The jerk has a girlfriend. 

It shouldn't be so hard to find someone to compliment me.

To be the jam to my peanut butter.

Who likes some of the same stuff I do, but has their own interests.

Someone who can introduce me to new opportunities.

A guy that likes me for me... a 6' of me...

One that doesn't think of me as one of the guys because of my sense of humour.

Someone that really is independent... and doesn't just say they are.

A guy who's educated... and doesn't think I'm a snob for thinking that's important.

Someone that doesn't just want to get into my pants...

Lately I've been asked as to why I'm still single... that I seem like a great girl.

It's cause I am a great girl, and deserve a great guy.

And I'm not willing to settle.

Although the rejection is getting a little tough to deal with... I won't settle.

It wouldn't be fair to myself.

First off... I am very content being a single person.  I can lay on the couch sans-pants whenever I want, I can eat for dinner whatever I want, and I have spent the last two months perfecting the "starfish" in bed.

That said, one of the good things about my last relationship is that we actually did things together.  We had similar tastes in sports and enjoyed (or at least I did) going to sporting events (and other events) as a couple.  I am totally fine going to things by myself, but with someone else I felt I got more out of the experience.

So - I've dived back into the pond.  The goddamn Plenty of Fish pond.

I've been lurking mostly (although I do have to sit down and type out the story of the "date that never was" from last weekend), and here are just a few things I've discovered along the way that cement that "we're just not meant to be".

If you're giving the camera the one finger salute in your one and only profile picture, we're probably not meant to be. #POFrules

If you haven't figured out that "orange tan" is not an appropriate skin colour, we're probably not meant to be. #POFrules 

If your profile picture include a ripped wife beater, a cowboy hat and your abs, we're probably not meant to be. #POFrules 

If you think "graduate degree" means you graduated high school, we're probably not meant to be #POFrules

If you are wearing white sunglasses in your profile picture, we're probably not meant to be. #POFrules 

If you keep calling and texting me after you were all creepy and I told you so, we're probably not meant to be. #POFrules 

If you say you don't do drugs, but then mention that you "smoke a few doobies on the weekend", we're probably not meant to be. #POFrules

If you are over 35 and list "skateboarding" as your only means of transportation, we're probably not meant to be. #POFrules 

If your profile picture contains you and a half dressed whoreish looking female draped on you, we're probably not meant to be. #POFrules 

If you have a faux hawk, we probably aren't meant to be. #POFrules

If you'd like to follow my journey of "we're probably not meant to be" I always hashtag my tweets with #POFrules. Perhaps I'll do a post later where I don't protect the innocent offenders and post some of the stuff I read... or even better... some of the profile pictures!

I needed to cry.

And while I have only watched about five minutes of the Emmy's... I happened to turn it on while you were singing "I Will Remember You".

And now I am sitting here bawling my face off.

I don't know why.

Fuck that... I do know why.

I am tired of it. I am tired of being a pawn. I am tired of being the girl that has plans made with a guy TWO DAYS in a row and then doesn't hear from him after the plans are made.

I am tired of being the girl that knows she is awesome, but yet can't seem to catch a break in the man department.

I am tired of thinking that I should put my life on hold for a guy.

It hurts. It really fucking hurts to think that I am going to be alone forever.

I don't want to be the pathetic girl anymore.

I am tired of it but I don't know how to make the feelings stop.

I don't want to sit here crying on a Sunday night anymore.

I am worth so much more than this.

So, it has been well over a week since I have heard from the boy. Life is calmer and things are going well - I like not having added stress in my life.

But it was bothering me that I didn't get the last word. I figured that he already knew that I had talked to the ex-LIGF, so I fired off this text last night...

"So... I guess you've figured out I know your dirty secret since I haven't heard from you lately. Thanks for using me to cheat on (ex-LIGF's name)... I'm surprised you could keep everything straight with your lies... my fave is the one where you dropped her at a meeting, came here and had sex, and then went and picked her up. Bet you didn't really think she'd call me eh?"

