NYC Therapy

I am hanging in this evening (for once) and catching back up on my fave reality shows. As I am writing this, I am watching NYC Prep, a show on Bravo about teenagers that live in the city and live like adults. Even though Sebastian is driving me nuts with his "I like to hook up with tons of girls" and "Why not date more than one girl" and he is 16, the show actually had a good point tonight.

PC is shown going to a therapist and he says that everyone in New York has a therapist. I actually like the fact that he says this (whether he is told to say his lines or this is actual "reality") because I think a lot of young kids have a different view of going to a therapist. They might see it as shameful to speak to a therapist because that means that they "have issues" or some other silly idea like that. This is a show that is targeted towards an age group that can highly benefit from speaking to someone like a therapist. Teenagers go through so much in school with other people pressuring them and just having so many changes in their lives, that it is always good to have someone to talk to. Even though I think the show is silly (yeah, I'm still watching it) this is a little bright spot.

Pool Shark

On Sunday night, after a quick shower to wash away all of the sweaty gay men, I met up with Jeff Not Gay. We were supposed to see a movie but since he was a little late, we missed the earlier show. Instead, we went to my roof deck and sat outside to drink some wine and relax. 10 minutes later, it started to rain...I couldn't catch a break with this one.

Thankfully, my building has a nice Mezzanine area with couches and pool tables. We headed downstairs to enjoy the rest of our wine. We talked for the longest time which was really nice. Then, we decided to play a round of pool. I have to point out that I am one of the worst pool players on the face of the earth. Add a few glasses of wine and I am THE WORST pool player ever. After saying that, I am feeling even worse that I actually won a game of pool against Jeff Not Gay. When I won the first game, Jeff said that he is super competitive and wanted to play another game. I won again. I honestly wasn't even trying to win, I just did, mostly by accident - which is even worse! This brings up the question, should a girl let a guy win sometimes? It's not that I tried to win, but I did. He joked about how he got beat by a girl but was he joking or did he really feel bad that he lost? I didn't think any less of him, I was just thinking about how fun it was. Maybe next time I will let him win :)

Vogue!

After work tonight, I went to the Standard Hotel. The restaurant just opened about a week ago and the place was packed. I was having the best time chatting with my friends at the bar and then we sat down to dinner. Dinner was actually less than appetizing. I am sorry to say this as I was very excited to see what the menu would be like. Even as I bit into my Foie Gras and lambchops I wondered what they had intended it to taste like.

As I walked to the restroom, I glanced at the floor. The floor was unexpectedly made of pennies. The place literally breathed money! It was a great technique and quite inventive. Another amazing discovery that happened was when I looked up as I got lost trying to find the ladies restroom. When I glanced ahead at the table in front of me, I spotted Anna Wintour, Editor in Chief of Vogue and my idol! I could barely believe my eyes! She was perfect, every hair in place, her shift dress perfect for the occasion. I couldn't help but grin like a kid in a candy store as I headed down the stairs to the restroom. I love this city!

After dinner, we stopped in at Morandi and then made our way to Apotheke. Both places were fun and exciting, however, I decided to be mature for once and head home to get a better night's rest for the next work day. Even if I don't get any sleep, this night was totally fun and absolutely unforgettable!

Gay Pride Parade

On Sunday afternoon, I saw the most asses and boobs that I have ever seen in my life. This was because of the Gay Pride Parade that went throughout the day on 6th avenue. To begin my day, I was at brunch and thought that things would be a little more calm. Because the parade didn't end until later, I thought that all of the interesting people would be after 4pm. I was wrong. My day included a guy wearing gold spandex that left little to the imagination, men wearing women's clothing and speedos and women wearing pasties with full body fishnet outfits.

As we walked through the Village, we continued to see people dancing and carrying on, even if they were in the parade or not. It was a bit of a shame that all of those gorgeous body building men didn't even care to look at me twice. I felt like the ugly duckling in a crowd of fabulousness!

Broken Record

Last night my friend and I went to a rooftop party at Cipriani Wall Street. I was so excited to go because I love that place and the drinks were free! It was such a gorgeous night (finally!) because not only could you see the stars but you weren't shivering outside. The party was pretty full when my friend and I got there but got pretty packed after awhile. You could barely move to get towards the bar. We mingled and talked to a few guys but there wasn't anyone really that interesting there.

One guy asked us where we were going after the party. Not planning to really head anywhere else, we shrugged. The guy asked us if we had ever been to One Oak. I had been before and I decided to tell him that while it was fun, I felt like I was going to get hurt there. When I was there awhile ago, we sat at a table with a bottle. They put us on these risers or large stairs and it was so high that it went to the ceiling. It was really fun but the more I drank, the more I felt like I was going to fall off the stairs. So I told him this story, we talked awhile, and then parted ways.

Another guy, not too much later came up to us and the conversation went in the same direction. "What are you ladies doing after this party?" Again, the same thing happened. We shrugged and then he suggested One Oak! I, not being that interested in being my witty self, just said the same thing about the risers and how I felt like I was going to fall down them while I was drinking. Awhile later both boys came back over to say hello. Both of them asked us, again, where we were going after the party. Then we talked about how they had both asked the same question earlier. They were friends and had asked the same question. However, I had also given them the same story. I had sounded like a broken record.

Note: Come up with a different story and something new to say for everyone that you meet. It makes you look like less of a loser.

The Cutest Guy

When I was rollerblading this morning along the West Side Highway (yes, I Rollerblade and no, it is not 1990) I saw the cutest guy ever. I do not mean the cutest as in the guys that were playing basketball with their shirts off. I mean the cutest by the cutest old man I have ever seen. He was strolling in the park wearing a blue seersucker suit, a light pink tie, a leather driving cap, and wing tipped shoes. I love that there are people that take pride in getting dressed nicely. He could have been going to lunch or just been taking a walk but he got dressed up to do it.

