I Bid You Adieu...

So, today was the the day I broke it off with Paul...he was a really nice guy, no question there but I think he will forever live in his 20's (even though he's already to his thirty's)!  Our lifestyles just didn't mesh well together, I had mortgage and a house to take care of and he was footloose and fancy free with 1/3 of rent and utilities (with 2 other roommates).  With his membership to the 20/30 club he stayed busy with fundraisers (that part I didn't mind) but he also went to a club to drink/socialize 3-4 times a month MINIMUM (and that was too much for me!).  In short, I think we were on different paths and there was no sense in dragging on any longer (or through another holiday for that matter) so I pulled the plug and wished him well! 

I Was Invited to Paul's Annual Friendsgiving!?!

Paul and a bunch of his friends have family either out of town and or out of state making Thanksgiving with family difficult.  Instead they all get together every year for something they call "Friendsgiving".  They do it pot-luck style but it is otherwise a standard Thanksgiving with all the fixings!  It's a really cool tradition and everyone was very welcoming to me!

Soooooo sad...

^{Jackson Daniel Gordon (11/13/01—11/2/11)}

Today Paul's dog Jack died.  It was an extremely rough day for him but it admittedly hit a little too close to home for me too!  I can't (and don't want to) imagine loosing one of my girls.  :-(

Impromptu Backyard Wedding?!?!

Paul calls me on Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 11, 2011) to ask me to go with him to a wedding that was happening in the next 2 hours, WHAT?!?  His friend Cory Jenkins was going to marry Mandy Brewton (I knew her from school, she was Sherry's year) in a backyard ceremony with only a few friends and family in attendance.  They were planning a big reception in April 2012 for ALL their family and friends, but Cory had accepted a new job in Prescott, Arizona and wanted to be married prior to moving. It was crazy, I ran home to change into a dress and then he came by to pick me up.  It was the shortest wedding ever, but it was sweet.  Afterwards, we all went to dinner at a Mexican Restaurant to celebrate.  

Paul with Cory's Sister at the Mexican Restaurant after the wedding.

Mendiburu Magic Foundation Fundraiser

Paul tends to get quite a few perks from his membership with the 20/30 Club and in this case he was given tickets (worth 50 dollars each) to the Mendiburu Magic Foundation Fundraiser.  I went with him and a few of his other 20/30 Club friends.  It was a fun evening with a nice dinner a an auction you needed to be RICH to join into, seriously a cake went for over $800 dollars!!!  They had a crazy fun photo booth with all different types of props (hence the pink cowboy hat and sailor cap).  The security guard was a TRIP, she was crazy funny and even took pictures with a bunch of people!  She might've even been hitting on me, she kept insisting that I was a model (or should be)...telling me she was SURE she's seen my photo in a magazine or storefront window?!?  Who knows, they say everybody has a twin...but I just think she was a bit crazy!  

Christopher Thomas (left) was one of Paul's friends and roommates that we went with (I forget the other guy's name).

The crazy security guard...

Octoberfest 2011--Me & Paul

Paul invited me to go to Oktoberfest this year and I've never been so I said yes.  THEN he tells me that he and his friends from the 20/30 Club were working a beer booth and would be dressed in full lederhosen!!!  I'm thinking that I can't go in regular clothes because I'll look like the silly one standing next to him!  So I went to Fantasy Frocks where they have costumes you can rent and others you can buy!  I tried on rentals first hoping to find one that would would be long enough to cover my booty, but totally struck out.  So I had to start thinking outside of the box...I found a packaged costume I liked the colors of and the bodice fit perfectly, but the skirt was inappropriately short (for my taste anyway).  I bought it anyway and figured I'd sew myself a skirt to match!  I was actually able to use a brown skirt that I already owned because it matched the bodice perfectly and was a length I was comfortable with!  Then I just cut off the back of green skirt the costume came with and sewed it into a double apron in the front and wallah!  Next I found some pink wedge shoes that I liked and doctored them up by sewing on a light pink ribbon over the toe (so it would match the pink laces of the bodice) and sewed the brown bows from the white knee stockings on the heel strap in the back!  It all turned out so cute I actually had people asking me all night where I bought my costume!  Some were disappointed when I said I created it (knowing they couldn't purchase an equivalent) and the other half were impressed!  I was even asked by a random stranger if I'd take a picture with her...a bit strange, but I agreed.  Anyway, Paul had to work set-up for the event starting at like noon and was planning to simply change into his costume in a trailer?!?  Obviously, that wasn't gonna work for me so I just met him there around 5pm.  I'm actually glad I didn't get there much earlier, because the event really didn't have much going on.  There were beer booths, German food booths, some tables and not much else.  Later in the evening, there was a live polka-style band that added some entertainment too.  It was fun to chat and hang out with a wide variety of people, but it would have been too looooong of a day if I'd gone with him at noon!         

