several examples recently of living your life out loud, from commiting to fly to Las Vegas, going to a Sci-fi convention which was outside of your element, to making plans to better your life and make a commitment to fitness and health. You are a great example of the principles you teach and you truly lead by example.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe!
