Friday, August 3, 2012

Date!



I had a kind of date, maybe. No, I guess it was a date. Really. I dressed for it. I have a profile on an app, which I have blogged about, and I started chatting with someone, not 317 miles away, or 2,489 miles, but only 20 miles away! Progress, they're getting closer!! Yay!

Our initial meeting went well, he actually looked like his photos. We met for breakfast and had a very formal conversation which was to be expected at our first meeting. I left the establishment wondering if I would hear from him again, and contemplating if I should call him to at least suggest a second meeting to get to know him a little better. But, how soon is too soon to call? I didn't want to appear over-eager and frighten the poor man away, yet I didn't want to seem disinterested.

I also want to say I had some gut instincts about him. He seemed very nice, he is nice looking, bearish, but there was something I couldn't quite put my finger on. I kept my reserve up. Yet, I did want to see him again. Did he want to see me?

Three hours later I had my answer via text. Yes, he did want to see me. But, my finger was still twitching for he also said the one thing I didn't want to hear. The pictures I posted on my profile did not do me justice. I was now fighting the same old battle of my own insecurities. Was I either going to be a trophy, a conquest, or would I have to deal with his insecurities; he thinks he's not good enough for me? Or a combination of all three. So, not only was my reserve up, now my shields were as well. Yet, I still wanted to move forward and prove that maybe I was wrong on all counts and accept that he wanted to see me for me.

I want to interject here, I had been chatting on a site once before with another man I found to be very handsome and sexy and we wanted to meet. During our chats I had mentioned my blog and he seemed interested. I sent him the URL, he read it and felt I wouldn't like him because he wasn't as out of the closet as I was. I countered with some profound wisdom like "We all fight our own battles and I can't understand your perspective, and that's not for me to judge. But let's just see what we can bring to each other." I haven't heard back from him.

But, back to my story. We talked some more, and I asked him out to an art gallery showcasing a gay artist I've been following. He agreed and then asked me out to see a friend of his who was reading or singing at an open mic night the night before my event. I agreed, so we'd be seeing each other twice in one weekend. Two dates with one man in one weekend! Progress! Woo-hoo!

While I'm not going to get into any of the specific details of my dates with him, I see a lot of progress in me. Like the weather stripping away the paint on walls and doors over time, some of my old attitudes are falling away and I'm evaluating what I am finding underneath. My instincts were that he was a good man, he could be a good friend, yet it was way too soon to see if he was husband material.  Invariably, at some point, in the future, down the road, I would have to take that step and get 'comfortable', and then cross the big bridge. I was okay with taking that step with him, knowing I did not necessarily see long term potential here at this time. We would not be spending the night together and then picking out china patterns after breakfast. And I was okay with that!! Dating someone does not have to lead to marriage. And I was okay with that, too!! And whether 'it' happens with him or someone else later, I'm okay with that, as well.

Yet, all this brings up the question, if this were to be a finite dating situation, or even, GASP! a friends with benefits thing, how do you negotiate the end at the beginning? Or do you? How do you handle the "You'll do just until someone better comes along" attitude that seems to be built in to an FWB? That doesn't sound very pleasant to someone like me who wears his heart so loosely on his sleeve, sometimes it falls off. But, I was still okay with this.

It's still progress for me.


--
The buildings here are the carriage house and stables at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, California. The mansion is kept up for visitors, but as few people come down to these buildings on the grounds, they don't receive the same attention as the main park.

For more information on Greystone Mansion click here.


8 comments:

  1. So glad to hear of the progress. I don't know why we play these games where insecurities and second guessing always come into play. Dating. Job interviews or just meeting our twitter friends for the first time in person! They always pop up. And isn't it odd how much we can learn about people now because of the internet? I was watching the Today show or one of them recently with a panel that said...do all you can before a date to learn everything. Hit their Facebook, twitter, blogs....so remember everything you put out here: of course these guys can learn MUCH about you because you share your soul. (and I happen to like seeing it!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've often wondered how much of this blog may come back into play when I get serious about someone. Or he gets serious about me. Using those insecurities can be a blessing if we learn how to. AND that is the difficult part. I'm glad you like seeing it. I'm always grateful for your comment and support. :)

      Delete
  2. One step at a time. One can read all the person's Twitter/FB comments, but it takes time to reveal the real person inside. No need to rush; you're heart may yearn, but trust your instincts... Go slow, if it's meant to be, it will happen. History need not repeat itself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are absolutely correct. History does not need to repeat itself. And with a new and more difficult school year ahead, I have my own concerns, about my own self and whether I can make the time for everything. Thank you for your comment! I do appreciate them.

      Delete
  3. Sounds like a positive start! (So much better than the alternative.) There is nothing like the face-to-face conversations and experiences to get a true feel for a relationship's potential. Let things be, take them as they come. (Realize, of course, that I know NOTHING about successful, healthy relationships!)

    For myself, I am not a FWB person. As soon as I know something isn't going to deepen, I share my thoughts. It is always awkward, but I think honesty and integrity are crucial.

    It's early. Give things more time and see what might develop. Enjoy this time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with you on all counts. Honesty is always awkward but it is crucial. And one lesson I need to learn is to stay in the moment, but at some point we must think of the future or we become a ship floundering with no direction.

      Thank you for your insight!

      Delete
  4. I'm just glad to read that you're "out there" and keeping your heart open. Now, if you could just get your mind to "woo saa" during and after your dates, maybe you'd get somewhere? Jus' sayin'...

    I hope this works out because you so "deserve" to have someone special to travel w/you on your journey (life)!

    B@Peace!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment, and you are so correct. I need to stop thinking! Period! I even blogged about it. "The Thinker" from May 2012. It will be a hard habit to break.

      I am looking forward to finding someone to travel with, my gut instinct is this one probably isn't, but more of a stepping stone along the path, some lessons learned.

      Peace to you as well.

      Delete