Goings Ons

Sorry I've been m.i.a. I've had a lot going on with work and personal stuff....here's the run down:

1) My grandfather may have lung cancer and kidney cancer. He is undergoing several biopsy’s to figure out what is wrong with him. He’s only 80 and we’re very close so this is hitting me especially hard.

2) I have to have a c-section sometime in the near future to take out fibroid tumors in my uterus and one that is pressing on my bladder. I went to the gyno because I was having irregular and brutal/painful periods and they did an ultrasound and MRI and came to this conclusion. My mom is going to have to come over for 2 weeks to help me as I will not be able to walk/work for 4 weeks. Not looking forward to it but if it will let me have a baby in the future then so be it. I had my appendix taken out laproscopically and that hurt like a biotch with 3 tiny incisions in my stomach muscles…I can only imagine what a 6 inch gash is going to feel like.

3) Of course I’ve finally mastered the art of dating; ie dating multiple people and just having fun (in a non sexual way). I’m in the narrowing down phase but it really has taken the pressure and usual psycho analyzing out of the equation and I’m actually able to enjoy dating again.
The contenders are:
Saf (South African) – The very same from February that I peed in the bush with. I randomly met up with him and some of his friends a couple of weeks ago. Needless to say Saf was three sheets to the wind and professed that we needed to date. The only consolation is that he may or may not loose his job soon and if he does then he’s off to Bali to surf for 6 months. We went out a couple of times before he left for Germany for 2 weeks to cycle the Danube river. He’s very outdoorsy and very funny and I can't wait for him to come back.
Richy (British) – nickname because he owns 3 companies and wined and dined me when we went out. I met him in March at a bar and gave him my card but didn’t go out with him until the beginning of May. We had a great time but I have this feeling he’s a player…35 still single and cash to burn. He keeps telling me he wants to see me but is yet to make plans to actually do it. He does call so that's good...but maybe not enough. He's too busy hanging out at Richard Branson's house it seems. All games and I’m not having it really.
Bartender (Aussie)– my flatmate and I had a cinco de mayo party a couple weeks ago and we went to our local pub beforehand for dinner/stomach lining. The cute Australian bartender and I had been making eyes at each other for about a month so I got up the courage to ask him how to make a margarita. He didn’t know how but I somehow invited him to our party and clichély gave him my number on a cocktail napkin. He had to go out with friends that night but he texted me and sometime in the future I’m sure I’ll try his concoction of a margarita.

4.) Is it bad that I'm stressing out that my dating life will go to pot when I have my surgery? My friends say that will be the true test of character for the person I'm dating and how they handle the situation. Blah.

5.) I’m going to Boston on Thursday to visit my friend Christina and her husband and meet their little 1 ½ year old daughter, Paige. They have another one on the way and I’m excited to hang out in Beantown. Hello lobster rolls and clam chowder! I was supposed to stay until Sunday but have changed my ticket to fly down to New Orleans on Saturday - Monday to spend time with my parents and grandparents. The grandparents don’t know that I have to have the surgery but I wanted to see my grandfather while I was in the states in case (heaven forbid) something were to happen while I’m laid up in bed and can’t fly home. I’m surprising them so hopefully they like they’re treat!

6.) Other than that, I’ve been hanging out with friends, working a lot and going to concerts like a fiend.

I missed you guys!

Crush Attack? It's back!

Finally. But, of course, with complications.

Skully and I are friends. Truth be told, we may or may not have hooked up before he left for Australia in December but I know that things would never work out with us however I do enjoy hanging out with him.

Skully asked if I wanted to meet him and his friends (all guys except for 1 girl) for dinner last week. There was a guy there, Saf (South African), that I met a month prior at a mutual friend's birthday party and we both recognized each other. Skully and I caught up by the bar while we waited for our table and I learned that he was living with a girl he started seeing before he left for Oz. He's one of those guys that can't be alone. There were about 10 people at dinner all Australian except for Saf and I and we sat near each other and enjoyed witty banter. He's extremely funny and very cute. Extremely outdoorsy - he rode his bike to the pub. The only downfall is that he's one of Skully's really good friends that I've heard stories about and in which I'm sure he's heard (sexual) stories of me.

