Hospitalized with pneumonia at Variety Children's Hospital, I later develop bronchial asthma.

Balloons, Mickey Mouse, electrical equipment, tape recorders, playing Hide and Seek are a few of my favorite things though I dislike Dogs, alligators, cactus plants.

A hard life: my days are taken up by visiting, playing with paper and pencil, sticker books, paints, watching The Flintstones and Gilligans Island.

I develop a fear of skeletons, scratches, high places, and- still with me today- blood tests and injections. Yikes.

Playing in the school playground, I slide down into a student, sending him to the hospital.

Baruch Atah Iambored: Sunday School at Congregation Kinnereth leaves me with a bad taste towards organized religion.

While other kids were playing sports I was enjoying my birthday gifts: a microscope, Rotodraw, MouseTrap Game and Beating Heart Model.

Learn to ride a bike...a Huffy Roadmaster with concrete wheels.

3rd Grade

I develop a fascination for dressing in strange costumes. Rubber chickens, wigs, overcoats and hats, all provided and condoned by Mom and Dad.

Living in Harmony: Piano purchase and music lessons with Maria Perez sound good.

Serious asthma attack sends me to Miami Children's Hospital.

5th Grade

What the heck happened this year?!

In Mrs. McCurry's class, I become friends with the intelligent and handsome Chris Martinez.

Find lots in common with Jerry Siskind, as we make videos, play with Legos, and pass time at Hebrew School playing with his pet Egg, Ted Egghead, who later falls to his death.

Without much fanfare, I graduate Palm Lakes Elementary School.

Jerry and I have a blast with Model Rockets.

Look at me! I'm a Warrior: Seventh grade at Miami Lakes Junior High begins with a great fear of dressing out for PE. Fortunately, I'm exempt from most activities because of my asthma, exacerbated by the painting of the school and the mold-infested portable classrooms where I spend my days.

Fascinated by astronomy, I create a news program about the newly launched Space Shuttle.

Paco the wonder parakeet joins our family.

On the cutting edge: Mom and Dad recognize my passion for electronics and enroll me in a new Computer Camp in Hialeah- started by our Jr. High principal, Dr. Ben Miller.

While Mom and Dad vacation in Hawaii, my left lung collapses in a near fatal asthma attack. I spend a week in the hospital.

Hoping to stabilize my asthma, mom and dad ship me to the National Asthma Center in Denver. I return two months later, pumped up on steriods...but mostly asthma free.

After struggling through months of training and meaningless religious babble, I am ordained as a man, at my Bar Mitzvah in November. During the event, cousin Julie, while walking back from closing the ark, trips and falls to the floor. The audience gasps. I laugh....for the duration of the service and many years later.

At a Vegetarian community dinner, we meet Doctor Serena Sara, a young new chiropractor who says she can help my asthma. We begin weekly trips to South Miami as she manipulates my spine, prescribes 10 separate vitamins and supplements, and orders daily breathing exercises. Miraculously, it works. The asthma ebbs.

Enticed by its promotional price of just $2400, Dad and I travel to Boca to purchase our first computer, an Apple][e with 64k RAM and green screen monitor.

Movin' Right Along: Our summer family roadtrip up the east coast delights and enthralls: Sites include Washington, New York.

Glen breaks Dad's copying machine when he tries to copy his ass.

With our little budgie parakeet, my pal Keith and I videotape "Paco's Greatest Hits," as we subject him to silly bird games.

Jerry and I giggle for days after prank calling people with Dad's "BEN" Computerized Phone Dialer.

Mr. Zatrock's Advanced BASIC class is filled with smart kids. Our field trip to Eastern Airlines's computer operations headquarters is fascinating.

Mrs. Turnpseed's Biology Class is great fun. Food Additives and Hyperactivity wins the Top Prize at the school's Science Fair. The project tracks two hamsters, "Artie" - whose diet consists of artificial food (candy and Coca Cola), and "Nat," whose diet is au natural. When placed together in a bathtub, the two hamsters fight each other, though Artie always loses.

Instead of dressing out for P.E., like the other boys, I spend the time hypnotizing Jason Dewey.

In the June, the family leaves Hialeah, as we purchase a lovely 3-bedroom home in Cooper City.

Brace-face Kevin enters 10th Grade at Cooper City High School.

A clear winner: Science Fair Project on Water Purification bags first place. Mom drives me around town to different McDonald's to get water samples to compare the varying quality of the water in different municipalities.

My brief involvement with SEFTY sends me to Atlanta for the Jewish Youth conference.

The Wheel Thing: I've got my driver's license! At just 4-foot, 8-inches tall, I'm legally required to use a seat cushion to sit on when cruising around town in our giant Ford Van. And, looking about 13, I'm twice pulled over by concerned police.

While learning to drive stickshift, I grind the gears in Dad's Supra a little too much. A few weeks, we discover the transmission has been blown.

Though I flunked Mrs. Craine's Computer Class (Pascal), I plan to invite that witch to dinner when I make my first million.

Paco is crushed to death by sliding glass door. Glen is crushed by the trauma

Fresh from the fields of Waterloo, Iowa, Mr. Mike Moyna comes to Cooper City High to teach extemporaneous speaking and debate. Somehow, we learn more about cows and corn.

Starting my interest in Jazz and furthering my electronics interests, Alan Bachman and I become best friends in my Junior year.

In my first entrepreneurial endeavor, I work with Alan Bachman to start a video production company called "Secure Image." The concept is to document items in offices to prove ownership for insurance companies in the event of a catastrophe.

Secure Image is renamed "Video Wiz Productions" My 500 business cards have an error: "For Those Special Momemts in Your Life" We videotape a few weddings and celebrations.

Julie Golder and I become friends as we both agree: Mrs. Maxwell's Algebra class is b o r i n g. So boring that my poor grades allow me the privilege of taking it two more times.

Tinkering with electronics proves problematic as my photostrobe capacitor explodes with a loud bang in Mrs. Maxwell's math class. Though panicked, everyone is okay.

I become friendly with Paul Hayes in Drama class, whom my parents think has the personality of "an old man."

Visions of Visions, my Mass Media class project documentary, is Cooper City High's first student production created entirely on Videotape rather than film.

Julie and I gather advertisers and layout the program for CCHS' Drama class production of "Oliver."

A blossoming entrepreneur: I sell over 40 copies of the CCHS Variety Show on video for $20 each.

Following my allergic skin reaction to the gown at my High School graduation, the family surprises me with a gift: my first car, a beige Honda Accord.

Young, innocent and idealistic, I enroll at Broward Community College and join the College Democrats to work with the Dukakis presidential Campaign. I travel to North Miami to see, hear, and videotape the candidate...who later flops in his presidential bid.

The boy from down the street- Tony Prince- and I become friendly.

I cautiously explore Compuserve's Gay Young Adults Section as I begin to realize this is not just a phase.