I am so happy that it is finally not raining! I spent almost all of my day outside today catching back up on my tan and just enjoying not having to juggle an umbrella with everything else.

Cinderella in the City

Last night I went out to enjoy a few drinks with some people from work. Since I work with some really fun people, we had a bit of a ridiculous time. We began the evening after a stressful day at the office on 35th street at the roof deck of Hotel Metro. Even though the food was not that great, the drinks were much needed (The food arrives to your outdoor table in to-go containers that are barely filled with the tiny appetizers with a big price). After drinking for an hour or two, we all decided to go our separate ways, however, that didn't happen. As we were walking to the nearest avenue, we heard someone singing quite badly - Karaoke!!!

Not the type of people to pass up a good karaoke session, we piled into the bar. As we were belting out Spice Girl songs and Rich Girl by Hall and Oates the laughing and drinking persisted. I highly doubt that we sounded as great as we thought they did especially since the DJ stopped taking out karaoke requests. This was definitely discussed at lunch today when we pieced together the evening.

Because some of us still were not finished "relaxing" from our long day, we hopped in a cab to go downtown to the Thompson Hotel to celebrate another co worker's birthday. I am now in love with that place! It is sooo cool and very chic. In the cab, I had sat on something hard when I first got in. Guess what it was...A gorgeous black open toed Gucci shoe!!! I desperately looked around the rest of the cab for the other one but was unsuccessful. I was so angry since the shoe fit "like a glove" as I so drunkly yelled after I tried it on. I feel very bad for the girl who lost her shoe. A Cinderella moment for her, not so sure. I hope that she didn't step out of the cab onto the New York sidewalk without a shoe. She would not only have lost a shoe but also picked up hepatitis. I am going to post it on the Lost and Found pages on CraigsList because I would want someone to do that for me if I ever lost a shoe. If I would have found the other shoe I don't think that I would have been so nice...

The Bat Mobile

I am finally letting all of you know about my date on Wednesday night. As I had last posted, it was 9:00 and I was waiting for him to pick me up. At 9:30 he called and said that he was waiting outside for me just as I was about to gnaw off my fingers because I was so hungry. As I walked outside there were a line of black sedans waiting for their passengers. Really excited, I called him and said that there was a line of black cars, which was he in? He said "Are you wearing green? Walk down the street a little. I am the one with the top down." As I walked down the street I felt like I was in a movie when I saw the car that he was sitting in. That movie is James Bond. It was the hottest Mercedes convertible I had ever seen and it looked faster than the Bat Mobile. Things were starting to seem a little too good to be true - amazing guy, very nice, cute, and an awesome car? Does that really happen? It sounds a little materialistic but the great car made me like him a little bit more than I already did.

We went to Bond Street for dinner which was phenominal. The conversation was great too; we talked about everything and there wasn't ever an awkward pause (I hate those). After dinner we didn't really want to go our separate ways yet so I told him about one of my favorite little places. It is a hidden bar called Apotheke. We had a drink and then were dancing. He is NOT a good dancer. I knew it was too good to be true...he can't dance. I guess if that is the only thing that is a bit of a let down, I will take it. As he drove me back to my apartment in the Bat Mobile I couldn't help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world. It was a little chilly, but my seat had a heater :)

Strange Days

I was going to write about my date. I was also going to write about my night out with my friends from work. However, I feel like it is inappropriate due to the circumstances. Today felt like the weirdest day ever. First, Farrah Fawcett dies. Then, Michael Jackson dies. What a ridiculously awful and historic day. Who would have ever expected all of this to happen in the matter of 24 hours?

Hungry

I am writing this post at 9:00 pm. I am waiting to go to dinner at Bond Street with Joey. I met Joey about 2 weeks ago at The Plunge at the Gansevoort Hotel. He finally called and wants to go out for dinner. We are supposed to meet up for dinner at 9:30...I am about to faint. I am so hungry. I will have to make sure not to drink anything before I get some food or I will get instantly drunk....that would be a major dating disaster!! I will let you all know how it went tomorrow.

Reality Show Roundup

I just finished completely rotting my brain in under 2 hours. I have been watching reality TV shows. The first show that I watched was the Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion show. The reunion shows are when all of the women get together and discuss the season. It is pretty ridiculous because all they do is fight and yell at each other. I love it anyway.

The second, and most disturbing, show was called NYC Prep. This is a reality show that is modeled off of the hit show Gossip Girl, which I also love to watch. The show captures the lives of high school students that live the lives of 25 year olds. I honestly couldn't keep my jaw from dropping throughout the show and these are the people that made that happen:

PC: He is a senior at NYC Prep school. I didn't find his actions to be so awful, yet. This is the first show. He did make one quick comment about going to grab a drink. He is 18.

Sebastian: This guy is 16 years old. I am not quoting him exactly because I can barely imagine someone saying this but... "When you go out to clubs it is easy to pick up girls. You are guaranteed to hook up with at least 2-16 girls a month that way." And another favorite quote from this inaugural episode went something like this "I sometimes hook up with 2 or 3 girls in one night." Again, he is 16.

Jessie: She is a senior as well. I honestly like the fact that she is big into the Operation Smile Charity - very cool. However, she did get really angry and bitchy with her friend PC for talking to other girls. Just don't be so bitchy. Its easy to be a nice person. She also said that she has her own credit card and doesn't know what she spends a month. This is a double edged sword. I think it is a bit irresponsible and she is obviously spoiled but she is helping out our economy by purchasing things. I can't hate her for this, especially because she gives back.

Taylor: A 15 year old girl who understands the importance of getting to know the "right" people a little too well. I was honestly upset that she feels she has to be friends with people who have money just because they have money. She was also a bit rude to her Mom. She is 15 though and I think we all go through that.

Camille: She wants to get into Harvard. She is studying and working hard so I wish her the best of luck. However, she is a bit of a jerk. She was talking down to Taylor and being mean. Again, I think this might just be the teenager thing - which I don't know why I keep saying but it's true.

