Maybe it's just that I'm getting older, but as Jason & I put together our list of songs that we could potentially use for the wedding before the ceremony, I realize I miss something that I did religiously as a teenager...
Any time I bought a new tape (or CD in high school), I would unwrap it, and then take out the insert/booklet and read all the lyrics from start to finish. I'd then listen to the whole album.
I'm not sure why it is, but it's really hard for me to comprehend lyrics from just listening to a song. I'll listen to a song a hundred times and sometimes have no clue what it's about. The lyrics only make sense when I read them.
I miss reading lyrics!!
That said, I rarely buy CDs anymore. In fact, I hardly buy any music really. But if I did, where's my lyric sheet??
Side note: When I was in high school, my mom gave me my first CD player. It was my big Christmas present that year. Between that and my subscription to Rolling Stone, which I read from cover-to-cover each month (that's another ritual that I miss), I felt in touch with music. I kinda miss that too.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Seating Chart or Not?
The wedding is quickly approaching and now that the big pieces have fallen into place, it's now time to start focusing on some details. One of which, is whether or not to use a seating chart. Since the wedding isn't very formal, I wasn't sure if we should or not, but I think it will help relieve anxiety for the out-of-towners or the in-towners who don't know many of the other people who will be at the wedding.
So... I went ahead and made one. Since Jason and I are board game lovers, I think we're going to use pie pieces from Trivial Pursuit to indicate which table everyone belongs to. Unless of course, I can think of something better in the next week or so, but that's doubtful.
It's still open to revision, but I'm glad to have yet another to-do list checked off!
So... I went ahead and made one. Since Jason and I are board game lovers, I think we're going to use pie pieces from Trivial Pursuit to indicate which table everyone belongs to. Unless of course, I can think of something better in the next week or so, but that's doubtful.
It's still open to revision, but I'm glad to have yet another to-do list checked off!
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Off the Market
As of a couple weeks ago, I'm officially off the market!
It's kind of weird really. At the start of this blog, I was married to my first husband and then over the course of events, got a divorce and then chronicled a lot of what was going on in my life, but especially my dating life! I wonder if that means the next step will be my married life? Seems like the next step...
Either way, my boyfriend, ISTJ, better known now as Jason (yes, the same as my first husband) asked me to be his wife! And as my friend Edward said... I took the "very old-fashioned" route and said, "Yes!"
The Boyfriend becomes the Fiance
On July 8th, we went out for lunch after church and then Jason drove past my exit (for the third time this week! We had a couple "false alarms" earlier in the week, but third time is the charm or so they say). Luckily, this time, it didn't involve Mulholland Drive!
Instead, we drove up to the Getty Center.
It was a beautifully gorgeous day with the perfect LA weather! The kind that makes you never want to leave LA! We went up to the top floor of the South Pavilion, which has an awesome view of the Los Angeles. There, Jason pointed out the various places around LA where we'd gone during our relationship, including Manhattan Beach, where we had a very long, tense walk just a couple months into our relationship, during which I came this close to breaking it off with him, but then didn't. Divine intervention?*
After recounting our various escapades around the city, the trips, the restaurants, the activities, he started with all the mushy stuff about how much he loved me (and many other sweet things that will remain private). He then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I didn't have the heart to crack a silly joke. So instead, I said, "Yes!"
Here's a snapshot of the ring... I picked it out a few weeks beforehand, so I knew the proposal was imminent. We decided to go the non-traditional route ring-wise. It also has a matching necklace, but I haven't taken a good picture of that yet, but I love it just as much as the ring.
The Aftermath
Then we sent emails, texts, made calls to all the appropriate people. It was his parents anniversary, so that should make it easy to remember!
The After-Aftermath (aka: the Emotional Aftermath)
It's been weird. But in a really good way. I eloped the first time I got married, so the total time between "engagement" and "marriage" was about four hours. This time, it's gonna be a whopping 2 1/2 months! Since the first part of the engagement was consumed with my Jeopardy! obsession, I can now relax and focus on the wedding itself, which should be relatively simple and easy to plan. Mostly because I'm not a girly girl, so I have no big "wedding" dreams that need to be fulfilled.
Emotionally, I've been feeling closer to him every day. My day in the Jeopardy! studios was super-intense and he was there for me and so supportive in every way, which I completely appreciate. I'm in awe of his support and caring for me. It's a little unreal sometimes. Sad to say, but I haven't had very many people in my life that I feel like I can count on like I can count on him. My goal is to be the same for him. Someone he can depend on to be his friend, confidante and lover. I don't think that will be too difficult.
All of this just serves as a daily confirmation that I made the right choice in saying yes!
An "after" pic with our beloved Los Angeles in the background:
Looking forward to many more adventures!!
* Turns out I had a "love language" I didn't even realize I had! Acts of service! So, we were fighting over the dishes, but really I was feeling unloved because he wasn't helping me. Luckily, we got it ironed out...
