Jerry Timms

…said my friend Vikram at the final closing party of our White Party weekend in Palm Springs. The lights were swirling, Tony Moran was spinning something amazing, the air was hot, and our friends were smiling everywhere…

Now, let’s rewind…

One year ago I came to the White Party Palm Springs with Rich and Justin. It was my first circuit party weekend and I was the most scared and excited that I had ever been. I had an amazing time, and I met more people than I could remember.

Fast forward one year, and literally everywhere I went I ran into a familiar and smiling face. I enjoyed meeting new people and introducing old friends to new, and spending time with those I rarely see. I realized over the course of the weekend that I have more friends now at circuit events than I do in my own town, and it really is becoming sort of a new home for me.

I feel like a new person each time. Sure I’ll always be Jerry Timms, but I’m changing slowly and I’m pleased with where it’s going.

My friend Jason came with us, and it was fun to watch him experience his first circuit party. I happened to notice one of the moments on Friday night when it all came together for him. I watched as a wave of happiness/euphoria/freedom swept across his face as he realized he could be anything or anyone at that moment in time. I think he’s hooked now just like the rest of us!

The title up above isn’t exactly true, since my boyfriend Anthony wasn’t there. I found myself missing him a lot, and the thought of going to One Mighty Weekend in Orlando in six weeks without him was a little unbearable. So, I’m happy that he’s decided to go with me! I’m excited for the chance to introduce him to all my friends who aren’t here in Phoenix, and the opportunity to show him what we’re up to with all this crazy traveling.

It keeps getting better!

Welcome back! I’ve only been gone a little over a week, but a lot has happened since we last left off. The most obvious change is the new website, and I’m really excited to have a new site I can grow into with new sections of content.

The Governors Mansion has been put up for sale. I’ve had an itch lately to move closer downtown where I can walk places and catch the light rail that’s happening soon in Phoenix, so I decided to take some of my own advice and stop thinking about it and just do it (you’ll realize the irony of this later). I’ve already settled on a building downtown, so now it’s just a matter of passing this gorgeous house to one lucky buyer stalker.

I’ve almost completed week three of my personal training “body transformation” program, and happy to report that I’m seeing some really good results. While the diet and meal logging, cardio and intense workout sessions have been a little inconvenient during the last few busy weeks, it’s been well worth it and I’m sleeping better and feeling good.

The diet is interesting, because it actually feels like too much food. I have to eat 6 times a day, which is hard to always remember, and I’m not even really that hungry throughout the day. Especially in the morning, when I choke down like 6 eggs plus something else that’s gonna fill my calorie requirements. And then eat 2 hours later, ha. But the end result is that even though I’m not realy trying to lose “weight” (I’m only trying to build muscle), I have actually lost 7 pounds.

I went to see Mama Mia tonight with Jerry and Melanie, Jason and Steve. Jerry and I agreed that the music was pretty good, although the story line was a bit too melodramatic for our tastes (again with the irony). But of course I realized how much I really love some of these ABBA songs, and this brought back some memories from the White Party.

When you’re gone, how can I even try to go on?

I’ve returned tonight from my weekend in Palm Springs, and I have to say that it really was the Spring Break that I always wished I’d had - not to mention one of the best times ever. So thanks to everyone who spent time with me and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

Like any worthwhile endeavor I took away something much greater than what was expected…lessons in friendship, love, pride and strength. If you haven’t been to the White Party then I recommend that you go the next chance you get!

This is us before we headed down to the Basic Training party on Friday night. Bernard and Tony weren’t in town yet becase of a flight delay.

Me at Basic Training, a military themed dance that was at the hotel. 3 of the weekend parties were at the hotel, which made it very convenient since we didn’t have to walk far, and because for 2 of those parties we had the option of going up to the room and coming back down for re-entry.

Standing on our balcony before going to the Saturday pool party that was starting right below our room. It was impossible for us to want to sleep in, because the whole hotel was shaking with the bass of the dance music outside. Well, that and the fact that Rich was running around the room screaming “pool party!” like a little girl who just woke up on Christmas morning!

The view from our balcony. We really enjoyed the music and gawking at the celebrities and familiar faces. It was fun to dance outside under the sun!

All of us before going to the convention center for the White Party on Saturday. Luckily the convention center was actually attached somewhat to our hotel, so we didn’t have to walk far!

View of the White Party from the VIP deck. There were some amazing shows, and it even snowed! There was a reappearance of the original Mr. X here, and I have to say that dancing with him under the lights and the snow really made this night and the rest of the weekend even better. More on this another time!

