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pancake fun!
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If only...
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Between Merida and Cancun, Mexico
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Salmon BLT Sliders with Chipotle Mayo by howsweeteats #Salmon #Bacon #Chipotle #Sliders #howsweeteats
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Lamb Sliders with Tzatziki by fotocuisine #Lamb #Sliders #fotocuisine
My Erratic October
…Because that is the only way to describe it. I have been trying to do posts along the way but it has been one thing after another and finally I feel like I can come up for air. I thought a list would be the best way to go because well, that is pretty much how my month went. The saddest part – I actually had to check my calendar to remember some of these items.
o Started off the month with Gino Velardi’s fashion show (OK-1 day before October) but what a blast, his new line as absolutely stunning that if I had the money and a place to wear it I would purchase 80% of it! Besides promising him that I would finally walk in his next show, I was also asked to model for a new Denver magazine, DeVelo!
o Birthday came and went with a blur. Wednesday started off with a beautiful sunrise, my midterm finished, work and then 2.5 hours of school
o Birthday weekend started off with moving day filled with pouring rain that took longer than I hoped but finished with enough time to unpack most of it. I have even started decorating more than the last apartment; my favorite piece is the chandelier wall décor above my bed
o That Sunday my friend Luisa treated me to a candy bouquet and dinner at Ale House at Amatos. Worst service ever but after writing a letter to management, we are willing to go back and try with the $100 gift card they sent me
o Celebrated a belated birthday with Michael up in Estes Park. We rode horses in the morning, which wasn’t as fun as I thought it was going to be (slowest.trail.ride.ever) but I am glad we did it. I was just happy to be in the mountains as I hadn’t really had the chance to that summer
o School has been keeping me busy. I realized that I am not doing as well as I thought but now is the time to move it up a notch. I even spent 2 hours in the library just trying to figure out a topic for my 5 page comparison paper. (I decided on comparing the difference between Jewish and Hindu marriage ceremonies and traditions)
o Spent time with my bar family at Salty Rita’s watching them carve pumpkins. I should have jumped in but I wasn’t dressed for it and was too exhausted from work and school to operate a knife after having a glass of wine
o I absolutely love my new car! While the big 4-valve V8 engine has increased the charge at the gas pump, I still have no regrets. From the simplest of things like being able to roll down my window to the luxuries like the most amazing seat warmers ever. I honestly love those butt warmers so much that I am worried that I will have to replace them in the next few years
o We had our first dump of snow in the city. 4-6 inches by my house. It seems to be a tradition in Denver that it has to snow around Halloween. Poor trees took a beating from the heavy wet snow but more so in Northern Colorado. It is a beautiful site but by Sunday there will be very little evidence that it ever snowed at all. In fact, 2 days later my lawn is already 20% green grass!
o This weekend is Halloween weekend and instead of playing dress up and hitting the town, I will be spending my time finishing my apartment and writing my paper that requires more reading material then my brain is capable of handling
I have a new personal project that started brewing last weekend and while I can’t talk about it now, I will be an open book when I get some more answers but that will many weeks and maybe months. Also thinking my blog is due for a big makeover – something with a more personal touch….and I know just where to go! If you are in the mood for a blog change and haven’t checked out Munchkinland Designs yet, you are missing out! She does an amazing work and luckily for me she now offers options for WordPress users. That’s about it for this month but next month I am going to attempt a blog challenge as I have never participated in one and thinking now is the time. Anybody have any ideas? If so, let me know!
Just Another Birthday
Here it is, just a few days away from my birthday and it’s about to be one of the busiest and most stressful times for me this year. So busy in fact, if it weren’t for Luisa trying to make plans, I might have actually forgotten it was my birthday at together.
You see, as I take a break from packing, my birthday lands on a Wednesday this year, which of course is a school night filled with an anthropology quiz and stuck in class until 8:30pm. Not to mention, I have my take home mid-term that is due the next class along with a portion of my 3-5 page research paper. While that doesn’t seem too daunting, lets throw in the fact that I am moving this weekend. The thought of how high my stress levels are going to be have kept me paralyzed at times to avoid it all together. But tonight I have created a giant black trash bag of Goodwill items including clothes, shoes and movies as well as packed over 12 boxes with many many more to go.
