Fish Nugget Haiku...

/vomit

Okay. So these are just about the worst thing ever.

Bad enough that I'm bothering to write a post about them.

Earth's Best Fish Nuggets

So Gross, And So Very Bland

I Want A Refund

There. I've written a haiku about them and their suckiness. 

In conclusion: Earth's Best Fish Nuggets Suck.

Fin.

[Hehehe...'fin'...]

Look at me, I'm doing stuff!

I've got my first 'room mom' meeting this morning...in about an hour and a half, actually...and I'm freaking out, just a little bit...

It's not 'job interview' scary or 'medical school interview' scary, not by any means...but the idea of having to sit down and chit-chat with these ladies that I know nothing about.../sigh do I have to?

Might be time to break out
these sweet moves again!

Luckily for me, there are only going to be 5 of us...and I know I've at least seen two of these ladies. One of them I actually quite like...her daughter sits at the same table/group as my kiddo in class, we talked a little on 'meet the teacher' day. The other one that I know I'll recognize is the lady who I ran into at the fundraising dinner...you know, the one who got to experience my full-blown awkwardness first-hand?

So yeah...fun times ahead...soooo looking forward to it.

I know, I know...I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill. Maybe these ladies are going to be awesome, and today will be the start of some epic new friendships.

/Sigh Oh well. I know I'm making way too big of a deal out of this...I'm sure everything will be just fine.

Right?

Buddies...

Found this on  BuzzFeed a few minutes ago:

22 Things That Happen When You're a Girl with Mostly Guy Friends

As a girl who has a lot of guy friends, I'll agree that a good portion of the list is true.

Also, I love my guy friends...you're awesome! [You know who you are!]

Sugar Skulls...

Can I nap all day, please?

Bleeeeggggh...I'm not feeling well this morning. My throat is sore, my sinuses are draining, my head is pounding, and I've got that un-welcome and yet familiar sense of overall malaise. [Malaise is the generalized feeling of discomfort, illness, or lack of well-being...otherwise known as 'feeling yucky.'] The body aches are the worst, though...if not for the aches, I could probably take some allergy/sinus medicine and feel tons better. Muscle aches, I loathe you.



While sifting through my email this morning, I noticed I had a new advertisement from Paper Source.

Paper Source

Paper Source sells all sorts of paper goods...most of them frivolous, but undeniably adorable or trendy. Somewhere along the line, I agreed to receive emails and catalogs from them...I don't think I've ever bought anything from them, but I can't really justify spending extra money on paper novelties right now. Not to say that I wouldn't, though. They had some paper peony wreath kits earlier this year that were ridiculously cute!

Now that it's almost September, I guess retailers have deemed it appropriate to start bombarding everyone with their Halloween/Autumn/Fall wares. The Paper Source email was proudly advertising their new line of all things Sugar Skull.

I guess I'm a fan of sugar skulls...I think they're neat. Considering I'm overall a fan of things melancholy and macabre [I'm in literary love with Edgar A. Poe...and not just because it's trendy], seems to make sense that I'd at least like the idea of sugar skulls.

Adorable and sugary sweet...with just a dash of creepy!

I then realized that aside from the pop-culture aspect of them, I don't know much about sugar skulls at all. I vaguely remember reading a snippet on them when I was taking Spanish in high school...but it was probably just a line or two at the top of some coloring book page that was masquerading as 'busy work.'

Anyway, the sugar skulls are actually called 'calavera' and are an integral part in celebrating the Day of the Dead. [On my second read through of the information on sugar skulls...it seems like I remember a good bit about them from college Spanish courses...but sleep hazy me thought that it was all breaking news caliber information...hehehe sleepy me shouldn't be trusted with academic decisions] Interestingly, the Day of the Dead coincides with the Catholic All Souls and All Saints days. I can't speak for every Protestant denomination, but I do know that First United Methodists observe All Saints Day...I need to check and see if the date matches...it would be awesome if the Day of the Dead and the Methodist All Saints Day were on the same day!

Skeletal is the new sexy, right?

