Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Ice Cream and Daisies

As we all know, I love movies and watch TV quite a bit. Although I have been outside with someone new, when things start out I still have to face one fact, when things are of good quality they take time to develop. So I've still got nights where I'm watching lots of TV and that's just fine.

HBO is currently playing the film Going the Distance with Drew Barrymore and Justin Long. Just for the record, Drew Barrymore is one of my favorite actresses, she's just so rockingly cool. I love the fact that she's pretty brash. So, I got a huge laugh out of the film. Actually, it's the first time in a long time I've watched a film that's relationship-centric and had a really huge laugh out of it without having any anxiety about it at all. So, as you can guess, I think I'm turning another corner.

Lately, I've switched gears in what movies I like to watch. Before, I spent time with It's Complicated, The First Wives Club, Eat Pray Love and other divorcee kind of films, you know the kinds that are all about putting your life back together after catastrophe hits. Now, I'm spending more time with movies like Going the Distance, that have tons of romance in them, that are funny and have a great sense of innocence about them when it comes to dating, so I'm limiting my bitterness intake and replacing it with being more hopeful.

One of the reasons I think Going the Distance is so hysterical is because how they cast Christina Applegate as Drew Barrymore's sister. Ok, put those two next to each other with the way the lines were written and it is just like watching me and Nan. Oh, there were some moments where Christina Applegate channeled Nan to a T, and said things that were almost verbatim of what she's told me in the past. It was just so fun to be reminded of Nan that way, it made me appreciate her all the more.

But we'll get back to Nan in a minute, we've got to talk about ice cream first...

Last Tuesday I sat outside eating ice cream under a star-filled sky next to a really good looking man. Yeah, there's someone new, but sorry, no details outside of the fact that he's got crystal blue eyes, this amazing voice, a great smile and an incredible sense of humor. Going out for ice cream was a bizarre moment because first, I've never had a man take me out for ice cream, and second, I was completely myself with my usual quirks, issues and neuroses, was totally at ease and didn't fall on my face once. Ok, it doesn't hurt that the person who sat next to me has his own issues, his own quirks and his own neuroses that are very similar to my own. We actually sat and talked about triggers, therapists, personal growth and all of the things you're really NOT supposed to talk about when you start dating. But what was bizarre to me is that it felt like I had known him for a long time.  There was no awkwardness or anything like that, things just flowed.  Believe it or not, he actually talks just as much as I do, and just as fast. Yeah, nod with me, that's pretty damn cool.

In the last week we've had some little things happen, things that yes, you would find in a Drew Barrymore film and laugh your butt off at. I can't tell the one bad story, it would just sound outright cruel, but what happened is actually pretty funny, but you can't tell the story until after it becomes an actual serious relationship and you're celebrating your 20th anniversary. It's just one of those where you go, "I can't believe that happened and OMG that's so horrible, but that's really funny." So, if things progress with my new blue eyed friend, maybe someday I'll share it. Let's just put it this way, the unintentional stumble that caused him to land on his face caused me to trip over him and land on mine. After that little event happened, I was a little put off, but in hind sight, it's actually hysterically ironic that we would both go down together. Hey, relationships, it's a team thing, right? LOL! At the time, I didn't find it as funny as I do now, but sufficed to say, I called Nan to dish the next day, told her about what happened, and after she patiently listened to me rant, it was her turn to talk.

You have to admit, having a sibling to give you advice is a double-edged sword because while they're always going to protect and support you, they don't always agree with where your logic goes; and sometimes that is an awesome thing. Like it or not, our siblings act as a mirror for us. They are the gut-check and the honesty that you forget to have when you're all wound up. I'm grateful for Nan, if it wouldn't have been for her metaphorically giving me a slap gently in the back of the head and reminding me to not be prideful, I wouldn't have had the most amazing time last night. After my talk with Nan and her reminding me of a few very common sense things, the next day I called her back and grumbled at her saying, "I hate it when you're right." She got a big laugh out of that. I then stepped up to the table to eat my words, so I called him and apologized for being prideful. Yesterday, he showed up at my door with a handful of white daisies. I'm grateful he's super patient and understanding, and was sweet enough to bring daisies to make me smile. Awesome.  

So, like a scene out of a movie, yesterday he and I sat and had a beautiful meal together, then went to this groovy little place called the Tenaya Brewing Company. He picked out this great ale for me (you know I rarely ever drink beer, but I always try to at least try one new thing each time I'm out to expand my horizons a bit). I had never had a beer with an orange slice in it before, so I sat and listened as he talked about how when he traveled in Europe and learned how to like beer. We sat there for a while, talking, laughing and it was so incredibly funny when I found out that I was wrong to think I was a walking innuendo because no no, he's got me beat. He takes flirting to a very funny place that is so cute. I've never laughed so hard. Remember, I grew up with Nan, so that means you have to be quick witted to the point of light speed. You can toss a quip at Nan and she'll catch it and throw it back at you so quick it could take your head off. Well, my new friend is right there at the speed I'm used to, so when the wit started flying, things zoomed back and forth at a perfect speed. There were moments where some quips had a bit of zing to them, and you know what, he and I must get each other's sense of humor because nothing hurt and I finally found out what it's like to be around someone who can joke around without hurting me! You know how I always complain that there are no men smart enough to keep up? Well, he can. And if that's not enough to bring a tear to your eye and cheer for me, giving me a "right on!" I don't know what will. I had so much fun! It was nice to sit across from someone who feels like an equal. I know it's early yet, but still, there's a little sparkle of something there which I never thought I'd ever see again.  It's wonderful and I'm going to be grateful for it. Raj has always told me I was hanging out with the wrong people, and I never really got it, now I see where he's coming from.

I called Nan to dish this morning and told her thank you for slapping my head back on straight. Without Nan doing what she did, KP teaching me how to build bridges to get over things and Raj insisting that I get back into the game, I wouldn't have had such a wonderful time.  

Over the last seven days, I've had brilliant company, ice cream and daisies.

That's a good thing.

For the song of the day, I'm going to grab a song I like from the film Going the Distance, The Boxer Rebellion's "Spitting Fire."

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