Tag: t shirt

Earrings and Keychains Galore

On By Michel McDonaldIn crafts, Jewelry, Patriotic1 Comment

etsy dna earrings

You know the story of when I first learned how to make keychains right?  Do I have to go back down memory lane again?  Oh alright, you twisted my arm.

When I was about 7 or 8 years old, I could be wrong on the particular age, my parents would buy us kids crafts to keep us busy.  We learned latch hook so we would make rugs that would end up on the wall for a very brief moment before they disappeared and nobody ever wondered where they went, or at least I didn’t anyway.  I went into the Cub Scouts at age 9 and that was when I learned to make the keychains, but the very simple box one.  I couldn’t even make the circular ones yet.  I certainly didn’t know how to finish them because we would end up lighting the ends on fire and they would turn black.  That was a hazard for a 9 year old to play with fire and to squash the burning plastic with their fingers lol.

I also learned plastic canvas crafts while in the Cub Scouts and I learned how to tie dye a t-shirt at Salvation Army band camp when I was 12.  When I was 17 I learned to make friendship bracelets and when I was 18 I learned to crochet, knit and embroider.

Since then my craft has certainly evolved, unfortunately so has the pain which caused carpal tunnel syndrome.  I have my good days and bad days, but mainly I just work on the keychains and earrings whenever I get the chance.

I started making the Rainbow DNA plastic lanyard earrings recently based on the actual keychains of which I have even made several different styles and color combinations.  I was looking at a keychain and thinking, this would look great on an earring, but on a smaller scale, and here I am now.  The 2nd pair of earrings that I made are a bit more patriotic to match the patriotic DNA lanyard keychain that I have made.

So I’m having fun making them and really, isn’t that what life is all about?  Doing what you love and having fun doing it.  I think it is.  I love the keychains, and I just adore the earrings to match and I think you will too.  So check them out and let me know how you like them.

The keychains are $3.50, the earrings are $5 and the shipping is $2.00 and .25 cents for each additional item in your order.  My Etsy shop is called GayNerd.

My Weight Loss Journey Collage

On By Michel McDonaldIn Diet, Noom, WeightLeave a comment

my weight loss journey

Pictures are a great motivational tool when losing weight.  You want to take a before picture for obvious reasons, but you also want to take many pictures throughout your journey so you can compare your current picture with your before picture.  If you have something to compare how you look now versus how you looked before, then you have your motivation to keep losing weight so you can see how thin you will be in the future compared to how you are now.

These are the pictures that I have taken on my journey.

  • The top left is obviously my before picture.  I say it was taken on January 1st 2013, but I think it was the day before.  It doesn’t really matter though.  I weighed 264lbs in that picture.  We were at a Denny’s restaurant having breakfast.
  • The bottom right is the picture that I took halfway through when I had lost 28lbs.  I had gotten a white Noom t-shirt and I wanted to show it off.
  • The top right I took because I wanted to get a picture of how my dog Flower was laying on me.  I was pleasantly surprised at how skinny my face was getting.
  • The top middle is the picture I took when I realized that I had lost so much weight that I was finally able to wear that dress shirt buttoned all the way to the top.
  • Then finally the bottom left picture is my most recent picture with my Noom swag.  I weighed 206lbs in that picture.

It’s important to me that I see my before and after pictures to remind me how skinny I am actually getting because sometimes I look at myself in the mirror and can’t see anything different and I get discouraged.  When I look at the pictures and see how skinny I am actually getting, it gives me hope and helps me to keep going.  It’s funny how the mirror really effects how we see ourselves compared to how a picture shows us how we really look.  I know that a reflection is the same exact thing as a picture, but it’s different, I don’t know how to explain it.  It’s the same thing, only different LOL.

Anyway, I am very pleased with my progress of losing 57lbs and I will keep eating healthy so I can continue losing this fat until it is finally all gone.

Publishing My Book

On By Michel McDonaldIn Autobiography, BooksLeave a comment

The time has finally come for me to announce that my book is FINALLY FINISHED!

Seven months of hard work has finally paid off.  Not only have I learned how to write, but I have also learned how to grammar… wait no that’s bad grammar!  But seriously, my grammar has greatly improved, compared to when I started writing anyway.

The only thing that is preventing me from publishing my book now is an author picture.  I don’t want to publish it until I can get dressed up in my gay uniform, that being my “Legalize Gay” t-shirt that I got from the Human Rights Campaign from when I volunteered with them a few months ago at the gay pride here in Bakersfield.  Although I am not set on that shirt as being the only thing in the photo, I may bring a dress shirt.  Who knows, I may combine them and wear the dress shirt unbuttoned on top of the Legalize Gay shirt.  We’ll see.

I was going to use my own domain xanapus.com as the hub, but decided to buy a new domain name www.diaryofagaynerd.com with links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Rainbow eBooks, GetGlue, Facebook, Twitter and here.  Of course I’m paying every month for 1 single html page lol.  That doesn’t seem fair since I have a lot of space over here, but whatever.

