Guess what y'all?!?!? I'm so done with graduate school! Graduation was on Saturday and I am officially free from the bondage of research papers and reading textbooks! Hooray! Okay so I owe you an ending to the Up In the Air post.Here we go... I was instructed to arrive at Ruggles Bakery early. I don't know if I mentioned it, but we were going to try to catch all of this madness on video so that I could show my dating techniques...#technologyFAIL! We didn't quite figure out how we were going to record both video and audio without my date knowing. (yes, this was an undercover mission) We just taped the audio. I had to slide a small recorder into my purse without the bright red recording light showing...I succeeded. Well, Ashlee, Jenn, and another accomplice positioned themselves by the door (and out of site) while I sat across the room, facing them. Since Jenn didn't tell me anything about the guy (other than the fact that he was 6'3), I didn't know anything. I didn't know his name, his age, anything. This was truly a blind date.
Okay so right on time, he walks into the restaurant and I was like he's cool. He wasn't my normal type, but if my normal type was working for me then I wouldn't be set up by friends on a blind date. He sits down and we begin talking. He's nice, he's intelligent, he doesn't say "conversate", and he can carry on a pretty good conversation...we're off to a good start. We get through the usual "getting to know you" questions. When he gets up to order us our red velvet cake (it was sooo good!), Ashlee and Jenn motion for me to meet them in the restroom. When I get inside, I get asked questions about how I feel the date is going. Trying not to be too obvious (and I didn't want to stay in the restroom too long making seem that I was having stomach issues), I left out before them. He came back to the table and we kept talking. I was getting a little tired and was a tad bit ready to leave, but he was still going. We talked for so long that I didn't realized that Ashlee and Jenn had left. When they came back they banged on the window and broke the date up. They sent me away (which I was a tad bit relieve by) and from what I understand, he was not a happy camper.
They debriefed him and found out that he really enjoyed himself. As far as me, I thought that he was a nice guy, I didn't feel any sparks or fireworks.
Bright Side: We went on another date to the movies a couple of weeks after that and it just fizzled out. It might have been because he could sense that I wasn't all into it or it could've been because he felt the same. Honestly, it doesn't really matter to me...I'm just glad that I didn't have to have any awkward conversations later if my feelings never changed.
Okay, so during my brief hiatus I was able to squeeze in some blog-worthy fun in. It all started one day when I met 2 of my friends for lunch. We started talking about the blog that I had just posted and the subject turned to me, my "must-haves", and what went wrong with the guy that I that I posted about. After listing my short (but very manageable) list, Jen decided that she and Ashlee were going to set up a dating reality show style intervention on me.
After lunch, Jennifer de-friended me on FB (so that I couldn't start searching for who he might be and he couldn't search for me) and started the process. To my surprise, she came up with someone for me to go out with. (Now, I'm a bit of a control freak so I had Jen move the date up from the Sunday after next to the upcoming Sunday). Well, everything was set logistically so now I had to go through a wardrobe and pre-date intervention. Lol I pretty much knew what I wanted to wear, but it had to be "approved" by the executive directors of this program. Lol So my top and bottom were approved, but my shoes were veto-d (who knew that wearing a pair of nice, fashion-forward, sky high booties conveyed a "come and get it" vibe? Not me!). After pulling out about 5 pair of heels, we got it figured out. So after we found my perfect outfit, I had to practice my "sexy walk" (even though I was already going to be seated at the table when he arrived). That was a major #FAIL! I'm too silly to really be able to practice anything like that. And even if I did come up with something "acceptable" then, it would not be executed in the same manner. Lol
During the "mock date", I couldn't keep a straight face either. Ashlee and Jenn kept trying to mimic the mannerisms of a male, but it just made me laugh even harder. We went through the basic questions and how I would normally respond vs. a more polite way to respond. I usually try to put a positive, bright side spin on my words but it doesn't always help. It was a fun Saturday and I felt pretty ready to meet this guy on Sunday.
Bright Side: It's so much better to go through this process with people who genuinely care about your happiness and well being. I'm so blessed to have great friends, great family, and great friends who become family/family who becomes friends! I'll let you know how Sunday went later!
Please put away all guns and knives! I know that it's been a few weeks, but this last semester of grad school and life has been kicking my buns! But, I'm happy to report that I have submitted the last of my assignments (as of 1:36 am), and I can now sit back and wait for DECEMBER 10th!!! GRADUATION DAY!!!
So this morning I was just hanging out on Facebook (since I have nothing else better to do), and I came across this YouTube link. I have to say that this is one of the smartest 5 year olds...EVER!!! She has grasped (in her 5 short years of life) what some of us haven't grasped at 20, 30, 40, or even 50+! I'm kinda curious to see if her views change at all as she gets older.