But anyway...I think it's a good thing that American 'culture' appears to be embracing aspects of other cultures so readily. I don't know if you've realized how sugar skulls have inundated portions of our American Halloween and Autumn traditions. Not sure what I'm talking about? If you run an internet search for skeleton make-up, a good portion of the results are a lot like the picture to the right...notice a resemblance to sugar skulls?

Skelita Calaveras

Another example is found in the popular Monster High line of toys. In 2012, Mattel released the new character. Her face is clearly modeled after the design of a sugar skull, and it's also reflected in her name. [Calaveras = sugar skulls, remember?]

I think it's a beautiful design for a doll, but the skeletal body is just off-putting enough to keep me from actually buying one.

Yeah, yeah...I'm almost 30 and will still buy dolls if I find them interesting enough. I wish I could say it's for collector's purposes only...but I'd really, really to play with some of them!

Finally, there's a new movie slated to come out this Halloween called "Book of Life." I honestly don't have the energy to go into detail about the movie [thanks again, malaise!] but here's the IMDb link, feel free to check it out:

IMDb - Book of Life (2014)

I'll probably go see it...twice.

The trailers that I've seen are bright, colorful, and boast a story reminiscent of mythology tales that I've heard many times before. Average-Guy loves Girl, Popular-Guy loves same Girl, Girl seems to teeter between both Guys, plot thickens as both Guys compete to win the affection of said Girl.

Throw in a villain that has his own agenda involving the previously mentioned Guys...sprinkle in a dash of Spanish folklore...add the voices of a few well-known celebrities...finish with a 'fantastic' director, and voila! You've got the basic recipe for this Halloween's box office, animated smash of a movie.

So pretty! 

The art is gorgeous! I'm already a fan of this character, and I don't even know what her name is!

I honestly can't even remember where this crazy train of thought was going...but I think it's time to let it go before I start rambling about skeletal cats with flaming heads...or something. Yeaaaah...I'll talk to you guys later.

"Gone Girl"...A Must Read/Listen!

View from my balcony, Sunday morning...

It was a beautiful weekend, but goodness it was HOT. With temps being in the upper 90's and humidity at about 50000%...as long as the sun was out, it was not pleasant. But that's what air conditioning is for!

The kiddo had a great time, I had a good time, and we were able to get some work done on the condo units...all around a good trip, I'd say. Pretty sure that it helps that I've been listening a really awesome audio book. Courtesy of Amazon, here's what it's about:

Just...amazing.

"Marriage can be a real killer. One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit and deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn. On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn't do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet? With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around."

Such a good story...if you've been looking for a good read [or a good listen, in my case] then you need to check this one out! I've got about two hours of listening time left. Not sure how that translates to pages, but I am itching to know how it ends...

Okay, I've got to get back to work...updates on other things later!

Dangerously Bored...

It's Friday, again! Congratulations on making it through yet another work/school week...I should have a relatively short work day, myself...my parents, the kiddo, and I are headed down to PCB for the weekend. Now, I know that some of you are having those "wow, that sounds awesome! You're so lucky!" thoughts, but I assure you, they aren't warranted.

My parents own a few condo units down there, so our visits are far more condo maintenance and very little actual relaxing. Personally, I always feel like I need a vacation from out PCB 'vacations.' [PCB = Panama City Beach, FL...just in case you were wondering...]

16+ hour audio book?? Yessss!

So there's the drive to look forward to this afternoon...I actually don't mind the drive all that much, I rather like long drives, especially if there's good company. Or if I happen to be traveling by myself, there's not much better than a good audio book or mix list to car-dance along to. Aaaand I know I'll get picked on for saying I like audio books...but there isn't a safe way to play a gameboy and drive yet, so listening to a book is pretty much the next best thing!

So, last night, I was sitting in my apartment just doing my usual over-thinking stuff...and I noticed an alarming trend to my thought patterns...said patterns go something like so:

My actual ear! Before losing
the two upper piercings :(

"Hmm...you know, I really like my latest ear piercing. And you know, it really didn't take all that long to heal and it didn't really give me any problems...it didn't hurt much at all, and I did end up having to take out my other two cartilage piercings...why don't I get another one? Yeah! Why not?!? I should absolutely go and get another piercing!! But what would I get? etc, etc..."

This red is an acceptable hair color,
right?

