In a Rumi kind of way… happy, grateful, blessed

23 Friday Oct 2015

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“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”― Rumi

I am feeling so happy for no reason! Well, there is a reason. When I stop to really look at my life there are so many reasons to be happy. But I am happy because I am making a conscious decision to be happy! I always believed that happiness is a choice, I choose to be happy – it is that simple!

Well… no always that simple or easy. I sometimes have to remind myself to be happy. I sometimes have to force myself to be happy. I sometimes have to force a smile. When gloomy feelings and fears threaten to get a hold of him I need to tell myself: Be happy!

“These pains you feel are messengers. Listen to them.” ― Rumi

I have low moments as everyone else does, but where I differ is that I don’t allow myself to stay there for too long. I don’t allow myself to dwell on whatever I think is going wrong in my life. If I feel like crying I cry, I don’t hold back, but I make it quick. I don’t stay in that mood, feeling sorry for myself for too long. If I allow myself to stay in that dark place too long I may never get out. I cry, dry the tears then I move on.

• I come up with ideas and plans to correct and change whatever I think is wrong. Making plans for the future makes me feel accomplished.
• I make a list of everything I have going for me (a gratitude list). Getting reminded of all I have makes me feel blessed.
• I look for a lesson in the problems. There is always a lesson! Realizing the opportunity for growth makes me feel wise.
• I look for the blessing in the problems. There are blessings in disguise all around. Being able to find positive in the negative makes me feel powerful.

“Where there is ruin, there is hope for a treasure.” ― Rumi

Being happy when all is going fine is easy. Being happy when everything is falling apart and nothing is going my way it is not so easy. And that is when it is most necessary to rejoice, to get centered and not lose sight of the bigger picture. The big picture is that nothing lasts forever, good or bad.

The bad, the complicated, the not so great times are necessary so that we can appreciate the good times even more.

My doctor friend once said to me that God gives us difficult days as a gift for us to grow and develop into better people.  Who am I to be mad at God for giving me such a gift?

I have been trying to be grateful for everything and everyone as they have a reason to come into our lives.  I fail more times than I succeed,  but I keep trying.

Right now I have this weird grin on my face and this weird feeling in my heart. It is as if I know that something huge in my life is about to happen. I don’t know what it is and I don’t know when it will happen, but I know it will be magical.

“Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.” ― Rumi

May your weekend be magical! Let your heart and soul sing a happy tune! Be grateful! Be love! Choose happiness!

“Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter. It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh, green leaves can grow in their place. It pulls up the rotten roots, so that new roots hidden beneath have room to grow. Whatever sorrow shakes from your heart, far better things will take their place.” ― Rumi

Back in the swing of things

19 Monday Oct 2015

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I am back.  Unfortunately I didn’t return rejuvenated.  This trip wiped me out. On the day I returned I even lacked the energy to unpack.   My mom has returned with me and she will be spending 1 month here.  That is normally the routine: twice a year I go to Brazil and twice a year she returns with me and spends one month here. It is a good break for her and a good bonding time for us.  It will be one month of shopping, casino and over-eating and under-exercising.  I am going to do my best not to ignore my new resolve of becoming healthier.  We shall see…

The moment I returned to work the auditors got in touch with additional requests.   I was happy they waited for me and I actually welcome the work and the routine of it.  After a couple of days they went silent, so I am hoping this is the end.  I am just awaiting for their final write-up.

I am still in touch with the doctor from the many previous posts.  I guess that is what is called dating.  We were seeing each other a couple of times a week before I went to Brazil.  Now that I am back we have texted several times.  We shall see what will happen.  He does a wonderful job of not showing me all his cards.  It is hard for me not to know exactly where I stand.  I struggle with feeling not in control of the situation.

“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” – Steve Maraboli

Before I went to Brazil I decided to remove the content and pictures from my online dating profile.  My decision was two-fold: I needed a break plus I don’t want to date more than one person if I am intimate with one person.  Even though we didn’t talk about commitment, to me being intimate means commitment.

Even if the doctor was not in the picture at this moment I would still take a break from online dating.  I think every now and then it is best to take a break from things and reevaluate needs, wants and expectations.