You know, maybe it is the high stress time between school and my life but I really don’t care about this birthday. Not as much as I think my father does. You see my father has had it set in his mind to “get his daughter married off” most likely as I am getting “old”. In the course of two weeks my father has tried to set me up with two different men. The first is the guy at the Verizon Wireless store. He was so proud because he didn’t give the guy my cell phone number, just showed him my picture and got his information. If I was a desperate single woman I might have jumped at the chance but with my life being so busy, I don’t have time to fit in half my friends let alone a new man. Then there was the staff member at the wedding last weekend. Yes, you heard me, the banquet server who lives in Fort Collins that worked my nieces wedding. What is worse is that my own sister, (yes you Becky) and my mother, left me hanging and having to publicly decline my fathers pushing and the boys offer to take me dancing after the wedding. Seriously?! You just asked to take me dancing as I just came off the dance floor at the event you are working? Are you asking to dance at my nieces wedding or go someplace to dance at midnight? I would add in more details however I have a feeling that would make me come off looking like a stuck up witchy woman when in fact I would just be telling the harsh truth. The episode did at least make for comical conversations for the next 15 minutes between Becky, my mother and my niece Jenn joking about what our “how we met” story could have been like.
As I enter into the last year of my twenties I am actually OK with where I am in life. I have dropped the desperation level of wanting children as I have accepted my life for where I am and the road that I am on. That I am ready for a relationship but right now, I just haven’t found the man that is ready for me. I know that I can be a lot to handle; a brain that runs at full speed causing me to “think too much”, my hormones sometimes taking a ride on an emotional roller coaster and then there is always the social anxiety that still creeps up every once and awhile but the right man will think all of that is nothing hard to handle or put up with when you add in all the good things that I provide. If in 5 years that I haven’t found someone, then I can start feeling the need to procreate with an anonymous sperm donor. I appreciate my father trying to help but the type of man that he is looking for and what I am looking for are two different things. Even I struggle with what I want that luckily Luisa is there to call me out every once and awhile and remind me what type of man can really put up with me. *wink
So with the next week this birthday will pass by and I am just fine with that, I celebrated big last year and next year I can do the same for my 30th birthday. To me it is just another day, just another birthday that will come and go and no one will notice, maybe not even myself. As for me, I have got to get back to work as this place isn’t going to pack itself (but that would be a pretty awesome birthday gift. A girl can dream, right?)
End of summer fun
So many things have happened over the summer of 2011 and even though there are a few days left, last night was the perfect way to end it.
As most of you know who follow me on Twitter, I have had some recent car trouble lately and this week was the final straw. In the past 3 weeks my poor VW has had some issues, the first week the starter died while downtown at my friend Ariel’s wedding. It was an issue that I had procrastinated on fixing until it was too late. The following week as I was driving to work, my tailpipe fell off. And the icing on the cake was last Sunday, while on my way to view the last apartment, my clutch blew out. Pushed the pedal in to shift to second and it just never came up. I had to “Flintstone” my car into the nearest parking lot until the tow truck came. Luckily that car was really light and I had no issues pushing it by myself.
I had been shopping for a car for awhile but I hadn’t expected to buy one so quickly, as I was still trying to find a new place to live before my lease was up in October. After researching, test driving, re-working my budget and lots and lots of frustration I surprised myself by buying a car just 1 day after my car died I never thought I would make such a wild purchase and even though I felt I made a quick decision the first day, I am looking forward to taking care of this car for a minimum of the next 10-15 years. It is my newest car I have ever purchased and I honestly think I fall in love as I get this warm fuzzy feeling every time I get inside (or maybe that is just the butt warmers, I really love the butt warmers).
• 1st Car – Purchased 1998 – 1987 Chevy Celebrity– 11 yrs old
• 2nd Car – Purchased 2000 – 1985 VW Rabbit Convertible –15 yrs old
• 3rd Car – Purchased 2002 – 1975 Mercedes Diesel 300D – 27 yrs old
• 4th Car – Purchased 2007 – 1997 VW Jetta – 10 yrs old
• 5th Car – Purchased 2011 – 2005 Mercedes ML 500 – 6 yrs old
My VW being loaded onto the tow truck, a Smart car I test drove for fun and my NEW Mercedes!
As for last night, I got to go to my first Rockies game since July 4th weekend with my ex. Despite the fact he insists the invite didn’t stem from my recent blog post and he said that I he was planning on asking me beforehand, I am glad that Michael invited me to join him. Up until the game, I was worried on how the night would go due to the way we left our relationship just two months earlier even though I had forgiven him and moved forward with my life. Would the time spent together bring up old issues or feelings? Would I get angry again for what he did? And the answer is no. I guess it really surprised me how comfortable it was that it was just two friends hanging out and catching up. I forgot how much we laugh when we are together and I am sure that we could have talked on into the night except I had a second date waiting for me, Luisa.