"It's been a while since I've dyed my hair...how long has it been? At least 6 months...at least. You know, I really like dyeing my hair! Why has it been so long since I've dyed it? Maybe I should dye it again...like today...or now! What color should I do? I really want to dye my hair some funky color...but then I'd get funny looks from all the teachers and parents at my kiddo's school...I don't want him to feel awkward or anything because he's got "that weird mom with the funky hair colors"...so, brown. But brown's so boring! Ooooh! Red!!! Red's not that outlandish! etc, etc.."

Do you guys see what's going on?

I'm bored.

Not your everyday, 'there's absolutely nothing to watch on tv,' sort of bored. The 'I'm not exactly thrilled with certain aspects of my life right now...I need a quick and easy change' sort of bored. The kind of bored that will result in additional piercings, unnecessarily colored hair, short-lived hobbies, and purchasing way too many home decor items.

The downfall of being so painfully self-aware is that I know what's happening, I know exactly what's happening. And because I know what's happening, I am unavoidably obligated to do something about it, which will require me making changes to my daily routine.

"Hey, weren't you just saying a few posts back that you felt like you needed to make some changes anyway?"

Well, yeah...but that doesn't make it any more pleasant to do.

So the question is, where to start? Money management? Eating healthier? Exercising more...or any, rather?

What?!? I'm in my fort, I can't hear you!

I know, I know...I'm an 'adult' and need to act as such. And I will. But...I don't wanna!! /sigh

Anyway...I hope you guys have a good weekend!

/wistfulsigh

Meh. And Also, Puppies!

Blah.

I've had a rather stressful day. And not the obviously kind of stress...the kind that doesn't seem to be effecting anyone else around me, so I know I am likely blowing things out of proportion...But, my sources of stress don't seem so outlandish that they can be easily shrugged off either. What a very middle-of-the road, nerve-wracking, 'meh' sort of day.

Rather than drone on and one about what bothers me and why, I'm going to share some puppy stuff. Because, well, who doesn't love puppies?! Enjoy!

10 Facts about Puppies!!

New Computer, Yay!

Guess who's finally rejoining the PC world...

As stated in my earlier post, my new computer finally arrived this afternoon. I know that in the grand scheme of things, two weeks isn't very long, but holy cow it felt like forever and a day!

Setting it up was a breeze, and it seems like it would work with the desk that I already have. [I've got one of those space-saving corner desk things] But, since I typically use a double-monitor set up for work, I'm going to have to replace my current desk with one that'll actually fit two monitors...

No problems with the new computer so far...I haven't loaded any of my appraisal software yet, I plan on doing that tomorrow. So, I'm crossing my fingers that all of those installations go smoothly as well.

Well, I really just wanted to write a post from my new computer...seeing as that's done, I guess I'll be going...hope you have a good night!

Social Klutzing...

So, last night, the kiddo and I went to that fundraising event that his school was hosting.

I thought they had lovely cups!

Overall, I thought that the place had decently good food. Everything was a touch overpriced, though. I'll say that they're chocolate cake certainly was delicious, but I can't think of any sort of cake that should warrant a $4.50/slice price.

As predicted, we ran into one of the kiddo's classmates and his parents. Also as predicted, I was nothing short of spectacularly awkward. /facepalm

I decided to be bold for a change and attempt to be outgoing when I introduced myself to the classmate's parents...the kiddo and I had just finished eating, so I decided to tell them something along the lines of, " Oh boy, you guys are in for a treat! We just ate, and let me tell you, the food was fantastic! Like, really, really good food! But, I don't know, have you guys ever eaten here before?"

At this point, the mother nodded and said that yes, they have eaten here before. Many times, in fact.

Awkward Distraction Dance!

And that's all it takes to throw a monkey wrench in the barely-functioning machine that is the part of my brain that fuels social interactions. Whether warranted or not, I start to internally panic. [These are the rather odd things that go on in the mind of someone with social anxiety!] 

I mumble something about it being great that they come here often, and then say that it was nice to meet them and awkwardly shuffle about to grab the kiddo and sprint to the safe haven that is my car...but of course, not before over-excitedly telling them that I was glad to meet them...at least three more times. Soooo much facepalm. 

