Seriously Cool!

Saturday, I met up with Melissa of This Is It, Seriously? blog and she's even prettier in person and so much fun! It was awesome to talk about intimate details of each others lives, freely, with someone that you just met-all thanks to the power of the blogosphere!

I wish I could have hung out with Melissa and her friends longer but unfortunately I got extremely motion sick while we were on the way to a house party. I had to excuse myself and leave, which I was super bummed about. There was so much I wanted to "catch up on"! But when talking makes you want to lose your cookies, you just want your bed to recover.

On my way back to my hotel, I took a walking detour of Central London because I couldn't be in the cab one second longer. It was that bad. I think the main culprit was taking a aspirin on an empty stomach. Not wise. It left me out of commission and unable to go ice skating with Melissa and her super posh London friends the next day, too. Sadness.

I really hope she makes it back to London soon...and I have a feeling she will!;) And when she does I'll be equipped with a full stomach and hopped up on Antivert pills! (Because, yes, this sort of thing- losing control of my body- happens all the flipping time!)

Good Day, Mate....

For my get together with Aussie, I decided to take him to my local pub around the corner from my hotel. I did this a) it is freaking freezing outside and I wanted to get from point A to point B fairly fast without getting frost bite and b) it's extremely windy in London and by the time I get anywhere, I look like a complete 180 degrees from what I looked like primping in the mirror beforehand. So around the corner pub it was.

Aussie met me in the lobby of my hotel. He was cute, but not as cute as I remember him being and he was dressed okay....(the way guys dress is a big turn on for me and no lights were being switched on). We got to the pub and ordered a round. The conversation flowed which is nice. And by the time we were on round 4, I was feeling pretty good. (Note: my limit is 3 Bacardi and Diet Cokes).

The pub closed at 11pm for some reason and we headed back to my hotel so that we could say goodnight. We walked into the lobby and noticed gobs of people spilling out of the hotel bar. Against my better judgement, I agreed to have another drink. We people watched and made up stories and fun of people which was actually very entertaining and I was quite witty. There was some kissing on the couch we were sitting on but no real sparks went off which was a let down. Somehow 11pm turned into 1am and I had to work in the morning so I said I should probably go to bed. Aussie then informed me that the tube stops running at 12:30am, which I knew about and that he wasn't sure how to get home on the night bus. Convenient, huh? So somehow he ended up in my room.

The drinks were still talking in my head so we started kissing and fell to the bed. Again the kissing was okay. There was much deep kissing action like I like and so he stayed wading in the shallow end, if you will. I kept telling him that I wanted to take things slow. The only rated PG13 part was when we both had our shirts off. That's as far as I let it go. I'm sure it could have gone further if Aunt Flow wouldn't have taken up residence in my body for the past month but I'm really glad it didn't. And I didn't even go near the Peni because I didn't want to wake the beast...although there was 60 seconds of 9th grade dry humping thrown in there. The slowest make out session in history ended and we went to sleep. Well, he went to sleep, I lay half awake because I can't sleep with people in my bed. It's always been that way. I'd rather sleep on the floor than share space with someone- until I get used to them being there.

I slept in a t-shirt and sweatpants because I haven't shaved my legs in a couple of weeks. I know it's disgusting but I get lazy in the winter, especially when there isn't a boyfriend to impress and I really didn't think anyone would be sharing my bed that night. He slept in boxer briefs and nothing else. He's a skinny guy and all, but I wasn't impressed with his pectoral region. It wasn't as toned as I like.

My alarm went off and I got dressed in the dark. Then I woke him up and told him I had to turn on the lights, hoping he would get the hint and start getting dressed to leave. I felt like such a boy. I'm not a morning person to begin with and the fact that I wanted him out of my room made it a little awkward. I sat on the edge of the bed watching the news and he sat next to me and wrapped his arms around me and started kissing me again. So I was like I need to go to work but you are going to have to leave first because I don't want my coworkers that stay here to see us leave together. He understood and left and told me he would call me this weekend.

So, I'm kind of like "Eh..." on the whole thing. The situation reminds me of when I was in college and CR wanted to date me. I wasn't really attracted to him and when he would call my apartment I would switch the generic answering machine message on so that if I ever saw him out I could be like, "Oh I don't think my machine is working, so I didn't get your messages". Then one night we went to the library to study and he was being so funny that I started liking him. We ended up dating for four years.

