Virtual dating

Well, after my last wonderful date (remember the jacking-off incident?) I took a break from the online dating thing. But I decided to get back into the game. So, I've been searching for Mr. Wonderful. Apparently they don't just land in your living room while you're sitting around watching t.v. They say you've got to do a little work. I'm on 3 different online dating sites. I decided to compile some lists to make my search a little more interesting. Here we go.

Two of the sites requires you to have an opening line.

"I am man." I should hope so if you're coming up in my search for "males".
"Can you complete me?" Can you come up w/something more original?
"I totally rock!" Good for you?
"Any funny, fun, attractive, cool girls out here?" or "Anyone fun and interesting out there?" Nope, the world's a boring, unattractive world full of boring, depressed, ugly, very uncool girls. Sorry to disappoint you--looks like you're going to be alone forever.
"Hello ladies..." Is it just me or do you immediately think of Joey from Friends? And, do you really want to be dating Joey? I don't know, maybe someone does.
"He cleans up nicely." So, all the other times he's what?
"Now what could be wrong with this face?" Do you really want me to answer that?
"Dancing w/myself." Great, keep doing that...it just sounds wrong.
"Let's spice up a life." Whose life? Can we really spice anyone's life? Okay!!
"I am looking for a women to make me happy." Grammar people!!
"Hello gals! I love women, women, women and I hope they love me." I don't even know what to say about that one...

All the sites ask you to describe yourself. I found that every single guy loves to bike, travel, work out, is in excellent shape, is really funny, loves to laugh (thank goodness!) ... Wow! What a fit, healthy, happy world we live in. And I thought it was going to be hard to find a great guy. Silly me. Here's one I immediately wanted to respond to "I'm earning my master's of fine arts in film and my schedule is booked up rather air tight." Great! I've been looking for someone who has no time for me. My favorites are teh ones who tell you they're looking for a girlfriend, but give you no information about themselves. What do I have to go on to show any interest????

I sound horribly bitter, I know. But I just don't understand why the world can't be as perfect as I am. (Umm, yes, that's a joke. And, yes, you can stop laughing now...it wasn't that funny was it?) So in an attempt to sound a little more positive...

Here are some of favorites that made me "smile" or "wink" at them.
Username: Naughty_artist --I just couldn't resist.
Opening lines:
"That's me on the left, solving world hunger...AGAIN!"
"Rich doctor seeking arm candy."
"Something in the way she moves me."
"STOP! Click here for a good laugh with a great guy." Then it opens, "Well it made you stop didn't it?" It did. He sounded cute.
Username: "Partly Sunny"; Opening line: "Partly cloudy" --how cute is that?

The God of Small Things

That title of a book sticks in my mind and pops up occassionally. Like today.

The small things: finishing a book, not having to run to catch the Metra and a happy shuttle bus driver

Last night I finished an incredible book called the Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini. This is an incredible book. It's a coming-of-age story about two boys in Afghanistan. It's a moving story that reveals an Afghanistan that I wasn't too familiar with but was. If you need something to read--read this. I could not put the book down and finished it in 3 days. And then I dreamt about the characters. That's when you know a book's made an impression on you--when you start dreaming about the characters as if they are real people in your life.

All week I've been riding the Metra 'cos I'm having car issues. Most days (as Jewell will atest to) I have to run to catch the Metra 'cos I'm always running late. I didn't have to do that today. Yippee. Once I got to my destination (the Lake Bluff stop) and onto my shuttle bus to get to work, I found a very happy shuttle bus driver. Here is this man whose job is to drive people from the train station to Abbott Park (my place of employment) and maybe to drive people in-between buildings around the Abbott campus. That's it folks. He sits behind the wheel of this shuttle bus day after day driving around people. But, I tell you, he could not be happier doing it. I got on the bus to find "Mellow Yellow" by Donovan blasting on the radio and a very happy driver greeting each and everyone of us with a smile and "Good Morning! Great to see you! Welcome aboard!" The only other person who made such an impression on me was the toll booth collector whom I haven't seen in years. He was such a happy person collecting toll. Their happiness puts my life in perspective for me.

It's really all about the small things and a good attitude. On that note, here's to a happy Wednesday! (At least until I take my car to the mechanic and he tells me what the damage will be.)

Boys, boys, boys

Will they ever learn? Being single and dating is always so much fun...and interesting. As a result of my last date, and subsequent conversations w/my girlfriends, I thought I'd help out some single boys/men and point out some don'ts of 1st, 2nd, 3rd or really any dates (unless there is mutual agreement--mutual means she would like this behavior as much as you!).

• Do not order for your date--yes, we are in 2004 and we are quite capable of ordering for ourselves.
  
• If you invite her to dinner, let her eat dinner (that means an entree).
  
• No matter how excited you are, do not jack-off on your date's bed when you're on a 2nd date. Or really, any date. Take it home, honey 'cos honestly, it's no turn on for us.
  
• Do not rip off your date (i.e. don't pocket the change that's hers, etc.).
• No matter what a great "rack" she has, "you have a nice set there" is not a compliment. Neither are "I'd like to get my hands on those" or "Damn, what size are you?"
• Do not tell your date you got a "hard-on" standing behind her at a show. Again, not a turn for us and it won't get you anywhere fast.
  