Revealing for the first time that "I might be gay," the closet doors slowly open as I come out Tony.

My first job at WalkWise- selling walking shoes and accessories is "Soley for Walking". Working in both their Aventura and Plantation stores, I stay just several months before they close...and send me walking.

"Wow! Look at that traffic jam
for The Who concert!!"
(SCRREEEEEEEEEECH!!! BOOOOM!!!) I wreck my Honda.

Tony is nearly thrown out of a church for the unauthorized use their videocamera to tape the wedding of Rufus and Valerie. And in what is one of my most embarrassing moments, I deliver the video with the wrong groom's name on the title.

Although I ultimately spend just as much on its three replacement motherboards, I purchase an Amiga 500 Computer from Dru Nelson...just for the flight simulator.

"From the WVCG Newsroom in Coral Gables, This is NewsNet Israel." The Voice of Israel host Danny Tadmore interns me on his radio show, allowing me to produce and and announce news and occasionally substitute for him.

Beginning a long-lasting Monday evening commitment, I attend the Gay Youth Group of South Florida.

"What would you do if a close friend told you he or she was gay?" While driving, I come out to Mom, and later dad.

Mike Cashman and I fly a private plane to Orlando to visit Julie at UCF and Tony at VCC and I decide I want to go to UCF.

I lose a lot of sleep, frustrated that Tony is in love with a girl- and not with me.

The Tandyman can: Eager and idealistic, I start work at the slowest Radio Shack in Broward County. I spend my money on good new clothes.

Knowledgeable, trusting and meek, I am the salesperson of choice for shoplifting thieves at my Davie Radio Shack store.

My good righting for BCC Obzerver erns me a skolarship.

Having just paid for its accident repair, I sell my Honda for Laura Jollif's 1989 Subaru GL. GL=Guaranteed Loser.

CNN's Jeanie Moos tells me she sees "no newsworthiness" to the New York gathering of me and nine other young gay guys for Compuserve's Gay Young Adult group. We all meet in Manhattan and have fun anyway.

Our phone bill skyrockets after I develop a long-distance relationship with John Knox- another Radio Shack geek- who lives in Woodstock, Canada.

My Compuserve pals meet again- in South Florida- and John and I finally connect in reality.

After two years of slow deterioration, Granny dies. Mom and I travel to New Jersey for her funeral.

I meet and date this really cute guy- Billy Southern- but it goes nowhere...like so many others.

My political idealism peaks, as I get involved with Human Rights Discrimination protection campaign in Broward. I also meet Gov. Chiles.

Drugged up on Vivarin, Tony and I sleeplessly drive to New York City in April where we tour museums, meet wacky people, snap cool photos, see Fiddler on the Roof, play in the snow, and become another statistic when our luggage- and all my good clothing- is ripped off on our final day in the Big Rotten Apple.

A short, cute, sarcastic Jewish journalism guy with striking similarities takes me on an emotional rollercoaster: Steve Biller lights my fire. Sadly, he's big on cynicism and low on warmth.

With intent to major in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Florida, I move to Gainesville and have a lot of fun at Santa Fe Community College.

After coming out to violent homophobic roommates in my paper-thin-walled Gainesvile apartment, I meet Joe Antonelli at a GLSU meeting and move into his antique-infested home together with Eddie Wasloski.

Abused and exploited by the corporation, I finally leave Radio Shack to work at the Florida Book Store's Computer Department across from UF.

On our new 10Mhz PC-AT clone, I sign up for this kewl new online service...America Online. It has graphics! My work with Radio shack gets me a free AOL overhead account that works for over a decade. If only I had invested.

Working together with Joe, we produce a massive concert which brings the Tampa Bay Gay Men's Chorus to the University of Florida.

One day after my only hot-n-heavy time with someone in Gainesville, 21-year-old Steve Gonazales suffers a real heart attack and is rushed to the hospital. Guys fear me.

"I know I can do it and this is the right time and place" Putting my education on hold, I leave Gainesville to start AlterNet, Gay and Lesbian Radio for South Florida...America's first commercially supported G&L radio program.

Hurricane Andrew wipes out much of South Florida...and our backyard.

Six people attend the first meeting of the Broward Gay and Lesbian Youth Group, which I help launch with Joseph Kirkland and Jonathan Wright.

Tom Bradshaw and Jess Kalish are Out, Loud and Proud when AlterNet first broadcasts on 50,000-Watt WVCG 1080AM.

A Simple Matter of Justice: The 1993 March on Washington for Gay Lesbian Bisexual Equal Rights inspires and empowers an estimated one million attendees.

AlterNet broadcasts from The American Bookseller Convention in Miami, and though the rest of the media blasts the convention and the city, I walk away with hundreds of dollars of free stuff.

After 45 fabulous broadcasts, AlterNet goes to the big pink triangle in the sky.

The "Information Superhighway" is unexplored territory for most Americans when I first connect to the Internet in May 1993.

Marty Smith helps me get a temp job working in Miami at Ryder as a Project Administrator with Bruce Frcek's Simplified Asset Management (SAM) project.

In a fundraiser event I promote, Ego and Pompous (Bob and Rod) Jackson-Paris and help the new Youth Group raise $2,000.

In December, I travel with Mom and Dad to Shari & Carl's Wedding in Seattle in and tour Microsoft!!!

Transitioned off the SAM Project at Ryder, I start working with Myrlene; later I produce the This is Ryder interactive multimedia presentation in "Compel" which is immediately obsolete.

Love is a wonderful thing. Love is a terrible thing. Robert Blasi delights, inspires, and traumatizes.

In May, as a "reporter" for "BookNotes," Pacific Kevin "reviews" many books and tapes at the Los Angeles American Booksellers Association Convention. Later I venture down with Shelly Roberts to San Diego and into Tijuna, Mexico.

Driving to San Diego with Joe to deliver a dog to Kevin Courage, we play the geography game which helps keep me "frail and weak."

My first real camera: I purchase a Minolta Maxxum 9000 in San Diego! The lens, 70-110mm is highly inflexible.

Bound and Blindfolded, I'm escorted by Robert, Julie, Brian and Mike Cutts to the Jungle Queen where we sail along the New River, celebrating my 24th birthday.

A Different Kind of Purchase; A Different Kind of Debt: Solid income equals a new Saturn SL/2.

Celebrating my quarter-century birthday with a small circle of friends, I rent a small boat and loudly motor up the New River...deaf for two days.

Freshly recuperated from his own lung collapse, Jonathan Glassman starts working with me at Ryder and on the John Alden Life Interactive Orientation CD Project, where we violate numerous copyright laws.

Julie and I move. Next door. From apartment 23 to 21, mainly because of increased space and a better corner lot view.

In March, after touring Seattle with Michael Cutts and Troy Mils, we drive to Yosemite National Park and then to San Francisco to attend the InterMedia Conference disguised as "journalists" from "Tech Talk."