Oh well. All that really matters is that the kiddo and I had a good time, we had good food that served towards a good cause, and now I know that my little one is making friends at his new school [which makes me one incredibly relieved and proud mama!].

Elsewhere in Gotham City...

My new computer was just delivered! Look forward to computer hi-jinx in upcoming posts! 

Marvel Universe Live!

Exciting stuff!! So exciting that I couldn't wait and write a post about it tomorrow!!

I'm taking my kiddo to go see Marvel Universe Live! Squeeeee!!! I'm so excited!! *ahem* I mean, he's gonna be so excited!!!

Ican'twait!Ican'twait!!Ican'twait!

I know that gif is annoying, but it accurately reflects how excited I am about this!!

Would it be inappropriate to slip one of them my phone number?

As far as I know, this year is the first that this show has been in production. I heard about it months ago, and have been planning on taking the kiddo for his birthday, but I hadn't bought tickets yet...it was too far in

Perfectly acceptable reaction!

advance to buy them. [I've been dying to go before tickets were even available!] Got online a little bit ago to see about ordering tickets, and they've added video trailers to their website...cue the fangirls! 

[Blogger is being funny about letting me change the layout of this post for some reason...my apologies for the awkward arrangements...I'm trying to fix it, but the post simply won't cooperate /sigh]

The few reviews that I've read have been nothing but praise for the show...the only negative ones were comments on not being able to get tickets and having to wait until next year...

This is one of the preview videos on YouTube...it's not the same one that is posted on the show's website, but it's still pretty good. Is it October yet??

Stop-eth, Cretans! It's hammer time!

What's the Word, Hummingbird?...

I don't really have a particular post topic in mind today, so I'm going to update you guys on some of the stuff going on with yours truly!

/thumbs up  Awesome!

I'm still working on getting my car situation resolved. I'm supposed to be getting a check from my insurance company sometime this week...fortunately/unfortunately, this time of year is right around the time car manufacturers release next year's models. This could work out in my favor, some of the 'old' models will probably go on sale. On the flip side, if I buy a 'new' car, say either 2013 or 2014 model, then in a few weeks, it could potentially be a 'two-year old car.' You know...if you're looking at it as a 2013 and there's a 2015 sitting right next to it...it won't matter that my car would be just as new as the 2015, to the rest of the world it's already two years old. Personally, it wouldn't matter to me that much...but I'm pretty sure that it would become important if I ever had to re-sell the car. So, the car hunt continues...sort of...it will probably pick back up again in a few days after I have the funds to make car shopping sort of feasible.

My kiddo's school is having a fund raising function tonight! A local restaurant is donating a portion of all of their proceeds from 4pm-9pm today, so that's pretty cool. It's a little place that I've been wanting to try out for some time now, so that'll be fun. I'm thinking that I will probably run into some other parents while I'm there, so I should probably start warming up my risorius muscles! [Not sure where the risorius muscles are? Hint: I bet you use them everyday!]

Risorius is highlighted!

The risorius muscles are responsible for the 'fake smile.' You know, that one that can be found in millions and millions of selfies, yearbook photos, work-related meetings, and dysfunctional family gatherings!

Umm, what else...

Wow...I'm so used to having a million things going on, I feel like I must be missing something whenever I can't immediately think of a dozen things that require my attention...

A 'Bloater'...great. /cry

Haven't been gaming much lately [okay...not at all, actually...], but seeing as it's because I'm spending time with the kiddo and on getting stuff for work done, I don't view that as a negative at all. Plus, this big hunk of nasty is the next thing I have to face in The Last of Us...last time I played, I left Joel in an especially precarious situation...no Clicker-killing shanks, no stealth-killing arrows, and about 6 bullets...it's not gonna be pretty.

I'm still watching Fairy Tail...It's still pretty good. I am a bit bummed that I finished all of the episodes that Netflix had to offer. There's more seasons available on HuluPlus, but they've got all those darn commercials! I'm seriously considering canceling my Hulu account and starting on one Crunchyroll. I've been told that if you're a paid subscriber to Crunchyroll, that there aren't any ads...can anyone confirm/deny this? [Read: I'd  like to know but don't really want to look it up...]

Okay, guys...I think that just about brings most things up to present...I'll let you know how the fund raising thing goes!