After dinner, we all went to the pub and Saf and I chatted away the rest of the night. I felt like I could be myself and I could also tell that he was hanging on my words just as much as I was hanging on his. The only problem was when I made it known that I was maybe interested in Saf to Skully after he made a comment that Saf was single. He said he still had feelings for me and that that would be weird and I gave the rebuttal that he LIVED with someone so therefore had no say. He said he would have to learn how to be my friend. A couple of awkward comments were thrown into the mix by him for added measure but Saf and I pretended to ignore it and I said repeatedly to the group that Skully and I were just friends. Skully took me aside said that I would have to ask Saf out for coffee (because apparently he's shy...which I didn't see at all) and that I would have to wait 3 dates for the first kiss. I'm not sure if he is trying to detour me (which it didn't besides having to ask him out...neg) but I can only imagine what he's saying to Saf. I can't stop thinking about him, which is a welcome distraction and I just wanted to be around him the whole night and can't wait to be around him again.

It turns out that there is a party on Saturday that these guys are also invited to. I made sure to let Saf know that I was going and that they should all go along. So we'll see. I don't know if I should be the one to initiate since I dated his friend or what. Mandy says I should just say we should hang out sometime...

I guess what I'm asking is, what's the rule for dating your ex-boyfriend's friend and how do you go about doing it?

Introducing Grexas

Conversation during tea(him)/hot chocolate(me) after dinner last night:

Graham: ...so you and Trey (childhood friend) are close. Does his wife mind?

Texas: His wife, Pam, is really cool and it's not like I talk to him all the time. Just random emails here and there. I, of course, see them when I'm home and it always feels like I never left. They're really cute together and all of our friends refer to them as "Tram" like Bennifer or Brangelina.

Silence...

Graham: So our name would be Grexas.

My heart seriously leapt out of my chest and onto the table!

Ayo Technology

Last week I had the flu and am finally getting better. Now Graham has the flu and I hope he gets better soon because there is a lot of catching up to do!

I don't know if it was a combination of feeling lousy and that time of month but my mind kept bringing situations from the past into my relationship with Graham and drove me nuts with worry. Mandy was there to talk me off that ledge and if she were here she would have shook me. It's true, she told me this. Anyway, I was worried for no reason. Sure I wish that we would have talked instead of texting every other day but I respect that he was with his friend and didn't want to be that guy that can't put his phone down nor did I want to be that girl. But we all know how much I love texting. Therefore the connection level wasn't there and it gave me a bit of a complex. Okay, a huge complex (which of course I did not tell him about).

Things are fine now (on my end anyway as they were never not fine to him). We were soooo lovey dovey on the train today and have plans to go to dinner tomorrow night to catch up. I think working together makes it a bit tricky as well. He got in really late last night and so the first time I saw him after a week was at work where there could be no hugging and of course no kissing. Very frustrating. Luckily he has an interview on Thursday and while I know I'll miss seeing him everyday, I think it will be really good for us. OMG...I said "us"!

J'Adore

Things with Graham are going swimmingly. We hung out last weekend and will again this Saturday before he leaves for his surfing trip to Portugal on Sunday. He's staying over since my flatmate will be out of town. (Sidenote: Holla! I can finally watch TV for a solid week since couch potato will not be there to hog it). He's already told me that he's going to call me everyday which will be needed because I'm going to miss him a lot! It's going to be weird not seeing him everyday for a week. :(

We are just soooo sweet to each other. Not in a PDA gross kind of way but in an affectionate and gentle kind of way. He says I make his head go fuzzy and the same couldn't be more true on my end by him. I'm liking where this is heading and the pace that it's going.

I'm a very smitten kitten.

Sleepover

Graham and I finally made it to the jazz bar where we proceeded to say lovely things to one another and kiss all night long. He couldn't keep his hands off me and I couldn't keep my hands off him. He is so funny and did a Scooby Doo impression but told me that his friend does it better and he will have to get him to show it to me. Brownie points for meeting the friends in the future!
He came over to my house and we grabbed late night kebabs and watched tv then went to sleep -among other things. I think the romantic weekend away together is fast approaching. We're going to the coast somewhere at an unspecified time. He leaves for Portugal in 2 weeks and we will have to see how that goes. A whole week without seeing him will be sadness but I'm sure we'll more than make up for it when he gets back!

I'm falling in the best way!