Following the Gay Day activities at the "Magic Queendom," I fly to Chicago for more free books at the ABA Convention. Richard and I later drive to Madison.

Freebies are scant but crowds abound at Comdex in Las Vegas; Richard Cherskov and I fly onward to Seattle.

Mom and Dad vacation in Chicago...I throw a huge party... and our little parakeet, Kiwi, gets lost and is never seen again.

Sidetracking another bright career path, I hire Paul Roth fresh from the journalism school at UF to work with us at Ryder.

Demi Moore, Burt Reynolds and Armand Asante hang out at my apartment as StripTease is filmed on location.

Dollars and Sense: Creative Multimedia is Incorporated, brochures printed and a business plan devised. Within months, it's dollars and senseless.

Asthma A-TAX: Both lungs collapse after a serious asthma attack while visiting the accountant.  I spend 7 days in Palmetto General Hospital.

In the wake of my respiratory failure, a spiritual awakening follows in St. Augustine and along the east coast as I "meet God." The incident is later downplayed by professionals as mania.

To document the world- or perhaps to record my 6000-mile road trip in stereo- I purchase two new Nikon cameras- an N90s, and an FM2, adding to an improving portfolio...and a mounting debt.

Just say no! Memory loss, confusion and depression result from a single dose of ecstasy. Exercise, Diet, Vitamin-P slowly improve cognition. 

The Difference is Us: Business alliance with Hawkins Geller Harvey promises greatness yet delivers great disappointment.

Robert and I See the Sun Come Up on the Santa Monica Boulevard after driving from Chicago through Badlands and Arches National Parks.

Cherishing each other and their Yesterdays, Today and Tomorrows, Mom and Dad renew their Wedding vows before 60 friends and family members in Cooper City.

Called out of "retirement," I am elected in Gainesville to chair the '98 SUN Conference to be held in South Florida.   Ultimately, I neglect the office and the conference is relocated.

InSight Technology Partners offers a ground-level entry back to the success track.

14 months and $600 later I determine that my alliance with Hawkins Geller Harvey is not profitable.  Move into office space with Richard Cherskov and "Coral Computers."

On the move: In April, I move with Julie to a new rented townhouse, six blocks away from my new Creative Multimedia office in downtown Lauderdale.

New friends grow closer; Ron Kless and Doug Sibert endear themselves.  Old friends grow apart; Robert leaves a scathing angry message on my machine, and avoids talking.

Chicago's Book Expo USA is not booked; the grand convention is not nearly as worthwhile.

Brother Glen finally leaves the nest for the bible-belt college town of Valdosta, GA.

Over 250 family, friends, and admirers gather at Fern Forest Nature Center on August 9th, to celebrate Dad's life and legacy.

Just 2 years short of becoming my common law wife, Julie leaves with boyfriend Terence for Portland, Oregon.

160bpm dance music resounds daily in the morning as Mario Caicedo becomes my new roommate.

Business is picking up: new accounts, new employees psych me up...then reality and lost leads drop me down. New laptop- P300 Dell Insipiron 7000- and marketing efforts start to turn the tide.

Dad is posthumously awarded the Stars of the Rainbow Award for his involvement with P-FLAG.

My asthma is ebbed by a new drug: Singulair, a once-a-day long lasting pill.

Walter the African gray parrot is reunited with mother Julie in Portland; I'm reunited with pals Mike Cutts, Craig Davison, and Patrick Desvarieux in Seattle.

Though I don't remember much, 1999 begins with a huge party at mom's place.

Remembering dad: memorial tree planted in neighborhood park, and PFLAG sponsors the Dennis Lerner Youth Group Art Contest. The contest never takes off however.

The business gets serious as I explore venture capital and alternative funding.

Stretching the body and the mind, I join Troy Mills' yoga class every Tuesday. Several months later, my yoga pursuits are superseded by a regimented exercise program at the local gym, The Firm.

The spirit moves me: Science of Mind provides inner peace and a comfort to the demands of a hectic lifestyle.

Reluctantly out at Georgie's Alibi, I meet a hottie, Rodolfo Jose Flugel (Rudy)...also reluctantly out at the club. We fall quickly in lust. Then madly in love. And soon pledge to create a life together.

Paramedics arrive on Saturday morning to transport me to Broward General, after a powerful brain seizure following a night of powerful partying. Amnesia, confusion, and concentration issues ensue. MRI, EEG are inconclusive; the cause still undetermined. Potentially an overdose of Theodur medication?

Older, wiser, and still gorgeous, the "House of Teal" clique returns to Gainesville for a 7 year reunion.

I consolidate the operations of Creative Multimedia with Lauderdale Graphics, but an incompatible vision and differences return me to my Andrews Avenue office.

Mom, Glen and I converge on New Jersey to share in cousin Debbie's wedding and marriage to Sean Gagnon.

Rudy and I adopt a baby: Kiwi the mustache parakeet. Soon after, the bird develops an appetite for...furniture. Misbehaving and needy, peckerhead is soon relocated to Rudy's.

Wet dreams (or nightmares). Leaky roofs in Saturn sunroof and CMC office cause moisture madness and damaged electronics.

An almost business merger with Multi Image Group falls apart at the 11th hour.

6 month anniversary Key West trip with Rudy is magical. Motorbikes kick ass...boat ride bites. Our guest house is grand, gratifying, and gratis.

Rudy and I join others on the beach for a magnificent sunrise, the first of the new millennium.

Rackets, Possibilities, Winning Formulas: The rigorous Landmark Forum provides powerful strategies for living a powerful life. My thoughts 6 months later: The Big Racket.

The Smith Agency, the agency that created the God Speaks campaign, acquires Creative Multimedia. Sort of. 30 days later God speaks, says I shouldn't have touched the audio equipment, and that I should leave immediately to resurrect CMC.

Friend, lover, and roommate: Rudy and I purchase a $2K bed and move in together.

Friend, lover, roommate...and boss: In May, Rudy quits the Gap and joins the company as Operations Director. We soon shatter all previous sales records.

We celebrate Rudy's 23rd Birthday in Washington, DC as part of a 5 day trip in June. We view museums, the Capitol, Library of Congress, presidential motorcade and run into Gainesvile queen Dennis Palaganas.

In September, a 3 day storm massively floods South Florida...and my Saturn. In October, I permanently seal the sunroof with silicon.

Call me Jabba: Waist size increases from 30 to 33 forcing purchase of entire new wardrobe...and focused exercise regiment.

A 3-day Atlanta business trip reunites me with former Ryder employees, now transformed into humorless corporate robots for uWork.

New blue couch, DVD player, surround sound create spectacular home theater.

Definitely! Absolutely! In August, absolute enthusiasm from American Audio Visual to sublease office space evaporates into nothingness.

Eeek! Ghost! Rudy senses a strange presence in our bedroom closet.

