Tag Archives: online dating

I have been called a big hairy hermaphrodite!

28 Tuesday Nov 2017

Posted by in Daily Life, Dating

≈ 33 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

“Trust instinct to the end, even though you can give no reason.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Indeed I have! Did I get offended? No! I shook my head at his ignorance. I pity people that think they have to try to offend others to make themselves feel better. I pity people that would use a condition that someone may be born with to insult. I am not offended not because I am not one, but because there is no shame in being one. To me it is like he called me black or gay or immigrant.

I guess I was offended by his ignorance, callousness and rudeness.

Here is what happened:

A guy contacted me on Match.com. He said: “I like what I see, let’s meet or talk on the phone”. I didn’t care for that approach. It rubbed me the wrong way, perhaps because it is generic and lacked thought. Perhaps because he was acting purely on the visual instead of “I like what I read on your profile”, which is normally what I get.

Still, I decided to be open minded and give him the benefit of the doubt. I replied asking for more information as he had only a couple of lines in his profile and only one picture that was not very clear. I explained that there are a lot of fake profiles so I wanted to be cautious and make sure he was a real person.

He replied with his Facebook link. I was able to be a little more assured.
After a couple of back and forth emails, he mentioned meeting at some point in my town. I said: What about tonight? He agreed and asked what time. I said: Any time that works for you.

Normally when I am suspicious of someone I offer to meet right away. Someone with a fake profile will never want to meet. They will either never reply again or they will insist on talking on the phone first.

Also, I rather meet someone right away, nothing beats face to face.  I don’t want to waste time and energy and then meet in person and there is no chemistry.

After almost 2 hours he replied: Let’s talk and he gives me his number.
I replied that I was not interested in talking on the phone and if he didn’t want to meet we could just communicate on the site until ready to meet.

The following exchange ensued verbatim:

He: “I did not say I did not want to meet I wanted to talk on the phone to make the arrangement but since you seem to be so paranoid never mind.”

Me: “Paranoid? Ouch. Perhaps just unfairly assuming. Sorry it didn’t work out. Best wishes!”

He: “You are right more like Delusional Paranoid. You were probably a big hairy hermaphrodite. Lol best wishes to you too.”

Of course I was done.  I am always thinking and hoping for the best in people.  I am always thinking that miscommunication can be cleared up and people can part as friends.

It is sad to me that he chose to go that route. Even if I was wrong by assuming he didn’t want to meet, in no way it required or invited such response.

First, I want to thank my guardian angels for once again stepping up and preventing me from meeting and wasting my time on a mediocre human being.

Second, I look at the lesson in here. The lesson, I believe, is to trust my instincts. From the second he first emailed me I knew that there was something about him that I didn’t like.

And that was another day in my online dating life.  The next post will be about last Saturday and Sunday brunch dates dates.

“Yoga says instinct is a trace of an old experience that has been repeated many times and the impressions have sunk down to the bottom of the mental lake. Although they go down, they aren’t completely erased. Don’t think you ever forget anything. All experiences are stored in the chittam; and, when the proper atmosphere is created, they come to the surface again. When we do something several times it forms a habit. Continue with that habit for a long time, and it becomes your character. Continue with that character and eventually, perhaps in another life, it comes up as instinct. (92)” – Swami Satchidananda

Cultivating gratitude and dating update

24 Friday Nov 2017

Posted by in Daily Life, Dating, Food

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday with your loved ones. It is always my prayer that everyone has shelter, food and loved ones around (family and/or family).

My gratitude list is immense and growing.  It is a blessing to be alive; everything else is the icing on the cake.  I have food, shelter and loved ones.  Speaking of loved ones, I am a bit disappointed to not be invited anywhere this Thanksgiving, but the truth is I would have probably declined the invitation anyway as I always choose to be alone on holidays.

To me is extremely important to constantly remind myself of all the blessings in my life and to constantly say thank you to everyone. Gratitude is happiness!