It's kind of weird really. At the start of this blog, I was married to my first husband and then over the course of events, got a divorce and then chronicled a lot of what was going on in my life, but especially my dating life! I wonder if that means the next step will be my married life? Seems like the next step...
Either way, my boyfriend, ISTJ, better known now as Jason (yes, the same as my first husband) asked me to be his wife! And as my friend Edward said... I took the "very old-fashioned" route and said, "Yes!"
The Boyfriend becomes the Fiance
On July 8th, we went out for lunch after church and then Jason drove past my exit (for the third time this week! We had a couple "false alarms" earlier in the week, but third time is the charm or so they say). Luckily, this time, it didn't involve Mulholland Drive!
Instead, we drove up to the Getty Center.
It was a beautifully gorgeous day with the perfect LA weather! The kind that makes you never want to leave LA! We went up to the top floor of the South Pavilion, which has an awesome view of the Los Angeles. There, Jason pointed out the various places around LA where we'd gone during our relationship, including Manhattan Beach, where we had a very long, tense walk just a couple months into our relationship, during which I came this close to breaking it off with him, but then didn't. Divine intervention?*
After recounting our various escapades around the city, the trips, the restaurants, the activities, he started with all the mushy stuff about how much he loved me (and many other sweet things that will remain private). He then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I didn't have the heart to crack a silly joke. So instead, I said, "Yes!"
Here's a snapshot of the ring... I picked it out a few weeks beforehand, so I knew the proposal was imminent. We decided to go the non-traditional route ring-wise. It also has a matching necklace, but I haven't taken a good picture of that yet, but I love it just as much as the ring.
 |
| The non-traditional engagement ring designed by Symmetry (Greek designer)... 18K white gold, custom made with two raw diamonds, two blue sapphires and one pink sapphire |
The Aftermath
Then we sent emails, texts, made calls to all the appropriate people. It was his parents anniversary, so that should make it easy to remember!
The After-Aftermath (aka: the Emotional Aftermath)
It's been weird. But in a really good way. I eloped the first time I got married, so the total time between "engagement" and "marriage" was about four hours. This time, it's gonna be a whopping 2 1/2 months! Since the first part of the engagement was consumed with my Jeopardy! obsession, I can now relax and focus on the wedding itself, which should be relatively simple and easy to plan. Mostly because I'm not a girly girl, so I have no big "wedding" dreams that need to be fulfilled.
Emotionally, I've been feeling closer to him every day. My day in the Jeopardy! studios was super-intense and he was there for me and so supportive in every way, which I completely appreciate. I'm in awe of his support and caring for me. It's a little unreal sometimes. Sad to say, but I haven't had very many people in my life that I feel like I can count on like I can count on him. My goal is to be the same for him. Someone he can depend on to be his friend, confidante and lover. I don't think that will be too difficult.
All of this just serves as a daily confirmation that I made the right choice in saying yes!
An "after" pic with our beloved Los Angeles in the background:
 |
| Jason & Steph in the South Pavilion of the Getty Center |
Looking forward to many more adventures!!
* Turns out I had a "love language" I didn't even realize I had! Acts of service! So, we were fighting over the dishes, but really I was feeling unloved because he wasn't helping me. Luckily, we got it ironed out...
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Moving to a non-LA way of life
ISTJ (the aforementioned boyfriend) and I have been having lots of talks about our future over the last six months. One of the recurring themes has been whether we will stay in Los Angeles or move elsewhere. The top choices seem to be:
Nashville - His parents will be returning to Nashville in 2014, after completing their 14 year (by that point) mission trip to Venezuela. They'll be moving into their home that they've rented out all these years after a bit of renovation/updating. This, of course, makes Nashville a natural choice.
We'd have grandparents living locally, so that would be a great help and make it a lot easier for the grandparents to see the grandkid(s). Additionally, the cost of living is much more affordable, so it would put less stress on us financially to live a modest lifestyle allowing me to stay home to care for the babes. We'd definitely get more bang for our buck, real-estately speaking... >We would be within driving distance to many of the game conventions I love in the Southeast, which would make attending more affordable, if we could talk the grandparents into babysitting for a weekend every now and then!
The potential downsides: heat, humidity, making new friends (although I do know a handful of people there, but not that well), not being near an ocean, having a small-ish airport, not having 24 hour everything at my beck and call. Although, truth be told, it's fairly rare I need a grocery store at 2 AM, but when I have, I really have.
San Francisco - His job is in tech, so a natural choice. It's beautiful, cosmopolitan, the weather is aaaaawwwesome! How can you not love San Francisco filled with all its water and love? I love this town.
The potential downsides: It's really expensive to live here, which would make the whole staying-at-home-thing a lot tougher. Also, no family and only a few friends, so probably no support if we needed it for kid stuffs.