There were some really creative costumes, and these were my favorite.

One of the stage shows. None of them actually made any sense to me…like this peacock woman riding a horse with Mayans in the background, or Kelis…but they all looked really cool!

Photo of DJ Brett Henrichsen from behind the DJ tower at the White Party. Back at the hotel at the after-hours party he was somehow suddenly dancing right next to us on the dance floor, so I introduced myself to him and we chatted about his Phoenix show at Burn.

The dance floor and stage that were set up at a local park for the Sunday T-Dance. We danced outside under the canopy, and saw performances by Jody Watley and Idina Menzel. The highlight was the best fireworks show I’ve ever seen, synced to dance music.

A dancer at the Closing Party on Sunday night. We all agreed that this was our favorite party of the weekend, because the music was amazing and the lighting and laser shows were really impressive. We danced until 4am!

The quality on this video is not fantastic, but it should give you an idea of what it felt like to be in the party…

Rosabel was DJing, and I could tell that we were in for a spectacular night because there were actually 6 or 7 DJs and lighting experts in the front of the room all with their heads down busily working behind computers and turntables…by their expressions you’d think they were launching a missile. The room was really hot with all the energy, and everyone was sweating and having the time of their lives dancing to the tribal house music.

One thing that remained constant throughout the weekend was the music…and oddly we all remarked that the beat was the same wherever we went, like the BPMs had been purposefully set the same for all the shows and parties, provising a perfect continuous soundtrack for the weekend. Which really makes it interesting to note how important music and dancing is to me and my peer group lately, and the role that I think it’s playing in my life…but that’s for another day!

Since I probably won’t be blogging again for several days, I’ll end this series by saying farewell for now…I’ll be in Palm Springs this weekend experiencing the Spring Break that I always wish I’d had! I’ll take lots of pictures for you. Until then I’ll give you this glimpse of the fabulous Wyndham resort where I’ll be staying with Rich, Justin, Philip and Bernard, and the enormous parties that await us…

Yeah it seems these days like even a pickle is an indulgence, but you can’t forget to eat protein if you’re weight training. And none of that soy stuff, either…you need high quality animal protein! This recipe uses all natural yogurt, which has the added benefit of various bacteria cultures. I made this for lunch today and I think it turned out pretty good, so enjoy!

Calories: 130 (23 g protein, 5 g carbs, 2 g fat)

The White Party Egg White Salad

4 boiled egg whites (just remove the yolks after boiling)
2-3 Tbsp. plain unsweetened yogurt (I used Mountain High brand)
3 Vlasic ‘No Sugar Added’ sweet gherkin pickles, chopped (these tiny pickles are sweetened with Splenda and have less than 2 calories each)
Dash of the pickle juice
Dash of garlic salt
dash of ground red cayenne pepper

The preparation of this is really easy, because after the pickles are chopped you just mix everything into a bowl. You could spread this on celery, but mine apparently went bad in the fridge - so I just ate it all with a spoon!

Most of you are probably going to actually find this post really boring. But, this is my online journal and things have felt so hectic lately that i just wanted to take a few minutes to get some thoughts down.

So, I will be in Palm Springs this weekend for the White Party. I am really excited for it, and I’ve also really enjoyed the time leading up to this point. My friends and I have actually used the preparation for this event as a sort of bonding activity in itself. Talking about workouts, our diets, how much weight we’ve lost, what we’re going to wear to the different theme parties, the songs we hope to hear, etc. So, if it seems like I’ve been talking about the White Party an awful lot, it’s because the White Party actually started for me awhile ago, when I first decided to go. Does that make sense? Anyway…

I’ve been going crazy redecorating my house for the last week or so…and it’s looking pretty cool. I set up a new poolside area to work from, added some furniture to the living room and bedroom, and reorganized several areas of the house.

For me, this is always a sure sign that something is wrong. I knew a few days ago that something was brewing, but I decided I would go with the flow and get these therapy projects underway…the answers come in time, right? Now that I feel like I have things worked out (or at least properly identified), I’m actually really glad that the party is this weekend so that I can have fun and get in a better mood.

I don’t really know how to describe my mood lately other than just a little touch of loneliness. I’ve been having a great time hanging out with friends, but the fact remains that nearly all of them are in relationships of some sort…and part of me does miss that. Part of this is also the fact that I work from home, and I think that being by oneself for extended periods of time can make one go a little nuts Time starts to blur a little…and like last week for me, you can suddenly realize that you’re not even paying attention to things anymore like how your house looks.

