Match.com that is.
As open and honest as I am on most days, or more like every day, I have not told many people one tid-bit about my life over the last few months. Besides the whole quarter life crisis that led to a decision to go back to school and move to Portland. But I already came clean about that one.
Yes, I joined an online dating site. I allowed the internet to do my match making for me. Scary, right? Yes and no. Some of it was a little strange, some of it was fun. I met some great guys, met some interesting guys, met some guys that are trying way too hard, some that should try a little harder, and some that aren't paying much attention to what a girl is looking for. If you are 50, you are outside of my age range, and the same age as my dad. Why don't you talk to him about dating his daughter? Seriously.
Speaking of my dad, he was the one that suggested I give online dating a try. After picking my jaw up off the floor when I heard those words come out of his mouth, I protested the idea. And made it very clear that I did not need to resort to the internet for a date. Just yet. But in his defense, I was going through a breakup at the time and I'm sure he was only trying to help.
But when he suggested it again a few months later I started to wonder if he really was convinced I needed to consult with a team of relationship specialists that spend hours pouring over the profiles of the less fortunate single people like myself that just couldn't get it figured out on their own, matching people with their soul mates. Because I'm sure that's how it's done right? Based on some of the gents I was matched with, I highly doubt that is how it's done.
And obviously I gave in and decided to give it a shot. Or maybe I was just jilted by another failed relationship and thought at the very least I could give myself something to do. Being bored is an excellent reason to sign up for a dating site, it instantly gives you something to do. And plenty of people to talk to. Okay, so that's probably not the best reason, don't tell them I said that.
Out of all the guys I emailed, chatted with, texted, and talked on the phone with, I only met two. The first one didn't work out, but I am happy to have met him. He is a great guy, I hope some lucky girl finds him soon. The second one I completely blew off and didn't meet until months later.
It was near the end of October and I had been talking to and fighting off men I had met on Match for almost a month. I mean that in the very least vain way possible, if that is possible. It was growing old and I suddenly felt like the Bachelorette. I couldn't keep track of who I was emailing, who I was texting, who I was calling, who I was supposed to see on Thursday and then on Friday and who the heck was calling me from the 425 number or the 360 number. It was getting a little crazy. Even for me. I realized the fun of having multiple people interested in you was a novelty that was quick to wear off.
It was then that I met Craig. I honestly don't remember who contacted each other first. But we talked a little back and forth on the website, then exchanged phone numbers, and then made plans for our first date. He seemed like a nice guy, not someone I didn't trust giving my address to. And we had similar interests, such as hunting and being outdoors. Plus we could talk to each other easily enough over the phone.
And it was then that I blew Craig off. For someone else. Someone that I didn't meet on a dating website. Someone that I had dated before and had just come back into the picture. There was no guarantee that things would work out a second time around with so-and-so...but he was familiar to me. I already knew him and didn't have to worry about a blind date with someone I had met online. And after all the texts, phone calls, emails, and winks (a wink is way of letting someone know you are interested in them on Match) I was getting a little tired of the online dating game. So I kindly told Craig I was seeing someone else and removed my Match profile.
Almost two months later and I was still single. My hopeful attempt at second, or third, times the charm with that one guy didn't go as planned. Although this time around I was just fine with that. Realizing that we were better as friends and I was fine to be on my own, without any Match dates, I decided to just focus on myself and enjoy my last few months in Pullman before moving to Portland. I did not want a date, a boyfriend, or anything of that nature.
But life never really goes how you plan it, does it? I just couldn't help thinking about the guy that did want to go on a date with me that I blew off for the guy that didn't want to date me. Why do us women do that? Finally, I decided to text him. I wasn't interested in dating him, I just wanted to apologize. Why do us women also do that? Always feel the need to apologize, even to people we've never met face to face.
He had deleted my number. I don't blame him. After I told him who I was, we started catching up a little bit. And before I knew it, I had a date again. A date that should have happened two months ago.
We chose to go cut down a Christmas tree for my apartment. Before I could let myself get nervous, I had to figure out what to wear. Duh. Here was my dilemma: Does a girl look her best, without concerning herself with proper tree cutting attire? Or does she do the opposite? Dress for a walk in the woods and not care about the first date impression. Who do I want to be? "Fashion forward" Erica or "I Hunt and Like Spending Time in the Woods and am Not Afraid to Get Dirty" Erica? I decided to be myself. Which is a combination of both. I wore a cute, new top with cute, new jeans, my cowboy boots, and a vest to keep me warm. He later said I looked gorgeous. Awww. :)
It's a good thing I spotted my perfect Christmas tree within five minutes and we were back in the truck within ten. I really didn't want to ruin those new jeans.
