NEW_JOB

[ATLANTA - 2nd Day @ 2nd Job]

Today was my first real day of work at my second job at the pharmacy ...



Yes, that's right ... I'm a "pharm tech" (that's a chemist's assistant ... but in America!).

I actually started on Friday but was stuck at a desk futzing about with an interactive computer program about patients' rights, privacy laws & regulations and such ... FOR HOURS & HOURS.

But I passed my exam ... and got a name badge ... and my medical-esque blue work jacket ... so it's official!

Today was my first real day of pharmacy work. I really enjoyed it !!!

But I am knackered ...

My feet hurt. I am not accustomed to standing for eight hours.

Only time will tell if I can survive Monday ... reportedly the busiest, most stressful day in the pharmacy ... and then I go straight to work at The Fox for 5 or 6 more hours!

That means I'll work from 10 AM until about 11 PM.

Oi ... I need the money!

Richard

CROSS-POLLINATION

[Atlanta - High on Vicodin - Recovering from oral surgery]

It seems I have two blogs now.

The time I spend on MySpace has increased and I have a blog on there, too. Though sometimes posts get repeated here on my primary blog, there are some unique posts on the MySpace blog.


Click on the above image for a look at my blog on MySpace.

The MySpace blog will always be secondary to this one.

This is still the primary source for Big Bunny news and Richard of London updates!

See you in the headlines ...

Yours with bunnyfeets,
Richard of London

MEN: I know what I want!

[ATLANTA - Over 100 degrees Fahrenheit today!]

I received an email today from an online dating service that I had long forgotten even joining.

The groovy part is that my advert on there contained a long lost blurb I'd written about what I like ... but, alas, it has been recovered.

Hurrah!

Here it is in its entirety:

==

International vegetarian musician on the run ...



SWEET BUNNY SEEKS NON-WHORE for love, life & laughter ... and a bit of monogamous perversion!

:-)

Singing vegetarian Londoner who has gone into exile ...

A thinker. A singer. A bit manic. Educated. Globetrotter. Passionate vegetarian. Non-smoker. No drugs ever. Agnostic. Politically-aware. Too fat. Posh & difficult yet festive & entertaining ... I can be quite silly and am generally a rather happy person (despite my troubles!).

I am myself (whatever that is) and I do not 'act' anything.

Life is short. Be free. Live loud!

You?

I have a very open mind when it comes to types of guys, looks, body types, usw. I do not tend to be sexually attracted to anyone who is larger than 'stocky', wildly effeminate or an obvious poseur. I *do* like 'regular guys' and normal bodies. I prefer someone who is comfortable being himself and who is not consumed by what other people think, assume or might be impressed by ...

When it comes to a long-term relationship, I am 100% certain that I could never settle down with a non-vegetarian or a smoker. Other than that, I try not to establish too many rules because one never knows what one might miss by prejudging! Character is what counts ... yet there must also be sexual chemistry. I have found that to be undeniable.

==

Funny, eh?

It was written before my last relationship but everything stated there is still correct & relevant.

I know what I want ... but I'm not so afraid of being alone that I can't wait for the real thing.

Like Macy Gray once said, "Love is gonna get ya, baby !!!"

But lest we forget the wisdom of Hazell Dean: "I'll be no fool for love ..."

And as Paul Heaton of The Beautiful South wrote, "Love takes time, we all agree ... and time is not the easiest to cheat ..."

Real love is worth the wait.

Richard the Big Bunny

LIBERATION

[Atlanta - It's feckin' hot, folks!]

Enough of this heat & humidity already ...

I couldn't take it.

I shaved my head!



It is now MUCH easier to stay cool.

:-)

The heat here has been oppressive lately. Truly intolerable!

I stay indoors mostly & try to keep from melting.



Rumour has it that it's all the same in London.

At least I have swank air conditioning here in America ...

Hurrah!

Richard the Skint Bunny

EXPLOSIVE!

[Atlanta - Sunday - On a break from work]

On Friday morning, I woke up with an "upset stomach" (read: sneaky explosive diarrhoea) and a high fever.

By Saturday, the fever was gone ... but the other difficulties remain.

:-(

It's Sunday ... I'm working a double ... but on a break between shows and over at Fresh 2 Order (free internet access!).

Despite finally being able to eat a lovely meal, I am still not feeling very well.

MJ sent me this to cheer me up ...



It made me chuckle.

Thanks, Mister MJ !!!

Richard the Exploding Bunny

INDEPENDENT_FUNK

[ATLANTA - One month further down the road]

Long time no scooby, eh ?!?