I think that was a pretty good last text... I get a call from the ex-LIGF a while ago - turns out that he didn't know and apparently just dropped me like a hot potato. The craptastic part of all of this - he still blamed her for everything... AND he tried to tell her that he didn't come over to my place a couple of weeks ago with her car... even though the ex-LIGF and I totally talked about it before and after he came over.

I am so glad that part of my life is over.

I am also glad that I deleted all reference to Jon and Kate plus 8 from my PVR last night. Kate is a trainwreck and I can't watch that crap anymore. Using your kids as pawns to make yourself millions so you can go get crappy haircuts all the time is just wrong. I will just watch quality programming like "So You Think You Can Dance" and "The Deadliest Catch" instead.

So, it looks like my run in with the cheating scumbag boy with the ex-LIGF has come to a silent end.

What a pisser.

Perhaps he got a conscience? That I highly doubt. The last I heard from the ex-LIGF was that his excuse for cheating was that she didn't move here from across the figgin' country quick enough.

So... I guess that means you cheat on her after she moves here?

Cause that totally makes sense.

My phone has been four silent days... four days of silence from both him and her.

I didn't get to give him my speech on why he was a douchebag.

I didn't get to try and make him feel very uncomfortable as I grilled him.

I didn't get to do any of my dastardly plans.

But I am moving on.

And honestly, that is the best plan ever.

Unfortunately that plan involved signing up for online dating yet again, but I am sure I can survive.I am fricking cursed... within FOUR MINUTES of posting this, I got a text from the ex-LIGF. I think I am going to go and poke my eyes out now...

This weekend I watched "He's Just Not That Into You"... now from the tweets that I had read I was expecting really anything from the best chick flick in the world to a movie that made women look like the most retarded creatures to ever roam the Earth.

What I did find was... well... me.

I saw myself in Anna. Getting involved with the wrong guy. Having great sex, even when you know it is wrong. Perhaps hoping that you were chosen because of who you are and not just a convenience. Wishing that more could happen than actually ever will. But eventually making the right decision (I am working on that part).

I also saw myself in Gigi. The insecure girl that reads far too much into things. The girl that so desperately wants a relationship. The girl who may give just a little too much of herself to make that a reality. But eventually, those little quirks that make her who she is gets her the guy she deserves (I am hoping for this part).

Is it pathetic that I see myself as a character in a movie? We won't even get into the fact that I watched "The Holiday" twice this weekend as well... damn network television.

Somebody keep me away from chick flicks. I am not sure that they are good for my health.

So, I have done a lot of thinking over the last couple of days. Surprisingly though, I have not been over analyzing. I guess thinking can be productive every once in a while...

Here are some conclusions that I have come up with:

1. I have to make sure that I make the best decision on how to handle this for ME and nobody else. I will have to live with any consequences that arise... but I have to be thinking of me.
2. I have to stop communicating with the ex-LIGF. I can't be making decisions for her... I have to make them for me.
3. I need to know where things stand... for my own good. Was I just a good lay? Was he really interested? I am not sure how this will shape my decisions because I think that ultimately he will be lying to cover his butt, but I need to know...
   
4. I am retarded. I just threw that one in because I feel like a tool lately. How could I not see this? Am I totally blind?
   

I guess by this post you can all tell that nothing has really been sorted out as of yet. I haven't confronted him, because the only time I have seen him in the last week was for about 30 minutes before he had to run off. And I need more than 30 minutes to scream my face off at him say my peace.

I am just trying to see what people's opinions on the matter are... and no - I still think the guy is an ass...

Oh... and my horoscope today??

No matter how fine something or someone appears now, there are practical reasons why you cannot just charge ahead toward what you want. Fortunately, your willingness to wait for satisfaction serves you well now. Being in a hurry would probably just mess things up, but taking small steps, one after another, should reliably help you to reach your goal.

So... the best thing for me this weekend was the fact that I was out of town and surrounded by good friends. I couldn't imagine being alone or anything (not that I would have been alone back home... but I think things would have been a little more awkward for sure knowing that the ex-LIGF was only minutes away instead of hours by plane or car)...

As well... being surrounded by friends meant that some pretty diabolical ideas could be developed... some very feasible... some not so much...

