I'm moving.
It's a little sad, a lot stressful, and mega exciting.
I'm moving to be closer to Steve. Don't be fooled by any other reason I may try to give as to why I'm moving. They are all valid, but when it comes down to it, I want to be closer to him. *sigh* The truth is supposed to set one free, but sometimes it bogs me down in honesty, clarity, and forth-rightfulness until I just don't know what to do with myself. I'm moving to be closer to a man I've only been dating for 3 months. Me! I would never have guessed myself capable of it, but there you have it.
I pondered moving closer to him after the first month of dating because I knew this was a guy I really liked and wanted to get to know better. However, I figured it wouldn't happen for quite some time. Then, out of the blue, I realized that now is a wonderful time to get people to move in to my condo - it's the beginning of a new school year at the university! So, I discussed it with Steve and a couple wonderful advisers, and made the decision to move. By the end of that weekend, my condo had tenants lined up. Wow!
I have a roommate currently; she's staying until October-ish. At that point, I'll pray to find someone to take her place. The other two gals are students and plan on living there at least through the school year. They both move in on August 16th. I decided to give my work a month's notice, so I am moving up north Labor Day weekend. Those of you who are awake will realize the issue here. I am moving in with my mother for a couple weeks before I move up north. It's very generous of her to let me do this and it will be nice to get to spend some extra time with her before I move away. My friend Cardine has generously offered to let me store some things at her place on a very temporary basis, so everything should be taken care of. *knock on wood*
I'm sad to be going. I've been happy here. I live near my parents and my brother and his family. I love being a part of my niece and nephew's lives and will sorely miss seeing them, going to their ball games, dance recitals, etc. I have good friends here that keep my social life a-buzzin' and that I can talk to about almost anything. I'll miss my condo. It's the first house I've owned and as such will always be special to me. It's been a work-in-progress and I'm not leaving it completed. I have always felt at home there and have loved it!! I'm not too sad about leaving my job, but I feel kind of bad. It's a good job with good people, but it isn't something I'd want to do forever. It had potential to become a career if I had stayed, which is sad, but as it is it isn't too hard to leave. I feel bad that I've only worked there a few months, though. And, my boss is super generous and is going to try to get me an unpaid leave of absence for September, in case things don't work out and I decide to come back. Super nice, eh??
I'm stressed because I have lots to do to get ready and no time in which to do it. I've needed to empty out my back bedroom, my bedroom/bathroom, the kitchen, and anything else I want to take with me or at least take out of my soon-to-be-filled-with-strangers home by August 16th. However, I haven't had a whole lot of time to work on it. No weekends to work on it because I spend every weekend with Steve. During the week I work until 5pm and then have every intention of working on my house but something always comes up. Always happy things, but things that take away time to do what needs doing. Once I move into Mom's, my stress level will decrease dramatically (though not completely). I look forward to this.
I'm mega excited to move, though. It will be so nice to be able to see Steve on a more regular basis. On the weekends, we have tons of fun, but life gets put on hold during those days and I'm ready to see how we work out when life's Play button gets pushed. He hasn't seen me mad or frustrated or hungry/tired (which is a deadly combo). I haven't seen him any of those ways either. If things progress like I'm hoping they do, this is an important step towards that - being around each other more often, I mean. And, I just really like being with him. When we're together, I'm so happy. Even if we're just watching tv on the couch or strolling around the farmer's market, it feels good to be with him. He's such a great guy and I am so happy and lucky to have him in my life.
Steve isn't the only reason I'm excited, though. For a few years now, I've contemplated going back to school, either to get a graduate degree in Economics or to go to culinary school. Both interest me and both required moving, which I'm now doing. Both options are possible where I'm moving. I'm excited to do something with my life, to find my passion and to have a career that makes me feel fulfilled. And, I'll live closer to one of my best friends, my cousin Cassie, and my brother Jason and his wife and son. It will be nice to be able to see them more often. Finally, I'm excited to live in a bigger city again. I love my hometown, but there is a definite lack of diverse eating establishments. Mmmm. Places I'm looking forward to frequenting: Zupas, Bombay House, Cafe Med, Mimi's Cafe (divine mac & cheese, believe it or not), Roosters (in Ogden), and so many other places!! And, think of all the bookstores I can enjoy! *happy sigh* I'm looking forward to the adventure of exploring my new neighborhood and city and of meeting new people.
It's a little scary, picking up my life and starting over somewhere new, but I'm ready for it (emotionally, at least; technically, my house is still a disaster and as such I'm not at all ready). Adventure is staring me in the face and I'm going to win the staring contest or die trying!
I'll do my best to keep you updated on what's going on.
Happy Wednesday!
Showing posts with label men. Show all posts
Showing posts with label men. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Steve
I'm dating someone again.
In fact, I have a boyfriend. That's right. I said it. I.Have.A.Boyfriend.
His name is...can you guess??...Steve.
I met Steve on Match.com back in December, right after I started talking to Sam. It didn't work out at that time...I just wasn't feeling it. We somehow managed to reconnect since I broke up with Sam and I'm so glad that we did! We've been talking since mid April and have met up twice. We're hoping that starting in July we'll be able to see each other more frequently than once a month (our schedules have been crazy!).
Here's a little about him: he lives in Layton and is in the Air Force. He's 38 years old, 6'4", and has brown eyes and a bald head (he's balding so shaves it). He loves sports, especially baseball, and is a huge UCLA fan. I told him I'd be happy to cheer for UCLA unless they play Utah, then no way jose. He's a great guy; a perfect gentleman, kind of goofy, very nice, kind of shy, positive, dependable, strong...the list could go on and on.
It's still really early, but I have high hopes for this one.
I like Steve...a lot.
In fact, I have a boyfriend. That's right. I said it. I.Have.A.Boyfriend.
His name is...can you guess??...Steve.
I met Steve on Match.com back in December, right after I started talking to Sam. It didn't work out at that time...I just wasn't feeling it. We somehow managed to reconnect since I broke up with Sam and I'm so glad that we did! We've been talking since mid April and have met up twice. We're hoping that starting in July we'll be able to see each other more frequently than once a month (our schedules have been crazy!).
Here's a little about him: he lives in Layton and is in the Air Force. He's 38 years old, 6'4", and has brown eyes and a bald head (he's balding so shaves it). He loves sports, especially baseball, and is a huge UCLA fan. I told him I'd be happy to cheer for UCLA unless they play Utah, then no way jose. He's a great guy; a perfect gentleman, kind of goofy, very nice, kind of shy, positive, dependable, strong...the list could go on and on.
It's still really early, but I have high hopes for this one.
I like Steve...a lot.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Living with a Boy
I haven't posted in ages! Wow! I now realize how much I blogged at my last job.
Anyhoo, for those of you who don't know, I live with a boy. His name is Brian. We met at a friend's house, hit it off, ended up kissing at the end of the second night knowing each other, then he moved back to Illinois, then he moved back to Utah, then he was thrown out of the place he was staying with a friend, and, since he knew no one else in town, I offered to let him stay with me on a temporary basis.
That was the shortened version.
It's been almost 3 weeks since he moved in. During that time, my official roommate also moved in - she answered my craigslist ad and we'd arranged to be roommates weeks before this happened. She's really laid back and was okay with it when I told her about Brian moving in the week before she did. So far, we're a pretty happy family.
It's an interesting phenomenon living with a guy who isn't family. Oh, and before I go on, I should make it perfectly clear that whatever spark existed between us when we first met is no longer in play. We're just friends...nothing more! We haven't kissed since that night, not even held hands! So, don't worry!
It's kind of fun living with a guy. First, you can shock ultra conservative people. Second, he tells me I'm pretty a lot. And not in the "I'm trying to date you so I'm flattering you" way...just a matter of fact "you are a pretty person" way. It's very nice to hear, especially from a guy, even if you're not dating said guy. Third, guys think differently than girls. We end up having interesting discussions that are totally different than a conversation I'd have with a girl. And, he gives me insights into the male psyche, especially in regards to dating. Fourth, he keeps a sink full of dirty dishes...oh wait, that isn't a fun part. However, it's something I can live with. Heavens, I've mellowed out a lot!
I'm not saying I'd love living with any ol' guy, but I'm enjoying living with Brian. I hope his situation gets better so he doesn't have to stay with me, but only for his sake, not for mine. And, I hope that the next guy I live with is my husband and I have a ring on my finger. And, I hope it's relatively soon.
I'm just saying. :)
Anyhoo, for those of you who don't know, I live with a boy. His name is Brian. We met at a friend's house, hit it off, ended up kissing at the end of the second night knowing each other, then he moved back to Illinois, then he moved back to Utah, then he was thrown out of the place he was staying with a friend, and, since he knew no one else in town, I offered to let him stay with me on a temporary basis.
That was the shortened version.
It's been almost 3 weeks since he moved in. During that time, my official roommate also moved in - she answered my craigslist ad and we'd arranged to be roommates weeks before this happened. She's really laid back and was okay with it when I told her about Brian moving in the week before she did. So far, we're a pretty happy family.
It's an interesting phenomenon living with a guy who isn't family. Oh, and before I go on, I should make it perfectly clear that whatever spark existed between us when we first met is no longer in play. We're just friends...nothing more! We haven't kissed since that night, not even held hands! So, don't worry!
It's kind of fun living with a guy. First, you can shock ultra conservative people. Second, he tells me I'm pretty a lot. And not in the "I'm trying to date you so I'm flattering you" way...just a matter of fact "you are a pretty person" way. It's very nice to hear, especially from a guy, even if you're not dating said guy. Third, guys think differently than girls. We end up having interesting discussions that are totally different than a conversation I'd have with a girl. And, he gives me insights into the male psyche, especially in regards to dating. Fourth, he keeps a sink full of dirty dishes...oh wait, that isn't a fun part. However, it's something I can live with. Heavens, I've mellowed out a lot!
I'm not saying I'd love living with any ol' guy, but I'm enjoying living with Brian. I hope his situation gets better so he doesn't have to stay with me, but only for his sake, not for mine. And, I hope that the next guy I live with is my husband and I have a ring on my finger. And, I hope it's relatively soon.
I'm just saying. :)
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
At Least I Have Options...
I know, I know...I still haven't written about my trip to Paris, I'm sorry! I won't lie, I feel a little overwhelmed by it. I haven't touched my photos from the trip yet. Once I do something with them, I'll get a post up. Fortunately, I kept a journal while I was there, so I won't have to try to remember what happened.
In the meantime, let me get you up to speed with my dating life. And, for a moment, let us all rejoice that I actually have a dating life. Woohoo! Here are the men that are currently "in" my life, in order of interest more or less.
SAM
I met Sam online. He was the first guy to email me. We went on our first date mid-December, just over one week after he first emailed me. For awhile, I considered him my boyfriend. He, on the other hand, has considered me his girlfriend since our second date. Why is it that it takes me longer to get to that point than the guys I date? Doesn't matter. Sam is from Canada and has traveled all over the world. He worked for a few years as a security officer on cruise ships before taking his current job at an airline. His job gives him amazing travel benefits and he added me to them, so we'd be able to travel together cheaply. Things I like about Sam: he likes sports (and is introducing me to the joys of hockey), likes to kiss, has a great sense of humor, is quiet but not shy, is patient, and is strong. Not just physically, which he is, but he also seems like someone I could rely on, depend on, lean on when I need support.
That said, we've run into a bit of a hurdle recently, and I'm having a hard time getting over it. I'm not sure if I'll be able to, honestly, even though I really like him. I haven't broken up with him, but I'm taking a few steps back until I figure out some things. We're still going away for Valentines Day weekend - we're staying with my cousin in Vegas - and I have a feeling that the trip is going to make or break us. The funny thing is, I'm not even sure he realizes it. I mean, he knows that I was really unhappy last week, but he may not realize that I'm still unhappy. I don't know, maybe I don't give him enough credit.
DANNY
I met Danny online a few weeks ago. I "winked" at him (basically just letting him know that I had looked at his profile and was interested). He winked back, then nothing. For the record, winking is the only first move I'll make, and I haven't even done that very many times. A few days later, he emailed me, saying it was his first time emailing a girl he'd met online and to please excuse any "rookie mistakes" he made. So, we started emailing; our initial emails were pretty short and not very exciting - unlike my emails with Sam...we had such an instant connection that shone through even with our first emails to each other. However, they slowly have become more personal and interesting, and last night we met for the first time. He has two kids from a previous marriage and had had them for the past week. He stopped in town on the way home (Vegas) from Provo (where his ex and kids live). We chatted at a cafe for a couple hours and I really enjoyed it. He's attractive, motivated, LDS (Sam is Jewish), likes sports, smiles a lot, and seems like a great dad. He is an attorney in Vegas and is planning to someday pass the bar in Utah so he can move closer to his kids. I don't know where things are going to go from here. He lives far enough away that I'm not sure how often we'll get together...and I don't know how thrilled I am at the prospect of a long-distance relationship. However, for the meantime, I'm good with seeing what happens.
GRANT
Again, I met him online, shortly after I started emailing Sam. He lives in Manti and is also LDS. We've had some really good conversations through email, but it doesn't seem to be progressing beyond that. At one point, we exchanged phone numbers, but all he's done is text me, never called. We share a passion for writing, reading, and history. He's always very sweet and complimentary to me in his emails and asks me lots of questions about myself, my day, how I'm doing, etc. I appreciate the interest he shows...so many guys don't ask any questions about me and it kind of feels like they aren't interested in knowing me. Again, we'll see where this goes.
DARIN
Darin winked at then emailed me a few weeks ago. He lives in the same town as me, is divorced, has 3 kids, and is actually older than me. We talked a couple days after our first emails and he seemed...interesting...a little brash and loud. We set up a date, but things got really good with Sam - I started thinking of him as my boyfriend - and I felt weird about going out with another guy. So, I canceled the date with Darin. A couple days later, he texted me saying he was ready to go out as soon as I was. I told him I had just started getting serious with another guy so wouldn't be free to go out with him. He said he understood and asked that I let him know if things didn't work out with the other guy. I figured I wouldn't hear back from him ever again. Well, I was wrong. Every few days or so, he'd text me to say hi. At first, I wouldn't text back, I didn't want to lead him on, but he kept texting me. Then things went south with Sam, so this weekend, when Darin texted me, I responded back. We ended up placing a friendly wager on the Super Bowl outcome, and I lost. The bet was that the loser had to pay for a movie at the theatre, which means we'll be going out at some point. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I'm not mega interested in him...he's a little rude and sarcastic and rough around the edges. And, my dad knows him and doesn't think he's a good match for me. However, I'm willing to give him a chance, especially because he's obviously interested in me enough to keep trying even after I canceled our date and told him I was dating someone else. He didn't give up, and he obviously thinks about me during the day because I get random texts from him. I wish I could say the same for Sam. Sigh. :(
There are a few other guys not really worth mentioning in detail; one online (lives in WA), one in Cedar (has asked me out a couple times but 1)I'm not sure if it's just as friends or if he's interested and 2)I'm not sure I'd be interested if he is), and one that is probably never going to happen (a lady who works in a neighboring office wants to set me up with her nephew).
I talked to my dad this weekend about all that's going on. I was kind of stressing a bit, and he gave me some good advice. He told me to just enjoy the dating process...I haven't had a lot of dating experience, especially not with having several actual options at one time. He advised me to not settle on one for awhile, to test the waters, to enjoy the attention, and wait until I'm sure that I've found a guy that could make me happy. Excellent advice. I'm trying really hard to follow it. Because really, I've NEVER had this many options before in my life! They all may fall through, but in the meantime, I'm thrilled and am enjoying the ride as much as possible.
In the meantime, let me get you up to speed with my dating life. And, for a moment, let us all rejoice that I actually have a dating life. Woohoo! Here are the men that are currently "in" my life, in order of interest more or less.
SAM
I met Sam online. He was the first guy to email me. We went on our first date mid-December, just over one week after he first emailed me. For awhile, I considered him my boyfriend. He, on the other hand, has considered me his girlfriend since our second date. Why is it that it takes me longer to get to that point than the guys I date? Doesn't matter. Sam is from Canada and has traveled all over the world. He worked for a few years as a security officer on cruise ships before taking his current job at an airline. His job gives him amazing travel benefits and he added me to them, so we'd be able to travel together cheaply. Things I like about Sam: he likes sports (and is introducing me to the joys of hockey), likes to kiss, has a great sense of humor, is quiet but not shy, is patient, and is strong. Not just physically, which he is, but he also seems like someone I could rely on, depend on, lean on when I need support.