“Without commitment, you cannot have depth in anything, whether it’s a relationship, a business or a hobby.” – Neil Strauss

Online dating was becoming too much work.  I also had started looking at everyone the same and not looking at people as people but things that come and go and that can be tossed aside at any point.  Returning to it in a few weeks or months with fresher eyes and attitude will be best.

Now I feel free from the demands of replying to countless messages that often get nowhere.  I also feel free from the pressure I had put on myself of having to find someone.

Even though I no longer have pictures and content I was still getting messages from some people I was corresponding with, so I went online to leave a message of my decision to take a break.  While there I saw that the doctor added new pictures to his profile.  While I didn’t expect him to stay away from online dating, seeing new pictures gave me this weird feeling.

“Set the standard! Stop expecting others to show you love, acceptance, commitment, & respect when you don’t even show that to yourself.” – Steve Maraboli

Believe me when I say I am trying hard not to make any assumptions or read too much into people’s actions or lack of it, but it is hard not to think about what his new pictures means.  In a way it told me what he thinks of me and this relationship.  It means that his level of commitment is not the same as mine and he probably doesn’t see the potential I see in this relationship.  Or still, maybe, he is suffering from something that a lot people that do online dating suffer from:  They find someone but they always think that there could be someone else even better out there.  Fear of settling and missing out.

We have never had a conversation regarding dating each other exclusively.  In the beginning when I brought up dating other people he mentioned something about not going there.  I got the message.

Still I became intimate with him without having a commitment.  Becoming intimate seemed like a natural dating progression.  I also felt that we were on the same page regarding our feelings for each other.

“Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability to choose – and commit myself to – what is best for me.” – Paulo Coelho

At this point I have a decision to make.  I enjoy his company and our amazing conversations.  I just need to decide what I am comfortable with.  Am I okay being intimate with someone that is probably getting intimate with other people?  Absolutely not!  That was never my intention.  That is not something I am comfortable with.

Being intimate was probably more my idea than his.  He seems completely happy to just go to dinner.  So I think he will be perfectly fine with dialing back that part of our relationship.

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.”  – Peter F. Drucker

Oddly I am completely okay with whatever way this relationship goes.  It is fine if it progresses and it is also fine if just becomes friendship.   I saw potential in him as he is the first guy that has this same very positive outlook in life that I do.  We have the same ideas and beliefs when it comes to religion and other deeper matters.  We read the same books and like the same things.  But there are many differences also.    He is a vegetarian that thinks sugar is the devil.  I like meat and want sugar to be my friend.  He is very much into bettering himself.  I am too, but not at his level.  He is hardcore about it and bettering himself and others seems like a mission to him.  I love that,  but I cannot keep up.  Perhaps I am lazy and not that committed to my health.  I am looking to improve that but I know that I cannot be hardcore about anything otherwise it will just backfire.

The bottom-line is I am happy, happy, happy!  With him or without him.  With commitment or without commitment.  I am happy with the knowledge that I am blessed.  I have so much going for me.  I have options.   There may be the right guy out there for me, and there may not be.  That no longer matters.  I am enough!  More and more I know what I want and what I don’t want. Right now I just want to be in the moment and enjoy it to the fullest.

For a laugh: “When women hold off from marrying men, we call it independence. When men hold off from marrying women, we call it fear of commitment.” – Warren Farrell

Hello from Brazil

08 Thursday Oct 2015

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“The scariest thing about distance is that you don’t know whether they’ll miss you or forget you.” ― Nicholas Spark

I am right now in Brazil.  I arrived on October 3rd and will stay here until October 13th.
I left in the middle of the audit at work. I don’t feel right about leaving in the middle of things but I really needed a break.  My co-workers needed a break from me also.  This audit has been on-going for too long – a whole month!  We are a 15 person firm, to be audited by 5 people for one month feels just ridiculous, specially since we should not be audited;regulated in the first place.  I notifed the auditors of my trip and they said they will work around my schedule.  As of now I have heard nothing else, so I can only assume they are waiting for my return.