DP (Diabolical Plan) #1
The good old "I'm pregnant" talk. This one would take some time though because he knows that Aunt Flo just visited and I would have to give time for the last encounter to become a baby...

DP#2
Show up to the airport tonight with the ex-LIGF... I will already be there since my flight gets in only minutes before his does. I figure there would be two plans of attack here:

1. Wait at the bottom of the Westjet stairs, standing about 20 feet away from the ex-LIGF... far enough away that it doesn't look like we are together - but close enough that he would see both of us pretty damn quickly. Then... we could either both run towards him and see him shit his pants freak... or see who he goes to first...
2. Stagger ourselves so that he most definitely sees one of us first and then have the other come from around the corner. End result = him getting slapped on both sides of the face instead of just one side by me.

DP#3
This one will take time... because it would involve me seeing if he really was going to "break things off with me" when he got back from Toronto. This has two major drawbacks... well... there are more but two major ones...

1. As my good friend put it last night... this would mean that I would probably have to have sex with him again to keep the charade up - because as it was so eloquently put, as soon as he saw me he would want my clothes off... and by have to I mean I would probably have to come up with a pretty damn good excuse not to since I have been a pretty willing participant in it all for awhile.
2. There really is no need to break things off with me because he fucked things up royally and no longer has a girlfriend, live-in or otherwise. So... I would have to be willing to play this one for awhile

DP#4
This was my favorite by far. And no... it doesn't involve me cutting his peen off and throwing it into oncoming traffic. It involves me and the ex-LIGF getting caught in his bed together. While this sounds wonderfully terrible... there is a chance that he will like it. Well, once he got over the mortification part and all... The drawback... I don't do girls... even for diabolical plans...

I think that is all we came up with... well... except for the cutting-off-the-peen-type plans. I don't want to be thrown into jail, thankyouverymuch.

The downside to all of this is that I really need to see him in person to deal with this - I mean - if I confront him over text or a phone call he can just choose to ignore me... but if I see him face-to-face he has to deal with the wrath of me. And it ain't gonna be pretty. That said, he no longer has access to the ex-LIGF's car which he was using, so seeing him will be kinda hard since I highly doubt I will be heading to his place any time soon after all of this.

There were also some discussions on how all of this would affect me. Fancy that... this affects (or is it effects?? - I never know dammit) me...

I mean... until the other day I liked this guy. I wasn't professing my love or anything like that, but we got along, had many of the same interests, and well - the sex was decent. I am not going to say great... but it was decent.

I can't be with a cheater. While I know that "once a cheater, always a cheater" is not always the case... I don't feel like I need to test this theory in life. I am not 18 years old anymore, where I may have once played the innocent other woman... I am 32 and I am not settling for anything less than what I deserve.

But alas... no matter what... I have great friends who are willing to come up with diabolical friends, and I will make it through this.

Now, if you excuse me... I have to answer a text from the ex-LIGF - we just got copies of the same text from the guy and I want to see how she is doing. Because I am pretty cool like that. And she still sounds like a great girl who got fucked over.

OH MY FUCKING GOD... he just texted me... so I guess he really has absolutely no clue that the ex-LIGF and I are in cahoots...

Later on I will have a great post of all the ideas that me and the girls came up with last night. Surprisingly, none of them actually involved cutting off his peen and putting it in a blender...

That is why I like my girls... they come up with horrendous plans that won't get me nicknamed Loreena Bobbit. Or put in jail (well, for a long time anyways... maybe just overnight...).

ETA... I got a fucking GROUP TEXT... turns out that the ex-LIGF was hanging out with one of 'his' friends and we both got the same text... and then another one later in the day. The ex-LIGF is feeling really bad right now since he obviously doesn't care about her since he is still texting me - it is a group text, but you'd think that any self-respecting guy would take my name out of his phone so that he can prove his undying love to a girl that moved all her stuff out of his condo today. I am still a little weirded out that I am openly speaking with the ex-LIGF since... well - I slept with her boyfriend and all... but she really does sound like a cool person.

And he is a douche.

I will call your bluff if you think that any of you have ever had a more awkward phone conversation as the one I had this afternoon.

From the (former) live-in girlfriend of the guy I have been "seeing" for the past couple of months.

