Tales From the Single Side...my ad

So, in my Effective Communications class we were talking about the difference in what we perceive ourselves to be and what others perceive us to be. We had to write a "personal ad" telling all about ourselves and then have others in the class write ones about us. It was VERY interesting! So....this is going to be an interactive blog! I am going to write a "personal ad" about myself and what I think I am attracted to and what I want THEN you do the same (about me) in the comments. Oh come on! Humor me :^)

Single, white, hard working, Christian female who loves sports, family, Summertime, music, reading, quiet time, eating. Female does come with emotional baggage and is know to suffer with bouts of severe sarcasm. Female is known to occasionally lose her temper and is always up for a fight when it comes to defending her "people". Female loves to travel and hates to work out. Female is a huge Tennessee fan and thinks someone being an Alabama or Florida fan is actually a character flaw. Female is considered by some as stubborn. Female cries at ALL sad commercials, movies, TV shows, and books but very rarely cries in "real life". Female loves to do mission work and work with children. Female has commitment issues but, at least, can admit it. Female DOES NOT seek someone to "complete" her. Female feels she is already "complete", she is just seeking someone to "enhance" her. Female is seeking a single, white, Christian male who makes her laugh and is a hard worker. Those are the only important criteria. However, female, IDEALLY, would find someone who loves going to football, basketball, and baseball games with her. Someone who can bring some spontaneity and fun into her life. Someone who can love her family as much as she does, even with their few flaws. Someone who is not obsessed with their car, body, or any other possession. Someone who IS NOT a Momma's boy!!!! Someone who is a REAL MAN! NOT some girlie man! Female probably NEEDS someone who is tough and will stand up to her when needed. Female wouldn't be mad if said Male looks and talks like Matthew Mcconaughey ;^)

p.s. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the man who set all the standards for the men in mine, Louise, and Leigh's life! Happy 54th birthday to Daddy, hope you have AT LEAST 54 MORE healthy ones!

Prayer Request

This is not an easy blog to write. I don't like letting anyone know that I might fail at something. It's probably my biggest flaw in life; I would rather not even attempt something rather than fail. I told someone today that I have never even put in a job application where I didn't already know that I would be hired. I would rather stay in my miserable job rather than be put in a position where I could fail. Which all leads me to my prayer request. As anyone who knows me or reads my blog knows, I am miserable in my job. The stress is aging me and molding me into a person I don't like and the hours are literally taking years off the end of my life. I work at least 60 hours a week, am forced to miss a lot of church services, and have very little "life". I feel like I miss out on something every single day. A job opportunity has come up at Faulkner with the Alumni Association. I put my application in yesterday and would really, really, really appreciate it if you could take one minute to say a quick prayer for me. Although I have a lot of people fighting for me and supporting me I have run into some roadblocks due to my lack of experience and education. I think this job would be more of an answer to my prayers than I had even dared hope for. It would be almost dream like AND make it possible for me to live in the same city as little Lizzy Lou (which, honestly, keeps me awake worrying about). I think that, not only, would I love the job, I think I would be awesome at it! I really do. I have never really wanted a certain job before. I have always just looked for something that would pay the bills and I wouldn't hate. I really want this job. I am trying to remember how blessed I am to have the jobs I have and that this won't be the worst thing that has ever happened to be if I don't get it but I just can't remember the last time I actually wanted ANYthing this much. Anyways, thanks for taking the minute to read this and REALLY thank all of you who take the time to pray!

Tales From the Single Side...It's Just Like Anything Else

...dating, that is. Or, having a crush, or being in a relationship, or being in love. It's just like any other habit. Take fingernail biting, for instance, there are people who bite their fingernails constantly. It is, obviously a gross habit (not to mention an unsanitary one), but if you are in the habit of doing it, it is almost impossible to stop. However, if you use hot sauce or a product like No Bite, you can kick the habit. Smoking, drinking, picking your nose, dragging your feet, whatever the habit, it feels almost impossible to quit until you actually do. Then, you go hours then days then weeks then months to eventually years without doing it again. Here is where the problem comes in. Once you haven't bitten your nails for years, it is REALLY hard to start back up. The desire is gone. And now that you don't do it anymore all you can see are the negatives from it. See where I am going with this?