I think things kind of came to a head today, as I ended up chatting with my ex and he told me that he has a new boyfriend. Of course I’m happy for him, and I had a hunch anyway that he did. But then again I have those normal jealous feelings that he has moved into a new relationship and I’m not able to get past a first or second date with someone. The rational part of me says that this is a good thing, because it means I’m being selective, and that it’s really better in the long run not to settle. But on the other hand, the emotional part of me wants that perfect match to be made soon

I don’t want to give you the impression that I’m pining away for a boyfriend, because that isn’t the case at all. My life is actually at its most perfect point ever right now. I think I just hit a normal bump on the emotional road, and spent a little more time than normal this week thinking about relationships, and about things that are not currently part of my life. I see this as a good sign, because I think that when you achieve certain levels of perfection and success, you just continue to crave even more.

Likely a testament to how hard I’ve been working out lately, tonight I simply craved the thickest and rarest steak I could get my hands on. I interpreted this as a sign that my body needed protein for some serious muscle building, so I gave in and headed to Safeway where I bought a couple choice top sirloins. I threw one on the grill, but only for long enough to get it warm and juicy.

Exquisite…lemon flakes performed admirably (as they always do) as I sliced and stabbed my way to heaven. Rare, soft and juicy, and just perfect. A perfect finish to my evening of running a mile and working out in the gym.

I’ve been working out fairly regularly for about 6 weeks now. I’m starting to see some real results, and it has me excited since I think I may be in the best shape I’ve been in for a few years. That’s both physically and mentally. Funny how both efforts have been actually very closely tied together.

Working out with Jerry and Daren has been really fun…and there’s actually a lot more involved to our evenings than just the workouts. We’ll also often go out to a bar or two afterward (or hang out at Jerry’s loft), drink some beer, and hang out and bs with one another. Steve also started hanging out with us, and we always have a good time. Talk about dates, significant others, work, etc. Jerry describes this as his new fraternity, and that’s a fairly accurate description of how it feels.

Hanging out with Rich, Justin, Philip and Bernard is a very similar fraternal part of my life lately. I am impressed, and humbled, by what strong bonds exist within this circle. And deciding to do some of the party curcuit with them this year is what’s motivating me to stick with those workouts, stick to my diet, and what had motivated me last year to finally give up smoking.

I’m not quite where I want to be yet, but I know my goals are achievable and right around the corner. So, cheers to all of you that help. My shoulders are looking better, but what’s on top of them is feeling pretty good, too.

Ok so I usually try to have a point with most of my blog posts, as I realize that this is a little more than just my personal journal and so would like to keep the interests of others. However I’m not sure what the point of today’s entry is, so I’ll just start in my usual way by giving you a rundown of recent events.

So Friday Rich, Justin and I headed down to Burn for the “White Party Fashion Show.” Last weekend while I was in Flag, Rich and Justin heard at Burn that the customers are also supposed to dress in White for event - so we did. The lighting at Burn was really cool, and they had portions of the club draped in white cloth, with a new catwalk adorning the middle of the dance floor. The show started at around 11:30, and we all thought it was a really cool event for a Phoenix club to have, save for one thing…almost none of the models were wearing white clothing! We were a little confused as to what made this a “White Party Fashion Show” other than that the fashion show was taking place in front of a little mini white party…which is fine, except that we were really hoping for some outfit ideas for the White Party!

Some of the first models take the catwalk

The audience in white

So after the fashion show, Jerry met up with us after he got off from work. I had texted him earlier to tell him to wear white, and so he kept his work shirt on for good measure.

The boys in white

After Burn, we all headed back to my place for more drinks and conversation about parties, diet, excercise, and Rich’s upcoming week in LA. I had lost my voice earlier in the evening from my lingering sinus infection, so I was barely able to croak out any words at all by the end of the night. The next morning…

I had a terrible hangover. I guess it was because I may not have been ready to start clubbing so soon after being sick. It could have also been the pint glass drinks at Burn that seem to get stronger and stronger (I’m told, anyway) and the fact that I never seem to be able to keep track of how much I drink when I’m around Jerry, Rich and Justin - we just have too good a time. Anyway, I decided to drive up to Desert Ridge for some shoppingto take my mind off my headache.

Saturday night, Justin and I went back out to Burn - Rich had left for his LA work week at Philip’s pad, and Jerry and Daren decided to go out by themselves to “the irish bar.” Chiara says I’m an official barfly now, maybe so but we always have such a great time at Burn. Bruce and Tracy were there for Bruce’s birthday, and they are always a lot of fun to dance and talk with.

