My absence note

This blog was started as a way to record my life, but unfortunately life got in the way and I fell off the blogging planet. I wanted to share my experience and stories in the dating realm of my life. To me, at that time in my life it was the one thing I was still looking for. I had everything else together... a great house to myself, family and friends and a wonderful job at the ski resort. In fact my job was always kinda the unofficial love of my life. It was always there, reliable, fullfilling, and I absolutely loved everyday I was there. We'd been together for 10yrs (my job and I). It saw my through many past relationships and in the end it was always there... a beautiful serene place waiting for me. It was the steady aspect of my life, which is more than I can say about the men in my life.

This last spring everything changed. We broke up...
A week before we were to close an epic winter season, I was called into the office. "This isn't the best match." "The department is being reconstructured." etc... etc... etc...
It wasn't my best moment. I cried, I didn't understand why they didn't want me anymore, I was so dedicated to the place, what did I do wrong? My job and I broke up.
When I came home that afternoon I knew who I would call, who would be there for me, a shoulder to cry on, my rock. You see just three months before this day I met the love of my life, Richard. We met at the ski resort. I knew from the moment I saw him he would be somethng special in my life, and he is everyday.

Without that job, we may have never met. So I can't regret my time working there. And if I had to choose that job or him, it would be him 100%. And so that is what I got. So now my focus in life has changed. I've got the man of my dreams but I'm on the quest for a new career.

Have you ever...

Have you ever had to completely disensemble your vaccuum cleaner in the hopes of finding the undies you sucked up by accident?
Um, this actually happened to me today. It's not like I leave my delicates laying on the floor. I was using the hand tool on the vaccuum and was cleaning around my closet, and next to my laundry basket a pair of my victoria secret lacies had fallen onto the floor and before I could pull the vaccum away... up they went into the tube! (UGH!) Why me? So I had to take the vaccuum apart to find them and I did. The next chore... laundry!

So speaking of things that have never happened to me before, I have a second date with "B" tonight (no... I've had 2nd dates before.. just listen) So for our date he's cooking me dinner at his house. Ahhh, so sweet. It got me thinking, I've never had a guy cook for me before! Well, my live-in ex-boyfriend would reheat leftover lasagna, and put it on a plate for me, but that doesn't count. In fact the last couple guys I dated lived at home and home cooked meals from them included whatever their momma made.

So, this is a step up. I may not be the best at picking stellar men, but I may be getting better. Okay I do have a date tonight so I gotta go get dressed so I have time to change my outfit three more times :)

Time flies...

Okay so here's the catch up....
First of all, in regards to my absence, it snowed... a lot for where I live, and I work at a ski resort. I help manage our ski school and I am in charge of all our kids programs. Well, opening in November is unheard of, but we did it, and so I've been in a blizzard or work latley. The ski resort is more than my job, it's my lifestyle in the winter. But I absolutley love it, and how many people can say they really love their job?
One of the reasons I love working there is my season pass to snowboard all winter. But working in management doesn't allow you to get out there as much. However, for the sake of my sanity, I decided that I needed to take a couple runs. And so I did yesterday. It was great! I'm such a winter gal, I feel like a bear coming out of hibernation. The cool crisp air, the sound of snow under my board, setting a few edges in the courderoy, pow turns through the trees.... I'm so alive :)
Such good timing for me to go on a first date!! So I met "B" for a breakfast date today. I'll get to that in a minute....
I just want to say that finding out who you really are is one of the greatest feelings, but it also helps you decide who you are interested in to date. Like for me, I am trying not to have too many "deal breakers" when I look at an online profile, but I know what one of them is. A guy recently emailed me asking, "So if I can't ski or snowboard, is that a deal breaker?" and for the first time I had to really think about that. And the answer is yes. I'm not trying to put off people who are not into winter sports, it's just for me, that's who I am, it's my life in the winter, and someone who doesn't get that lifestyle can never understand my utter dedication to my work and the reason I take off with my snowboard for a whole day of peace and serenity. And a guy for me would be one who can share in that hobby of mine, be it on skis or a snowboard... at least I don't discriminate.
Okay, so breakfast with "B" this morning... We've been chatting online, sharing our favorite photography shots and talking about the snow. I've never met anyone from meeting online before, and the nerves didn't hit me until I turned onto the street where we were meeting... "Oh, God I'm going on a date!!!" But I must say, the coolest thing about online dating is, you already know you have some common ground and that first meeting is more like a validation that both of you are who you claim to be behind the screen. So yes, he really is who he has claimed to be. (owns his own business, snowboarded in Alaska, and yes divorced) I think he was really interested to see if I was really the girl I claimed (outdoorsy, laid-back chick, who loves to camp, snowboard and wakeboard, and just loves the mountains). As he mentioned, a lot of girls say they are all those things, but end up not really being as outdoorsy as they claim.
So as I sipped my coffee we chatted about our mutual passion to take snowboarding trips around the world, our respect and appreciation for black bears, and love of rocks! Yes, I like rocks, it's weird I know, and I wouldn't ever mention that I collect them... at least not on a first date. But turns out he has quite the collection himself.
Okay, so we're seeing eachother again next week, probably a snowboarding date or dinner date. I'm sure you can guess which one we're both leaning towards!

Shopping (aka online dating)

Okay there is no stigma, repeat, there is nothing worng with online dating. I'm not telling you, I'm telling myself.
I keep thinking... Why would good looking single guys who have their life together set up an online profile? Wait! Why would a single good looking gal who has her life together set up a profile? Fair enough.
Well, I did it and went browsing for single potentials like myself. And I started to realize why people do this online thing. I read many statements like, "I don't really go to bars and meet girls" or "There aren't many social events in my area", and "I have been fulfilling my career goals for the last couple years and now I would like to start dating" Okay, legitimate enough.

Of course I would love to walk into a coffee shop and bump into the love of my life. Maybe I'd have spilled my coffee and he would apologize and offer to buy me a new cup. We'd sit and chat for hours about common travel interests, folk music, and our love for the snow... Sigh*

I view this online dating thing as "shopping." I like to shop. Don't we all. I used to be an impulse shopper, yes, I saw it, I bought it, I took it home and tried to wash it, but the buttons fell off, or it shrank in the dryer. Needless to say, I don't wear it anymore.
I'm not an impulse shopper anymore. But I've become quite fond of window shopping lately. And I don't mind browsing, but I read labels more carefully now.

My life in words...

So I grew up like any other kid. Graduated high school and went to college. Presued my degree, got a great job. Live in a cute little house and saving to buy my own one day. I have some awesome friends, saving to go to Hawaii next year, and I love life. Yes life is moving along just fine... oh but wait, isn't there something else I should do... is this it, or is there another chapter?

Okay, okay, yes I'm single. There I said it. It's not like I never dated, I had the high school sweetheart, the college sweetheart, the guy I lived with for 5 years until he said he didn't want to get married.... okay, fine. Then I truly fell in love, and he broke my heart. Wow, that's what that feels like huh? I got off easy until then. So I've healed from that. It took awhile but my heart got patched up by someone who I let fall in love with me, and I broke his heart... crap! I suck at this game.

Okay fast forward, here I am. I've become quite content without a man in my life, which was a huge change from only being happy with a boyfriend. Now it's the opposite, I have to convince myself that having a guy in my life won't necessarily ruin my happiness. Funny how life's experiences change your outlook.

Alright, sorted my self out... now to look for eligible men.
They're around here somewhere...
hello? Anyone?
I forgot to mention that I live in a small town, in a small county. See this whole dating thing woule be easier if I had better resources.
To be continued.......