Happy Birthday to me!

Well, I'm officially in the 2nd half of my 20's :-( Pepper and I stayed up until midnight last night to squeeze out every last second of being 25 (Ok, Pepper actually slept, but she did wake up at 12 to try to makeout with me). When I signed on at midnight, facebook was the first to wish me Happy Birthday. Thanks for all of the other birthday wishes!

Even my computer is hot

Weatherbug is not very happy right now.

Happy Sunday!

In honor of my skipping church for the 5th month in a row, feel free to check out these articles that I use in my defense. Thanks Jess for the links.

I've been doing this for years

One day back in college, my roommate Astrid and I were talking about some guy she had a crush on and we decided she should Google him. Turns out he was obsessed with bugs, total turnoff and the end of the crush.

Ever since, I do this every time I start dating someone, although I haven't really found anything creepy about anyone. Yet.

Sadly, it takes a while to find me.

Seriously?

So some of you may have heard me talk about this guy from match who sent me a couple of emails each over 1,000 words (I wrote an essay on The Hobbit in Junior High that had less words).

Despite my better judgement I kept writing back to him, mainly because I didn't have the energy to really read his emails to see if we'd get along or not. I finally gave in and told him my number so he called me one night last week (I didn't answer because I screen calls not in my address book as every player should plus Tivo was really backed up). Before I even had a chance to call him back the next night, he sent me yet another epic email (including a very thorough list of the different activities we could do that included a breakdown of possible locations and where they were geographically located in Raleigh). Once more against my better judgement I wrote him back and suggested get just get coffee at Crabtree (I had to return some pants to Anne Taylor so why not kill 2 birds with one stone?).

When Friday came around and I still hadn't heard from him, I assumed he realized that my proposed date was a blow-off (FYI if a girl ever tells you she wants to meet for coffee instead of dinner, she's not that interested and is just giving you a pity date). Low and behold he called Friday to see if we were going to get together later on that night. At this point I realized that he had never got my email and took it as a sign and so didn't call him back.

Now keep in mind, he hadn't heard from me since roughly Monday night despite an email and 2 phone calls. I'd assume at this point any normal guy would think, "Hey I don't think she's all that interested. Guess I'll have to go find someone else who isn't nearly as hot and interesting as Heather, but I'll live." Imagine how surprised I was just now when I got email from him with ~400 words asking if I've met someone and what he did wrong . . .

Don't even get me started on yesterday's date who keeps texting me.

Dating Etiquette

So with my entire New Year's resolution to be more experienced when it comes to dating, I have learned a few things. However one thing I didn't think was that my post-date responses were incorrect.

What I thought was that at the end of the date, the guy will say the obligatory "Can I call you again?" and the girl will say, "That'd be nice" whether either of them meant it or not. If the guy didn't want to see you again, he wouldn't call and if the girl didn't want to go out again, she wouldn't answer. Isn't this how it's supposed to go?


Well, imagine my surprise when I opened my inbox this morning and got this:

I was hoping when you said I could call you again that you were actually going to answer your phone or call me back. No worries though. I had a good time at the movies with you, and I can't be anything but thankful you tolerated my company for a couple of hours. Good luck in the future.

I'm still not entirely sure how to react this this. At first I thought he was being snarky, but now I think he's being nice, although there is really no reason for him to email me. The kid did call me a couple of times and he obviously got the message that I wasn't interested, so why email?

My question is this, should I have emailed him back after ignoring his call and say thanks, but no thanks? We only went on one date and I paid for myself. Thoughts? Comments?

It happened again!

Once again I had a guy re-wink at me on match.com. In this case, I have talked to this guy on the phone and he winked at me again. So does he not remember me or is he trying to start-up a conversation again? Geez, stupid men.

How not to get the girl

Things are been pretty quiet on the freak front this time on match.com, but today my mailbox had a really winning email in it. I'll be nice and not include the picture incase someone actually knows this kid (although it is priceless, email me to see it).

Subject: Nerds of a feather ...
Dear Heather,

I am green with envy over your job. One of my favorite parts of software development is user-interface design. But, alas, I have not found my way into such a position, yet.

You seem like a really sweet person with a good outlook on life. I am interested in getting to know you better. Why don't you take a look at my portrait and see if you have any interest in getting to know me. If so, maybe we can chat back and forth over e-mail or perhaps, we can even meet someday for a bite to eat and some good conversation.

Thoughts?
Pepper

So first of all, don't call a girl a nerd unless she has already done so herself. I know I'm a nerd, but it's not a good pickup line buddy.

Second of all, his name is Pepper, as in the exact same name as my dog. Could you imagine the awkward social situations that this could create? Like saying, "Pepper stop licking me" would take on a whole new context. Although, I do have the line, "Pepper I do not want to make out with you" down pat thanks to my affectionate dog.

Third, I also like how he outlines the entire online dating process for me. Thank goodness, because I was getting really confused. I thought we went out first and then had awkward email conversations. Glad to have that one cleared up.

Last, it's kind of ironic that he writes he thinks I'm a sweet person when I've just written an entire blog entry bashing him.