Bruce and Justin - both wearing red tonight

When we got to the bar, both Justin and I were immediately welcomed in by our favorite door staff, and we quickly saw Angela and exchanged greetings and chatted for a moment. One of the reasons that we like going to Burn so much is that everyone there makes us feel so welcome, and it really sets a great tone for the night. Jerry used to have this with his bar Shepards (ha, which later became the new leather bar in Phoenix) and it really is nice to have a place like this again…I haven’t had one since BS when I used to live in Tempe/Scottsdale and go there all the time.

Justin, Bruce, Tracy and I danced nearly the whole night. Justin and I decided that since we drank so much the night before, we were going to alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks tonight. So I started out with a vodka/redbull (hangover gone by the end of that glass). We were then going to have plain redbulls, but then decided what would be the point of that since there is plenty of redbull in a vodka/redbull? I think you can see where this night was headed…

Justin and I had a talk about The Secret. Lately a lot of people have been calling out my cynical attitude, and how I tend to manifest those results around me. I’ve picked up a new nickname - whose various forms center around the term “the anti-secret.” The turning point for me was tonight when I said that I really liked the lighting, and was so glad that they weren’t using any of the annoying strobes. Justin immediately caught this, and told me that since I complained about the strobes they were probably going to start using them - well he was mid-sentence when they did indeed. This is a really minor example, but there have been others for the past few weeks - and tonight some things made me think that I do actually need a bit of an attitude adjustment.

Somewhere around 1 or 1:30, I met someone that I spotted standing by the bar when I was talking to Justin. We talked for a few minutes, and then danced together until the bar closed.

Justin and I decided we still wanted to dance some more, so we headed over to Charlies for a couple more hours. The music was really good at Charlies, and we continued to have a great time. However, I couldn’t get my mind off of the person I had just met and felt really distracted for the rest of the night. Even today as I write this, I’m really distracted with these thoughts. Sometimes for me, something will happen so perfectly that I wonder if I’m imagining it.

Well, I really do need to get some things done today. I’m off to LA on Thursday for a weekend with Philip, Rich and Justin!

Tonight I’m trying to wind down a little early since I have to be up at the crack of dawn to drive up to Flagstaff with Jerry, Vicky and Deanna for a day of snowboarding, drinking and general mischief. That’s right, it’s time for another Core! I’m really glad we’ve been able to keep up with these special plans, and I’m also impressed that we’ve been able to get more and more creative with what we do together.

February has been a really fantastic month, as I just got back from a trip to San Francisco last weekend with Rich, Justin, Philip and Bernard. Although I thought I might be pushing the limits with 3 parties in one weekend, I never really felt tired at all this week.

In fact I was so excited for the upcoming White Party in Palm Springs that I returned to my workout almost right away, never skipping a beat. Which is good, because I’m getting constant reminders that the White Party is in 6 weeks, and time is running out to prepare. I even got a White Party DVD in the mail yesterday from Jeffrey Sanker. Luckily, my new treadmill was delivered on Tuesday, and I am really enjoying using it. It was a lot bigger than I thought it would be, so I couldn’t put it out in the gym…I had to set it up in the living room for now, either until I can clear out another ajoining room, or someone comes over the house to help me move it. It’s pretty cool because it has a built-in TV and iPod dock. So while I’m running, I can either play that White Party DVD or listen to some music to keep me motivated.

That’s about all for tonight. I will just close by telling ALL of my friends how much I’ve enjoyed spending more time with them lately - whether it’s chatting, dining, working out, bar hopping, clubbing, snowboarding, or any of the other things that we love to do…the months and years keep getting better and better.

Here are some pictures from San Francisco last weekend…

This will be a short post…just making note of my new workout routine in preparation for the White Party in Palm Springs in April. I’ve been working out with Daren and Jerry for the last week at Jerry’s complex gym. The plan is to lift and run 5 days a week. Let me tell you, yeaterday was shoulders and I’m getting pretty sore right about now. I’m also on a diet that borders on being an eating disorder. Ha. No but seriously, I’m having fun working out again and I think I’ll be in much better shape in a few weeks.

I worked at Starbucks today, and enjoyed getting out of the house for a morning/afternoon. I’m learning some new software that I purchased this morning, and I think it will really help with my current project. I got a “business” call from Rich Brown this morning, and that was pretty wild since we’re working with the same client now! But I’m so glad that he’s there now, because I can rest a little easier knowing that part of my project is in his hands.