I'm a little disappointed because I'm looking for that instant spark with someone. I want someone to make my nose flare when I look at him, because he is just that sexy to me. For instance, my roommate's brother, aka Crush, accidentally exposed his stomach in front of me onetime and I saw a little part of his boxer shorts peek out. My nose flared and I thought Damn! to myself. I want that. I saw the boxer briefs on Aussie and nothing. I want someone that screams testosterone.

I'll give Aussie another chance. It seems like he likes me more than I like him, which I should be thrilled about, but I think I like a little bit of a chase. And there is no chase.

Crikey!

Aussie called! All before I could even follow your advice and text him at the strategic time of 9:11pm that I set aside. I was at dinner with a friend (with my phone on vibrate in my pocket-just in case) and it went off! When I answered the phone he was like, "Hillo, Tixas?" and I was like "Hi ,how are you?!?". He asked if I knew it was him from his number being in my phone or by his accent...I told him both! He laughed-even with an accent! I asked him if I could call him back later and he agreed.

So I called him back after I went grocery shopping, took a bath and talked to a coworker on the phone. I didn't want to be too eager beaver.

First, he apologized for not texting me back on Sunday. I told him it was no problem. (Right! I freaked out a tiny bit that day but whateves). It was because his pre-paid cell phone had run out of cash. Second, Aussie asked what my plans were for the rest of the week and we decided we would meet on Thursday. He lives kind of outside of the city and said he would meet me and we could grab a drink somewhere near me. I told him I would research a fun place to go and he said he would call me on Thursday afternoon to finalize everything. This is a breath of fresh air to have someone pursuing and wanting to make plans with me.

Oh and third, the accent...yum!

Paolo

Before I left for Italy, I asked my Italian friend, Paolo, for some suggestions since he grew up in Milan. I emailed him to thank him when I got back and this is the banter that insued:

TC: Hi Paolo! I had a great time in Milan. Thanks for your suggestions. We went shopping right by the Duomo and I saw Riccardo Scarmacio (famous Italian actor and hot) too… I hope to make it back soon!

Paolo: I hope you will be able to go back soon as well. How is the situation with Riccardo????
Are you engaged???

TC: It’s still the early part of our relationship but I’m hoping for a summer wedding! Ha! Of course you will be invited and be my translator!

Paolo: I just don't want to be called in to translate during the first wedding night, even if the translation will be then pretty easy...

TC: Ha! Hilarious! Yes, you’re right…I suppose no translation would really be needed!!!

Paolo: You are wrong because some translation is needed: AAAAAAAAAAHHH in English is translated in Italian to AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.....

TC: OUT.OF.CONTROL!!!!!

*More Milan stories to come...

Australian Open

Saturday was my friend's birthday and a group of us went out to celebrate. We started out with lunch at Yo! Sushi then went to see Billy Zane in Six Dances in Six Weeks. Sadly Billy was "indisposed" and I was unable to oogle him from afar. The play ended at around 5:30pm and we made our way to the Texas Embassy.

We quickly became best friends with the bartender, Winston, who served up shots and drinks left and right. I spotted a guy with a hoodie on who was oh so cute and we kept making eyes and smiling at each other. Literally for HOURS. It could have been that we had this New Jersey leech of a guy that cock blocked any new talent, but cute guy finally came over to my stool with his friend at around 9:45pmish. He was from Australia and had the cute accent to match! I loved how he said my name...Tixas. We were all shooting the shit with the Aussie and his friend. It turns out they live here which could have been touch and go since we were in a very touristy part of London. Aussie was all touchy. Stroking my back, fingering the nape of my neck. I didn't mind. At around midnight we all decided that after nearly 7 hours it was time to go home, plus we had to hurry and catch the last tube of the night. My friends walked ahead and we walked with our arms around each other chatting. Aussie got my number and then we started kissing. I could hear my train coming so I told him to call me.

