Jeffery Fab at 50...a Quest for Fabulousity at a Half Century and Beyond

Why? That is the question on so many minds right now…why? Why would Salvador Ramos, an 18-year-old man, barely a child himself, walk into an elementary school with a gun, and open fire. In the aftermath, fourteen young lives, including the shooter, and a teacher have lost their lives. Gone…in yet another senseless mass shooting. I remember the shootings at Columbine High School, which seemed the origin of the concept of school, shootings. I remember Sandy Hook Elementary, the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, and Virginia Tech. And most recently the shooting in Buffalo New York just a short time ago. We remember the countless other shootings that have occurred in between those events…all tragic, all senseless. Greed, power, revenge, escape, these are all reasons many consider the mind of an individual can go to such an extreme place. But it seems impossible for an individual to think, in however a manic state they may be in, that the only way out is to rush into an establishment, any e...

  Greetings! It is great to be back here...a-ranting and a-raving like the good old days. Ah the good old days...when we could walk the streets without facial coverings, interact with friends and family with a hug and/or a kiss, and enjoy some "adult time" with a close friend...new or old.  But  those days seem to be far back in our rear view mirror.  Please, if you haven't done so already, GET VACCINATED ! It doesn't only protect you from the COVID-19 virus, it helps you to protect others as well. Be the example to those you care about who are apprehensive. I can tell you, the virus is a much better alternative to what this virus can do to you.  And as always, my sincerest thanks for checking back in with us. You can look forward to more consistent postings, and some other options to get the word from me as I continue my journey being Fabat50 and beyond.  So let us begin... First, a thank you. Over the last year, life has changed for many of us. No matter ...

  So here we are half the way through another Black History month, and yet another unsatisfactory impeachment trial in the rear view. I have some thoughts on that for another post, so stay tuned. In the meantime, this is something that I leave you, the gentle reader, to ponder. At the core of this missive, is a more moral question; do you think live in a country blighted by racism or is it all media generated noise? lease be sure to share your comments...I look forward to reading them. Before I dive in, a brief disclaimer; the info I am sharing with you is taken directly from a popular gay social media site. It has in no way been altered, or modified, other than to fit the confines of the illustration used to direct attention to what is the heart of this issue. To define “who is who” within the conversation, my responses are in orange, the messages of the other individual involved are in white: just as they appeared in the original message stream. With that said......

Defeated Roy Moore (l), and Alabama's Senator-Elect Doug Jones I can imagine that after last night’s defeat of accused sexual predator Roy Moore, there were more than a few pre-civil war cemeteries in Alabama that were quite lively with activity. The sound of decayed carcasses spinning in their graves must have been audible for mile around. For the first time in a quarter of a century, Alabama stepped away from their tradition of Republican support (remember Jeff Sessions), to not only do what was right for their state, but for the entire country. Is the health of the GOP in serious trouble? A salvo of discontent was sent by the election of last night Doug Jones; the first Democrat elected to the senate in 25 years. It also was another gutting blow in the already wounded GOP elephant. I have often wondered what President Abraham Lincoln, a republican president, and others who were invaluable in the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation would think of the state of th...

Ah the holidays! The change of season, the sounds, the smells, the vibe…it can be intoxicating can’t it? Sure it can. Burt for many, the holidays bring up memories; many pleasant, but also some not so. Loss is a part of life, but when that loss is tied to a holiday, it can make that holiday a challenge. Case in point… Back in the “day,” when the decision was made to make the move to Colorado from the little hamlet that was my hometown in West Virginia, I was but a mere tyke just barely 6. In my mind, it was simply a visit for the holiday’s…to visit my uncle, whom I had no awareness even existed at that time. The nefarious plan to move to this “big city” was kept from me until after we had arrived in the Mile High. It was here that I was introduced to my uncle. Charismatic, funny as hell, and quite a looker, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, my uncle was an amalgamation of many things. Some of those things were witty and charming; others were darker. He was quite the fan of...

