Tonight, despite the fact that it’s been a stressful week, and I have way too much going on at work and I keep screwing things up and it’s only going to get more hectic…I have this strange sense of calm and quiet. I don’t know why or how or where that zen is coming from, but I’ll take it! Noodles is curled up in a little ball of fur next to me, I am comfy on the couch with Lost on in the background, and all seems right with the world.
This week I’ve gotten some blog love from a couple of bloggers who I’ve never heard from before. I know that several of my “real-life” friends read this blog (and am reminded of that fact when I get a call like, “I didn’t know that happened!!! I read it in your blog!!!” — sorry, girls). I also know that I have a handful of fellow late-20s female bloggers who read this blog (and whose blogs I read religiously). I wasn’t sure if any guys read this blog though, and honestly, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they didn’t — I’m sure neurotic women are a dime a dozen in our great City of Angels!
So I was more than pleasantly surprised when I got comments from not one, but two male bloggers in response to my poll about sending the email to Networking Guy. (Side note: I sent an email to Networking Guy and he wrote me back a friendly-but-detached email that left the ball solidly in my court. Yeah…not quite the profession of undying love that I had hoped for. Sigh.)
But I digress. The first comment I received was from Geekhiker, who has a blog that is equal parts dating, hiking, and randomness. I enjoy the dating stories — as someone who as my dear readers know is prone to recount her own tales of dating tragedy and comedy, it is refreshing to get a guy’s perspective. And I enjoy the hiking tidbits — there really are so many amazing spots around L.A. And I will go check out more than the local ones…just as soon as I get in shape. In any event, check out GeekHiker!
The second commenter, who emailed me directly, was JMB. This guy doesn’t seem to get many comments, and I have no idea why — when I started reading, it was love at first post for me. JMB chronicles his L.A. adventures through witty, entertaining writing combined with photography, and it’s sort of like reading Los Angeles Magazine (one of my simple pleasures) but with that human touch. Warning: JMB writes using the “royal we” which at first confused me (when he said “we went to this concert” I kept wondering who the “we” was) but once you get used to it, it’s amusing. The theme of his blog is recommendations of things he likes. Well, S/F recommends: JMB. Check it.
And this weekend I am meeting up in person with one of my fellow bloggers! Like me, she’s a single, late-20’s attorney living in Los Angeles and having sometimes-fun, sometimes-atrocious dating experiences. I’m looking forward to meeting her, after getting to know her through our blogs and emails (though my friends made fun of me for having a “girl blind date.”) Hey, people, it’s the 21st century. When you think about it, if I’m meeting all my recent dates online, why not new friends?
Speaking of online dating (wow, aren’t my segues smooth?) I officially cancelled Match.com and have felt not even a moment of remorse about my decision. I did decide to extend my eHarmony subscription for one additional month — query whether it’s some sort of strange addiction? Anyway, even though there is something I like about the slow pace of eHarmony (I have a theory that the higher price and tedious number of steps will deter the guys who just want to get laid, which Match.com certainly does NOT), the slow pace can also drive me a bit nuts. Also, even after having to answer the same cheezy questions time and time again, I still get — can I call it writer’s block? Here are the 3 questions facing me right now from my most recent match:
1. What is the one dream for your life you most look forward to having come true?
2. Tonight you can do anything you want, no penalties, no reprisals, and the cost is unimportant. What are you going to do?
3. How would you spend a romantic evening with someone you have been dating for more than one year?
Ok, so I understand the purpose of these questions, and I like reading the other person’s answers. (Though, in response to the question “what do you find physically attractive?” the guy responded with a long winded answer about how “smart is sexy” and personality is the most important, which sent my bullshit-o-meter through the roof). But in general, I get it. Still, when I am faced with these questions I just end up staring blankly at the screen (thus eating up precious potentially billable minutes) and then giving up.
So here’s my challenge to you, dear readers. Save me from the agony of having to answer these again. Submit your own answers and I will choose the winners to send to Mr. Potential Date. Who wants to play??
Filed under: Los Angeles, blogging, dating, friends, happy, hiking, life, men, navel-gazing, neuroses, online dating, relationships, single, writing | Tagged: blogs
1. What is the one dream for your life you most look forward to having come true?
I think as a young, female attorney, the end goal is to be hugely successful without compromising your personal morals and values (ie: not playing the games men sometimes do in order to get ahead, in terms of backstabbing and crapping all over other people in the process, and also never having to do anything that you don’t feel right doing), while also being at peace, if not immensely satisfied, with your personal life, whether that be finding a man who will be comfortable with and support you in your success, having a family, traveling/saving the world, or just spending more time on the things you like to do (and not necessarily in that order of priorities, or independent of each other), which is very difficult as a female attorney, given that we have to work so much harder to get ahead. So forgive me if I am putting words on your screen, but as of right now, that’s my end goal.
2. Tonight you can do anything you want, no penalties, no reprisals, and the cost is unimportant. What are you going to do?
Completely renovate and redecorate my apartment so that it is EXACTLY the way I want it, including the king-size jacuzzi, overly-luxurious shower, walk-in closet, state-of-the-art kitchen, complete laundry room, world’s best pc entertainment unit in a second office for the boy with sound-proof walls, personal gym with lap pool…haha…that was a fun five minute trip to fantasy-land!
3. How would you spend a romantic evening with someone you have been dating for more than one year?
My DB and I (“Dear Boyfriend”, also his real initials coincidentally) have been dating for more than 3 years and recently we had what I thought turned out to be the world’s most simple romantic evening. We don’t get a lot of time together because we work different schedules (and I’m an attorney, enough said…no time, no energy), so we ordered food in and ate in the front room, where we have a futon that serves as our couch. He had the bright idea to open it up as a bed, and we got our bedroom comforter and pillows and had a mini-sleepover. We snuggled (gag, I hate that word) and watched Independence Day, which we’ve both seen a million times and it just happened to be on tv that night, but it serves that cheesy purpose of reminding you of what’s important and that nothing’s permanent in life. So although we had no plans whatsoever to have a huge, romantic evening, I thought it served its purpose
hey, thanks for the nice words about our blog!
we don’t get many comments because our blog is mostly assigned reading to those in both high school remedial english classes and ESL classes and we guess they’re just not yet confident enough with their language skills to construct comments. there’s also a sizable prison population who reads it, and from what we understand, commenting is against most prison policies (who knew?).
hopefully your spotlight will change things though!!
*blush* Thank you for the kind words. I guess I’ll have to add you to the blogroll now, won’t I?
Now, onto business: the three questions:
1) I’ve always dreamed of working a job with my significant other. I know it can be fraught with problems (no work/home separation), but the thought of being, say, co-travel writers or something always seemed so very cool. Meh, I’m a romantic.
2) Throw everything in storage and start driving. Somewhere. Anywhere. Like that sign on the 10 in Santa Monica that says “transcontinental highway” and I think “I should just keep going”. Too bad, according to the question, I’ve only got unlimited money for tonight…
3) There’s a little place I know on the central coast… but the answer to this question is reserved just for her…