ARCHIVE: News from the World of Doug

*** This entry was originally posted to LiveJournal January 7, 2008 ***

It seems like I always have lots to report when I finally get around to posting a lengthy blog.

Remember a few posts ago I wrote about my fear that I wasn't DOING anything, and that I was about to get down to the business of making things happen?

That I have done.

Within a day or two of my making that statement, an opportunity opened up for me (again, I LOVE how I create that sort of thing for myself!). After a few weeks of considering, applying, and interviewing I am now the new center liaison for the Indiana center of The ManKind Project. This year the previous position of center director has been split into three distinct positions--center liaison, center administrator, and NWTA (New Warrior Training Adventure) coordinator. Among the duties of my piece of the former center director pie is that I am now preparing to travel to California NEXT MONTH to represent Indiana at the annual international meetings. Nothing like hitting the ground running, eh? I'll also be the man with the center cell phone--so whenever someone looks at a brochure or at the web site and calls the number listed thereon with questions, I'll be the voice on the other end of that phone (I haven't taken possession of the phone yet, but I'm sure that will happen soon). Essentially I am the primary point of contact with the Indiana center of MKP for people inside and outside of the Project, all around the world. This is, in a number of ways, a very huge deal. It's been wonderful experiencing people's reactions--both men within MKP and my friends outside it who know. Tonight is our first lodge of the new year so it's my first public appearance in my new role with the community at large. I'm happy and scared--in other words, I'm excited.

I already blogged about the play. I don't know how I keep managing to A) have shows come along right at the times I end up being freakishly busy in other areas of my life, and B) do straight plays that involve dancing. For this one I'll be waltzing. A lot. I do know how, but it's been a LONG TIME. We'll see how that goes. It'll be interesting fitting the play in with all my new duties as center liaison, and I'll make it work. I always do. Both things are important to me.

Last Thursday, I upgraded my cell phone to a Blackberry because even though I'm getting the center cell phone, I want one of my own that has much better calendar and contact management functions than my last one had. Plus I can get my email on this, which is cool. Well, now for the bad news. Thursday night I went to the gym. Normally I put everything from the front of my car into my trunk when I take my gym bag out of my trunk. This one time I didn't do that, and I paid for it. When Catherine and I left, my passenger side window had been smashed in and the bag containing all the accessories for my new phone (the phone and holster were with me) was gone, as was MY BRIEFCASE. That briefcase had all sorts of important stuff in it. My camera (with over 200 pictures on it, including Christmas and Lilly's birthday), my script for the play (so much for being off book before rehearsals start!), the journal the cast and crew gave me when I directed The Diary of Anne Frank (aaargh!), the notebook in which I'd been recording notes from my contacts as MKP Indiana center liaison, my checkbook, my Wellbutrin--that's a partial list of the stuff I lost when the bastard(s) took my briefcase. What a HUGE pain in the ass! I finally got my window replaced today, just in time for the forecast of serious rain. But since it was cheaper than my insurance deductible, I had to pay for it myself. And all the personal property falls under my homeownwer's policy even though I wasn't home. Don't ask me. I haven't filed a claim on that stuff yet, but I probably will--replacing all of THAT on my own too will get pretty damn pricey.

The holidays were great--ended up NOT having to play Dian Fossey by attending Christmas Eve services with Catherine's parents. Which, of course, was fine by me. All in all, it was a lovely time--as was New Years (except for the horrid weather for driving). I really appreciate the way her family accepts me. It's pretty great.

I suppose those are the major updates for the moment. I hope everyone's 2008 is off to a rip-roaring wonderful start, and I hope it only gets better from here.

Love!