So Sorry....

Too funny.  I have wanted to say this to several friends on several occasions.  

Long Distance Relationships

So, today, on an online dating site, I received a message from a man in Hawaii.

Why?

This has happened to me on a couple occasions.  Why is this?  Is it an act of desperation?  Is it someone just not paying close attention?

I remember speaking to a man on this matter who did online dating.  He told me a story:

A very attractive woman (or, more accurately, someone with a profile picture of a very attractive woman) from another part of the country contacted him.  He was flattered.  He tried to have general conversation with her.  He noticed she's said a couple things that were odd/grammatically incorrect, but he'd thought maybe English wasn't her first language.  She'd continued to contact him.  He found it odd because she'd lived several states away, but continued to talk to her.  He asked her if she was ever in the Chicago area.  She then went into "Well, I would love to visit the area, but I cannot afford the plane fare."  He smelled a rat.  She then went on "My mom has been sick lately, I really want to visit her, but I'd need to borrow some money for the plane fare...."  He 'reported a concern'.

Are 95% of people from other parts of the country scam artists?  Or are they really desperate?  Anyone meet anyone from another part of the country online and it turned out being real?  

Officially An Adult?

I remember seeing a facebook friend post something about officially feeling like an adult on the day she received a poinsettia as a gift from a student.  It wasn't when she graduated college, got engaged, got a job, bought a house, moved in with her significant other, got married, or got pregnant, but rather, the moment when she received this gift that she officially felt like an adult. 

I had a similar moment when I voluntarily prepared brussels sprouts as part of a meal.  At the time I was 28, had been living alone for several years and was financially independent.  But yet, this random moment hit me.  

How about you?  What was your 'holy shit, I'm an adult' moment?  I firmly believe this is something that sneaks up on you - it's not in one profound moment (a college graduation, a first day of work, etc.), but rather, etched into the details of daily life.   What was your moment?

Splitting The Bill

I went on a first date with a man I met on a dating website.  He initiated the first contact, we had a couple good conversations.  He suggested we grab drinks.  We met up for drinks.  Over a series of about three hours, we chatted about our jobs (we are in the same line of work), various places we liked hang out, our backgrounds, etc.  Because we shared several interests, the conversation was fairly easy.  He mentioned more than once that he was having a nice time with me and that he would like to go out again.

The bill came.  As always, I did the typical 'grab for my wallet'.  Since we were sitting at a bar, he had gotten there first and given the bartender his credit card to start a tab.

"We can split it," I said.

He looked at me.  "Sounds good."  

I'll admit, I was a little surprised by this.  I pulled out a $20.  "I'm just going to put it all on my card," he said.  So, he grabbed my $20 and gave me $5 back.  He then closed out the bill and left an unimpressive tip.  We headed out.  He mentioned, again, that he'd had a nice time and suggested we hang out again.  I gave a fake smile and a 'mmm-hmm'.  We parted ways.

************************************

He was officially done in my book at the moment he let me pay for myself.  I know this is questionable ground.  I ran this situation by several close girlfriends.

"Did you like him?  If you liked him, go out with him again.  He should have paid for you, but it's not the worst thing."

Whether or not I liked him was completely tainted by the end incident.  During the date, things had a positive spin.  He bought a fancy wine the other night?  Earlier, that meant he had good taste and appreciation for nice things.  Afterward, he was cheapass who has no problem spending money on himself.  He spoke about how his recent career advancements.  At first I thought it showed ambition and a value of hard-work.  Afterward he just seemed like a conceited braggart.  

Anyhow.  I know this is a point of contention amongst men and women.  Several of my guy friends say they always pay for a girl and feel that not doing so is simply 'douchey' behavior that doesn't warrant a second chance.  It's not necessarily that I think "the man pays for the woman", but I see it more as a "who asks, pays" kind of deal.  Often times, if I'm out with a guy for a first date, I will have no problem paying for some portion (a round of drinks, the cab ride, etc.), however, a split down the middle is a complete and total deal-breaker.  However, I suppose some might see it as old-fashioned.

What are your thoughts?  Is it ok to split a bill on a first date?  Should a girl give a guy who lets her pay for herself a chance?  Is it old-fashioned to believe a man should pay for a woman on the first date?  What are your thoughts and experiences, dear readers?  

Windy City Live

So this past Monday, I was in the studio audience of Windy City Live!  It was awesome!  My roommate from freshman year of college won tickets and invited me to go with.  This was my second time being on a TV show (I was on The View back in 2008).  I can be seen several times throughout this episode.  Also, here are some pics!  I wasn't familiar with Windy City Live prior to this, but I have to say - great lil show!  I will definitely be watching from now on.

