Finally - an update...

Well some time has passed and there are reasons for this.  I think I last left off with a weekend with 2 dates which turned into zero dates.  Pat and I were to meet for coffee and I just didn't want to meet with him again until we exchanged phone numbers so I basically bailed and we haven't communicated since.

Eric (the truck driver)- whole other story.  This is the main reason I went on hiatus.  We were supposed to meet Friday night in Crystal City but he called and needed to reschedule so we were going to aim for Saturday evening.  When he called on Saturday he left a detailed message explaining that it was his niece's birthday party that night which he had forgotten about.  His message said he still wanted to do a 'quick meet & greet' so he'd 'dip out of the party to meet' and then 'slide back up' to the party.  (Honestly even after all this time I can clearly hear the message in my head and it still makes me sick to my stomach).  I called him back to set something up.  I asked how old his niece was turning and he said 3.  Along with many alarms in my mind by now I am thinking, 'Why would a birthday party for a 3 year old be going on past 9 pm?'  He then starts to say he has family birthdays like this from now until September.  It was as if he is already telling me he is too busy for me.  Anywho, I say well let's still meet in Crystal City. He says 'Let me think about that because it is going to be tough to find parking'.  

I took this to mean he must be planning on driving his truck to the date.  Another weird part is, wouldn't this have been a problem on Friday night too?  

NOTE:  please don't be horrified yet because we haven't even gotten to the scary part

He then said since he will only have about 20 minutes for this he would like me (BRACE yourself) to meet him in the Enterprise Rental Car parking lot on Jeff-Davis Hwy.  Ok so in case you think you are confused I will recap here - he is a truck driver who wants to meet me at 8:30 pm in a dark, desolate parking lot. 

Fortunately I have a good friend who sat with me as I called him back to cancel.  Then he started to ask if he could meet me sometime that week off of Duke St.  Anyways you get the idea here.  So he called 4 times afterwards (once at 7:43 am on Sunday- who is even up then?) and left messages and then thankfully by the grace of God he has stopped calling.

So my life has been a bit busy (apparently I have to start a job search) but I will try now to get back on track and return to dating.  I have already sent an email to Devin (he has been a judge of a debate at GWU).  Let's hope the guy can give me some hope.

Geographically Undesirable

So I know that previously I was making fun of some of these guys but then there are times I feel terrible for closing out a match. I have to decide whether I want to communicate with these men based on their profile and/ or pictures.  As usual Chemistry sends me potential matches from the entire eastern seaboard. From Marlton, NJ and Greencastle, PA. The dude from NJ appears to be in a wheel chair so I feel ever worse about closing him out. And the man from PA is OLD (yes even by my standards) and I truly don't think he could make the drive without one of his grandchildren driving him here. I need to go and find where Chemistry accepts suggestions and plead with them to add in 'geographically undesirable' as a way to close a match.

And yes I have let some of them sit in my 'interested in you' inbox but then they send a 'nudge' and that drives me crazy. I mean I am trying to let them down easy and then once they nudge me I feel like 'OK so I guess you want the door slammed.'

A word from our Sponsors

I am proud of myself because I did something completely out of character for me.  For those of you that know me you are not going to believe it.  

Today I went to the White House to attend the Stanley Cup presentation to the Mighty Ducks.  There was a nice looking Secret Service man that I smiled at and said hello to.  Following the presentation there was a reception and people were getting autographs from the players.  So as I was leaving I handed this dude (yes the Secret Service man) a business card (which were recently given to me by 2 close friends, who from here on out will be known as my Proud Sponsors).  As I gave it to him I looked up at him and said, "Lately I am living life by the rule of 'you only live once.'  And I would love to hear from you."  

YES - for real!

I am really taking this dating thing to a whole new level.

No worries.  I don't imagine I'll ever hear from him.  

Mercury is in retrograde

So I got a new possible match today who is 50 years old and wants children.  I quickly closed it.  Even if he had a kid this year he would be 68 when it graduated.  I mean who approaching 70 can stay awake until 11:30 pm to make sure his child comes home in time for curfew? 

I heard from Pat and he offered to meet me on Saturday for coffee again or maybe catch a yoga class.  I think it is weird but I will respond with a yes to seeing him on Saturday and I'll ask what type of yoga it is and go from there.  Please feel free to post your thoughts about this as a comment because quite frankly I do not know what to think.  I mean this is date 2 and I get that men like to check out women's bodies but there won't be much of a chance to chat during a class.

I have spoken with Eric again and I think we are going to meet for a drink Friday evening in Crystal City.  Our second conversation seemed better but than the first but again I found myself drifting off because he just rambles.