And she wasn't a bitch. I think once she realized that I had NO FUCKING CLUE that she existed she just wanted to talk.

So - we did... for over an hour. We bitched about him... traded stories to figure out what was true and what wasn't... and bitched some more.

Honestly... this may sound weird... but I think I would have gotten along with her if we had met in any other situation except for this one... she needed to make the phone call and I am glad that she did... it must have been tough.

I had kind of made the decision a couple of weeks ago after the long no-contact fiasco (to which he had driven with her to Vegas) that things would just go as they were... whatever happened would happen. No commitment... no stress... no over analyzing...

But alas, we all know I am not really like that and after I got back home after this weekend (after a weekend away having fun with friends) I was going to try and have the "where do we stand" conversation...

Apparently according to the ex-LIGF (live-in girlfriend), he was going to call it off with me after both of us got back into town next week and go on with life with her. After all, June 1 is the beginning of a new month - so why not re-start a relationship right then? Cause, you know, as soon as a new month starts us women totally forget that our live-in boyfriends cheated on us the month before... right?

So the ex-LIGF and I have decided on a diabolical plan for me to get him back the best I can.

With confrontation and a slap in the face.

Did I say slap... I think I meant punch...

The ex-LIGF is moving out this weekend and will apparently never be talking to him again. He won't know she called me (it was texts between us that finally confirmed her suspicions - should she have read his texts - probably not... but when you think your partner is cheating on you I don't necessarily think that you are in your right mind... and honestly - I probably would have done the same thing)... even though she said she would.

So... he will have no idea that I know the whole story. Or - at least ex-LIGF's side of it - which really - if even half of it is true he is scum. So, unsuspectingly I will invite him to come over when he has a chance (luckily I did find out that he really is a super busy person... I didn't like finding out that he dropped her off at a meeting, came over and slept with me and then went and picked her up at the end of the meeting... all while driving her car...) and confront him.

One lesson everyone should note... a pissed off Carmen is a really tough Carmen to deal with. And by really tough I mean I'm-gonna-rip-your-face-off-and-eat-it-for-dinner...

I am not sure how I will attack him and rip his balls off bring up all of this. I am not sure if I will just come out with it... or if I will have the talk I was planning on having about where we stand in terms of levels of commitment and then broadside him with the biggest proverbial open-ice ass-over-tea-kettle hipcheck he has ever seen.

Either way... I do plan on smacking him in the face by the end of the night.

You don't make Carmen look like a tool and get away with it.

But tonight... I get drunk... because I have friends to take care of me when all I want to do is eat a hotdog from the damn vendor outside the bar and they know it will make me nausious. I like friends like that.

Yup... I am showing off the new blog layout... trust me... there is still a lot of work that needs to be done... but I will be working on things like my links that have disappeared, my maps and all that other wonderful stuff over the next little while. I am a little blogged out right now.

But, in case you are hear for more than just the obvious... here are some things that made me laugh today:

- the New Guy (or as Jen noted in a comment... the new Old Guy) texted me today and asked if I was free any night this week... followed by a stupid text smiley face. I pretty much spent the day with a co-worker trying to come up with one-liners to respond to that... including, but not limited to a) "What - you almost gave me the clap - are you back for a round of applause", b) "Yeah - I am free every night - just not for you", and c) "Are you seriously pathetic or am I just being too judgemental after you basically accused me of giving you an STI?". OK - the last one wasn't so funny... but I am torn between texting back and using a zinger of a one-liner, telling him the truth, or letting the text message float off into cyberspace. I am sure I will come up with something.

- the whole "someone's been im-Palin Palin's daughter". Yes... even with an impending Canadian election (hey - I am doing good - I even know the heads of each of the three main parties here!) I am more facinated with US politics. The whole Palin's pregnant daughter - do I think that based solely on the fact that her daughter got knocked up be a reason she can't be second in command? No. I do however believe that she can't be a good second in command because she doesn't believe in sex education, doesn't believe in pro-choice, and theoretically does not believe in sex before marriage - and for those three reasons her daughter at age 17 is knocked up and newly 'engaged'. Palin has "come to accept her daughters pregnancy and is happy for her engagement" {I am totally paraphrasing that} - well la-dee-dah... she kind of has to because it is in part due to her beliefs that her daughter is in this position. Or maybe her daughter is just a slut... I will let the American people make up their own minds as to whether this is a big deal or not... but I hope that women do not vote with their vaginas just because there is a woman on the ticket... think of the issues that each party brings and their credibility in supporting those issues.