Let's go to the Maul

How do I control myself tomorrow night when all I want to do is throw the kid on the grown and make out? We're taking things slow but seriously....my hormones are RAGING! And the way we looked at each other all week has something to do with it as well. We're going to watch the jazz band play again...or attempt to anyway. I might drag him into a dark alley and have my wicked way with him!

*I'm not talking about doing the deed. Just making out.

Back on Track

Things with Graham are back to normal. We had a lot of fun last night and he was very affectionate again. I just followed his lead. We didn't end up going to the jazz bar because it was packed but he said we will have to go back another time. I like future plans! We had our own little pub crawl and grabbed some dim sum in between. He brought up last weekend "when we were inappropriate together"...hilarious! I'm looking forward to being inappropriate with him in the future! But we're taking things slow again which I like.

At the last bar he asked if he challenged me and I asked him what he meant and he was like, did all of your past boyfriends fall at your feet and I was like um no. Then I told him that he challenged me this week and that he was a bit cold...I wasn't going to bring it up but it was the perfect non threatening forum. He said he didn't mean to. Not sure what he meant by all of that. So we'll see how this week goes. I'm going to continue to follow his lead and just see where it takes us.

Cruise Control

Things are fine with Graham. He (finally) emailed me this afternoon to see how the rest of my weekend was and told me he was having a bad day. That makes two of us because I was silently torturing myself with ludicrous thoughts of how it was over.

We took the train into town together before parting ways and I asked if everything was okay to which he said it was. I told him I was just making sure since we work so close together and didn't want anything to be awkward. I asked if we were still on for Saturday - he was supposed to come over and watch a movie since my flatmate is going to the REM concert and I'd have the place to myself. I told him we should take two steps back and go to watch some live music (since he plays the guitar) instead and that he could come over at a later date. No need to rush anything. And I promise to not have that sort of conversation with him again. I'm going to be charming and funny and going with the flow on Saturday. No need to get so heavy. And if he wants to see me again then fine...but I'm not forcing or controling anything.

Keeper

This is what I was greeted with when I met Graham in Trafalgar Square before the play last night!

He hid the bouquet behind his back, gave me a kiss and presented me with them. Super cute! We had a great time and he is such a gentleman. I wore a skirt and during the play he placed his hand my thigh and stroked my skin affectionately (not sexually). He asked if I minded that he "was perving on" my legs. Too cute. We had our hands all over each other but not disgustingly so...more caressing. Very sweet. There was more kissing and it was goooooood! He told me he should have sent the email weeks ago asking me out on a date!

We have plans to meet in Piccadilly Circus tomorrow afternoon to see Ripley's Believe It or Not but he said if the weather is nice he wouldn't mind sitting in the park with a bottle of champagne. Seriously too good to be true!

I'm so dizzy

My head is spinning!

Graham and I had a great time on our date and he was soooo cute fretting at the comedy club because the first act was terrible and he said he would take me somewhere cooler if I promised to give him another chance. Luckily the last two acts were hilarious!

We stayed out until 3am just talking and kissing. We had our first kiss in a bar...I was trying to hold out (for the story or at least under a streetlamp or something equally cheesy) but our lips had other plans!

I found out he doesn't have kids and has never been married so he's traveling light on the baggage. He asked me why I wasn't taken because "your beautiful, and smart and funny and just fantastic". Swoonage. Turns out he was supposed to meet his family last Monday when we had our first date and he told his mum he had to do something life changing. (!!!) There were talks about the future and where both of us are in our lives which seems to be the same page. So we will just have to take it slow and figure out if we're as compatible as we think we are.

And honestly, I'm a little freaked out but in a good way. I haven't felt this way before. It is a bit tricky because he sits 30 feet away from me and I see him everyday and I told him I didn't want us to do anything during the day together because if we didn't work at the same company we wouldn't be able to have lunch, get coffee etc....so we don't go to each other's desks to chat but if we're in the hall at the same time we'll stop and talk.

We have plans to see a play (he likes theater, yay!) on Thursday and he's just soooo sweet! And if everything goes well (which it will) we'll hang out this weekend, too!

Dare I say that I might have a date to the wedding I'm a bridesmaid in in November...I probably just jinxed it for sure!