New Family Member

This lil' peanut will soon belong to my parents.  Her name is Hailey.  I hope she comes with the yellow collar. 

I have a sneaking suspicion she will be a lot like her older sister, Samantha.  We all miss her.

Armed & Awkward

So 'My Very Worst Date' has published my story.  Enjoy!

This blog is great (MVWD).  There's a ton of hilarious stories.  Sometimes having random people share their stories can be great.  Whoever created this website had a great idea.  I hope to have an idea like this soon.

The Ultimate Vice

The best/worst thing for a person.  My ultimate vice.  

Orange Soda.

Another Challenge of Being A Blogger

I have now, on three separate occasions, caught myself unintentionally 'rewriting' a post I've already done.  Not editing or redoing a post to make it better, but unknowingly 'retelling' an old post as if it's never been told before.

(Imagine the great-aunt at the family party telling some story everyone's heard 18,000 times as if she's never told it before.  That's me.)

I'm glad I've caught it pre-publish each time.  I think there might have been a time a post like this 'slipped through' and one of my loyal readers pointed it out.  But what do I know?  I clearly can't remember what I've already said.  And I pride myself on my great memory.  Le sigh.

Do any of my fellow bloggers also have this problem?  Has anyone out there caught him or herself rewriting a post?  Is it just me?  

A Modern-Day Relationship Problem?

So, as most of my readers know, I briefly tried eharmony.  I thought it was a decent site, but nothing to write home about it.  I didn't get too much out of it, other than some drinks and a couple blog posts.

Anyhow.  I am still subscribed to their emails for some reason.  They mostly address dating dilemmas - such as 'top ten can't stands for men'.  A couple of them annoy me a little (because I almost feel like they are advising women on how to 'behave' in order to 'land a man' if you will), but most of them really just crack me up.

The other day, I saw one that really got me.

"You're In Love, But He's Still On A Dating Site"

LOL.  Well, I guess you can file this under a 'modern day relationship problem'.  I am not sure the protocol for dating someone and initiating the 'get off the website' conversation.  I guess that has to be a little awkward.  And, well, doesn't one party still need to be a member or said site to log in and see the other person is still a part of the site?  How does one know the other is still on the site without being guilty of the same offense!  (Cue for Jimmy Buffett's 'if you like pina coladas'?).

Does anyone have any insight for these peeps?  How does one deal with the dilemma 'you're in love, but he's still on a dating site'?  

Another Facebook Pet Peeve

Ok, so most people who know me know I use facebook.  A lot.  And, I, personally, like facebook.

However, I do realize not everyone feels the same.  I do not work for facebook, or desire to impose my facebooking ways on others.

So why, why, why on earth do people make a point of defiantly telling me 'I hate facebook' or 'I don't use facebook' and look at me as if 'well I sure showed you!'  Believe it or not, this happens to me a LOT.  Uh, my name is not Mark Zuckerberg.  It's totally fine that one doesn't use said product.

Editor's sidenote:  I am really not sure what there to 'hate' about facebook.  Well, I see plenty of hate-worthy things, but that's simply the behavior of our fellow human beings, not facebook.  If I wasn't dealing with it on facebook, I'd be encountering it in some other daily interaction.  Maybe there is a lot of it 'in one place', if you will.  But still.  Whatevs.

Anyhow.  A small part of me feels these people secretly just want to make sure they're not being forgotten about (because they are, you know, not on facebook, and so many others are).  That or they want to know if there's anything they are missing out on.  I have several non-facebook-using peeps who ask me for updates on people/things happening on facebook.  I am debating if that's a specific privilege that they, as non-facebookers, should not have.  Hmm.  Your thoughts?  Anyone else encounter people stressing their lack of facebook use?  How do you handle it?

A Word On Martha Stewart

Ok, guilty pleasure - I LOVE Martha Stewart.  It might be her craftiness.  It might be that she's a powerful, successful, independent woman who likes domestic things.

However, a small part of me really likes Martha Stewart because of her story is a comeback story.  She was in jail.  She paid her dues.  She picked herself up, dusted herself off, and kept doing what she loved and now, it's as if it never happened.  She did, in theory, what jailbirds are supposed to do - she went back to being a functioning member of society.  I realize she's definitely not your average american (or average jailbird), but I think she can really set the example here.

Anyhow - I LOVE her lines at Macy's, etc.  And I think when it comes to celebrity comebacks, she kicks Britney's ass!