Well... enough about US politics for today... stay tuned for more blogging from me soon!

Disclaimer... as you all may have noticed... my blog has been getting a little more personal lately... I am using this blog as a way to vent about my life... and the trials and tribulations of a 30-something single female in the big city. Some of you know who I am... others only know me through blogland. So - I am telling you now... this post is not gross... but it is real life and I totally understand if some of you never want to come back... oh - and Mom - you may want to stop reading right now... just letting you know...

Today's Timeline

7:45 - get up for work (like a whole 10 minutes early)... do the regular stuff...
8:30ish - arrive at work... do work things...
12:00 - head to lunch for a co-worker that is leaving for another department
1:30 - do more work things
3:00 - notice that there is a message on my cell phone... from New Boy... who says to call him ASAP... my mind starts racing as to why a call is warranted ASAP when we haven't even really talked since our romp date on Friday night... not really worried about this as we have both been working
3:15 - call New Boy back... leave message...
3:20 - notice New Boy has tried calling me back twice... figure this is pretty important so I call him back.
3:21 - informed by New Boy that he has tested positive for chlamydia and in a not so accusing tone blames me... but also lets me know that it is only four little pills and I should go get tested.
3:30 - go back to doing work things because that is what you do at work even though you feel like you have just been hit by a truck.
3:45 - start talking with my co-worker about this and basically come to the conclusion that I want to die... she agrees with me that a trip to the walk-in clinic is necessary and I leave work early.
4:15 - show up at first walk-in... they have no doctor's on this evening...
4:30 - hit the worst traffic this city has ever seen all while running possible "I'm dying" scenarios through my head.
5:00 - want to kill everyone on the road as I try and make it to the next clinic.
5:30 - get to the next clinic only to find out that their doctor is stuck in traffic (for this I actually pity the guy)... and I am number THIRTY (as in 3-0) on the wait list - they expect I may be seen some time around midnight if all goes well.
6:00 - leave for yet another walk-in clinic in the far depths of the city
7:15 - finally get into to see a doctor that performs a swab (yuck!) on me and declares that there are no tell-tale signs of chlamydia but he will give me the pills (just-in-case) and send the cultures off for testing.
8:00 - get the pills from the pharmacy and head home.
8:30 - eat dinner so I can digest pills and fell like crawling into a ball and crying. But I don't... maybe later when I comprehend that this is the closest I have ever been in my life to a situation like this... and I hope the closest I ever come.

There are a number of things I am pissed off about all of this. First is the assumption that I am carrying the disease... like I whore myself out or something. We used a condom. And where I know condoms are not the be-all-and-end-all it is a good start (even the doctor said so - I did pay attention in grade 10 sex ed after all!). I also know that I was squeaky-clean as of the end of June - had my yearly check and since I had engaged in adult relationships since my ex-husband and I split I asked for the whole shebang... cultures, blood work - you name it they tested for it. And it all came back negative. And I know that... and I also know I haven't slept with anyone since those tests were done... because I am trying not to make sex a reason for dating someone... it is a happy bonus that comes after you get to know someone (yeah - I know I didn't necessarily take my advise on that one).

New Guy slept with someone within the last month... said so one the phone himself (not that I hold that against him... it is just a fact in the matter).... it normally takes anywhere from a week to three weeks for any symptoms to materialize. So him saying he started to feel ill on Sunday might just be pushing the envelope a little far (from our Friday-night date... leaving an 'incubation' period of less than 36 hours)... that is IF I were the one that passed on the STD. It doesn't seem that it ever occurred to him that it might just be HIM that could have passed this to me... which hurts me just a little.