(pardon the older and blury photos but it was all I could find)
It was Luisa’s (30th) birthday last night and while we never go all out for her birthday, I was hoping to give her a nice break from reality. The poor girl had a crazy busy week with work, between events, the CU vs. CSU game and a Bronco game right after. To top it off, her good friend was having her bachelorette party yesterday, so after an early morning wake up for the college game, she was participating in wedding activities afterward. Fortunately I was able to steal her away around 11pm and take her to La Rumba for salsa dancing (per her request). I can’t salsa dance to save my life, but Luisa never judges my white girl dance moves and I enjoy watching her have fun and shaking her curves like I only dream I could. I forgot how much of a workout it is, I am sure that I burned off my consumed beer calories with in the first half hour! I was proud of myself for finally getting up the nerve to dance with a man. Ok ok, more like I had been asked several times and this one wouldn’t give up, plus Luisa had a dancing partner at the time and I felt slightly silly standing there dancing by myself. Maybe I should start taking salsa lessons as a weight loss routine? I bet my waistline would lose inches pretty quickly. After ending the night soaked with sweat and swollen blistered feet it was totally worth it. I hope Luisa had as much fun on her birthday as I did, and if not, at least she gets to have a relaxing couple of days in Steamboat after working today’s Bronco game. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUISA!!!! I am so lucky to have you in my life!
What a wonderful way to end the week! Since tomorrow is a work day, I need to back to work on homework as well as gutting out some items in my house before having to pack and move. With summer coming to a close I look forward to the next season, my favorite, autumn. And I can’t think of a better way to start it off right than with my nieces’ wedding next weekend; so excited for her and the family!
The STD No One Wants to Talk About
But most people have….If you haven’t figured it out by now I have HPV – Human Papillomavirus. This is an STD that unless you are a virgin sleeping with a virgin, you probably had or have HPV. Most people don’t even know they have it! There are hundreds of strains of HPV, the most well known are the ones that cause genital warts or cervical cancer. My biggest issue with this Sexual Transmitted Infection is that the only time you probably have heard about it is when you’ve seen a Gardasil commercial but are still left knowing nothing about it. So I thought I would give you a few facts so you know for the next time you climb into bed with someone.
Do you know that there are over 6 million new cases of HPV each year with approximately 20 million Americans that are infected at any time? An estimated 80% of the population having been infected during their life with about 12 thousand women (per year) being diagnosed with cervical cancer. HPV usually clears on its own (it’s a virus, so just like most colds, it goes away) so if you only see a doctor once a year, you may never know you had it. The only way to prevent HPV is to abstain from sexuality activity. But there is a vaccine! I actually got Gardasil (a series of 3 shots) which prevents 90% cases of genital warts in both women and men, and 70% cases of cervical cancer. I personally think that every child should be vaccinated at age 9 (before sexually active) just like mumps or measles. If you or your children are between the ages of 9-26, please get them vaccinated because it can help! Both girl AND boys, BEFORE they become sexual active as there is no cure.
So I am sure you are wondering what the result of my biopsy was and if you haven’t figured it out, I don’t have the HPV that causes warts….instead the one that causes cancer. I wish I could say everything was fine but it is neither good nor bad. I don’t have cancer…but I do have pre-cancerous cells or to put a fun spin on something that is scary, as my OBGYN likes to call them “funky”. If I was a 40 year old woman who already had children I would be having what is called a cone biopsy or a FEEP. However, they have found that with some younger women the biopsy (since it’s such a large chunk) can make me more likely for a miscarriage or lack of conception and with my previous conditions, it is in my best interest to just watch the cells instead of remove them. We will monitor them every 6 months and it will probably lead to more biopsies. Am I frustrated? Absolutely! Please, just add another tick mark on the “not able to get pregnant” side. When I told my friend Luisa the results she asked when I would start looking into artificial insemination or if I already found a sperm donor! I couldn’t help but laugh! She knew it was going through my mind… after this, I am at a point where I just want to have a baby and then remove everything. While as tempting as it might be, it is also very selfish. I may consider it down the road closer to the age of 35, but for now, my mother got me thinking about freezing some eggs just in case I do have to have a cancer treatment down the road. We shall see… but right now I will just keep on, keep track of my funky cells so when they do turn into cancer, I can attack. Thanks to those who prayed or thought about me and to those who were there to help pick me back up. I am truly thankful for you in my life.
If anyone has any questions in regards to HPV please don’t hesitate to contact me at Kristen@KristenKady.com or anonymously here.