That said, we've run into a bit of a hurdle recently, and I'm having a hard time getting over it. I'm not sure if I'll be able to, honestly, even though I really like him. I haven't broken up with him, but I'm taking a few steps back until I figure out some things. We're still going away for Valentines Day weekend - we're staying with my cousin in Vegas - and I have a feeling that the trip is going to make or break us. The funny thing is, I'm not even sure he realizes it. I mean, he knows that I was really unhappy last week, but he may not realize that I'm still unhappy. I don't know, maybe I don't give him enough credit.
DANNY
I met Danny online a few weeks ago. I "winked" at him (basically just letting him know that I had looked at his profile and was interested). He winked back, then nothing. For the record, winking is the only first move I'll make, and I haven't even done that very many times. A few days later, he emailed me, saying it was his first time emailing a girl he'd met online and to please excuse any "rookie mistakes" he made. So, we started emailing; our initial emails were pretty short and not very exciting - unlike my emails with Sam...we had such an instant connection that shone through even with our first emails to each other. However, they slowly have become more personal and interesting, and last night we met for the first time. He has two kids from a previous marriage and had had them for the past week. He stopped in town on the way home (Vegas) from Provo (where his ex and kids live). We chatted at a cafe for a couple hours and I really enjoyed it. He's attractive, motivated, LDS (Sam is Jewish), likes sports, smiles a lot, and seems like a great dad. He is an attorney in Vegas and is planning to someday pass the bar in Utah so he can move closer to his kids. I don't know where things are going to go from here. He lives far enough away that I'm not sure how often we'll get together...and I don't know how thrilled I am at the prospect of a long-distance relationship. However, for the meantime, I'm good with seeing what happens.
GRANT
Again, I met him online, shortly after I started emailing Sam. He lives in Manti and is also LDS. We've had some really good conversations through email, but it doesn't seem to be progressing beyond that. At one point, we exchanged phone numbers, but all he's done is text me, never called. We share a passion for writing, reading, and history. He's always very sweet and complimentary to me in his emails and asks me lots of questions about myself, my day, how I'm doing, etc. I appreciate the interest he shows...so many guys don't ask any questions about me and it kind of feels like they aren't interested in knowing me. Again, we'll see where this goes.
DARIN
Darin winked at then emailed me a few weeks ago. He lives in the same town as me, is divorced, has 3 kids, and is actually older than me. We talked a couple days after our first emails and he seemed...interesting...a little brash and loud. We set up a date, but things got really good with Sam - I started thinking of him as my boyfriend - and I felt weird about going out with another guy. So, I canceled the date with Darin. A couple days later, he texted me saying he was ready to go out as soon as I was. I told him I had just started getting serious with another guy so wouldn't be free to go out with him. He said he understood and asked that I let him know if things didn't work out with the other guy. I figured I wouldn't hear back from him ever again. Well, I was wrong. Every few days or so, he'd text me to say hi. At first, I wouldn't text back, I didn't want to lead him on, but he kept texting me. Then things went south with Sam, so this weekend, when Darin texted me, I responded back. We ended up placing a friendly wager on the Super Bowl outcome, and I lost. The bet was that the loser had to pay for a movie at the theatre, which means we'll be going out at some point. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I'm not mega interested in him...he's a little rude and sarcastic and rough around the edges. And, my dad knows him and doesn't think he's a good match for me. However, I'm willing to give him a chance, especially because he's obviously interested in me enough to keep trying even after I canceled our date and told him I was dating someone else. He didn't give up, and he obviously thinks about me during the day because I get random texts from him. I wish I could say the same for Sam. Sigh. :(
There are a few other guys not really worth mentioning in detail; one online (lives in WA), one in Cedar (has asked me out a couple times but 1)I'm not sure if it's just as friends or if he's interested and 2)I'm not sure I'd be interested if he is), and one that is probably never going to happen (a lady who works in a neighboring office wants to set me up with her nephew).
I talked to my dad this weekend about all that's going on. I was kind of stressing a bit, and he gave me some good advice. He told me to just enjoy the dating process...I haven't had a lot of dating experience, especially not with having several actual options at one time. He advised me to not settle on one for awhile, to test the waters, to enjoy the attention, and wait until I'm sure that I've found a guy that could make me happy. Excellent advice. I'm trying really hard to follow it. Because really, I've NEVER had this many options before in my life! They all may fall through, but in the meantime, I'm thrilled and am enjoying the ride as much as possible.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Check Another Off the List!
My life seems to be turning upside down lately. So many changes!
Go here to check out what I asked Santa to bring me for Christmas.
Three days after I wrote that post, I signed up for Match.com. The next day, I "met" Sam. Now Sam and I are dating. I'm thisclose to calling him my boyfriend. Darn trust issues. If not for them and the fact that he's acting a little "different" (according to my darn trust issues), I'd probably find it easier to call him my boyfriend. Close enough. Check off "A Boyfriend". Thank you, Santa.
Christmas night, I flew to Paris. I had a wonderful trip. It was everything I could have ever hoped for in the fulfillment of this lifetime dream. I swear I'll write a post someday telling you more about the trip and will post some pictures. So, trip to France...done. Check that off the list. Merci beaucoup, Pere Noel!
Yesterday, I was offered a job at the local university in the HR department. I accepted it and will start February 1st. It pays less than what I make right now, but the benefits are absolutely awesome. I'll have health benefits for the first time since I was booted off my mom's insurance. I'll also have retirement, life insurance, and free tuition for classes. I'm going to apply for the MBA program and start taking a class at a time starting this summer or fall. And, now that I have my foot in the door, so to speak, it will be easier to get a position that pays more. So, check yet another item off my wish list! Santa, really, you've outdone yourself. Thank you a million times over!
I'm not holding my breath for the maid; however, because of my decreased income, I'm going to start looking for a roommate. Maybe she'll be a clean freak (in a non-obsessive way) and will be almost like a maid...that pays me rent. :) And, I didn't get Mario Kart for Christmas but I got something that is even more beneficial...Wii Fit! I've used it several times so far and really enjoy it. It's not mega difficult but I can still get a good workout.
Seriously, I've been blessed.
Hope you guys are all being equally blessed!
Go here to check out what I asked Santa to bring me for Christmas.
Three days after I wrote that post, I signed up for Match.com. The next day, I "met" Sam. Now Sam and I are dating. I'm thisclose to calling him my boyfriend. Darn trust issues. If not for them and the fact that he's acting a little "different" (according to my darn trust issues), I'd probably find it easier to call him my boyfriend. Close enough. Check off "A Boyfriend". Thank you, Santa.
Christmas night, I flew to Paris. I had a wonderful trip. It was everything I could have ever hoped for in the fulfillment of this lifetime dream. I swear I'll write a post someday telling you more about the trip and will post some pictures. So, trip to France...done. Check that off the list. Merci beaucoup, Pere Noel!
Yesterday, I was offered a job at the local university in the HR department. I accepted it and will start February 1st. It pays less than what I make right now, but the benefits are absolutely awesome. I'll have health benefits for the first time since I was booted off my mom's insurance. I'll also have retirement, life insurance, and free tuition for classes. I'm going to apply for the MBA program and start taking a class at a time starting this summer or fall. And, now that I have my foot in the door, so to speak, it will be easier to get a position that pays more. So, check yet another item off my wish list! Santa, really, you've outdone yourself. Thank you a million times over!
I'm not holding my breath for the maid; however, because of my decreased income, I'm going to start looking for a roommate. Maybe she'll be a clean freak (in a non-obsessive way) and will be almost like a maid...that pays me rent. :) And, I didn't get Mario Kart for Christmas but I got something that is even more beneficial...Wii Fit! I've used it several times so far and really enjoy it. It's not mega difficult but I can still get a good workout.
Seriously, I've been blessed.
Hope you guys are all being equally blessed!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Bestest Weekend Ever???
If not the bestest ever, this weekend definitely makes the list of really great ones. Here's a quick run-down of why I had such a great weekend.
* Thursday night: Sam told me I'm beautiful. He had seen a picture of me so thought he was prepared for what I looked like, but when I opened the door Wednesday night (our 1st date), he said he couldn't believe how beautiful I am. *blush* Woohoo!
*Friday: it's Friday (which is almost always a good thing) and only one week before I fly to Paris!
* Friday morning: received an email from a guy telling me I'm beautiful. Can't ever get enough of that!
* Friday morning: received a phone call setting up an interview for a new job! I know it doesn't mean I'll get it, but I'm just glad to have a chance to meet the interviewers face-to-face.
* Friday afternoon: a female patient that tends to irritate me asked if I had changed my hair color and style. I said yes, she asked if I'd lost a lot of weight. I said that I had and she said she hadn't been sure if I was the same person, I look so different. She said that she always thought I was a pretty gal but now..."You're absolutely beautiful!" Again, who could tire of that??
* Friday evening: cousin Alyson comes for a visit! We eat at Ninja then play games at my Mom's.
* Friday night: Mom offers to teach the Primary lesson...even though it's my turn!
* Saturday morning: sleep in, ride exercise bike, check email and have one from the guy who called me beautiful the day before and two from new guys - one of them saying my picture is "very cute".
* Saturday afternoon: head south with Alyson, eat at Cracker Barrel, shop, and talk/laugh a lot.
* Saturday evening: 2nd date with Sam. He treats me so well - very respectful, considerate, and attentive. The way my dad taught me to expect to be treated. Oh, and he kissed me. Kissed me very well. *big smile*
* Sunday morning: slept in a bit but still made it to church on time!
* Sunday afternoon: the neighbor guys finally took me out shooting after church! And you know what? I wasn't too bad. Hit my target (Pepsi bottles) the first 4 shots I took with the 22 rifle. And, I took second place (there were 5 of us) in the shooting competition! (Jon won.) I also shot a 45 pistol - talk about power! It was an adrenalin rush and a lot of fun! Here are some pictures.
Me shooting the 22 rifle.
Me shooting the 45 pistol. That's Jon behind me.
* Sunday afternoon: annual candy making with my sister-in-law. This year we kept it to a couple batches each of divinity and peanut brittle, and one batch each of peanut butter cups and fudge. Easiest and quickest session we've ever had!
It was busy - filled to overflowing, in fact - but it was a great weekend! Now, if I can make it through the next few days (which are continuing the filled-to-overflowing-with-good-things theme), it'll be Christmas, then I'll be in Paris before you can say "Enfin!" Woohoo!
* Thursday night: Sam told me I'm beautiful. He had seen a picture of me so thought he was prepared for what I looked like, but when I opened the door Wednesday night (our 1st date), he said he couldn't believe how beautiful I am. *blush* Woohoo!
*Friday: it's Friday (which is almost always a good thing) and only one week before I fly to Paris!
* Friday morning: received an email from a guy telling me I'm beautiful. Can't ever get enough of that!
* Friday morning: received a phone call setting up an interview for a new job! I know it doesn't mean I'll get it, but I'm just glad to have a chance to meet the interviewers face-to-face.
* Friday afternoon: a female patient that tends to irritate me asked if I had changed my hair color and style. I said yes, she asked if I'd lost a lot of weight. I said that I had and she said she hadn't been sure if I was the same person, I look so different. She said that she always thought I was a pretty gal but now..."You're absolutely beautiful!" Again, who could tire of that??
* Friday evening: cousin Alyson comes for a visit! We eat at Ninja then play games at my Mom's.
* Friday night: Mom offers to teach the Primary lesson...even though it's my turn!
* Saturday morning: sleep in, ride exercise bike, check email and have one from the guy who called me beautiful the day before and two from new guys - one of them saying my picture is "very cute".
* Saturday afternoon: head south with Alyson, eat at Cracker Barrel, shop, and talk/laugh a lot.
* Saturday evening: 2nd date with Sam. He treats me so well - very respectful, considerate, and attentive. The way my dad taught me to expect to be treated. Oh, and he kissed me. Kissed me very well. *big smile*
* Sunday morning: slept in a bit but still made it to church on time!
* Sunday afternoon: the neighbor guys finally took me out shooting after church! And you know what? I wasn't too bad. Hit my target (Pepsi bottles) the first 4 shots I took with the 22 rifle. And, I took second place (there were 5 of us) in the shooting competition! (Jon won.) I also shot a 45 pistol - talk about power! It was an adrenalin rush and a lot of fun! Here are some pictures.
Me shooting the 22 rifle.
Me shooting the 45 pistol. That's Jon behind me.* Sunday afternoon: annual candy making with my sister-in-law. This year we kept it to a couple batches each of divinity and peanut brittle, and one batch each of peanut butter cups and fudge. Easiest and quickest session we've ever had!
It was busy - filled to overflowing, in fact - but it was a great weekend! Now, if I can make it through the next few days (which are continuing the filled-to-overflowing-with-good-things theme), it'll be Christmas, then I'll be in Paris before you can say "Enfin!" Woohoo!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
A Confession and Sam
A week ago I signed up for Match.com.
Whew. That was like ripping off a band-aid...painful at first but easier as time goes on.
I won't go into the reasons I decided to abandon my previously firm stance of not joining an online dating site. Or why I chose match.com versus any other site, including ones that purportedly cater to my religion. Suffice it to say, it was a spontaneous decision that has led to some surprising results.
For example, Sam! He wasn't the first guy to notice me, but he was the first to email me instead of "winking" at me. I like a guy with initiative, so I was impressed that he had skipped the "I think you're interesting but I'm too shy/nervous/timid to do anything but wink" phase and jumped right into "I'm interested enough take a risk, put myself out there, and email you". I emailed back and for a week we had a nice email conversation.
I felt a connection pretty early on. He seemed intelligent, witty, and kind - traits I look for in a guy. He asked me good questions about myself, which is an easy way to endear yourself to me, or almost anyone for that matter. On Sunday, he suggested exchanging phone numbers and gave me his. I hesitated to give him mine. Not that I wanted to keep things strictly email, in fact, I was happy he wanted to move away from the computer. I worried because I tend to sound like an idiot on the phone. My normal quirky, talkative, charming flirtations sound stupid when not face to face. However, I got over it and gave him my phone number. He called me Monday right after 5pm, but I couldn't talk right then, so I called him later that night. We chatted for a couple hours and set a date for the next night; i.e. last night.
He lives 45 minutes south of me and offered to drive to my town for our first date. I appreciated that. In fact, I appreciated all the little things that he did throughout the date that were chivalrous and gentlemanly. We ate dinner at one of my favorite restaurants and had a lively conversation about all sorts of things. He's really easy to talk to and has interesting stories to tell - he's had some pretty cool life experiences. Afterward, we drove to the bowling alley but were turned off by the 45-minute wait to get a lane. Instead, we went back to my house and played Wii bowling and tennis. I killed him at both. Bwa ha ha! Eventually we partnered up at tennis and killed the computer's team multiple times. Bwa ha ha! We started getting pretty silly and almost lost a match, so we decided to stop and just talk before he headed home.
When it came time for him to go, there was that awkward "what's going to happen at the door" moment. He leaned in, I went for the hug, he went for the kiss. D'oh! He stuck around, though, so I knew he was going to give it another try - I'm really impressed that he didn't give up. At one point while we were chatting, he put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close, keeping me there for a bit while we talked. I had to look up (because of how I was leaning against him...he's actually barely shorter than me) at him while we talked and noticed him glance at my lips several times. I mentally prepared myself for a kiss, but he moved too slow. When he moved in for the kill...I mean, kiss...he did it so casually that I wasn't sure he was really going to kiss me, and I went for the hug again. Double d'oh!
Hello. My name is Julie. I'm 32 and a total dunce when it comes to kissing. I've been promised opportunities to practice...*blush*. Ahem.
He left this time, though at one point, as he stood in the doorway, he made a move that looked like he might make a 3rd attempt, but then he stopped himself. I felt stupid, so I emailed him as soon as he had left, knowing he wouldn't get it right away. I apologized for being so nervous at the end of the date and assured him that I wasn't opposed to him kissing me, if he wanted to. He emailed back awhile later and said that he did want to and that I shouldn't worry about what had happened - he hadn't wanted to rush me and would totally wait until I was ready if it made me feel better. I replied that it wouldn't. I told him that it has been awhile since I've been kissed really well, so I'm just a tad nervous that I won't know what I'm doing. Waiting would only make me more nervous. This is when he wrote back and promised to give me lots of practice if I wanted. *cheesy grin*
Hello. My name is Julie and I'm a bit of a hussy.