Kelli: She is a young girl who wants to be a singer. Her parents "live in the Hampton's and come into the city once a week to have dinner with her and her brother who stay in the apartment." I just have to say that she made me thankful for my childhood and my parents who always let me be a kid but also taught me responsibility. Kelli says that her parents ground her but it doesn't matter anyway because they are not around to enforce it.

This show definitely made me feel super old. I loved high school and all but after seeing this, I don't really think I would want to go back. I know that I had many different experiences than them (small farm town vs. Upper East Side, NYC) but I am grateful that I didn't feel forced to grow up too soon. I hope that all of the kids that are the same ages of these kids on TV don't think that they have to be like them. Obviously a lot of this is scripted and not true. Unfortunately, some of it is - but that doesn't make it great. Even though the show made me gasp and watch in disbelief that this really happens, I will most likely watch it again.

Boys to Men-ish

Tonight I went to catch up with a friend at Balthazar which was so nice since we hadn't seen each other in such a long time. After a drink we headed to our favorite place, Morandi in the West Village. This is honestly the best Italian EVER! Since I was a little sad about my uneventful no-date weekend I decided to just go out and have fun with my friend. However, I had interesting experiences along the way...of course!

When we were sitting at the bar at Balthazar, we were listening to 2 guys talking as if they were teenagers. "Oh look at that girl, she's got the best boobs ever." "That girl is hott. Hotter than my wife." "I want her and her phone number." And so went their awful conversation about every female that walked in their path. It was hard to ignore as they were practically yelling their awful sentences in my ear because I was sitting next to them. It is always a nice reality check to know that teenage boys never really do grow up.

I got another awful reality check at Morandi. My friend, being the fabulous girl that she is, knows quite a few people that are a little bit "important" in this city (I use that term loosely). She recognized her friend "Mr. Jerk Face" from a dinner that she had attended a month ago. Mr. Jerk Face is a big shot at a large financial company on Wall Street. Mr. Jerk Face proceeded to hit on my friend and flirt with her all throughout my dinner. Mr. Jerk Face got his name because he is married to Mrs. No Clue and has 3 young children. Again, most men don't really grow up that much.

Even a 1 year old boy showed that he was well on his way to manhood this evening. As I was sitting on the subway going home, this kid was sitting on his mother's lap and smiling at me. All of a sudden, he grabbed my boob and clenched his little hand. Even at a year old, they are only looking for one thing.

The only real "romantic gesture" (another phrase that I am using loosely) that I got this evening was more disgusting than anything. The smelly homeless lady on the subway sang her version of some love song that sounded more like nails on a chalkboard. At least she tried to make herself sound good but no one could stop themselves from cringing when they saw that her ass was hanging out of her dirty jeans. So wonderful for me when she winked at me. I felt more like throwing up than giving her money for her singing.

I still love this city, even why I am not sure why sometimes!

Text Bomb

Obviously a little upset about Jeff Not Gay blowing me off, I decided to head out with my roommate for a fun night. We went to a few different bars (Boss Tweeds and The Annex) to have a couple of drinks. By the end of the night we had downed more than just a couple of drinks and were dancing our asses off as if there was no tomorrow.

Well tomorrow came, and it came with a headache. It also came with a text message from Jeff Not Gay. He had messaged me and said "So I am guessing you were drinking last night from the looks of it." I instantly checked my phone and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that I didn't call him at 3 am. Instead, I text bombed him at 3 am. My text to him said "Why did you give me such a bogus excuse?"

First of all, who uses the word "bogus"? Apparently I do and it sounds just as stupid as it looks. Note to self - Do not use this word again! Thankfully Jeff Not Gay thought it was funny and laughed it off. I also do not recommend the text bomb. A text bomb is a loaded text message filled with something that you couldn't say to the person earlier when they were on the phone and now that you are a little tipsy, you decide to say that something that might not have been the best thing to say in the first place. Not only did it let Jeff Not Gay know that I thought he might have been stretching the truth a little bit, but it let him know that I might be a little crazy. I should have just said to him on the phone that I barely believed him. Then I might not have felt the need to text bomb him when I was drunk.

I learned an important lesson out of all of this. Do not drink and text. It is dangerous.

(Jeff Not Gay says that he wants to hang out sometime this week. We will see if he follows through).

Blow-up Boyfriend

Today I was supposed to have my day date with Jeff Not Gay.  We were supposed to have lunch and then go to see a movie.  Today would have been the perfect movie day since it was raining and gross (Mother Nature you are still not on my good side).  However, at 2:00 in the afternoon I still hadn't heard from Jeff.  I decided to text message him around 2:30 when it was apparent that we would not be doing lunch.  I didn't want to wait around for him all day.  He messaged back at about 3:00 saying that he had to go to Long Island but would be back soon.  He asked if we were still on for the movie.  I responded by asking what time he thought that he would be back and that I would still like to go to the movie if it wasn't too late since I had plans to go out later.

I didn't hear from him again until 7:00!  He called and after I decided to answer the phone (I was debating not answering it at all) he fed me some crap about his phone getting wet in the rain and shutting off.  I guess that it is possible but also highly unlikely.  I wish he would have just said that he was busy and rescheduled if he had something else to do.  After the dead phone story, he asked what I was doing tonight, or tomorrow, or next week.  I said that he should just call me when he wants to hang out or is free and that I wasn't sure what my plans were.  I figure that if he is really interested he will call and want to hang out.  However, it is up to me to decide if he is worth my time or not.

