Online Dating

So, since I work, bank and shop online, it seems natural to try to meet other professional singles online, too.

It's been a few years since I did this, but I swear I'm seeing some of the same faces and reading the same profiles I saw then! Many descriptions read alike. Here are some of my favorite clips:

"Scars r better than tats." - I agree.
"I'm back in the dating scene after a long relationship that didn't work out." - Great, can anyone say 'Rebound'???
"No emotional wrecks need apply."
"Not looking for a gold digger."
"I'm tired of the bar scene..."
"This is my first time doing this..."
"I promise not to tell our friends how we met."

Forward Progress

Thank God for Care Now clinics, antibiotics, steroids, inhalers and decongestant/expectorants -- I'm on the mend! I haven't been this sick in years, and I'm so grateful to be feeling better and gaining back my energy.

My new bedroom furniture was delivered on Friday, and a new mattress to go with it was delivered this morning. I can't wait to go to bed tonight!

Better Late than Never - Pics from San Antonio

(Paige insisted on getting her temporary tatoo on her lumbar area!)

Gross, and a little self-deprecating

Words I loathe:
mucus
phlegm
drainage

It seems my body has always produced an excessive amount of mucus. I remember my mom always telling me to blow my nose as a child because she could hear I was congested. We also had this conversation frequently:
Mom: Emily, do you want a mint?
Emily: No thanks.
Mom: Yes, you do.
Emily: No, I really don't want one.
Mom: Yes, you DO.
(bad breath due to drainage, I guess.)

I am one of those people who blows my nose everyday, no matter what the weather, allergy forecast or my health status. I have boxes of tissues in every room of my house, in my office and in my car. And thanks to the rosacea I got in my thirties, my skin is so sensitive, I have to use tissues with aloe or blisters will form on that tiny bit of skin separating the nostrils. And those aren't pretty. And they hurt. And I still have to blow daily.

So, now I have a virus. Mostly it's been a chest cold, which produces lots of fun coughing and hacking up stuff. But I also have been blowing my nose a fair bit. And now, I have a pimple INSIDE my left nostril! OUCH! I really don't need this. It's enough to suffer with the coughs and nose-blowing. Oh well, at least it's not visible from the outside, causing people to wonder if it's a whiffle booger that might fall on the next exhale...

What a Freakin' MONDAY!

So I got all my stuff moved on Saturday. I couldn't do much after the movers left. After all the boxing and lifting and fighting this virus I've caught, I was completely exhausted. On Sunday, I didn't feel much better, but I did manage to unpack most of my kitchen boxes.

Late yesterday afternoon, my god-daughter Annie brought over her pups, a teacup chihuahua and a chihuahua-Jack Russell terrier mix. They are adorable, and I agreed to watch them this week while Annie is on spring break in Florida.

I decided to wake up a little extra early this morning to take care of the dogs and get them packed up and ready for the office. One of the perks at my work is the ability to bring well-behaved dogs to work with you.

Not knowing how cold the morning might be, I decided to throw on a robe just in case. Out to the big back yard we went. These little dogs are in heaven in my large yard, and I enjoyed watching them chase each other. After a few minutes, I decided to head in for a shower...uh, oh...the door is locked behind me. I didn't realize when I came out that the HANDLE lock was set in the lock position! Ack! It's still dark out, and I have no keys or phone. Oh jeez...

I remembered my friend/landlord told me she had done this before and that the nice elderly couple next door had a key. I didn't see any lights on next door, so I decided to wait a bit and hope they woke up.

After a half an hour or so, I decided to go ring their bell and wake them up. I rang, I knocked, but no answer. Ok, so they're either hearing impaired or they're not home. Next?

I went across the street. At least there were lights on.

Imagine this: someone rings your doorbell and when you open the door, you see your brand new neighbor slightly disheveled, standing in her robe on your front porch.

Well, they say everything happens for a reason. I met my neighbors, who are SO nice, and they allowed me to use their phone to call a locksmith. They graciously gave me delicious Italian coffee and kept me company at their kitchen table while I waited for the locksmith, who called to say he was stuck in traffic and would be an additional 20 minutes.

Finally getting back into my house, I quickly showered and got to work, forgetting my security card and sweating most of my makeup off by the time I got to my office. Oh well. At least I had the puppies to keep my spirits up. Too bad my cat Sabrina doesn't feel the same way about them.