Okaythanksbye!!

Go, Go Power Rangers! (Twerking? No...Sombreros? Si!)

Semi-breaking news in the world of movies! A few days ago it was announced that there is a Power Ranger movie in production, slated to be released in July 2016!

I heard about this while getting ready for work this morning. Definitely, definitely excited! 

I don't know any details about the film itself. Not sure which generation of Power Rangers it's supposed to have, though really, if it's anything other than the first two or so, it won't be worth seeing. I would love it if they went all the way back to the first generation of Power Rangers...the dinosaur-themed Zords were the best! And considering villains, things got progressively weirder once you added Lord Zed and his cronies to the mix. Just one more reason to keep the plot of the movie as close to the first generation as possible. If you wanted to be picky about it, the Green Ranger wouldn't even have to be included...but c'mon, everyone knows that the Green Ranger was awesome. Heck, even bring him in as the White Ranger! Even more awesome!

I'm not sure who's supposed to be directing this potential gem of 90's nostalgia, but I will go ahead and say this: "Michael Bay had better not come within a 5 million mile radius of the Power Ranger movie reboot!" And I mean that. 

Now, I will say that he did an epic job with the Transformer movie reboot...for the first three films. Two and a half, really....everything after that was, and will continue to be, complete and absolute rubbish. /glare Don't even get me started on the ridiculous TMNT reboot. At this point, I'm refusing to spend money to go and see that garbage...

Here's an idea! After 2016, if the MMPR movie isn't absolutely butchered by M. Bay (aka, the M. Night of the nerd/geek movie world), then we should have whomever directs the MMPR movie rescue the TMNT franchise! 

Good movies for everyone!

Please, please, please bring back the original zords! They were the best! And I want to buy them ALL!  

Saber-toothed Tiger, FTW!

Do not...I repeat, DO NOT, have the MMPR participate in any of today's newfangled ridiculousness. 

For the love of GOD, no twerking!

Though, I do think sombreros would be fun. Yes, to sombreros!

Mucho gusto!

I'm sure news on this movie will be trickling out for the next two years...so plenty more to come!

Awesome Comics!

Heya! Hope you guys had a good weekend...

My weekend was very enjoyable! Been spending some much needed time working on the education requirements for completing my Real Estate Appraisal Certification. It requires somewhere in the ballpark of 200 hours...that's a bunch. I've already got a good portion of them completed, so just have to finish them up!

The logo wall is made up
entirely of books!

Saturday evening, I went with a good friend of mine to 2nd and Charles. (I LOVE that place! I wanna set up a little fort made of out of books and live there!) They have tons upon tons of books, both new and used. They've got a massive selection of comics, graphic novels, and manga. They've got new and used movies, new and used cds, and new and used video games, too! They even have a decent-sized selection of vintage video games...I managed to find a good copy of Majora's Mask there once...but it was gone when I went back the next day to pick it up...major bummer. To round out their expansive collection of just about all things awesome, they've got a large selection of t-shirts, random novelties (magnets, keychains, collectible figurines, etc), and vinyl albums. If you have a 2nd and Charles near you and you haven't visited it...what are you waiting for?!? Go! Today! 

Hehehe sorry about the rambling, I get really excited talking about stuff that I love! 

But anyway, at 2nd and Charles yesterday, I found something really, really cool! 

/drool

This is a 001 edition of the Original Sin comic (these comics started coming out earlier this year, in April, I think). It's a variant cover edition with a limited release for the 2014 Comic-Con...and I own one! I know it likely won't have the same value as a 001 edition with whatever the standard release cover was, but I couldn't pass it up! Guys, it's a Comic-Con limited release!

/squee!

Here's another goodie that I picked up at 2nd and Charles: 001 edition of Rocket Raccoon. They also began coming out earlier this year. Variant cover art, limited to 5,000 issues, and only available to purchase at the 2014 Comic-Con. Again, I'm not counting on it being as valuable in the future as the original cover art edition...but it was still way too cool to pass up!



Okay, I've got to go take care of some stuff that actually requires peeling myself away a computer...Hasta!

OkCupid Shenanigans [Part 2]...

Good morning, guys! Hope you all had a good Friday...