Oh I mentioned GetGlue, yeah I haven’t really talked to them yet but I sent a tweet to one of the GetGlue people that I know.  I want to offer a sticker for my readers.  I already have the sticker made, I just need to give them the file so they can give it to people when they check-in.  Although I don’t know if a lot of writers offer stickers for books, maybe I’m the first.  Wouldn’t that be awesome if I were?  How cool would that be?  I’m a GetGlue pioneer LMAO.

So I will just focus my energy now on getting that picture so I can publish it.  Hopefully tomorrow, but no promises.

I do have future plans for another book, actually a series of fictional stories about my character Xanapus from the game EverQuest.  Of course I won’t be able to write about Norrath, I will have to make up my own fantasy world.  That will just make it more fun to write if I make things up as I go.  I will probably start the first story with a short story to make sure I know how to write fiction, of course I will be taking a course on writing fiction first.  It was one thing to write an autobiography because I didn’t have to make anything up, a story based on one single character living in a world that doesn’t exist yet is going to be the difficult part.  If I can write a short story with one little tiny quest, then we will see if I have what it takes to write a 200-300 page novel, 8 of them in total to be exact.  Yes, I am aiming high lol.  Don’t hold your breath…

Until tomorrow when I have more news about the book that I already wrote…

5-Hour Time Lapse – Red Lava Lamp

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BuXTJBAD2w

I have loved lava lamps since I was a kid when my parents had one.  Since I saw it every day, the novelty wore off so I kind of took it for granted.  I never had one of my own until this Christmas when Darrin bought one for me.  We watch it every night because it is so mesmerizing, so I wanted to do a time-lapse video of it so I can see it at really high speed.  Oh yes, I am enjoying my new lava lamp.

The background by the way is a pillow case because my wall is plain white.  I probably should have bought a tie dye t-shirt to put up against the wall, but this was all I had.  I think it looks cool anyway.

Back On The Road To Being Healthy

On By Michel McDonaldIn Bike, ExerciseLeave a comment

I made a commitment to start riding my bicycle again regularly as soon as I got my new wheel for my bike last month and I didn’t start riding as regular as I had liked because I was too out of shape from not riding for a few years.  I went out with a friend a total of 3 times in the last month and it just isn’t enough so I have made that commitment again but as a solo act.

When I was riding with the friend I was riding with, I didn’t feel like I was getting anything out of the experience.  First of all, she was riding so slow, which I can’t blame her because she is more out of shape than I am, but it was too slow for me.  I wasn’t even breaking a sweat.  I came home with a dry t-shirt every time.  If I don’t come home with a soaked shirt then I know I didn’t try.

Summer is coming and this week is supposed to be in the mid 90’s which means bike riding is not going to be very pleasant during the day.  If I wake up at 5:30am and leave at 6am then I can get out on the bike trail and hopefully be back by 8 or 8:30am before the city starts to heat up too much.

Last night I set the alarm on my cell phone for 5:30am and I got up just as I wanted to and got ready to go and yes, I did go.  My bicycle computer isn’t registering so I can’t say how many miles I rode or how long or calories burned or anything.  All I can say is I rode my ass off and my thighs are in pain to prove it.

When I came home and took off my camelbak then took off my t-shirt I knew I did a good job because the back of my shirt was completely soaked.  I feel like I was beyond productive and I’m very satisfied with the solo ride.  I don’t think I will be riding with anyone anymore unless they can keep up with me and go my route instead of wanting to take shortcuts.

My new schedule will be 5 days a week from 6am to 8-8:30am.  I can’t make any promises on how much weight I may or may not lose but I can promise that I will do my best.

DUI Check Point

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

It’s Friday and it’s also April fool’s day so you know people are going partying tonight to celebrate… er um… pranks?  We were on our way to Hometown Buffet tonight with a family friend of ours and we happened to get trapped in a DUI check point.

There were traffic cones in front of 2 of the neighborhoods so you couldn’t turn into them to get out of the trap, you were forced to go ahead.  It wasn’t clear that it was a DUI check point right away when there was opportunity to turn into the AM PM, Taco Bell parking lot or the freeway so from a distance it just looked like there was construction.

So there was just 1 lane and then all of a sudden it turns into 2 lanes, there is a police officer with a stop sign signaling for people to go into the right lane with another stop sign or allowing them to go on past the check point.  They were using the church parking lot as their mini police department and it was full of cars too.

We were lucky to have been let go and not be checked because that definitely would have ruined our night lol.  I guess they profiled us because Darrin didn’t look young and he was wearing a dress shirt and a tie.  I think if he were wearing a regular t-shirt like I was and if he were a bit disheveled he might have been chosen to get checked.

As we were passing we could see people in handcuffs, and that was only at 6:50pm.  Imagine what may have happened later tonight.  As we were coming home we saw that people were still being arrested and they were towing cars.

It’s funny, I have never in my life gone through a DUI check point, granted I don’t drive but still, even as a passenger I’ve never been through one.  In fact, this is the first time I’ve ever seen a DUI check point.  It was a shock to see there were so many people being stopped and how many cars that were sent to the church parking lot.  You know that if you got sent to the parking lot you are in trouble.

