The Picture Alone Makes This Post Worth Reading

ummm......YES PLEASE

I had a wonderful date Friday night with Wednesday-night-guy (now known as WNG, because it's shorter).  We went to dinner, split a bottle of wine, and spent so much time talking and laughing that our waiter had to come back more than four times to get our dessert order! After our three-hour dinner, we didn't want the night to end so we went to a movie theater to see "Thor".  I didn't think I'd enjoy the movie - I'd picked it because it sounded like a good movie for a date - but the movie was AMAZING.  A partially-undressed Chris Hemsworth doesn't hurt either ;)

He held my hand during the movie, he gave me a goodnight kiss, and I'm basically in love with this guy. (Also, totally in lust. What?? I'm honest!)

He's already called to set up a second date.  Meanwhile, the Lawyer (one of the set-ups by a friend) has called to set up a coffee/drinks date to get to know each other for Monday night.  So within the span of 8 days, I will have had three dates with three different guys - D, WNG, and the Lawyer.

I'm trying to go into Monday night's Get to Know You with an open mind -- I've only been out with WNG on one date, and I like this guy too much to have it turn into a Crash-and-Burn situation -- but I'm already trying to figure out how to nicely tell this guy Thanks But No.  Seems like a good idea to see him though, to keep myself grounded.  As I said, I don't want to have a Crash-and-Burn with WNG by getting too involved too soon.  This guy seems genuine and nice, and I don't want to lose him.  Plus, I did tell my friend I'd see and go out with the Lawyer.

It will be fun! I mean sure, I can barely handle one guy at a time and now I'm juggling two (possibly three...we'll get to that story in a bit) but it is a bit of an ego boost to have different guys clamoring for my attentions.  Plus, seeing more than one guy (if only for a little bit, as intended) can be a great way to see if the standout guy is really the standout.

Okay sure, I'm probably just trying to reassure myself that this is actually an okay thing to do.  But it makes sense!

Then, of course, I'm still dealing with D.  D and I met for dinner last Monday night.  In contrast to my three-hour dinner Friday night, the dinner on Monday night lasted a mere 30 minutes.  We had nothing to talk about.  D even looked bored!  He told me he wants to start hanging out more, and go to dinner again, and he's going to give me a call.  I'm so over him, and it's just sort of amusing at this point.  It's like he misses the relationship and what we had (makes sense) but he's confusing that with missing ME (which is not the same).  We'll see how things go with him.  I've tried to be open-minded to the whole being-friends-with-an-ex thing, but I just don't think it's for me.  To paraphrase Samantha from "Sex and the City",  he needs to channel his love for me toward his next relationship.

So it's been a crazy week! And it looks like the next week is going to be just as crazy.  But I'm super excited about life right now, which is great because I was so depressed not that long ago.  Things are going much better at work, which makes me feel much better about my future.  The only thing that saddens me right now is this crazy-busy social life leaves NO TIME to go to the gym!! Ahhh! I'm dying here without my gym time!

Guess I just need to hunker down and really make time for it.  But who wants to make time for the elliptical when I could be out and about with WNG? ;)

A Smile Can Change an Afternoon

Spring has sprung!

On my daily afternoon walk today, I encountered a higher number of fellow humans than usual.  It wasn't all that warm outside, but the intense sunlight probably called people out of their homes and flats and offices to get some Vitamin D in anticipation of Summer.  As is my belief, I tried to smile at each person who made eye contact with me.

And dear follies, I discovered the one reason you should smile at another person as you pass them on the sidewalk: You'll totally make their day.

Don't believe me?

I smiled at a rather good-looking young chap as we passed, and he could barely contain his smile.  You know that smile you get when someone you like calls you, or compliments you, or smiles at you? Or, maybe it's not someone you like but someone who is good-looking, or famous, or just all around nice? That impulsive, automatic tick that turns the corners of your mouth upward and causes you to blush and cast down your eyes because you can't help but react to such a gesture?

Yeah, he smiled that smile.  Which then made me smile that smile.

And I'm pretty sure our smiles, along with the Vitamin D, increased our dopamine levels and made for a great afternoon.

So, smile at a stranger.  You could make their afternoon brighter :)

Love Bites on the Menu

Follies, let's talk about schmoopey PDA.

Last night at dinner, I sat near a couple in a booth whose displays of affection were a little, erm, over the top.

The guy had thought ahead.  There was a gorgeous bouquet of roses and baby's breath already waiting on the table for them.  He was wearing a dress shirt, slacks, and a tie.  She was in a banded black dress so short she was walking with her hand in front of her crotch I KID YOU NOT.  

She noticed the flowers and turned to him, and they started making out.  Like, really going at it.  Then they sat.  He seemed really fidgety, and got up from his seat across from her and sat next to her, café-style.

He fed her little bites in between kisses.

She fed him little bites in between kisses.

It was nauseating and fascinating to watch.  The entire crew of wait staff was watching them as intently as I was.  They had a camera and took cutesy food pictures of each other.  He still seemed nervous.  If they didn't seem so comfortable with each other, I'd almost suspect them of being on a first date.  He kept twitching.  I waited – for a ring.  I thought for sure he was proposing. 

My waiter passed me a note when he brought me the dessert menu. "That just makes me want to, I don't know – throw up?"

Best note from a waiter ever. 

But they kept feeding each other little bites of spring rolls.  They kept tasting each others martinis.  And they kept making out – SERIOUSLY making out – in their booth.   I started to get a little disgusted.  I mean sure, it was like a train wreck – I couldn't look away – but the booths weren't very private.  And as the night got later, the restaurant filled up a little more and the privacy they may have had vanished.  I was bordering on voyeurism as I kept watching.

He never proposed.

He should have proposed.  That would have excused the schmoopey-ness of their date.  We could have all cheered them on.  But they didn't get engaged.  He didn't propose.  Instead, they just ate each other for dinner while we all watched.  Their PDA was, in my not so humble opinion, completely inexcusable (but also pretty damn entertaining).  

The takeaway message here – You should probably save that stuff for the bedroom ;)

A Pansy-chicken Man is a Blacksmith Man

My brother and I had a fun little conversation yesterday about guys being total pansy-chickens when trying to ask girls out.  He painted me a little story:

The Bro: You…I mean, I don't want this to come out the wrong way, but you come off as sort of…upper-level.

Me: Upper level?

The Bro: Yeah.

Me: So, snotty?

The Bro: No. Snotty is bad. Just upper-level . Like, guys don't feel like they're on the same level as you, so they're surprised when you actually want to hang out with them.

Me: …okay.

The Bro: So, you're the princess.  The guys are like the lowly blacksmiths who like the princess but aren't on her same level.

Me: What about the law-school guy, at the private university, who chickened out getting my number - even him?

The Bro: Is he a lawyer?

Me: He's in his last semester.

The Bro: Has he graduated?

Me: Uh, no.

The Bro: Blacksmith.

Cute.