Personality Plus Looks

Ridiculously hot boy in my kayaking class. Ridiculously.

He's really nice and sweet. I hope he keeps coming so I can keep drooling. I also hope I get this roll thing soon so I can suggest that we hit the river together sometime.

When I saw him Friday night I smiled and said hi. He grinned widely and said hi back. Then, when everyone was picking boats I ended up over away from everyone else. Not because I was being anti-social, but because that was the only boat that fit me. He saw where I was, got out of his boat and came over to a boat next to mine. That's when we talked for the first time. Now, I don't think he likes me, but I do think he's a nice guy. And, for that, he gets brownie points. Thanks cute kayaker dude with the cool tattoos and great shoulders.

I didn't mention his shoulders before? They're better than Bill's. Just don't tell him I told you that, he might take it personally.

More on Kayaking

"How's it going?" the instructor asked as she walked across the pool towards me. I pulled a face in response. "Oh, that's a face!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah," I replied, "that's the face of someone who is used to being good at everything she does, but sucks at this whole 'roll' thing."

"That's good!" she said with a smile, "it's called 'humility.'"

We worked on my roll for the next while. By the end of the evening I still hadn't gotten it. What I did get, however, was good advice on things I can do at the gym to build up the muscles that are being used for it.

I also got a number of new bruises.

And a new potential friend. She's really funny.

Oh, and, how could I possibly forget: a whole mess of sore, sore muscles.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'

I'm taking kayaking classes.

I kinda suck at it.

Friday night we were learning how to roll our kayaks.

I suck at that too.

What I really rock at, however, is aching. For the curious I ache in the following places:
the entirety of my trapezius
triceps
external obliques
and... the muscle on the back of my knee. Affectionately called "popliteus "

While that sounds like only 4 muscles consider this, it's actually 8, and those muscles control, arm movement, neck movement, bending at the waist, and bending knees (as if to walk). Yeah, if you're going to ache, it's certainly best to make sure all of the major faculties are impacted.

On the other hand: It's the good ache that comes from playing hard. The gym, however, is going to prove interesting, to say the least.

Workaholic?

I don't like to think I'm a workaholic, but this past month, I think I've logged at least 60 hours a week. Possibly closer to 80. I'm kind of torn on how to rate this experience.

On one hand: My boss has asked me to drive a massive Organization-wide directive from the QA side of things. A lot of things have been going on, lots and lots of changes, and a sh'load of work. This is my time to shine, my time to prove that I have what it takes to get that promotion I so rightfully deserve (see aforementioned post).

On the other hand: It hasn't been as successful as we'd like. And, I'm working late evenings and Saturday and even a few hours on Sunday.

I can't wait for this to end. Mostly so I can say I did it, and I survived and YES!

Oh, I should mention, I'm writing this from the office as I wait for Bill to finish up solving a problem I need to test. We've kind of determined he's not going to find a solution tonight, so at this point, I'm waiting for him to toss in his hat for the evening so we can get food. Soon. Hopefully, soon.

Fun with Amazon

Ok, someone somewhere should seriously make a list of all the hilarious products available for sale on Amazon.com. Today's product of the strange is brought to you by the psychological illness "delusion" and the key "Caps Lock".

Enjoy Ms. Eliyzabeth Anderson's thoughts on BIRTH CONTROL.


Though, to be fair, here's my favorite review.

And, for those of us who are dying to read this GLORIOUS PIECE OF WORK!! but cannot afford the optimistic price of $153.00, parts of it are available on google.books.

Oy!

Judgement Issued

Hello Kitty slippers, with socks. Sweatpants, big puffy coat. Cute over sized hat and perfect make-up. I had already judged the hot Asian girl sitting across the way from me on the bus this morning, and found her to not be the kind of girl I'd want to spend time with. Her bright pink iPod shuffle didn't help her cause. However, it was the matching iPhone case which sunk her. Never mind the obnoxious pink, who caries both their shuffle and their iPhone? Simple answer: spoiled brats, and those who haven't figured out their phone. And, they aren't mutually exclusive qualities.

Rule to Date By

When looking at potential mates, the saying goes, remember there are three options:
1. People you're attracted to because of their looks;
2. People you're attracted to because of their personality, sense of humor, and intellect; and
3. People who are sane.

You get to pick two.

Bill shared this rule with me last night and then said, "Sorry, I'm shallow."

You know what? I'm sorry that you're shallow, too, because I'd probably be the best girlfriend you'd ever have.