It was the perfect first date. Almost as good as the perfect second date we had the next day. I'm not quite sure he believed me when I said I loved it, so I'll say it again. I loved the nearly two hour drive down to the Grand Ronde river where we walked, hiked, talked, and sat on a hill in a canyon, enjoying a beautiful, sunny day and watching the river below and the picture-perfect scenery around us. I knew then that this guy was definitely someone very special.
Craig, who I may refer to as "Mountain Man" in my posts, because he truly is a man that loves the outdoors and would probably spend most of his free time out in the wilderness, alone, hunting and watching wildlife, living off of nothing, and enjoying it. I completely admire him for this. I just won't let him plan the vacations.
I'm not sure I would suggest online dating to everyone. If you do find yourself sifting through profiles on Match.com or another similar site, just remember to have fun with it. And always trust your gut and be safe. I knew there was a reason why I couldn't get the guy I blew off and never met out of my head.
So I guess the internet is good for some things. It brought the world facebook. And it brought me my Mountain Man.
"Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans."
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Tip and Tricks for Getting Up Early. From a Gal That Loves to Sleep In.
I'm talkin very early. At least for me.
And yes, I have been MIA on this blog for a little too long. It's called the holidays, a busy season for anyone that is a part of a family or has a job. Which includes practically everyone. So gimme a break.
It's no secret that I like to sleep in. The snooze button is definitely my frenemy, which means I have a love/hate relationship with it. Love it at 6:15 when it first tells me to get up and I know I can hit it at least once, or maybe twice. And I absolutely despise it when it's ringing and vibrating somewhere under my pillow where I shoved it ten minutes ago. And now, 10 minutes later, and 30 minutes late, I am about ready to chuck it across the room as I shoot out of bed. By the way, this alarm clock is my iPhone, which I would never throw anywhere or at anything. Because we all know us iPhoners are addicted to our iPhones.
I'm a night owl and a childhood spent suffering from insomnia only secured my habit of staying up late. No longer a slave to staring blankly at a dark ceiling and praying for sleep to come, I stay up late because I like to. Going to bed at 8 or even 9pm seems so boring! I have TV shows, a Netflix movie, or both to watch before the next day. I have facebook that I must check regularly. A bottle, I mean a glass, of wine to drink. Dishes to do and clothes to put away while listening to Pandora. Or maybe even a blog to write. Online shopping. A night out with friends. A book I can't put down. I can think of plenty of reasons to stay up. Especially when I just have to get up and go to my job the next day. Because my days are committed to work, from 8am to 5pm, after I get home I want to do what I want to do, and take my time doing it.
Another thing I love to do on my own time is work out. I love to run. After joining a gym last year I started running again regularly for the first time in a long time. Getting up to six miles a day was my peak this summer. And then, after the carefree days of summer and long daylight hours had passed, I started to slip. A little each week until, to my unliking, I wasn't running or going to the gym at all. When I started at the gym I was going at 5:30 in the morning. But that barely gave me enough time to do a full workout without having to hurry back home to get ready for work. Then I started going right after work. Then I got so busy neither one of these seemed to satisfy my overpowering need to sleep in and take a nap the minute I got home from a long day.
What I have come to realize is that no matter how busy, tired, stressed, or crazed you are, the best thing you can do for yourself is keep up your regular, healthy habits. With my mind firmly set on breaking my non active cycle, I decided to make the gym my bff. Again. This time, I told myself the morning was my best bet. Leaving my evening to be taken up by whatever activity I desired. Whether it be cleaning, socializing, or curled up on my couch. But instead of the old 5:30am routine I knew that an earlier gym entrance was best. So now, my alarm wakes me up at 4:30am, ready or not.
As a self-proclaimed night owl and sleep-in-aholic, I have had to think of ways to trick myself into getting up this early. Here are some tips.
Go to bed early. Duh. This no-brainer becomes my biggest obstacle in getting up on time for an early morning. But I'm usually tired at about 7 or 8 pm. But too many times I just sit up until I get my second wind. A second wind is great on a Friday or Saturday night, but not when the amount of hours you can sleep is limited. Although I'm still working on this, I try and do something less active or requiring less thought when I start to get tired. Cleaning energizes me, so does a movie, and sometimes even a book. But if I have mellow music on and read a magazine, with shorter stories and articles, I get bored and give in to being tired more easily. Or, when you are tired and ready for bed, just go to bed. Turn off the lights, turn off your brain, and give in to sleep.