I have been having up and down moments due to many issues beyond my control. I know that it is not what happens to me, but how I handle it and react to it that matters.  I know I need to devote more time and energy to meditation and mindfulness, but I still struggle with that.  I see the benefits of it, but still I drag my feet at doing it.

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.” – Alphonse Karr   

Update on last post:

Dentist. On Monday morning at 7:30 am I was sitting at my dentist’s door waiting for him to arrive.  My teeth, and specially my gums,  just didn’t look and feel right.  I knew something was wrong even though he had assured me that all was fine.

After additional x-rays he still could not see anything really wrong. So he decided to open the gum and clean around the implant.  After many shots of anesthesia, he opened the gum in the area and cleaned around the implant.  I left with a bunch of stitches and instructions not to eat on that side for 2 weeks.

It has been 5 days now and still it doesn’t feel completely right.  I had dental surgeries before that were longer and more involved than this one and I remembered being fine in no time and not even taking pain pills after the first day.  This time it is taking longer to feel right.  The gum looks white and weird and I still feel this dull faint pain on that side of my face. Perhaps I am older and weaker to pain. Thankfully I have a return scheduled for Monday morning.  I hope he gives me good news, or at least pacify my fears.

Writer: He asked me out this week on Tuesday or Wednesday but because of my dental issues I had to decline. We have been communicating daily and we will probably meet next week. He seems thoughtful and interested so we all shall see where this will go.

The Korean: He finally replied to my text later that day saying that was having a grouchy Saturday.  Since then we have been texting on and off.  He apologized for being busy with his son being off from school.  I accept someone being busy with family priorities, but it just feels like something else has changed.  And as a result my original interest has waned.

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” – Eckart Tolle

In the meantime some old ghosts from the past have returned.

The Naturopathic doctor.  We have been communicating on and off after having several dates over 2 years ago.  He has asked me out a couple of times since but I was always busy with something so I declined.  Two weeks ago I accepted a Sunday brunch invitation. It was fun catching up.  He is smart and our conversations are always enlightening. I don’t think there is any romance anymore but he has become a good friend.  Last Sunday he contacted me but I was at brunch with the guy I describing next so we scheduled a brunch date tomorrow.  Even though eating on one side of the mouth only is not fun I am still keeping the date.

The International lawyer.  I had a couple of dates with him over a year ago and due to busy schedule on both sides by the time we reconnected again he had a girlfriend.  Now that he broke up with the girlfriend he asked me out to catch up.  I am not proud and I need to eat so I accepted a brunch invitation last Sunday.  It was a lot fun as he is smart and fun. We have been texting and will probably get together again, but just as friends only for me.  I am not sure if he has romance in mind but to me that is gone.

At this moment the only one that I can perhaps see some romance down the line is the writer.

At the end of the day I am sitting here extremely grateful for everything in my life, the good and the bad.  All these dates, all these experiences, all these men, in the end helps me to get to know myself better.  It helps me realize what I need and want in my life.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read, and the care to comment.  Your advice is invaluable, your friendship treasured!

“True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.” – Seneca

In the moment and on a date

14 Tuesday Nov 2017

Posted by in Daily Life, Dating, Finding Me, Food

≈ 38 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” – Thich Nhat Hahn

I have been taking 5 minutes in the morning when I wake up and 5 minutes before going to bed to meditate or to just be silent and try to turn off my mind.  For now I can’t silence it for the whole 5 minutes so when thoughts persist I just turn to affirmations that I made up such as: I deserve peace.  I deserve love.  I listen to the Universe and the Universe listens to me, etc.

It may seem silly but I credit those little 10 minutes a day with making a world of difference in my attitude and outlook.  Trying to be in the moment and in tune to my body, mind and breath has been incredible for me.  I hope to eventually be able to really let go of thoughts and also to devote more than 5 minutes.

***

“No woman really wants a man to carry her off; she only wants him to want to do it.”  – Elizabeth Peters

This dating life remains an adventure.  On Sunday I was asked out by a guy I met on POF.  He was nice and even though he lived a little further than I would want I thought there was potential so I accepted.