Seriously Excited

Like seriously, about my date with Graham Cracker Crunch tomorrow night! He wanted to grab coffee with me before I left for the day today but we couldn't because the shop was closed so he left work early to ride the tube into town together. And seriously his compliments to me couldn't be any cuter! Example: "I was playing on my new guitar last night. It's the third best thing to come out of the States" Me, "What are the top 2?" Him, "There's Jimi Hendrix at number 2 and of course you at number 1.". Yes he can have some wine with that cheese...but he says it in a genuinely joking way that is HILARIOUS!

So we're going to dinner and then a comedy club in Covent Garden. Deets to follow!

The upDATE

I don't want to jinx it but I have a good feeling about this one.

We had a great time at the Porterhouse and time flew by. This is what I learned:

• He's 34
• Very funny
• Owns his flat and renovated it
• Is half Swiss, half Brit (he wears cuff links - lover it!)
• Lived in Australia for a year and a half
• Extremely complimentary and flattering
• Boxes, surfs and plays guitar in a band
• Likes my laugh and legs - looked like a school boy when he told me this!
• Extremely witty
• Smart
• Creative
• Super cute (and good dresser) but has a dorky side, which I love since I am a dork as well!

The list goes on...We have a 2nd date on Saturday night! I'm playing it cool but I can't stop talking about him or thinking about him (might have something to do with him sitting 20 feet away)! Things could get tricky but I'm not jumping into anything and we ended the date with a kiss on the cheek. Slow and steady. Sllllloooooooooowwwwwww and steady!

Fast Forward

There I was, debating the great will Mr. Bean email me nonsense, when life got in the way and I'm glad it did. I did receive an email from a crush today but not Mr. Bean...

At lunch today, I told my friends about Crush Lite on my floor and how our eye contact and flirty sporadic chats were very intense, if only I knew his name.

Not even an hour after I got back, Graham stopped and introduced himself while I loaded paper awkwardly into the printer. He was about to walk through the door (near the printer) when he said it would be redundant for him to open it (our little joke because we always pass each other and he always holds the door open for me saying he should get a job holding doors open to which I have told him he's really good at it - hey, it's something). In my retardedness, I told him that there would be more doors for him to open. Then I thought did I just say that and before I could recover, he was gone.

Then ping! an hour later in my inbox:

Hi Texas, good to meet you this afternoon albeit without a door being opened. I was wandering if you’re free one lunchtime or evening if you would like lunch or a drink sometime? I realize it’s a bit forward and via e-mail but I’m probably out of here fairly soon as work has dried up a bit.

Graham

What?!?!?!?! I'm guessing he works contract and he's potentially leaving the company to go to another one and he wants to get to know me before he leaves. Swoon! I've never had someone pursue me like this. He obviously got my last name from somewhere, especially since I wasn't wearing a badge when we made our introductions...and he knew what department I was in, too. I like his forwardness and that he made the first move! Finally, no force needed!

So we have a date for drinks in Covent Garden (his idea and one of my favorite places) on Monday. I'm seriously booked for a week solid starting tomorrow with only Monday free so we'll see...!!! :)

Wanna be a balla...

I can't begin to tell you how exhausted I am from a great time in Juan Les Pins, France last weekend. Could have something to do with going to bed at 4am both nights then having my flight delayed 3 hours and getting in at 2am on Monday morning...more on that soon. Remember the great "we should grab a drink cause we're neighbors" doh moment to Mr. Bean when he called to apologize last week that he couldn't go to my party. I hadn't seen him since then until I bumped into him on the stairs yesterday. Luckily I was looking t-a-n and told him I had just gotten back from France and he told me of his Norway travels. He then asked where I lived exactly and I asked him and while we aren't exactly neighbors we are close enough and share the same tube stop. He queried about my local pubs and said we should grab that drink. Since it has been mainly me...okay ALL me making the moves (to no avail I might add) I told him to email me to sort something out. And okay I might have said "you have my email" and made the typing action with my hands (dork, yes I know this). Woulda, coulda, shoulda said, "cool, shoot me an email and we'll sort something out". Same thing, right? Or no?

So we'll see. I ran into him again today but didn't really get a chance to talk to him since I was with other peeps.

Also on a side note: Crush #2 may have called me a "Naughty Girl" when he asked about my weekend in France and I told him it was fun with lots of antics...drunken antics. Yeah, I didn't know what to do with that comment...