Before the whole scene at the door, Sam asked me if I wanted to go on another date with him. I said I did and we set a 2nd date for this coming Tuesday. Even though he offered to come up again, I said I'd go down for this date. I'd like to see his place, and he offered to cook for me. :)
So, even though I'm still cautious about this whole online dating thing, I'm glad I did it. I can't imagine how I would have ever met Sam otherwise. I'm not saying he is The Guy...it's way too early and there's a lot more to find out about him, but he has potential, especially for friendship if nothing else works out. And, there are a couple other guys, one especially, that have potential. Both live within a couple hours of me and one has already given me his email address and phone number and hinted at getting together. This is a lot more fun that I thought it would be.
*cheesy grin*
Whew. That was like ripping off a band-aid...painful at first but easier as time goes on.
I won't go into the reasons I decided to abandon my previously firm stance of not joining an online dating site. Or why I chose match.com versus any other site, including ones that purportedly cater to my religion. Suffice it to say, it was a spontaneous decision that has led to some surprising results.
For example, Sam! He wasn't the first guy to notice me, but he was the first to email me instead of "winking" at me. I like a guy with initiative, so I was impressed that he had skipped the "I think you're interesting but I'm too shy/nervous/timid to do anything but wink" phase and jumped right into "I'm interested enough take a risk, put myself out there, and email you". I emailed back and for a week we had a nice email conversation.
I felt a connection pretty early on. He seemed intelligent, witty, and kind - traits I look for in a guy. He asked me good questions about myself, which is an easy way to endear yourself to me, or almost anyone for that matter. On Sunday, he suggested exchanging phone numbers and gave me his. I hesitated to give him mine. Not that I wanted to keep things strictly email, in fact, I was happy he wanted to move away from the computer. I worried because I tend to sound like an idiot on the phone. My normal quirky, talkative, charming flirtations sound stupid when not face to face. However, I got over it and gave him my phone number. He called me Monday right after 5pm, but I couldn't talk right then, so I called him later that night. We chatted for a couple hours and set a date for the next night; i.e. last night.
He lives 45 minutes south of me and offered to drive to my town for our first date. I appreciated that. In fact, I appreciated all the little things that he did throughout the date that were chivalrous and gentlemanly. We ate dinner at one of my favorite restaurants and had a lively conversation about all sorts of things. He's really easy to talk to and has interesting stories to tell - he's had some pretty cool life experiences. Afterward, we drove to the bowling alley but were turned off by the 45-minute wait to get a lane. Instead, we went back to my house and played Wii bowling and tennis. I killed him at both. Bwa ha ha! Eventually we partnered up at tennis and killed the computer's team multiple times. Bwa ha ha! We started getting pretty silly and almost lost a match, so we decided to stop and just talk before he headed home.
When it came time for him to go, there was that awkward "what's going to happen at the door" moment. He leaned in, I went for the hug, he went for the kiss. D'oh! He stuck around, though, so I knew he was going to give it another try - I'm really impressed that he didn't give up. At one point while we were chatting, he put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close, keeping me there for a bit while we talked. I had to look up (because of how I was leaning against him...he's actually barely shorter than me) at him while we talked and noticed him glance at my lips several times. I mentally prepared myself for a kiss, but he moved too slow. When he moved in for the kill...I mean, kiss...he did it so casually that I wasn't sure he was really going to kiss me, and I went for the hug again. Double d'oh!
Hello. My name is Julie. I'm 32 and a total dunce when it comes to kissing. I've been promised opportunities to practice...*blush*. Ahem.
He left this time, though at one point, as he stood in the doorway, he made a move that looked like he might make a 3rd attempt, but then he stopped himself. I felt stupid, so I emailed him as soon as he had left, knowing he wouldn't get it right away. I apologized for being so nervous at the end of the date and assured him that I wasn't opposed to him kissing me, if he wanted to. He emailed back awhile later and said that he did want to and that I shouldn't worry about what had happened - he hadn't wanted to rush me and would totally wait until I was ready if it made me feel better. I replied that it wouldn't. I told him that it has been awhile since I've been kissed really well, so I'm just a tad nervous that I won't know what I'm doing. Waiting would only make me more nervous. This is when he wrote back and promised to give me lots of practice if I wanted. *cheesy grin*
Hello. My name is Julie and I'm a bit of a hussy.
Before the whole scene at the door, Sam asked me if I wanted to go on another date with him. I said I did and we set a 2nd date for this coming Tuesday. Even though he offered to come up again, I said I'd go down for this date. I'd like to see his place, and he offered to cook for me. :)
So, even though I'm still cautious about this whole online dating thing, I'm glad I did it. I can't imagine how I would have ever met Sam otherwise. I'm not saying he is The Guy...it's way too early and there's a lot more to find out about him, but he has potential, especially for friendship if nothing else works out. And, there are a couple other guys, one especially, that have potential. Both live within a couple hours of me and one has already given me his email address and phone number and hinted at getting together. This is a lot more fun that I thought it would be.
*cheesy grin*
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Update
In case you're interested, last night was a lot of fun. I knew it would be; he and I have hung out together enough times that I wasn't worried about whether we'd have a good time.
We got to the game a couple minutes late. My fault, I had had a million things to do beforehand and fell behind due to a lengthy conversation with my boss. So, really, it was my boss's fault. *smile* The weather was perfect for watching softball, warm but with a cool breeze. Really, it couldn't have been better.
I warned him that I'm a vocal watcher and proved it when my friend Jeff got up to bat. He laughed when I told him I'm even worse when watching football on tv at home. He said something about him getting to see it firsthand when we watch football together, especially because he's planning on cheering for BYU just because he knows I'm a Utah fan. (Woohoo for future plans!)
The whole thing was really relaxed. We watched the game, cheered for Jeff's team, and chatted about softball, sports, and other things. Not too much though. I may be a talker, but I'm also a sports fan. I like to watch the game! It was a really good balance of both talking and just watching.
Jeff's team won quite easily, and afterward Jeff came over to talk to us. After awhile we were joined by a guy that all of us know and eventually Jeff and I were talking off to one side, quietly. Jeff told me that He is a keeper and that he (Jeff) thinks He likes me because of how He interacts with me. It was really good to see Jeff and talk with him. I really miss him, more than Liz, actually. And, it was helpful to get Jeff's insight into things.
After the game, we went to His place and talked for an hour about sports, religion, and dating before playing a few hands of Double Solitaire (I think is what he called it). I won each time, though just barely the last time. We laughed a lot. I like a guy who makes me laugh and who laughs a lot. It's very attractive. Just as we were finishing the last game, his roommate came home and the three of us played Sorry (we've played it every night for a few nights - I never win - I think that's why they like to play it since I tend to win a lot of other games *smile*). At 11pm, the time I had told them I had to go home because I worked early this morning (a testing job), a few of their friends came over. They all tried to get me to stay longer, but I resisted the temptation and went home.
As much as I'd LOVE for him to ask me out, I'm not holding my breath. I do think he likes me; we have a lot of fun together, he tells me things he says he doesn't tell other people, he compliments me in small ways, he picks up on things about me without me having to point them out, etc. However, he might not like me enough. It's perfectly reasonable to suppose that he likes me a lot as a friend and as nothing more. Or, he might like me more but not enough to be brave enough to ask me out. Or, he may not be in a dating frame of mind. Who knows! And really, it doesn't matter right now.
No matter how he feels, I enjoy spending time with him and really value his friendship. I'm just happy that I've discovered that I can invite him to do things, that he will probably say yes, and that we'll have a great time together and weirdness won't ensue. That was my biggest worry about asking him to the softball game; that he'd realize that I like him, freak out, and poof goes our friendship.
I think my mom's advice from yesterday is perfect and so I'm going to try my best to go with it: be patient. If it ends up happening, awesome. If it doesn't, at least I'll have a really great friend.
We got to the game a couple minutes late. My fault, I had had a million things to do beforehand and fell behind due to a lengthy conversation with my boss. So, really, it was my boss's fault. *smile* The weather was perfect for watching softball, warm but with a cool breeze. Really, it couldn't have been better.
I warned him that I'm a vocal watcher and proved it when my friend Jeff got up to bat. He laughed when I told him I'm even worse when watching football on tv at home. He said something about him getting to see it firsthand when we watch football together, especially because he's planning on cheering for BYU just because he knows I'm a Utah fan. (Woohoo for future plans!)
The whole thing was really relaxed. We watched the game, cheered for Jeff's team, and chatted about softball, sports, and other things. Not too much though. I may be a talker, but I'm also a sports fan. I like to watch the game! It was a really good balance of both talking and just watching.
Jeff's team won quite easily, and afterward Jeff came over to talk to us. After awhile we were joined by a guy that all of us know and eventually Jeff and I were talking off to one side, quietly. Jeff told me that He is a keeper and that he (Jeff) thinks He likes me because of how He interacts with me. It was really good to see Jeff and talk with him. I really miss him, more than Liz, actually. And, it was helpful to get Jeff's insight into things.
After the game, we went to His place and talked for an hour about sports, religion, and dating before playing a few hands of Double Solitaire (I think is what he called it). I won each time, though just barely the last time. We laughed a lot. I like a guy who makes me laugh and who laughs a lot. It's very attractive. Just as we were finishing the last game, his roommate came home and the three of us played Sorry (we've played it every night for a few nights - I never win - I think that's why they like to play it since I tend to win a lot of other games *smile*). At 11pm, the time I had told them I had to go home because I worked early this morning (a testing job), a few of their friends came over. They all tried to get me to stay longer, but I resisted the temptation and went home.
As much as I'd LOVE for him to ask me out, I'm not holding my breath. I do think he likes me; we have a lot of fun together, he tells me things he says he doesn't tell other people, he compliments me in small ways, he picks up on things about me without me having to point them out, etc. However, he might not like me enough. It's perfectly reasonable to suppose that he likes me a lot as a friend and as nothing more. Or, he might like me more but not enough to be brave enough to ask me out. Or, he may not be in a dating frame of mind. Who knows! And really, it doesn't matter right now.
No matter how he feels, I enjoy spending time with him and really value his friendship. I'm just happy that I've discovered that I can invite him to do things, that he will probably say yes, and that we'll have a great time together and weirdness won't ensue. That was my biggest worry about asking him to the softball game; that he'd realize that I like him, freak out, and poof goes our friendship.
I think my mom's advice from yesterday is perfect and so I'm going to try my best to go with it: be patient. If it ends up happening, awesome. If it doesn't, at least I'll have a really great friend.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Being Brave
Those of you who know me well know that I don't ask out boys. Not on first dates, that is. I'm very big on reciprocal dates - asking a guy out only after he has asked me out 2-3 times. I'm not against other girls asking boys out on first dates (I'm actually quite impressed by them), I just don't do it myself. There are reasons for this stance, but they are not the topic of this post.
Today, I got as close to asking a guy out on a first date as I could possibly get without actually asking him on a date.
I asked him if he wanted to go watch softball with me. He said yes.
Okay, tell me the truth, am I lame?
Never mind, don't answer that. I think I already know.
Here's the deal. I really like this guy. He does things that make me think he might like me (though they could be interpreted to mean he just enjoys my friendship). He's shy and really good-looking. And, I'm a coward.
I've heard that guys love when a girl they like asks them out but that they hate when a girl they don't like asks them out. Seriously, what's a girl to do? He's not asking me out. Is it because he doesn't like me or because he's shy and doesn't realize I like him. How to let him know I like him in case he likes me without making him worried I like him if he doesn't like me? See? This is why I don't ask guys out until they've asked me out a few times.
Not that this is a date. It's two people walking to the softball park and watching one of the people's old roommate's fiance play softball. No one is picking up the other. No one is paying for the other to do or eat anything.
Somehow, I'm not comforted. I feel like I've played my cards and am now just hoping for the best. This is how people get burned. It's also how people get big rewards. It's the law of Risk Management. The more you risk, the larger the potential reward or loss. I have a low Risk Tolerance - I usually only make sure bets. Maybe that's why I'm still in the game.
My brother often says "Go Big or Go Home" when we play games. I think it's his way of goading me into doing something foolish, but a lot of times I've ended up winning the game when I've adopted that attitude. I guess I've decided it's time for me to Go Big.
We'll see what happens.
Today, I got as close to asking a guy out on a first date as I could possibly get without actually asking him on a date.
I asked him if he wanted to go watch softball with me. He said yes.
Okay, tell me the truth, am I lame?
Never mind, don't answer that. I think I already know.
Here's the deal. I really like this guy. He does things that make me think he might like me (though they could be interpreted to mean he just enjoys my friendship). He's shy and really good-looking. And, I'm a coward.
I've heard that guys love when a girl they like asks them out but that they hate when a girl they don't like asks them out. Seriously, what's a girl to do? He's not asking me out. Is it because he doesn't like me or because he's shy and doesn't realize I like him. How to let him know I like him in case he likes me without making him worried I like him if he doesn't like me? See? This is why I don't ask guys out until they've asked me out a few times.
Not that this is a date. It's two people walking to the softball park and watching one of the people's old roommate's fiance play softball. No one is picking up the other. No one is paying for the other to do or eat anything.
Somehow, I'm not comforted. I feel like I've played my cards and am now just hoping for the best. This is how people get burned. It's also how people get big rewards. It's the law of Risk Management. The more you risk, the larger the potential reward or loss. I have a low Risk Tolerance - I usually only make sure bets. Maybe that's why I'm still in the game.
My brother often says "Go Big or Go Home" when we play games. I think it's his way of goading me into doing something foolish, but a lot of times I've ended up winning the game when I've adopted that attitude. I guess I've decided it's time for me to Go Big.
We'll see what happens.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
I love life's ebbs and flows. A few months ago, I felt like my life was a bit stale and that nothing really ever happened. Before I knew it, the tide turned and I'm being blessed with an abundance of activities, friends, and interesting experiences.
Take this past weekend for an example. I didn't have a moment's rest and I loved every minute of it.
Friday
...Got home from work without any plans for the evening
...Read outside on my porch for 10 minutes before neighbor came home
...Received text from neighbor asking if I wanted to hang out, I said yes
...Went to his condo and ended up helping him rearrange his living room furniture - I love rearranging furniture!
...Went with him to Big Lots and Walmart in search of a new TV stand for him
...Was invited to his friends' house, we accepted, and spent a couple hours chatting with them
...After answering questions about hearing, agreed to test their hearing - at midnight!
...Went back to neighbor's house, just the two of us, and talked til 3am
Saturday
...Woke up at 9am
...Rode my exercise bike for 25 minutes
...Showered, prepared for my "date" with my 6-yr old niece Brooke
...Picked up Brooke and went to Garden House for lunch
...Was at Garden House at the same time as a Shakespearean Festival party of sorts
...Introduced Brooke to both the founder of the Festival and my most favorite actor *swoon*
...After lunch, both of us had manicures - she received something special for being so well-behaved, the manicurist put flower stickers and cute designs all over her nails
...Brooke was in 7th heaven - finally being pampered like the princess she is!
...Bought peanut butter cookie ingredients
...On the drive home from the store, was rear-ended on Main St.
...No one hurt, other driver's fault, she's very cool and seems on the ball about getting her insurance to pay for the damage - let's hope it works out as well as it sounds
...At home, made peanut butter cookies, delivered some to neighbor couple who loaned us vanilla to make the cookies, the only item I didn't buy because I thought I had it at home but really didn't - however, I now have THREE boxes of baking powder and TWO of baking soda!
...Played PIUE for a bit before taking Brooke home
...Hurried home to prepare for party at my house - vacuumed, cleaned up cookie-making mess, made bed, ate dinner
...First party guests arrive shortly after 7, soon afterward everyone invited is there
...Play Hit or Miss - Cardine and I tied for 1st, woohoo!
...Each person used their scratch paper from the game to make an airplane
...Had an airplane flying contest from my porch - Warnser won - I'm pretty sure he cheated but I can't prove it
...Saw neighbor while outside, invited him and his friend to the party
...We played CLR, a very very easy dice game that is surprising really fun
...Went to neighbor's condo, took personality color quiz - I'm equal parts red, yellow, and blue
...Used answer sheets to make airplanes and had another airplane flying contest - Warnser won again, his plane flew into the yard three houses down
...Chatted a little
...Everyone left, neighbor and I talked until 3:45am
Sunday
...Woke up at 8:30am
...Prepared Primary lesson (first time I'd had the chance to even look at the lesson all week!)
...Ate brunch
...Went to church
...Slept and read for a couple hours
...Renewed my temple recommend (finally!)