***

There are so many mixed feelings any time I am in Brazil. Things are so familiar and yet so foreign. I love coming and then I cannot wait to go back… go back to my routine, to the familiar.  Yet I know I am where I should be when at this moment. I need and want to spend time with my parents while I am blessed with their presence.  Who knows how long I will still have them for.

As many of you know I have an identical twin sister. We have lived in different countries for the past 30 years but we remain extremely close. Perhaps too close…
It is sad to say but sometimes I feel we get along better at a distance, just over the phone. When we are physically close we become even more critical of each other. I bite my tongue when I feel like saying something sometimes, and yet she feels all I do is criticize. I guess we will never agree on certain things.  We are both critical and sensitive, and that combination can be lethal to relationships.

It is so weird being so identical and yet so different. People often mix us up… it is funny. Right now we are at the exact same weight and hair lenght, and that has never happened before. So right at this moment we do feel identical more than ever.

***

I am, once again, giving up chocolate for 1 year.    I did that a couple of years ago and I decided to embark on that same journey again now. I wrote about  that experience here.  At that time I felt I was going to drown the sorrows of the break up in chocolate.  This time I felt that the stress and pressure of the audit was making me go crazy on chocolate.  So I decided to take a break from it.  I know what I really need to do is to take a break from sugar, but I am not ready for that yet.  I have gained weight and I hope being chocolate-free may help kick a couple of pounds to the curb.

I am still dating the doctor and this distance will be a good way to gauge how we feel about each other. For starters I question if we are really dating or this is just friendship.  I actually shouldn’t say ‘just’ a friendship, as I am in sort supply of friends and really valued them.  Whatever it is we are having I am enjoying it.  I miss his company and want to see him again. It is my hope he misses me too. He hasn’t said it, but then again he is not very upfront with his feelings.  Perhaps he doesn’t have anything to be upfront about it. It is very hard for me to just keep going without knowing where I stand.  I know this experience is great for me.  Growth!

I have finally gotten a physical.  I am happy to say that all is well with exception of needing some Vitamin D.  So now I am taking 2,000 milligrams per day until the levels get back to norma. Then I will take 1,000 as maintenance.

It is my hope that this time here in Brazil physically away from work and other issues serves to renew my resolve in many areas, such as my weight, my blog, my learning and growth.

Please pardon the typos… no time to edit it.

“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”  – Andy Warhol

Being aware and making the best of it

22 Tuesday Sep 2015

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This is a glimpse of my life right now.

Dating:  I have been seeing on and off the doctor I have mentioned on previous posts.  Am I dating him?  I have no clue, and that knowledge, or lack of it, drives me crazy.  I like certainties.  I like knowing where I stand.  I like being a priority and not merely an option.  But still this other side of me wants to be easy and carefree, wants to move as the wind blows, and wants not to worry too much about this guy or that guy.  I feel this push-pull thing with him.  It is like he wants me, he takes me out, then he doesn’t want me, he goes silent for a couple of days.

It is certainly a lesson for me.  It forces me to look at my needs versus my wants.  I have to look at my expectations and what is the type of relationship I want.

What do I really want? Am I okay with not knowing where I stand?

“We’re not dating,” Alec said again.
“Oh?” Magnus said. “So you’re just that friendly with everybody, is that it?” 
― Cassandra Clare

***

Old Energy converting into good: I have sold an old ring that my first boyfriend had given me.  I only got $800 for it, but I am so excited to be dedicating that money to make Christmas better for some kids in Brazil.  I already try to help out every Christmas, but having an extra $800 is awesome.

This idea of converting past energies in present and future goods is amazing and wonderful and so re-energizing.  What else around my house, that I have not been using or that perhaps have negative memories attached to them, that could be used for good?

I don’t like things laying around unused.  It is freeing not to be attached to things…now if I could only not get attached to people then I would definitely the master of my domain.

 “We only have what we give.” ― Isabel Allende

***

Scrutiny: This past week I have had auditors from a regulatory agency in our offices. It is a bit unnerving to have to answer questions and provide all kinds of documents. I do mostly everything in our small firm, so I am the point person and the one having to provide all the answers and documentation.

