Dudes!

HapPy NeW YeaR!!

Lots of happiness in my world right now! The Professor and I are still going strong. He rocks my world - seriously, upside down rockin'! In so many ways we are different, but we are the same in others. We're still learning about each other and about the kind of relationship we both agreed to embark on; one built on traditional roles - he's Tarzan, I'm Jane :) Oh of course it goes deeper than that, but that's best saved for another post (maybe one day).

Hey the gym is still part of my life - barely. I hope to return within the week. I did gain some holiday pounds, but thanks to the stomach flu, I lost it all + 3 more! But my appetite has returned so I need to get to the gym (with gusto) and get myself in better shape.

My kid is in a new relationship with someone that treats her wonderfully. I'm happy for Mari.

I've always posted about my job because it's such an important aspect of my life, but I've decided to tone down that importance. I've decided to pull way back on project work. This is the most that I've ever pulled back and I feel great about it! I don't feel like I'm going to miss something if I'm not on every project that I can get my hands on, I don't feel like people will think badly of me if I don't work like a dog, nah I'm done with that way of thinking. Dude, it's time for me to look forward to going home and actually leaving my job at 5p instead of 7 or 8 or 9! So right now, work is where it should be - on the back burner. Yeah.

I took two weeks off for the holidays and spent almost every single day with the Professor and his daughter. When vacation was over, it felt kind of weird not being with him, but soon enough I got back into the routine of work and all that goes with that - I've even enjoyed hanging out at home this past week, working on a jigsaw puzzle, taking it easy by staying put, not having to be anywhere - it's been quite nice.

But I do miss the Professor :) We'll be seeing each other soon enough - this weekend! It's his birthday so we'll be doing some celebrating.

My furry kids, Toula, Noodles, and Spatz are doing well. Each of them entertaining in their own special way. All of them are so loving, but they do have their own way of expressing themselves. Toula is jealous of her brother, but loves to hang out with him, Noodles is in her own little world, doing her own thing, while Spatz wants to be part of everyone's world. It's hard to imagine life without them.

Well there you have it; my corner of the Uni-verse.

I'm signing off for now - it's late, and I need my beauty rest.

Thanks for reading.

-xo

A Grand Life

My favorite time of year is right around the corner! I can't wait for the crisp coolness of autumn and its wonderful fresh scents that fill my senses as summer fades in the background and winter gets ready to make its appearance. This is the time when my soul renews itself and gears up for another year.

Rawrrr!

Currently things in my corner of the Uni-verse are going well. After almost an entire year of feeling overwhelmed with projects at work, I'm finding some breathing room, and it feels great.

The Professor and I are doing well; we're taking it a day at a time and right now I'm pretty happy with the direction we're going; it feels like a leisurely drive through the countryside with stops along the way to fool around :) Throughout each day I find myself smiling for no reason and I'm pretty sure that there's a little skip to my step. Hey I know it reads sappy, but it sure feels good!

The gym is still part of my life, which right now is barely tolerable, but I'm hanging in there because the other option is unacceptable.

May 2010 is already a big month for me! I'll be going to Pennsylvania for my niece's graduation from Penn State, then back home, I'll be going to the musical, "A Chorus Line!"

Right now life is feelin' pretty grand :)

End of Summer

The end of summer is fast approaching and a lot has happened since my last post. Remember my last post about the guy that has an 8 year old daughter? I shall call him the Professor. Well, we're still seeing each other; things are moving along nicely. We still haven't met one another's daughters, which I expect will happen sometime soon. However, this Saturday I will be meeting his bestfriend for the first time. Yes, I will have to pass muster with this guy - we all know how the best friend test goes. The Professor and this guy have been friends for over 40 years. The guy has a boat and will be taking us out on it and then we're all going to dinner. He's bringing his date too. It's been forever since I've gone on a double-date - even typing the word makes me giggle ;o)

Work is work. I have been a bit overwhelmed, but it will pass. It always does. Next year I'm determined not to take on so many projects at once.