In a distant third...
Atlanta - My mom lives here, so we'd have family support. He doesn't love the city, but I know TONS of people, so friends would be the easy part. It's less expensive than LA, but more spread out so more danger of getting pigeon-holed in a weird little suburb somewhere and end up not close to anybody.
The potential downsides: heat, humidity, traffic, expensive real estate depending on the area we'd want to live in...
And of course, the
Staying in LA option - The weather is pretty awesome, we already have friends (although, they're not too kid-friendly for the most part), we know what we're in for, my rent is crazy reasonable because I'm the on-site manager. It's only $950/month for a good sized one bedroom in a decent and convenient part of town. We both have jobs, the beach is nearby, we have the world at the tips of our SPG Amex at LAX.
No decisions have been made, or probably WILL be made for at least a year or two, but just putting all this down as a kind of note to myself.
After having spent the last few days in Dunwoody (suburb of Atlanta) with my mom, it's been so nice to go to Costco and not wait in a HUGE line or sit in traffic while just trying to get in a parking lot. The less dense population is kind of nice. I feel like I have room to breathe!
Check out this lack of a line at 4:50 PM on a Tuesday afternoon!
I'll have to update this as more options/thoughts come up as to if or where we'd move, but these are the main options at the moment.
Nashville - His parents will be returning to Nashville in 2014, after completing their 14 year (by that point) mission trip to Venezuela. They'll be moving into their home that they've rented out all these years after a bit of renovation/updating. This, of course, makes Nashville a natural choice.
We'd have grandparents living locally, so that would be a great help and make it a lot easier for the grandparents to see the grandkid(s). Additionally, the cost of living is much more affordable, so it would put less stress on us financially to live a modest lifestyle allowing me to stay home to care for the babes. We'd definitely get more bang for our buck, real-estately speaking... >We would be within driving distance to many of the game conventions I love in the Southeast, which would make attending more affordable, if we could talk the grandparents into babysitting for a weekend every now and then!
The potential downsides: heat, humidity, making new friends (although I do know a handful of people there, but not that well), not being near an ocean, having a small-ish airport, not having 24 hour everything at my beck and call. Although, truth be told, it's fairly rare I need a grocery store at 2 AM, but when I have, I really have.
San Francisco - His job is in tech, so a natural choice. It's beautiful, cosmopolitan, the weather is aaaaawwwesome! How can you not love San Francisco filled with all its water and love? I love this town.
The potential downsides: It's really expensive to live here, which would make the whole staying-at-home-thing a lot tougher. Also, no family and only a few friends, so probably no support if we needed it for kid stuffs.
In a distant third...
Atlanta - My mom lives here, so we'd have family support. He doesn't love the city, but I know TONS of people, so friends would be the easy part. It's less expensive than LA, but more spread out so more danger of getting pigeon-holed in a weird little suburb somewhere and end up not close to anybody.
The potential downsides: heat, humidity, traffic, expensive real estate depending on the area we'd want to live in...
And of course, the
Staying in LA option - The weather is pretty awesome, we already have friends (although, they're not too kid-friendly for the most part), we know what we're in for, my rent is crazy reasonable because I'm the on-site manager. It's only $950/month for a good sized one bedroom in a decent and convenient part of town. We both have jobs, the beach is nearby, we have the world at the tips of our SPG Amex at LAX.
No decisions have been made, or probably WILL be made for at least a year or two, but just putting all this down as a kind of note to myself.
After having spent the last few days in Dunwoody (suburb of Atlanta) with my mom, it's been so nice to go to Costco and not wait in a HUGE line or sit in traffic while just trying to get in a parking lot. The less dense population is kind of nice. I feel like I have room to breathe!
I'll have to update this as more options/thoughts come up as to if or where we'd move, but these are the main options at the moment.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
What's the opposite of June gloom?
I just re-read my resolutions for 2012. So far, I'm doing okay with them, but as always, there is room for improvement. The savings have been hit by the items below...
June has already shaped up to be quite an awesome month. Some of it I can't talk about just yet, the other fun stuff that has happened the last month...
First, I finally got a better phone! An iPhone 4S to be exact. I love it so far, especially for Siri and the camera.
I also paid off my last student loan. I'd been toying with the idea of paying it off for a while because I had the money in my savings account, but I felt more secure with having the money in the bank, in case I needed it. I've been listening to Dave Ramsey lately and a woman, who is in my exact position called in, and he advised her to pay it off and rebuild the savings, so that's my plan. I have a couple bonuses coming in over the next six months, so I will put those towards my savings account.
I also took a bit of my savings out and invested it in my Vanguard account in a balanced mutual fund. I figure that it's got to be better than only earning 0.80% in my online savings account, right? So far, I've lost about $15 over the last few weeks, which isn't too bad given the volatility lately.