I feel stressed and have been having stomach pains.  I think it is an old nervous ulcer acting up again.

I am a control freak so not knowing exactly what the auditors are looking for, and trying to guess what other questions they will have is making me miserable.

I do my work well but what if there is something I didn’t even know it was a requirement?

I am looking at the bright side.  I welcome them looking things over and pointing out deficiencies.  We have been under those regulations since 2012 and since then I think I am following the rules, so this is a great opportunity to really find out how well I am doing and what needs improvement.

This is a good opportunity for me to realize that control is just an illusion.  Nothing is ever under my control.  The sooner I realize that, the sooner I incorporate that in my life the better.  But it is one of the many things I struggle with.

“The reason many people in our society are miserable, sick, and highly stressed is because of an unhealthy attachment to things they have no control over.”  – Steve Maraboli

***

Airhead.  It is incredible to realize that somebody like me that pays no attention to details is able to function in society and be so successful at work.

At work I deal with numbers as the main financial person.  I deal with insurance and other deadlines as I am the Human Resources person.  I am compliance; I am receivables, payables, etc.  I do it all and I do it well.

And then it comes to my day to day life.

Last night I showed up for a doctor’s appointment that is scheduled for next week.  Last week I went to the doctor at 8am for an appointment that was at 9:30am (this one in particular they called me the day before and left a message confirming it, I just hit erase at the beginning of the message, because I assumed I knew the time).

This is clearly an area that I need to work on. I assume a lot. I am impatient. I talk when I should be listening.

So much room for improvement…awareness is a great start.

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” ―George Bernard Shaw

Fun Labor Day, stressful week :-(

13 Sunday Sep 2015

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Labor Day Weekend seems like a long time ago now.  Mine was crazy busy and fun.  I had friends visiting.  This couple is one of those that makes marriage look easy and fun.  They have been married over 25 years.  It is always a joy to be around them.

On Friday night we had an awesome dinner at a tapas place in my town.

On Saturday we spent the day at the US Open Tennis and had soul food take out for dinner.

On Sunday we went to mass in the morning  (they go to mass every Sunday no matter where they are).  The mass seemed tailored to me as the priest talked about immigrants.  It was entertaining and interesting.  Unfortunately if something is not entertaining or interesting my mind will wander, it never did.  It had been at least 5 years since I had been to mass.  I enjoyed and may go back.

Here is the kicker:  Right after mass we go to see The Book of Mormon on Broadway.  I never watched South Park (the creators of SP were behind TBM) so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I knew that it would be a little out there.  But I was shocked by the language and the humor at the expense of someone’s religion.  It was borderline offensive, but the laughter is non-stop.  At times I found myself thinking: “Should I be laughing at that”?    I seemed to have more problems with it than my very catholic friends.  At the end of the day one needs to be able to see the light side of things.  Humor is important and necessary.

At the end of the weekend I realize how truly blessed I am!  Life is good, beautiful and bountiful!

“It is the test of a good religion whether you can joke about it.”  – G.K. Chesterton

On Monday I had a date with the doctor – we are seeing each other again.  I will write about in my next post.

The date helped to take my mind away from an upcoming audit at work.  It is unnerving to be providing tons of documents to 5 people so then they can come and poke around our offices and ask for documents and ask many questions.   This is our first audit by a regulatory Agency so we are not sure what to expect, specially since even the auditors seem to be confused as what regulations apply to our specific business.

The control freak in me is going nuts.  Am I doing things correctly?  What are they looking for? Will I have all the answers?  Will my answers be sufficient?  I would hate to appear unprepared, incapable and inefficient.

I am trying to be in the moment, taking a breath, enjoying now.  Let go and let God!

“You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.” ― Steve Maraboli

 

People’s Court? no, thanks!