Sunday I woke up late and noticed that I had a text message on my phone. It was from Aussie and it was asking if I made it back to my hotel all in one piece. He left it at 1:13am. I waited a little while and texted him back in the afternoon that I did indeed make it okay and asked if he was able to find a tube/bus to go home. (There were closures and his regular way wasn't working). Nothing witty because I hate the initial texting relationship. He didn't text me back at all. And he didn't text me all day today either. I was beginning to think I should write him off.

Then tonight as I was getting ready for bed, I plugged in my cell phone to charge it and noticed a missed call at 9:31pm. From Aussie. He didn't leave a message. He called my international cell phone that doesn't have my personal voice mail setup just the generic recording.

So what do I do? Do I wait for him to call me back again? Do I text him telling him I'm sorry for missing his call and hope to talk soon? What do you do with a country that doesn't believe in leaving messages? (The Kiwi once told me he never left messages...New Zealand and Australia are right next door...does Aussie abide by the same principle?)

Salt in the wound

Tomorrow I leave for Milan for business. Already it's painful. I thought I wouldn't be visiting "that" country until I had at least all of him out of my system, but work calls. So now I have to hear his accent, be around his culture, eat his food....I think I'm having a delayed reaction to the situation. The fucked up situation. Usually when something happens, I cry like a baby but this time the tears have taken a month and a half and now they are beginning to fall. It's just hard.
_________________________________________

That's not to say that I'm not going out in London and having fun. Because I am. I went out on Friday with some friends and when they wanted to turn in at midnight (lame) I journeyed on with my new found guy friends. They were local Londoners and I quickly learned that they were also Trustifarians. Eaton College prep school. Oxford and Cambridge University educated. Multilingual. Holiday on the French Riviera. But they were young. All of 22. And when they guessed my age they were kind but a few years off. They partied like they were 22 as well. Asking me to get up on the table and "show my boobies". One guy was part Swedish, like me...um but you know he actually spoke the language... and kept trying to shove his hands down the back of my jeans and fondle my cleavage but I luckily kept him at bay. He did manage to dart his tongue into my mouth...if only for a second. I went to find his friend that looked like a smaller version of Wentworth Miller (but with jacked teeth) to escape and he was speaking French to three guys who didn't seem to like girls if you know what I mean. Shame. I decided it was time to go home. Two of the original guys hopped in my cab with me since my hotel was near their flat. When we pulled up to my drive, I double patted each of them simultaneously on the knee and said "I had fun boys" and turned to get out of the cab, leaving them speechless. I think they were expecting me to give them money for the cab fare but since they had no manners earlier with the cover charge, I got even! I'll never see them again but they were good for showing me some cool pubs and clubs!

Blacklisted

So I'm prreeeeetttttyyyyyy sure that I am not allowed at Bliss London anymore.

Caution-To Much Information to follow: I think I started my period while I was getting my Brazilian...yikes. Stupid birth control pills-you know, for the sex I am NOT having! I just started my new pill pack and this happens. Actually it happens every time I try a new BC but my doctor assured me these would me different. Nope. And now I'm probably the story of the week at Bliss. Awesome!

It speaks to me

Yesterday is gone
Yesterday is dead

Get it through your head and walk away
Yesterday is gone
Aint’ no use hanging on to a memory that only causes you pain

-lyrics from Ray LaMontagne's “Gone Away from Me”

Now if only I could live by these words....

What. Is. This. Day?

I arrived to work with anticipation of seeing Norwegy, who is not back from his holiday of skiing in Norway apparently. My new haircut received many compliments and so the day went something like this:

Saw Gareth, awkward but handled well. I was able to avoid him somewhat by not going using the front door to the office which he sits right next to.

So while walking through the other entrance, I was stopped by Paul, who I have had all of 3 conversations with, after I said my cordial hello. He asked if I wanted to go to lunch and me being caught off guard-simply because he is not my type and I am not remotely attracted to him- told him I had a lunch meeting and perhaps we could do it later in the week. I was totally going to blow him off but then thought about it and remembered that Karma is a bitch and I should at least give him a chance...plus you can never have too many friends. So I later went back by his desk and told him I looked at my calendar and that Wednesday was free. I then proceeded to avoid his entrance and Gareth's entrance the rest of the day. It would have worked brilliantly except that the restroom is in between and my bladder suffered royally!