I know after reading about a dozen websites that even if I did contract chlamydia, my four little red pills will clear up things in a jiffy. Should I be happy that this is the easiest STD to clear up? I guess so... but part of me just wants to climb back into my shell and never even talk to another man again...

That said... I can't let this affect my life too much... yes... I will be more careful in the future... but even if we waited three months instead of three weeks this could have still happened. It is real kids... it really is.

Please don't hold this against me... and again... I totally understand if those of you that do read my blog want to pass on this one... since I think the new "I'm Venting (or ranting, or being happy - really you can insert anything here)" blog is here to stay. Real life and all.

So here I am... four hours away from date number three with new guy (not to be confused with old guy - I left him back in BC)...

The only things on my mind right now are:

a) When we talked last night on the phone we were discussing where to have dinner, etc. and he said - "I don't really care what we do, I just want to see you"... which is great and all but the first thing that comes to mind it - dammit - another clingy guy. When really - I should be flattered with the fact that he wants to see me after not having seen me since Monday.
b) Is it real? Do I like this guy or do I like the thought of having a guy... I suppose in essence it is too early to tell... I mean we have great initial chemistry but I am not going to stake a lifelong relationship on a Starbucks date and a movie-watching night.
c) There is a distinct possibility that he will be coming to my place tonight... and for that reason in itself I changed my sheets last night... god-help-me... (that was the part that my mom probably didn't need to read)

I suppose I should just go with the flow. But that said, the last thing I need (or want for that matter) is a clingy guy. I mean - he can't be too clingy for the fact that his house is actually about 45 km away from me... but I like my time alone and to do with whatever-the-hell-I-please. But then I think that I am totally over-reacting and really - the guy just likes me and wants to get in my pants see me. I just don't want to settle for a relationship because it is a relationship... I want to - and damn-well deserve to be happy. I've put my time in.

Well, that was fun - the Sprucekings just beat the #8 team in Canada (ranked #4 for the tournament) in the first game of the Royal Bank Cup... it was pretty good action - my job is pretty lax so all is well and I can watch most of the game...

Mr. Hockey Canada (I haven't figured out his name since his name tag is always turned around) paid me a complement - said I didn't look older than 25... considering he is 24 I figure that is a good thing. Tomorrow it is my quest to find out his name...

Okay - I ran in to the older man today - literally - in Superstore - I was rounding the corner after picking up my apples (this is starting to sound like a scene out of Dirty Dancing where Baby said "I carried a watermelon"... but I digress...) and nearly took out his cart. We chatted for a bit - and chatted a bit at the game tonight... but that is all I have to report on that front.

Off to watch a DVD... hockey ALL day tomorrow! Gotta get my beauty sleep!

The era of the 2007 WHL Playoffs that is... my dear Cougars are on the ropes... down 3 games to none... and those damn Giants are a good team - a bunch of whiners in my opinion - but a good team... although they are already in the Memorial Cup as the host team so I don't see why they can't let us win... geez...

Also the end of the "older man" era for probably another hockey season - he is off to Vegas for a tire chain convention so he won't be at tonight's game... I keep thinking to myself that if I just had a couple of more games then I could have made my move - but then again I am a huge chicken and probably would have done nothing... we get along great - never run out of things to say to each other... but who knows... there is the wrap-up party at the end of May - maybe we will see what happens there - but there is always the possibility next season...

Here is something I hijacked off the internet from the Pick Up Success Guide - cheesy yes - but it was one of the only websites that actually just summed up all of the other ones...

How Girls Can Tell He's Interested

Around 85 per cent of couples who just had their first dates remarked that before they were even introduced they were already sending signs of attention and interest to each other. These are couples that did not come from first dates, rather, tried to communicate first and see if they click. It usually begins when either one of them making contact with the eyes, a hint of interest floating in the air.

The big question is: How does a girl find out if a guy is showing interest in her? Basically, that question is also answered by a set of questions. Is the guy responding when there is an attempt for conversation? Does he return back the smiles? Is he showing any flirtatious signs? Enough imagining the past girl, there are tell tale signs to look for to know if a guy has really the hots for a girl. A guy is interested in a girl if:

He gazes at the girl’s eyes longer and more intently than he would when talking to others. The trick is to make eye contact for a short time, then he looks back again and this time longer, lastly, he turns his head to the girl’s direction but not looking at her directly. From the side of his eyes, he’s actually checking if the girl is still looking back or waiting for him to gaze at her again.

