james nunn | revisited

Guess What?!?!

I’m bowling for Big Brothers Big Sisters and I need your support. I have set a personal goal of raising $500 in sponsorships to help my team (“Bad Apples 1”) in the BBBS Employee Bowl for Kids’ Sake event on July 17, 2009. Can you support me?

Your contribution will help raise funds for BBBS, and the many programs that BBBS does to impact the lives of our youth throughout our community. Any amount is welcome, and you can contribute by clicking on this link and making your contribution now.

As many of you know, and some of you may not, not only do I work for BBBS, but Chris and I also have been matched with our Little Brother since March 2008. For me, this has been an incredible personal journey, and continues to impact my life in a positive way.

If each person that receives this email could donate $10.00 then I could easily meet my goal. Of course, donations of any amount are always welcome, and I’m very happy to exceed my goal should that opportunity arise. Can you support my efforts for Bowl for Kids’ Sake today?

Your support is appreciated, and I encourage you to forward this email to your friends, family and colleagues to seek their support for this Bowl For Kids’ Sake program.

For information on the Bowl for Kids’ Sake program, please visit the website at www.bowlforkidssake.org.

Thank you for any support you can offer.

James Nunn

James General Interest BBBS, BFKS

Today is my birthday. I am 41.

As many of my friends email, facebook or twitter their birthday wishes to me, I got to thinking back (as one does from time to time) to the years that I have seen come and go in my past. I realized today that each year seems to be going by faster than the previous one, and the things that I hoped to do “when I was younger” either are no longer important, or I am getting to “that age” where these may not be an option to continue to pursue. Many of these “wish items” have been replaced with others, which have been achieved, and today I am in a better place than I was when I was younger (however many years that may have been).

I used to look at people who are my age (again when I was younger) and think that I’d never get to be that old. I also remember the first time that my mother made the announcement that “40 was the beginning of the best years of my life” (she has since made the same statement for 50, 60 and now 70). I wonder if that is what the “younger generation” think of me when I interact with them, even though I still think like a 20-something in many way.

I’m grateful that I have been able to be the person that I am today at the age of 41. I’ve definitely done a lot with my life, and I know there is a lot for me to continue to do. I’m also thankful for being able to spend my birthday with my best friend and partner, and of course our two pooches (neither of whom know what a birthday actually is).

So why the post? Not really sure, apart to say thank you to all my friends and family for your birthday wishes. Your friendship and love have made the last 41 years a joy, and I’m looking forward to at least another 41. Maybe I need to start that book before the life becomes a passing memory.

James Reflections birthday

Great title, no? I’ll come up with something snappier as the days progress but for now, this will do. After arriving in Melbourne, we got to our apartment and found that it would not be available until after lunch (we landed in Melbourne around 8:30 AM), so we dropped off our bags and headed down the street to look around, and find some lunch. My first observation of being in Melbourne for just a short time. It was the same, but different.

We found a place to eat called “Alpha Cafe” which had an incredibly good Pumpkin and Pesto soup, and our first “latte” since being in Oz. Both were very pleasing. After we wandered around a little in the city, we headed back to our apartment to check in and get settled (and most importantly get a shower).

After wandering around a little more and reacquainting ourselves with some of the stores in the area, we meet up with my friend Richard for a drink over at the new Federation Square. One word describes this place for me, “Wow!” Where Federation Square is now, used to be an old railway station called “Princes Station” and as I later came to find out was where these two horrible looking buildings built in the 50’s were (the Gas buildings). Now it is a vibrant square with a totally modern look that appears to be a very popular place for people to meet and hang out.

After a couple of drinks with Richard, our friend Tony made an apppearance and we headed off to dinner and to catch up. We ate at the “Chocolate Buddah” (a noodle bar / Japanese style place), and the food was really good. The evening was getting a little cooler, but sitting out on the patio under the heaters was extremely pleasant and we had great company, so what did it matter.

At this point, I think I calculated that we’d been awake (for the most part) for approx. 48 hours and we were ready to crash, and after walking back to our apartment that is exactly what we did.

James Australia, Travel melbourne

It’s been a while since I blogged, and I had hoped to blog more as I prepared for our journey back to Oz, but alas this did not happen. So in an effort to make up some lost ground, I am using my time (at 6:30 in the morning) wisely.

So for those that don’t know, Chris and I are in Australia for our vacation and to visit with family. It’s hard to comprehend that it has been just on 9 years since I was last home, which is another reason why I was prompted to blog.

After having our first flight cancelled, we left stormy Dallas on Wednesday. The trip from DFW to Los Angeles was somewhat uneventful, only just long enough that my butt was numb by the time I got on the ground. I’m not sure why, but I’m always more nervous when flying American Airlines, and I’m not sure if that is because they really just don’t care about their job (”we are here for your safety” (i.e. not customer service)) or if it is something else.

Arriving in LAX we were greeted with the hustle and bustle of people running trying to make connecting flights (our flight was late, and people had paper-thin margins of time to get to their next flight). We headed over to the Tom Bradley International airport to check in for our flight, and the way we got there was by shuttle that ran across the tarmac. I thought Chris was going to pee himself … he was that close to the planes. TBI is going through major renovations, so we arrived at a location that had wires hanging from the ceiling, and the air conditioning running at 300% (it was perky). We grabbed some dinner at The Daily Grill (quite good for airport food), and watched the few people with face masks wander around downstairs. We also took advantage of grabbing some duty-free booze, which was actually a bright thing to do, and then headed over to the gate for our flight.

