How Do You Recharge?

     As is his weekly ritual, a gay buddy asked me to join him for endless drinks at a gay bar.  FYI: "Gay bars" aren't like regular bars or lounges.   

They nearly-always involve thong-wearing guys dancing on poles, hardly anybody has shirts on, 

more groping & making out goes on than bar room banter, and lewd behavior is the norm.

(It really projects a devious image, doesn't it).  

     Anyway, he calls it his "recharge" for EVERY week--done on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.  He chooses not to give much time to anything else.

     Curious, I polled my friends for how they recharge.  I got interesting answers.  City-dwelling gay friends tend to do the same: drink excessively and ply themselves into pleasurable mischief.  

     Heterosexual friends--and gay friends elsewhere in the world--gave these answers:
-"Rather than follow trends, I follow my own path."
-"Going to midnight mass."
-"Composing music."
-"Playing anything on the piano."

-"Wine."
-"Paul Taylor dance company!"
-"Thinking of the last day of school."
-"Nature walks."
-"My beautiful husband!"
-"Something as simple as putting on a jazz song."
-"Sessions with my voice coach."
-"Driving down the Palisades."
-"My two cats."
-"Oddly enough, my kids."

-"Working out while watching my favorite TV shows."
-"Yoga."
-"Journal writing."
-"Being focused on a passion."
-"My teaching."

-"Meditation."
-"Walking around grocery stores."
-"Prayer."
-"Fishing."

-"My dog, who never fails to relax me."
-"Designing."
-"Listening to others' stories."
-"Music and books."
-"Gardening."

-"Watching figure skating."
-"Talking with my family."
-"Life is beautiful when you let it be."
-"Singing with the chorus."
-"My partner, Gregg."
-"Being grateful."

-"The same thing has kept me sane for decades: love."
-"Being present to care for friends."
-"Being in action."
-"My boyfriend and my pajamas."
-"Attending live music performances."

-"Activism."
-"Little things: quiet time, window shopping, coffee."
-"Buddhist practice."
-"Taking care of my shop."
-"Making food with my children."
-"Animal rescue."
-"Nature."
-"Seeing what amazing things my friends are doing."

-"Playing my guitar."
-"At age 76, being able to perform with my own band."
-"Walking my Yorkie."
-"My other half!"
-"Remembering the good in the world, and that I'm alive to add to it for another day."
-"Volunteering in my community to make a difference."
-"Taking time to tune into me and tune out what isn't helping."
-"The beach here in Puerto Vallarta."
-"Feeling free and looking to the future."
-"Singing music."
-"Golf."
-"Living in the moment without being discourteous to anyone."
-"Drawing caricatures."
-"The arts, in particular music."
-"Spin class with my boys."
-"Pushing through to get things done."
-"Knowing when to unplug."

-"Gratitude, inner peace, connectivity."
-"Reading great stories."
-"Walking beside the ocean."
-"My new wife helping bring joy and comfort to my patients."
-"Being with you, Ken!  And reading your blog."
-"Sitting on my porch, watching the water."
-"Rehearsing beautiful music that keeps my musicians in our collective hearts."
-"Staying informed."


     That's quite a disparity of priorities.  But then again, some guys are content to spend several years in blissful stupor.  

This is somewhat related to my previous entry: 

http://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2017/03/questioning-why-its-all-same.html