I've recently sort of taken up very casual golfing and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. So far, I've only played maybe a half dozen times, and most of those were at par 3 courses, but I love it. I have a really old golf set that I got for free off of Craigslist, so I might splurge when I get my first bonus in July and buy a new set. If nothing else, I really want a newer putter. I'm going golfing before work tomorrow at 6:30 am, so that's why I thought of mentioning this.
I'm also getting ready to head off to Atlanta for a few days of hanging with my mom and then gaming at the Oasis of Fun! I missed the Fun last year with my brother coming to LA to stay for a year, but now I'm ready to get my par-tay (and HANABI!) on!!
Life, in general, is going pretty well right now and I'm really happy. My job is SO busy lately, but not in a terrible way. Things are going really well with ISTJ as well, so I'm thrilled about that. It's been almost two years and I'm so happy with how our relationship has progressed. He's proven to be so awesome in these quiet ways that I just love. I've realized that integrity is underrated. I'm not sure if it's just in LA, or just in the 21st century, but it's something I just adore about him. It's pretty irresistible. As someone recently remarked, "how can you not love someone who is that secure?" My point exactly.
June has already shaped up to be quite an awesome month. Some of it I can't talk about just yet, the other fun stuff that has happened the last month...
First, I finally got a better phone! An iPhone 4S to be exact. I love it so far, especially for Siri and the camera.
I also paid off my last student loan. I'd been toying with the idea of paying it off for a while because I had the money in my savings account, but I felt more secure with having the money in the bank, in case I needed it. I've been listening to Dave Ramsey lately and a woman, who is in my exact position called in, and he advised her to pay it off and rebuild the savings, so that's my plan. I have a couple bonuses coming in over the next six months, so I will put those towards my savings account.
I also took a bit of my savings out and invested it in my Vanguard account in a balanced mutual fund. I figure that it's got to be better than only earning 0.80% in my online savings account, right? So far, I've lost about $15 over the last few weeks, which isn't too bad given the volatility lately.
I've recently sort of taken up very casual golfing and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. So far, I've only played maybe a half dozen times, and most of those were at par 3 courses, but I love it. I have a really old golf set that I got for free off of Craigslist, so I might splurge when I get my first bonus in July and buy a new set. If nothing else, I really want a newer putter. I'm going golfing before work tomorrow at 6:30 am, so that's why I thought of mentioning this.
I'm also getting ready to head off to Atlanta for a few days of hanging with my mom and then gaming at the Oasis of Fun! I missed the Fun last year with my brother coming to LA to stay for a year, but now I'm ready to get my par-tay (and HANABI!) on!!
Life, in general, is going pretty well right now and I'm really happy. My job is SO busy lately, but not in a terrible way. Things are going really well with ISTJ as well, so I'm thrilled about that. It's been almost two years and I'm so happy with how our relationship has progressed. He's proven to be so awesome in these quiet ways that I just love. I've realized that integrity is underrated. I'm not sure if it's just in LA, or just in the 21st century, but it's something I just adore about him. It's pretty irresistible. As someone recently remarked, "how can you not love someone who is that secure?" My point exactly.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
New Movies (and TV) for 2012
I'm planning on just consolidating all my movie watching and completed seasons of TV shows of 2012 here...
- The Apprentice S1 - My boyfriend and I love some reality shows and this is one we can both agree on. We wanted to go back and watch the beginning to see how it all started and see the infamous Omarosa on her original season. We were not disappointed! It definitely had a lot of "first season" qualities (lots of bad audio dubbing, some awkward challenges), but I loved some of the challenges and I liked that it showed the cast out and about, at restaurants, drinking, having fun, not just the competitive stuff. Also, man, I *really* miss Carolyn Kepcher, who is (by far) my favorite person on the show. I love her comments, which I always agree COMPLETELY with. She is not free and easy with the compliments, so if she says something complimentary about someone, she really means it. I miss her. *sigh*
- The Muppets - It's been so long since I saw a Muppet movie/show that I honestly forgot there was going to be singing in it. BUT, it was fun, nonetheless... The songs were funny (and short), so perfect for my ADD. We saw it at the Academy Theater in Pasadena too, where procrastination can be rewarded in the form of a movie ticket for $3/each and delicious popcorn for only $3.25.
- Terriers - OMG. With so much bad TV out there, I don't understand how good TV like this gets BURIED by who the hell ever gave this show the stupid name. From the name, you'd have *no* idea what the show was about - it's a buddy/PI/mystery show. The main actors are great, the plots are interesting without being toooooo detailed and complicated. It's just good. I have no idea what the back-story is on this show and I wonder why it didn't get the fan following that it seems like it should have. I would highly recommend this! It's available on instant streaming Netflix, which may be the best invention ev-er. Well, right after TV on DVD. THEN, instant streaming...