...Visited Dad for a couple hours
...Visited Mom for a couple hours
...Arrived home just before 9pm
...At 9pm, received invite from neighbor to star gaze with him in his back yard, I accepted
...Stargazed for an hour or so, while eating home-cooked (but not homemade) bread with homemade strawberry jam
...Neighbor's roommate returned home and the three of us talked until 1am
Other than the part about being rear-ended on Saturday, the weekend was absolutely, amazingly fun. True, I didn't get a lot of sleep. True, I didn't win a single airplane flying contest. True, I ate too much junk Saturday night. True, I wouldn't change a thing...except maybe take a different route home from the grocery store. *smile*
Take this past weekend for an example. I didn't have a moment's rest and I loved every minute of it.
Friday
...Got home from work without any plans for the evening
...Read outside on my porch for 10 minutes before neighbor came home
...Received text from neighbor asking if I wanted to hang out, I said yes
...Went to his condo and ended up helping him rearrange his living room furniture - I love rearranging furniture!
...Went with him to Big Lots and Walmart in search of a new TV stand for him
...Was invited to his friends' house, we accepted, and spent a couple hours chatting with them
...After answering questions about hearing, agreed to test their hearing - at midnight!
...Went back to neighbor's house, just the two of us, and talked til 3am
Saturday
...Woke up at 9am
...Rode my exercise bike for 25 minutes
...Showered, prepared for my "date" with my 6-yr old niece Brooke
...Picked up Brooke and went to Garden House for lunch
...Was at Garden House at the same time as a Shakespearean Festival party of sorts
...Introduced Brooke to both the founder of the Festival and my most favorite actor *swoon*
...After lunch, both of us had manicures - she received something special for being so well-behaved, the manicurist put flower stickers and cute designs all over her nails
...Brooke was in 7th heaven - finally being pampered like the princess she is!
...Bought peanut butter cookie ingredients
...On the drive home from the store, was rear-ended on Main St.
...No one hurt, other driver's fault, she's very cool and seems on the ball about getting her insurance to pay for the damage - let's hope it works out as well as it sounds
...At home, made peanut butter cookies, delivered some to neighbor couple who loaned us vanilla to make the cookies, the only item I didn't buy because I thought I had it at home but really didn't - however, I now have THREE boxes of baking powder and TWO of baking soda!
...Played PIUE for a bit before taking Brooke home
...Hurried home to prepare for party at my house - vacuumed, cleaned up cookie-making mess, made bed, ate dinner
...First party guests arrive shortly after 7, soon afterward everyone invited is there
...Play Hit or Miss - Cardine and I tied for 1st, woohoo!
...Each person used their scratch paper from the game to make an airplane
...Had an airplane flying contest from my porch - Warnser won - I'm pretty sure he cheated but I can't prove it
...Saw neighbor while outside, invited him and his friend to the party
...We played CLR, a very very easy dice game that is surprising really fun
...Went to neighbor's condo, took personality color quiz - I'm equal parts red, yellow, and blue
...Used answer sheets to make airplanes and had another airplane flying contest - Warnser won again, his plane flew into the yard three houses down
...Chatted a little
...Everyone left, neighbor and I talked until 3:45am
Sunday
...Woke up at 8:30am
...Prepared Primary lesson (first time I'd had the chance to even look at the lesson all week!)
...Ate brunch
...Went to church
...Slept and read for a couple hours
...Renewed my temple recommend (finally!)
...Visited Dad for a couple hours
...Visited Mom for a couple hours
...Arrived home just before 9pm
...At 9pm, received invite from neighbor to star gaze with him in his back yard, I accepted
...Stargazed for an hour or so, while eating home-cooked (but not homemade) bread with homemade strawberry jam
...Neighbor's roommate returned home and the three of us talked until 1am
Other than the part about being rear-ended on Saturday, the weekend was absolutely, amazingly fun. True, I didn't get a lot of sleep. True, I didn't win a single airplane flying contest. True, I ate too much junk Saturday night. True, I wouldn't change a thing...except maybe take a different route home from the grocery store. *smile*
Monday, June 29, 2009
My Weekend
This last weekend, I traveled up north to visit Adam.
And we got engaged.
Just kidding!
We really just decided to start dating again.
Just kidding, again!
No really, several people really struggled to understand why I'd go visit him if we're really just friends - we must be getting back together for me to go just to see him. Well, we are really just friends. Can't a friend go visit another friend? (That's a rhetorical question, I know the answer. It's "yes".)
Anyhoo, I had a great time. Adam's sister, Diana, let me stay with her and her family. I love them! I'm glad Adam and I are still friends so I can see them every so often. (There are other reasons, too, Adam!) His sister is so warm and welcoming and I've liked her from the first moment I met her - 4 years ago. Her husband is a quiet guy, so I didn't really get to know him, but he was really helpful Saturday - I'll explain later. Their kids are adorable. So well-behaved, polite, fun. Their third child, Ashley, was baptized on Saturday, so Adam's parents were also staying with Diana and her family. It was certainly a full house, but a fun full house. Everyone was so nice to me. I never once felt uncomfortable. In fact, I felt a part of the family the whole time I was there. I really appreciated it.
So here's a quick run-down of the weekend's activities, then I'm going to share some interesting moments that happened.
Friday: arrived around 7pm; toured Diana's home and was introduced to Joe and the kids; Adam's parents took him and me out to dinner - cute restaurant, delicious omelet!; played games with Diana, Adam's parents, and Adam's nephew Daniel; Adam and I watched Amelie - it was fantastic!; talked with Adam 'til 3am; went to bed and slept like the dead.
Saturday: was woken up at 8:30 by Addie, Adam's 12-year old niece in whose room I was sleeping, because she had forgotten her dress - she was so cute and polite and we had a nice conversation; woke up because I couldn't get back to sleep and got ready for the baptism; baptism went from 11am to noon - it was pretty standard except for the bizarre opening prayer; ate lunch with Adam at Kneaders - very tasty; Toys R Us for a present for Ashley (neice who was just baptized); tour of Adam's apartment; back to Diana's to change clothes; art museum - found a few paintings I'd actually buy if a) they had been for sale and b) I had the money set aside for such purchases; drove around looking at interesting homes (I LOVE doing that) and the Krishna temple; browsed an antiques shop/bookstore; ate dinner at Diana's; ran to the mall for a thank-you present to give to Diana and family; played games 'til 2am with Diana and their parents (they actually only made it to midnight); went to bed and slept like the dead.
Sunday: tried to wake up early to go for a walk but my body refused; finally got up and got ready then went to breakfast with Adam (who paid, grrr, I mean - thank you!); went back to Diana's and looked at a few of his family pictures; ate lunch with my host family; toured the garden; played games until time to leave; loaded up my car (which took awhile, see #4 below); said my goodbyes; drove home; other stuff unrelated to my trip; went to bed around midnight and slept like the dead.
Now for the interesting moments: (in no particular order)
1. Adam's dad: "So, Julie, when are you coming to Kanab to visit us?" It surprised me, quite frankly, so I stumbled a little bit with my answer - They know that Adam and I aren't dating, so why would they want me to visit them? was all I could think. I take it as a compliment, though. They must like me. I like them, too, and if it wouldn't cause assumptions to be made, would be happy to visit them. It was just funny and a little awkward at the time because it took me by surprise.
2. Adam's mom: "Buy a diamond!" When Adam and I were leaving to go to the mall, his mom shouted this from the dining room. Neither Adam or I heard her say it, but Diana told us about it later. Again, I take it as a compliment. When a mom likes you enough that she wants her son to marry you, that's probably one of the highest compliments you can get. Still funny, though.
3. Diana: "You better watch out, Julie, I think Daniel likes you." Daniel, if you recall from above, is Adam's nephew. His 28-year old nephew, in case you were thinking of some cute liittle 7-year old. This really took me by surprise. I'd only been in the guy's company for a few hours and had had no clues that he had taken a fancy to me. Her evidence was compelling, and funny, so maybe he did develop a little crush. Again, I'm flattered if it's true but am not interested.
4. Me: "I'll take it!" At the antique store, I stumbled across an old (though not antique) secretary hutch. The tag's price was too good to be true, so I assumed it was just for the hutch and not the drawers upon which it sat. I asked Adam if he thought I'd be able to fit both pieces in my car, and he said he thought I'd be able to. I asked the owner about the price, just to be sure, and was told it was for both pieces. Without a moment's hesitation, I said I'd buy it. I bought it, Adam's brother-in-law came in their surburban to take it to their house, then we had lots of fun figuring out how it would fit in my car. It didn't. Not really. With Joe's help, though, on Sunday we rigged it so that I was able to make it home with both pieces intact. Thanks Joe! Now they rest at my mom's house awaiting my brothers return to town this weekend. Then they (my brothers) will pack them up to my 3rd floor condo. My brothers don't know this plan yet, so please don't tell them. Maybe they'd decide not to come down afterall. *smile*
5. Addie: "Can you stay another night?" Adam found out that he didn't have to work today (Monday), so Addie asked if I'd stay longer. I really liked Addie. I liked all the kids, but I liked her the most, so I was touched that she wanted me to stay longer, even though it would've meant giving up her bed another night. It's fun to be liked.
6. Daniel: "I should probably stay here tonight in case Julie and Adam want to go back to our apartment." He said this to Diana. Again, Adam and I didn't hear it, Diana told us later. Don't ask me why he thought I'd go back to their apartment that night (Daniel and Adam share an apartment, in case you're a little slow on the uptake) or what he thought we'd be doing there. It's funny because I'm beginning to think Adam hasn't done good things with my reputation amongst his family. Four years ago, a distant relative of his came up to me at one of Adam's niece's wedding (again, don't picture a 7-year old) and asked if I was still living with Adam. Now this! I either scream "hussy" or he's not painting a flattering picture of me. *smile*
It really was an enjoyable weekend. The best part was getting to hang out with Adam. We do better as friends than we ever did as more-than-friends. In fact, he's become one of my best friends. He knows me better than most, accepts me with all my flaws, and can read me almost as well as my own family. I really love him like a brother-friend.
Thanks, Adam, for inviting me for a visit and for making it such a fun trip!
And we got engaged.
Just kidding!
We really just decided to start dating again.
Just kidding, again!
No really, several people really struggled to understand why I'd go visit him if we're really just friends - we must be getting back together for me to go just to see him. Well, we are really just friends. Can't a friend go visit another friend? (That's a rhetorical question, I know the answer. It's "yes".)
Anyhoo, I had a great time. Adam's sister, Diana, let me stay with her and her family. I love them! I'm glad Adam and I are still friends so I can see them every so often. (There are other reasons, too, Adam!) His sister is so warm and welcoming and I've liked her from the first moment I met her - 4 years ago. Her husband is a quiet guy, so I didn't really get to know him, but he was really helpful Saturday - I'll explain later. Their kids are adorable. So well-behaved, polite, fun. Their third child, Ashley, was baptized on Saturday, so Adam's parents were also staying with Diana and her family. It was certainly a full house, but a fun full house. Everyone was so nice to me. I never once felt uncomfortable. In fact, I felt a part of the family the whole time I was there. I really appreciated it.
So here's a quick run-down of the weekend's activities, then I'm going to share some interesting moments that happened.
Friday: arrived around 7pm; toured Diana's home and was introduced to Joe and the kids; Adam's parents took him and me out to dinner - cute restaurant, delicious omelet!; played games with Diana, Adam's parents, and Adam's nephew Daniel; Adam and I watched Amelie - it was fantastic!; talked with Adam 'til 3am; went to bed and slept like the dead.
Saturday: was woken up at 8:30 by Addie, Adam's 12-year old niece in whose room I was sleeping, because she had forgotten her dress - she was so cute and polite and we had a nice conversation; woke up because I couldn't get back to sleep and got ready for the baptism; baptism went from 11am to noon - it was pretty standard except for the bizarre opening prayer; ate lunch with Adam at Kneaders - very tasty; Toys R Us for a present for Ashley (neice who was just baptized); tour of Adam's apartment; back to Diana's to change clothes; art museum - found a few paintings I'd actually buy if a) they had been for sale and b) I had the money set aside for such purchases; drove around looking at interesting homes (I LOVE doing that) and the Krishna temple; browsed an antiques shop/bookstore; ate dinner at Diana's; ran to the mall for a thank-you present to give to Diana and family; played games 'til 2am with Diana and their parents (they actually only made it to midnight); went to bed and slept like the dead.
Sunday: tried to wake up early to go for a walk but my body refused; finally got up and got ready then went to breakfast with Adam (who paid, grrr, I mean - thank you!); went back to Diana's and looked at a few of his family pictures; ate lunch with my host family; toured the garden; played games until time to leave; loaded up my car (which took awhile, see #4 below); said my goodbyes; drove home; other stuff unrelated to my trip; went to bed around midnight and slept like the dead.
Now for the interesting moments: (in no particular order)
1. Adam's dad: "So, Julie, when are you coming to Kanab to visit us?" It surprised me, quite frankly, so I stumbled a little bit with my answer - They know that Adam and I aren't dating, so why would they want me to visit them? was all I could think. I take it as a compliment, though. They must like me. I like them, too, and if it wouldn't cause assumptions to be made, would be happy to visit them. It was just funny and a little awkward at the time because it took me by surprise.
2. Adam's mom: "Buy a diamond!" When Adam and I were leaving to go to the mall, his mom shouted this from the dining room. Neither Adam or I heard her say it, but Diana told us about it later. Again, I take it as a compliment. When a mom likes you enough that she wants her son to marry you, that's probably one of the highest compliments you can get. Still funny, though.
3. Diana: "You better watch out, Julie, I think Daniel likes you." Daniel, if you recall from above, is Adam's nephew. His 28-year old nephew, in case you were thinking of some cute liittle 7-year old. This really took me by surprise. I'd only been in the guy's company for a few hours and had had no clues that he had taken a fancy to me. Her evidence was compelling, and funny, so maybe he did develop a little crush. Again, I'm flattered if it's true but am not interested.
4. Me: "I'll take it!" At the antique store, I stumbled across an old (though not antique) secretary hutch. The tag's price was too good to be true, so I assumed it was just for the hutch and not the drawers upon which it sat. I asked Adam if he thought I'd be able to fit both pieces in my car, and he said he thought I'd be able to. I asked the owner about the price, just to be sure, and was told it was for both pieces. Without a moment's hesitation, I said I'd buy it. I bought it, Adam's brother-in-law came in their surburban to take it to their house, then we had lots of fun figuring out how it would fit in my car. It didn't. Not really. With Joe's help, though, on Sunday we rigged it so that I was able to make it home with both pieces intact. Thanks Joe! Now they rest at my mom's house awaiting my brothers return to town this weekend. Then they (my brothers) will pack them up to my 3rd floor condo. My brothers don't know this plan yet, so please don't tell them. Maybe they'd decide not to come down afterall. *smile*
5. Addie: "Can you stay another night?" Adam found out that he didn't have to work today (Monday), so Addie asked if I'd stay longer. I really liked Addie. I liked all the kids, but I liked her the most, so I was touched that she wanted me to stay longer, even though it would've meant giving up her bed another night. It's fun to be liked.
6. Daniel: "I should probably stay here tonight in case Julie and Adam want to go back to our apartment." He said this to Diana. Again, Adam and I didn't hear it, Diana told us later. Don't ask me why he thought I'd go back to their apartment that night (Daniel and Adam share an apartment, in case you're a little slow on the uptake) or what he thought we'd be doing there. It's funny because I'm beginning to think Adam hasn't done good things with my reputation amongst his family. Four years ago, a distant relative of his came up to me at one of Adam's niece's wedding (again, don't picture a 7-year old) and asked if I was still living with Adam. Now this! I either scream "hussy" or he's not painting a flattering picture of me. *smile*
It really was an enjoyable weekend. The best part was getting to hang out with Adam. We do better as friends than we ever did as more-than-friends. In fact, he's become one of my best friends. He knows me better than most, accepts me with all my flaws, and can read me almost as well as my own family. I really love him like a brother-friend.
Thanks, Adam, for inviting me for a visit and for making it such a fun trip!
Friday, May 29, 2009
The Spider and the Fly
Close your eyes.
Picture a playground at an elementary school.
Now picture a huge, wide, gently-sloping, climbing net with the top end attached to the middle of the jungle gym and the other attached to poles and stopping just a few inches from the ground.
Got that?
Now imagine 20 or so giggly girls, about 8 or 9 years old, sitting as close to the top of the net as they can get and looking at the solitary boy, sitting at the bottom of the net, looking up at the girls.