I'm still going to the gym although lately it's been harder than usual for both cuzzy and me. We finally figured out why. We're at the 6-month mark, which was when we quit going to the gym the last time. Dude, we didn't go back to the gym for about 2 years! Not wanting that to happen again, we keep each other on track, even if it means going just once a week and not our regular 4 times a week.

On the family front, Johnny is walking now! He's cuter than a bug (takes after his auntie - ha!). My niece Mel (we call her Noon) and her boyfriend, Nick, are over for a visit - all the way from Pennsylvania. She is a senior @ Penn State while Nick graduated this year. They're a cute couple. Man, I can't believe just how grown up she is! It just seems like yesterday she was a little kid doing the happy food dance when she got a piece of candy.

My kiD Mari is doing as well as can be expected; she and her partner recently parted ways. Each day is different; some good, some bad. Right now sadness reigns in her world, but she is moving along and I believe is past the worst of it. The healing process has begun.

In about a month, Stephanie, a girl that cuzzy and I met when we owned an online gaming ladder will be flying out from Arizona to meet us both for the first time! Man! That's something! We've known one another for about 8 years now. She's going to spend the weekend here - we're just gonna keep ourselves completely inebriated the entire time! LOL! I'm kidding; at least 99.9% of the time. We do have our standards.

So that's it, my friends.

What about you; how are things going in your neck of the woods?

When you hear from me next time, I hope that the Professor and I will still be clicking along.

Later.

-xo

Catch-up

A few things have happened since my last post.

I have been back at the gym for awhile now and I’ve even lost some weight :-)

I am no longer seeing the man that I wrote about in my last post. Things fell apart. We parted as friends, but really, it was more like a friendly parting. At times I find myself feeling wistful, but I realize that I need to move on and stop dwelling on the what-could-have-beens and the if-onlys.

I have met someone and we get along well, but I am not sure about having a relationship with him yet. He's an interesting man, energetic, intelligent, attentive, and dedicated to his 8-year old daughter, who he has full custody of. He is interested and curious about me; what I think, how I feel, what makes me laugh, my likes, dislikes, etc. This alone is heady stuff and I find myself drawn to him because of it. But that is just one aspect; there are many more that we need to explore. I really don’t want to jump into anything – heck I’ve been searching for that special someone for over a year now so I am sure I can wait

Work has been good and busy. I'm taking off next week (vacation). I am not planning on going anywhere, just hanging out at home, being with family and friends, and basically doing nothing but relaxing.

It's late so I'm off to bed.

Thanks for reading -xo

Life in the Date Lane

Well for the past couple of months or so, I have been dating. Yes, for those out there that know me, you can stop the pretense act of fainting (dweebs!).

I'm dating because I have decided to take action and go after what I want - a long term committed relationship. Someone that I can share my life with wholly and completely. You know how it goes; all those wonderful things that make being a couple fun, passionate, happy, and sexy.

So that is why I am dating. Have I met anyone special? Yes I have, but we're more like friends; I view him as my mentor within the lifestyle that I have chosen to pursue. To me he is sexy, intelligent with a great sense of humor, and we get along great. But as life would have it right now, he doesn't want what I want out of a relationship. Although he wants a long term relationship, it is not the same kind I want. His idea of a LTR is more along the lines of being casual/platonic. Even if we don't share a 'traditional' romantic relationship, we do share a special friendship, have the trust, the mutual respect, and the intimacy of sexual exploration. In a sense we are committed, but on a different level (this is difficult to explain so I won't even attempt it). He knows I date because he can't provide me with what I truly want. In fact, he has encouraged me to date. And because he tends to be protective, he has asked me to keep him updated as to whom I date and he always asks how everything went, etc. I might add that he finds my dating adventures somewhat amusing (geez). So as you can read, our relationship is a bit different, but some would understand it - it is part of the lifestyle that I have chosen to pursue :-) Some would call him my dominant and I guess in a way he is.