He is showing more engaged actions when just trying to show or reach for something; he leans forward when he talks to girl or just when listening for her to say something. He touches the girl’s hand when stressing a point while talking. Even imitates the girls actions and gestures while making a conversation and perhaps to lessen edginess he amuses himself with touching his earring, blending his coffee, playing with a part of his clothing, fixing the hair, etc. He makes sure he looks his best when the girl approaches.

He uses flattering comments and mixes humor to everything he says just to see the girl’s smile with a beam whenever he talks to the girl, well, appreciates even the girl’s silly jokes.

He asks detailed questions, as these exhibits curiosity specifically with the girl. Even when he’s not present, his friends often pay attention to the girl’s moves and whatever she says. This is a sign that the guy has already talked about the girl too many times with his friends, arousing their interest in the girl too. Shows himself off by helping others with carrying extra bags for other persons. Take note: this is done when he knows that the girl can see him.

It is kind of hard to read all the signs, so here’s a summary for girls who do not have all the time to be keen with the signs:
1. Lifting of Eyebrows. A guy’s eyebrows rise and fall quickly upon seeing an interesting girl for the first time. (Hey girl, lift a brow if you’re interested too.)
2. Slight jaw drop. It may not be a nice sight, but the mouth slightly opens during first acquaintance.
3. Seeks attention. Guys have the tendency to be over acting just to stand out and get the girl’s attention.
4. The nose. Take a closer look girl; notice that as his face beams, the nostrils get big.
5. Strikes a pose. After gaining composure he budges into the typical machismo guy position with parted legs, one hand on the side and probably the other in a pocket.
6. He becomes self-conscious. This will be touching his forehead, pinching an ear, or rubbing the chin.
7. Fashion conscious. It starts with smoothing the shirt or pants along with the collar and the belt. On more formal occasions, it will be fixing the tie.
8. Secret friend. He would use the starting statement “one of my buddies want to know if you…” Oh, he’s just trying to play secret admirer dear.
9. Aside from the raised brows during first meeting, a guy exaggerates arching both eyebrows while saying something.
10. Lastly, the killer sock fiddling. Not familiar? Believe or not 99.9 per cent of psychological studies confirmed that if a guy adjusts his socks in front of a girl, he is so interested with her.

Please note that the effectiveness of these acts differ from person to person. That is because each individual may come from communities with a more traditional or contemporary views. Final word, just enjoy and see if someday, real love may be derived from first signs.

I can't say that these signs are necessarily working for me... but who knows??

Okay... I had originally wanted to have some big, ginormous news for my 200th post... but alas, I lead a boring life and the only thing that is happening in the next little while is I am getting a haircut/highlights and this weekend is Easter and it is a long weekend. Such a boring life I lead. But I guess I make it boring myself... I guess I kind of like it that way. I mean all week I have been in bed around 10:00 to watch my last TV show of the night, and that is about it. Last night was Card Club - which is fun... usually I just make the demo card and then hang around and bitch with the ladies... Jenn wasn't there this time as she is still eating wonderful food in NYC... but she will be back next week (lets just hope it doesn't snow anymore!!)...

I am addicted to Facebook... I was introduced to it by Karen, and now it is my life-long (or day-long) mission to find everyone that I have ever known on it to hook up with. I have hooked up with a guy I went to Jr. High with, little sisters of good friends, people I went to high school and university with... now if only I can find Trevor Linden... hahahaha... then I would really be a stalker.... hmmm... I wonder if Russ Stalker is on there? He really is a guy (as opposed to a make-believe guy)... one of those guys that is super good looking and nice, and they don't even know it - the best kind! Whoa - that got off topic a little.

Hmmm... what else... work is... well work. I got my raise - but I won't see any cashola until the end of the month... but I am spending it now. And, as Jen puts it - I am in a bit of a pickle... but not really all at the same time (regarding my older man situation)... I mean it is only a pickle if I totally throw myself at the guy (for those of you who know me you totally know that will never happen)... and he rejects me... which again will never happen as I am a HUGE chicken... sometimes I like being a chicken. Chickens are safe... unless they live on a poultry farm...