This is exactly what he said:  “I was wondering what you were doing late Sunday afternoon was thinking we could meet for appetizers and cocktails”.

He chose a restaurant near my apartment.  We met at 5pm and set at the bar.  He ordered a beer and I ordered a cosmopolitan.  They served us some bread, which was delicious.  He asked me what I would like to eat and I said: anything but shellfish.  He chose an antipasto platter and a whole pizza pie.

While eating, and I need to point out that I had only a couple of bites of cheese and eggplant from the antipasto platter and only 1 slice of pizza. And of course the free bread.  He had the rest of the antipasto and 3 or 4 slices of pizza and took the rest home.

We talked about various things, with him focusing a little too much on how bitter he was at his ex-wife over splitting up the finances. He said if he gets married again he will get a prenuptial agreement.  I am not sure at which point but he eventually said:  “I like to “go dutch” on first dates, so there is no pressure on anyone. So the girl doesn’t feel she owes me anything”.

What?  did he expect me to pay for half?  I never felt I owe a guy anything because he paid for dinner.  While I have no problem paying for my share, cheap men is a real turn off for me.  Also he should have mentioned that before meeting.  He is the one that chose the place and the meal. I was okay with meeting at a coffee shop or at the library or any public place.  I don’t need anyone to buy me dinner or appetizers as I a requirement to meet.

When the bill came I just ignored it.  There is no way I was going to offer to pay half.  Still I thought we managed to have a good time, that is until we said good bye. I went in for a hug good bye and he kissed me on the lips.  I pulled away startled as I hadn’t thought there was any sparks for either one of us.  He tried again and said:  I have to see how you kiss.  I couldn’t get away fast enough.  Classless!

There will not be a second date!

“Never marry at all, Dorian. Men marry because they are tired, women, because they are curious: both are disappointed.” – OscarWilde

 

 

Not strangers, just unmet friends

10 Sunday Sep 2017

Posted by in Daily Life, Dating, Finding Me

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

“. . .sometimes one feels freer speaking to a stranger than to people one knows. Why is that?”
“Probably because a stranger sees us the way we are, not as he wishes to think we are.”  – Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Shadow of the Wind

In the previous post I mentioned that I have now been speaking to a couple of guys online.  These are not guys on an online dating site where you get to see pictures and read some information on their profiles.  These are guys that responded to ads I placed in Craigslist.

I don’t know anything about them, neither have I seen any pictures.  I only know the very little they volunteered.  I also volunteered very little.   I realize that no matter how much they tell me about themselves, unless I am able to verify it,  I will never know for sure.  I could be speaking to a teenager or a bored housewife, but still I continue.

I am enjoying these exchanges a lot. I enjoy the attention, the anonymity and the mystery.   At this point I don’t intend on meeting them.  I don’t know what they want but I am happy with having smart and fun conversations.

At times I get very curious and I think perhaps, just perhaps…  I think I would rather never meet and keep this going then meet them and have this disappear.

The first guy is S.: I couldn’t tell you his name even if I wanted to since I don’t know it.  I only know the first initial.  He said he is single, 41 and a technologist.  He doesn’t seem to have a set work schedule, so I think he is some kind of computer consultant.

We had longer emails in the beginning, now we have short ones more often.  He likes to write me poems that are smart, funny and conveys his feelings.  I write poems back, struggling to search for words that not only rhyme but have meaning. I like the challenge.

“It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy;—it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others.” – Jane Austin

The other is Joe. He is divorced, has 2 grown kids and a dog. He said he is 48. He makes some grammar errors that are really glaring, such as your instead of you are. I correct him at times, now I am just going with the flow. Our emails are longer.  He likes to describe in details locations he has been and people he has met.  I enjoy the attention to details he has that I don’t possess.

At one point I thought they were the same person and asked each other that.  Even though they write very differently something about them is similar.  I asked and they both denied being the same person.

There was a moment there that the conversation could have turned sexual in nature, but I made a point of keeping on the sexy/flirty side, but not sexual side.  I have mentioned to both that I am not interested in sexting and both were fine with keeping things friendly and at times flirty.