12 Saturday Sep 2015

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“That’s the thing about being a victim; you start to think it’ll happen to you on a regular basis. It’s living with the reality of your own vulnerability, and it sucks.” – Dennis Lehane, A Drink Before the War

You may remember the issues I had with my fridge and the repairman.  http://atomic-temporary-33385295.wpcomstaging.com/2015/05/29/i-have-been-scammed-and-it-sucks/

After much thought I filed a small claims case against him.  It is scheduled to be heard on November 19.  I am still conflicted about filing the claim.

I want him to be accountable and tell him he cannot walk into someone’s home and take their money and not do the service that he was paid for, but someone mentioned to me that it was vengeful.

I respectfully disagreed. I am not vengeful.  I am tired of feeling vulnerable every time I deal with any kind of repair people.  I am not after the money, I have already decided that I am donating to charity should I win.

Is it vengeance?

“Part of me wants justice for this. Part of me wants to never cause harm to another.” Ken Scholes, Lamentation  (my thoughts exactly)

But here is the funny part.  The other day among my correspondence there was this letter from The People’s Court.

Click here to see the letter: Peoples Court

I have absolute zero interest in appearing on TV, much less fighting in court for laughs.  It is just funny and a bit curious that they would think my case is that interesting for TV.  What are their criteria?

What about you, would you want to appear on TV on a court case?

Stay tuned for the outcome, not on TV, but here 🙂

“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.” – Groucho Marx

 

National Dog Day 2015

03 Thursday Sep 2015

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“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”
― Anatole France

Chief's new toy

August 26, 2015 was National Dog Day.  It was also the day that Chief (Ex’s dog) died.  Ex’s mother called me to tell me.

I grieve never seeing him again after the break up.  I was always welcomed to go see him, but I never wanted to.  I feared he would think I was returning to stay and then at my departure he would feel abandoned all over again.

I am angry that no attempt to treat him was made.  His hind legs were giving away and not supporting his body for a couple of the days, then on the third day he couldn’t get up.  The vet was called and he was put to dead.  That simple!

Too simple if you ask me.  If I was there things would have been much different.  I would have definitely attempted to treat him.

I am being judgmental.  I have no right to be.  It was his dog, so it was his call.  I remember him saying that if Chief ever got old and sick that he would not waste time and money with treatments.  He also believed that trying to treat him would cause more suffering.

In the end no one knows what was the right thing to do.  Perhaps treating Chief would be just for my benefit, for me to say to myself that I did whatever I could.

Perhaps it was indeed for the best, perhaps it would only cause him unnecessary suffering.

In the end, he is gone, as we all will one day.  I made the choice to never see him again and let him be in my heart and memory.  I never saw him again and now I never will.  He will continue to roam free and chase deer and bark at the mailman in my heart and in my memories.

In his honor I will liberate the dog in me.  I will be freer with myself and will care less about what people think of me and my antics.  I will get so excited every time I see a loved one I will almost pee myself.  I will make sad puppy eyes any time I want something.  And of course, I will always steal a cookie any time no one is looking.

The Peace Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, the truth;
Where there is doubt, the faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

A baby made me cry

26 Wednesday Aug 2015

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*“Talk not of wasted affection; affection never was wasted.” 

There is this one guy, I will call him J., I wrote about him before. We met in the train while commuting to work several years ago.  There was an immediate attraction, so we enjoyed many flirtatious train trips.  I didn’t have a boyfriend but he was married.  We didn’t want drama, so it ended before it began.  It became a friendship.  (yeah, yeah, I shouldn’t have been flirting with a married man to begin with, I am a shameless flirt, but I am older and wiser now) We kept in touch on and off. Years later when he got divorced he called me and asked me out for a drink to catch up, but at the time I was living with EX and I didn’t think it was a good idea so I declined. He understood.

After EX and I broke up J. and I met up again but by this time he was seeing someone else. Soon after that he got married.  I was a tad surprised by the marriage as I didn’t expect someone to get married so soon after a crazy divorce.  Not everyone feels they have to spend time mourning the demise of a relationship like I do.

*Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing, only a signal shown, and a distant voice in the darkness; So on the ocean of life, we pass and speak one another, only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence.

Fast forward to today.  I saw he had a new picture on LinkedIn and sent a quick note saying I like the picture and saying I hoped he was well.  After a couple of replies he tells me that there has been some personal changes, and I guessed, correctly, that he had become a father again, after all, as they say, after marriage comes baby and carriage.