P.S. Who uses "alas" in an email?

Freaky weather?

Or bug in their code? Notice anything odd about the weather forecast for Raleigh on Saturday?

Douchebag Alert

So say you're a guy on match.com and one week you ask a girl for her screename and she gives it to you (because she's trying to be less picky). Then say a week later you ask the same girl for her screename, never acknowledging that you previously had communicated.

Chances are you're a big player who can't keep his online women straight.

Oh, and you wear those slightly tinted sunglasses that really don't keep out the sun but look supercool.

Sounds like someone isn't getting a reply to his email . . .

I've found the best diet ever

Today when I got on the scale, I'd lost 4 pounds in one day! How did I do it you ask? Simple I gave blood. Now I realize that my body is going to replace this blood, but at least I'll have a skinny day today.

Brangelina in Western PA

My mom pointed out to me that Brangelina were less than 25 miles away from Somerset on Friday. I always need that Falling Water had to be good for something . . .

Why did I ever leave?

So I was just checking out the online edition of Somerset's fine newspaper, The Daily American, to see who got engaged or married and noticed a new section. The paper now has a photo gallery of Buck kills (that's pictures of people and the dead male deer they shot). There's also a lovely Bear kills section as well. Charming.

PS On a side note, this brings up the high school memory of the time I opened the paper and saw a picture of my current boyfriend holding up a dead deer (I still have the newspaper clipping if you ever want to see it). The thing was, I had no idea he hunted and he didn't mention that he was going hunting, but there he was with his 5 point (that's really good) buck. This was by no means the oddest thing to happen while we were dating. And now he's married.

PPS If you're looking at the Daily American's home page and it's Friday, you'll notice they managed to find the only black guy in the county and put him on the front page, balancing out the photo galleries of dead animals.

My subconscious must trying to tell me something

I just remembered that last night I dreamt about going speed dating again.

Damn depressing holiday season. (That was a joke Mother, I'm really not depressed, I'm fine, just trying to be humorous. I know how you worry.) (And I'm sorry I cursed, once again it was in a humorous vein, I never swear.)

Yes, lunch and movie

FYI, my week has been made this week once again this year by having management announce that my team is going out for lunch and movie next week to celebrate the holiday. Too bad Matt can't come anymore . . .

Attention all drunk, unemployed actors

Check out this gallery of screaming children sitting on Santa's hungover lap. We always had to sit on the Easter Bunny's lap too . . .

SHEETZ!!!!!!!!!!!

So last night as I was driving home from work, what should I see at the corner of T. W. Alexander and Miami, but a sign saying that a Sheetz was coming soon!!!!!!! Sheetz, yes!!!!!! Look how close it is to work, like 1.5 miles.

Christmas has come early this year!

Random Google Image Search Fun

So just now when I was looking for an image to put alongside my Somerset blog entry, I found something very random.

I google image searched (yes, I created a new verb) "Somerset PA" and found all kinds of weird things related to Somerset, but the oddest had to be the picture of my elementary school best friend's father holding up a dead cat of some sort. I guess I shouldn't be surprised he was holding up the cat, after all this is the family that had a dead bear mounted to their wall along with several pairs of antlers.

Meanwhile, checkout the requisite Somerset County camouflage coat. Hot.

Good times in Somerset, PA

So I went home for Thanksgiving last Tuesday and arrived back in the Triangle last night. A couple of highlights for you stalkers (a lot of this may only interest Kristi and Webreck) -

Wednesday - Looked at countertops with my mom, Duane Jones' mom waited on us at lunch at the Italian Oven, Shopped at Giant Eagle (the only grocery store chain in Western PA) and avoided being seen by anyone, Dinner at the Eagles (Fraternal Order of Eagles to you mister)

Wednesday night - Annie, Mary Jo, and I went out to Maggie Mae's with a couple of MJ's friends who just turned 21. Saw some people from high school who looked the same/worse. Saw a pregnant Jessica Stoy at the same smoke-filled bar (Nothing spells classiness like being pregnant out of wedlock and showing up at a bar). Bought MJ a vodka and cranberry and myself a Corona for a grand total of $5.50. Went home after an hour.

Thursday - Worked the Salvation Army Thanksgiving lunch with my family. (Unfortunately, my mom did not agree with Kristi's point of view that people who can afford to give money should give money and those who cannot afford to give money should work the dinner . . . ) Thanksgiving meal at my great Aunt's where my cousin continuously coughed on all of the food, but her mother said it was ok because it was only asthma. Also found out that no one on that side of the family is going to be married anytime soon, wahoo!

Friday - Lunch with my dad's side of the family. Looks like no weddings on this side for the next couple of years either, the pressure is off - for the moment.

Friday night - James Bond with Dad - awesome movie

Saturday - Shopping in Shadyside. Annie lives right next door to my favorite bar in college, I'm jealous.

Sunday - Sit in the Pgh airport listening to the awful Steelers game before takeoff. Arrive home to Pepper who is incredibly happy to see me.

I am pretty sure this is fake . . .

But it was certainly woke me up with laughter from my holiday weekend hangover. (Source)