Drama Follows Me...Again

We all know that I seem to have a penchant for drama. I try to reason that I'm not a drama queen but drama just follows me, kind of like my little shadow.

This weekend, Brad can attest to this tidbit about me and maybe even has a physical reminder of it! We decided to grab dinner at the Short North before going to a birthday party for a friend. We arrived at The Rossi at a decent "dinner" time, 7:30 or so. Of course, being in the Short North on a Saturday evening, we had to wait for a table. Looking around, there is no good "waiting" area at The Rossi. So, a few seats at the bar opened up and we decided to grab them. To our credit, we did notice the fairly drunk woman on the stool next to us, but she seemed harmless, just about falling over onto the guy on the other side of her! But, as soon as we sat down, it started. She called Brad an "a-hole" and then proceeded to tell me, "Honey, stay away from him, he's bad news!" We decided to placate her and just agree. Harmless as it seemed, I mean she was only 100 lbs. maybe, soaking wet, we proceeded to chat about whatever it was. I did notice that this woman was staring me down. Then, she broke into our conversation again and warned me against Brad yet again. This was getting humorous if uncomfortable as well! Finally, it happened. She hauled off and slugged Brad in the side of the head with her fist!!

Honestly, I didn't know what to do or say. As he was recovering, more dazed from the unexpected than hurt, I pulled a waitress aside and asked if she could help this woman. She was there alone, we thought. They helped her to a cab and she proceeded to refuse the cab. I'm not sure what happened to her and I was pretty worried about her state. She was alone, drunk or high, at 7:30 on a Saturday night. Being a woman, I can see what a precarious position that can be. I hope with all my heart that she found a place that she can be safe and can find the help that she most obviously needs.

Still, makes for a good story!

Snow Dump

We just got dumped on with 5 inches of snow all within about 18 hours! And now dealing with freezing temps...

Seriously when did I think that it was a smart idea to stay in the Midwest. I hate cold and snow is only good for skiing.

Driving in the snow/ice scares me to no end. Probably this fear stems from the serious car accident that happened when I was in college. I was a passenger in a car that skidded off the highway on ice and then got hit by a semi truck (twice). Miraculously, I sustained no serious injuries in the wreck. My siblings also walked away with minor bumps/bruises. My mom, however, dealt with a few bruised ribs and cut to the forehead as well as a serious phobia to driving for a while. I had to do all the driving for her during the break and then it was my car that was totalled, so I had to do without until we found another car. It was my one and only time in an ambulance and I was more worried about my little brother and mom than about any injuries that I may have. Every since, I have flashbacks to the wreck whenever I have to drive on the snow and ice. Not serious enough to stop driving, a necessity in Columbus...I can't remember actually getting hit by the semi but I can remember seeing it coming toward us. God obviously had a purpose for my life past that day.

But, as I do every year, I will get through the winter driving season and forget all about that wreck until next winter!

Threw Me for a Loop...

So, haven't really mentioned much about how first dates have been going...

I much more enjoy living life, I guess, than writing about it, so I seem to leave out from my blog all the good parts.

I finally got a reality check last night! Not that 30 is old by any means, but not much surprises me in the arena of dating. I have seen it all, either through personal experience or through a friend's experience. But, I have been seeing someone recently, let's call him J. We've only been out a few times and we currently live 2 hours away although he plans to move to C-bus in the next few months. My approach to relationships: slow as molasses! My thought has always been that too many people complain about taking too little time, but how many times do you hear of people complaining about taking too much time? I certainly haven't!

I've been keeping all guys that I meet at arms length so that I won't get hurt. The few times that I have let the relationship move at a quick pace, I've always gotten hurt. I've heard every excuse in the book..."I'm not over an ex", "It's not you, it's me", etc. I've let boys invade my heart that were probably not worthy but who said all the right things. Essentially, I got burned...

So, I became selfish in my dating habits. If I don't let them too close, I can't get hurt. But, I forgot to consider that they have feelings too and are putting their hearts on the line. Guys just don't reveal the emotions. During breakups, I swore that my heart would break and was devastated to think that my former guy's heart stayed in tact. Even when they are telling me that they miss me every day and it hurts, I just didn't believe them.

I think that J is really feeling my emotional distance. He had pulled back on texting which to me signaled, "he's just not that into me"! I started to distance myself even more in preparation for total loss of communication. So imagine my surprise when I heard from him last night. And imagine my shock when I figured out that he's distancing himself from me, not because "he's just not that into me" but because he's afraid of liking me and then getting his heart broken...

So, in my panic to protect myself, I forgot to think about the other person involved. I forgot about real human emotions and focused on how to guard myself. Do I think that I'll let him get too close, too soon...absolutely not. I'm still a smart chick and he needs to respect that. But, I will be more mindful that I'm not just risking my heart, but I'm risking another human being's emotions. Wow, how did I make it to 30 without thinking through this? Kind of throws you for a loop...

Am I Really?

...afraid of commitment!?!

I just heard this by text message last night from a friend! I joke about it but I hadn't thought that it was actually true...