I was one of those giggly girls, though not nearly as giggly or outgoing as I grew to be (I was actually a pretty quiet child, believe it or not). All these years later, I don't know how it started, but we ended up playing a version of the Spider and the Fly. The boy - I don't remember his name but can picture his face as if it had happened yesterday - was the Spider, the girls were the Flies. We'll call him John...because I like it as an alias.
The game boiled down to John choosing which girl he liked the most by eliminating the ones he didn't.
"The girl I like the most has blonde hair", he'd announce, and all the non-blondes had to leave the web. I was a natural blonde, fyi.
"The girl I like the most is not wearing a skirt", and those unfortunate girls with skirts left the web. I wore pants.
"The girl I like the most has freckles." Oh what a great time to have brown spots all over my face!
A few at a time, or sometimes one by one, John narrowed the field, finally leaving just two girls in his web. Unbelievably, I was one of them. Every time he made his declaration, I'd look at what I was wearing, check my hair for braids, color, bangs, etc, and generally make sure I could stay in the web.
I don't remember who was the other final Fly in the web with me, but I remember how we huddled close together at the top of the net...ahem...I mean, web... and nervously giggled while we waited for John's final pronouncement.
Maybe that's what the final two Miss America (or American Idol or ANTM) contestants feel like as they wait to hear who has won. Huh.
I knew I wouldn't be the Chosen One. I was taller than all the girls my age and most of the boys, an awkward situation. And yet, I didn't stick out but tended to settle nicely into the background. Sometimes I wondered if anyone would ever remember me because I was just average, nothing remarkable, not too quiet/smart/funny/troublesome/etc. I had friends but I wasn't one of the girls that boys noticed...I didn't realize at the time that most boys don't notice girls that way at that age.
John either took his time deciding which of us he liked most or he was nervous to finally make his choice irrevocably known to the rest of the grade (by this time, our game had garnered a lot of attention from non-playing girls and boys) but either way, it seemed like an eternity before he finally made his last pick.
"The girl I like the most is wearing a butterfly barrette."
Can you believe that to this day I remember that final sentence? Okay, I can't. All I remember is the shock and pleasure at realizing that I was the girl he liked most. He had chosen me! The loser...I mean, non-winner...whatever...left the web, and John climbed up to where I sat in amazement. We ended up spending the rest of recess sitting on the net together, holding hands, and talking.
Or something like that. I don't really remember what happened afterward. Quite honestly, the most powerful memory I have of this event is the feeling of being liked the most, of being picked from a bevy of cute, nice girls as the most cute and nice. I was the Fly the Spider wanted to catch!
More than 20 years later, this memory still makes me smile. It was the first time I realized that a boy could find me attractive. It boosted my confidence, helped me out of my shell a bit, and well, set the foundation for me becoming a bit of a flirt (reformed, currently).
Whenever I start to get bummed that there doesn't seem to be a Spider who likes me most, I try to remember that Spiders have different tastes and that somewhere out there is a Spider who likes curvy, blue-eyed, freckled, (currently) blonde Flies. 'Til our paths meet, I guess I'll just sit in this comfy web and enjoy the view.
Picture a playground at an elementary school.
Now picture a huge, wide, gently-sloping, climbing net with the top end attached to the middle of the jungle gym and the other attached to poles and stopping just a few inches from the ground.
Got that?
Now imagine 20 or so giggly girls, about 8 or 9 years old, sitting as close to the top of the net as they can get and looking at the solitary boy, sitting at the bottom of the net, looking up at the girls.
I was one of those giggly girls, though not nearly as giggly or outgoing as I grew to be (I was actually a pretty quiet child, believe it or not). All these years later, I don't know how it started, but we ended up playing a version of the Spider and the Fly. The boy - I don't remember his name but can picture his face as if it had happened yesterday - was the Spider, the girls were the Flies. We'll call him John...because I like it as an alias.
The game boiled down to John choosing which girl he liked the most by eliminating the ones he didn't.
"The girl I like the most has blonde hair", he'd announce, and all the non-blondes had to leave the web. I was a natural blonde, fyi.
"The girl I like the most is not wearing a skirt", and those unfortunate girls with skirts left the web. I wore pants.
"The girl I like the most has freckles." Oh what a great time to have brown spots all over my face!
A few at a time, or sometimes one by one, John narrowed the field, finally leaving just two girls in his web. Unbelievably, I was one of them. Every time he made his declaration, I'd look at what I was wearing, check my hair for braids, color, bangs, etc, and generally make sure I could stay in the web.
I don't remember who was the other final Fly in the web with me, but I remember how we huddled close together at the top of the net...ahem...I mean, web... and nervously giggled while we waited for John's final pronouncement.
Maybe that's what the final two Miss America (or American Idol or ANTM) contestants feel like as they wait to hear who has won. Huh.
I knew I wouldn't be the Chosen One. I was taller than all the girls my age and most of the boys, an awkward situation. And yet, I didn't stick out but tended to settle nicely into the background. Sometimes I wondered if anyone would ever remember me because I was just average, nothing remarkable, not too quiet/smart/funny/troublesome/etc. I had friends but I wasn't one of the girls that boys noticed...I didn't realize at the time that most boys don't notice girls that way at that age.
John either took his time deciding which of us he liked most or he was nervous to finally make his choice irrevocably known to the rest of the grade (by this time, our game had garnered a lot of attention from non-playing girls and boys) but either way, it seemed like an eternity before he finally made his last pick.
"The girl I like the most is wearing a butterfly barrette."
Can you believe that to this day I remember that final sentence? Okay, I can't. All I remember is the shock and pleasure at realizing that I was the girl he liked most. He had chosen me! The loser...I mean, non-winner...whatever...left the web, and John climbed up to where I sat in amazement. We ended up spending the rest of recess sitting on the net together, holding hands, and talking.
Or something like that. I don't really remember what happened afterward. Quite honestly, the most powerful memory I have of this event is the feeling of being liked the most, of being picked from a bevy of cute, nice girls as the most cute and nice. I was the Fly the Spider wanted to catch!
More than 20 years later, this memory still makes me smile. It was the first time I realized that a boy could find me attractive. It boosted my confidence, helped me out of my shell a bit, and well, set the foundation for me becoming a bit of a flirt (reformed, currently).
Whenever I start to get bummed that there doesn't seem to be a Spider who likes me most, I try to remember that Spiders have different tastes and that somewhere out there is a Spider who likes curvy, blue-eyed, freckled, (currently) blonde Flies. 'Til our paths meet, I guess I'll just sit in this comfy web and enjoy the view.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Better Hearing Month
I'm so glad it's Wednesday afternoon - late afternoon - almost time to go home!
May is National Better Hearing Month, and to celebrate, my work had an Open House yesterday and today. We offered free hearing screenings, food, prizes, and a chance to see the inside of your ears. Aren't you sad that you missed it???
The whole thing was my idea, and for the past few weeks I've been busy getting everything organized. I really wanted to give the Open House a shot at success, so I contacted my friend at the radio station and set up a remote broadcast at our office for yesterday afternoon from 11am to 2pm. My boss wasn't thrilled; partly because he hates spending money on marketing and partly because he didn't want to talk on the radio. We got a really good deal on the broadcast, though, and I told him he'd only have to talk once since we had only three times to talk (once an hour) and we'd take turns. We've never advertised on the radio before, so it was definitely a gamble, a risk that I prayed would pay off.
The first time to talk on the radio came and both my boss and coworker were busy, so John*, the DJ, had me go out to the van to talk about what was going on, what we were doing, etc. Frankly, I was nervous. I'd never talked on the radio before and am pretty good at making myself sound foolish - not a good combination! John and I chatted while the last song played and I grilled him about what was going to happen; would he be asking me questions, how long should I make my answers, how would I know when to shut up, etc. He laughed and said I'd do fine.
Did I mention that John was H-O-T? Oh baby.
The song ended and John introduced where he was and asked me my name. I replied, tempted for half a milli-second to lie, I don't know why. See what I mean about my propensity for being silly? He asked me questions about the Open House and our office, and I answered fairly intelligently. I made him laugh a couple times - I couldn't control myself! - but overall I felt really good about how well I did. I was pleased that I'd gotten my turn over with and could relax the rest of the time.
My boss talked next and hated it. He sounded a little funny, frankly. You could tell he was nervous. Poor guy. Teehee.
The third time, my coworker was talking to her son and daughter-in-law, so John pulled me out to talk again. I was sad that my coworker wouldn't get the chance, but she grinned an evil grin that said, Haha, I don't have to do it! I worried about repeating myself, but John said it is good to say things over and over again. This time, I was a little sillier AND I talked a tad too much so we had to hurry to end in time AND we still got cut off at the very end. I apologized but John said it happens a lot. He told me I have a great radio voice and that if I ever want to quit my job I could do well in the radio business. I thanked him, and then floated back to the office - compliments do that to me. Especially from hot guys.
Turns out, we got more than three opportunities to talk on the radio. The fourth time, my coworker ended up getting to do it. She was fabulous! She is the queen of one-liners and sounded like a natural. The last hour, I got to talk two more times, making my grand total a whopping 4 times! I enjoyed it a lot, even though I think I sounded like a doofus, albeit a friendly, cheerful doofus! I'm thrilled that we got to broadcast 6 times instead of just 3 - more bang for our buck. Woohoo!
I felt a little like a celebrity; a small-time celebrity with less than 1 minute of "fame", but a celebrity nonetheless. *smile* Friends and family called and texted to tell me they'd heard me on the radio. When I introduced myself to people coming in for the Open House, they'd smile and say they'd heard me talk on the radio. We had a great turn-out and most of the people said they came because they heard about it on the radio. My boss finally admitted at the end of the day that using the radio had been a good idea afterall. Vindicated.
Okay, let's talk about John. He's married but has only been so for a few months. He dated his now-wife for a few months before that, so before that he was single! A single, attractive, age-appropriate guy had been living in my area for years and I never met him! Tragic, absolutely tragic. How many others like him (except still single) are out there that I'm not meeting? John and I discussed the fact that I'm still single and that he remained single for so long. He said we could have dated and had a lot of fun, though, he said, he's probably "too wild" for me since I'm Mormon. We could have dated!!! Not that we necessarily would have ended up together, but it would have been nice to see, and it was sweet of him to imply that he could have been interested in dating me. And really, the frustration I feel isn't because I "lost my chance with him", because frankly there never was a chance; the true frustration is due to not knowing any guys in my area I could be interested in but suspecting that some might exist and I just don't know it. Does that make sense? Sigh. I asked John where all the single guys over 30 hang out - because it would be helpful to find out - he laughed and said he has no idea. You're a ton of help, I joked. A little insider information could have been very useful.
So, I ask myself, at one point do I stop relying on "timing" and "Fate/Divine Intervention" and start actively trying to meet guys who I'd be interesting in dating? And, how does one go about actively meeting local guys; they don't come into my office (my ex doesn't count), I don't meet them at church, and I don't go to school or to bars. What's a girl to do?
Anyhoo, this post has taken an interesting turn, so I'm going to return to the topic on hand. The Open House was more successful than any of our previous Better Hearing Month ideas and I'm proud of how well we pulled it off. It's such a relief that it's almost over - one more hour - and that there was a steady stream of people when the radio station was here. Seriously, that was my biggest worry - that John would show up and think we were big losers because no one came to our Open House.
It was so successful that we're planning on doing it again next year. A few things we learned this time:
1. I bought too much food. I didn't want to run out, but I could have fed a third-world country with all the stuff I bought.
2. One day is better than two. Not that people haven't shown up today, but not enough to make it necessary to have the open house two days.
3. The radio brought in people. Woohoo!
I wonder if I'll be around next year. I guess we'll see! :)
* Name has been changed because I didn't ask him if I could blog about him. :)
May is National Better Hearing Month, and to celebrate, my work had an Open House yesterday and today. We offered free hearing screenings, food, prizes, and a chance to see the inside of your ears. Aren't you sad that you missed it???
The whole thing was my idea, and for the past few weeks I've been busy getting everything organized. I really wanted to give the Open House a shot at success, so I contacted my friend at the radio station and set up a remote broadcast at our office for yesterday afternoon from 11am to 2pm. My boss wasn't thrilled; partly because he hates spending money on marketing and partly because he didn't want to talk on the radio. We got a really good deal on the broadcast, though, and I told him he'd only have to talk once since we had only three times to talk (once an hour) and we'd take turns. We've never advertised on the radio before, so it was definitely a gamble, a risk that I prayed would pay off.
The first time to talk on the radio came and both my boss and coworker were busy, so John*, the DJ, had me go out to the van to talk about what was going on, what we were doing, etc. Frankly, I was nervous. I'd never talked on the radio before and am pretty good at making myself sound foolish - not a good combination! John and I chatted while the last song played and I grilled him about what was going to happen; would he be asking me questions, how long should I make my answers, how would I know when to shut up, etc. He laughed and said I'd do fine.
Did I mention that John was H-O-T? Oh baby.
The song ended and John introduced where he was and asked me my name. I replied, tempted for half a milli-second to lie, I don't know why. See what I mean about my propensity for being silly? He asked me questions about the Open House and our office, and I answered fairly intelligently. I made him laugh a couple times - I couldn't control myself! - but overall I felt really good about how well I did. I was pleased that I'd gotten my turn over with and could relax the rest of the time.
My boss talked next and hated it. He sounded a little funny, frankly. You could tell he was nervous. Poor guy. Teehee.
The third time, my coworker was talking to her son and daughter-in-law, so John pulled me out to talk again. I was sad that my coworker wouldn't get the chance, but she grinned an evil grin that said, Haha, I don't have to do it! I worried about repeating myself, but John said it is good to say things over and over again. This time, I was a little sillier AND I talked a tad too much so we had to hurry to end in time AND we still got cut off at the very end. I apologized but John said it happens a lot. He told me I have a great radio voice and that if I ever want to quit my job I could do well in the radio business. I thanked him, and then floated back to the office - compliments do that to me. Especially from hot guys.
Turns out, we got more than three opportunities to talk on the radio. The fourth time, my coworker ended up getting to do it. She was fabulous! She is the queen of one-liners and sounded like a natural. The last hour, I got to talk two more times, making my grand total a whopping 4 times! I enjoyed it a lot, even though I think I sounded like a doofus, albeit a friendly, cheerful doofus! I'm thrilled that we got to broadcast 6 times instead of just 3 - more bang for our buck. Woohoo!
I felt a little like a celebrity; a small-time celebrity with less than 1 minute of "fame", but a celebrity nonetheless. *smile* Friends and family called and texted to tell me they'd heard me on the radio. When I introduced myself to people coming in for the Open House, they'd smile and say they'd heard me talk on the radio. We had a great turn-out and most of the people said they came because they heard about it on the radio. My boss finally admitted at the end of the day that using the radio had been a good idea afterall. Vindicated.
Okay, let's talk about John. He's married but has only been so for a few months. He dated his now-wife for a few months before that, so before that he was single! A single, attractive, age-appropriate guy had been living in my area for years and I never met him! Tragic, absolutely tragic. How many others like him (except still single) are out there that I'm not meeting? John and I discussed the fact that I'm still single and that he remained single for so long. He said we could have dated and had a lot of fun, though, he said, he's probably "too wild" for me since I'm Mormon. We could have dated!!! Not that we necessarily would have ended up together, but it would have been nice to see, and it was sweet of him to imply that he could have been interested in dating me. And really, the frustration I feel isn't because I "lost my chance with him", because frankly there never was a chance; the true frustration is due to not knowing any guys in my area I could be interested in but suspecting that some might exist and I just don't know it. Does that make sense? Sigh. I asked John where all the single guys over 30 hang out - because it would be helpful to find out - he laughed and said he has no idea. You're a ton of help, I joked. A little insider information could have been very useful.
So, I ask myself, at one point do I stop relying on "timing" and "Fate/Divine Intervention" and start actively trying to meet guys who I'd be interesting in dating? And, how does one go about actively meeting local guys; they don't come into my office (my ex doesn't count), I don't meet them at church, and I don't go to school or to bars. What's a girl to do?
Anyhoo, this post has taken an interesting turn, so I'm going to return to the topic on hand. The Open House was more successful than any of our previous Better Hearing Month ideas and I'm proud of how well we pulled it off. It's such a relief that it's almost over - one more hour - and that there was a steady stream of people when the radio station was here. Seriously, that was my biggest worry - that John would show up and think we were big losers because no one came to our Open House.
It was so successful that we're planning on doing it again next year. A few things we learned this time:
1. I bought too much food. I didn't want to run out, but I could have fed a third-world country with all the stuff I bought.