Sorry about the lack of an update here ... I've been a busy bunny.

Let's see ... a month has gone by ... what have I been doing with myself?

The schedule at The Fox has been slow so I've been working a lot less. This is *NOT* good, as I find myself uncomfortably poor. I should have found a second or new job weeks ago! I really hope to find something within walking distance from home.

My attempts to have a social life again have been curtailed by my lack of funds but I was going out a lot more at first. Oscar's is still a favourite here, if only for the music videos and the nearby location. I have also been dropping into The New Order now & again. It's been called a 'wrinkle bar' (due to its older clientele) but I rather like it. Everyone is friendly and even the top-shelf alcohol drinks are CHEAP.

There has been a bit of mischief, a few mistakes, some backfired attempts at "doing the right things to move on" but only time can heal some wounds. Mourning the loss of my relationship with Jim continues. Having finally had enough of him being an impetuous old fool playing house with his child-bride-to-be, I deleted him from my mobile phone a few days ago. I sobbed more loudly than I ever have before so, clearly, that must have represented something huge for me. I have felt very peaceful since then so I suppose this means I have finally 'let go'.

Moving on to good news & a brighter future, I am making new friends. A truly lovely person named 'MJ' has come into my life. He has helped me through the last of my dark days and I seem to be getting back on track. I appreciate the hand-up he's given me more than he knows. I have made a few other new friends as well ... including a vegetarian Brazilian and even Jim's ex-boyfriend-before-me Michael.

No real news about going home to England but I will be in London for a visit in late August or September. I am not moving back just yet but I do have to go relocate my belongings from their current storage place in Walthamstow. I will be moving the lot up to my mate's in Hull. (Thank you, Ben!)

There is no real 'plan', per se, but I do know *how* I am returning to England when I do. It is all set and the delay is, essentially, a money issue. I need to save up for the application fee (almost $500!) and I will need a fairly substantial sum to live on for a while till I am able to legally work. It is very complicated and the delay was, indeed, necessary. Androo continues to be my 'rock' and I miss him so much!

I let the anniversary of my return to America ('exile', if you will) pass without mention to anyone. I have been back here for a year & two weeks now.

I MISS LONDON.

Showing old photos to MJ the other day really reminded me of what I have there. It will be nice to have my life back.

It is just a matter of time now.

Oh, one last thing ... I shaved off that dodgy beard! The full goatee I'm sporting now is much more fetching.



What do you think?

Let's just hope it pairs well with my soon-to-be shaved head ...

It's too hot for hair here!

Richard the Big Bunny

GONE A BIT BEARDY

[ATLANTA - Morning. Almost no sleep. Taking a nap soon!]

UPDATED FRIDAY - 17 JUNE 2006:
NOW WITH PHOTOS!

Well, I've grown a beard ... and it's a hit!



Almost like an episode from the Twilight Zone, I seemed to have the attention of most everyone at the bar (Oscar's and later Burkhart's) last night ... but, unfortunately, most of the bar was smoking! Ick.

I got three telephone numbers, made a date to see a film, somehow wandered into karaoke at Burkhart's & sang HEY JEALOUSY without much delay. I got dollar bills tucked in various places while singing ... not to mention the four quarters I was handed (I am NOT kidding!). I was more or less a naughty bunny after that.

:-o

Weird night.

I wasn't even flirting. I was genuinely happy sitting with my martinis at the end of the bar and watching the music videos ... but the attention seemed to flow towards me somehow!

Still, it is nice to know I still have *it*.

:-)

Or maybe the stars were aligned just so ... I am well overdue some good fortune!

And to think I *almost* didn't go back out after my short coffee date ...

x/RICHARD

Coiffure.

[ATLANTA - Cut my dreads.]

Chop off the old ... release the trapped negative energy ... break with the past ...



Okay, so I just got a haircut!



It'll do.

:-)

My date cancelled ... he's ill ... but I'm going out anyway!

I don't need a date ...

[*struts*]

Movin' on,
Richard the Big Bunny

100th_POST!

[Atlanta - Today really *is* the first day of the rest of my life!]

The time has come to move on ... to catch up ... to focus on the good stuff ... to have a bit more self-respect ... to get my ducks in a row for a return to England ... and to focus on making tomorrow better ... better for *ME*.



Recently, I have been going out with friends from work and having a grand time (not a 'gay old time', Friday night aside, but a good time all the same!).

Laura, Judy, Jerry, Josh, Wes and the rest of the gang are providing me with good times and ample distraction and I'm very grateful. I feel particularly lucky to have Courtenay & Stacy in my life ... who listen to me and provide honest feedback without judgment.