• Do not hop in the first cab that comes your way and say see ya, leaving her waiting for the next cab. I don't care if you lost the game of pool or darts.
• Do not leave her waiting for a bus alone in a bad neighborhood. I don't care if you don't have a car, be courteous enough to make sure she gets on the bus.
  
• No matter how beautiful your date's lips are, it's not okay to tell her she has great lips for a blow-job. Again, not a compliment.
  
• Do not talk about the only girlfriend you had--back in highschool, who left you with a broken heart that's left you not trusting women. Actually, go ahead and talk about it. It'll give us a chance to get rid of you faster and neither of us will have wasted any time.
  
• Don't chew with your mouth open, or allow food to fly out of your mouth. Actually, this is a general tip--remember this whenever you're eating in other's company.
  

Friends, please help out any single men you know and pass this on to them.

Gettin' hitched N'awlins style

No, no, I did not get married. But my cousin did. I was down there last week for the happy event. Nasreen & Rob got hitched, and they did in style! Nasreen looked absolutely gorgeous, of course. And Rob could not have looked happier. After the ceremony, the two surprised us (and the rest of the wedding guests) by leading us (along with a jazz band!) on a parade through the streets of the French Quarters. Everyone came out--from bars, restaurants, apartments, stores--to watch as we waved our white handkerchiefs and danced to the jazz through the streets. It was so much fun! People were snapping pictures & whisteling & congratulating the newlyweds.
The getaway to New Orleans gave me a chance to reconnect w/my sis & her girls. It was a great girls weekend! We shopped, watched movies, drank (well me & my sis anyway and I did and said things that I don't recall, made phone calls I vaguely remember--all on the good ol' Bourbon Street where you can buy huge ass beers, tasty drinks in tall green things all from a little window and hang around the street enjoying it), shopped some more, went for a dip on the rooftop, and managed to get in a little historic sightseeing too!

Creativity

I am craving creativity like some people crave chocolate. I need an outlet. I'm finding that I'm more & more attracted to creative types. "She fell in love with a drummer, another & another". I'm sorta into drummer boys right now. Well, one in particular. But it's unclear if he's into me--considering we've never met. No, despite the chosen lyric, I'm not in love w/someone I haven't met yet. Any suggestions on creative outlets? I'm open to just about anything...
This weekend I had some pre-wedding celebrations--a bachelorette party, a bridal shower. Sandwiched in between was a speed-dating event for Muslims, organized (or not so much, I should say) by an aunty. Obviously so, much to my dismay--there were too many moments when we were sitting there waiting for boys to come around. The most interesting thing about it were the spectators. Did you know speed-dating is now considered a spectator sport? We had parents watching, seeing who their beloved child paid attention to and who they thought should have paid attention to. As if the whole process wasn't uncomfortable enough. I got to meet about 24 guys and I learned all of their names, their occupation, their city of residence and that's about it, before the bell rang and they moved on to the next table of anxiously awaiting women. I remember one--and that only his career and city. I met some nice women--the ones that were sitting w/me at the table. I did not succeed in finding my $50 husband, much to my parents' dismay. Sorry mom & dad. The search continues.

Where did the summer go?

I only started this blog thingy a month ago. At first I thought, who really cares what I have to say? I posed this question to a friend who said it doesn't matter--I do it for myself. I like that. My summer flew by--where did it go? It went to many, many street festivals, Sunday afternoons w/friends, to Texas for a wedding, to Indiana, to an outdoor film fest, a random hookup w/an ex (fun times?), to hanging w/a new baby niece, to a day spent with my favorite girl visiting from Iraq, to enjoying very happy times w/a friend right before she moved to NYC--here's hoping she's found her ladies who lunch, to drinks w/friends, to Spiderman 2, the Village, 24 hours of 24 (y'know the show w/Kiefer) sitting on the edge of my seat, to expensive car repairs, to dinner w/close friends, to a 5k walk for battered women, getting to know new friends, to the Millenium Park, and to serial dating online.

I was troubled by the fact that I've turned to this medium as an option for meeting people. But a wise girl told me, "it doesn't matter how you meet, just that you meet". So, I went on a few dates. One was bad, one was okay and one was great. But none of them went anywhere. As my 12-yr-old nieces told me on some pajamas--boys are stupid, throw rocks at them. Hope I don't hit anyone too hard in the head.

I want an extension on summer--I'm not done w/my love affair with it. Or with the city--that's for my bad date.

Lost in Michigan

Was it the translation of the directions? Perhaps! I went to Indiana to see my friend Jamie who was visiting the family cottage in Indy from Canada w/daughter Audra. Getting there was a joy--a 3 hour trip took me about 4.5 hrs as I wandered aimlessly through Michigan. It was an incredible wknd w/J & her v. kind family. As always J had words of wisdom (or confessions) to share with me. I learned that until you have a baby you would never know you could love anyone so much. It's all the love you have for everyone combined into one. I was happy to hear this 'cos as of late I've been wondering if I could love my child (when & if I have one) as much as I love other people in my life. I was also inspired to do something more meaningful with my life. Clinical data management is interesting and challenging for bringing home a paycheck, but what is my passion? What in this world really matters to me that I can contribute to? breast cancer? maybe. Maybe I can take a pet peeve and turn into a contribution to the world.
I finally got a chance to talk to my best girl who is doing big things in Iraq. I'm so proud of you girlie! You're making your mark on many people's lives! She also always has wise things to say and she too reminded me the importance of giving back to the world by doing something meaningful. Off I go to find meaningful things to do!