I've kept my coworkers updated on what was going down. Everyone had a good laugh, at my expense mind you and we all laughed except for Metro. He got quiet and thought I was leading Paul on. But I told him that I didn't want to jump to conclusions that Paul was interested in my romantically and that lunch was harmless.

Let me introduce you to Metro: When I was first introduced I thought he was gay. He is tan all year round, gets his eyebrows threaded, wears three piece sharp but over the top suits, brings hair products with him every time he goes to the bathroom, is part German and part Italian, gets waxed Brazilian style...yes down there and actually everywhere! Works out for 2 hours a day. You get the picture so when I heard him talking about his live in girlfriend, I classified him as metrosexual. Therefore: Metro. And totally not my type. He has more product than me and that is a lot!

So when he was getting pissed at me for going to lunch, I was a little confused. Until this email banter went on (note: his english needs a little work):

Metro: So when do you go to this meeting (as this is not an date) with the guy !
TC: The meeting is on Wednesday….mister smarty pants!
M: Any reason for me to be jealous!!!!!!!!!
TC: Of course not…you’re still my pseudo boyfriend! (We had all joked that I would tell Paul that Metro was my boyfriend) Remember I am going as friends… I’ll be sure to tell him if it seems he wants to be romantic…etc.
M:I think English men can’t get romantic any who, but ok
TC: Ha! They have no game or what? I’ve only have experience with American and lame Italian men….
M: Don’t say that you hurt my feelings, lame you should try me before you say that!
TC: Your name isn’t Gianluca, is it? He put what they say about Italian men being great lovers to shame…just for the record…but I’m sure you would give the myth justice!
M:Not sure is this an insult or compliment!!!!!
TC: Just an insult to Gianluca…compliment to you…I’m sure you would prove the saying!
M:I’m getting red now.
TC: Why?
M: Your compliments. Did you ever thought about it????
TC: I’m just saying I’m sure you aren’t lame like your Italian friend Gianluca is all…so yes…please take it as a compliment…!!! I’m sure your girlfriend is very lucky!
M: Still did not answered my question!!!
TC: I’m confused…which question? About the compliments?
M: If you ever thought about it in secretly, About you and me how it would be,
TC: I would but you have a girlfriend (that you live with) so you are put in the not available category…otherwise I would…
M: Ok good to know, I like it. Just wanted to know if you thought about it or imagined it.
TC: I’m taking it you have?.....
M: Many times!
TC: Nice...
M: You could say that!!!!!
TC: Now I'm turning red.
M: Do you give me your phone number and I send you a text tonight
TC: after thinking about it and how I work with him and can't very well give him a bogus number...I gave it to him.
M: Ok going home now I send you a kiss, would love to give you a real one but would probably look a little weird. For them

WTF??????

How do I kibosh this gently?

So while replaying the day in my head while waiting to order dinner at the grocery store, I get picked up by a South African. Totally way to old for me and again not my type but he asked if I wanted to go for drinks. I thought "Hey can my day get any more random?" a la Chandler Bing. So we had a drink at a nearby pub. He was actually very interesting and nice and a widower! He wants to take me to a rugby game and the theater on Saturday. When he asked what my hotel room was to make plans for the weekend, I totally made up a room...hello I'm not stupid but also gave him my email address-the one without my last name on it. So we shall see...I need to think about that one .We will call him Olivier.

So yeah. All of these guys and not a single one I'm attracted to or see my self hugging let alone kissing. But it is nice to feel attractive to someone! Geez...I was starting to think I was a Leper!

Update: So Oliveier emailed me the following...less than 2 hours from our departure...Do I go?

Hi Miss Longhorn
it was a pleasure to meet you, you are a breath of fresh air.I hope you will join me Saturday for rugby and/or the theater
The ball is in your court look forward to hearing from you
regards olivier

He then emailed me again to give me his number...whoa there eager beaver!

Confession

After all of the scary things that went on while I was home, it really put things into perspective. I also wanted to start 2007 with a fresh, clean slate and I did something. Something you guys told me NOT to do. And I wasn't going to tell you but this blog is like my journal and it needs to be said.

I wrote him (back).