Reunited with my Roommate! Julie visits for 3 days as we catch up, laugh, and tour.

Synchronized breakdown of Washing Machine, Dishwasher, Air Conditioner motivates our landlord to sell our townhome...as we begin searching for a new home.

We travel to Denver Colorado to attend cousin Karen's wedding to Dan Selzberg. After, we head to the mountains for skiing!

My first time on skis, I tumble down the mountain, only to find out later that Rudy accidentally chose the wrong slope...the dreaded black diamond.

Competition for Rudy: My new Digital Camera purchase fills me with such passionate excitement and great images that I bring it to bed with me.

I vote- I think- for Al Gore for President. Unfortunately, our region's election process is marred, and the electorate votes are- after 34 days- given to George Bush Jr.

With the hopes of winning a big contract, I arrive at a prospect's office, turn on my laptop- and shriek in horror as I discover its shattered screen. I recall the $1000 incident from earlier, as the bag slipped off my shoulder and onto the ground.

A major economic slowdown forces us to close Creative Multimedia's 400 N. Andrews Avenue office and relocate to the second bedroom of our townhome.

"Why didn't I think of it earlier?!" Remote Access Development Strategy (RAD) helps us market and work globally. Our new brand name "Presentation Team" is focused and attractive to web site visitors.

With our lovely rented townhome on the market for sale, we are forced to move. Not ready to buy, we decide to rent again and settle on a lovely place in Edgewater Townhomes, just south of Wilton Manors on the Middle River.

We soon discover that all that glitters is not gold. Our new townhome is in a lower class crack neighborhood...the air conditioner is loud and warm...the refrigerator vibrates...the ceiling leaks...the bathrooms are tiny...and the Florida East Coast railroad tracks are just 200 feet away. Frequently passing locomotives are like Richter 4 earthquakes.

After suffering a stroke, Grandma passes away- at age 93!

Helping a friend in need turns sour when Ron trashes grandma's apartment.

Rudy purchases a new bike, and I inherit Glen's old bike, and we begin the great American pastime of biking. Trips frequently are over 5 miles, along A1A and throughout our crack neighborhood.

Ending 22 years of twice-daily doses, new doctor Umberto Orazi agrees that because of the success of the new Singulair, I can discontinue my Theodur asthma medication. Friends notice my new subtle calmness, as I discover that the old life supporting pill was equivalent to the caffeine in 7 Mountain Dews.

We awake one morning in June to discover that Rudy's new bike has vanished. Stolen from our backyard. We soon purchase a new bike and make the living room their new home.

With the World Trade Center collapse on 9/11, business sputters, but soon recovers. By year's end, momentum is building with over half our clients working with us over the Internet. Our new Flash web site and product sales help fortify the company.

Yay Yay! Old and Grey! Watch my Hairline go Away! Just after my 31st birthday, a grey hair appears in my diminishing hairline.

Introducing Uncle Kevin and Rudy! Sister-in-law Alexandra gives birth to baby Nicole.

In November, fed up with our cracktown living conditions, we almost terminate our lease, but decide to hold out until March to purchase a home.

At our Thanksgiving dinner, I share with Rudy how grateful I am for everything in my life but, "I think I'm ready for a new car." Within 20 hours of the statement, my Saturn is rear-ended. Dazed from the impact, and full-bladdered, we agree to not involve police and promptly leave the accident scene. The next morning I discover the impact is more serious...and my 7 year old, 130,000 mile car is essentially totaled. Its replacement: a new Mazda Tribute SUV.

At the oh-so-marginal Stars of the Rainbow event, I meet gubernatorial candidate and former AG Janet Reno...and give her my business card.

Living the Palm Beach lifestyle:. Rudy and I purchase a lovely 3-bedroom home in Delray Beach in June for $146K. Months later the value of neighboring homes is 30% higher.

The Other Group- a gay social group for young adults- gets me out of the house and into a social environment. Later, I conclude it's more a twenty-somethings group and I feel out-of-place.

With a major upswing in business in 1Q'02, I'm stressed and overwhelmed. I find help from a friend in The Other Group. Neil Buckland joins as our new presentation specialist, and we quickly "click and create." But the economy slows again, and business is temporarily stymied.

Pinch me, I must be dreaming. We get a call from The YMCA wanting us to videotape their national swim meet. I spend two full days interviewing smooth boys and touring the locker room.

The Attack of the Clones, Episode 2 of Star Wars, captures my fancy as if I were a kid. I watch the movie at least 3 times, read the novel, and constantly visit the web site. Later, we see the film in IMAX and get the oh-so-cool DVD as a holiday gift from Rudy.

On May 25, just for kicks, I try an herbal Viagara Pill at 7pm. No effect. The next morning, I awake, climb back into bed with Rudy, and soon suffer a Grand Mal Brain Seizure. Rushed to the hospital, I soon recover...and vow never to try any unknown substance again.

My memory seems to be worsening, and scattered thinking + periods of blanking out + the recent seizure prompts me to see a neurologist. The diagnosis- no surprise to me- temporal lobe seizures and mild epilepsy. Within days of the prescribed treatment (Tegretol, then changed to Carbotrol), my cognitive function begins to slowly improve.

Just hours before leaving for an Orlando getaway, I wave hi to Rudy from my bike...and spin out and impact the ground at 10MPH. My wrists are sprained and knees scraped. And Rudy, initially concerned, laughs all the way to work.

At Universal's Islands of Adventure, Rudy finally talks me into riding a real rollercoaster. The Incredible Hulk. Dips, spins, upside down. I scream. At the end of the fun day, reaching inside my pockets for my keys, I discover they're missing. Gone. Fallen into a river off the rollercoaster. My car is towed to Mazda in Orlando, we catch a cab to the hotel, and the next day, we're shuttled back to Mazda to pay $250 for replacement keys.

The tale of the $600 Holiday Cards: A simple modern holiday card, seasoned with a custom poignant holiday message destroys our laser printer. The card's frontside made of colorful plastic, melts inside the printer when we send it through for printing.

Reconnecting with an Ex. Bill Butler and I become good friends again.

New city, new friends, new leadership. Italy isolated and troubled by our move to senior-citizen infested Delray, I start to meet couples and single young people online. Billy and new pal Brian Dominy and I work to re-start the social group Venture Out.

We undertake numerous home improvement projects. Ceiling fan installation, painting, carpeting, etc. In an attempt to turn off two "always on" lights on our stovetop, I open the unit, disconnect one, then reach for the other and get JOLTED with 220 volts of AC power. After I catch my breath I vow to not work on electricity without turning off the power. Fool.

13 months after terminating a working agreement with a subcontractor, The Presentation Team is slammed with a lawsuit. Recognizing the cost of legal representation outweighs the cost of settling the case, we opt for the sensible business option.

The end of an era: Mom puts the Cooper City house up for sale to move with Earle to Winter Haven, Florida.