Dancing out at MJQ and late-night nibbles after work ... they have even dragged me to The Clermont Lounge ('where strippers go to die'!). See all the photos by clicking here.

I am trying to reconnect with friends who have been neglected, too.



My good mate Chris ('Hedgie') & his partner Cliff picked me up for dinner. That was a nice distraction!

I have even made some new local Atlanta friends on My Space.

Last Friday night, I went out with my mate Jamie (who I've known for ages and is one of the smartest, most aware Americans I know). We went to Oscar's (video bar). The 'scene' was all very mediocre but I did enjoy our conversation. We popped over to Burkhart's for a minute and even drove to Blake's. It was dead & ugly all round!

The most peculiar thing happened ...

When we went BACK to Oscar's (where I'd been drinking all evening before we stepped out to peruse our options), the doorman was gone so we had to 'ID' at the bar directly with the bartender. He refused to accept my bloody American passport as sufficient ID.

Yes, really!

No wait, it gets better ...

After walking back over to Jamie, the bartender then bellowed out, "YOU HAVE TO LEAVE!"

[*cue me looking stunned & horrified*]

It was like being under-21 again.

Ain't that America ?!?

A bloody passport isn't good enough to get a drink here.



I mean, I am hardly 'foreign-looking' and my passport certainly looks (and is!) real. You'd think I was mistaken for a 15 year-old Mexican girl or something.

I do not have a State Driver's License (it expired just after I moved to England in 2003) so I carry my passport with me instead.

Yes, I could get one ... but, for all intents and purposes, I am 'just visiting' here ... much like you would be. I have a temporary job and a temporary place to live while I'm here. I do not have a car. All of my possessions are in London and I have a London address. It is not denial or wishful thinking for me to say, "Technically, I live in London."

If you visit America, good luck getting a drink! If I can't do it well-dressed and with Federal identification then no one else stands a chance ...

Maybe it's my peculiar 'international' accent getting me into trouble ...

Does it make me seem suspicious to Americans?

Richard the Big Bunny

Married !?!

[Sunday - Just waking up!]

On MySpace, one can subscribe to other people's blogs.

I had forgotten that I had subscribed to Jim's ...

I woke up to this ...

I have met the most wonderful guy in the world.. His name is John. We are getting married on July 29. I am so looking forward to spending ym life with him. He brings out the best in me and is everything I have been searching for. we have so much fun together, whether its going out dancing or stayiongin and watching a movie. John I love you.

This is a level of stupidity and immaturity that I cannot even comprehend.

Such naïveté will only bring heartache.

Jim was the person I loved the most in this world up until a week ago. We broke up a month a ago (and that's on *his* version of the timeline).

Keep in mind that Jim is almost *43* and has three kids to consider. He met John, who is 24, a month ago in a local shop.

I am not sure who to feel more sorry for at this point ... Jim or John.

The mind boggles ...

The title of this entry on his blog is titled "MY PARTNER".

Your what? Who?

Richard

==

ADDENDUM I - After having time (12 hours at work!) to mentally process this 'announcement', I have come to see it as a blessing and end point ... and I am moving on. Jim is NOT my problem any longer and is NOT someone who deserves my attention. I am embarrassed that I could have loved someone so clueless about genuine love & commitment ... someone who could say and do such foolish things with a new 'boyfriend'. Convenience, youth, simplicity and opportunity does not make John "the one". The most hurtful angle of all this is that his frantically rushed relationship & desperate 'engagement' to this kid makes a mockery of *our* relationship. Jim never deserved me and he still does not deserve a person of my calibre. I do sincerely hope Jim finds real love but first he must learn to recognise it, develop the patience to wait for it and find the strength of character to stay around & work at it.

ADDENDUM II - Someone who knows Jim and the details of our situation offered me some wise words. The following is a snippet of that helpful message. - As complicated as things are with Jim's life, it really is just quite this simple: You are a casualty of *his* chaos. He has pretty much lived a double life since he married the mother of his children. He has always done everything he could to hide the truth, no matter what it is, in an effort to be accepted and liked by the people around him. The truth always catches up to the masquerade and then EVERYONE gets hurt all at once. This pattern is difficult for him to break. Deep down inside you and I and everyone else know that Jim is a good person, but he's got your heart all ensnared in the tangled web he has woven. Whatever lessons he needs to learn about being honest with himself and others, he'll eventually learn. And I think the lesson you have probably learned here is to listen to you "inner voice". You know, the one that kept telling you something wasn't right and that you suspected lies and deception.