So here we are, coming up on a new year, I’ve been through a lot the last few years spinal fusion surgery, complications that led to more surgeries, a hernia clots, embolisms, dying for a few seconds, being diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, Fracturing my right arm at the shoulder connection, and 6 months later breaking four ribs. The loss of joy in cooking and baking, refinding that joy after four years, a change of location, a new role at my company, gardening again, reading again, writing again, feeling joy again, finding my tribe and a sense of community.
This coming year is bringing even more change, I’m changing my legal name to reflect the man I am, not the one I am named after. Chaz is becoming my legal first name to honor the man who called me by that name and played a critical role in repairing my relationship with my mother when I came out. A new middle name to honor my grandfather a WW2 hero, and keeping my last name to also honor my grandfather, no more first and middle names that never suited me and saying fuck off, to the fucking “Jr” at the end of my name, I am, at long last, making this change to reflect the real me, the man I grew to be, respecting those who earned my respect, and disclaiming those who did nothing to earn respect, love, or even consideration as anything other than a sperm donor.
What’s coming up here, new recipes, one for the most decadent brownie you will ever have the pleasure of putting in your mouth, and then more of a focus on healthier foods than comfort foods, lots of vegetables and grains, some surprising takes on classics, and stories, more of the stories I have to tell from my lived experiences, reflections on mortality, and poetry. the recently posted Two Chaz Frenches Problem a satirical take down of an insulting offer for my domain name, written in a style that is a direct homage to the novel The Three Body Problem it presents the situation in the form of a scientific paper, in a humourous way. There’s an anniversary coming up that I’m currently writing about and will post on January 30th to honor a legendary icon. There will also be posts about gardening, my thumb is as green as a forest of cannabis, in the same way my wit is razor sharp like a Kobayashi Dojo Blue Steel Blade, and my natural ability to cook and bake, all of these come from an innate ability to create, and the desire to explore, discover, learn, and a deep need for constant reinvention of the self. In other words, I am back, baby!
Happy fuckin’ Holidays and here’s to 2026, bitches!
