Dating Sucks Big Time

I've been contemplating a number of different posts regarding the loan to the Big Three, but I'm so angry right now that I can't do it, especially if I got negative responses from my blogging buddies, because then I'd be more upset and I don't want to do that to myself.

For the past three months (I was surprised to figure out it was that long, actually), I had a profile up at a couple of different dating sites. One free and one pay (but I got a deal for 3 months – which ends next week – well, it did, until I canceled it this morning), and pretty much all they did was reinforce that I don't want to date. For the first two months I'd have guys who'd e-mail me through the free site and then just disappear after a few e-mails. Or I'd get an e-mail from the site saying You and So-and-So gave each other 4 (or 5) stars in looks (and/or personality), but then So-and-So would never e-mail me and I'm old-fashioned enough that I'd think the guy should initiate contact.

A few guys I'd notice something cool in their profile, so I'd e-mail them about it (obscure movie that we both liked, etc.) and I'd get no response at all, so I gave that up.

I'd get e-mails from fat, ugly, 60-year-olds with dead animals on the wall over their camouflage-capped heads saying crap like "like ur smile." Jesus, was the '"yo" that hard to type? It's not fucking text messaging (not that I approve of that, either).

Saturday night I met a guy from the free site for dinner. He was older than I really wanted, but I was trying to have an open mind. His profile stated that he was 5'8" which I thought was a tad short (I'm 5'6") but I decided not to be judgemental. That went out the window when he showed up and was shorter than me. For heaven's sake, WTF? Like I'm not going to figure out that he's 5'4" when I actually meet him? The problem here isn't the height (or lack thereof), it's the lying. Of course, most men claim they're 2" taller than they actually are, so maybe he truly believes it. Still. And then there was the Shrek-like beer belly. I work bloody hard trying to stay/keep/get into shape, and it's obvious he hasn't seen anything remotely exercise-like in years. *sigh* We won't even discuss his two Japanese vehicles.

Oh, and he took a phone call during dinner. I had my phone on silent in my purse. His was on LOUD ring and it took him a while to dig it out of his pocket. He looked at (I thought he had silenced the ring at least while he figured out who was calling), and said, "I have no idea who this is." which to me means, then don't freaking answer it...but he did in the middle of the second ring. Turned out it was somebody who was coming to the house the next day to refinance it. He was on the phone a couple of minutes which I thought was a tad rude in the middle of a date - to say nothing of a first date.

Then there was the guy from the pay dating site. It semi-fashions itself after eHarmony, so you have to go through Steps. First, you express mutual interest, next up you share "Relationship Essentials," and then comes short-answer questions. At this point, I was ready to give up. Then comes e-mail. This one guy sent me an e-mail telling me how handsome, mature, patient he was, along with the statement "I'm no boy, but a man and a big one at that." Dear God in Heaven! I responded, however, with a nice e-mail asking questions and what have you – try to keep an open mind. The next thing I got from him was a First Meeting request…well, it was Halloween weekend and I had plans the entire weekend, so I e-mail him back saying that and suggesting that more e-mails wouldn't be remiss (remember, he didn't answer any of my questions). That was the last I heard from him. I checked my profile a couple of weeks later and he had closed me out. So much for patience, eh? Or maturity.

After thinking about (and discussing) the whole mess Saturday night (went out for beers with the girls after dinner with the short Shrek), Sunday (movie with BST, then dinner with BST, Marianne and a friend o hers) and yesterday with Maureen, I sent him an e-mail saying thank you for dinner but I've decided against dating and dating sites and wished him luck in his search. And then I deleted my profiles at both sites and while I'm a little sad that I gave up, I also know that in the long run, it'll be better. It was so much like daily rejection, wondering what the hell is wrong with me that this guy or that guy couldn't be bothered to respond to thoughtful e-mails.

The guy from Saturday night is having some problem taking no for an answer...he's on his third e-mail. *sigh* My friend Lisa read his second message (I was a chicken) and said, "He's acting like a girl." LOL And in his 3rd e-mail he wants to be friends. He wasn't that interesting, I have to say.