Same Photo...just tweaked to look like a chalk drawing!

Paul...Date # 2 = Monster Mini Golf

It's our second date.  Paul had bought a 2 for 1 coupon for Monster Mini Golf off of Groupon.  He thought it would be a fun twist on the standard mini-golf date.  I'd never even heard of the place (possibly because it was way on the other side of town @ White Lane and Stine) but it sounded like fun!  You walk in and the whole place is DARK, only lit with black lights so everything GLOWS!  It had neat paintings on the walls and props all around that were in bright neon glow in the dark type colors.  At the very end of the course, there was this big green ogre and I mean BIG! He had to be over 10 feet tall and 5 or so feet wide and he talked and moved (like with hydraulics)!!!  Long story short, it was fun to be a kid for a while in a cool environment with a nice person!  After mini-golf we went across the parking lot to the Mexican restaurant for a margarita and some food!  We closed out the night by stopping in at the Southwest Lanes Bowling Alley to say hello to some of his friends that were there.  Date two went well...bring on date three!    

Dating Round 4...1st Date with Paul

Dinner at the Blue Elephant with Paul for our 1st date and our 1st time meeting in person.  Paul picked the location after I said that I was comfortable with any kind of food except Indian.  I panicked a little when he said Thai food because I'd never had it before.  However, I pride myself on being open to try new things and being flexible enough to find something to order any place I go, so I started doing my research!  I talked to everyone at work that day, asking who'd eaten Thai food and what they'd recommend to a novice that has a slightly weak palate for spicy foods.  It was pretty unanimous, ordering the Pad Thai was at the top of the suggestion list!  I double checked that Pad Thai was in fact listed on the menu (thank goodness for the internet) and of-course it was much to my relief!  I met Paul that evening at the restaurant and we had a wonderful dinner with fluid conversation.  We were both enjoying the evening enough so that we decided to stay with the Elephant theme and continue our conversation over a drink at the Elephant Bar and we continued talking until the restaurant closed!  Date one down and looking forward to date two!  :-)   

Dating...Round 4, this time using Plenty of Fish.com....

A couple of friends pushed me to branch out from Match.com and create a profile on "Plenty Of Fish."  I was told that you have to be more careful on this site because it's a free site (so it doesn't weed out the gross guys just looking for a fling) and they weren't kidding!   I set all my preferences to try and ward off people that weren't dating seriously in hopes of finding a grown-up relationship!  So this is dating, round 4...meet, Paul Gordon (AKA: Pauley-P-Pump of Pumpkin Center, CA...which is on the southern end of Bakersfield, nearing Taft).  He is in marketing and public relations with a non-profit organization as a graphic design artist at Valley Achievement Center and the Marcom Group.  He is 29 years old (almost 30--October 4th is his birthday) and six feet tall with a stocky build.  He drove a little white Toyota Prius (which looked soooo small compared to his build), had a Pug named Jack, and lived in a house with two roommates.   

His "About Me" profile says: 
I enjoy art and history as well as a good time just having fun. I hope to someday be a successful writer, business owner and artist. I am a big fan of the underdog. I like helping those in need however I do not have a bleeding heart for those that are not willing to put the effort in to help themselves. I am the president of a non-profit charity group that helps underprivileged children. I enjoy spending most of my philanthropic time helping kids for I truly believe that they are the future of our country. I feel that a life served for others is a life well lived. Aside from my serious side I like to let loose and have a good time. I think if you can't laugh at yourself and the world you can't appreciate life. I think if a friend would describe me they would say that I my best characteristic is my humor. I enjoy rock and country music and I love a night out singing karaoke. If you do not like laughing don't waste either of our time, otherwise I would love to hear from you.  
His Perfect First Date :Getting to know each other and seeing if our personalities make a good match. If you can make me laugh, you will have a special place in my heart.  

Dating round 3...THE END!