A close friend of mine told me Mercury is in retrograde.  Since I didn't understand what this meant I googled it.  It seems that means this is a time when communications can get confused. It will be this way until the 25th.  This doesn't bode well for my dates this weekend.      

Yes Virginia, there is a truck driver

So I have established phone communication with a new man.  His name is Eric.  He is the one that asked me to tell him the story that he saw in my eyes.  Then his next email was titled 'It is I, Sweetheart' in which he wrote 'Feel free to give me a call (xxx) 333-00xx, it is easier for me to communicate via this medium.'  When I told someone about this they were confused because they had thought I said he was an African-American.  Which he is.  

He looks like he weighs 98 lbs and I am hoping he has on a jacket 9 sizes too big for him and that he has some meat on his bones.  

Next allow me to share with you what he does for work.  His profile said he was a CEO of a transportation company.  Upon speaking with him I learned that he is a truck driver.  I know you are thinking 'What a catch!'  Don't be too jealous.

And it gets even better.  The first time he called me was Sunday night - in the third quarter of the Super Bowl.  Now even if you don't know that I am a Boston sports fan, does it make any sense to call someone during the Super Bowl?  

He did ask if we could meet up soon and I will venture no more than 1 mile from my home to meet him (he is from MD) but I really don't think I can stretch this one out to 3 dates.  Did I mention everything he said was either boring or an empty compliment?  Yeah - I am looking forward to this one.

Pat and I have emailed to try to catch up but so far have not found a common time.  I think perhaps he is frustrated or not interested since I emailed him last Thursday and have not gotten a response.  We still have not spoken to each other on the phone or exchanged numbers.

Also Devin and I have exchanged a few emails so hopefully soon we will graduate to a phone call.  

Can I have some laughing gas before I start to cry?

Today I would like to give everyone who isn't dating a glimpse of what the rest of us deal with in the dating pool.  Here is what we have to work..... 

This is from an actual profile of a guy that winked at me (he's 24 and no I didn't lie about my age on my profile so he actually knows I am a decade older than him)...

"Hey ladies. This is Sammy from Maryland giving every young lady the heads up that I'm single and looking for a special young woman. I have a picture, so you can check out my good looks.lol I'm 5'10 young black male, college educated, and full time worker with a steady job. I also drive my own car."

I truly don't think I can even wink back because WHAT could I say if we started to email?  I am not a materialistic person and I am not sure if he thinks it's impressive that a) he has a license, b)that he knows how to drive or c) that he has a car.

Of course I have one guy suggesting we meet soon at any place off the orange line so I guess he doesn't have a car and/or license?  Geez...

And then there is this one.  
Again I have bolded my favorite line.
"Nice guy looking for normal, professional, down to earth women. I am not looking for high maintenance gals who can often be fakes. I am fun, energetic, kind, romantic and love to travel. I work in D.C for the goverment (Big surprise!) and love my work. I do meet women at work but refuse to get involved with coworkers, soooooooo that is why I am taking a little chance here. I am looking for women between the ages of 25-35. Younger or older considered, if we develop a connection. I notice that numerous women claim to be looking for guys like me. I am not a player, I have a job, car, home and apartment and I am not currently looking to be supported financially."

From this should I gather that other men are looking to be supported financially?  

Also one guy wrote on his profile that he has all of his '32 permanent teeth without any metal or metal alloys on said teeth'.  I hope he was trying to be funny but I fear that maybe these are basic questions I should be asking as I begin to email new men.  

Update on Pat:  He emailed and asked me out to lunch/happy hour.  I don't think I can make it on the day he gave me but I do hope/plan to see him again.  

peace

Please ask for my number...

So despite the fact that I was not feeling well at all, off I went to meet Pat.  Very nice guy.  He is cute and easy to chat with.  I think he is 40 and he sells software to ERs.  He grew up in MD so he is from this area.  He made it very clear that he LOVES golf and will drop anything for a chance to play.  He also explained that he does a lot of stuff last minute and isn't a real planner.  I have experience with this type of 'impulsive' behavior and I can't say I can hang with it all that well.  

That being said I felt as though I was on an interview.  He asked pointed questions about my family, religious beliefs, what party I support, my 5 year goals, and so on.  Yeah- not what I was up for since again it was 9 am (a time I don't function well at right now) and I wasn't feeling well.  I don't think I had my game on and I was not worried about having the 'right' answers since I am not in a search for a husband.  

At the end of our meeting he stretched out his arms for a hug so I gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek and off I went.  I hoped that I would hear from him but doubted that I would.

Well that evening he sent an email saying he had a nice time meeting me and would like to hang out in my neck of the woods sometime.  All this is weird to me because we haven't exchanged phone numbers.  Am I out of date since I expect communications to take a leap from emails to phone calls at some point?  

peace