Now, you are probably wondering what the title "Blow-up Boyfriend" has to do with this story at all.  When I talked with my gay boyfriend we were saying how we wanted to have boyfriends on a day like today.  We want someone to cuddle with and take us to the movies when it is raining.  However, when it is nice and sunny outside and there are exciting new people to meet everywhere we want to be able to deflate our boyfriends and shove them in our closets.  I am in this place where I really enjoy dating and feel a little too young to be so serious about someone but sometimes the single life can be a bit difficult - especially when fun dates get cancelled.  Blow-up boyfriends will always be around when you want them to be and you can put them away when they get annoying.  They don't talk back and they can't own a cellphone so they will never have issues with them.  Blow-up boyfriends are always up for anything.  The one thing that is wrong with them is that they are a little bit air headed :)

Date-aholics Anonymous

I figured something out about myself today.  It is Friday night and I didn't really feel like going out but it was actually not raining for once so I felt like I should.  I had a few offers from a couple of different boys to meet them out at a bar but I didn't feel much like doing that either.  I also don't really like those particular boys.  

As my roommate got ready to go to dinner with her boyfriend I felt a little pang of jealousy.  She looked so cute all dressed up in her heels and fun clutch.  At that exact moment I felt like I wanted to go to dinner with someone new, exciting and fun.  

Hi.  My name is Lulu.  I am a date-aholic.

I love dating not only for getting to know someone but for all of the things that come before and after a date.  I obsess over getting ready, doing my hair and makeup is one of my favorite things to do (I never said that I wasn't a little crazy).  I enjoy choosing what to wear and picking out the perfect shoes for my outfit, sometimes the shoes come first though :)  I love love love that feeling of nervousness before seeing the guy that is taking you to dinner.  During the date it is also fun to see how things turn out - is it a goofy date, a serious date, a boring date, or a crazy date?  When a date ends it is always good to see how a guy ends it.  Will he end it with a kiss? a hug? Will he ask if you can hang out tomorrow or next week or not mention seeing each other again at all?

Being a date-aholic has a few perks.  I get to meet many new and interesting people at new and interesting places.  I get to eat a lot of amazing food.  I also get to have stories to laugh about with my friends and family.  Every once in awhile I get to like a person that I date.  That is a really nice perk. 

Even though I have admitted my problem, I don't think that I am ready to give it up quite yet :)

Ballrooms, Beers, Boys, and Boobs

Tonight my roommate and I were supposed to go to this really amazing party on Broad Street, which is downtown close to where we live.  When we got to the party, the line was around the block.  It was an insane amount of people.  I honestly don't think that I have ever seen so many people in the area with the exception of the Ticker-Tape Parade.  We tried to work our way to the front of the line but then became unsuccessful.  They were saying that the place was already filled up (it was a 6 floor large party in the Broad Street Ballroom) and that they weren't letting any other people in.  A little sad, but determined to have a good night, we went to a local bar called Ulysses.  This is more of a low key bar that is good for beers and burgers.  We went in all dressed up instead of going to the fancy party.

I felt a little funny slugging back a beer in my party dress but I had fun.  It seemed as if a bunch of people from the other party had come to this low-key bar.  I was admiring another girl's dress when the guy that was sitting beside me said that he didn't really like it.  When I asked why, he said that it just kind of hung there, didn't show her shape and wasn't really flattering.  For clarification, I asked if he would like it if it were tighter and her boobs were hanging out.  He responded that he wouldn't have really noticed the dress if her boobs were there.  No guy looks at clothing if there are boobs.  I appreciated his honest answer and as I glanced around the room, I saw a few guys not really noticing women's outfits.

How insane is it that we spend so much time getting ready to go out and look cute and pretty, but a girl who spends just 1 minute making sure she has her push-up bra on looks the best to the guys out there.  One of the guys in the bar wasn't even talking to his date's face, he was talking directly into her chest.  That may have been because he was about 5"6 and she was almost 5"10 but that is a whole other issue.  Needless to say, I am going to stick to my approach of taking my time to get ready for me.  I am going to keep the girls away though.  I enjoy being a little more mysterious.

Sunshine Please

Dear Mother Nature,

Why is it raining...AGAIN?!?!? You are ruining my summer, my plans for the beach, and my tan.  I also cannot wear my cute summer dresses.  Please make it sunny again.

Thank you,

Lulu

Why Do I Like This One?

I had another great date with Jeff Not Gay.  We went for wings and beer tonight at 1849.  We had so much fun talking and goofing around, even after our waitress awkwardly hit on me (there is never a day when something weird and strange doesn't happen to me).  I was sooo late for the date though.  I couldn't figure out what to wear and I had to wait a really long time for the subway to come.  Eventually I made it and we had a wonderful time.  I now know for sure that I really really like him.  There isn't a question in my mind.  There are a few reasons why I know this...

 - I was late because I was changing my outfit like a crazy person.  I think I changed over 4 times.  I was nervous about what to wear which doesn't usually happen.

 - We talked about the TV shows that we like to watch.  He likes a lot of the shows that I do even though his friends make fun of him for them.  I think that this is hilarious that he can admit he likes shows like the Bachelor and Bachelorette, The Hills, and The City.  He knows that his friends make fun of him for it but he likes them anyways.

 - He is so funny.  I am not sure whether he is really that funny or I just like him and I am laughing at all of his jokes, but...I am laughing at all of his jokes.  He seems to tease me a lot too which I think in boy world means that he likes me.

  - He asked what I was doing this weekend.  We now have plans to see a movie.  I am soooo excited to hang out with him on a day when I do not have to worry about work.

It is still scary that I am starting to like someone.  Maybe this means that I am growing up a little.  I thought I saw a really cute guy in the lobby at work today too, maybe I'm not really growing up that much!

I Don't Think This is Going to Work Out...

Tonight I went out with a few girlfriends to a fun rooftop bar where we had great drinks and chatted about a lot of girl stuff.  One of the things that we chatted about was boys...obviously.

Awhile ago, I had met a boy that I named Mike Gold.  He lived on Gold Street and his name was Mike.  I met him at a fashion show and then had gone on one date with him where I had decided that we didn't have much in common and I wasn't really interested in him.  He had text messaged me after our date and asked if we could go out again.  Every time he suggested that we go out, I replied that I was busy or had something to do.  He honestly asked about 5 or more times, all of which I provided an excuse for.  I assumed that he would get the hint that I was not that interested and he would stop asking me out.