Promises

As a young girl scout I used to stand In front of the only grocery store in town peddling my wares. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I had to listen politely as some middle-aged lady droned on about how she remembered when cookies were a mere 25 cents a box. And that the boxes were bigger. And then repeated herself to each adult in the area; I spent the whole time wishing she would just shut up and buy a box of cookies and leave already. With each customer, and each repetition, I vowed anew that I would never subject the next generation of my sisters to ramblings of such magnitude.

Now, as I pass the young cookie pushers I stifle the urge to reminisce. "I'll take a box," I say instead. "Here's $4. Thanks." As I slip my box into my bag I think, "When did they hit four bucks a box?!" then, saying nothing more, I leave. And though they never know what I'm not saying, I know that if they did they would each hug me, tears streaming down faces as they thanked me for my mercy.

Reminders

The conversation turned to dating someone who espoused different beliefs and values than you.

"I'd be totally fine dating a good little church girl," he told me. "I mean, aside from the fact that I'm not attracted to you, I'd be totally fine dating you, it wouldn't bother me at all."

Wow. Thanks for the reminder that you're not attracted to me. Are you reminding me, or yourself?

A Backrub

I asked Bill for a shoulder rub last night and he complied. It was, oddly, the most intimate shoulder massage he's ever given me.

When he was finished we switched places and I massaged his shoulders. He had been complaining of a headache earlier, so I massaged a couple of key pressure points on his head. "Not to make this weird," he said (which is practically a guarantee to do just that), "but there is something incredibly sensual about having your head massaged. There's something so intimate about running your fingers through someone's hair."

"Yeah, totally," I agreed, while continuing to massage his scalp. "And, it feels so good!" I said, trying to steer the mood of the massage away from intimate and sensual. A few moments later I moved my hands to his shoulders and back.

I wonder... I wonder...

Question Game

Bill and I are incredibly open with one another. He knows things that even ExOfNote never learned. Usually things just come up in conversation. However, last night I wanted to play the question game. No, not 20 questions. Rather, the game that only works if you're both totally honest, and you either know and respect each others' limits, or you don't have any. The question game also leads into some very interesting conversations.

It can also lead to some very interesting introspection if asked a question you've never considered.

Handle with Care

"Oh, shoot! We were supposed to go to that show tonight, weren't we?"

It was 8 or so Sunday night, and Bill just realized that we missed a show that one of our friends was in. I had never had any intention of going. The fact that it was on Sunday aside, I simply felt like dirt.

"Meh," I said, "I wasn't feeling it."

"Yeah, me neither," he admitted. "To be honest, I'm kinda done with that for now." I nodded in agreement. "Plus!" he said, finding a valid excuse, "you're sick, and I was taking care of you."

He repeated that last line a number of times, "I was taking care of you." I wasn't sure if he was convincing himself that it was true, or that it was a valid excuse, or, perhaps, just savoring the feel of it—taking care of me when I needed it. And, if it was the later, was it taking care of me that he was savoring? Or just taking care of someone? Being needed?

The Illness

Ungh, I'm sick. I have a cough and it thoroughly blows. It's the kind of cough that wracks your whole body and makes you ache and cry and want to curl up in a little ball, and, possibly, die. I've had it for five days now. This weekend was a glorious weekend, and guess who was responsible and stayed indoors for most of it? Yeah. Me.

Sunday after missing church because, let's be honest, I had no business being near people, I was whining in Bill's direction. I told him I was bored and he should grab a movie and food and come over to my place. Lazy boy that he is he turned it on me: if I went over there, he would feed me.

Reluctantly (ok, not so reluctantly, I was bored to tears), I put myself together and headed over. When I got there he asked what I wanted, and then (when I told him), he informed me that I got to cook it. What?! How is this feeding me?

I cooked dinner while he prepped some meat. Then I ate dinner while he cooked his meat. Then I cooked more meat while he ate the food I prepared.

At one point I had a glass of orange juice. He grabbed it and took a drink. As he was putting it down he said, "Oh! That was yours, wasn't it?" Yeah, when he gets sick he'll have just himself to blame.

His Fault, Too

Ok, we all knew it wasn't going to last long. I want to be over Bill, really truly want to be over him. And, sometimes I think I'm accomplishing that objective, but then he goes and does something stupid that makes me all gooey inside. I hate it.

Accurate Reading

The day after I announced that I'm over him I was at Bill's place. Instead of rounding the coffee table on the side opposite him as I normally do, I walked between him and the coffee table to get out of where I was sitting. He put his legs up in my way and then we did this ridiculously stupid flirty smack each other thing involving legs and hands. It was lame. And cute. And simply went to re-emphasize my point from the previous evening: he really does only want what he can't have.