- Morning Glory - Cute movie with Rachel McAdams and Harrison Ford, who is grumpy as can be. I'm not sure why I like the grumpy ones, but I liked him here. I love her smile. And I can't believe I haven't watched a movie since the Muppets, but that may be correct! Just started Mad Men, S1...
- Mad Men - I should've updated this sooner because I'm already on season 3. It's surprising how fast it flies by... This show is so tragic. The overwhelming sadness of pretty much all parties involved is strangely compelling. Everything is beautiful on the outside, but the characters all seem somewhat empty on the inside. After watching this show, who would ever want to get married? The men are drunks who cheat because they're trapped in an existence and life they don't seem to want or value, unless it's threatened to be taken from them. I'm so thankful I wasn't born back then. The chauvinism is mind-blowing! But I love it, even though I don't love all the characters. It's quite addictive. Why I never watched the S1 set that was loaned to me years ago, I'll never know, but thank goodness (again) for Netflix streaming! A lazy woman's friend... Update around 6/1/12: Finished all seasons (1-4) available on Netflix and loving them. Will probably splurge for the iTunes pass for the current season.
- The Hunger Games - Read the book right before seeing the movie and loved the book. The movie was pretty true to the book, so no complaints. It was exactly what I expected.
- Hot Tub Time Machine - Silly comedy filled with lots of 80s and nerdy references (due to the time traveling). I heart John Cusack, so thought this was pretty cute, although the ending was a little lame, but still okay.
- Downton Abbey - SOOOOO good! Love all the historical aspects, even though I have NO idea how accurate they are. We blew through the first season on Netflix in two days. There are only 7 eps, so it's not too hard, but we totally enjoyed these. Love the clothing, the different lifestyles. I want some servants! "What is a week-end?"
- Ted - Went with Mike to the DreamWorks free movie Monday on 7/30/12 and enjoyed the new Seth McFarlane movie, Ted. If you like Family Guy, you'll love Ted. not safe for kids. AT ALL.
- 30 for 30 - Watched the one about how athletes go broke within a year or two of getting out of whatever sport they play. As someone who is into personal finances as a topic, it's fascinating to see how much these guys spent on crap that didn't have value. It was sad too to see how people just tried to take advantage of them every step of the way. From their friends, family, management team, everyone! Women trying to get knocked up because they think it's a payday. Fascinating.
- Moonrise Kingdom - Watched this as a screener with Doreen on 11/8/12. Loved this movie. It's so sweet and touching in its innocence and capturing how everyone wants to be loved. Having that steady love can be an amazing thing.
- To Rome with Love - Also watched this one with Doreen on 11/8/12. It had an amazing cast and full of love mishaps and adventures. I haven't seen hardly any of Woody Allen's older films, so not sure if they all have a fantastical quality about them. I saw Midnight in Paris last year and loved that, partly because I love Paris and the film was gorgeous, so I thought I'd like this. I did. Rome looks beautiful. Loved the acting and the little stories. The worst part for me was Woody Allen himself. I didn't hate him, but I just wanted him to stop talking. Ugh. Why does he put himself in all his movies?
- This is 40 - Funny, but not nearly as funny as Knocked Up. Maybe I'm not old enough to really appreciate this movie?
Friday, January 06, 2012
"Resolutions" for 2012
I'm not making absolute resolutions, mainly because they don't work, but as I make decisions about little adjustments I'd like to tweak in 2012, I'll post them.
The first being, I definitely want to post more on the blog and take more photos. I've been lax about this the last couple years for some reason. As a result, I've missed out tracking lots of exciting stuff that has happened this past year.
I'm also reviving my "floss more often" goal that I started in 2007 to floss more often. I've already flossed twice this year, so I'm already doing well!
I need to exercise more. This is, of course, the most common of all resolutions, but I need to do it. Luckily, ISTJ wants to exercise more too, so that should make it easier to achieve. He's far more disciplined than I am. He flosses every night. Which, on the surface sounds boring, but if you think about the dedication it takes to floss every night, it's kinda hot. I'm also looking forward to being with a man that has all his teeth.
I need to rebuild my savings account. After being unemployed for nine months and then having the sales job last year, I've managed to eat through a good chunk of my savings. I would like to rebuild that. I haven't set a firm goal on this though, so that is the next step.
I would like to get back to volunteering more. Whether it's "official" volunteering with a non-profit, or just helping friends with life stuff, like helping them move or just being there when they need company.
I'm looking at my calendar for January and it's fairly free. I only have activities planned for about half the days remaining in January and I'm kinda digging that. It'll be easier to exercise and be rested for work if I'm not overextended.
I'm also toying with the idea of tracking all my game plays again. So far, I'm 100% for 2012!
I'm also thinking about tracking my movies watched in 2012. I enjoyed doing that in 2007. The question is, is that too 2007?
These are the various items I'm pondering and not necessarily "resolutions," but things I'm considering tweaking.