So is this a lesson for people?  Don’t drink and drive, and that’s not an April Fool’s joke either.

Streakers To Become Sex Offenders?

On By Michel McDonaldIn NewsLeave a comment

Streaker or Sex Offender? Laws Don’t Always Differentiate

Last November 12 college guys went streaking with pumpkins on their heads in Colorado.  I just heard about this this morning on the Fox News channel.  They 12 are facing sex offender status for their antics because they were nude.

Are you joking me?  We are all born naked.  Not one of us is born with a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt saying “I was just in the birth canal and all I got was this lousy t-shirt”.  That is such a joke because there are countries in Africa where people live as nudists.  There are even nudist colonies in America.

What about all the people who are naked on their webcam posing for porno websites?  What about all the people who pose naked for PlayBoy and Penthouse and all the other nudie magazines?  What about all the women who show their tits during Mardi Gras?  Are they going to be sex offenders?

These 12 college guys should have been given a ticket, maybe a few hours of community service and a slap on the wrist and that’s it.  They shouldn’t have to register as a sex offender just for being naked.  They weren’t raping and molesting women and children so give them a break.  It was a college prank for Halloween.

This government needs to lighten up.  They are such tight ass prudes.

Snood

On By Michel McDonaldIn GamesLeave a comment

I know everyone has heard about Snood by now but if you haven’t and you’ve been living under a rock, Snoodis this awesome and addictive game where you shoot these little snoods with one of its own kind and if you hit 2 with 1 of the same then they fall off and you clear a path so you can shoot down some more.  It’s really fun.

That was the original Snood and they’ve added new games.  Like Snood Poppers, Snood Slide, Snoodoku,Snood Solitaire and Snood Towers.  They also made Chowder, Cactus Bruce and the Corporate Monkeys,Meeklits and Ballmaster2.

I have played Snood Poppers demo and it was pretty neat.  It’s similar to Snood where you shoot snoods to make them disappear but this time they are going through this pipe that is twisty and you have to eliminate the snoods before they get to the other side.

I haven’t played any of the others though, I don’t really care for Solitaire too much, I mean, I already have Windows Solitaire.  Why should I buy another one when I got one for free?  Plus, I really never play that, when I do play Solitaire I always play Spider Solitaire.

I do have a Snood T-shirt and a Snood key chain which I love.  I’m always playing with the key chain, it’s so shiny and it’s dangly.  I’m a simple man, you give me something shiny to play with and you got my attention for a while lol.  And whenever I wear the shirt people who know what Snood is always say hi and some people who don’t are like cool shirt, what’s it mean?  Then I tell them.  I’m like a walking billboard when I wear advertisements.  But what I can I say?  I love Snood.

It’s Too Cold

On By Michel McDonaldIn CyclingLeave a comment

I’m waiting for the heat to kick in lol.  I just went to my bike to the cyclo-computer to find out the temp outside and it says 49.5 degrees.  Hell to the no.  No freakin way am I going out bike riding when it’s this cold.  But I’m dying to get it over with lol.

Why is it either too hot or it’s too cold?  It’s never in between!  The only time of the year that it’s in between is 1 month before the summer heat which usually starts in May and 2 weeks after the heat is over in the end of September to the beginning of October.

Now, keep in mind that I love the cold.  I can’t wait for the cold every year but when it gets this cold and I have a purpose for being outside then I’m not so sure about it anymore lol.  I do know one thing is for sure, I’m gonna need some bike gloves.  I didn’t get them because they were a little much and I have bills to pay but now I think they are really important for my ride.  Especially when it becomes really cold and it hurts to hold the rubber grips on the handlebars.

Normally when I go bike riding I wear a regular t-shirt and a pair of shorts.  I don’t wear pants or a jacket because it gets too hot for that.  Even when it’s cold outside I still sweat in them.  And the ride is so long that my head is usually soaking wet.  Which is also not good when it’s this cold outside because it could cause me to catch a very bad cold.  I’m going to have to wait until it’s at least in the 60’s outside.  That’s what the temp usually has been the last few weeks that I’ve been riding and that’s ok.  And perhaps if I have to wait until noon for the temp to be up that high then so be it.  I just don’t want to miss out on riding because it’s too cold.

My Birthday Part 2

On By Michel McDonaldIn BirthdaysLeave a comment

Well this morning I woke up with Darrin singing the Happy Birthday song and he was holding a German Chocolate cake which was what my mother always made for me for my birthdays. He knew that, that’s why he bought it for me.

We went to the movies today and saw Iron Man which I really loved. Afterwards we went to Sears and Darrin bought me 3 pair of cartoon lounge pants (pajamas hehe).

His cousin Vedra and Venda gave me a black t-shirt with HWOODCATS on it and a box of Dewars candy peanut butter flavored. They are really good. Tomorrow I absolutely cannot wait to get my Lego Indiana Jones game for my PSP then we’re going to DQ for blizzards which I have a coupon that they sent me for my birthday for buy 1 get 1 free.