I guess I really do need my meds! After 4 days of waiting to find a convenient time to pickup my Carbamazepan medication, I suffer another seizure in the middle of the night. Out of the blue. Additional neurological tests follow.

In March, business grinds to a halt as the nation goes to war with Iraq. My productivity plummets as I work with 50% brain power, the other half devoted to following the conflict. In opposition to the war, I attend a peace rally on Delray Beach.

Hoping to breathe some life into our monotonous social world, Bill Butler, Brian Dominy and I resurrect "Venture Out," the gay social group for Broward and PB Counties. Though the first few events are mildly successful, it soon falls apart due to apathy and an overly ambitious calendar.

New friends Charles, and Kevin and Jon endear themselves. Other "friends" (Robin/Fig, Peter/Damian), quickly enter then vanish. Do we smell?

An old friend returns: Ryder contracts with The Presentation Team. Neil provides on-site support as we begin slow and steady growth. But by year's end, the transportation giant's sales spiral down, and Neil takes over the department part time at reduced pay.

Rudy and I revel in the beauty of Alaska, as we take a 7-day magical cruise from Seward, AK to Vancouver, BC, then spend five days in Seattle staying at Craig Davison's fantastic home.

At one of the last events at our Cooper City home, Glen surprises Sarah with a birthday party...and then a diamond engagement ring.

Just one day after discussing the potential of opening a chain of Presentation Team retail stores, "The Hub" contacts me to aid with their presentation... and get involved with their endeavor: a combo business center/restaurant/ meeting center.

Capitalizing on the e-commerce boom, I launch the Presentation Depot website, selling presentation products and accessories.

Sales are up! Ambitions are high! Let's ruin it all by hiring a sales girl! Rachel Eden comes and goes as our flakey sales girl. Might as well throw $1,500 into a fire.

In October, I travel with Mom to Los Angeles, to attend a bar mitzvah of a 3rd cousin. I later travel to Palm Springs, where I "hookup" with ol' Steve Biller. Smirk.

With interest rates at an all time low, and our debt at an all-time high, we refinance the home for $180K, pay off some debt, and prepare for the great kitchen remodel.

In February, Rudy and I, hoping to add some spark into our social lives, restart Venture Out, the gay and lesbian social group founded by Bora Ucok. Within 3 months, our varied activities are attracting an average of 30 people each week.

Just 2 months before devastating Hurricane Katrina, I travel to New Orleans for the annual Presentations and Training conference. Though my press-pass gets me access to most areas, I get evicted for the unauthorized distribution of my business cards.

Hub Flub: I travel to Philadelphia in June for the much-delayed grand opening of the retail-coffeehouse-business center, The Hub. Soon after, in-fighting and funding difficulties causes implosion.

After striking out on his real estate exam four times, a frustrated Rudy abandons the career decision, and enrolls in interior design school.

The Presentation Team experiences solid business improvement, as we refine our pricing and business processes, improve our marketing, and attract more clients than all the previous years of the company combined.

The Force is with me one last time as Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith opens in March. My fanaticism leads me to but books, music and related toys...just like when I was 10.

Uncles-to-be: In March, brother Glen announces Sarah is pregnant. In October we find out it's going to be a boy named David. We close out 2005 just days before the baby is born.

After years of waiting and wanting, we finally buy a professional high-definition video camera, the Sony HDR-FX1. Immediately after returning from our California trip, I plug the firewire cable into the wrong port and break it. It's shipped back and repaired.

A surprisingly strong Hurricane Wilma blows in from the west, causing extensive damage throughout South Florida and knocking out our power for eight days. Though crippled, we manage effectively with pre-made meals, grilled food, car-powered computers, cell phones, and cool weather.

An all-expenses-paid trip to New York (by a client) helps kick off a transcontinental vacation in October. After spend ing 3 days in Manhattan, I fly to San Francisco, where I meet up with Rudy. Together we tour Alcatraz, visit wine countries, drive down the Pacific Coast Highway and tour Los Angeles, and Palm Springs. We wrap things up by meeting with mom at a 4 day Las Vegas stay.

I become an unemployed columnist as Presentations Magazine ceases print publication. Thankfully, Toastmasters Magazine decides to run some of my articles.

We kick off the year with a very special event, as our new nephew David Andrew Lerner, is born on January 15th to daddy Glen and mommy Sarah.

My focus on healthy living continues, with daily walks and gym trips several times a week.  A recent doctor visit reveals high cholesterol and high blood pressure...so I start a new medication (HLTC?) and aggressively cut back on the omnipresent SODIUM!

In March, I travel to Atlanta to work with Richard on developing a new presentation training video to be sold at an upcoming conference. During my weeklong stay, I suggest to Rudy that we should get a second home here. Still, my 7 days in the Peach tree state produces an insignificant 3 paragraphs of training text.

While in Atlanta I go to brush my teeth. The toothpaste tastes unusual. Not the normal minty freshness. Hmmm. I look and the tube and discover I've just brushed my teeth with Gynecort...an anti-itch cream also used for vaginal yeast infections.

While in Atlanta, I meet with PresentationPro to discuss merger possibilities. Favorable conversations turn dim when Rudy returns a few weeks later to investigate the region and winds up in the emergency room of a local hospital with a kidney stone. We decide to stay in S.Florida and stay-the-course.

Wild adventurers: In June amigo Jossy discover a computer company in an older office building near the ocean. Even though it's after hours, we enter the elevator and head to the fourth floor. But somewhere in between, the elevator gets stuck. After 45 minutes of phone calls and emergency call button presses, we decide our best escape route is through the ceiling into the elevator and into the shaft.  Thank God Jossy is tall and strong and could reach the ceiling to boost me up. 

Our gay social group, Venture Out, continues its steady growth, driven by a powerful new web site and steady media attention. Our holiday toy drive nets over 50 toys, and by year end, membership is nearly 1000, and has resulted in new friendships for us and many others.

Government at its finest: An agent from Internal Revenue Service calls and curtly demands to know why I haven't taken action on my back-tax issue.  "I'm setting up an arrangement [for the $16,000 owed]." "What about the other $165,000?," the sinister agent queries.  I insist that huge amount is an IRS error that was corrected long ago. It turns out the IRS has lost my 2003 and 2004 tax returns and they need to be re-submitted. 

After seeing Al Gore's movie An Inconvenient Truth, I am inspired to write a letter to my congress people on the topic of Global Warming. Despite my passionate plea of pending doom, all I get back is one generic form letter from Senator Martinez.

Kevin and Rudy’s gorgeous garden!  Rudy spends big bucks beautifying our backyard with flowers, plants, and trees.  Oh my.  This “investment” causes friction for a short time.  Kevin:  “I just don’t think it’s a priority.”  Rudy:  “It’s an investment in the home.  It will increase the value of the home!”

In August, I travel to Washington, DC to speak at The Toastmaster's International convention. My largest audience to date- 400 people attends my 50 minute speech. The event is a commercial success, as I sell over 50 of my new "PowerPresentations" training DVDs.

