Unfiltered

Y'all.

P has a blog.  If you have a minute, mosey over and visit.  Don't forget to feed the fish!

Did I Say That Out Loud?

Games

X Games has come and gone again.

This week I worked my normal job (reminder: on-mountain retail store) then worked evenings at a bar.  The bar was in the hotel where ESPN staffers and athletes stay, right at the base of the mountain where the competition takes place.  It was pretty cool...

Guess what?  I love bartending.  Love. It.

Anyway, I got to do all the flirting I've been holding in since the beginning of the man-itorium, I met some cool people (one of whom may come to be mentioned again, in oh, 147 days- if I make it that long) and I made major money.

I served Gretchen Bleiler and Lindsey Jacobellis (both won gold) drinks. They're purty.

In other news, my friend 360 is coming to visit me!!! We have not seen each other since summer camp in 1992.  And then we didn't communicate for like 16 years.  And then we became FB friends. And now we're total besties AND SHE'S COMING TO VISIT ME.  We're going to spend Valentine's Day together in our man-itorium solidarity...

Challenging

I am already seriously faltering with the Man-torium, and it's only Day 23 out of 180.  This whole idea goes against my nature so completely. Of course, that's why I need to do it.  But I do. Not. Like it.

A few months ago, T mentioned to me a guy he worked with as a potential date. I didn't bother to meet him for two reasons.  1) I didn't really think T would know me well enough to suggest an actual good match, and 2) He has the same first name as my first husband, which was just weird. 

So the other day I met him, not through T, just through coincidence.  And oh my.  He's cute. He's tall. He's really nice.  And immediately I began the thought process... how can I see him again? When does T work with him next to start planting seeds of how awesome I am?  Should I call him?  He was mildly flirtatious when we met, is that just how he is with people or did he like me? Was that he who called my phone but didn't leave a message? Blah, blah, blah, fishcakes.

P, under the defense of "helping me with my own goal," said that this is why I need to do the man-itorium (she's correct, of course), and got a chance to vocalize all the things about the "way I get" that get on her nerves.  She is my opposite, and because the way she gets doesn't come close to matching with the way I get, she doesn't understand at all.  For example, every guy that I have dated since I was about 19, I have imagined marrying. Honestly.  I didn't plan weddings or name children or buy bride magazines, but I always picture what it would be like to be married to that person.  With EVERY GUY I'VE DATED, or even thought about dating.  She has only, ever, imagined marrying T.  She's had a few long term relationships, but she never got to that point.  My pattern is unfathomable to her. And apparently irritating. I know she has my best interest at heart, but I'd like to see her give up sex for six months...

If this guy asks me out (a big if, because he's dating someone. Not seriously, but still), I know good and well that I will say yes.  But I'm trying not to pursue him.

And I'm running out of synonyms for "difficult" to be post titles.  I have a feeling I'm going to need a lot more of them...

Blocked

I'm not participating in NaBloPoMo, but I did decide I would try to blog with more regularity. I think I've said that before. But then I get here, and I want to write something... but I don't know what. So I'll just do a little quick update thing. Sorry I'm not all that entertaining... I'm workin on it.

I could update you on the guy... the one over whom I chose Mark Harmon and couch time. He emails me. A lot. Even though I don't respond. I think it's a good idea I didn't see him, it could only have been worse. He's tapering off his contact though, I think he'll get the picture soon. One would hope.

I have a new roommate. We'll call him... Todd. Todd is Pebbles' boyfriend. It's the first time I've lived with a man to whom I wasn't married. It's weird b/c I'm accustomed to wandering around naked-ish. And I haven't bothered to close my bedroom door when I change clothes in a while. So it's new. Other than that, it's going swimmingly. He's been cooking, taking out the trash, and doing more than his fair share of dog duty. Of course, now he's started his winter job, so I'm sure I won't be able to slack off in that area for that much longer. Plus, he likes a lot of the same TV shows that I do (including NCIS, score!) and buys beer on occasion. He'll be working on a different mountain than I, so he's going to keep his eyes open for guys for to not date. :) What more could I ask for?