Yesterday, he asked to hang out again.  I decided that I needed to take a different approach without being too harsh.  I ignored his text message.  Tonight, he messaged me again!  I decided that I needed to be more forward with him so that there was not any confusion on his part that I wasn't that interested in seeing him again.  However, I did not want to be rude to him.  I hadn't meant to lead him on all of this time but I had expected that he would be smart enough to know that I would make it a point to see him if I had really wanted to.  If a girl is really interested, she will make sure that she sees you.  If she isn't making the effort at all, she isn't that into you and you should move on.

Since I didn't want to be mean, I decided to respond to his "Maybe we can go out tomorrow??" text message by saying "I'm sorry but I just don't think its going to work out."  I thought that this was to the point, apologetic in case he felt mislead, and honest even after I thought he should have gotten the point by now.  He responded by saying "Ok. Ur loss. No digitty."  I have no idea what he meant by that and, if it is even a word, it was ridiculous.  Since I had a drink and was prompted by my friends to do so, I replied to him by saying "No doubt." (Like the song).  My girlfriends and I were in hysterics over this and laughed forever.  It became the joke for the night.

Mike Gold didn't let the text message go with my response.  He replied "U introduced yourself to me.  Lest yee forget."  I didn't feel that this message was worth a response for a few reasons.  First, who says "lest"?  Second, who says "yee"?  Third, who says those two words in the same sentence?  Another reason is that I usually date older men because they are supposed to be more mature - apparently I was wrong in this case.  The biggest and main reason that I didn't respond, other than the fact that it would have been childish, was that it was a very stupid thing to say.  Yes, I initially approached him and said hello.  He was kind of cute and seemed nice at the fashion show when I met him.  However, I didn't feel that we had that much chemistry or a spark when I hung out with him during our date.  Saying that I might have forgotten that I introduced myself to him is a mute point.  I didn't forget my introduction and I also didn't forget that he didn't seem like someone I would like to hang out with again when we had a drink together.  

I know that it was silly to write back to his "No digitty" line at first and I shouldn't have.  However, I didn't feel as bad about telling him that things weren't going to work out when he reacted the way that he did.  I thought that he handled it a little bit childishly and I am glad that I ended things when I did.  He obviously wasn't going to read into the "I'm busy and can't hang out with you for the next year" messages.

Funny Emails

I always get Spam emails and just delete them out of my Junk Mailbox.  First of all, who sends these emails?  I would like to know that.  I would also like to know who comes up with the hilariously funny titles.  The email that I just received had a subject line of "A Huge Tool in Your Shed"  Honestly!?  Lastly, who clicks on these emails?  

Just something random that I was wondering about...

Third Date Jitters

I have been playing a waiting game with Jeff Not Gay.  The past 2 times that we have gone out I have initiated the date, meaning that I have asked what he was doing that night or what his plans were for the weekend.  He would later respond that we should go out and do dinner or have drinks, but he never asked me on the date first.  Since I have been thinking that I might like him beyond a date or two, I wanted to see if he was feeling the same way.  I felt that he should initiate the date so that I knew that he wanted to see me and that he wasn't just going on a date because I asked him what he was doing.  (Side note - I go on a lot of dates just because a guy asks me to go out even if I am not 100% head over heels for him.  As I have explained before, it is nice to hang out with them and experience the city with a bunch of different people.  I think you see the city differently depending on who you are seeing it with).

So Jeff Not Gay initiated the date tonight.  This Wednesday we are going to meet at 1849.  This is a place that has wings on Wednesday nights and cheap pitchers of beer.  I have been here before and it is a lot of fun.  He suggested that we go and "pretend like we are 20 years old again" which sounds like one of the best plans I have heard yet.  However, I am super nervous about the date again.  I know that it doesn't do much to get nervous about something so silly but there is a lot that could go really really wrong...

 

 - Wings are messy.  I will try not to wear white.  I could look like a slob.

 - I am a messy chicken wing eater.  The sauce is too spicy and I often have to open my mouth to cool it down a little.  This isn't really that attractive seeing as I might have wings in my teeth and sauce all over my mouth.

 - Cheap beer is always good until the second pitcher is shared between 2 people.  I might end up saying something that I might never have said.

 - I need to remember to bring mints.  Wings and beer aren't the best thing to eat before a romantic third date kiss.

 - 1849 gets really busy on Wing Night and it is hard to get a seat.  I will try not to wear shoes with too high of a heel, my feet will hurt and I don't want to be cranky. 

 - A third date is a deal breaker.  I feel like the 3rd date is when the really tough questions come out.  I am not big on lying to people because I don't think it gets you anywhere but in trouble, but those questions can be damn tricky sometimes!  (He did already ask a tough question on the 2nd date..."I think that almost all women have a little bit of crazy about them.  What do you think?" he asked laughing.  I answered honestly - "Absolutely."  Then I ended my answer with a big smile and let him wonder what kind of crazy I am....)

I guess if he is asking to go on another date after I agreed that all women are a little crazy, he might be a keeper and I shouldn't worry too much about the date!  I will be sure to keep you all posted on how it turns out, good or bad.

Crazy Old Ladies

This afternoon I went to the grocery store to shop for the upcoming week.  I go to Trader Joe's in Union Square which, anyone that has been there will tell you, is ridiculously busy.  Almost everything is organic or just healthy and super cheap.  If the line doesn't stretch out the door, there are at least 20+ people bumping into you per trip.  