It seems that commitments are a problem for me lately! I'm now 30 and still single. I don't own a house, I have issues making concrete plans and I only date guys for 3 dates or less. So, I guess that I do have a problem with commitments.

This has not always been the case. I used to be the friend that you could count on to make the weekend plans on Monday morning. I loved to know what was going on in my life and the more concrete answers that I could get the better. But, somewhere along the last five years, I've been the friend that has been labeled "afraid of commitment"! As any good theory, this one is probably more complicated than I give it credit. I really believe that we develop behaviors based on past experiences, either consciously or uncounsciously. Deep down, I think that I've been convinced that no commitment has been long lasting enough. I haven't stayed in the same place for more than 3 years since college, with the exception for a few friends, they come and go depending on location and life situation, and none of my relationships have been long-lasting! All this has proved to me not to commit.

But, now I have some people in my life pushing for commitment, at least more than the "what are you doing this weekend" commitment. "I should buy a house", "I should date this boy", "I should make New Year's plans"...Seriously

Why did the "boy" disease of no commitment phobia hit me?!?

First Date Fashion - Why Do I Care?

The jitters have already started. I can feel them bubbling up and making me nervous about the weekend. What to wear on a first date?

I don't know why this has become a huge issue in my mind. It's not like I'm fashion backwards or anything. I should instead be thinking how I'm going to dazzle him with my personality, but in the far reaches of my mind, I realize that men are visual. In my twisted brain, that means that my fashion sense or lack of it will be majorly noticeable and a huge influence on the success of the date! This coming from the girl that once subscribed to a magazine dedicated to the art of shopping...

Once, my friend came over the day before a first date and we tried on probably 20 outfits, complete with 3 different hairstyles. We proceeded to take digital pictures, refine the outfits, take more digital pictures and then narrow down the selection! Funny thing, the date didn't go well, although he complimented my style (yes, I know, Laura, focus on the personality) and yes, I should have learned a lesson here. But, try telling my brain that.

Instead, I am compelled to get a new top and try on numerous jeans/pants/skirts combos in an attempt to choose the perfect outfit. Then, I'll curl the hair, straighten the hair, pull the hair back and finally just look awful because it looks over processed! Plus, I don't even know for sure what we'll be doing for the date. We have batted around a few plans; lights at the zoo, ice skating, dinner, Christmas shopping....so, how am I even supposed to plan, well, the skirt combos are at least out!

Any ideas out there about a good outfit that screams down to earth but classy? Oh, I know, my brand management background is screaming out.

Oh, and the guy? A seemingly sweet, seemingly active, seemingly confident, Christian man that seems to think that I'm great and gorgeous! Now, you know why I want to impress...

My (Weird) Doctor...

Moving 2 years ago really wrecked my health plans! I had a doctor in Indy that I loved and made sure to take really good care of me. But, after battling for 6 months to find a new doctor in Columbus that was admitting new patients, I finally stumbled onto Dr. B. He has to have the most quirky personality of any medical doctor. So, a recap of the first visit:

Dr. B: Are you married?
Me: No.
Dr. B: Are you planning on getting married?
Me: No immediate plans but hope to someday. Um, now, I'm getting curious! Why the questions unrelated to my health - IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXAM, not the get to know you phase!
Dr. B: Do you have a boyfriend?
Me: Insert thought! Why is he asking! Yes, but what does this have to do with anything?
Dr. B: Well, I was just trying to see if you were planning on getting pregnant?
Me: Thought, so isn't the correct question, are you planning on getting pregnant?

After mentioning it to my then boyfriend as the weird occurrence at my new doctor, I promptly forgot about the conversation. But, fast forward 18 months later, I am now sick and a stay at the hospital that was a nightmare, when I never did get ahold of my dr. The office kept telling me that he would call and then I just went to the ER too tired and too sick to wait any longer.

When I got out and had the follow-up, I was now no longer livid, but angry enough to bring up the grievance of never getting a call back. Of course, he talked to me for something like 1/2 hour about my complaints and what could he do to make it better. Which at the end of the appt, he gave me another number, maybe his cell, maybe not, but supposedly the number to use if I couldn't get a call back! After the next appointment, he ordered blood tests and then called me that night at 9:30 and left a rambling message about the fact that they were fine and that he noticed that I had a birthday in a month, so happy birthday! That is along with the fact that he always tells me that he thinks that I'm a player if taking care of my health is the indication, WHAT!?!

Today, it wasn't so bad, but a little hilarious. I had joked with my friends that he's not hitting on me, but if he recommends that I start seeing another doctor, then I'll worry. So imagine my surprise and amusement when another doctor walked in...He was there as a study with Dr. B and I wasn't switching doctors, but momentarily, I thought...hmmm

Why do these things happen to me?

Ugh, Braces Again!

They're back...

I just had the braces put on my teeth. They feel way too big to fit in my mouth and I can't quite close my lips over them! I don't even remember what they felt like in junior high.

So far, so good. It hasn't been painful other than to bite down on some bread crust. With my high tolerance for pain, I'm hoping that is all the more sore that they get.

Why, oh, why did I have to be so vain! But, what is done is done. Just two years (and less for good behavior) of this torture!