Marilyn, My Bitterness

I'm feeling the need to share - this one makes me dance in my chair at work while mouthing the words...I think I need to dance!!!! And I can't even tell you how much I love Lego Rogue!

For some reason Lego Rogue disappeared, so I'm giving you another version of Marilyn, My Bitterness that somebody put to Metropoiis.

October Movies/Events - Dinner with Jorge

Okay, here is the list of movies I watched in October. I don't feel like linking, so you're on your own!

10/5 - Newsies (N) - I watched this with Sal & Coy while in SF. Coy had recommended it to Sal, and they started watching it Sunday morning when I was there. It was a musical which I wasn't expecting, but it was a good movie. If I remember correctly, it had a very young Christian Bale in it.

10/25 - Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (N) - 2000 - This is a Jim Jarmusch film which I had somehow missed. Forest Whitaker was the Ghost Dog who was an assassin for a crime family - kind of a cross between Sho-gun (with an African-American samurai) and The Sopranos. It wasn't exactly a happy movie, but I still liked it...especially after the next movie.

10/25 - Before the Rain (N) - 1994 - This dealt with the tensions between Christians and Muslims in Macedonia (if I remember correctly). The lead character was an award-winning photograph who was living in England, but decided to return home to Macedonia and discovers that things have changed in the many years since he had left. It was a very good movie, but bloody depressing.

10/26 - The Good German (Enc) - 2006 - I had read the book a while back (May 2006, apparently) and have been meaning to see the movie and finally got around to it. They didn't follow the book as much as I would have liked (from what I could remember), but since I didn't re-read it, I can't really tell how different it was. Yeah, I should probably do this more often, so I wouldn't get so upset. I'd say read the book, though, if you're only going to do one.

10/26 - Reality Bites (End) - 1994 - Yeah, I know, I'm the only person of my generation who didn't see it when it first came out. I liked it. After the three previous movies (which were all a bit on the depressing side), I needed something a bit more light-hearted. I'd definitely watch it again. I liked it better than Singles (I think, but it's been a long time since I've seen that).

Events

10/7 - The Cruxshadows - DNA Lounge in SF - What an excellent night this was. I met the Zombieslayer and Badman that night. I had a lovely time with them. Zombieslayer is not the hardass he pretends to be. Badman is exactly as he puts himself out there, which is rare, I think in the blogging world. I:Scintilla and Ayria opened for The Cruxshadows and I have to say that I liked I:Scintilla better than Ayria. The lead singer for I:Scintilla is very sweet. Zombieslayer bought their CD and then got the whole band to sign it. If they're coming to your town, do yourself a favor and go see them. You get a kickass show for $15 ($12, if you buy ahead of time).

10/31 - Regis Philbin - Casino Windsor - Don't laugh. Yes, in one month I saw a goth/darkwave band and Regis. HRH *loves* Regis and since she's a gambler, she got free tickets and a free hotel room. She drove down from Toronto and I crossed the river. I have to admit that I laughed awfully damn hard but it was mostly *at* the people from the audience that he pulled up on stage to talk to. Other than the woman's granddaughter next to me, we were pretty much the youngest people at the show.

Movie of the Month - Hmmm, this is tough...I think I have to go with Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.

Event of the Month - No offense to HRH or Rege, but I have to go with the Cruxshadows. I got to wear my kickass boots, which are fabulous, and relatively comfortable - I was even able to dance in them.

I just got home (okay, it was close to an hour ago at this point) (Oh crap, I forgot to call my sister-in-law back) from dinner with Jorge - which makes him my fourth blogging meet in a month (Knucklehead, Zombieslayer, Badman and Jorge) - and his lovely wife, Mona and daughter, Peanut. I had a very nice time and just hope that meeting a person from on-line didn't freak Mona out too much. I"m used to it, considering I've been meeting people from the Internet since 1995.