On board the A380 we were really impressed with the layout, the style and the staff of Qantas 94. The plane was not completely full, and Texas Eric was able to keep his own seat between Chris and I. The “380″ is very well designed for the traveller. The seats are more comfortable (although after 14 hours, the butt does start to wonder what it ever did wrong to you to deserve this), and the personal entertainment system was brilliant. It even has the option of Sky Cam (which is not that exciting when you fly during the middle of the night for most of the night) which was great when we departed and landed, and pretty awesome when we were coming in for landing. Chris even snapped a video of the landing (post link) through the eye of the Sky Cam. The food was pretty good, and the new ‘Q bar’ is actually a very clever idea, as it gives you the opportunity to get up and wander, and get a drink or snack when needed. It seems to have kept the aisles clearer than other flights I have been on, as the staff only have to do a couple of trolley runs for the main meals.

After landing, we got through immigration (Chris actually took the same amount of time as me to get through, even though we were in separate lines), and then we had to wait a while for our bags and then to clear customs. Then we both walked through that sliding door, and we knew that we had made it home to cold Melbourne.

James Australia, Travel Australia, Travel

As a kid growing up (and what kid doesn’t do this now), I used to count down the days to something really exciting by the number of sleeps I had to go. Of course, as I have gotten older, I have discovered the joy of the occasional mid-afternoon nap, which I have decided don’t count for the sleep countdown.

So in thirty-eight (38) sleeps we leave for Australia! I’m excited (hence the sleep countdown)!

The trip will be my first visit back home since 2000, so I am expecting a lot to have changed when I get there, but I’m also anticipating a lot of “some things never change” in my travels. I’ve not traveled back sinch I wanted to finish my studies, and then with the phenomenal job opportunity I got with BBBS, it was not the right time for me to return home … until this year.

What makes this trip even more special is that Chris and my best friends, Bobby and Ian, will be doing the trip with us, so I get to play tour guide, and in some cases get to experience some new places because of the “tourists” that will be with us.

The highlight of the trip (for me) will be seeing my mother and sister again, and the bonus – due to my mother visiting my brother at the time we will be in Australia – I get to see my eldest brother, Peter, as well. I’m really excited about that, and just can’t wait. This is one of the new places that we will get to experience, as my brother lives in Queensland in an exotic-sounding city called Bribie Island.

So in 38 sleeps we leave DFW, and then due to the strange happenings surrounding the International Date Line, we arrive in Melbourne, Australia on May 1. After a week in Melbourne, doing some major recovery from travel, and business related to my visa, not to mention catching up with friends that I’ve not seen in a long time (will they remember me?), we will head up to Queensland via Canberra and Sydney. It will be a quick visit, as both Chris and I have some work commitments which we both need to be here for, but it will be a full visit.

The irony of this is that in 38 sleeps, I will not be sleeping for a long time, as (1) I’ll be way too excited, and (2) I don’t sleep on planes.

James Travel Australia, bribie island, canberra, melbourne, sydney

I read about this project a few weeks back, but the ground breaking occurred the other day for the White House Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn of the White House. The project is going to be a project of about a dozen students, and all the food that it generates will be prepared by the White House Kitchen and then distributed to a local homeless shelter.

Some critics will see this as yet another handout, but to me it demonstrates yet another new beginning of a White House that cares. I’m not sure why this made me feel so proud, but it did.

James Society white house

Picture of Duncan taken in October 2008 by Fruitbat

We are in shock. Chris just got a phone call from our friend in the UK, Fruitbat, to tell us that his longtime partner Duncan died on Thursday. Duncan was 40.

I can’t believe the news that we just got. I am upset, and saddened (is there a stronger word?) that Fruitbat has lost his “and Dunc.” Please keep him in your thoughts.

Fruitbat has put up a small tribute site at Duncan’s website.

James Friends

Ten years ago today I arrived in the United States on a journey that was filled with hope, and built on a new love that had yet to be fully explored. Today, ten years ago, Chris and I landed at LAX and then made our way to DFW where Chris and I started our lives together. It has been an incredible journey that has had its high and low moments, but each step has been something that I have been thankful for every day (well most every day).

The decision to make the move across the Pacific was a very tough one for me. I was leaving people behind that I loved, who were a major part of my life and a stable part of my social environment. I have missed many opportunities to celebrate in the joys that my friends have experienced and the sadness in the loss of dearly loved friends.* It was my decision, but it was a decision that I do not regret, as I have enjoyed the privilege of sharing my life with a man that contributes to my happiness everyday.

Today is about the love that I share with the man whom has been a significant part of my life for the last ten years, and the love that keeps me going every day.

So Happy Anniversary Chris, I hope you have enjoyed our life together as much as I have, and will continue on the journey with me for many years to come.

Side note: We chose today (March 5) as our “anniversary” date as this was the day that we officially started our lives together as a couple. Even though we had known each other for some time prior to this date, it seemed appropriate that we used this date as our date.

* Since arriving here, I have developed many wonderful friendships where I have experienced their joys and our collective sadness over the years.

James Family, Reflections anniversary, chris