Picking up where I left off with my OkCupid story...

Texting back and forth with both B and J was really nice...at first. Within a few hours, especially with B, I was promptly reminded of why online dating isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I had gone to bed at a reasonable time that night, around 10 or so, and B and I agreed that we enjoyed talking to each other and that we would like to continue talking the next day. In the morning, things were amiss pretty much from the very fist text message. B was upset that I didn't text him first thing to tell him good morning. Well, me being the way I am, I offered an apology of sorts and then continued taking care if whatever I needed to do. I can get quite busy during the day with work and running the kiddo to school...

With B being a parent, I thought he would be understanding to the chaos that can be daily life, but he was insistant on vying for my almost constant attention and being harshly passive aggressive if he didn't receive it. I really didn't understand this behavior at all. Remember, I'd 'known' the guy for less than 24 hours. I found it all very off-putting...it certainly didn't help that he was beginning to remind me of an ex or two....

It all culminated that evening. I was at home with the kiddo, getting him read for bed. His bedtime routine was a bit longer than usual, his allergies have been in full swing and the poor thing wasn't feeling well. B sends me multiple texts asking me to call him (I hadn't actually talked to him on the phone at all). I explained that I could call later, I was putting my kiddo to bed and he wasn't feeling well. At that point, I left my phone in the living room until my son went to bed. When I picked my phone up again, I had several nasty messages from B!

He had decided that I was being deceptive and using my sick child as an excuse to 'cruise a dating site.' Ummm ...what?!? 

I took this as a cue, and promptly deleted messages, blocked phone numbers, and disabled my profile. Guys, there's still waaaayyyy too much crazy out there to make online dating worth it! 

But, I did take the opportunity to think about why I had even want to create a profile on a site like that in the first place? (I've had less than pleasant experiences with that sort of thing before...)

I think a big portion of the reason is because it's easy. I mean, you don't even have to put on pants to log into a website! And, given the nature of the site, you can be pretty sure that the majority of the people you might interact with are there for the same reason as you, to meet someone. This is both good and bad: it takes out the guess work as far as trying to figure out if a stranger is in the market for meeting dating prospects, but the computer provides a veil between you and everyone you meet, preventing you from seeing glaring red flags that you'd pick up on immediately if you'd met that person in real life. 

I also did some self-reflection on my brief fling with OkCupid. What was I seeking by signing up for that web junk?

I can say with certainty that I wasn't looking for a new boyfriend. Otherwise, I'd have completely filled in all of my personal information. What I was looking for was company. 

It's been quite a while since I've been truly 'single.' And typically, even if I wasn't with someone, I had a guy or two that I was dating in the meantime. But, that's not the case now, not at all. Given the tumultuous nature of this summer, I really haven't put myself in a position to meet anyone new. I've been determined to go about this new chapter of my life different that I would have before, and I've been working on changing aspects of my life and patterns of thought so that I can be happy with myself and not seek others to fill that void. 

Most days are fine. I'm too busy with work, the kiddo, appraisal education, fighting insurance companies, and searching for a new car to even worry about adding a new boyfriend to my life. Besides, dating someone would seriously cut into my anime watching time! 

But there are times when I miss simply having someone to talk to. Yes, I've got some friends that I'm sure would be more than willing to talk to me if I gave them a call, but that's not quite what I'm talking about. It's that connection, that knowledge that someone is concerned about how you are, someone wants to hear from you just as badly as you want to hear from them, that warm, fuzzy feeling of knowing there's mutual 'like' in a conversation. That's what I've been missing and what I was looking for by starting up another profile. 

But, thanks to crazy B and his red flags, I was reminded that online dating isn't the way I need to go about finding that. Not if I want it to be a genuine, organic, development of a relationship. I was also reminded that I'm simply not ready for all of that yet. I've got some more 'me' stuff to take care of first, and I need my focus to stay on myself and my kiddo rather than on finding someone to fulfil the role of boyfriend. So, I've decided to spend some time this weekend really thinking about my daily life and what I can improve, and start implementing changes as early as Monday. 