Have I told you that Thanksgiving this year is going to suck? No? Well, it is. It's my favorite holiday and it's going to suck. I'm ready to chuck it all in and just stay home, but I have a feeling that Mom, the BAB, SIL and Terror Children would be offended that they weren't good enough. Seven people does not make a Thanksgiving, although SIL said she'd invite her mother, brother, sister and BIL which will at least put us into double digits. Barely. *sigh*

Time to go to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I really need to get to work by 5:30. I just hope I got enough sleep this weekend, so I can get up in the morning. I haven't been able to get up on time for at least two weeks. That has to change tomorrow!

Politics, Keith, Books, Grandma and Mom

Bloody hell, I think Trina's posting more often than I am. And that's pathetic, since she actually told us she was taking time off…I'm just lazy and disappear for ages.

I started an entry last Wednesday but didn't get more than three sentences written, so I just scrapped it as not worth the effort. If you know me, you know I was thrilled by last Tuesday's results. I actually stayed up and watched the returns come in and the speeches. I was impressed by McCain's concession speech, typically described as the "old John McCain." Having never stayed up to watch before I was scared that I was going to be subjected to Caribou Barbie, but thankfully, there is no precedence for the losing VP to speak. Praise God. ;-) Of course, she's more than made up for it since then, hasn't she? I was so ready for her to go away!

How many of you watched Countdown with Keith Olbermann last Monday? The reason I mention it is because a woman here in the metropolitan Detroit area had made the news (at least, countrywide) for refusing to give small children candy on Halloween if their parents weren't voting for her candidate. Swear to God, she turned away 4 year olds!!!! Anyway, I just knew that Keith was going to make her the Worst Person in the World and I was right. The sad thing is that I'll bet she still thinks she was right to do it. Did she have the right to do it, heck yes, but was it the "right" thing to do? Hell no! What kind of evil person makes small children cry? Honestly.

Last night's Special Comment was brilliant as he takes on Prop. 8. You can tell that he's very upset, and I think he's *this* close to crying or getting very angry and trying really hard to maintain control. He asks the same questions I've been asking for years, but way better than I ever have.

It's the twelfth day of November and I'm just getting around to telling you what I read and watched last month.

Books

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova – 642 pages - Heather read it a year or so ago and highly recommended it. Soon thereafter I found a hardcover first edition for $6, so I picked it up, but I never got around to reading it because it wasn't a good size for reading on the treadmill. I figured it'd be a good book for the trip to SF and Vegas and while I did do a lot of knitting on the plane, I also read a bit. Normally, I wouldn't say I have any great appreciation for Dracula books, but this book sucked me in and I quite enjoyed it. I've already recommended it to Beth because she talked about vampire books recently. Anyway, it was a very well written book, which is very important.

The Clue of the Dancing Puppet #39 by Carolyn Keene – 177 pages – Classic Nancy Drew and one that I hadn't read a thousand times, so the story wasn't completely familiar to me which was kind of nice.

Book of the Month - The Historian

I'll work on the Movie list soon...I have a stupid headache and just can't think that hard right now. I watched a good five or six movies and even went to a couple of live concerts. Tres exciting. I know you'll be looking forward to that - whenever I freaking get to it.


Grandma Update
She's pretty well ensconced in her old folks' home apartment and I think accepting it a bit more. She held bridge with "the girls" for the first time since March when she broke her tibial plateau this past Monday. Mom, YS and I helped Grandma set up on Sunday and she told me today that it helped immensely as she wasn't sure she would have gotten everything done in time.

Grandma's doing super fabulously, so now I need to ask for your thoughts and prayers for Mom. Her recent mammogram found a very small lump. She's having a biopsy on Monday and they say that if they extract liquid, it's all good and no big deal. If they are unable to extract liquid, they'll use a bigger needle and then if necessary (i.e., no liquid), they'll take three chunks (about the size of a grain of rice). She didn't sound worried when I talked to her, but the YS said that Mom is pretty worried. And then after Mom told me about that, she said, "And Tuesday, I'm having eye surgery." WTF? The woman is impossible! The surgery isn't serious or eyesight threatening, so that's good, but still...so, please keep my Mom in your thoughts, prayers, etc. this coming Monday and Tuesday. I greatly appreciate it.

And now it's time for some Aleve and my bed.