As I was waiting in line, which started at the front of the store, wrapped around the back, and eventually ended in the front again, an older woman who looked about the age of 80 or more jumped in front of me to grab something out of the cold case beside me.  This is normal as the line wraps around the store in front of the food making it very difficult to shop.  After grabbing her cottage cheese, the old lady stayed in front of me in the line.  This made me a little angry because she jumped the line but there was no way that I was going to say anything to her.  How much of a jackass would I have been to tell the old lady that she had jumped in front of me and 75% of the rest of the people in the store and that she should go back to where the line began?

I stood in the line behind the old lady and said nothing, however I wondered about her for the rest of the time.  Did she realize that she cut in line? Did she care?  If I was 80 years old, would I care that I cut all of those people in line?  Probably not.  I would assume that by that age, I had waited in enough lines for my lifetime and that I was entitled to just skip them from now on.  Who would say anything?  If anyone did say anything you could just ignore them and pretend that you didn't and can't hear, or you could play the "I'm a little bit off my rocker" card and act nuts.  Honestly, I would let any old lady cut me in line after really thinking about it.  She already has to wear orthopedic shoes which is bad enough and also wears her elastic pants up to her boobs (or is it that she is wearing her pants at the same spot they have always been and her boobs have just fallen far enough down to meet them?)  The next time someone jumps in front of me in line, I won't be so quick to get angry.

Dooms Day

Most mornings I send a daily email to one of my friends.  She usually enjoys my ridiculous stories (and was actually a huge inspiration to me to start this blog) and always has great advice for me.  

Here is how my email to her went:

From: "Lulu"
Subject: 
To: "Tina"
Date: Thursday, June 11, 2009, 9:46 AM

SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT....I like a boy.

 What the heck am I going to do?

Here is her hilarious response:

From: "Tina"
Subject: Re: Dooms Day <3
To: "Lulu"
Date: Thursday, June 11, 2009, 10:06 AM

I felt that this email needed a title....Dooms Day. Only great philosophers and anthropologist could have predicted this day would come for you. ;-)   I'm laughing my ass off over here reading your blog and now your email. OMG you actually like a boy! This is a riot! All I can say is don’t start acting different. I usually clam up when I start to like someone but after reading about your date it seems like you’re really comfortable with him so that’s good!   There’s nothing wrong with liking a boy (something I’m just realizing myself ahaha). Keep doing what you’re doing..dating  & having fun.   So happy for you but if you get a boyfriend and stop being fun…I will murder you!!! I absolutely loved her email.  Hilarious.  Even as I am sitting here re-reading it, I am laughing hysterically.  She is also 100% right about acting differently once you start to like a person.  It is something that you become conscious of when you start to like someone and worry or wonder what they are thinking about you.  That is why a person starts to like you in the first place.  That guy or girl likes YOU, not the you that you think they want you to be or act like.  I think it is really important to stick to your true self when dating or in a relationship, even though it can be really tough.  As for her last comment about not being fun - that is DEFINITELY NOT ME!  I will continue to be fun or I will make sure she kills me.  And lets not jump the gun here; I do not have a boyfriend...yet.

Random Date Night

It had been awhile since I met up with Jeff Not Gay.  Tonight, I went on a date with him (or shall I say last night since I am writing this at 12:30 am).  We had the best time together and, of course, it was a very random night.

We wanted to go to a fun little bar called 1849 but it was so packed in there because it was wing night.  It was also really loud and I figured that I wouldn't be able to hear a word that he said.  We had great conversation over a little plate of nachos and a pitcher of mohitos at a cute Mexican place in the East Village.  The night started to get random when we realized that we were the only two in the entire restaurant.  However, we knew that they closed at 1 am, so we didn't feel bad for sitting there.  Then, a guy started singing and playing his guitar in the restaurant.  We were still the only ones there.

After the Mexican place, we went to a little Italian place down the street and sat outside (I apologize for not remembering the names of the places but I just couldn't focus).  The waiter was a little rude to us after I said that I just wanted a water to start and didn't really hear the "to start" part and assumed that we weren't ordering anything else.  We each ordered sangria and continued our conversation.  Suddenly, a crazy looking man approached our table and started talking to us.  As he gestured to his notebook, we noticed that he had drawn a sketch of us.  I was a little creeped out that I hadn't seen him standing there the entire time and hadn't noticed him until this very moment.  

He started asking where we were from and I said "Milwaukee" because I was not telling this crazy man that I lived in the city.  Jeff Not Gay, knowing that I am from Pennsylvania, went along with the story and elaborated a little.  By the end of the conversation with the Crazy Artist we were visiting from Boston, had lived in California where we attended college for business and pre-med.  Jeff was pre-med but he dropped out to pursue psychology and I am now just floating around in life trying to find my path, not really doing much with my business degree.  There was something mentioned about sleeping on an air mattress at our friend's apartment and then the Crazy Artist ended up walking away.  By the time that Jeff and I decided that we really should by this guy's Sharpie sketch of us so that people would believe the story, he was gone.  We spent the rest of our night looking for the Creepy Artist that we were creepy with.  It is funny to think that we creeped out the creepy man; he looked at us really funny and just disappeared.  

I think that I will always want that picture and I will continue to search for that crazy man.  However, the silly experience and date helped me to learn a lot about Jeff Not Gay...

1) He can take a joke and spin a story to make it funny.  I was trying really hard to not spit out my sangria all over the sketch

2) Neither of us can make a decision to save our lives, whether it was the drinks and food at the Mexican place or whether to really buy the picture or not.

3) I learned that I might really be able to go on a second date with someone and like them even more than I did the first date.  I didn't even pick him apart and find something wrong with him like I normally do with boys!

How Long Should I Wait?

On Sunday, I met a guy at the Gansevoort Hotel that i really liked.  He got my number but he still hasn't called.  Does this mean he isn't interested?  It has been 3 days.  I thought that guy code stated that a man should wait 2 days before he calls a girl.  Does waiting 3 days mean that he doesn't like me?  Is he playing hard to get?  What about the rule for girls?  Should I call him instead?  I am not sure how I should handle this.  I think I am going to wait another day and then text him.  I want to let him know that I am still interested but don't want him to think I am too interested (part of that stupid game again)!  