Now hear me out. It was starting to eat away at me (read: depress me) that he was thinking like that. That I was this pathetic girl and he was an Italian god. That he had such a big head and was so full of himself that I had to set the record straight and in turn make myself feel better about the situation. I sent the email to his personal account...no read reciepts to drive me nuts.

To: Gianluca
From: TexasCinderella
Subject:
In response to your email, I actually didn't go to Florence looking for you to become my boyfriend. I was looking for more of a weekend fling, but no one has ever left immediately after sex and in a way I felt slightly cheap and used. In America, if you spend the night with someone that doesn't make you girlfriend/boyfriend. I guess in Italy it does and that's fine, I just didn't understand.

If I could do that weekend over I would have communicated to you that I didn't want a boyfriend before I went (in order to ease the pressure you felt while I was in town) and that I just wanted to be friends-which I sincerely hope we can continue to be.....

Hope you had a good Christmas and a happy new year!

Now I know the bit about the friend thing is throwing you off. But I had to be civil due to the fact that I "technically" work with him. I'm not going to contact him or email him. The slate has been wiped clean. I am however still smarting from all of it and still can't grasp that all that went down ACTUALLY happened. I'm a little mad a myself for not confronting him about what was going on while I was there but there isn't anything I can do about it now. The damage is done.

It's going to take time to heal this pain/emptiness I feel right now. My next "relationship" will be approached very differently and cautiously.
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*It does help the process that I have gorgeous British eye candy to look at everywhere I go in this city.

*I'm also looking forward to seeing shy but hot Norwegy tomorrow as well!

Antics

When I returned to work last Thursday after stepping off a 9 hour flight and fighting jetlag...I came back to the following:

1.)A christmas card signed XXX Gareth. P.S. Ring me or text me at 075555555. First of all, I had no flipping clue who this Gareth character was and why he was asking me to ring him. After process of elimination and having one of my co-workers, Diane, call while I peered around the open concept office listening for a ringing mobile phone, we figured it out. Diane recognized the voice on voicemail as the security guard that sits at the front. I am nice to everyone and I guess I was the exotic American girl and thought he would leave me a card. Sweet but no. I haven't seen him since before the holidays and am dreading seeing him next week. Why couldn't the card have been from say... Norwegy?

2.) The week before I left to go home for Christmas, I dropped my work ID at the tube station. It was a scene right out of a movie. The doors to the train were closing and I sprinted, jumping in between the doors before they closed. A man tapped me on the shoulder and told me I had dropped something...on the other side of the tightly closed doors. A women bent down and held it up while we tried to pry the doors open with no luck. Then the train began to move and I figured I would never see it again and have to hassle with getting a new one. It was an end to a shitty day. I had only 30 minutes before read Gianluca's lameass email and really wasn't in the mood for it. Cut to Thursday and I have an envelope with my ID in it. The lady had dropped it in the mail (it had if lost please return to this address on the back). There are good deed doers in the world and reminds me of Pay it Forward. I'm looking everyday to do a little good deed to throw back into the world.

3.) While I was home I got my hair cut twice. The first time I just got a trim with some side sweeping bangs (which the girl fucked up royally). As the week progressed, I decided to cut my long locks to right below my shoulders to make it easier to manage and style in the London weather. I went to my local Toni & Guy equipped with pictures and told the Asian man exactly what I wanted. No layers and my hair cut off. What did I get? A head full of layers and about an inch removed. No what I was looking for. Needless to say I was pissed. It was New Year's Eve and I had plans and a body aching cold and he just kept hacking away. It wasn't bad but it wasn't what I was looking for either. I lived with it for a week. On Friday, I was doing my hair before work and plugged in my US curling iron into the converter. I grabbed a side piece of my hair and began to curl. Five seconds later there was a clump of fried hair melted onto the curling iron. There were jagged edges left on my head. Awesome. Needless to say, I just got back from getting the haircut I wanted to begin with...in London. (She fixed my "bad spot"!)

I'm okay!

Thank you so much for the well wishes and thinking of me. I got the results back and it turns out that it is just breast tissue and nothing to worry about. It was really scary there for a while with my thoughts but I'm glad I can start 2007 on a good, healthy note.

I hope everyone had a great holiday! I'm back in London for a while and up to some crazy antics. More to come-once my computer issues are resolved!