I got home from work today and there was a motorcycle in my driveway?!?  No warning, no call, nothing.  Chris Smith had driven down to Bakersfield from Onyx with a backpack packed expecting to pick me up and take me to the beach?!  What was he thinking...or was he???  At this point I had seriously had enough...texting, calling, showering me with gifts, showing up everywhere unannounced...maybe that works for some girls but NOT this one!  He was the kind of nice guy that needed a girl who wanted to be put on a pedestal and treated like a queen, but I just can't live like that.  So I began the letting him down easy process, knowing he was sensitive and truly meant well, I didn't want to hurt his feelings.  This was difficult because I was beyond frustrated and just wanted to scream!  I had NO idea what I was in for...this was nearly a FIVE hour breakup (no exaggeration)!!!  At one point I got slightly nervous because he'd gone through every emotion and had gotten mad !  I sent a text to my mom (who was working dispatch for the police at the high school football games) as an FYI to sent out the SWAT team if I'm never heard from again.  She then text my friend Kim (because she only lives a couple miles away) who went all covert!  Kim drove over to my house (well, near it), parked in the adjacent cul-de-sac so she could see my front yard (where Chris and I were...talking/arguing).  She turned all private investigator and began sending play-by-play texts to my mom to assure her I was alright.  Finally he accepted the fact that I'd made up my mind and wasn't gonna change it, I offered to give back the necklace, he refused to take it back and left.  I was emotionally exhausted by the whole ordeal and went inside...I didn't learn of Mom and Kim's covert affairs until the next day (which was good, because by then I could laugh about it)!  Dating is ROUGH, ugh!!!

Flowers at work?!?

It's Tuesday, the second day of the 2011-2012 school year and  I get a call from switchboard telling me I had a delivery at the front?!?   It was the middle of 2nd period, so Linda (my aide and friend) volunteered to go up to the front and pick up whatever this delivery was.  She comes back with a boquet of flowers and of-course the students go wild with ooohs and ahhhs teasing about a boyfriend (exactly what one would expect from a room full of high school students)!  Mind you, it's only been two days since Chris Smith gave me a gorgeous "thank you" necklace and now flowers!?!  Then the card...said something about how the seashell reminded him of my favorite place, the ocean (not sure where he got the idea that the ocean was my favorite place, other than maybe from a conversation about how I like to take the girls to the dog beach in Avila)???  Anyway that overwhelming feeling of suffocation set in again and by the time I got to the signature of the card I'd had enough.  It was signed, from Chris, (his two dogs) Hunter, Shylo, (and if that wasn't enough, my two dogs even made the list!) Baylie, and Ginger.  Geesh! 

The necklace...on the 3rd date?!?!

It was after our third date when Chris Smith said he wanted to give me something to show his thanks for going with him on a 24 hour adventure to his family wedding.  He prefaced the presentation by saying he'd visited Australia with his family and one day he and his father went shopping for jewelry (something his father did regularly for his mother) and he came across this necklace and had to buy it!  It was from The Perth Mint, Australia.  He said at the time of purchase he had no idea who was destined to wear it but knew it would be perfect for someone, sometime.  Then he told me that it looked like something I'd wear, thought it would look beautiful on me, and ultimately wanted me to have it!  When he handed me the box I had a miniature "Pretty Woman" moment because I'd never seen jewelry in a boxed presentation like that before!  Then I opened it and WOW it was really pretty and it WAS something I would've picked for myself!?!  It was so strange, shocking, and sweet that someone who has only known me for a short time could choose something so perfect!  Unfortunately, the one unwanted thought that flashed through brain was that he was getting too attached too fast and I was beginning to feel suffocated.  I really wasn't sure if I should accept it, and I told him it was too much!  He insisted that it was simply a thank you and he wanted me to have it, so I thanked him and put it on...so cute!   

Susanville...never heard of it?!?!