Ahh! I have a confession to make...LinkedIn got me caught up! (Actually, I did it to myself and I just used LinkedIn) So, I came across the name of the company that an old-friend of mine (translation: someone that I used to talk to) works for. It instantly reminded me of how he was a pretty good guy. He was nice, educated, CUTE, he did use "conversate" (omg that makes my flesh crawl! I absolutely HATE that phrase...not on topic, but I really wanted to slap Jackie for saying "conversating" on Monday's episode of BBW: LA...trying to be all proper saying "conversating"! Ugh) but that wasn't a deal breaker...anymore. So, I looked up his name on LinkedIn and he appears! I send the invite, and he accepts. I talk to a friend of mine because I wasn't sure what to say? I can't just randomly send someone that I hadn't spoken to in 3 years a LinkedIn invite and not follow up with something...right? I mean, I could but I was trying to see if I could rekindle something... She gives me a good intro that I send (in my own words of course) and a couple of hours later, he responds with a "Good reconnecting with you too". Ahh yes! The glimmer of hope! So, I ask what he's been up to...then I get a "Oh, nothing me and my wife are getting ready to have our first child..." (I don't know what else it said after that because I needed an air pump to re-inflate my face). But what did I really expect? It has been about 3 years since I last spoke to the man! He is allowed to have his own life and he obviously has been living it. What can I say?Bright Side: Just another reason why it wasn't meant to be! Lol Idk I knew better, but I still wanted to see what would happen. Well...lesson learned! No more looking backward, gotta keep my focus (and my actions) focused on what's ahead!
What up? I'm back with a story (or two) to tell. Okay so remember a couple of weeks ago I told you that I signed back up with a dating site? Well, I have since deactivated the account...again. I don't know if I did it for the lack of requests or messages that I could actually take seriously or because it wasn't any more comfortable/meaningful than meeting communicating with random men in person. I don't knock anyone for trying it, but I now know (without a shadow of a doubt) that online dating is just not for me. But, I did get some blog-worthy material from it. Gotta little story to tell...wanna hear it? Here it go...
Okay so there was one guy on the site who viewed my profile, but didn't send a message. I thought he was attractive (online) so I decided to reach out to him. We messaged back and forth and ended up exchanging numbers. After a text conversation, I asked where he lived and he replied the exact same intersection to where I live. FREAKY! So, I asked if it was a particular complex and he said yes...and followed up with a phone call. So, it turns out that we live in the same complex and I've seen him before. Matter of fact, the Saturday before we parked right in front of each other and he saw me, but I was so tired and zoned out that I didn't pay him any attention. So, we met up later that night and he didn't quite look the way he did on the picture. It wasn't like he used someone else's picture (because when he moved his head in certain directions, I could see the resemblance), but it wasn't him. His picture was more like younger Brian McKnight, but in reality he was like a distant cousin twice removed on his mother's side...you get my drift? But, I decided to roll with it since he could turn out to be a good guy...and I was right (that night). We watched the game and had a pretty good conversation.
That next Sunday, he came by to say what's up and he asked me to come to his basketball game. Now, it was pouring down raining outside, but I was like cool, I'll roll with you. He was like cool and he left to go change. After I changed clothes I shot him over an "I'm ready" text and he hit me back with a "I already left". Umm...excuse me? YOU asked ME to come to your game, told me that it was cool that I ride with you, THEN YOU LEFT ME? I let it ride and was like cool. Fast Forward to that next Wednesday. He had been sending me texts about being sick, so I was like I have some tea and honey you can have. He was like "I'm on my way into the garage, so you mind if I come pick it up and go back home to rest?" I was like "That's cool...I was actually going to bring it upstairs so you don't even have to come down here." He hit me with a "Just parked.", so I waited a couple of minutes, then took the tea upstairs. I knock on the door and a chick opens the door. I ask if Damon is there and she's like "No, he's not here." Okay cool...I go back home. I didn't text Damon or call, I just went back home. About 5 mins later, there's a knock on my door and it's who? Yep...Damon. I casually told him that I tried to take it upstairs but the chick who answered said that he wasn't there. He didn't even flinch as he asked me for a hug and I politely closed the door in his face...softly. About 20 mins later I get a missed call (I looked at my phone when it was ringing and decided not to answer), then a series of texts saying that she was an old friend who he never had sex with who decided to come take care of him because he was sick and he kicked her out because she answered his door. (yes, I know that was a run on...this piece is probably filled with grammatical errors!) I wasn't angry. To be honest, I wasn't even phased. I just responded "It is what it is" and that sent him off. He was like "I'm trying to apologize and you're acting nonchalant!" (Pause: How am I supposed to act? Am I supposed to go into psycho-girl mode? No thank you! My grandmother always taught me "Don't Give Them The Satisfaction!") Well, my calm demeanor wasn't what he wanted so he decided to try to keep the fire going...I decided to go to sleep. Needless to say I received a number of texts about how he missed me (sir, you don't know me) and such. I finally responded that I wasn't mad. We were just friends (hanging out) so there's no need for all of that "Are we going to be anything?" or "Should I just give up on us?" (His words, not mine)
Frankly, I was really quite turned off with the inconsiderate action of leaving me and then texting me about it later, and I was just numb to any feelings when the chick answered the door and he waited 20 mins to respond instead of when I gave him the opportunity at my door. I don't have time for games and I would rather let it go now then wonder why I didn't leave it alone years down the line.
Bright Side: I'm growing...paying attention to the signs when they are thrown instead of ignoring them. **pats self on back and gives myself a hug**