Don't get too comfortable!

I took a trip this week to England, and it occurred to me while on the plane to Heathrow that I've had an undeniable British Men fetish lately, and I just happened to be traveling to the Land of British Men. Even though the trip was for work and I would be spending nearly the entire time in my hotel for a conference, I admit I was a little bit stoked.

Indeed I did spend most of the time at the hotel. But since no one else was really at the hotel other than all my colleagues, and I'd determined that none of them was I really interested in (Hot Brit Colleague was not there), there wasn't really much to turn my attention to.

That is, until my flight back to the states. While boarding my flight, knowing I had the window seat, I saw a guy storing his bag above my row, getting ready to sit down in the aisle seat. "Don't get too comfortable!" I said with a smile. He knew I was in the window seat, and kindly lifted my suitcase into the overhead bin.

We chatted a little bit at the beginning of the flight, chatting about our travel plans, the airline, and our dinner options. And although he was cute, I honestly didn't notice him much at first because I was so tired from the conference and just wanted to zone out for a while in flight. So I did zone out, watched a couple of movies, before interacting with him again, I think about our in-flight snack (a cheese and pickle sandwich on white bread. um....). Turned out, he is a management consultant born in Miami, but his family later moved to Denmark (his parents are Danish), so he's been living there. However, he is interested in moving back to the States, so he's exploring opportunities for a job here. I, of course, have many connections in that respect and offered to help him out. But also, as I was listening to him talk, I actually had quite the lengthy opportunity to stare at his face in close proximity (well, I was sitting right next to him, and you know how tight those airplane seats are), and he was actually quite cute. I became mesmerized by his mouth--a good sign (I wanted to kiss him, obviously). Although our conversation was mostly business, we did talk a bit about both of our families as well, and did end up exchanging emails and phone numbers, and kept our conversation up as we waiting in line for customs.

A little part of me wishes I had flirted a little more rather than playing it safe, but I did get the guy's card, he had no ring, and he somewhat oddly did drop into the conversation his age (which is close to mine), so I'll still take that as a win. :)

Trying to stay positive,
Skeptic

I am my child

Confession: I have kind of a pet peeve on Facebook (okay, this is just one of them). When people set pictures of their children as their profile picture.

Maybe it's one of those things that parents annoyingly say to single people, that "I wouldn't understand until I have children of my own." And I do get that having children changes your whole life around, and your whole life becomes about your child, and the whole world revolves around them. As nauseating as that is, I do get it. But even if the world revolves around the kids, you do not cease to exist! Those kids do not become you! I look at your profile and see some kid? That's NOT YOU! Your child might be the most important thing in your life, but don't forget that you are still a person--a living, breathing person with wishes, desires, feelings, and needs that are important.

Yeah, every once in a while I'll put up a picture of an object or symbol, like if Michigan is playing in March Madness, or the Tigers are in the playoffs. But that's temporary--90% of the time my picture is of me. Because it's my profile. I am a person, I exist, and I'm damn important.

Just had to get that out of my system.

Trying to stay positive,
Skeptic

There should be a dating handbook

So.... is it wrong to have a little crush on the HR guy?

I'm sure if there's any policy that exists about inter-office fraternization, I'd certainly be barking up the wrong tree by picking out the HR guy. But he is cute, he is nice, he is actually single (wow, my standards are low). Oh, and he is British. I don't actually know him very well, so I'm feeling like a bad person kind of desperately looking for anyone to crush on, and the fact that he is single and someone I know makes this one somewhat convenient. But he is also cute and nice..... justified? Maybe I should actually read the company handbook one more time?

Oy. I really need to go on some dates. I'm fresh out of ideas. Seriously--how do other people do this?

Trying to stay positive,
Skeptic

Ghosts of relationships past

WTF.
 
Out of nowhere, I had two dreams about Y in the last three days. I really have no idea what prompted that. But the first time it happened, I woke up really upset--I really just don't want to be reminded of things that happened in the past. A depressed panic is not a good way to start the day.

Do the ghosts of past relationships EVER stop haunting you?

Trying to stay positive,
Skeptic

It's been a while

This pretty much sums up all my material since I've been MIA. I date these guys and all is well until I find out that they don't want a relationship. I must be cursed.

I also have an excellent track record of being a secret. Why do guys want to hide me? Why use me? Why flirt with me while dating someone? Does that mean I was the one they really wanted? Why am I a backup?

Que the music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1kdpQdi_pE

I don't know what it is about me that men don't want to commit. Am I not relationship material? Don't they want this entire bundle of joy, not just sex? Or maybe the question should be not "what's wrong with me?" but "what's wrong with them?" Because I sure as hell think I'm a f-ing good catch. 

Dang, whomever I end up with is going to be one lucky S.O.B. He's gonna deserve it all.

Keepin' it real,
Realist

There really is a website for everything

Well, with a little urging from Sabrina, I launched a profile on DateBritishGuys.com to see if I could find a charming young single Brit who wouldn't mind me fawning over his accent and manners. The site seemed promising--it was basically built on the premise of connecting British men with American women (exactly what I wanted!), and it certainly has made a lot of press (at least according to a cursory Google search), so why not.

After one day, I'm not overly optimistic. In my first search (not super narrow--non-smokers in a 10-year age range who live in my metro area), I got a list of only 15 guys, only 4 of whom have logged in within the last month. I know it's not really a numbers game, but it wasn't really encouraging. I only signed up for the free version, so I'll leave it up for a while and see what happens. 

Next to try: ILoveYourAccent.com!

Trying to stay positive,
Skeptic

Birdwatching

My commute includes a very short trip on a subway train, so never get a seat while riding and instead get to stand and surf for 10 or 15 minutes while I ride. I make the most of it, though--as I'm boarding the train, I make a sport out of making a quick assessment of the train car and strategically placing myself standing next to the most attractive male there. I'll be honest, a lot of the time there isn't anyone I'm particularly interested to stand next to. But sometimes there is, and I spend the 10-minute train ride sneaking glances at him, and seeing if I can purposely accidentally make eye contact with him. Nothing has ever really come of it, but maybe someday it will, and at the very least it amuses me.

Today the train was crowded, so I didn't have much choice of strategic location, but instead had to jam myself just inside the door. And lo and behold, Mr. Cutiepants was right there by the door next to me. Hellooooooo nurse! I kept peeking glances at him, and each time I had a different thought (in case you really want insight into what's in a girl's head):
"ooooOOOooohh he's cute...."
"Yeah.... he's really cute."
"He looks kind of like Y (my ex). Oh, is that bad?"
"Nice shoes."
"Damn, move your hand, can't see the left ring finger...."
"Good body. I can see my arms around that...."
"All I need is one good train bump and oops! I fall into him....."

Now, I'm not saying I followed him off the train. I'm just saying he just happened to get off the same stop as I did. I can't help it if he lives in my neighborhood.... As soon as the doors opened, though, that dude took OFF. I walk pretty damn fast, but I had trouble keeping up with this guy. That is.... he just happened to be walking in the same direction as I was. *ahem* After he turned down a street that would actually make me go out of my way to follow him, though, I gave up and let him scamper off. The wild bird can't be tamed.

Trying to stay positive,
Skeptic