Tiger basketball has begun. And last night we only lost by 2 to the number 1 ranked Kansas. We are unranked. And unexpected. And I'm excited about the prospects for a new team with a new coach.

That sums things up for today... I appreciate your patience while I get back into the swing of regular blogging!

Roommates

I told myself I really need to blog. So here I am. I'm sure you'll all (all 3 of you) be thrilled to have an update.

I got moved. Finally. Mostly. I still have some things in my storage unit that I have to get moved to my new place, but everything is out of my old apartment and all that stuff is in to my new apartment. And the new place has more room, actually. I'm lucky that Pebbles does not have any furniture and will tolerate me filling up the place with mine.

The kitties are adjusting well, though Merlin about near killed me when I tried to corral him to put him in the bathroom while the moving guys were there. He was quite displeased. But he pretty much immediately forgave me when he discovered the open window in our new bedroom. He and Pebbles' doggie are getting along well. Dobby does not wish to make friends with said doggie, but he seems to be happy too. We are already in our regular bedtime snuggle routine.

So far life with a roommate has not been much different than having my own place. Pebbles and I were together all the time anyway. We ate dinner together every night (much easier to cook for 2 than 1) and now instead of one of us walking home afterward, we're already there. She doesn't watch much TV so she doesn't care if I hog the remote. She had NEVER watched a single episode of American Idol before (can you believe it?), and now she very kindly has become as addicted as I am, and we make tacos and watch together every week. She doesn't stay up late making noise or get up early making noise. We each have our own bathroom so I don't have to train her to put the toilet lid down, and she doesn't have to deal with my long dark hairs everywhere, and we don't have to wait our turn. I love her dog and she likes my kitties. She cleans the floors, I fold the laundry.

If we were single (she's not), and lesbians (neither of us), I'd totally marry her (if we lived in Iowa).

Don't look now...

But I'm blogging again only 2 days after my last post!

Not that I have much to say...

We haven't had much snow since Christmas, but as I type this I've been watching a snowstorm move in. Which is fine with me, because if it's going to be frigid it might as well be pretty, too. Since I don't drive much or far, and I don't spend much time outside, I say bring it on!

I did go up skiing yesterday, and I had a great time! I was so worried I wouldn't remember how to ski, and that I would fall a lot, and that my friends would be tired and bored of waiting on me. If they were, they didn't show it, and I only fell once-- I was down at the bottom and just not paying any attention, and my skis got tangled in each other and I fell over. That was the very end of the day. I had a few moments where I was going too fast and was out of control, but for the most part I felt good. It was nice to be outside (even though it was like 5 degrees) and with my friends. I'll be excited to get back up there now that I know I can do it! Here's a picture of me with Pebbles and another friend on the gondola:

2009? Seriously?

I cannot believe it is 2009. But I'm happy to see a New Year. 2008 certainly was a difficult one for me, but I honestly believe I'm smarter, stronger, and happier for getting through it.

Getting a day off work was the perfect medicine to improve my Christmas Crankiness, and I had a beautiful, relaxing, happy white Christmas. I will go next weekend to visit my family and they are very nicely doing a Christmas dinner re-do, complete with my favorite ham and mashed potatoes. I'm very excited about it.

I still haven't been skiing yet... I'm skeered. :) I just know that I'm not going to remember what I'm doing and I'm going to have to start all over again. Also, it's cold. And I want to go with my Colorado BFF (let's call her Pebbles) but she and I have conflicting work schedules.

New Year's Eve was big fun-- Pebbles and I went to a very crowded bar and there was dancing and champagne and laughing and kisses at midnight (no, I didn't kiss Pebbles, I may be discouraged about men but I'm not giving up yet). And if you even knew what NYE 2008 was like for me you'd understand how incredibly AWESOME that is. Here we are, left unsupervised with the camera, welcoming 2009.