Hello there! Long time no chat…and for that I apologize, We will get reacquainted in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime I hope you are all alive and well.  So…here we go. Before I begin, I want to add a disclaimer to the posting you are about to read; this post is NOT a condemnation of or in any way a challenge to the validity of the claims being made by the brave men and women who have had the courage to come forward and speak out about their horrific experiences with harassment. Each claim has been a crack in the veneer of a problem that has existed since the beginning of time; people in a position of power flexing that power in inappropriate ways for sexual gain. However, as the dominoes continue to fall on an almost daily basis, it has raised some questions that I felt were best expressed in this forum. I may jump around in the thought process a bit here, so for that I apologize in advance but bear with me. Matt Lauer Former Today Show Anchor First, I must...

So, as I posted on my Facebook page a feew days ago, I made a quick overnight trip to Phoenix for a job interview. After a whirlwind day of meetings, meetings and more meetings, I made the trek back home to find an email thanking me for my time, but they had decided to move forward with a different candidate. Yes, as you can imagine; profoundly bummed. This could be the reason why I can’t seem to fall asleep. I made a vow a while back that I was no longer going to use Facebook forum as my “armchair therapist,” but I just need to share a few thoughts and this blog post seemed a more appropriate place to "let loose." First, this turning 50 thing has begun to catch up with me a bit I think. Not in the traditional sense of feeling in decline or on a spiral to oblivion (yes, someone wrote that to me after my birthday), or even a more understandable midlife crisis. My struggle is coming from perceptions of others. As many of you know, I have been working incredibly hard to im...

Hearts go out to Paris and Beirut Wow! To call this a week would be a gross understatement. Everything I am doing, these changes in my way of living, seem so minimal in light of the tragedies that occurred in Paris and Beirut. It seems so senseless and puts a lot of things in perspective. To those effected directly by these tragedies, and those of us peering through the windows at the sadness, my heart, and the hearts of many other go out to you. Be strong, and those intent on instilling fear and terror under the misguided name of religion will not win. With that said… It was all in all a great week! I had a doctor’s appointment, where the news was not only good, it was great! Cholesterol, both the good and the bad, at great levels, blood pressure was at an all-time low during an appointment, and the best part…my weight was down 10 pounds since my last visit! Now that said, my last visit was about 3 months ago, so that’s not saying a lot, but I will take the praise where I can...

Hello all! Well, it is day four if this new lifestyle shift, and I have to say I am LOVING it! I feel great, the eating part is not nearly as tough as I had anticipated, and in short it has been great! Now granted, I realize it’s been only four days, and the next 10 will be the true test. I’ve been told if I can get to the halfway mark without losing my mind, I am home free… Some of the best times of my life I owe to the people in this pic... I even passed one of those big hurdle test; dining out with friends. Last night, I met some of my besties at a nearby place known for the quality of their pizza pie, Wyman’s. The smell when you enter the place is an assault to begin with, and when you start to see the food being delivered to the other patrons, it’s enough to make you crazy! But I held fast. Even when my buddy Shane ordered “cheesy bacon tater tots” my resolve didn’t crumble. I ate my chicken breast and green salad happily, and didn’t even let the thought of those del...

Protein and green...protein and green.. my new mantra! Well, tomorrow is the official start to the food part of this journey. I held off posting yesterday, as I was hit with a MAJOR case of sticker shock! Geez…why is trying to eat better so darned EXPENSIVE!! More than $250 later, I have the supplies to keep me sustained for the next…few days! As my guru on this journey, Jim Keizer, put it “eating well isn’t cheap.” “That’s one of the most f*&ked up parts of our society,” says the guru Keizer. “We should be subsidizing meats and vegetables to make them as inexpensive as freaking soda and chips! In my opinion…” In my opinion as well! I mean, you want to eat better, but where is that line between affordability and just plain crazy! Still, I got my proteins, my veggies (green only for the next two weeks) and I plan on rocking and rolling tomorrow. Much of the fear about this journey has subsided…well, except for the possibility of needing a bank loan to pay for it. Bu...