Update: I am absolutely amazed at the response from this and my previous post! I have had so many friends and strangers come to me with their experiences or how my openness encouraged them to go back to the doctor and get a Pap Smear they have been avoiding for fear of the results. This is the reason why I wanted to talk about it! That it isn’t anything to fear or be ashamed of. We should not be afraid of our own vagina’s! Ha ha ha! Thousands of women face this every day but you would never know since no one wants to talk about it. Thanks to everyone for the support and keep the stories coming! If you have the courage, post yours in the comments below.
Also, if you haven’t been tested in awhile, Auraria Health Center and Denver Metro Health Clinic offer FREE testing so there is NO EXCUSE!
A Perfect Way To End The Week
While I do have a post coming soon about my biopsy results (not bad nor good) I just wanted to boast about how wonderful my weekend was and how thankful I am for friends and family! It was like every person and situation was the building block to getting me back into one piece.
It started off with Thursday night spent with Ms Gretchen who I haven’t seen in forever, and bar friend Eric. We had dinner at 8 Rivers and ended the night at our old bar IceHouse, reminding me of the good times we used to have working together. Friday night Michael and I did a lot of laughing, even though he ruined Skeeball for me (damn those natural athletes), whether he knew it or not he was the right balance of laughs (plus tickle wars) and hugs. What is it about a friends embrace that melt away any concerns? While Saturday day was rushed quickly I still got to attend my niece’s baby shower and get in some serious baby holding time with my 3 month old great niece. And after rushing back to Denver from Fort Collins, I got to see the Mrs. Colorado pageant with my boys Frank, Wesley and Gino followed by all night dancing (with some serious foot swelling). And Sunday morning breakfast with Luisa to catch up on this week’s events with an awesome Greek omelet and to top it all off… Kristen time plus an afternoon nap!
It was exactly what I needed to get my mind off such a stressful week, between the new job and biopsy results. Thank you to everyone who participated in it! I am SO thankful to have you in my life being there when I need it! Below are just a few pictures from the weekend. Should have another post here soon with the results along with more information that should be useful to everyone.
Modeling – the new side job?
Recently I was asked by my friend Gino Velardi to help him with a quick photo shoot to get his red carpet gowns to some of the Hollywood stylists in time for the award shows. Now this wasn’t a big production – it was arranged via text and a friend of his offered up her bridal gown store for the shoot. It was exciting and I am so thankful that he chose me! His gowns are absolutely stunning and have the ability to make any woman feel beautiful! You can see some of his other designs at www.GinoVelardi.com or on Facebook.
While I was there, his friend, DeeDee Vicory, who owns D’Lola Couture Bridal Boutique, asked if I would be interested in doing some bridal shots for her as well. While I don’t think she will be calling me anytime soon, it did start me thinking. The last time I modeled was for a bridal gown line at the age of 19. After I stopped dancing, I tried getting in the door while I was young but there was always something that I needed to correct or change, like the gaps in my teeth. I was asked by a woman that my father met while doing a news story (he worked for a local news station) to take some photos to help push their new catalog. I was paid around $300 and was also given all the photos from the shoot! You think that I would have taken that opportunity and built a portfolio … but alas I was in a new relationship and chose to spend every waking moment with a boy instead. (Silly me)
Ever since then, I told myself that I would try getting back into the modeling/acting scene around the age of 40. Long after I have children and would be looking for something more fun to do, even if it was just hand modeling for the newest anti-aging cream. I don’t think I had enough confidence to try getting into the business. It is a very harsh business and at the time, I don’t think I could have handled the criticism. With these recent events it has got me thinking, is this something I could do for a little extra cash? Now, I know that I would have to step up my exercise plan, ok…actually create an exercise plan and follow it, but that’s easy. And I would need some training on what angles my body and jaw line look best in (think Jay Manuel from America’s Next Top Model). Hummm…. It definitely has me thinking about plans for the future and the possibilities that could be! For now I will work on getting my body back into its toner/leaner version (thanks to Luisa for my trial membership to 24 hour fitness) and maybe see what it can lead to! Wish me luck!
On a similar note, I want to thank friends Frank and Wesley for introducing me to Gino and for always considering me their “model friend” (even though I was too chicken to try out for ANTM when they wanted me to!) Love you both!
My Liver Needs a Vacation
While most people are setting New Year’s resolutions that they will most likely break within the first few weeks, I am altering my life for a different reason.