2. One day is better than two. Not that people haven't shown up today, but not enough to make it necessary to have the open house two days.
3. The radio brought in people. Woohoo!
I wonder if I'll be around next year. I guess we'll see! :)
* Name has been changed because I didn't ask him if I could blog about him. :)
Monday, April 13, 2009
Me, Lately
A Possibility
Last week, our accountant's wife, Holly, asked me if I would be interested in taking on a part-time job. One of their neighbors needs someone to do some simple bookkeeping and asked if she could recommend anyone. Holly thought of me. I was flattered. She said all they need is someone to send out bills once a month and do payroll for 8 employees twice a month. Easy! They'd provide me with a computer and everything I'd need so I could do it out of my house. If this works out, there's no way I'm getting another roommate once Liz moves out! What I'll make from this job would be quite a bit more than what I get in rent. I'd be able to save for my France trip in no time and then start working on some of my other financial goals. Holly said she'll let these people know that I'm be willing to do it. That's where it stands currently, so I don't know yet if it's going to happen. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, though!
A Change
I highlighted my hair Friday afternoon. It was my reward for losing 75 lbs. Woohoo! When I chose this as a reward, I started thinking about how long it's been since I've gone lighter and realized it's been awhile! Funny, because I used to change my hair color every few months - to fit the season. Anyway, here's me before I had my hair done:
My smile is weird. Oh well.
I had planned on taking a picture with all the tin foil in my hair, but I forgot. Here's the after:
Why is it that I always look high when I take pictures of myself? It's the eyes. They look stoned or something. I wasn't, by the way, it just looks like I was. Anyway, it's fun to have a change, though I'm still getting used to it. I mean, I totally love my new look, but I still think of myself as having darker hair. I forget that my hair is different, so when I see myself in the mirror, I get a little surprise. I like surprises!
A Resurrection
In the above photo (the after shot), please note the dress I'm wearing (what little you can see). My mom bought me that dress as a birthday present in May 2000 - right after I came home from Montreal. Right now, I'm about 20 lbs heavier than when she bought it for me but about 25 lbs lighter than when I last wore it - on my cruise in August 2003. It was tight then; I couldn't even wear the matching jacket, I wore a white sweater instead. When I got home from the cruise, I banished the dress to the farthest part of my closet and vowed not to wear it until I had lost some weight. A couple years later, I removed it from my closet and almost donated it to the thrift store because I still couldn't wear it. It was in almost perfect condition, though, so I stuffed it in a box and have held on to it for that reason ever since. I recently found it while doing some Spring cleaning, and yesterday I decided to try it on since I didn't have anything I wanted to wear for Easter. It fit perfectly! I almost cried.
A Compliment
Will I ever get tired of guys being amazed that I drive Bertha and the Beast? This morning, I picked the trailer up from the repair shop (the leaky ceiling has been fixed!), and the guys that work at the shop gathered around to show me all they'd done. When it was time for me to head out, they all said how impressed they are that I can handle such a big truck and trailer. One guy even did the "We're not worthy" bow a few times. It was pretty funny. A little while later, while at a truck stop to gas up, a trucker man asked, "Baby, you drive that big 'ol monsta?" When I said yes, he patted me on the shoulder and said it's a beautiful thing to see a woman driving a big truck.
I know that I should be a little insulted on behalf of my sex because men are SO astonished that a woman can do this, but really, I'm tickled. Probably because I'm still pretty surprised that I can do it and that I love doing it. It's a little strange to think that last April I practiced driving (usually backing up) every morning, Monday through Saturday, all month long. It took me forever to understand how to drive that truck and trailer - it certainly didn't come naturally! So, I'll happily accept the compliments that guys give me for being able to do it.
Last week, our accountant's wife, Holly, asked me if I would be interested in taking on a part-time job. One of their neighbors needs someone to do some simple bookkeeping and asked if she could recommend anyone. Holly thought of me. I was flattered. She said all they need is someone to send out bills once a month and do payroll for 8 employees twice a month. Easy! They'd provide me with a computer and everything I'd need so I could do it out of my house. If this works out, there's no way I'm getting another roommate once Liz moves out! What I'll make from this job would be quite a bit more than what I get in rent. I'd be able to save for my France trip in no time and then start working on some of my other financial goals. Holly said she'll let these people know that I'm be willing to do it. That's where it stands currently, so I don't know yet if it's going to happen. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, though!
A Change
I highlighted my hair Friday afternoon. It was my reward for losing 75 lbs. Woohoo! When I chose this as a reward, I started thinking about how long it's been since I've gone lighter and realized it's been awhile! Funny, because I used to change my hair color every few months - to fit the season. Anyway, here's me before I had my hair done:
My smile is weird. Oh well.
I had planned on taking a picture with all the tin foil in my hair, but I forgot. Here's the after:
Why is it that I always look high when I take pictures of myself? It's the eyes. They look stoned or something. I wasn't, by the way, it just looks like I was. Anyway, it's fun to have a change, though I'm still getting used to it. I mean, I totally love my new look, but I still think of myself as having darker hair. I forget that my hair is different, so when I see myself in the mirror, I get a little surprise. I like surprises!
A Resurrection
In the above photo (the after shot), please note the dress I'm wearing (what little you can see). My mom bought me that dress as a birthday present in May 2000 - right after I came home from Montreal. Right now, I'm about 20 lbs heavier than when she bought it for me but about 25 lbs lighter than when I last wore it - on my cruise in August 2003. It was tight then; I couldn't even wear the matching jacket, I wore a white sweater instead. When I got home from the cruise, I banished the dress to the farthest part of my closet and vowed not to wear it until I had lost some weight. A couple years later, I removed it from my closet and almost donated it to the thrift store because I still couldn't wear it. It was in almost perfect condition, though, so I stuffed it in a box and have held on to it for that reason ever since. I recently found it while doing some Spring cleaning, and yesterday I decided to try it on since I didn't have anything I wanted to wear for Easter. It fit perfectly! I almost cried.
A Compliment
Will I ever get tired of guys being amazed that I drive Bertha and the Beast? This morning, I picked the trailer up from the repair shop (the leaky ceiling has been fixed!), and the guys that work at the shop gathered around to show me all they'd done. When it was time for me to head out, they all said how impressed they are that I can handle such a big truck and trailer. One guy even did the "We're not worthy" bow a few times. It was pretty funny. A little while later, while at a truck stop to gas up, a trucker man asked, "Baby, you drive that big 'ol monsta?" When I said yes, he patted me on the shoulder and said it's a beautiful thing to see a woman driving a big truck.
I know that I should be a little insulted on behalf of my sex because men are SO astonished that a woman can do this, but really, I'm tickled. Probably because I'm still pretty surprised that I can do it and that I love doing it. It's a little strange to think that last April I practiced driving (usually backing up) every morning, Monday through Saturday, all month long. It took me forever to understand how to drive that truck and trailer - it certainly didn't come naturally! So, I'll happily accept the compliments that guys give me for being able to do it.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Past Dates II
Homecoming Dance 1994
I had had an on-again-off-again crush on Keith since the summer after my sophomore year when we had held hands on his cousin’s porch one evening, so I was ecstatic when we finally started dating…and kissing…a few weeks before the Homecoming Dance. When he asked me to the dance, I was thrilled – it was my first dance date with a bona fide boyfriend. We were going with a few of his (our) friends and their dates (including Missy!). Have I mentioned how excited I was? Well, I was.
I had had an on-again-off-again crush on Keith since the summer after my sophomore year when we had held hands on his cousin’s porch one evening, so I was ecstatic when we finally started dating…and kissing…a few weeks before the Homecoming Dance. When he asked me to the dance, I was thrilled – it was my first dance date with a bona fide boyfriend. We were going with a few of his (our) friends and their dates (including Missy!). Have I mentioned how excited I was? Well, I was.
The morning of the date, I met Melissa (who sadly was going to the dance in another group) at McDonald’s for hot chocolate. Melissa, do you remember why we did this? I don’t any more; in fact, I just now remembered that we did! Anyhoo, I then returned home to prepare for the activity portion of the date: bowling.
Keith picked me up in his old green car, and one of the other couples, Ben (not Missy’s current husband) and Stacy, were with him. He gave me an arrangement of six red roses that were gorgeous and wonderfully fragrant. I love getting flowers. At some point we must have met up with the other two couples, Bryan and Missy and Matt and Brooke (wow, it took me a bit to remember who the last couple was – it was so long ago!), because I remember following Bryan’s car out to the bowling alley. At least…we followed them for a little while. A few miles from the bowling alley, Keith’s car ran out of gas and died! He pulled over and was not a happy camper. He hit the dashboard in frustration, breaking it. That made it worse. It probably didn’t help that I wasn’t being very successful at holding back my giggles. Ben and Stacy hopped out of the car and went somewhere – to this day I don’t know where they went – so we were alone. I had to work hard, but eventually I lightened Keith’s mood. We decided to hitchhike to the nearest gas station, so we got out of the car and crossed the road so we’d be on the same side as the cars traveling the way we wanted to go. It started to snow. Neither of us wore coats. I giggled. He didn’t.
Rather quickly, a small, white truck pulled over and we explained our dilemma to the driver. He offered us a ride and we hopped in, first arranging the numerous grocery bags filled with heaven-only-knows-what so we could fit. At the gas station, Keith bought a red, plastic gas can-thingy and started putting gas in it. I insisted on staying with him despite the cold and snow and his bad mood, so I witnessed him overfilling the can and gas spraying all over him. I was far enough away to avoid getting splashed, but it totally got him. You can probably guess that his mood didn’t improve and that I found it all absolutely hilarious. Poor Keith, he wasn’t having much luck. He put up with me surprisingly well, though, which, looking back, I can now really appreciate.
Oh, when we first arrived at the gas station, we had called the bowling alley (remember, this is before cell phones) and had told our friends what had happened, and Bryan left to come get us. He showed up shortly after the can was (over)filled and took us to Keith’s car. We arrived at the bowling alley just in time to leave. At some point, Ben and Stacy found us, either at the car or the bowling alley, I don’t remember now. We headed to the college’s science building, where Bryan’s dad worked, and watched a movie in his dad’s room on a big screen. It was a good show, nice and romantic, and I cuddled up to Keith despite the reek of gas coming from his clothes. He slowly started to be happier and by the end of the movie, he was fine. We must have eaten at some point, but I don’t remember when or what. I’m sure it was yummy and fun. How’s that?
Keith took me home to get ready for the dance. Two of my friends who weren’t going to the dance were there to do my hair for me. They did a really good job – it looked really nice, if I do say so myself. It was kind of a French twist, but with a tweak, and they incorporated some baby’s breath from the roses Keith had given me. When I walked down the stairs, Keith was there, looking stunning in his tux. I’ll always cherish the look on his face when he saw me. I have never ever felt so beautiful, and it was because I could tell he thought I was.
The rest of the night was absolutely perfect. He treated me like a princess, while we danced he whispered sweet things; telling me how much he loved me, how beautiful I was, how lucky he felt to be there with me. A lot of the time, we didn’t talk; we just gazed into each others' eyes, smiling. Us being us, we also kidded around a lot, laughing a lot. An acquaintance later told me that she had watched us dancing and had gotten a kick out of how much fun we were having and how totally into each other we were. I remember wishing that the night would never end. Being with him, dancing with him, being held by him was heaven and I didn’t want to ever leave.
It did end, of course. At this point the plan was to go home, but no one wanted the date to be over, so we ended up going to Keith’s house to watch a movie. He and I cuddled the whole time. I love cuddling during movies. He finally took me home and we talked and kissed on my porch ‘til we finally managed to say good night and he left.
Keith certainly had his faults as a boyfriend, and I certainly had mine as his girlfriend, but I will always love him for many reasons; one being this date. So many things went wrong at the beginning (which, like I’ve mentioned, I found funny), and even though it frustrated him and he got upset, I knew then and I know now that he got upset because he wanted so much to impress me, to show me a good time. Plus, no one has ever made me feel so special or so loved as he did that night.
Wherever you are, Keith, thank you for such a great memory.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Year in Review - 2008
As 2008 comes to an end, it's fun and fitting to look back at all the things that have happened this year. It's been an interesting year - sometimes I can't believe I experienced all I have. Here we go:
Places Visited: (new places in italics) - I travelled a lot this past year!!!
Portland, OR
Salt Lake City, UT - a dozen or more times
Beaver, UT
Montrose, CO
Grand Junction, CO (I'd passed through it, but never stayed)
American Fork, UT
Tooele, UT
Price, UT
Cheyenne, WY
Page, AZ
Bullfrog, UT - the drive from Page to Bullfrog qualifies as the most interesting drive all year.
Guernsey, WY - favorite place I went to for work
Delta, UT
Richfield, UT
Torrington, WY
Scottsbluff, NE - I jaunted over to Nebraska while staying in Torrington.
Vernal, UT - a couple times
Logan, UT
Charlotte, NC - just the airport, but I'm counting it because I'd never been to NC before!
Boston, MA - I'd been to the outskirts, but not downtown
St. John, New Brunswick
St. Martin, NB
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Sydney, NS
Bar Harbor, ME
Ogden, UT
Layton, UT - a few times,;once for work, the others for fun
Denver, CO
Guys Dated: 1 - a decrease from the 3 from last year, but I'm okay with it. I was too busy to date this year.
Number of Boyfriends: 1 - not too bad. Better than most years!
Guys Kissed: 2 - the same as last year. I'm not sure how proud I am of the second guy, but it sure made life interesting! I still can't believe I let him kiss me again in Denver!
Homes Bought: 1! I love my home. And, slowly I'm adding to it, making it even better.
Biggest Accomplishment: getting my CDL.
Not My Proudest Moment: letting Shawn kiss me, multiple times, even though I had a boyfriend. I still shake me head when I think of it.
Surgeries: 1 - go here to get updates
Weight Lost: 30 lbs
Languages "Learned": 1 - sign language. I'd like to improve both my other languages this coming year.
Accidents: 1 - that darn lamp post!
Roommates: 2 - kind of.
Favorite New Book Read: The Red House Mystery by AA Milne - short but so enjoyable
Runners Up: MacBeth by William Shakespear (made more enjoyable by reading it aloud with friends), The Hannah Swensen Mysteries by Joanne Fluke (I've read 3 of the 11 in the series), An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde, Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaimon (second time reading and woefully left off of last year's list). In 2009 I'm going to start recording the books I read so I'll have a better idea of what I read this time next year. :)
Fun Activities/Events: Cruise, Shakespear Festival, potluck dinner with friends, cousins weekends (especially the last one - was so glad Kristi came this time!), weekly movie night alone, driving Bertha and the Beast, numerous dinners with my wonderful friends, Pampered Chef parties, Thanksgiving in Vernal, playing Wii with my family, reading Shakespear out loud, and tons of other things I can't think of right now. It was a fun year.
Happiest Moment: Unlike last year, I don't have one clear winner, so here's a few:
Waking up in my new home, seeing Dad sealed to Paula (it was bittersweet), learning to back up the truck and trailer, moving back home after spending a week at Mom's, being told by a good friend that he thinks I'm beautiful, cooking in my kitchen
Toughest Moment: Again, no clear winner, but here's a couple that were hard:
Telling Anthony about Shawn, breaking up with Anthony, spending my birthday alone in a hotel room shortly after breaking up with Anthony, admitting to running into the lamp post, deciding to get a roommate (turned out awesome, though!), 10 days of nothing but SlimFast, water, apple juice, and popsicles.
Biggest Reliefs: 1) Breaking up with Anthony. I was so worried he was going to propose before I got the courage to end it! 2) Passing my CDL driving exam. 3) Eating solid food again after more than 2 weeks.
Regrets: I can't think of any. I know I haven't always made the best decisions this year, but each time I made a "mistake", it turned out okay and/or I learned from it. (I wrote this at the end of last year's post, but it fits with this year so well, I decided to keep it.)
Hopes for the new year: Stay tuned...my next post will be about my new years resolutions and plans.
Places Visited: (new places in italics) - I travelled a lot this past year!!!
Portland, OR
Salt Lake City, UT - a dozen or more times
Beaver, UT
Montrose, CO
Grand Junction, CO (I'd passed through it, but never stayed)
American Fork, UT
Tooele, UT
Price, UT
Cheyenne, WY
Page, AZ
Bullfrog, UT - the drive from Page to Bullfrog qualifies as the most interesting drive all year.
Guernsey, WY - favorite place I went to for work
Delta, UT
Richfield, UT
Torrington, WY
Scottsbluff, NE - I jaunted over to Nebraska while staying in Torrington.