Updates as they progress!
The first being, I definitely want to post more on the blog and take more photos. I've been lax about this the last couple years for some reason. As a result, I've missed out tracking lots of exciting stuff that has happened this past year.
I'm also reviving my "floss more often" goal that I started in 2007 to floss more often. I've already flossed twice this year, so I'm already doing well!
I need to exercise more. This is, of course, the most common of all resolutions, but I need to do it. Luckily, ISTJ wants to exercise more too, so that should make it easier to achieve. He's far more disciplined than I am. He flosses every night. Which, on the surface sounds boring, but if you think about the dedication it takes to floss every night, it's kinda hot. I'm also looking forward to being with a man that has all his teeth.
I need to rebuild my savings account. After being unemployed for nine months and then having the sales job last year, I've managed to eat through a good chunk of my savings. I would like to rebuild that. I haven't set a firm goal on this though, so that is the next step.
I would like to get back to volunteering more. Whether it's "official" volunteering with a non-profit, or just helping friends with life stuff, like helping them move or just being there when they need company.
I'm looking at my calendar for January and it's fairly free. I only have activities planned for about half the days remaining in January and I'm kinda digging that. It'll be easier to exercise and be rested for work if I'm not overextended.
I'm also toying with the idea of tracking all my game plays again. So far, I'm 100% for 2012!
I'm also thinking about tracking my movies watched in 2012. I enjoyed doing that in 2007. The question is, is that too 2007?
These are the various items I'm pondering and not necessarily "resolutions," but things I'm considering tweaking.
Updates as they progress!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Boyfriend Update
I've been horrible about updating the blog, but just thought I'd post a quick update!
First thing first, I'm still dating my boyfriend, ISTJ! We just passed our ten month anniversary and things have been going really well. I can't believe it's been almost a year.
We spend tons of time with each other and we still like each other, *gasp*! He is able to put up with my moods and I do my best to take good care of him. He's a gentleman and takes good care of me. He's pretty great...
A couple weeks ago, I thought, "I could marry him..." which is the first time I've seriously thought that about someone in a long time. No "official" talk of that just yet, but it's been discussed at a high, general level. I also am happy about it because I've known since dating him that he was good marriage material, but I'm kinda glad that I didn't feel like marrying him right away and we've kinda eased up to that point. I think this may be the first time I've ever been in a relationship when I've liked someone and then it's ramped up, which could either be a really good or really bad sign! Most of the time, I have high interest at the beginning and then slowly things erode as I learn more about the person (and vice versa). I'm thinking (and hoping) it's a good sign.
We've taken our time getting to know one another in a dating sense. He's a bit more reserved than I am (shocker!), but he's happy to go along with almost any plan I come up with, which is nice. He lets me have all my "boyfriends" on the side, so that's been really great too. The last guy I dated was constantly jealous. That said, I'm definitely more on the jealous side too, but luckily for me, he's more of a guy's guy, so he doesn't really hang out with that many women. I believe this would be called a "win-win"!
I was looking back at my list of things I've learned from my last relationship and I can say with a moderate amount of confidence that we're doing pretty well.
First thing first, I'm still dating my boyfriend, ISTJ! We just passed our ten month anniversary and things have been going really well. I can't believe it's been almost a year.
We spend tons of time with each other and we still like each other, *gasp*! He is able to put up with my moods and I do my best to take good care of him. He's a gentleman and takes good care of me. He's pretty great...
A couple weeks ago, I thought, "I could marry him..." which is the first time I've seriously thought that about someone in a long time. No "official" talk of that just yet, but it's been discussed at a high, general level. I also am happy about it because I've known since dating him that he was good marriage material, but I'm kinda glad that I didn't feel like marrying him right away and we've kinda eased up to that point. I think this may be the first time I've ever been in a relationship when I've liked someone and then it's ramped up, which could either be a really good or really bad sign! Most of the time, I have high interest at the beginning and then slowly things erode as I learn more about the person (and vice versa). I'm thinking (and hoping) it's a good sign.
We've taken our time getting to know one another in a dating sense. He's a bit more reserved than I am (shocker!), but he's happy to go along with almost any plan I come up with, which is nice. He lets me have all my "boyfriends" on the side, so that's been really great too. The last guy I dated was constantly jealous. That said, I'm definitely more on the jealous side too, but luckily for me, he's more of a guy's guy, so he doesn't really hang out with that many women. I believe this would be called a "win-win"!
I was looking back at my list of things I've learned from my last relationship and I can say with a moderate amount of confidence that we're doing pretty well.
- We trust each other completely,
- We pay enough attention to one another without going overboard,
- We both have good follow-through. When he says something, he means it and so do I. No empty promises!
- We're both good with our money and open about talking about it.
- Speaking of, we're both pretty open about talking about just about anything, which is really helpful.