Guys, I'm 29. Have been for a little over a week now, and I know the ominous 30 will be here before I know it. If I'm not happy with something, and it's within my control to alter it, I've got to do so! Nothing is going to change simply because I'd like it to. Real change requires, time, commitment, energy, and effort. 

My new goal is to make some significant, palpable changes in my life, for the better, by my next birthday. I want to start the next decade chapter of my life on a much better note that my previous one, and I know it's up to me to do so! 

Oh yeah, what about J? 

Umm, I'm still trying to figure out how to nicely tell him that I am not interested in dating anyone. I considered just blocking his number, which would be the easiest option for me, but then I can't help but empathize. That would be a lot like what Mr. T had done to me (much, much watered down though) and if would also be cowardly and rude. 

So, I need some help! What should I say to this seemingly nice guy? Help guys?!? 

Why Online Dating is a Bad Idea [Pt. 1]....

It's a new day. A night's sleep and a bit of self-reflection leave me regretting my last post...but only slightly. So, I apologize for the outburst of crude language, I know better than that. But, I'm not apologizing for the overall content of the post...I still whole-heartedly back it. 

Okay, I'd like to take a moment to discuss a practice that is becoming more and more commonplace nowadays. Let's talk about the nefarious practice of online dating...

"But Tammy, weren't you a regular of the online dating scene not too long ago?"

 - Yeah, you got me there...definitely couldn't deny that...

"Haha yeah, I remember telling you even back then it was a terrible idea! I mean, just look at some of the guys you 'met' that way..."

- Nope, didn't forget that either. But thanks for that reminder, meanie...

[See what I did there? I gave myself a verbal chastising so that no one else has to do it later!]

Right, guys? I swear I've learned my lesson...

That being said, I know everyone is going to think I'm crazy for starting up new online dating profiles...yes, it sounds ridiculous and stupid, but hear me out!

In a moment of boredom, I created an account on OkCupid. Now is probably a good time to clarify what I mean when I say I 'created an account,' it was really more like a shell of a profile. 

My 'profile' consisted of nothing other than a screenname, profile picture, and the bare minimum of personal info. (Age, where I live, and what gender I'm interested in...). I didn't spend any time fleshing out my profile to include likes/dislikes, what my ideal date is like, or any of the other hundreds of questions required to make online dating even slightly efficient. 

So, that being said, I was rather surprised at the onslaught of messages from guys that flooded my inbox...

Umm, I'm confused, guys...

How could so many men proclaim to be interested in a person that they know literally nothing about? They don't know if I'm educated, if I like to rob banks on the weekend, or if I'm looking to expand my collection of human flesh lampshades! [/shudder I can't believe I even typed that last little bit...]

/gasp! They like me??

But I guess this serves as a lesson to me, and others like me...looks really do matter THAT much. I will always view this practice as ludicrous and shallow, but I can't deny that it happens. All of those men wanted to at least talk to me simply because they thought I had a pretty face. 

/not amused

Moving on...let me tell you about the people that I encountered on OkCupid. The vast majority of the messages I received were something to the tune of "Hey Gurrrrl! I think your hawt! Where has you been all of my life? You KNOW you wanna meet up and get you some of ALL this!" 

Soooo, as enticing as all of the messages from the cat-callers were, I elected to respond to virtually none of them. I did, however, start conversations with two guys. For anonymity purposes, lets call them J and B. 

Both guys seemed really nice, and their initial messages were had a touch more substance than the example I provided earlier. To be honest, I don't remember much about these two...I do remember that B is 40, lives about 2 hours from me, has two kids ages 15 and 17, and is 3 years divorced after a 14 year marriage. On the other hand...I'm pretty sure J is in his 20s, never been married, and has no children. 

What have I done?!?

I continued to talk to B because I liked his sense of humor and I talked to J because he was a gamer/music nerd and I felt like we could relate at least on that level. After several rounds of sending messages back and forth with both of these guys, I grew tired of the messaging system OkCupid uses on their site and exchanged phone numbers so that we could start texting instead. Not but a few hours later, I'd realized that I'd made a terrible, terrible mistake....

I'm not usually one for writing with cliffhangers, but I have to cut it short and end this post here...time constraints with it being a work day and all...No worries, though, I'll finish my OkCupid post next time. Until then...happy Friday!

Happy Dance!!