They both sound much younger than their ages.  Who am I really talking to?  Are they really being as honest as I am.  I don’t know.  Somehow to me my honesty is good enough. Let them deal with their own truth or lack thereof.

For now this situation satisfies me.  A stranger is a territory waiting to be discovered, a gift waiting to be opened, a miracle waiting to reveal itself.  I am the believer in all of that.  The strangers are the conduits of my hopes and dreams.

 

oh Rats!

01 Friday Sep 2017

Posted by in Daily Life, Dating, Finding Me

≈ 41 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

If you have been reading my blog you know at least 2 things: 1) I work in New York City and 2) I have mice in my office and they are not invited guests.

It is no secret New York City is infested with mice. I didn’t realize the extent of it until last Wednesday.

I agreed to meet my date at Bryant Square Park. He actually wanted to go shopping and buy me things.  A dream come true, a man buying me gifts!  But when you never met the person before it feels more like too good to be true and cause to be suspicious.  So I declined the shopping expedition, but decided to go ahead with the date.

We met at 5pm at the park. It was a beautiful day and the park was packed. So we thought it would be a great idea to go to Central Park as there would be more space. So we jump in a cab and $8.00 later we are at the park.

It was beautiful, also crowded with joggers, tourists, etc. We decided to find a place to sit, people watch and talk.   We get off the main road into a path and that is when I spot the first rat (it was just too big to be called a mouse).   I instantly freak out and we choose another path.

It was absolute insanity.  Every path we took there were rats.  On one alone there were 4.  People walk around them as if they were squirrels.  The rats didn’t run away.  It was shocking to me.  I still cannot forget about it.

I love Central Park, but now I don’t want to go there at all.  It is a shame that this is happening and I am afraid it will only get worst.  I am not sure if it was just the area we were in, but I am not willing to find out.

As far as the date went, we left Central Park and walked around, eventually going into a Movie Theatre.  We watched Patti Cake$.  I thought it was fun, charming and entertaining with a pinch of depressing for balance.

After the movie he wanted to stop somewhere to eat but I thought it was going to be too late for me to take the train home.  If I was more interested in him I probably would make more of an effort to stay and have a late dinner.

When I got home my sister asked how my date went.  I said it was fun but I was not sure about chemistry.  There were no sparks but I thought I would give a second date a try if he asked.

He was 10 years younger than me.  He was from Indian descent, handsome, well dressed and a gentleman.

The next day we emailed back and forth.  Finally he wrote and I quote: “I think it was great hanging out and had fun yesterday but I don’t know how you thought it went. I am sorry but didn’t feel the chemistry as bf and gf. Wanted to mention it yesterday buy thought let me sleep on it and see how i feel next day. You are a wonderful lady and deserve to be with someone special.”

It is actually the same way I felt/feel.  We still exchange friendly emails.

That was the last date for a little while, even though I am currently talking to 2 people online I have no intentions of meeting them any time soon.  I said people instead of men because I am not sure exactly who they are.  I know what they told me and I don’t have enough information to do all my Googling.  I will write more about them and the situation on the next post.  I will tell why this 51 year old woman that should know better is speaking to people she doesn’t know.

In the meantime, SMILE! You are blessed!

“Live your truth. Express your love. Share your enthusiasm. Take action towards your dreams. Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music. Embrace your blessings. Make today worth remembering.” – Steve Maraboli

I am a treasure hunter!

22 Tuesday Aug 2017

Posted by in Daily Life, Dating, Finding Me

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”- Paulo Coelho

Hi, I am an addict!  I am not even sure what I am really addicted to.  I am addicted to online dating.  I am addicted to searching for a boyfriend.  Not to finding one, just the endless searching.

I am addicted to that very early dance we do at the beginning of connecting to someone. I am addicted to getting emails from strangers and shifting through them to find the one. I just realized that I am a treasure hunter.

I am addicted to hope, to potential and to possibilities!

