Jimmy!

For this post, I am finally getting around to mentioning my partner. I felt kind of guilty for taking this long to mention someone I have shared thirteen wonderful years with (thirteen in August, that is), but then I figured, to a certain degree, blogging is a self-absorbed activity so I can't be too hard on myself!

This painting is one that I did of him a bunch of years ago when I was way into oil painting. He's in his garden, which is his favorite pastime. He grows flowers, trees, grasses, bushes, tomatoes, peppers, raspberries, strawberries, and who knows what else. And he uses the berries and tomatoes to make his own pasta sauce and jams. Yum-my!

He is also extremely talented at just about anything around the house. He redid all the doors and trim in our house. Cut the trim with a mitre saw, stained the trim and doors, and installed them all himself. He made his own archways for in the garden, and a workbench in the garage. In short, he is what is typically called 'handy'. I am what would be called 'not handy'.

Jim is quiet and shy, very much a homebody, while I am loud and outgoing and love trying new things all the time. We're very different in a lot of ways, but we are in perfect sync on the basic things about how to live life and what makes for a good life. He's my best friend and, while we verbally spar all the time, we rarely ever argue, which is pretty odd considering how ornery I can be! He's the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I love him very much.

So, that's right! I'm gay! And I've been in a relationship longer than many straight people. So quit the hating, stop running on about the 'sanctity of marriage', and let us get married if we want to!