I am very happy for him.  A new baby is always a good thing.  Immediately I realized that tears were welling up in my eyes.   Why am I getting emotional?  Having a baby was never a dream of mine.  I didn’t grow up dreaming of marriage and kids.  But still, somehow, there is this poetic sadness in my heart.  That could have been my life; that could have been my baby.  I think of the irony of timing and space.   Perhaps if we both had managed to meet up when we didn’t have other people in our lives, perhaps, perhaps…

At times I like the idea of a baby, I even long for one, but having a baby is no longer an option, it is not longer up to me…that ship has sailed.  It would be awesome to have that choice forever.  There are always options, I affirm to myself.

*“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.” 

Reality is that J. and I would never be a great long lasting match.  There was chemistry and mutual admiration but that wouldn’t be enough to sustain it.  We would be great partners in some project but not in love.  My sadness over “what if” is unwarranted.  If we were meant to be and if I really liked him and he liked me we would have made it happen.

Stubbornly tears fall, and yet through tears I realize how awesome my life is and how I would not have it any other way.  God has a plan and I trust in that!  I am where I should be, baby-less, husband-less, but content, blessed and grateful!

I am blaming a poor baby for the tears in my eyes and the pain in my heart, but he is not the whole reason behind the tears.  It has been an emotional day.  As soon as I got to work I got a call that my mother was in the emergency room with chest pains.  She is fine now; it was just a false alarm.  But that was enough of a reminder of how far, geographically, I am from my family.  I am reminded that one day I will get a phone call that will cut me like a knife, what will I do then?  A feeling of powerlessness invades me and tears threaten to fall.  I let them.  There is nothing I can do but pray for a peaceful heart and mind.

*“For after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is let it rain.” 

*All quotes by  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A little about me, but it is not all about me!

22 Saturday Aug 2015

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DATING

I am happy to report that I haven’t heard from any of those 2 crazy dates I had.  I have exchanged texts with that doctor I had 3 greats dates with, but it went nowhere.  I really don’t understand what happened as everything was always great and, even in text, we always have so much to talk about.  I thought the worst that could happen was that we could have been amazing friends.  Oh well, I am not going to lose any sleep over that and I will trust the Universe’s decision.

I have had dates with 2 seemingly normal guys.   One was with an IT guy that travels a lot for business.  He texts me every now and then.  It seems he is waiting for me to ask him out (he will have to wait a real long time).  The other was with this guy that has a Heating/Cooling business.  He talked about hanging out on Sunday (tomorrow).  I said I would call him about it, but since there is no real chemistry I don’t feel like wasting his or my time on a second date. I will leave space for him and I to find the right people.

“Every time I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being re-directed to something better.” ― Steve Maraboli

***

WORK

Right now I am going a bit nuts with setting up offices in TX, IL and FL.  We hired 3 employees that don’t want to move to NY, so even if it is just for one or 20 employees I still have to go through the trouble with filling paperwork for a myriad of things, such a new leases and new unemployment accounts.  Hopefully these new hiring will be successful.  Our tries at expanding before weren’t successful, we are still trying to recover from those losses. My boss is an Aries like me, so he is a go-getter, adventurous and not afraid of taking a chance.  We shall see what will happen.  For now I am being positive and doing my part to help it be successful.

“Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

***

DOCTORS

I decided to pay a little more attention to my health as I have been lax on that.  I haven’t gotten a physical in 2 years, but I am faithful to my OBGYB.  This year I got a bit scared as she detected a little cyst.  For a second I saw my life flashing before my eyes.   For now we decided not to do anything about it, just take a wait and see approach.  It was a good wake up call to think about health instead of vanity.

The eye doctor graduated my prescription (as I knew he would).  I scheduled a physical with a new doctor. She is a geriatric doctor and has great reviews so I am excited.  Next I am thinking of going to an Allergist to check on my shellfish allergy, do I really have it?  I hope to get that question answered.  I also want to get to a dermatologist, and I am also thinking about seeing a hypnotist.  Can he/she help me with my sugar/bread addiction?  I am saving my recurring hip issues for last as I know that I will have to dedicate a lot to that.