Dating or "being in" whatever is exactly the same. There was a time in my life when I went from relationship to relationship to crush to relationship to "love" to...well, you get the point. Anyways, it has been a long time since I have been on a date. No, put a time period on your version of "a long time" and double it, maybe triple it and then you have an idea of how long I am talking. The one date that I can actually remember going out on was terrible. Let me give you my version of terrible:

Guy works with girl. Guy has hardly ever seen Girl but talks to her on the phone pretty regularly and finally asks for Girl's phone number. Guy asks Girl out many times but Girl is always busy and doesn't particularly want to go out with Guy. However, Guy finally backs Girl into a corner. So Girl gets ready to go out with Guy who is a super nice guy but she's just not into him. Girl does not feel like you have to go on a date with someone to know if you are into them or not. However, what's done is done and Guy picks Girl up. Guy didn't plan the date but rather asked Girl where she wants to go. This already is going down hill because this is one of Girl's pet peeves. Girl picks a restaurant and a movie. First, Guy and Girl head to the restaurant. Guy asks Girl if she likes a certain Christian artist. Girl tells Guy that she doesn't really listen to much Christian music, actually she likes talk radio. Guy can't believe and spends five minutes lecturing Girl on how she should listen to Christian music. Next Guy asks Girl if she has read "The Five Love Languages" This is not the kind of book Girl would read for fun. The title bores Girl. "No." she answers. She has a friend who read it and liked it but it is not really the kind of book Girl reads. She prefers fiction. Guys spends the rest of the ride to the restaurant on how good the book is. Next there is a fifteen minute tantalizing conversation about what Guy and Girl will be ordering that I will spare you. The Guy asks Girl if she ever gets to watch or read Joel O'Steen (sp?) stuff. ***sigh and eye roll*** "No." Girl's nerves aren't good enough to watch Joel O'Steen. (She leaves that part out and just replies "no."). At this point Girl advises Guy that she won't be able to make the movie afterwards because of the time and then tries to change the topic. She tries politics, sports, ANYthing besides religion. Don't get me wrong, Girl is a Christian and does in fact love God. She just can't take anymore religious talk on this first date! Changing the topic DOES NOT work. EVERYthing somehow manages to work it's way back to religion. Finally, dinner is over and Guy and Girl get in the truck to go back to Girl's house. Guy asks Girl if there is anything else that she wants to do. Girl quickly replies "no." and says she really doesn't have a lot of time. Next, Guy says (and I couldn't make this up), "Have you ever been to that Family Christian book store?" Girl now believes she is being "Punk'd" and starts looking around the truck for the hidden cameras. Guy seriously asks Girl if she wants to go walk around the Christian bookstore. Girl has to answer that she has been there but would rather just go on home. Thankfully, the date ends soon. And ends without so much as a hug or even a false promise of another date. However, even a year later, Guy still seems to be under the delusion that it went well and keeps asking Girl out.

Terrible. Geez. If you think it was hard to read about you should have been there! It does have to be said here though that Guy *name changed to protect the innocent, is one of the nicest, sweetest guys I know and deserves someone way better than I am and I hope he finds her (soon).

Back to my point, I'm sure after my last heartbreak there had to be a time when I wanted to have a crush on someone again or at least the "butterflies", even if I wasn't ready to actually jump back into full relationship mode. I can't remember such a time but since I am positive I am still alive and am not gay, I just assume there was. However, since so much time has gone by, all I can remember are the bad points to dating. The bad dates, the rejection, the neediness of another human being, the irritating habits of men in general, the questions and thoughts that take over your brain and allow you to think of nothing else, and the strain on your free time. So, I have decided to jump back on the bandwagon and try to find someone to go on a "date" with this Summer. I can't force myself to have the "butterflies" or really be interested but I can force myself to give it a fair try, even if it is only to get myself back in the game.

Ick. The thought makes me sick (literally hurts my stomach)but, it has been pointed out, how grossly "all about me" I have become and I am trying to branch out a little. Maybe God will surprise me (in a good way this time!) Either way, you have to get back in the saddle sometime, right?