Okay - I don't think that I have anything else to say... oh - if I don't happen to post tomorrow - tomorrow is Karen's birthday... she is older than me so it is all good. I think that I am going to start only having older friends so that when I am 30 I will still be the youngest one... sorry Katrina - that means you have been voted off the island 'cause your brithday is in September... hahaha... just joking.

I must go now as I am making absolutely no sense. I just watched two episodes of Degrassi: The Next Generation online, and now I must get ready to watch curing in an hour and a half by perhaps doing some work... yeah right! I am off to scour Facebook for more of my peeps.

I gotta a raise!! I put in my PDQ (Position Description Questionnaire) at the end of October and it was finally reviewed - and I went up a pay range!! So, now my pay goes up per paycheck, and I get retro pay for the last six months while my PDQ has been sitting on various desks throughout the university. I am now the highest paid Advisor - although I fully believe that the rest of them should go up as well. But you know the funniest thing - the reason I went up in pay is due to my dexterity - like I type faster now then when I got paid less or something dumb like that... but I will not complain - I am going to be rolling in moola (or at least my pay went up enough to cover the fact that I now have to pay for my cable TV)...

What else? I have a project that I am almost done - I am trying to figure out if it needs any more bling or not. I used the Basic Grey Precision Filing Set... I really like it and it is very good quality. By the end of the weekend I will be able to post the finished product. I finished my ATC's for my Bella swap - I will post them when I get all of swaps back - just in case someone that I am swapping with happens to read my blog.

As for my older man dilemma, I am in a pickle. I am not willing (or confident enough) to outwardly pursue him, but I will try and subtly let it know that I am interested... I'll try anyways...

Okay - off to watch Vancouver play Chilliwack in the WHL playoffs... it is so nice to sit back and watch the other teams when you know that your hometown team is through to the second round!

Okay, so this post has absolutely nuthin' to do with stamping, hockey or any of the other things that I normally talk about... it is about older men... do I? Don't I? How old is too old? Anyone - feel free to chime in here... leave a comment, send me an e-mail... it is just that I think that I may be interested in someone older... and I don't know... partially since I really haven't dated for years - and even when you are a university student you don't really date - you hook up - so I don't even know the signs to look for... like when is someone interested... when is someone just a friend... so really this isn't all to do with older men... it has to do with men in general.

But, just as I say that I think that there are some definite bonuses to the older guy right now (and this is weird for me to say - when my mom started dating an older guy I pretty much told her that it was the most disgusting thing in the world - when really John is the best thing for my mom...). I mean - who wouldn't go for Sean Connery - you would have to be daft not to think that man was sexy!! Here is what I have come up with so far:

1. Older men are {hopefully} more established - in their career, their life, etc.
2. I don't want kids... some older men may feel the same as me - others will have already had their kids and don't want any more - which would suit me fine.
3. Older men {hopefully} know what they want - if I know what I want then it is only fair that they know what they want from a relationship.
4. I have similar interests with 'older' (or should I say mature) people - male and female.
5. I am not a bar star, I don't go out drinking all night long. To me, a great night out would be going out for dinner and then retiring to watch a good movie... or throw in a hockey game!!

Here are some articles that I have read that have to do with dating older men...

• What's Age Got to do With It? (a women's perspective)
• Older Can Be Better (a women's perspective)
• Why Do Women Date Older Men? (a guy's perspective)
• Dating an Older Man (has some great comments below)

I guess I have to realize that I am no longer a spring chicken myself... I say that with a laugh as I am approaching 30 in just over a month. I don't mean that I am getting OLD... it just means that I am pretty sure that I know what I want now and I am not really willing to settle for any less. So if that guy is twenty years older than me, and I find him attractive - then why not? I have taken surveys of some of my friends with older significant others - ranging in differences from thirteen years and up - and most say that they wouldn't have it any other way.


Hmmm... in all of that writing did I come up with any solutions? Nope... but it did make me think a little more... damn thinking!!