And as I am thinking more about getting healthier I am getting even crazier about sugar and carbs.  That is all I want to eat. 😦

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” ― Hippocrates

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THE WORLD AROUND

I just watched a documentary called “On The Way to School”.  While I believe that the filmmakers could have done so much more with the topic, I am in love with the message. It reminds me so much of my childhood, not that we were that poor or that far from schools. But of how hungry my sister and I were for knowledge and of how my parents (that have only gone to third grade) always believed that education was key. We didn’t have access to books but we would read anything we got our hands on, from the writing on food can labels to Walt Disney’s comics that we were lucky enough to borrow from a vendor in a flea market.

I think every school child, well actually everyone, should be required to watch it.  It would perhaps instill in them the appreciation and gratitude for the opportunity to attend school, among other opportunities.  Everyone can benefit from seeing how some people in other parts of the world live (I am aware that there are people living in poverty in the US also).  I feel kids (and adults too) nowadays take everything for granted. There is so much available, that things lose their value.  Even though there are many problems with education in the US, what I see is that the opportunity is there for those that are willing to put in the work.

“We come into this world with nothing and we leave with nothing, we must follow that logic”  this line is said by one of the children featured in the documentary.  How incredibly wise! It is an amazing powerful phrase that makes me think about our purpose here; and how much material stuff we really need to live on.  Are we focusing on the right things?  Or along the way we got lost and all of a sudden to have the latest fashion is the most important thing in the world?

There are many messages in this film but to me they are:

  • Stop craving more and learn to live with less (material stuff)
  • Be grateful for everything and act as such
  • Don’t take things for granted, pay attention to what you have
  • It is not always about me, there is more to live than me and my apartment
  • It is about “we” as a world that needs to take care of each other and specially our children
  • Be respectful of people’s culture, and see beauty in the differences
  • Happiness is a choice, is a smile.  Happiness is hope!

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” ― Epicurus

Fast car, Slow speech, Cheap date: No Future!

14 Friday Aug 2015

Posted by in Daily Life, Dating, Finding Me

≈ 29 Comments

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C360_2015-07-12-17-16-29-494

 

“By seeking and blundering we learn.” ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

This is how I ended my last post (when mentioning a date for that night):

“He is a well respected children’s librarian.  How bad can he be?  Don’t answer that! Lol”

Well, the answer is:  It was really good and then really bad!

It is amazing how it can go from great to insane in one day.

At his insistence we went to a very expensive restaurant in New York City.  I mentioned it was not necessary and that he should choose a less expensive place, but he insisted and said that I could pay for the drinks if it would make me feel better about it.  I agreed.

We spent over 2 hours at the restaurant.  Conversation flowed.  He seemed honest and caring.  At the end of the evening I felt so comfortable with him that I accepted his offer to drive me home.  It was out of his way but he said it would give us a chance to talk more.  I think he wanted to show off his car, a brand new Porsche Macan.  While I don’t care about material things, especially cars, I couldn’t help but love the red leather interior.  I love red leather anything!

The drive home was fast and fun.  He held my hand and it felt natural and comfortable. It all seemed just perfect. When we got to my building he walked me to the entrance and kissed me on the cheek. Ten minutes later he called me from the car to say that he would like to see me again.  He also asked me to give him one month to get to know him; he asked that I did not date other people during that one month so that he would have my undivided attention.  I said I would think about it, but, really, I was okay with that.

I was very excited about this date.  He seemed very smart, with good job that he loved, a respected professional, handsome (which is surprising because I normally don’t go for handsome).  I saw and felt potential.

The next day (Friday) he texted me to say he really enjoyed meeting me the night before and to invite me to go hiking on Sunday.  I loved the idea! I said I would call him after work to discuss the details.