- Nothing to do with the last relationship, but he likes to play games! Lots of them!
If things continue on this trend, I would hope that it will one day lead to tying the knot, but for now, we're just enjoying each other's company, being supportive and getting to know one another better so that we don't rush into anything. I rushed into my first marriage and feel like I should take my time this time to be sure I'm making a good, solid choice. So far, it's looking good, but I want to give it time so that we both know that it's a right decision for both of us.
I'm meeting his parents in a couple months. Hey, actually, right around our one year anniversary! They're missionaries who live in Venezuela, but they're coming to the US for his sister's wedding, which I will be attending with the boyfriend. I hope that goes well. I usually am good with parents. I've already met his sister and future brother-in-law and we got along really well.
Deep breath... I know I can be a handful sometimes, but I'm being myself and loving him. It's not difficult to love him, so that's good. In fact, considering all the time we've spent together, this has been one of the easiest relationships I've ever been in as far as stress levels go. When the most annoying thing he's done in the last week is answer too many Jeopardy! questions correctly in a row... really? That's not such a terrible problem to have.
Coming soon: Employment Update!
I'm meeting his parents in a couple months. Hey, actually, right around our one year anniversary! They're missionaries who live in Venezuela, but they're coming to the US for his sister's wedding, which I will be attending with the boyfriend. I hope that goes well. I usually am good with parents. I've already met his sister and future brother-in-law and we got along really well.
Deep breath... I know I can be a handful sometimes, but I'm being myself and loving him. It's not difficult to love him, so that's good. In fact, considering all the time we've spent together, this has been one of the easiest relationships I've ever been in as far as stress levels go. When the most annoying thing he's done in the last week is answer too many Jeopardy! questions correctly in a row... really? That's not such a terrible problem to have.
Coming soon: Employment Update!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Dating: Professional-Style
No, I'm not becoming a professional dater! But, having been on several interviews recently, I can't help but notice how interviewing for a job feels remarkably like being on a date! I'm letting the employer know what I bring to the table, they're informing me of what they are offering and then we're seeing if it's a good fit. I show up, looking neatly pressed and presentable, they show me around the facility, we make small talk...
And since I haven't actually nailed down a job, there's dealing with rejection. I've usually coped fairly well with that in the dating world, so it's been interesting to see how I feel about it in a job interview situation. Mainly, I've been a bit more sensitive to rejection in a job interview. However, in general, I'm probably a little less sensitive to rejection than your normal applicant. I can only assume it comes from dealing with dating the last four years!
I think it's because I feel like dating is more of an organic thing... either we're going to match up or we won't. I don't think it's necessarily something that can be controlled, but I feel like an interview, I should have a bit more control. I'm smart and good at what I do, so why wouldn't they want me?
I recently applied for a sales position and during the interview, they asked if I would be able to cope with people rejecting me on the phone and I said, "Well, luckily, I've been dating for the last few years, so I've learned not to take it personally!" I think that's what I need to remind myself of in the job hunting realm. I shouldn't take it personally.
In some cases, I think I haven't had the exact experience in the field they were looking for or enough education/certifications or maybe I did, but I was too expensive. Or maybe I was geographically undesirable! Any way you look at it, it wasn't a good fit. And almost exactly like dating, it doesn't really matter why it wasn't a good fit, all that's important is that it wasn't and it's time to move along.
I guess the bottom line is that I need to be patient, because the right position will come along and we'll both know it when it happens! Finally! Dating experience helps in other areas of my life! I am hopeful about the sales position I interviewed for a couple weeks ago. I should be hearing back from them this week. I'm hopeful because like any good date, the chemistry was there right away, conversation flowed smoothly, it felt like a good fit. However, I've already mentally prepped myself for the possibility that maybe they didn't feel it, and if so, I guess it's back to the drawing board!
And since I haven't actually nailed down a job, there's dealing with rejection. I've usually coped fairly well with that in the dating world, so it's been interesting to see how I feel about it in a job interview situation. Mainly, I've been a bit more sensitive to rejection in a job interview. However, in general, I'm probably a little less sensitive to rejection than your normal applicant. I can only assume it comes from dealing with dating the last four years!
I think it's because I feel like dating is more of an organic thing... either we're going to match up or we won't. I don't think it's necessarily something that can be controlled, but I feel like an interview, I should have a bit more control. I'm smart and good at what I do, so why wouldn't they want me?
I recently applied for a sales position and during the interview, they asked if I would be able to cope with people rejecting me on the phone and I said, "Well, luckily, I've been dating for the last few years, so I've learned not to take it personally!" I think that's what I need to remind myself of in the job hunting realm. I shouldn't take it personally.
In some cases, I think I haven't had the exact experience in the field they were looking for or enough education/certifications or maybe I did, but I was too expensive. Or maybe I was geographically undesirable! Any way you look at it, it wasn't a good fit. And almost exactly like dating, it doesn't really matter why it wasn't a good fit, all that's important is that it wasn't and it's time to move along.