Similar to a gold prospector panning for gold, shaking and sweeping until the gold stays in the bottom and the worthless materials are at the top,  I scan through all the emails looking for the precious one.

The beginning is exciting!  At the beginning of anything the sky is the limit. Anything is possible, anything can happen.  Of course, after a while I get disappointed or I disappoint and things are over before the actual beginning begins.  But I don’t worry.  I don’t bat an eyelash and I am on to the next one.

Fully aware that this is becoming a habit, an addiction, I decided to deactivate my 2 online dating profiles and take a break.  (I do have a date scheduled with someone that I had been speaking to before my decision.  He seemed like a nice guy.  I couldn’t just disappear on him, could I?)

“I dwell in possibility…” – Emily Dickinson

So I go ahead and deactivate my profiles.  After a day I am restless and incessantly aimlessly googling stuff on the internet.  On the second day I don’t know what to do with myself.  I have tons of projects to get to it, still I can’t seem to focus on any of them. I am not productive. I am lost.

What do I do?  No, I didn’t hold on tight,  full of resolve and will power.

I put an ad on Craigslist!

Yes you read correctly.  From Online dating sites to Craigslist, I guess I just went from the frying pan into the fire. I can feel the burn.

I know it is Craigslist but if I am there, other awesome people could be there too. In the past I did meet some nice people through various ads on Craigslist (selling/buying tickets, etc), so I know it can happen.  Why do I feel I have to defend it?

Now I am back in the cycle of getting and sorting through emails.  This is probably the way an addict feels when they get a shot of their drug.  I feel calm and elated all at once.

One would be surprised to see the number of sane, intelligent emails I get.  Of course I wrote a post that would elicit responses from the type of people I want and would bore the ones I don’t want to hear from.  I also do get my share of emails from the sleazy, fake or just plain jerk. And I still don’t know if the great emails are from real people.

I can have amazing conversations with people I never met. To discover an amazing mind in a sea of stupidity feels like finding a treasure.  Perhaps the freedom and the anonymity of the internet makes it possible.  It seems in real life people are always so guarded and afraid to connect.  I do understand that some of those connections are just illusory.  Still the possibility of being real is enough for me.

I am an addict, I am a treasure hunter, I am an user and an abuser.  Recognizing I have a problem is the first step. Wait, is it a problem? Is it a problem being hopeful and pro-active?

Perhaps I am just guilty of being a dreamer and believer.  At the end of the day my biggest problem and my biggest blessing is beign a forever hopeful.  I know I will have my fairy-tale, I just know it in my heart.  I know it will find me and I don’t have to keep searching, but I can’t help wanting to be pro-active and wanting to give the Universe a hand.

“I worship individuals for their highest possibilities as individuals and I loathe humanity for its failure to live up to these possibilities.”- Ayn Rand

Loving the search

08 Tuesday Aug 2017

Posted by in Dating, EX Files, Finding Me

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

“You can be in love and you can be in a relationship. But they’re not always the same thing.” ― pleasefindthis (Iain S. Thomas) 

Am I becoming one of those people that swear off of relationships forever? Not that there is anything wrong with that!  I do want a relationship.  I like the idea that I still believe in love and that I am searching for my fairy-tale, for my Prince Charming.

Still often I seem to be finding excuses not to get involved in one.  Any time I meet someone that seems a little promising I immediately get in the “let me find something wrong with him” mode.

Sometimes there is really something wrong with him, but often I just pick at stupid things. I went on a second date with a guy the other night and when he walked me to my car he started telling me a story. He was speaking so loudly that I am sure people passing by thought he was arguing with me. I am Brazilian, we are not known for speaking softly, and still I dismiss someone for speaking loud. The same goes for the guy that I dismissed because he touched his food with his hands. I touch my food with my hands all the time.

Of course there are the times that I like them and they don’t like me.  In those instances I wonder if I just like them because they don’t seem interested in me?

What is happening here?  Am I being too pick or am I just being specific about what I want and don’t want?