From time to time my kid has always bugged me to get out and date. And of course the minute that I do, she is my fiercest critic, kind of works on my last nerve, if you get my drift. But I know she does it because she loves me.

This is very new to me; having a casual relationship and dating a lot. I feel such the late bloomer. Here I am 48 years old dating like I should have done when I was in my 20's. I always did do things ass-backwards.

Geez.

It is an adventure of sorts and yes I have some stories that I could share. But really, dating is becoming more of a chore because I can't seem to find the guy that makes my world spin :-) Well I did find him, but like I said, we don't want the same things out of a relationship.

Curses.

So that's where I am now in my life. Still hard at work, been back at the gym for about 2 months now, in a casual relationship, dating, learning, and on my way to living the sort of lifestyle that I have always wanted to live.

So there.

Neener.

Happy Birthday Meerie

The day after Christmas my daughter (Mari), mom, and me went to my daughter's and her partner's home so that Mari could feed their dogs and cats. Their front door lock was broken so Mari had to climb over the fence to get to the back door. This was no easy feat. And me, well I didn't even try because I had a big sore on my leg and there was no way I was going to climb over a fence. After about 30 minutes of trying to get into the house which involved Mari trying to climb the fence twice, stepping on dog poop in the process, her and I trying to lift the garage door, all of us scoping out other areas of the fence, we finally got into the house.

How, you ask?

My 71-year old mother climbed over the fence and let us in.

Yeah you read what I wrote. Meerie hopped over the fence.

Mari turned to me and said, "How did she do that?"

Oh and this was on mom's birthday. Happy Birthday Meerie!!

Reflectionettes

There are a lot of times that I have these deep thoughts that seem to sear me straight to the heart. I look back on my life and I can't help but think it is true; as I get older, what was once important to me is now nothing but a shadow. It's the simple things in my life that make me smile and give me contentment. I still experience heartache because I'm a mom, daughter, sister, aunt, and everything else where love resides deeply and unabiding.

My life is good and I'm learning to enjoy what I have instead of yearning for what I don't have. Although something still bugs me; I still wish for a companion in life and out of all that is true with me, this has to be the most difficult thing for me to attain because I make it so difficult.

"Stop it!" Maybe if I keep telling myself consistently, I will stop thinking like this. It's in da brain!

I am grateful for my family. And no matter how dysfunctional we are, they're mine and I love them no matter what.

Ain't love grand?

Yes. Yes, it is.

Here's Johnny

Hi there - I thought I'd share a recent picture of my nephew, Johnny.

How's Tricks?

How are things with everyone? Good I hope.

Good news - my sabbatical is less than three weeks away! I'm so looking forward to not having to go to work for two months (with pay)!

I've been busy with my nephew Johnny and with my new furry kid Toula. Last weekend mom, my brother, his wife, Johnny, and I went to the State Fair. We had a really good time. Toula is such a wonderful little sweetie; it's hard to imagine my life without her in it.

Recently I made an investment in a carpet cleaner (Bissel) and I tried it out for the first time today. It worked really well. So I'm pretty satisfied with my purchase.

I know that I should get into a house; it's the right thing to do because really I've grown out of the apartment, right along with Noodles, Spatz, and Toula (my furry kids would love a bigger place to live in). But the thought of house hunting is a drag. It's not fun. I'm tired of making offers that never get accepted. I know that I will find my house when the time is right for me (this is me giving myself a pep talk; because really I will live in this apartment forever -ha).

Okay really I won't - sometimes I just feel would it be so bad if I did??

Anyhow enough about me. How are things witchu?

Johnny

I was in Salinas this weekend meeting my nephew Johnny for the first time. I'm smitten; I'm in deep smit. I'm not sure he is a Teddy Wong to me any more. I'm still pondering a nickname for the little guy ;-)

Introducing my Nephew John Masaru



-xo