I called him around 7pm.  What happened next is very hard to find the words to describe:  The phone rang, he picked up but there was no Hello, there was what it seemed like a conversation in a very slurred voice going on in the background.  At first I thought that perhaps he didn’t realize he answered the phone and the TV was on.  I kept listening and trying to make sense of whatever I was hearing, which seemed to be a far away mumbling voice.  After awhile I said hello again, a bit louder and firmer this time.  Then I heard something like:  I am fine but just feeling a bit discombobulated.  I said: excuse?  At this point I told him that I thought something was wrong with my phone and asked him to speak louder.  He did speak louder and now there was a bit less slurring, but instead of having a conversation he immediately launched into a monologue about Winston Churchill and the war.  He kept talking and talking, and I was thinking to myself, is this guy drunk or on drugs, and how I can get out of this.

At this point I knew in my gut that there was no future in this relationship. Well I actually knew it when he first picked up the phone.

Finally I was able to get a break in the monologue and I asked: Is this a book you are reading?  He said it was a documentary.  After he talked about Churchill some more, I asked another question and we actually started having a conversation.

As time went on, his speech seemed to get better. After telling me how he enjoyed meeting me, he started talking about this one month of dating that he had in mind.  He said: “We need to talk about the dates.  If we are seeing each other for one month, about 2 dates a week that will be at least 8 dates, how do you want to do it?”

Even though I had already decided not to see him again, I asked:  Do what?  He then says:  “Who pays for what?  I pay for one date, you pay for the next?”

I was floored!  I don’t mind paying for things, but for a man to ask something like that after one date it seems in very poor taste.  If he cannot afford a second date, then he shouldn’t be dating.  I said I had never been asked that before so I didn’t know what to say.   He went on and on how that was the fair thing to do and it is best to get money issues out of the way.  He said I am his first date in over 2 ½ years and that the previous girlfriend spent over 10K of his money.

There was a lot conversation about money and dating, with him trying to make me understand where he was coming from and with me telling him that I was not his ex-girlfriend.  At one point I offered to write him a check for my part of the dinner the night before.  I also reminded him that I didn’t want to go to an expensive place in the first place (to which he said he wanted it to be memorable and wanted it to become “our” place).  I also reminded him that I had gladly paid for the drinks.

At some point he started backpedaling and telling me to forget about this issue of paying for dates.  He said that we should just meet and see where it goes. I told him I was going to think about it all and call him in the morning.  I already knew where I stood but I knew that he would continue to try to convince me otherwise.  We said good bye and hung up, but 10 minutes later he started texting me.  One of the many things that he mentioned in the texts was that he would pack sandwiches of peanut butter and jelly for Sunday so that we wouldn’t have to worry about paying for lunch.  I told him that he was missing the point.  To get him to stop with the texting I again said he needed to give me time to think about it.

Finally when he continues with the texting I just tell him the answer is no.  No to the hiking and no to seeing him again. Then he starts calling me.  I didn’t answer.   On the 4th call he left me a voice mail breaking up with me.   Yes, he broke up with me! 🙂

I have never been so relieved about being broken up with! He said I have issues with money, and that even though I was a great person and he would love to see me again, the money issues were too much. He went on and on about both, how great I am and how I have issues with money.

I don’t want to go in detail to protect his privacy but he had mentioned needing to go to therapy and taking antidepressants at some point in the past.  I was a bit alarmed by that but I appreciated his honesty and openness.  I also liked that he gotten help when he needed.  I am now assuming he is still taking antidepressants and perhaps on Friday, his day off from work, he took one too many.   Whatever the issue maybe I feel sorry for him because it seems he definitely has an issue that needs to be addressed.   I also feel that even though he seems like he is taking steps to protect himself, he seems primed to be taken advantage of again.

After being spoiled with mostly normal to great online dates I now have had 2 doozies.  They both had issues that I am not willing to handle.  I am feeling so blessed that I got to discover those issues right away, before I started trusting and liking them and let my guard down.

Perhaps I am the one with issues as I am still not giving up online dating.  More mistakes made.  More lessons learned.  More stories to tell and write about.

“Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one’s mistakes.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

***

On a good note, I am right now waiting for delivery of my new mattress. Yippie!!!  All I need now is the boyfriend! 🙂