Perhaps they are simply not the right person yet and I am just terrified of settling for the wrong person.  What if I settle for someone almost perfect for me and then the perfect one arrives?

I am saying “perfect for me” and not “perfect”. Not only perfection doesn’t exist, if it did it would be extremely boring and stressful trying to keep up with it.

Another possibility is that, even though I am searching for someone,  I don’t really want anyone.  I feel I am very open and easily let people in, but perhaps that is just not the case at all. My openness is just camouflage for my guarded heart.

Being alone is safe.  Opening up and letting others in not so much.  This blog was born out of the pain from the last time I really let someone in and even though I love my blog I do not want that pain again.

Perhaps still I am just having too much fun searching and don’t want to give that up?  I am enjoying being single and going on many blind dates.  I am fascinated by all the different types of people I meet.  Am I becoming a player?

I like the search, the discovery, the what-if, the process.  I like the idea of being in love, but perhaps I just don’t want to “fall” in love.  If happiness is a journey and not a destination I dare say that I am perfectly content on dating the rest of my life.

Yet, with all of that being said I am considering taking a one month break from online dating and returning later with fresher eyes.  Perhaps this online dating has become a game, or just entertainment. Maybe I am not taking things seriously or perhaps I am being too serious about it.

I also noticed that I am neglecting other aspects of my life. I haven’t had much free time lately, and a lot of the little time I have is spent on online dating.  I am neglecting my writing on this blog to write countless emails to countless potential dates.  I have to change things and prioritize me and what is important to me.  I think that I need to take a quick vacation from online dating.

But before I do I am going on a last date tomorrow night.


“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” ― Marcel Proust

Fun, games and reality

19 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by in Daily Life, EX Files, Finding Me

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

With my friend still in town, everything has been fun and games.
We went to see The Phantom of the Opera.  I have seen it over a dozen times but I still think that it is a must-see for tourists.   We walked the Brooklyn Bridge and took the ferry back to NY.  I want to go back and walk from Brooklyn to Manhattan at night.  We spent a couple of days in Mystic, CT and Westerly, RI. We enjoyed the casinos in Connecticut and had dinner at the Ocean House in Westerly.  It was wonderful!

There has been countless trips shopping and eating out.  In the meantime I am not paying any attention to exercise and healthy eating.  I know I need to snap out of this and find a middle ground but I also don’t want to pressure myself.    Right now I just go along with my sister and friend enjoying the sights, scenes and flavors of New York as if I haven’t been living here for the past 33 years.   They will not be here forever s

It is hard to be a good host and still put myself first.

“Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind.” – Dodinsky

In the meantime, my dating life continues slowly and steadily.  For some reason I still continue to think about the widower that I had great chemistry with.  He says that he is giving me space to spend time with my guests, but what I hear is: “I am not that interested”.  I already know that it will not work between us but something in me still wants him and doesn’t want to give up.  Perhaps the part of me that enjoys getting hurt in the name of love.

There is so much I would like to tell him if he could only stand a serious and deep conversation, as he puts it.

I want to say that I understand.  I understand being in pain.  I understand being unable to turn back the clock and get the past back.  I understand when people look at you and think that you should be over it by now and still you can’t.  All you want to do is crawl into a ball and hide.

I understand it and still I want to point out that he has choices.  He can continue to choose to feel like a victim or he can choose to move on.  He can choose to live or just exist.  The choice seems clear but sometimes we feel powerless to move.

Whatever he chooses to do or not to do I wish him well.

“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

I had a date with an Ancient History teacher.  It was nice but no chemistry for me.  He asked me on a second date, I said yes but I haven’t scheduled anything yet.  I am not sure it is worth to waste his time if I already know I am not feeling it.

I had a date yesterday with a retired doctor.  He was so sweet.  He drove almost 2 hours to come and meet me for lunch.  The best part is that I got to bring my friend and my sister also. We had a great meal at a great restaurant. He was so gracious and funny, but I am not sure I felt any chemistry.  He texted a couple of times since yesterday and I am not sure what to do if he asks me on a second date.

