New Year, Knew You

First blog of the year. I’m feeling the pressure. Especially since this blog was supposed to be posted weeks ago but computer issues….. well I don’t want to whine. I’ve got all year to do that! So I thought instead of writing my usual blog about my dates, men and the craziness that ensues when those two worlds collide, I would stop to pay respect to those who have certainly earned it and maybe give a hint of things to come.

For those reading this who don’t know me personally, I have a tendency to rub some people the wrong way. To the outside world I can appear loud, obnoxious, insulting and yes, even offensive, and at times all of these things can be true. So, when I find people to surround myself with that not only overlook all the bad in me, but they let me be who I am, lovingly remind me when I’ve gone too far outside of the lines and even enjoy the company I provide… Well those people need some props!

So first of all thank you to my ever loving and adoring friends Blaine, Jennifer, Mykee and Wendy and the surrounding cast of characters they constantly provide. Without them I would have never been encouraged to write this blog. I appreciate you listening to my whining, my horrible attempts to perfect the punch lines, the times when I’ve come to you to help me think up a catchy title, being patient through the long dry spell of my “Man-Cation” where there wasn’t a blog to be found. Let’s also not forget the long talks with a beer or two in hand, the shoulders to cry on, the laughing until we cried, the always available warm hugs and even the forgiveness when I’ve crossed a line. You are my strength.

To my co-worker Katie, thank you for finding the same people annoying as I do, for your “does this smile look real” that makes me laugh every time, and for looking forward to our “Chemistry Breaks. “ She not only gets me through my day but for the most part is the only reason I haven’t taken a swan dive off the roof of the building we work in or purchased a large semi-automatic weapon.

To my beautiful daughters that have stood by me while I’ve created this crazy world for us, thank you for not killing me in my sleep. I know it’s been tempting. I know I’m not a great mom so thank you for being great kids despite me. Please take my life as an example of who not to be and set the world on fire with your smarts, your charm and the great personalities that God has blessed you with.

And last but not least thank you, the reader, without you, all of these words on the page would be useless and perhaps even silly.

With that being said, as this New Year unfolds, I look forward to bringing you more adventures, more bad dates (not that I’m looking for them, they just seem to happen) maybe a perspective or two on the world through my eyes and lots and lots more laughter! Thank you for reading, sharing this blog with your family and friends, and here at long last, is a preview of what lies ahead for next week:

(I’m still working on the title, I promise you, that is the HARDEST part!)

I felt the twitch. The itch. The discomfort. No, it’s NOT an STD. I think I feel the end of my man-cation coming on. It was a lovely summer of not caring. Not subjecting my self to the perils of dating. Not torturing myself with the mental preparation of learning about a new person only to find out he’s a douche bag. But when I wake up in the morning and I realize that the warm body lying next to me in the bed is my dog, I feel the loneliness and I know that I don’t want to stay that way forever.