I guess the bottom line is that I need to be patient, because the right position will come along and we'll both know it when it happens! Finally! Dating experience helps in other areas of my life! I am hopeful about the sales position I interviewed for a couple weeks ago. I should be hearing back from them this week. I'm hopeful because like any good date, the chemistry was there right away, conversation flowed smoothly, it felt like a good fit. However, I've already mentally prepped myself for the possibility that maybe they didn't feel it, and if so, I guess it's back to the drawing board!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Out with the Old...
Man, it's been a LONG time since I've posted anything on my blog. You'd think with not having a job, I'd have soooo much more free time to post something! And you'd be wrong! :-)
I suppose with even less structure than I had before, I've managed to just do whatever I've wanted over the last six months. Yes, it's been six months since I lost my job. The biggest news, besides the non-news that I don't actually *have* a job yet, is that I broke up with the ex-on-again-off-again boyfriend in June. And this time, it was for good. And I thank God every day for that. That is certainly the best decision I've made this year!
Here's what I learned from that relationship:
First, I came home to LA and went directly to church. I had been praying for a sign about what to do about him and the relationship and if I should move or not and got a big, bright flashing one that screamed, "GET OUT!", for which he ridiculed me. I thanked God for getting me out of that relationship and continue to do so. I had actually considered moving to live near him and I'm so glad I didn't actually do it. What a mistake that would've been... whew!
I suppose with even less structure than I had before, I've managed to just do whatever I've wanted over the last six months. Yes, it's been six months since I lost my job. The biggest news, besides the non-news that I don't actually *have* a job yet, is that I broke up with the ex-on-again-off-again boyfriend in June. And this time, it was for good. And I thank God every day for that. That is certainly the best decision I've made this year!
Here's what I learned from that relationship:
- If I can't trust the guy, I need to just break up with him right away because always wondering when/if he's cheating is horribly taxing and SO not worth it.
- Just because someone pays attention to you doesn't mean they love you.
- Lip service is useless. I need someone who will follow through on what he says.
- A man who can't manage his money is not a good match for me.
- Chattanooga actually has some decent places to eat.
- Dogs aren't all bad.
I'm sure I learned other things, but those were the biggies. And I think what was awesome about the whole situation (although it hurt and sucked at the time) was that I felt like everything in my life started taking a turn for the better after I broke up with him.
First, I came home to LA and went directly to church. I had been praying for a sign about what to do about him and the relationship and if I should move or not and got a big, bright flashing one that screamed, "GET OUT!", for which he ridiculed me. I thanked God for getting me out of that relationship and continue to do so. I had actually considered moving to live near him and I'm so glad I didn't actually do it. What a mistake that would've been... whew!
Second, little things happened like... I found the couch I've been wanting to buy for months from Ikea (but didn't because it was too expensive) on Craigslist for 1/3 the price! And easily found people to help me move it.
Third, but most importantly, I felt content to be alone. It's possible that I may have felt flickers of this from time-to-time over the last 4 1/2 years, but mostly, I've always wanted to find someone. This was the first time that I honestly and truly felt completely at peace with being alone. As a woman all alone. As a woman who maybe will never have children. As a woman who may never find the "right" man. And I felt completely okay with it because it was light years better than the relationship I had been in with him, especially over the last few months. It's amazing how freeing that feeling was for me. How calming and peaceful it was.
So of course, while I'm feeling extremely thankful for being out of that terrible relationship, I meet the new guy. I say "new guy," but truthfully I've known him for the last few years. He's recently become available and considering that I've admired him for the last couple years, I was pleasantly surprised (and more than a little thrilled!) to find out that he felt similarly and he asked me out. I decided to name him in accordance with his Myers-Briggs personality type (ISTJ) because I suspect it will fuel a lot of my discussions with him...
But in a nutshell, he's fabulous. When I'd see him here or there, I would always think to myself that it was rather unfortunate that he was not available because I always suspected that we might be a good match and now, I actually get to test that theory out! And you know who I have to thank for that? God, for getting me out of the previous relationship and available for this new one. The timing could not have been better! It's still pretty new, but so far, it's going well. We had our first real fight on Monday and made it through without any hard feelings, so I would consider that a success! We are able to discuss the tough subjects without much fuss and it seems like our biggest challenge so far is just in our communication styles, which doesn't surprise me. We're still trying to figure each other out.
Perhaps the most important thing to people who have been following my dating life? He lives 15 minutes away from me!! And he's a good, good man. Completely trustworthy, which in turn makes him red-hot sexy to me! He's fairly reserved, but I don't mind. He's the yin to my extroverted E! And he's given me permission to post about him, so I suspect there will be more frequent blog posts in the future...
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