Pointless Announcements

And just like that, things change.
Such is the dating game...

I've decided to move on from the lovely young woman I was seeing with some consistency...she started getting wishy-washy & passive-aggressive and showing selfishness...
then on the last date, even though it led to some "fun", at the end, she started for some reason being callous.
Deal beaker. I went through enough with my ex-wife with this kind of shut down scenario...not doing it again. I deserve better, I deserve some trust & truth. My instincts said, something's up.

Also I think her friends were arguing vs. me reasoning the age gap (25-47...btw, SHE went after me first, with my age posted)...then again I've seen friends undermine my dating before (without meeting me) for many reasons.
For some reason, some friends take pleasure "advising"...stirring doubts and pushing one away from another. (especially female friends)
But my attitude is this, if you can't think for yourself...and screw with it for such specious & superficial reasons...then I don't want it or you. I value myself and my time.
And when they try to come back (and they do...) I won't hear of it.
WHY?? Because if you're that weak-willed and you could do this now...you could easily do it down the line, when I've invested my life AND when the shit really hits the fan. (and knowing life, it will)
BTW, please don't attribute this character or action due to her age...I have seen this over time, in many dates, in many women of varying ages. (men, may do do this too...but I don't deal with them, but I've heard the same from my gay friends)

No true "break-up", just haven't contacted her...then again, she hasn't either. So it's more than likely mutual.

But, I will say this, being frank...going with such a lovely young woman does do the ego good, for me.
After going thru hell with my ex and starting up on the dating scene almost 8 yrs after I stopped. (older and still wanting kids of my own, Mother Nature & Fate are an unfair twosome at times)
Makes me feel like a desired man. It's insignificant vs. the world's woes...but still real to me, being self-aware & honest.

But no worries, I'm not letting it stop me. And I lucked out. I'm taking advantage of the the surreal "surge" I'm having. (feast or famine...I don't know what the hell is going on...not that I'm complaining, y'know)
Just went on a nice date with a nice graphic artist last night (31). Although I do have some concerns that I may be too extroverted & passionate for her.
She's shy and a bit timid (although I do appreciate her reaching out first) To be real, I'm a cocky, bold, talkative, sexual man...but not arrogant or obnoxiously so.
While I click with her in some ways, including art...I'm not sure it's the best match. But I'll give it a chance...see if it grows into something that works for us both.

--------

In the meantime, another spontaneous connection happened...in real-life, not from online. (and strangely I seem to be getting a more than obvious amount of bold flirts and glances my way...is something in the air?? This is not typical for me)
There's been a super hot exotic dark beauty, always standing on my commute train. Difficult not to look at and not be rude or weird.
Well, in the past few I've noticed her starting to look my way a bit more, lingering looks.
Then I happened to strike up a brief conversation...finding out she's an exchange student here to learn English better...
Then she follows me and sits nearby on train, still finding out more...she's an art teacher, 27 and living nearby (a block away from my home)
We disembark, turns out she takes the same Metro line as me to her school as I do to work (when I'm not remote)...chatting haltingly more.
I excuse myself to go to work...thinking, oh well. so long, such is life.

But, I'm going home early to do an errand...she happens to be on the same train...more light chat.
We get off, it's humid as hell...her bus isn't there. I say, I'd offer a ride but I know we're strangers. She says, no I'm comfortable with you...we can go. (OMFG!!)
So, she's tired of the bus and being late to class...so I offer to car pool with her. She says, yes. We set a time. Get her number & address.
Next morn, I pick her up. I notice she's speaking a less halting, like her comfort/confidence with me is making her more clear & concise.
And she likes sticking with me...and unlike many women I've been with, she's nice & helpful...more polite and generous. (and even though we were split up in seats...she catches up with me)
But on the Metro near my stop...she says she's occupied this weekend...but we can do something together next weekend (with no prompting from me at all... )

So we'll see how the daily car pooling goes and if we truly go out and something develops. I can't believe my luck, but I don't trust it to continue either.
But either way, I get to drive an incredibly hot woman to work everyday...when it would just be me anyway, bored & alone. So, that's not bad in itself.
Yes, it's pathetic & simple....but you gotta enjoy the simple things in life.
Besides, my sister says that men are initially attracted visually and women situationally...I'd have to agree with her in my experience. So I've got the opportunity to increase my situational time with her.
Get to know her better and she know me better, in a comfortable & familiar easy way.
And who knows, lightning may strike twice.
Then again maybe it won't
Life is a strange thing.

And it's certainly been strangely positive lately...

 

I compiled one of my older, finished pieces using Scrivener, and published it in .epub. I even gave it a cute cover. I'm by no means a graphic designer, and I know the result looks entirely amateur, but given the tools I had to work with, I'm okay with that.

I think I'm definitely going to have to purchase Scrivener when my trial is up.

 

Yeah, that's the thing with having a digital device handy, and then being able to fix problems with the pictures afterwards, isn't it?

I've noticed that my control has gotten a lot better as my smartphone camera has improved; it's easier to see what I'm doing on my S6. My shots improved dramatically from the Droid to the S4; the improvement from the S4 to the S6 has been less marked. It's not to say there aren't still some shots where I miss the mark where the horizon is concerned, but c'est la vie.

 

OK, I'm officially now a dick. (if I wasn't before...)

I hate being the bad guy.

 

After you've been at it as an editor for the same press for a while, you eventually get the privilege of rejecting some writers as often as three times or more.

 

Saw Glue Kid at the grocery store. He blushed. Maybe it was the slippers he was wearing?

 

I was about to reject another guy a third time before I realized it's the same manuscript. I've rejected this guy's novel twice without realizing it. Once three years ago, and once two years ago. He queried me about it again recently.

 

The other day, during my impromptu Tuesday night BBQ (details in the appropriate thread), the contractor who is doing my roof and siding stopped by for a second just after we finished dinner. On his way out I forced a pulled pork sandwich on him since it was about 7:30pm and he hadn't had dinner yet. I talked to him again today, he wanted it to be made very clear that that was the best sandwich he's ever had in his entire life.

 

I would be...disappointed but not displeased, especially if it had a floofy kitten on it.

 

I thought about getting out of bed, but then I remembered I didn't have to.