Set your alarm clock for the time you need to get up. Even though I am the snooze-button Queen, I have realized that if I hit snooze once I'll more than likely do it again. And again. All the while I'm not really even sleeping, just thinking of reasons why I should just stay in bed. So set the alarm for the time you need to get up and do it.
Turn on a light. If I turn on the light next to bed as soon as I turn off my alarm I wake up much faster. Even though it's nearly painful at first, turning on my light right away helps tremendously if I have any ideas about getting "just five more minutes".
Personalize your alarm. If possible. I have my iPhone alarm set as a ringtone. My alarm also has a name, which I have set as something that encourages me to get up. So when 4:30 hits and I reach for the alarm, it is not only a song that I associate with being motivated, but I am staring at the words "Be Your Best" and I'd feel way too guilty about shutting that off. If you don't have this capability, get a radio alarm clock or something similar. Switch it to a station that plays music that will help you wake up. And don't shut it off right away. Let it go on until your brain has registered the music and it starts to wake you up.
Stretch. Even if you plan on stretching at the gym, rejuvenate those tired limbs and get the blood flowing.
Start your car early. Especially this winter. Once your outside in the cold air you are sure to be wide awake. Go start your car then head back in to let it warm up and you can get ready.
Have your workout gear ready to go. Set out everything you need the night before. The pre-planning will give you the extra minutes to have a snack.
Eat something. Unless you are a robot and don't need fuel to keep you going. If I skip a pre-workout snack I lose steam quite quickly, feel hungry, and want to go home sooner. My morning pre-workout faves are a banana or a Fiber One bar. They are easy to eat on the go and don't fill me up too much to weigh me down while I'm logging miles on the treadmill.
Go to the gym. Obviously, this is a main point, but sometimes I wake up and can't shake the "I wanna go back to bed" blues. Even while feeling this way I make myself go to the gym. Once I'm there that feeling is usually gone. And I end up having a great workout. There was one time that I got to the gym and couldn't find the energy to get through my work out, so I cut it short and headed home for a quick 20 minute power nap before getting ready for work. In that situation, I really just needed the sleep. But that was just one time in the many, many times I just made myself at least get there. And isn't that half the battle?
I love my morning workouts. I loved my after work workouts too. But hitting the gym at the start of my day always makes it so much better. I feel more energized and find that's it's easier to continue making healthy choices throughout the day. It also helps to have a workout partner. My workout partner, Heather, is great at texting me in the morning, making sure I am up and ready. Even though I've come up with my own get-the-hell-outta-bed plan, it's encouraging to know I'm not the only one crazy enough to go running at 5am.
Happy Holidays everyone and may you make good, healthy choices...or deliciously naughty ones in the form of too many Christmas cookies, peanut brittle, and egg nog. I certainly will indulge a little...'tis the season!
Either way, enjoy yourself, your family, and all of your loved ones.
And yes, I have been MIA on this blog for a little too long. It's called the holidays, a busy season for anyone that is a part of a family or has a job. Which includes practically everyone. So gimme a break.
It's no secret that I like to sleep in. The snooze button is definitely my frenemy, which means I have a love/hate relationship with it. Love it at 6:15 when it first tells me to get up and I know I can hit it at least once, or maybe twice. And I absolutely despise it when it's ringing and vibrating somewhere under my pillow where I shoved it ten minutes ago. And now, 10 minutes later, and 30 minutes late, I am about ready to chuck it across the room as I shoot out of bed. By the way, this alarm clock is my iPhone, which I would never throw anywhere or at anything. Because we all know us iPhoners are addicted to our iPhones.
I'm a night owl and a childhood spent suffering from insomnia only secured my habit of staying up late. No longer a slave to staring blankly at a dark ceiling and praying for sleep to come, I stay up late because I like to. Going to bed at 8 or even 9pm seems so boring! I have TV shows, a Netflix movie, or both to watch before the next day. I have facebook that I must check regularly. A bottle, I mean a glass, of wine to drink. Dishes to do and clothes to put away while listening to Pandora. Or maybe even a blog to write. Online shopping. A night out with friends. A book I can't put down. I can think of plenty of reasons to stay up. Especially when I just have to get up and go to my job the next day. Because my days are committed to work, from 8am to 5pm, after I get home I want to do what I want to do, and take my time doing it.