I just wish he would call!

Date Run-In

What happens if you run into a guy that you used to date when you are on a current date with someone else?  Well, you say hello and feel really awkward!  

That happened to me tonight when I headed into Bobby Van's to pick up food with Stock Exchange Boy.  Stock Exchange Boy and I ordered take-out to eat on the roof deck of his building but when we went to pick it up, I ran into a guy that I had hung out with one time.  It was a little strange because we did the kiss on the cheek/awkward hello thing and were chatting.  Then he asked me, "What brings you here this evening?" I gestured to Stock Exchange Boy and said "Just picking up some food" very nonchalantly.  He immediately realized that the guy standing to my left was not just someone whom had walked in by himself.  He stuttered something about "Ohh didn't know you were here together, blah, blah, blah", and promptly shook his hand.  Stock Exchange Boy didn't really know what to do but shook his hand and mumbled something back.  I immediately was super cheery to cut the tension and said "It was soooo nice to see you!  I'll be back soon."  I smiled and turned to walk out the door, ending the conversation.

I wouldn't have known how else to handle that one.  It isn't like I wanted them to chat each other up and be friends or anything!

What are you thinking?

Today on my way back from work, I noticed a man with an awful comb over.  It looked similar to the picture that I have provided above.  What are you trying to hide?  The jig is up.  For all of us, please just shave your head!  You are making yourself look older than you really are with this "hairdo."

The Best Brunch Ever

On Sundays, my Gay Boyfriend and I head to Arte Pasta in the West Village for their fabulous brunch and unlimited mimosas.  On top of the unlimited mimosas, we go for the fun waiters, the "Mile of Meat", and the amazing french fries.  Today was an especially good day because the manger gave us our unlimited mimosas on the house!  What is better than unlimited mimosas? FREE unlimited mimosas!  Also, the "Mile of Meat" was in full swing today.  This phrase is one that my Gay Boyfriend and I use to describe the many men that walk by the outdoor brunch tables showing off all of their hard work and time that they have put in at the gym over the winter.  After we had our fill of brunch and mimosas, we decided that it was definitely too nice outside to just go home...so we went to the Gansevoort Hotel, one of our favorite places in the city.

Most of the time their rooftop bar, called The Plunge, is busy and filled with a lot of interesting and fun people.  Since it is actually a hotel, it isn't often that we meet people that live in the city.  When we walked into the bar this afternoon, it was a madhouse!  Picture girls dancing on tables and chairs in their bikinis (there is a pool), bottles of champagne with sparklers in them, a saxophone player that is playing to the blaring club music, and a bunch of gorgeous men!  My Gay Boyfriend and I looked like 2 little kids on Christmas morning smiling from ear to ear.  This must be where all of the men from the "Mile of Meat" were walking to this afternoon.  The group of guys that we had rode the elevator with instantly bought us a drink and then led us to the pool.  Only people that have a room key can get into the pool area, and they had about 7-10 cards since they had bought a few rooms (yes, we still had the Christmas morning faces). 

The pool area is a little more fun because you can sit around and relax and actually feel a little bit of a breeze from outside which we definitely needed on this 80 degree day.  The boys that we sat with at the pool were almost all related or had been friends since they were little and in true Italian style, half of them were named Joey.  It made remembering names easy!  We all had an amazing fun time out by the pool and thankfully, no one got thrown into it with their clothes on this time.  (This is a little side story about my Gay Boyfriend - He had once gotten thrown into this pool in the dead of winter with all of his clothes on.  We obviously got kicked out that night but it is one of my funniest memories of him).  I have to give props to all of the Joey's today.  It takes a lot of great men to be able to hang out and dance along with my Gay Boyfriend for over 4 hours.  They were amazing, hospitable, and true gentlemen.

At around 9pm (brunch started around 1 in the afternoon) the Joey that I had liked treated my Gay Boyfriend and I to dinner at Pastis.  What a nice guy to treat a girl and her boyfriend to dinner!  My Gay Boyfriend says that I should definitely date him because: he has gorgeous eyes, he is super nice, he has a great smile, he obviously likes me, and he was cool enough to pick out men for my Gay Boyfriend too.  I think this one sounds like a keeper :)

Shoes and People

Today after work I picked up 2 pairs of shoes that I had at the shoe repair guy.  My Shoe Guy is one of the nicest guys ever.  He has been repairing shoes for about a million years and does it very well.  Today, when I went into his shop, he was having a conversation with a businessman who was getting his shoes shined.  I walked into the middle of a discussion about how "this generation has it too easy."  I just smiled at this comment and handed him my ticket to pick up the pumps I had been longing to wear for too long now.

"So, are you saying that this girl here has it too easy?" asked the obviously wealthy businessman while gesturing to me.  My Shoe Guy said "What do you think?"  I responded with what I think was fair and honest.  I said that while I didn't have it that easy, some other people definitely have it easier than others.  As I say this, my Shoe Guy pulls out my Fendi sandals and sets them on the table to show me that the bottoms have been fixed.  The businessman just looks at me and says "Yeah, I'm sure you have it real hard in those Fendi's."  I respond that I had worked very hard for those Fendi's.  

My shoe guy says what I think is one of the most important things ever - "It's not about what you have or don't have but it's about making sure that you appreciate it."  As I smiled at this thought, I responded to them both saying "And that is why I get my shoes fixed!"

I know that I obsess about shoes a little too much at times, but I really think that they tell a lot about a person.  Even more than just style, shoes tell us that:

 - A person will bend over backwards to help out anyone (a girl running up the street in pumps)

 - A person is reliable (the shoes are pretty ugly, but simple, predictable, and comfortable)

 - A person is snooty (the lady who, even though she is 10 inches taller than you in her 5 inch heels, puts her nose higher in the air)

 - A person is a slob (the beer that was spilled on their shoes last week is still on the sides of them)

 - A person is funny (Clown shoes)

I love these little reminders along the way that keep you in check with reality once in awhile.  I have had my fare share of great opportunities and I honestly appreciate them so much.  Even though everything hasn't always been smooth sailing for me, I know that I have worked very hard to get where I am today.  That is why I hope that my shoes say to the world that I am the type of person who is hardworking, reliable, responsible, fun, a little crazy, easy going, and a generally good person.  Now that is one great shoe!