“Trust your heart if the seas catch fire, live by love though the stars walk backward.”  – E.E Cummings

Apprehensive, but still grateful

05 Friday May 2017

Posted by in Daily Life, Dating, Finding Me

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

“Eventually all things fall into place. Until then, laugh at the confusion, live for the moments, and know EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.” – Albert Schweitzer

CAR

A decision has been made and I am now driving a Honda HRV (the CRV’s little brother).  I have chosen to lease it and the color I picked is Mulberry.  Mulberry is the color of eggplant and depending on how the light hits it it appears black.   Psychologically I like owning things, paying for something and then returning it feels like a waste of money, but I decided to step out of my comfort zone and go for it.  I was attracted by the low monthly payments ($160.00) and the fact that I will not have to spend money with maintenance.

I was able to find a parking space for my other car.  It is at a municipal lot a few blocks from my home.  It was just sheer luck to get it and I am so happy things have fallen in place.

So far I am very happy with the new car.  It is very different from driving a 30 year old Mercedes.   I will eventually sell the Mercedes as having 2 cars is just silly and an unnecessary expense.  Paying for insurance, parking space and maintenance adds up.  I don’t know how much it is worth so I don’t know how much to ask, until then I am keeping it.

Feeling blessed, telling myself not to take things for granted.  Being grateful and realizing that hard work pays off.  Hard works gives us options and possibilities.

MOM

After another trip to Brazil Mom has returned with me to stay 1 month.  It is crazy and sad to see how age has finally caught up with her.  She just turned 82 on May 1st and even though she looks amazing and much younger than that, the truth is the 82 is a big number.  She has many issues: Lower back pain, diabetes, hypothyroidism, high blood pressure, heart disease, but was doing very well until a couple of years ago when she had a mild night time stroke.  Since then she has never been 100%.

It is hard for me to see her weak and frail.  The passage of time is merciless.  It is a reminder of life’s finite quality and the value of time.  Could my mother’s health be better now if she had paid more attention to her diet and lifestyle? Am I doing all I can to have a good aging process?  The answer to that last question is a resounding no.

I go out of my way for my family. At this moment I am taking my mom to a traditional Chinese doctor and paying an arm and a leg for a Chinese tea that is supposed to improve her health.  No worries I am not that gullible but I do believe in western medicine.  Also I know 3 people that have gone to this doctor and all have had great results.  If there is a chance of any improvement to my mother’s situation I am willing to try.

I believe in the power of faith.  Mom and I believe that this tea (combined with acupuncture and cupping) will help.  She is still taking all the medication prescribed by the regular doctors, she is eating better, and making sure she is not overdoing physically (she tends to be stubborn like me and think that she can do it all).

I feel powerless and keep reminding myself that I am not in control of anything.  I can only do my best, the rest is up to God.

Knowing that  time is limited makes each second more valuable.  Wasting time is no longer an option.

DATING

I am still online but any time my mother is here I spend most of my free time with her instead of meeting new people.

I am getting to the conclusion that it is becoming harder for me to find The One for me.  Not because of them, but because of me.  I have established a pretty nice, comfortable life and I am not about to let anyone in without making sure that they will be an addition to it.

How can I be sure of anything without taking a leap of faith?  I thought that I really wanted someone and that I was willing to be vulnerable and put myself out there.  Now I am not so sure.  I put myself out there physically but emotionally I am probably more guarded than ever.  Time to re-think and re-evaluate.

Being vulnerable, being able to trust, willing to risk being hurt are all some of the price for the chance of experiencing love.  There is no

Dating in the age of Google

26 Sunday Mar 2017

Posted by in Daily Life, Dating, Finding Me

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

“And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”  – Meister Eckhart

I am excited about someone… and also scared.  Do you know how you have been wanting something for so long and then you get it and you start questioning if you really wanted it in the first place?

I think it is fear creeping in.  My life is good, predictable, comfortable.  My heart is right here where I can guard it.  Do I want to just hand it to someone else?  Do I want to chance it again?  Do I want to risk being cheated on, betrayed, my heart broken and my mind crippled?