For my 36th birthday, Mom treats me to see Barbra Streisand in concert in Fort Lauderdale. Our discount $300 high-altitude seats afford us an disappointing experience of a one-inch tall diva...fully scripted and teleprompted.

In mid December, I travel to New York to produce a high-profile investor presentation for Hilton Hotels. After three 18 hour work days, the project is a great success. The Delta flight home, however, is much less satisfying as I re-book my 9pm flight to an earlier 5pm flight and then discover it's delayed 3 hours...and then canceled. Thanks to some BSing and Jedi mindpower trick where I tell the ticketing agent that I'm a "Delta shareholder," I am rebooked on my original 9pm flight- also delayed...and arrive back in Fort Lauderdale at 1am.

Fulfilling our promise to visit mom more often, the three Lerner boys head out to Winter Haven.  Cruising at 70 MPH on the Florida Turnpike, a car in front of us blows a tire and spins around 180 degrees, and we slam into it head-to-head.  Crash!   Despite such a high-speed accident, we walk away unscathed, grateful and lucky...with Mom to the rescue.

A roller-coaster of business.  A busy first-half soon evaporates, prompting me to join a creative staffing agency.  But things soon turn around, and soon, it's almost more than I can handle...so we turn to freelance developers.

In June I travel to Las Vegas to speak at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) convention.  With over 500 attending my PowerPresentations seminar, it's my largest audience to date.  Several other smaller engagements validate my belief that people are hungry for tips to improve their presentations, and I closeout the year focusing on building my professional speaking career.

Venture Out continues its success.  By mid-year, an average of 70 are attending the group's monthly potluck dinners...then quiet down a bit. Key members and friends Josh & David become daddies. And our holiday party toy-drive nets over 50 toys for needy girls and boys.

Mission Accomplished! After two years of hard work, Rudy graduates Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Architecture and Interior Design.  More, his good looks, charm and the gay decorator gene, he earns two guest-designer appearances on Mega-TV's Handyman...a latin home makeover TV program, poised to go national.

Little Nephew David turns one! Later in the year, he looks at me with loving eyes and calls out, addressing me his uncle Kevin as "caca."

Car troubles!  My Mazda Tribute turns 100,000 miles...heralded by brake clicking sounds- a $700 repair...and then by an entire loss of hydraulic breaking power...a $900 repair.  I see a new car in my future.

Every day on my morning walks for the past five years, I've walked right past the neighborhood pool. Finally I took a dive and begin a daily swimming regimen.  First, 10 laps, then 20, then 30, 50, and by year-end...60 laps is no-big-deal.  Swimming, walking and a focus on healthy eating trim me up a bit.

In November, Rudy, Mom and I travel to Europe for a 12-day cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas.  During our adventure, we visit great cities including Barcelona, Venice, Pompeii, Athens and Rome.  <15 Min Europe Trip video here>

My new Dell Inspiron 9400 laptop is powerful...but it crashes just as often as any other Windows PC.  So in April, we invest in a new Power Macintosh, as I enter the enlightened world of a Mac lover.

An economic meltdown grips the nation. And though our house value plummets and gas prices soar, The Presentation Team enjoys a record year, as we gratefully experience a solid flow of clients and revenue, supported by a true "Presentation Team" of developers (Phyllis and Ross). By year-end a new website is in-the-works, generating a new lead every other day.

With unemployment at its highest level in decades, Rudy finds it hard to find work in the interior design business. Although he aids his sister's construction business, our continuous time together builds tension. In February the stress shakes his stomach and our lives, but I ignore it, calling it petty melodrama. I soon pack my bags and escape for weeklong getaway to Gainesville and Atlanta. By year end, brace-free Rudy is happy again, working as a manager at The Gap.

Mickey Louse? My third Gay Days at Disney is fun, but lacks the magic of previous visits. Maybe I'm getting old.

Clumsy Kevin. While eating at our fancy dining room table, I accidentally knock one of the wood-backed chairs to the ground and it splits in half. Several days later, I get up from the living room couch, and my knee knocks into our modern glass table. Boom! The base breaks away from the glass top and it furiously explodes like a glass grenade…and sets us down the path of pricey purchases.

The need for a new table compels us to purchase a new modern cherry wood and glass table. But...it doesn't go with the wall unit. So, we upgrade our wall unit. But that doesn't match with the TV...so we purchase a new flatscreen TV. Oh and wouldn't that TV be better with a computer-driven multimedia system with a wireless keyboard?  And let’s hookup a cool face-tracking webcam to talk with mom!  Ah...if I only had time to enjoy it.

A phone for every season? My increasing need to send text messages- where once I questioned the relevance when you could simply 'call the person', leads me to upgrade my Motorola Razr to a new Blackberry Pearl. But the Pearl is toy-like and inefficient at texting. So I upgrade to the high-end Nokia E71. But that's awkward and prone to crashes. So I close out the year with the hot new feature-packed Google G1.

Venture Out Burn Out. Our gay social group turns 3 years old...and our involvement wanes. Fortunately, by year-end, a few fresh faces enter, bringing help and adding new life.

The local coffeehouse and I work to host a gay night each week. Within three weeks, Tuesday Night Out at Coffee District is attracting over 30 men and women. But the deal quickly cools when management declines to actively market the evening, hiding its postcards, and saying they don't want to be defined as a gay bar.

Yellow, crooked and full of surprises. It's not the yellow brick road...it's my teeth. In November, I set down the path of dental beautification. 2009 is planning for a molar implant and then braces...again. Yes mom, I really will wear my retainer.

Although I vote for Hillary Clinton in the primaries, the young and visionary Barack Obama inspires the nation and propels him to a presidential victory. I share the excitement on election evening with a small group of friends in Wilton Manors.

My health insurance premium leaps to nearly $400 per month...and one late payment causes cancellation, as I join the ranks of the 41 million uninsured Americans. Thankfully, smart dieting and exercise keep my health in generally good shape.

Proudly flaunting his interior design degree around town, nobody wants poor Rudy. We make a resume. We make a video. We make a website. No market for this work. So Rudy bites the bullet and starts work at a manager at The Gap.

Slow times in December. So I take a 3-day getaway to Gainesville, aided by my electronic girlfriend, "GyPSie." Old roommate Joe Antonelli share a tasty meal at a Saigon Legend.. The sweet 4'8" Vietnamese grandmother delivers our meals. "Shicken?!" For Joe. "Feeses?! (Fish)" For Kevin. Two hours later, I'm hit with diarrhea and vomiting.

I step deeper into the digital domain as ScanMyPhotos.com digitizes my old printed photo collection.  The images are now shared on facebook.com for friends and the world to see.