Another thing I love to do on my own time is work out. I love to run. After joining a gym last year I started running again regularly for the first time in a long time. Getting up to six miles a day was my peak this summer. And then, after the carefree days of summer and long daylight hours had passed, I started to slip. A little each week until, to my unliking, I wasn't running or going to the gym at all. When I started at the gym I was going at 5:30 in the morning. But that barely gave me enough time to do a full workout without having to hurry back home to get ready for work. Then I started going right after work. Then I got so busy neither one of these seemed to satisfy my overpowering need to sleep in and take a nap the minute I got home from a long day.
What I have come to realize is that no matter how busy, tired, stressed, or crazed you are, the best thing you can do for yourself is keep up your regular, healthy habits. With my mind firmly set on breaking my non active cycle, I decided to make the gym my bff. Again. This time, I told myself the morning was my best bet. Leaving my evening to be taken up by whatever activity I desired. Whether it be cleaning, socializing, or curled up on my couch. But instead of the old 5:30am routine I knew that an earlier gym entrance was best. So now, my alarm wakes me up at 4:30am, ready or not.
As a self-proclaimed night owl and sleep-in-aholic, I have had to think of ways to trick myself into getting up this early. Here are some tips.
Go to bed early. Duh. This no-brainer becomes my biggest obstacle in getting up on time for an early morning. But I'm usually tired at about 7 or 8 pm. But too many times I just sit up until I get my second wind. A second wind is great on a Friday or Saturday night, but not when the amount of hours you can sleep is limited. Although I'm still working on this, I try and do something less active or requiring less thought when I start to get tired. Cleaning energizes me, so does a movie, and sometimes even a book. But if I have mellow music on and read a magazine, with shorter stories and articles, I get bored and give in to being tired more easily. Or, when you are tired and ready for bed, just go to bed. Turn off the lights, turn off your brain, and give in to sleep.
Set your alarm clock for the time you need to get up. Even though I am the snooze-button Queen, I have realized that if I hit snooze once I'll more than likely do it again. And again. All the while I'm not really even sleeping, just thinking of reasons why I should just stay in bed. So set the alarm for the time you need to get up and do it.
Turn on a light. If I turn on the light next to bed as soon as I turn off my alarm I wake up much faster. Even though it's nearly painful at first, turning on my light right away helps tremendously if I have any ideas about getting "just five more minutes".
Personalize your alarm. If possible. I have my iPhone alarm set as a ringtone. My alarm also has a name, which I have set as something that encourages me to get up. So when 4:30 hits and I reach for the alarm, it is not only a song that I associate with being motivated, but I am staring at the words "Be Your Best" and I'd feel way too guilty about shutting that off. If you don't have this capability, get a radio alarm clock or something similar. Switch it to a station that plays music that will help you wake up. And don't shut it off right away. Let it go on until your brain has registered the music and it starts to wake you up.
Stretch. Even if you plan on stretching at the gym, rejuvenate those tired limbs and get the blood flowing.
Start your car early. Especially this winter. Once your outside in the cold air you are sure to be wide awake. Go start your car then head back in to let it warm up and you can get ready.
Have your workout gear ready to go. Set out everything you need the night before. The pre-planning will give you the extra minutes to have a snack.
Eat something. Unless you are a robot and don't need fuel to keep you going. If I skip a pre-workout snack I lose steam quite quickly, feel hungry, and want to go home sooner. My morning pre-workout faves are a banana or a Fiber One bar. They are easy to eat on the go and don't fill me up too much to weigh me down while I'm logging miles on the treadmill.
Go to the gym. Obviously, this is a main point, but sometimes I wake up and can't shake the "I wanna go back to bed" blues. Even while feeling this way I make myself go to the gym. Once I'm there that feeling is usually gone. And I end up having a great workout. There was one time that I got to the gym and couldn't find the energy to get through my work out, so I cut it short and headed home for a quick 20 minute power nap before getting ready for work. In that situation, I really just needed the sleep. But that was just one time in the many, many times I just made myself at least get there. And isn't that half the battle?
I love my morning workouts. I loved my after work workouts too. But hitting the gym at the start of my day always makes it so much better. I feel more energized and find that's it's easier to continue making healthy choices throughout the day. It also helps to have a workout partner. My workout partner, Heather, is great at texting me in the morning, making sure I am up and ready. Even though I've come up with my own get-the-hell-outta-bed plan, it's encouraging to know I'm not the only one crazy enough to go running at 5am.
Happy Holidays everyone and may you make good, healthy choices...or deliciously naughty ones in the form of too many Christmas cookies, peanut brittle, and egg nog. I certainly will indulge a little...'tis the season!
Either way, enjoy yourself, your family, and all of your loved ones.
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