Vernal, UT - a couple times
Logan, UT
Charlotte, NC - just the airport, but I'm counting it because I'd never been to NC before!
Boston, MA - I'd been to the outskirts, but not downtown
St. John, New Brunswick
St. Martin, NB
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Sydney, NS
Bar Harbor, ME
Ogden, UT
Layton, UT - a few times,;once for work, the others for fun
Denver, CO
Guys Dated: 1 - a decrease from the 3 from last year, but I'm okay with it. I was too busy to date this year.
Number of Boyfriends: 1 - not too bad. Better than most years!
Guys Kissed: 2 - the same as last year. I'm not sure how proud I am of the second guy, but it sure made life interesting! I still can't believe I let him kiss me again in Denver!
Homes Bought: 1! I love my home. And, slowly I'm adding to it, making it even better.
Biggest Accomplishment: getting my CDL.
Not My Proudest Moment: letting Shawn kiss me, multiple times, even though I had a boyfriend. I still shake me head when I think of it.
Surgeries: 1 - go here to get updates
Weight Lost: 30 lbs
Languages "Learned": 1 - sign language. I'd like to improve both my other languages this coming year.
Accidents: 1 - that darn lamp post!
Roommates: 2 - kind of.
Favorite New Book Read: The Red House Mystery by AA Milne - short but so enjoyable
Runners Up: MacBeth by William Shakespear (made more enjoyable by reading it aloud with friends), The Hannah Swensen Mysteries by Joanne Fluke (I've read 3 of the 11 in the series), An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde, Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaimon (second time reading and woefully left off of last year's list). In 2009 I'm going to start recording the books I read so I'll have a better idea of what I read this time next year. :)
Fun Activities/Events: Cruise, Shakespear Festival, potluck dinner with friends, cousins weekends (especially the last one - was so glad Kristi came this time!), weekly movie night alone, driving Bertha and the Beast, numerous dinners with my wonderful friends, Pampered Chef parties, Thanksgiving in Vernal, playing Wii with my family, reading Shakespear out loud, and tons of other things I can't think of right now. It was a fun year.
Happiest Moment: Unlike last year, I don't have one clear winner, so here's a few:
Waking up in my new home, seeing Dad sealed to Paula (it was bittersweet), learning to back up the truck and trailer, moving back home after spending a week at Mom's, being told by a good friend that he thinks I'm beautiful, cooking in my kitchen
Toughest Moment: Again, no clear winner, but here's a couple that were hard:
Telling Anthony about Shawn, breaking up with Anthony, spending my birthday alone in a hotel room shortly after breaking up with Anthony, admitting to running into the lamp post, deciding to get a roommate (turned out awesome, though!), 10 days of nothing but SlimFast, water, apple juice, and popsicles.
Biggest Reliefs: 1) Breaking up with Anthony. I was so worried he was going to propose before I got the courage to end it! 2) Passing my CDL driving exam. 3) Eating solid food again after more than 2 weeks.
Regrets: I can't think of any. I know I haven't always made the best decisions this year, but each time I made a "mistake", it turned out okay and/or I learned from it. (I wrote this at the end of last year's post, but it fits with this year so well, I decided to keep it.)
Hopes for the new year: Stay tuned...my next post will be about my new years resolutions and plans.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Continued Colorado Craziness
I can't decide if I need to stop traveling to Colorado or if I should go there every month! I've been in that state three times in two years and each time interesting things have happened. The first time, an ex-boyfriend and I decided to try rekindling romance. You can read about the last time I was there here. I just returned from another trip to Colorado and, boy, was it interesting!
I left Wednesday night directly after work and drove a few hours, staying the night in Green River, UT. No biggie. Standard drive. Standard hotel. Standard.
Thursday, I hit bad weather and roads just east of Glenwood Springs. I panicked a bit when I kept seeing signs warning that commercial vehicles had to have chains or else were breaking the law. I didn't have chains (dang it, I should have listened to my boss!). At one point, police cars were directing vehicles; they'd either wave them on or signal for them to pull over to put on chains. The policeman waved me on, so I figured that I was okay without the chains. Thank heavens for 4-wheel drive and a duely! I don't usually mind driving in bad weather, but this was so stressful! I worried about the trailer and how it would react if I had to stop quickly or started to slide, so I drove pretty slowly. If I never have to go through that Vail pass in the winter again, it'll be too soon. No doubt, it was beautiful - what scenery I saw since my eyes were pretty much glued to the road and my side windows - but I would've gladly given up the beauty if it meant not having the stress and mental fatigue as well.
When I finally got down from the pass and into Denver, it started snowing harder and I hit major traffic. It took me almost 90 minutes to get from the west end of Denver to my destination, Aurora, on the other side. When I got to the base, I was so tired of driving and manuevering around cars, but I still had to go through an inspection of my vehicles and set up the trailer. Fortunately, someone was there to help me because there was a wall of dirty ice completely surrounding both the trailer legs, which need to be lowered before unhitching the trailer from the truck. It took us about 20 minutes to get enough ice off to be able to lower the legs. On top of it all, I worried about the snow piling up on the roof of the trailer because we recently discovered that we have a leaky roof. All night I worried that water would leak in, destroy more ceiling tiles, and possibly leak on to the space heaters causing a fire that would burn down the entire trailer. Yes, I was awesomely tired.
Friday, I was pleased to discover the trailer intact. The snow had stopped after I had checked into the hotel so very little had accumulated on the trailer's roof. I hurried to set up everything so I could start at 8am then waited and waited. No one came. After 45 minutes, I called Sgt. M, who had met me at the base the night before, and asked what was happening. He didn't know why no one had come. Almost an hour later, I still hadn't seen anyone. As some of you know, I'm not the most patient of people, especially when being kept waiting. Especially when I wake up a whole heckuva lot earlier than I like to make sure I'm on time. Finally, the guys started coming. I was on fire. I was testing faster than I've ever tested. Cpt. H, who checked on me from time to time, was extremely impressed. He said I was a lot faster than the guy they've had since the last time I worked with them.
Saturday, I slept in a little because I didn't have to set up the trailer. Just as I finished calibrating the audiometers, Shawn walked in. I had kind of hoped that he wasn't there since I hadn't seen him Friday. Nope. He had thought it was that other guy, so he hadn't bothered to come out to the trailer. (Everyone I had met in April came out to chat with me at some point or other once they discovered I was there, and they all were so glad I was there instead of the other guy. It made me feel good.) He had overheard some soldiers talking about the lady doing the hearing tests and he wondered if it could be me. When he saw the license plates, he said he got excited to see me again. He gave me a huge hug like we were best friends that hadn't seen each other in years. I wondered if he was going to kiss me, but the door opened and a couple soldiers walked in. I got them into the booths and started their tests. Shawn and I conversed for a little bit while I monitored the tests. He said he needed to get back inside but that he'd come back to see me later. He leaned down and hugged me again - his face nuzzled in the crook of my neck, kind of tickling me. It actually felt really nice.
I was on fire again and in 3 hours I tested 65 people - lots more than I was "supposed to". The head honchos of the medical corps called Logistics to see if they'd authorize me to keep testing (it wasn't quite noon, so I could've tested a lot more people and they really wanted the help), but Logistics didn't want to pay me more, so I was told to close up shop. All the time I was testing, Shawn would come to chat but nothing else could happen because I always had people in the trailer waiting for their turn. Fred stopped by - remember him? He came during one of Shawn's visits and didn't stay long. I barely got to talk to him, which really disappointed me. I'd like to get to know him better. I trust him more than I do Shawn. Fred asked if I was working on Sunday and I said no. He frowned and said he wouldn't be able to get away again that day but had hoped to come chat with me more Sunday. Sigh.
It was shortly after this that they had me stop. I gathered up all the paperwork, prepped the trailer for travel, then went inside to finish up the paperwork. I asked a soldier to help me locate one of the people who could help me, he brought me Shawn. For the next hour, Shawn and I took care of the paperwork, sometimes having to go all over the armory to find this officer or that officer. We finally got into an officer's office in order to fax something that needed to be faxed. While it was being faxed, Shawn closed and locked the door from which we'd entered, saying that we'd leave through the opposite door. When I was ready, I headed to the door. He chuckled and said that we were locked in. I knew he was joking so I laughed and said jokingly, "Oh no! What are we going to do now?" Just as I asked, I tried the door and it really was locked. I turned around and he stepped towards me saying, "I can think of something." Then he kissed me.
When I accepted this contract, I figured I'd see Shawn. I thought about what I'd do if he tried to kiss me and had decided that I wouldn't let him. The more I thought of it, I became convinced that he wouldn't even try. Afterall, he obviously wasn't interested in me because it's been ages since we've been in contact (though I did kind of discourage further contact, subtly, awhile ago). I should have been more on guard, but I just couldn't believe that he would actually kiss me again. And, when I'm completely honest with myself, I would have been disappointed if he hadn't. What can I say? He's a great kisser.
This time was just as good as before. It wasn't a makeout-type kiss. Just a mildly long, lingering kiss. Heaven help me, that man has soft lips!! It took a lot of effort to pull away because every part of me wanted to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him long and hard. I guess I'm easy, just not that easy. He chuckled and pulled me back in for a hug, whispering, "You are so sexy when you blush." I pulled away, laughingly thanking him, blushing furiously. Finally, I said I really needed to go so I could try to take a nap and asked him to please open the door. He did, rubbing my back as I walked through. The room was crowded with people, and I swear each of them turned to look at us as we entered. He walked me out to the hallway, then gently took hold of my arm to turn me towards the correct door when I mistakenly sstarted in the opposite direction (that place was such a maze!). We were almost at the door when a soldier came and said they needed him somewhere. He looked annoyed but had to go. He turned to me and made me promise to find him before I left the next day. I said I would, and he left.
Today, I arrived at the armory and there were tanks surrounding the trailer. Typical, I thought, just typical. When I pulled up, a group of soldiers who were having a smoke break, came over to chat with me - I had tested them all - I've found that soldiers are really friendly once I've tested their hearing, for some reason. We chatted about the truck and they mentioned how impressed they were that I drove it and the trailer. Finally, the tank drivers came out and moved the tanks so I could hook up the trailer. They stayed around and helped me, I love how polite military men can be! They all called me Ma'm, both young and old. I was tempted to leave without seeking out Shawn, but I decided to try to find him since I'd promised. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. No one knew where he was. I don't have his phone number since I lost it with all the others when my old phone died. I had opted against asking him for it when he asked if I had the same phone number when he noticed my new phone. (He also noticed my haircut and said he liked how it frames my "gorgeous blue eyes" - see what I mean, he's a player.) I figured, if he wants to talk to me, he could call me. I finally gave up and just left. I had mixed feelings about not seeing him. A part of me was relieved, another part of me had really hoped for a goodbye kiss.
The roads and sky were wonderfully clear as I went over the Vail pass this morning. I listened to a book on cd and enjoyed the scenery I had only caught glimpses of before. I pulled off I-70 at Glenwood Springs to gas up. I should say that it's tricky to get into this gas station with a big truck and trailer, something I had discovered on the way to Denver. However, since I had figured out how to do it, I wasn't too stressed and took the same steps I had before.
I was a little too confident, I guess, and wasn't as cautious as I tend to be. I ended up taking the turn too narrowly and hit a light post!!! I broadsided it and the top fell off (think one of those 8' decorative light posts, not the really big ones). I cursed. Repeatedly. I pulled over and had no idea what to do. I checked the trailer and determined it was travel-worthy, so I drove the short way to the gas station and filled up. When I paid the clerk, I asked her for the phone number for the police. I explained what had happened and she told me I should just go without reporting it because most likely no one had seen it happen!! No way! I imagined doing what she suggested and then later paying the consequences. If nothing else, I'd feel guilty about it forever. She gave me the number and I called it when I got back to the truck. A policeman came, assessed the situation, ran my driver's license and registration, and checked my insurance. Finally, he told me that he wouldn't issue me a ticket since it would mean me having to return to Glenwood Springs to appear in court. He said that the city would bill our insurance company and told me it how much it could cost to replace the post if needed - it could be less if they only have to repair it.
As soon as they left (another cop had driven up for some reason), I got in my truck and had a good cry. This was my first ever accident and only the second time I've had to talk to a policeman due to driving. I just felt fortunate that it was such a minor accident and that the trailer was okay, the truck was okay, I was unharmed, and no one else was harmed. I called my boss and left him a message quickly explaining that I'd been in an accident but that everything was okay and I'd talk to him when I arrived home.
I've got to give my boss credit, he could have handled it differently. He could have grilled me about what I'd done wrong, made me pay for the light post, or even taken away my commission for the job. Instead, he made sure I was okay emotionally. He never made me feel guilty or bad about it, just offered me comfort and support. I did tell him what had happened and what I could have done differently, but he didn't rub it in, he actually said he could see why it had been so difficult to maneuver that turn. What a guy! He did interrogate me about Shawn, though, and teased me mercilessly when I admitted to letting him kiss me. Seriously, my boss cracks me up! Sometimes I feel like he's more like a brother; sometimes an annoying brother, but a brother just the same.
I'm so glad to be home. I'm so tired. It was a crazy trip, good and bad crazy, but I think I'm ready for some boring-ness for a little bit, at least for a day or two!
I left Wednesday night directly after work and drove a few hours, staying the night in Green River, UT. No biggie. Standard drive. Standard hotel. Standard.
Thursday, I hit bad weather and roads just east of Glenwood Springs. I panicked a bit when I kept seeing signs warning that commercial vehicles had to have chains or else were breaking the law. I didn't have chains (dang it, I should have listened to my boss!). At one point, police cars were directing vehicles; they'd either wave them on or signal for them to pull over to put on chains. The policeman waved me on, so I figured that I was okay without the chains. Thank heavens for 4-wheel drive and a duely! I don't usually mind driving in bad weather, but this was so stressful! I worried about the trailer and how it would react if I had to stop quickly or started to slide, so I drove pretty slowly. If I never have to go through that Vail pass in the winter again, it'll be too soon. No doubt, it was beautiful - what scenery I saw since my eyes were pretty much glued to the road and my side windows - but I would've gladly given up the beauty if it meant not having the stress and mental fatigue as well.
When I finally got down from the pass and into Denver, it started snowing harder and I hit major traffic. It took me almost 90 minutes to get from the west end of Denver to my destination, Aurora, on the other side. When I got to the base, I was so tired of driving and manuevering around cars, but I still had to go through an inspection of my vehicles and set up the trailer. Fortunately, someone was there to help me because there was a wall of dirty ice completely surrounding both the trailer legs, which need to be lowered before unhitching the trailer from the truck. It took us about 20 minutes to get enough ice off to be able to lower the legs. On top of it all, I worried about the snow piling up on the roof of the trailer because we recently discovered that we have a leaky roof. All night I worried that water would leak in, destroy more ceiling tiles, and possibly leak on to the space heaters causing a fire that would burn down the entire trailer. Yes, I was awesomely tired.
Friday, I was pleased to discover the trailer intact. The snow had stopped after I had checked into the hotel so very little had accumulated on the trailer's roof. I hurried to set up everything so I could start at 8am then waited and waited. No one came. After 45 minutes, I called Sgt. M, who had met me at the base the night before, and asked what was happening. He didn't know why no one had come. Almost an hour later, I still hadn't seen anyone. As some of you know, I'm not the most patient of people, especially when being kept waiting. Especially when I wake up a whole heckuva lot earlier than I like to make sure I'm on time. Finally, the guys started coming. I was on fire. I was testing faster than I've ever tested. Cpt. H, who checked on me from time to time, was extremely impressed. He said I was a lot faster than the guy they've had since the last time I worked with them.
Saturday, I slept in a little because I didn't have to set up the trailer. Just as I finished calibrating the audiometers, Shawn walked in. I had kind of hoped that he wasn't there since I hadn't seen him Friday. Nope. He had thought it was that other guy, so he hadn't bothered to come out to the trailer. (Everyone I had met in April came out to chat with me at some point or other once they discovered I was there, and they all were so glad I was there instead of the other guy. It made me feel good.) He had overheard some soldiers talking about the lady doing the hearing tests and he wondered if it could be me. When he saw the license plates, he said he got excited to see me again. He gave me a huge hug like we were best friends that hadn't seen each other in years. I wondered if he was going to kiss me, but the door opened and a couple soldiers walked in. I got them into the booths and started their tests. Shawn and I conversed for a little bit while I monitored the tests. He said he needed to get back inside but that he'd come back to see me later. He leaned down and hugged me again - his face nuzzled in the crook of my neck, kind of tickling me. It actually felt really nice.