The Spaz who kept learning something (everyday)

I'm such a bad blogger friend. Golightly tagged me a while back and I have slight ADD and totally forgot about it....anywho better late than never.

So....Make up your own 6 word memoir title.
1. Write the title to your own memoir using 6 words. (Totally cheated with the parenthesis)
2. Post it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who tagged you. (I'm being lazy but she's under "Good Stuff" on the right - check her out!)
4. Tag 5 more blogs - you're all it! :)

I just finished The Alchemist via audio books on my ipod last night. I had read the book several years ago but I downloaded it and over the last week I've been listening to it before I go to bed as an adult bedtime story. It has so many life lessons and the main one is to just go with the journey. Something I always need reminding of everyday.

So I'm going with life and it happens to be taking me to the beaches of the south of France tomorrow with my buddies Blake, Harris and Prissy in what is guaranteed to be a work-on-my-tan-work-then-my-alcohol-tolerance-and-repeat sort of weekend!

Redemption Song

Mr. Bean called this morning to apologize for not making my party. It seems he had to go to Norway for work last week and got in really really late on Friday. Granted, he could have TOTALLY just sent me an email to apologize but the fact that he called is good, right?

I was slightly caught off guard and was like no worries you were missed but it was a lot of fun with lots of peeps there which is always fun blah blah and he was like that's a shame I missed it and I was like well we should grab a drink since we're neighbors (no clue what came over me!) and he was like yeah definitely and a hole bunch of awkward yeahs and then I was like well I'll see you soon. Ahhhhhhhh. So we'll see... but ball is definitely in his court because hello I've thrown it out several several times so he will HAVE to make the next move.

Did I happen to mention that I moved floors and there is a cutie? No clue what his name is but I intend to find out!

Time...it flys

Wow...I didn't realize how long it was since I last posted. I guess I've been busy but not sure what I've been doing.

Anyway, the big flat warming party is on Friday and I can't wait to get my flirt on! Crush #2 has now moved to the Crush #1 spot and hopefully by the end of the night he will have his much deserved nickname and stick around in this little story! Mr. Bean is still in the running but I'm digging #2 more these days... (my friend saw his friend give Crush #2 a chin/head nod when I entered the diner last week - it's the little things people)!

I think I have the Shadow thing under control and one of my friend's has offered to do damage control when he tries to get up in my Kool Aid.

Hope all is well in your worlds and I know I'll have plenty to report after the party and pics of the new place - promise!

Giddy in my Girliness

I finally saw Crush #2 today as I was walking out to lunch (I haven't seen him in almost a month). He was standing with a group of people and I felt him see me while I waited my turn to swipe out of the turnstile. I passed by him and said hi with a wave then left with my friends. I was hoping he would go to the same restaurant with his friends but he didn't. I was kicking myself for not making more conversation but there really were a lot of people standing around so it would have been a little much.

Anyway, 3pm rolled around and I got an email from him in response to my flat warming party that my flatmate and I are having in 2 weeks. I sent the mass email on the 23rd of June before I went on holiday and so that people (read: my crushes) could put it on there calendar. He said he "plans to be there!" and "thanks for the kind invitation" - would sound gay coming from any other guy but so decidedly English I flipping love it! I wrote back "cool...glad you can make it!".

I already knew he was coming because one of my friend's brought up my party yesterday to him in conversation and he said "oh I'm definitely going to that" which said friend immediately reported back to me! But it feels good to get confirmation from the actual source today!

Mr. Bean will also be in attendance which I'm excited about as well. And also the Shadow which, you know, I'm not. But it should be interesting how I juggle the two (three) that evening.

Don't worry I'm going to play it very cool in this next dating/whatever-this-is endeavour. I feel like I've learned lessons in sharing too much and doing "things" too early that I'm ready for a clean slate...I don't know if Mr. Bean/Crush #2 and I will even click but they both make me nervous and that's always a good start!

Bella

I'm off to Italia...super excited about sun, fun and loads of wine! I'll be back in a little over a week to tell you all about it.

Remind me to tell you of THE HOTTEST guy I've ever seen at Wimbledon last night. I wanted to jump on him right there and then. My friends and I were drooling. For serious.

Arrivederci!