Facebook, Twitter, and Linked-in take-over the world, as Social networking becomes a fun and easy way to connect. But my after several controversial posts- like the photo of me sharing my true feelings toward the City of Sunrise after they coldly told me that my solicitation for their business was unwelcome- my Facebook frequency wanes driven by prudence and wisdom.

Venture Out ventures off. After four years of great friends and fun events, Rudy and I put our gay social group to rest. Our hopes to find someone to "carry on the vision" are remarkably similar to dating, bringing great talk but little action. Two final events: A Turtle Walk...and a Camping Adventure leave a lasting impression.

Celebrating 15 years of friendship and fun, my college pals from The House of Teal reunite in Gainesville for three days over Memorial Day weekend.  We enjoy touring, tubing, clubbing, and lots of laughter.

In June, Rudy and travel to Orlando to celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary. Friends, family...and Stormtroopers help make the experience fun and memorable.
Rudy and I are deeply saddened and troubled by the senseless shooting death of our friend Mark Harriss in Boynton Beach. The murder remains unsolved, and our healing thoughts and best wishes go out to Ross Salvosa.

Couch Crisis. One day after Rudy and I discuss buying a new sofa, our pal Ross Meyer says he really likes our blue sofas. Serendipity. We strike a deal. And within one hour, he's here with a U-Haul truck...and our couches have a new home. But finding a new couch proves more challenging...as nothing seems to satisfy. After 40 couchless days and 40 loveseatless nights, our new custom designed contemporary designed sofa finally arrives. But its tan color is not what we expected. And sorry, no refunds. By year-end, we've become more accepting...and realize it maybe easier to change the curtains than sell the couch.

Little Lerners. David turns three. And in April, Hanna enters the family at 7 pounds, 3 ounces. The extended family reunites several months later, for a fun and special gathering... and a great reminder of what "family values" are really all about.

A new neurologist...and a medication- Keppra - helps reduce future incidents, while sharpening my memory and concentration.

My focus on healthy living continues. Daily walks and swimming in the community pool- sometimes up to 100 laps per day - help drive my weight down to 130 pounds by October.

New Websites in Joomla for The Presentation Team, and Kevin Lerner.com translate to higher traffic, increased revenue, and an overall more effective operation.

Our 20 year old home starts to show its age with a roof leak and rotting walls. A simple bathroom makeover is more that we asked for; the tile is rotting and must be replaced. Wall Maul: 3 Brazilian men rip our living room walls apart, transforming our tranquil home into a chaotic construction site. The days of our Wet Dry Wall are over.

Catastrophic Computer Crash! Let us never forget the importance of backup. Mac's Windows emulator locks up; thankfully DOS commands (Thanks Charles, Gary) save the day and the only thing lost is time. A big breath of relief.

My Toastmasters talk on the effective use of visual aids... fails to use visual aids when the PC and Projector lose their connection with.  Blame it on Windows. Today's lesson: Be prepared, roll with the punches, and be able to carry on without visuals.

Inspiration... Information... Validation among new friends and associates at my first National Speakers Association conference in Phoenix in July. The event helps propel my professional speaking career forward, and my personal story of this trip is documented in a separate 10 minute video.

Have I destroyed my colon? 2 days of my self-induced stomach-churning "gatastrophy" is a good way to discover that Prune Juice is no substitute for Orange Juice.

In November, Rudy and I take a well-deserved weekend retreat by driving 6 hours up the coast to the Ancient City of St. Augustine. Over the next two days, we wander the town and Castillo de San Marco, tour the haunted lighthouse, and watch the dancing dolphins outside our charming bed and breakfast inn.

In December, our home is transformed to a television studio as Rudy’s TV Producer sister and a crew of 15 shoot a glamorous infomercial for a cleaning product. With just three easy payments, your kitchen can be this spotless!

Tow Woe: My Mazda Tribute is towed, impounded and recovered after parking in a "oh-how-convenient" parking lot right across from The Manor (new restaurant/club) in Wilton Manors. The evening out sets me back $200.

In March, Rudy travels west to San Francisco to attend a gay ski event in Lake Tahoe. I travel to Tennessee for Tony's 40th Birthday.

Bad day redefined. I drive to Tampa to meet a client and present my Presentations seminar. But one hour before the webcast, I discover our Presentation Team website has been hacked and destroyed. Our tech team works to restore the

In February, A puff of white smoke from the tailpipe of the Tribute signals it's time for a new car. Rudy and I decide on a leasing a silver Honda Accord CrossTour.

Clean and white, nice and bright, Rudy's braces are removed after four fantastic years.

Venture Out fades to getOutFL, as Rick Zlotziver takes our social group to a whole new level.

To cut costs, we eliminate our home telephone land-line, and our Fax Line. Rudy's AT&T family plan consolidates costs, as I end my long term relationship with TMobile, and join the iPhone revolution.

In August, I travel to Orlando to attend the National Speakers Association Convention. Inspiration, and innovation...but the grim reality sets in that a year has passed and not much has changed. It's time to turn up the volume and re-invent myself as a presentation guru.

Dry spell! The slowest summer ever makes Rudy and me consider selling body parts Thankfully,

What is that wheel that's been at so many restaurants and meeting spaces throughout my life? I finally decide to check it out...and discover The "Rotary Club" This international group brings business and professional leaders together to service above self. Five meetings, one seminar, and I reprioritize. By the end of the year, I'm back with Toastmasters.

Hackers crash The Presentation Team's website 3 times in 3 days. The backups work and the tech team helps the issue...and the site is soon restored. But..rankings and traffic suffer.

The same day, while staying in a hotel in a somewhat shady area of Tampa, I am pushed into the swimming pool...fully clothed. My new iPhone is all washed up.

My mother's inspiring story of getting her airplane pilot's license...at 64 is published in Cessna Flyer magazine. Believe and achieve!

Confusion, depression, and distraction- perhaps its burnout or a midlife crisis - is offset by affirmative prayer and positive thinking. Holistic health physician Grey Fenton gets me on a comprehensive diet approach that eliminates the sleeping pills. In great health overall, but added a few new pills. Kevin's Daily Holistic Regimen includes:

Celebrating 40 with a Cruise to the Bahamas and big birthday bash at our home.

Home Business Burnout. Working from home takes its toll on my sanity. I join forces with Paragon Group, a local meeting and event planning group.

Triple talk: Doral Chamber of Commerce, Cox Communications, and the Toastmasters District 47 Meeting all offer speaking opportunities.

From sea to shining sea, America’s economy stagnates. Rudy and I are no exception.  Clients and cash are scarce.  By July, we are three months late on our mortgage.  I  update my resume and market myself everywhere. Slowly, steadily... stabilization.  One hearty presentation contract in September from an Indian Engineering firm helps bring us back in the black.

SEO becomes my mantra as I reengineer our company website. Ditch the verbal creativity.  In Google’s eyes, short and clear gets noticed. Day and night, I write new articles and improve old ones. Videos. Webcasts. Crosslinks. Visibility. It’s slow and steady growth, but by December, there’s an average of 150 unique daily visitors.  Nearly triple than from one year earlier.