The day Chris and I went to the Tehachapi Wine Festival (Aug. 6th, 2011) we had a LOT of time to talk considering the hour drive up, 4 or so hours at the event and then another hour drive home.  We talked about a little bit of everything.  One of the stories that came up was that he'd had a slight falling out with some of his family members (over what, I can't quite remember, but I could relate to this problem rather well, considering my own family's fallout after the divorce so I was sympathetic.  Long story short, he had a family wedding to attend and wasn't sure (due to the fallout) if he really wanted to go, but his mother was really pressuring him, reminding him it'd be a chance to see his grandparents and extended family.  He knew it was a lot to ask, but not wanting to go alone he asked if I'd be willing to accompany him.  Being sympathetic to his concerns, and knowing I myself wouldn't be comfortable attending a wedding alone, I agreed to go with him.  Note to self...next time ask WHERE the wedding is before accepting an invitation!!!!  His family lived up near the Stockton/Turlock area (above Fresno) so I dare assumed it would be there...well you know what they say about assuming?!?  Yeah, so he tells me it's in Susanville...never heard of it, so I decided to Google it!  HOLY COW, it was at the tippy-top of California...a little over an EIGHT hour drive!  We at one point had to cross in and out of the Nevada border to get there!  We left town on the 13th around 7am, stopping to get some lunch and then once more at his grandmother's house to stretch and change into our wedding attire.  Then it was off to the wedding that was to begin at 4:30 (if I remember right).  It was at the Susanville fairgrounds...I didn't know that part when I selected my attire but Chris dressed to match me, so we just looked like a very city-slicker couple walking into a country-hick wedding, no big deal!  The wedding was cute, there were deer walking around in the background and the food was yummy barbeque.  I had asked prior to the wedding how Chris planned to introduce me at the wedding (considering this was technically our 2nd date) because I wasn't really comfortable with him calling me a girlfriend just yet.  We decided to just go with friends, but his family ignored that I think!  They were all very nice and welcoming, but they asked a lot of get-to-know me questions, took a lot of pictures of the two of us and even forced me into one of the family wedding photos (unfortunately, I didn't end up with any of them)!?!  I ducked out of that mess as soon as I found an out!  After the wedding his parents tried to convince Chris to stay at the hotel and not drive home, but he'd promised we'd go up and back in a day knowing it'd be silly to pay for two hotel rooms, but that staying together in one would be REALLY awkward on our second date.  I appreciated the concern, but I was tired enough at this point (a little after 10pm-- when I'd gotten up around 5am to do my hair and makeup) I probably would've agreed to sleep over the eight hour drive home, but that's not what happened!  We said our goodbyes, assured his parents that we'd keep each other awake and drive carefully, pulling over to sleep if we needed to and then hit the road!  We stopped for snacks and energy drinks about half way and finally arrived at my house about 7am...yup that was almost exactly a 24 hour, non-stop date, whew!!!  I did however insist that he at least sleep for a few hours on my couch before heading home (which was another hour or so away up the canyon above Lake Isabella in Onyx, CA) because it'd be much easier to fall asleep at the wheel driving alone!  We both crashed for a few hours then I sent him on his way with one more energy drink just in case!

The dress I wore to the wedding.

Yes, I realize that I blinked, but these are the only photos I have...oh-well!  :-)

Match.com--First Date With Chris Smith

For our first date Chris invited me to the Tehachapi Wine Festival. Although I accepted, it worried me a little because typically for ANY first date it is my policy to meet at the date location so that I have my own way out if I need it.  In this case, he insisted on picking me up due to his old-fashioned, chivalrous ways.  He found my house, we had a slightly awkward greeting and then he opened the door to his big white truck, then had an hour long drive ahead of us!  Luckily conversation flowed rather nicely and soon enough I was comfortable with his driving style.  When we arrived he got out and walked around to let me out...it was soooo crazy trying to ignore my inherent independent urge to just jump out (but I didn't)!  The evening was really fun just moseying around, chatting, nibbling on different food samples and tasting various beers and wines.  By the end of the night, I welcomed date number 2!

The BEST thing I think I ate ALL night...freshly baked German soft pretzel (dipped in mustard of-course to soak up the beer in my belly)!  :-)

Of the beers we tasted this was one of my favorites (never had it before)!  Plus, I got to keep the glass!

Match.com Dating--Round 3

Meet: speedracer6290 (AKA: Christopher Michael Smith 4-19-79)

About Him:

I want to meet that person I can't wait to see, that person that makes me feel 10 feet tall and bulletproof, I want to meet my forever. Just recently I realized that I need to add a warning label to my profile: WARNING: I love to make people smile, I love to buy flowers and give compliments, and I'm a hopeless romantic with a huge heart full of love for that someone special.

A little about me...I live to laugh and I love to enjoy life. I love the outdoors...camping, hunting, fishing, 4 wheeling, I love it all.....and if it has an engine, I'm all over it. Motorcycles, cars, trucks, boats, etc....if it has an engine I've either worked on it, raced it, or wrecked it. I enjoy getting my hands dirty....whether it's working on race cars all over the country like I used to do, or building something special for that someone special in my life, I love to take an idea and make it a reality using nothing but my bear hands and God given talents. I'm old fashioned and know how to treat a woman so if you don't want to be respected, can't stand to have the door opened for you, or don't want to be happy then I'm definitely not right for you.

Now what I'm looking for.....I'm looking for tons of laughs, someone attractive inside as well as out, a great personality, and zero drama. I want someone that can trust and be trusted....likes to go out with friends and family, but also likes to cuddle up on the couch to watch a movie or just sit there over a cup of something hot and converse. I love a woman that will get her hands dirty but is also willing to dress up for a night on the town. Most importantly...I want someone that wants to be happy....it kind of sounds odd to say that but trust me, there are people out there that I swear cannot be happy with anything.

It's a bit unbelievable how I can converse with people for hours on end about everything, but when I have to talk about me and who I'm looking for I end up struggling trying to find the words. It's so tough to write about yourself and then try to realize all that you would like to see in your forever. So, in saying that, I hope this gives you a small little glimpse into who I am and who I'm looking for and please don't hesitate to shoot me an email if you have any questions or just to simply say hi.

Happy Hunting!