Jerks or Cynicism?

This is a little addition to what I wrote about yesterday...

It seems that my friend is continuing to question her very attentive and sweet guy.  She was wondering why she is even questioning him to begin with.  A very valid point is that she has been cynical about men lately that she can't really figure out if this guy is for real or not.  She is so used to men being such jerks and assholes that she just assumes that all of them are, which is a little unfair to the guys out there but its just the way it is.

I guess a little lesson for all of us it that we have to learn to trust our instincts.  However, just because the guy seems a little too nice, doesn't always mean that he has an agenda other than just really liking you.  Only time will tell if the guy is a jerk or not!

Genuine Games

Tonight I chatted with a few of my friends.  We were discussing the games that men and women play in relationships and in dating.

One of the first major things that I comes to mind is that really dumb quote by some rapper "Don't hate the player.  Hate the game"  Well, I hate that quote.  Although, I think there is some relevance to it when you split it apart and take it piece by piece.  It is similar to the quote "Don't kill the messenger."  It isn't the person that you should take things out on, it is the actual information that they are giving (or the game that they are playing) that you should be upset about.  However, I do think that you need to know if that person is playing that game or delivering that message deliberately.

What I mean by that goes back to the conversation that I was having with my friend.  Are we playing the game on purpose, because we know it works, or are we just the messenger, doing what we feel is right and, instead accidentally playing the game?  For example, my gay boyfriend has met a bunch of guys recently.  When a guy called him to hang out or go out on a date, he had unfortunately been too busy the past few weeks.  Normally, he would jump at the chance to go out with the guy the exact day that he calls.  Instead, he is too busy and has to schedule another time to go on a date.  The men have been calling him constantly and repeatedly to hang out.  This is an inadvertent way to "play" the game.  My gay boyfriend isn't lying when he says that he is busy or already has other plans, but to the other guy it sets up a challenge.  We ladies all know that men are competitive and it makes it a game to them to see if they can get an actual date.  Even if it isn't football, baseball, or basketball, it is still a game and a sport.

A similar situation has also happened to myself.  While telling the truth and being honest to the guys that I date and explaining to them that I do not want a serious relationship, I set up the challenge.  Even though I am telling the truth, the guy makes it his quest to make me into relationship material.  I can only assume that is why I have been on so many dinners and dates with the same people over and over again even after telling them I don't want anything serious.  You can hate the game all that you want, but it happens even when you really aren't trying to play it.  Also know that even if they are playing the game with me by taking me to fancy restaurants with great wine, I will play right along.

The true question comes in when you look at the phrase all together and question it as a whole.  Can you hate the player if he is really trying to play the game on purpose?  Another friend of mine was left questioning the actions of her date due to her inability to decipher if he was trying to play the game or was genuinely being a great guy.  Her date gave the sweet and super nice approach and said all of the right things, including the classic "You are unlike any girl that I have ever met."  Well congratulations - a man finally figured out that all people are individuals and no one is alike.  Why does this make us ladies feel so great?  I have no idea, but when a guy tells you that, it is hard not to feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  How is she supposed to know if her date is being genuine or not?  How does she know that he doesn't say this to every girl that he dates because he knows how much it makes us swoon?  It might not seem like he can play the game, but maybe that is also part of his bag of tricks.  "I don't really date at all" and "I don't know the last time like I have felt like this about someone" are all great lines until he tells you about his last girlfriend that he dated about 2 weeks ago.  

I think that this is a question for all of you readers out there...what do you think?  Do you play the game a little and get his attention or not play at all and find him uninterested?  Are guys playing the game on purpose or doing it inadvertently by actually meaning that "You are the greatest girl I have ever met"?  And if the game actually works and the guy and the girl end up together, does it matter how you got there?  I need a little help on this one....

Google Ads

I am laughing hysterically over the ads that Google has placed on my blog this week.  Since I talked about my peeling, sunburned forehead, Google decided to put ads about rashes and parasites up on the site.  Gross.

Here Google, talk about something else that isn't disgusting...

Fashion, Fun, Dating, Men, Not Cooking, Family, Shopping, Friends :)

Bachelorette or Bust

Since I didn't get to go on my date tonight with Jeff Not Gay (he was home sick from work today) I stayed in and watched some "quality" television.  I ended up watching The Bachelorette for the first time this season.  I thought that The Bachelor was a crazy show because of all of the insane women in the cast vying for the bachelor's attention, however, The Bachelorette takes the cake.  The guys on there are absolutely insane.  Not only are they ready to punch each other out, there is a guy who wants to lick the girl's feet! EWWWWW!

As I was watching the show, I was thinking about what it would be like to be the bachelorette myself.  I decided after a lot of thinking, that I couldn't do it for a few reasons:

1) I don't want to be in a serious relationship.  I would just end up dating all of them and not wanting to kick anyone off that wasn't a weirdo.

2) There are weirdo's that go on TV shows like that, for example, the foot loving guy.

3)  I doubt that I could be a good actress on that show because I can barely keep a straight face the way it is now.  I have trouble hiding my emotions in my facial expressions and I couldn't do that when some random guy wrote a song for me professing his love after a day or two.

4) I am practically living as the bachelorette the way it is now.  I date a lot and there is always some goofy guy saying something or doing something funny.

5)  Did I mention that there is a guy on that show that is obsessed with licking and kissing her feet?  Yuck.  No way!

Sorry, no TV show for me....just a couple of dates and a little blog :)