Wanna know a little bit about Tim?

So just who am I anyway? A bit of a difficult question, especially to put into a few little paragraphs. I guess I will say a little bit, and then add to the description as this little journal evloves.

I am a 48 year old gay man, partnered, and born and raised here in the central valley of California. I was born in a smaller city about 40 miles to the south of Sacramento, officially in the northern San Joaquin valley. Strange thing about California. From about the middle of the central valley and south, the valley is known as the San Joaquin valley. From the middle and north, it is known as the Sacramento valley. I live in Sacramento, actually in a suburb to the east of the city proper. I live in a really great house, at least I think so, in a nice area. We have a wonderful yard with a pool to help us cope with the really hot summer weather we have here.

After many years working in management in the financial services industry, I went to work for the State of California. I (and about forty thousand other people) am technically an empolyee of the Governator. I like my work. It is proving to be a nice way to wind down for the next twelve to fifteen years until retirement. I started in January 2000. I have very little job stress, a nice change after twenty years in the private sector. I work with really nice people and I believe in the mission of my department.

I have many hobbies and preferred activities. I am involved in music in the community, I snow ski, water ski, love to go camping with my sweety in our trailer, and I have a lovely yard that I take great pride in and spend three to four hours a week tending. You might say that I have a special and almost sprirtual relationship with my lawn mower. That's just about the only spiritual thing about me, though. I am in some ways like a reformed smoker- no, I have never been a smoker, but I joined a gym a few years ago and now I go three to four days per week for a twohour routine each time I go. I really love it and this gym stuff has helped me to be in what may be the best shape I ever been in.

I love to cook. My honey and I are great partners in the kitchen, although I do a lot of the cooking myself when we are not having a party or hosting a major holiday. We love having our friends over for dinner. There are very few weekends that we don't invite someone over for dinner. We have a big stainless steel grill on the patio and we love to fire that baby up! So I guess you can say that our house is a bit of a gathering place for our friends.

The weather here is really nice for more than half of the year. It basically does not rain for nearly six months and in the summer it is bone dry and HOT. It can easily be well over 100 degrees for days on end, but humidy is usually well below 20%. Sorry all you wonderful bloggers elsewhere in the country. You can be outside, even on the really warm days, and enjoy things. And, almost no bugs. No screen porches here in California! We have a beautiful pool that helps us keep cool and air conditioning in the house.

There are three months, late November through mid February, where the weather is cold and wet. Fog can be a problem here, but in recent years, it has not been too bad. The really hot weather lasts for about four weeks, mid July through Mid August. The rest of the time is really quite nice.

Today, I got my yard work done just before the start of a rain storm. We are told that the rains will fall this afternoon through midday Sunday. Not bad. We really need the water.

Well, this gay guy has things to do and I certainly don't want to start things off with a dull post. I will be telling about things I have experienced, places I have been, and life here in the west. If anyone ever runs upon this little journal, I hope you will check back by from time to time and see what develops.

Best wishes to all!