I was on fire again and in 3 hours I tested 65 people - lots more than I was "supposed to". The head honchos of the medical corps called Logistics to see if they'd authorize me to keep testing (it wasn't quite noon, so I could've tested a lot more people and they really wanted the help), but Logistics didn't want to pay me more, so I was told to close up shop. All the time I was testing, Shawn would come to chat but nothing else could happen because I always had people in the trailer waiting for their turn. Fred stopped by - remember him? He came during one of Shawn's visits and didn't stay long. I barely got to talk to him, which really disappointed me. I'd like to get to know him better. I trust him more than I do Shawn. Fred asked if I was working on Sunday and I said no. He frowned and said he wouldn't be able to get away again that day but had hoped to come chat with me more Sunday. Sigh.
It was shortly after this that they had me stop. I gathered up all the paperwork, prepped the trailer for travel, then went inside to finish up the paperwork. I asked a soldier to help me locate one of the people who could help me, he brought me Shawn. For the next hour, Shawn and I took care of the paperwork, sometimes having to go all over the armory to find this officer or that officer. We finally got into an officer's office in order to fax something that needed to be faxed. While it was being faxed, Shawn closed and locked the door from which we'd entered, saying that we'd leave through the opposite door. When I was ready, I headed to the door. He chuckled and said that we were locked in. I knew he was joking so I laughed and said jokingly, "Oh no! What are we going to do now?" Just as I asked, I tried the door and it really was locked. I turned around and he stepped towards me saying, "I can think of something." Then he kissed me.
When I accepted this contract, I figured I'd see Shawn. I thought about what I'd do if he tried to kiss me and had decided that I wouldn't let him. The more I thought of it, I became convinced that he wouldn't even try. Afterall, he obviously wasn't interested in me because it's been ages since we've been in contact (though I did kind of discourage further contact, subtly, awhile ago). I should have been more on guard, but I just couldn't believe that he would actually kiss me again. And, when I'm completely honest with myself, I would have been disappointed if he hadn't. What can I say? He's a great kisser.
This time was just as good as before. It wasn't a makeout-type kiss. Just a mildly long, lingering kiss. Heaven help me, that man has soft lips!! It took a lot of effort to pull away because every part of me wanted to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him long and hard. I guess I'm easy, just not that easy. He chuckled and pulled me back in for a hug, whispering, "You are so sexy when you blush." I pulled away, laughingly thanking him, blushing furiously. Finally, I said I really needed to go so I could try to take a nap and asked him to please open the door. He did, rubbing my back as I walked through. The room was crowded with people, and I swear each of them turned to look at us as we entered. He walked me out to the hallway, then gently took hold of my arm to turn me towards the correct door when I mistakenly sstarted in the opposite direction (that place was such a maze!). We were almost at the door when a soldier came and said they needed him somewhere. He looked annoyed but had to go. He turned to me and made me promise to find him before I left the next day. I said I would, and he left.
Today, I arrived at the armory and there were tanks surrounding the trailer. Typical, I thought, just typical. When I pulled up, a group of soldiers who were having a smoke break, came over to chat with me - I had tested them all - I've found that soldiers are really friendly once I've tested their hearing, for some reason. We chatted about the truck and they mentioned how impressed they were that I drove it and the trailer. Finally, the tank drivers came out and moved the tanks so I could hook up the trailer. They stayed around and helped me, I love how polite military men can be! They all called me Ma'm, both young and old. I was tempted to leave without seeking out Shawn, but I decided to try to find him since I'd promised. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. No one knew where he was. I don't have his phone number since I lost it with all the others when my old phone died. I had opted against asking him for it when he asked if I had the same phone number when he noticed my new phone. (He also noticed my haircut and said he liked how it frames my "gorgeous blue eyes" - see what I mean, he's a player.) I figured, if he wants to talk to me, he could call me. I finally gave up and just left. I had mixed feelings about not seeing him. A part of me was relieved, another part of me had really hoped for a goodbye kiss.
The roads and sky were wonderfully clear as I went over the Vail pass this morning. I listened to a book on cd and enjoyed the scenery I had only caught glimpses of before. I pulled off I-70 at Glenwood Springs to gas up. I should say that it's tricky to get into this gas station with a big truck and trailer, something I had discovered on the way to Denver. However, since I had figured out how to do it, I wasn't too stressed and took the same steps I had before.
I was a little too confident, I guess, and wasn't as cautious as I tend to be. I ended up taking the turn too narrowly and hit a light post!!! I broadsided it and the top fell off (think one of those 8' decorative light posts, not the really big ones). I cursed. Repeatedly. I pulled over and had no idea what to do. I checked the trailer and determined it was travel-worthy, so I drove the short way to the gas station and filled up. When I paid the clerk, I asked her for the phone number for the police. I explained what had happened and she told me I should just go without reporting it because most likely no one had seen it happen!! No way! I imagined doing what she suggested and then later paying the consequences. If nothing else, I'd feel guilty about it forever. She gave me the number and I called it when I got back to the truck. A policeman came, assessed the situation, ran my driver's license and registration, and checked my insurance. Finally, he told me that he wouldn't issue me a ticket since it would mean me having to return to Glenwood Springs to appear in court. He said that the city would bill our insurance company and told me it how much it could cost to replace the post if needed - it could be less if they only have to repair it.
As soon as they left (another cop had driven up for some reason), I got in my truck and had a good cry. This was my first ever accident and only the second time I've had to talk to a policeman due to driving. I just felt fortunate that it was such a minor accident and that the trailer was okay, the truck was okay, I was unharmed, and no one else was harmed. I called my boss and left him a message quickly explaining that I'd been in an accident but that everything was okay and I'd talk to him when I arrived home.
I've got to give my boss credit, he could have handled it differently. He could have grilled me about what I'd done wrong, made me pay for the light post, or even taken away my commission for the job. Instead, he made sure I was okay emotionally. He never made me feel guilty or bad about it, just offered me comfort and support. I did tell him what had happened and what I could have done differently, but he didn't rub it in, he actually said he could see why it had been so difficult to maneuver that turn. What a guy! He did interrogate me about Shawn, though, and teased me mercilessly when I admitted to letting him kiss me. Seriously, my boss cracks me up! Sometimes I feel like he's more like a brother; sometimes an annoying brother, but a brother just the same.
I'm so glad to be home. I'm so tired. It was a crazy trip, good and bad crazy, but I think I'm ready for some boring-ness for a little bit, at least for a day or two!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
My First Award!
Booklogged has awarded me the Kreativ Blogger Award. It's my first blogging award and I'm speechless. (Yeah, right! When has that ever happened?) I'm honored that she thinks my blog is creative, even if she may be a little biased.Booklogged lives in Utah where she is wife to Candleman, mother to 4 daughters, and grandma to two adorable kids. She's also aunt to some wonderful nieces and nephews! Booklogged reads more books in one month than most people read in their lifetime. She also makes and sells wonderful hats and scarves here. Take a look and if you're wondering what to get me for Christmas - I like the Marionberry scarf. :)
Now along with the award, there's a meme. I have to complete this and forward the award to others. Here goes:
7 things I've done before
1. Gone skinny dipping. Alone - does it still count?
2. Walked down a busy street with my skirt tucked into my unmentionables.
3. Kissed a man on New Year's Eve. Actually, he kissed me, but so what.
4. Graduated from college with a degree in Economics.
5. Got a tattoo.
6. Lived in a foreign country. Canada. Quebec and Ontario to be exact.
7. Gone on a blind date. Just one.
7 things I do now
1. Read
2. Watch ANTM - the finale is tonight!
3. Travel
4. Ride a stationary bike most mornings
5. Cook
6. Go to a movie approx. once a week
7. Blog
7 things I want to do
1. Visit France, Denmark, Spain (and more!)
2. Lose weight
3. Pay off all debt besides my house
4. Learn another foreign language - I haven't picked which
5. Get married
6. Perm my hair - not now, it's too short
7. Get post-graduate degrees in Economics
7 things that attract me to the opposite sex
1. Good kissing, hugging, cuddling
2. Laughs a lot and makes me laugh a lot
3. Strength - moral, physical, emotional
4. Intelligence
5. Curiosity
6. A good conversationalist
7. Eyes, hands, smile
7 Favorite Foods
1. Chocolate
2. Chocolate
3. Pasta Carbonara
4. Chicken - lots of preparations
5. Potstickers
6. Steak from Outback Steakhouse
7. Soup from The Garden House
7 things I Say Most Often:
1. Thank you for calling _________, this is Julie.
2. Push this button when you hear the beep.
3. I need to pay for diesel on pump ___.
4. Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight...
5. Heavenly Father...
6. Please put the milk in a bag, I have to carry it up to the 3rd floor.
7. Thank you.
And now the seven people I would like to tag for this award and meme*:
1. Melissa because she has such creative backgrounds and makes such cute crafts.
2. Missy because she is such a great story teller.
3. Cardine because I think her themed Novembers are creative. It's bacon month over there!
4. Cassie because you've gotta see her cakes!
5. Cjane because she inspire me to be more creative.
6. Warnser because I love the Uncharacteristically Nice Word of the Day.
7. Tearese because her drawings and photographs are amazing.
*I really could have picked more, I know a lot of creative people, but I decided to keep with the 7 theme.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Tempted No More
A few years ago, someone accused me of being too picky when it comes to guys. It miffed me, to be perfectly honest. Actually, I think they were saying that at my age I shouldn't be picky, I should be happy to get what I could. I could write a whole post about how wrong that sentiment is, but that's not my chosen topic today. Instead, let's discuss one of those things that might actually qualify me as being picky.
I don't want to date a man who is obsessed with something. Anything. Passionate, yes. Obsessed, heck no. And yet, I date guys who have obsessions. In fact, all the guys I've dated have been obsessed with something - to varying degrees, it's true, but still obsessed. Are there guys out there who enjoy a lot of things, are passionate about a few, but obsessed with none??? I'm beginning to have my doubts.
Today, I discovered that Anthony certainly isn't one of those hard-to-find guys. He is obsessed with a video game in which he's a warlock and goes around on quests and winning money to increase his power (or something to that effect, after awhile, my eyes glazed over and I drifted to an alternate reality). I asked how often he plays it. Every day. How long every day? When I get off of work (3:30) til I go to bed (10ish). On weekends I play it all day.
And, in that moment I lost my attraction for him.
And it's not just because I have absolutely no interest in video games. True, it's harder to tolerate an obsession that doesn't really interest me, but I'd still be bugged if the obsession was something I like. I mean, I love to watch football as much as the next person, but if I dated a guy who had to watch every game, who only talked about football, and had football memorabilia all over his room/house, I'd dislike it as much as if the obsession was with a video games.
Well...almost as much.
Because, if there really aren't guys out there who are obsession-less, I'm willing to make a deal. I'll do my best to support the obsession as long it a) involves a lot of time in nature (hiking, camping, skiing, etc.), b) allows for true human interactions (as opposed to the faux interactions that online video games boast - and, attending video game conventions doesn't count -not in my book), or c) is productive - like cooking.
See, I'm not that picky.
I don't want to date a man who is obsessed with something. Anything. Passionate, yes. Obsessed, heck no. And yet, I date guys who have obsessions. In fact, all the guys I've dated have been obsessed with something - to varying degrees, it's true, but still obsessed. Are there guys out there who enjoy a lot of things, are passionate about a few, but obsessed with none??? I'm beginning to have my doubts.
Today, I discovered that Anthony certainly isn't one of those hard-to-find guys. He is obsessed with a video game in which he's a warlock and goes around on quests and winning money to increase his power (or something to that effect, after awhile, my eyes glazed over and I drifted to an alternate reality). I asked how often he plays it. Every day. How long every day? When I get off of work (3:30) til I go to bed (10ish). On weekends I play it all day.
And, in that moment I lost my attraction for him.
And it's not just because I have absolutely no interest in video games. True, it's harder to tolerate an obsession that doesn't really interest me, but I'd still be bugged if the obsession was something I like. I mean, I love to watch football as much as the next person, but if I dated a guy who had to watch every game, who only talked about football, and had football memorabilia all over his room/house, I'd dislike it as much as if the obsession was with a video games.
Well...almost as much.
Because, if there really aren't guys out there who are obsession-less, I'm willing to make a deal. I'll do my best to support the obsession as long it a) involves a lot of time in nature (hiking, camping, skiing, etc.), b) allows for true human interactions (as opposed to the faux interactions that online video games boast - and, attending video game conventions doesn't count -not in my book), or c) is productive - like cooking.
See, I'm not that picky.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Tempted
Temptation, thy name is Anthony.
It's been months since I broke up with him, so why is he still vexing me?
He came into my office recently, and we chatted for too long (I ended up being late for my "date" with Melissa.) I still find him extremely good-looking, and he's growing his hair out again, which I find particularly fetching. I haven't seen him in a few weeks, so his handsomeness hit me particularly hard. Curse him!
While we were talking, his mom texted him, asking where he was and if he wanted to eat dinner with them. He texted back that he was talking to me at my work. She asked if I was going out with him again. He read me her question then cocked a single eyebrow at me, "Well, what should I tell her?" He grinned.
I know he still likes me. He still talks about when we get married. He tells me I look pretty. He says other nice things to me. We have a good time together. He makes me laugh, we can talk about everything - nothing is off-limits, and he likes me. I know this. I trust this. This is unusual for me. It's a tempting, tempting idea to give "us" another try.
So, I was tempted to bat my eyelashes and say, Tell her 'yes'. I knew I should shake my head sorrowfully and say, It's probably best that you tell her 'no'. Instead, I chickened out and shot back at him, You haven't asked. What was I thinking???
He told me what he was writing as he wrote. He wrote, I haven't asked her, yet. YET? Who said anything about 'yet'? She wrote back, ASK HER! He showed me her text and I panicked. What if he asked? What would I say?
He looked at me and told me that his mom (and the rest of his family) really likes me and thought that he and I looked really good together. They want us to get back together, he said. I reciprocated by saying that my family had really liked him, too, and especially enjoyed playing games with him.
*Moment of awkward silence. *
I felt like he was gearing up to say something, so I quickly averted the possibility of having to accept or reject him by asking him how his mom's business was going. I followed up his responses with more questions. We went off on this subject for awhile, which led to another tangent, which led to another tangent, etc. 'til I started telling him I needed to go. The subject never came up again.
Whew. Temptation over.
The problem is, I shouldn't be tempted. I have very good reasons for not dating him. I know these reasons very well. They are very good reasons!
Sigh. Heaven help me.
It's been months since I broke up with him, so why is he still vexing me?
He came into my office recently, and we chatted for too long (I ended up being late for my "date" with Melissa.) I still find him extremely good-looking, and he's growing his hair out again, which I find particularly fetching. I haven't seen him in a few weeks, so his handsomeness hit me particularly hard. Curse him!
While we were talking, his mom texted him, asking where he was and if he wanted to eat dinner with them. He texted back that he was talking to me at my work. She asked if I was going out with him again. He read me her question then cocked a single eyebrow at me, "Well, what should I tell her?" He grinned.
I know he still likes me. He still talks about when we get married. He tells me I look pretty. He says other nice things to me. We have a good time together. He makes me laugh, we can talk about everything - nothing is off-limits, and he likes me. I know this. I trust this. This is unusual for me. It's a tempting, tempting idea to give "us" another try.
So, I was tempted to bat my eyelashes and say, Tell her 'yes'. I knew I should shake my head sorrowfully and say, It's probably best that you tell her 'no'. Instead, I chickened out and shot back at him, You haven't asked. What was I thinking???
He told me what he was writing as he wrote. He wrote, I haven't asked her, yet. YET? Who said anything about 'yet'? She wrote back, ASK HER! He showed me her text and I panicked. What if he asked? What would I say?
He looked at me and told me that his mom (and the rest of his family) really likes me and thought that he and I looked really good together. They want us to get back together, he said. I reciprocated by saying that my family had really liked him, too, and especially enjoyed playing games with him.
*Moment of awkward silence. *
I felt like he was gearing up to say something, so I quickly averted the possibility of having to accept or reject him by asking him how his mom's business was going. I followed up his responses with more questions. We went off on this subject for awhile, which led to another tangent, which led to another tangent, etc. 'til I started telling him I needed to go. The subject never came up again.
Whew. Temptation over.
The problem is, I shouldn't be tempted. I have very good reasons for not dating him. I know these reasons very well. They are very good reasons!
Sigh. Heaven help me.
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