When GAP cuts Rudy's hours and insurance benefits, he cuts them.  Several weeks later, he secures a new job as the general store manager at TOUS, a high-end Spanish Jewelry retailer in Palm Beach Gardens mall.  

To cope with our financial freefall, we slash costs. Driving less. Eating in. And watching every penny.  In May, we put our 3-bedroom 2-bath house on the market.  At $265,000, it’s the costliest casa around, but competing with nearby foreclosures, and homes of much lesser value.

My IRS tax issue remains a tricky spot.  We’re in discussions with a senior agent, hoping for an offer in compromise on my $40-thousand dollar bill.  Somehow, someway, we shall overcome.

In April, we celebrate Kevin’s Mom's 67th birthday by attending the Broadway musical Wicked at the Broward Center of the Performing Arts.

Tensions between Glen's family and me strain our relations.  As punishment from skipping a birthday party in 2010, I’m banished from family events in 2011.  Diplomacy and tact persevere and by year-end we’re back on better footing.

In April, Kevin and I raise nearly $1000 and join hundreds of others in a 5K walk to support the Epilepsy Foundation.  We’re aiming to double our goal in 2012.

In August, I drive to Port Canaveral where mom and I sail east five miles aboard a small charter boat to witness the Final Space Shuttle launch.  The blastoff is a majestic mix of power, patriotism, and nostalgia.  

When the first cool winds of Autumn blow, I feel ready for a dip in the hot tub.  But...it’s broken. Again. This year it’s a switch.  Amigo Will and I spend a half-day working to get it right.  Our calculations show it works out to about $125 per person per dip.

Another cell phone festival. Disappointment with my iPhone 3GS compels me to purchase a Blackberry Torch.  It’s a 48-hour love affair. I settle on the mighty new Samsung Galaxy S2 packed with the latest features and functions.  And one evening when I’m walking around the house texting to Rudy, I walk right into an artificial tree. Always be alert.

When filling up my gas tank tops $80, we decide to trade in my 9-month-old Honda Crosstour for a more affordable Civic that we name Flipper. Rudy soon follows with a new Volkswagen EOS convertible.

For Thanksgiving, I travel with mom to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where I spend a special 3 days with my three cousins, aunt and uncles, and all the new little ones.  Lots of food, fun, and festivities.

In early December, ,I fly to Washington, D.C. to conduct a daylong presentation training program with Software AG.  Our updated seminar is loaded with engaging content and rich new examples.  Rudy joins me several hours later, and we spend three jam-packed days of touring the nation’s capital, including the Capitol, Library of Congress, and the amazing new Newseum.  

Celebrating 12 special years together, Kevin and I rent a red Camero and head to Key West for a weekend getaway.  It’s a fun, affordable and easy two day retreat.

Legoland Florida opens in October to fantastic fanfare.  Mom gets us VIP tickets and we enjoy a funfilled day touring this creative park.  It’s impressive; rides, history, models, and fun for everyone.  Legoland is located on the grounds of Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, a once prominent theme park before a little mouse moved in nearby in 1972.

I rejoin my Toastmasters club, with an effort to make every one of my speeches full of rich valuable content.  Five Uses for One Speech explores how one speech can be repurposed into a blog, an article, a video, an online slideshow.  In November, having completed 10 speeches, I earn my Competent Communicator certification.  The Friday afternoon group continues to provide fulfilling social and professional connections.

Like a homeless professional, I seek coffeehouses and other venues to work, as the monotony of the home office takes its toll.  In August, I discover “Purple Lotus,” a small Polynesian-style Kava bar in downtown Delray Beach.  The atmosphere, music, people, wi-fi connection are all conducive to conducting commerce.  And the stimulating yet relaxing neurological effects of the all-natural root helps keep me focused and clear-minded. It’s a good workspace!

The Big Move: Seeking a better future and greater financial opportunites, Rudy and I move to Washington, DC! On March 5th, the Moving truck arrives and loads our furniture and 60 boxes, as family stops by with well-wishes. We jam our two cars with necessities and begin our new life chapter.

Getting Out! From our first moments in the region, we feel connected. and keep busy. Over the year, we visit and tour various sites...

• Cherry Blossom Festival

• Capitol and National Mall

• The White House

• Smithsonian Museum of American History

• Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

• Arlington National Cemetery

• The Newseum

• Architecture Museum

• Memorial Day Parade

• Passport DC (Embassy Tour)

• Kennedy Center

• Shuttle Landing

• Manassas National Battlefield

• Luray Caverns

• Blue Ridge Mountains / Skyline Drive

• Great Falls

• Annapolis

Involvement with Reston Toastmasters and Dulles Triangles help cultivate professional and social connections.

In June, a fun, eclectic, and inspiring parade of gay pride in downtown draws tens of thousands as we cheer and applaud...and get featured on Metro Weekly’s website.

In early October, we join 500 others for an enthusiastic rally for the President. And in November we cast our vote and celebrate another victory for the democratic party.

In July, we celebrate cousin Debbie and Lennie’s wedding in Pennsylvania, and visit Rudy's brother in New York City.

Like a biological disease, over time our nasty orange couches slowly decayed and lost their form and structure. In September, we put them on Craigslist, and sell them along with our rug to a neighborhood buyer. We then invest in a contemporary leather sofa and loveseat.

Finding work in the DC area is a challenge! I spend time seeking work with marketing firms...but eventually The Presentation Team gets busy again with presentation training and design projects.

Rudy ends the year with a signed contract for employment doing interior design at Frame Display.

After lugging around my laptop in a shoulder bag in New York in March, I return with a sore hip and right leg. The pain worsened, and walking was slow and difficult....as was recovery...nearly 3 months ‘til all was better.

A good year for the Presentation Team! A 230% traffic increase over 2011 + more training, travel, and design projects.

Aiming for Contact Management Utopia, I make the fatal flaw of synchronizing my contact list on my Samsung Galaxy S2 mobile phone. Moments later, I have one massive scrambled list of never-before-heard-of names, kids from kindergarten, dead grandmothers, 5 Rudy Flugels and 3 Mothers. Worst, my personal photo is replaced by the other Kevin Lerner.

While walking at night in the trail behind our home, talking with my mother, my phone battery dies! It's cold and dark. Rudy calls, but no answer. I try to retrace my steps, but nervously find myself in even more unfamiliar territory...darker and colder. Rudy calls me again...but no answer...and grows worried. I am lost! Thankfully, I found my way to a road and flag down someone who drives me home.

On July 9th, at 4:11pm, after 61 weeks, our house in South Florida is officially sold! Our best wishes to the new owners. Have fun with crazy neighbor Bobbie!

Home for the Holidays. Rudy and I travel back to South Florida for a special Christmas with his family and reconnections with dear friends.