Bolstered by Good Lovin's...Heading Back

Sea World yesterday was a blast. The heavy clouds kept the weather cool for most of the day, and we wore out our feet trekking around the park. My back was the most sore, though, but I was happy to give many piggyback rides and carry weary toddlers.

I got such great lovings from all four of my nieces and nephews. They are so sweet. It definitely lifted my spirits and gives me a happy memory to chase away the sad emotions.

I'm heading back "home" now, going to pack up more stuff and my cat and move them across town. The movers come on Saturday, but it will be awhile before I'm organized and settled into my new place. For now, I'm just trying to make do and get through. I feel numb in some ways, but I'm often on the verge of tears.

Sisters are the best medicine

And I mean "sisters" in the broader sense. My girlfriends have been a great support in Dallas, but when I heard both my sisters and their kiddos along with our cousin Beverly were going to be together in San Antonio, I decided I couldn't miss the opportunity to be with so many people I love.

The original plan was to go swimming today at the hotel, but the rain has ruled that out. Instead, Colin and I "explored" the lobby, Anna got her hair braided, and everyone except Colin got temporary tattoos. Paige insisted on getting hers in the lumbar section of her back! Everyone was chuckling as she sassily stuck her hip out and let the girl paint her pink and purple stars and moons.

We just got into the rooms, and the kids are thrilled. Colin walked around and around, pulling his wheeled suitcase and exclaimed over the "new soap!" Anna was thrilled about the TV and just had to call Dad at home to tell him about the beautiful room. Graham's first order of business was to unpack his "lovies," and Paige had to change into more comfortable clothes.

If the weather lets up, we will be visiting Sea World tomorrow.

Spring's New Beginnings

Sorry...long time no post.

Besides a busy work schedule where I'm trying to train two new people which will help me tremendously, I'm also turning my personal life upside down.

Steve and I have broken up. I'm temporarily staying with a dear friend, who graciously lives just 5 minutes from my work. (Not having that long commute is a huge blessing.) I've found a new place to live (another blessing) and will be moving my stuff next weekend. Janet helped me pack up at least half of my belongings this weekend. My body hurts and my hands have multiple scratches. I'm exhausted, physically and emotionally, but I've been sleeping soundly and feel like this is the right decision for me.

I'm trying to find myself again. I've been reading this delightful book called "Eat, Pray, Love" written by a woman after her divorce while she travels through Italy for the pursuit of pleasure, India to focus on spirituality, and Indonesia to find balance. I relate to her quest so much. Here's one passage that I can identify with:

"...I have boundary issues with men. Or maybe that's not fair to say. To have issues with boundaries, one must have boundaries in the first place, right? But I disappear into the person I love. If I love you, you can have everything. You can have my time, my devotion, my ass, my money, my family, my dog, my dog's money, my dog's time -- everything. If I love you, I will carry for you all your pain, I will assume for you all your debts (in every definition of the word), I will protect you from your own insecurity, I will project upon you all sorts of good qualities that you have never actually cultivated in yourself and I will buy Christmas presents for your entire family. I will give you the sun and the rain...I will give you all this and more, until I get completely exhausted and depleted..."

I'm working on it.

Philly, for Work

I arrived in Philly yesterday. I'm excited that I'm up here to train a new employee. She will be taking over a couple of my accounts that are in this area, and that will help my workload tremendously.

I arrived at the airport late afternoon. I always feel comfortable in airports. Guess it seems normal to me after living in an airline family. I find them easy to navigate.

The past times I've been here for work, I've taken taxis, but now that I know where the office is, I decided to rent a car. I remember when I was fresh out of college and travelling with my first job -- I wasn't old enough to rent a car! Nice not to have to worry about that now.

I always feel a little apprehension driving in a new place, but I've found my way around many cities. New Jersey is one of the most difficult because they don't allow left turns. Everywhere else, you can always turn around and backtrack if you need to. I've learned that I have a pretty good sense of direction, and I've also learned some of my coworkers couldn't find their way out of a paper sack!

It's cold up here, but I'm hot inside. Whenever I travel north during the winter, I've noticed how high they set the heat. So now, I'm sitting in a sleeveless mock turtleneck while the locals are dressed in long-sleeves. I also have to turn the air on in my hotel room to compensate for the heat that is rising through the building.

Someday, I hope I actually get to explore this city a bit. Every trip I've taken up here has been so dominated by work, I haven't had a chance to see all the historical sights.

Check it out...

One of the projects I've been working on for several months launched today. I have a sense of pride but mostly relief that it is done. I'm anxious to see how it is received by the public.

http://www.apositivelife.com