I can see I already am in my “let’s find something wrong with this person”mode so that I can continue to be alone.   That involves infinite googling.  And I did. And I found. Not about him, but about a relative.  I decided to relax a bit, to take a day at a time, and not to hold him accountable for the sins of others.

We are from 2 completely different worlds, but it seems that we appreciate some of the same qualities, such as honesty and respect.  Even though I mostly have good to great dates, what made this date amazing was that immediately it was if we have been best friends forever.  Not only that, but there were sparks from the get go.

Our date was yesterday, Friday, St. Patrick’s Day.  We met at the corner of my work and from there we walked to a Korean Restaurant that was awesome.  It had a fun vibe and they had an amazing passion fruit drink.  We had so much fun there that we didn’t want the date to end.

From there we went to his apartment where dropped his bag off.  I never did that before and I don’t recommend it, but I knew this guy enough and knew I would have no issues going into his apartment.  And I didn’t.  We walked in he dropped his bag off, I went to the bathroom, and then we left.  We went to another 2 different bars/pubs and we danced and laughed.  Then he took me to the train station.  We said good bye dying to see each other again.

oh yeah, we kissed and the world seemed to stop.  I can’t wait for the second date.

“Don’t you long for something different to happen, something so exciting and new it carries you along with it like a great tide, something that lets your life blaze and burn so the whole world can see it?”  – JulietMarillier

The above was written the day following that date.  And here, a week later,  the story continues, or should I say, it ends:

After our mutual excitement to see each other he mentioned he would meet at the corner of my work like the first date unless he came up with other plans.

Then on the afternoon of the date he gave me the name of a Pub near my office to meet him.  The place was very loud and busy.  I got there 3 minutes after him and he already had a beer in his hand.  I ordered a drink, but I was thinking that we would eventually leave to go to a restaurant where we didn’t have to yell to talk to each other.

Slowly it dawned on me that this was the date.

Then he makes a point of telling me what a big lunch he had and that he will not eat anything the rest of day/night.   And I thought ours was a dinner date.

The whole vibe was off.  We managed to talk but it was not easy like the first date.

As the evening progressed I knew that was that last time I would see him.  There was a certain sorrow and sadness in that realization, mixed with relief and elation.

I am not sure what had changed, but it did. Perhaps I was already biased by what I found online about his relative (which he confirmed was true).  Perhaps it was the cheap beer and lack of food.  Perhaps because after talking more I realized that we don’t really want the same things in life and have different views about certain subjects.

Perhaps I have too many expectations, but I expected more from a guy that was dying to see me.   Specially after an amazing first date, I thought the second would be even better. I don’t mind cheap places and just meeting for a drink, but let me know that is the plan.

“Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.” – Alexander Pope

After being in this bar for over 2 hours, I had 2 small drinks and he had 6 beers.  He walked me to the train station.  We hugged good bye and he said it was an awesome date, and I said:  No it was not.  That seemed to shock him, but it shouldn’t have, after all he was there with me.

Still we have texted niceties since yesterday but that is it.  I had intentions of inviting him to go watch a friend sing tonight, but after last night it seems our worlds are farther apart then I had previously thought.

He is still a great guy, but not for me.  There wasn’t anything horrendous about his actions, and he will probably make another girl very happy. But to me the magic and chemistry was broken and I don’t think we can get it back. It is all about how a person makes you feel, and he made me feel irrelevant.

And then all of a sudden my heart is not going anywhere and I am surrounded by the comfort and safety of being alone again.

And the search continues…

“We are all alone, born alone, die alone, and—in spite of True Romance magazines—we shall all someday look back on our lives and see that, in spite of our company, we were alone the whole way. I do not say lonely—at least, not all the time—but essentially, and finally, alone. This is what makes your self-respect so important, and I don’t see how you can respect yourself if you must look in the hearts and minds of others for your happiness.” – Hunter S. Thompson