I am placing myself in an adult timeout for the next 30 days. Yep, that is right…30 days of sobriety. When everyone was out drinking it up on New Year’s Eve, I was good and home before 10:30pm however it wasn’t until the day after that I over indulged. I don’t remember everything that night but I do know that I most likely embarrassed myself at some point as well as those that I was with. I have never been a big drinker, but I would come home and have a glass of wine after work about 3 times a week. It wasn’t until working in a bar again that I started drinking more. Before I would have two glasses of wine with water, I now have found myself drinking three or four and water only at the end. Then there are the shots. I never used to do shots until working in the bar. There is only one purpose of shots, to get drunk quicker. For years I have watched people making fools of themselves in public and now I have found myself in that same place.
I am not saying that I am stumbling in and out of bars at 11am or downing bottles of wine in one sitting but I do have a habit of having a good time and end up drinking that one too many. And I noticed that it has become a pattern which needs to stop. If I can’t drink responsibly, then I shouldn’t be allowed to drink at all. I have to relearn moderation and responsibility.
If you are wondering why I am posting my “dirty laundry” on the internet, it is actually for a few reasons. One, I know that I am not alone. Others may have told themselves the same thing that I have but never stopped. Two, I know that it is going to be tough at times, like while out with friends, and I might need some support. I am looking forward to feeling “clean” on the inside. To becoming more aware of how much alcohol plays in a role in my everyday life.
I have 30 days filled with mocktails and early nights home. A special thanks to Luisa and Gretchen who I know will be there when I need them and are already supporting me on the sobriety bandwagon. So today starts the first day sans booze. I’m not sure what will happen after the 30 days but I will make sure to post a follow up.
By the way, if you are interested in giving your liver a break or working more on moderation, I found two websites!
If you are wondering if you drink too much, take the survey at Drinkers Checkup
Moderation Management is a great website about teaching you how to moderate your drinking habits.
Vegas Birthday Bash!
My oh my! Boy, I had no idea what I was in store for on my trip to Las Vegas.
It was my birthday two weeks ago and I chose to celebrate with two of my girlfriends out in Vegas! It wasn’t a milestone birthday but I needed the break. I am SO glad that we decided to do this! (By the way, it was their birthday’s just the month prior) This was my first girl trip and I have to say that we all lucked out…there was no cattiness or drama amongst us! I couldn’t have asked for better chemistry.
While I don’t believe in the saying, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” I won’t go into the details of every day as we were there for 4 days!
Luisa and I arrived just after noon on Thursday and headed straight for the Bellagio, while waiting for Catie’s flight to arrive. Have you seen the recent commercials where they surprise the kids with a trip to Disneyland? Yeah… that’s pretty much how you can describe my excitement level. It had been so long since I had taken a vacation … I felt like I could explode inside (which would probably explain all the jumping up and down). As we arrived, it was hard for me to process everything… that an entire city is made up of hotels, not office buildings. Where in a normal city, hotels are spread out over miles but here there was one connected to the next and all shopping and stores were actually IN the hotel not separate buildings. Then there was the drinking… you didn’t have to finish your glass of wine before leaving a location, you could just pick it up and take it to the next.
The first day was filled with bonding between the three ladies, running various errands and settling into our hotel. We attempted to plan out our adventure, ok, well I guess it was more ME attempting to plan out our trip then US (cut to me in the lounge with a laptop and the other two laughing at me). There was just so much to discover and squeeze into our schedule! All three of us had ideas and things we wanted to check off our to do list. Things like going down to Freemont Street, sitting in on a Las Vegas wedding, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, seeing a Vegas Show, you get the idea. Well, after we (I) made the list, it pretty much went out the window from there… and instead we flew by the seat of our pants (skirts). The nights were filled with wonderful dinners and drinks, club hopping with dancing and meeting new people. Days were spent in the sun drenched pool and exploring a scene that I have never experienced.
After the four days, I think we ended up crossing off over half of our list but there are still things that I didn’t get to do like actually gamble at a table or visit some of the other hotels. But we also stumbled upon other events that I never thought would happen like the VIP pool lounge at Liquid which felt like something out of MTV Spring Break, complete with bikini clad women, dancing to the bumping beats of a DJ. In the end, I wasn’t worried about getting all the items off the list because I figure it just gives me an excuse to come back next year! Well, maybe two years, because I have some serious saving of money to do before I visit next time. Who knows… maybe it can become a regular girls getaway every year… but next time I am hoping that Ms Gretchen could join us (my “twin” who couldn’t come and her birthday is the day before mine) because who knows what other trouble we could get into!
I can’t believe it took me almost two weeks to write this but I think I needed to recover… a lot. Although I had a lot of fun, I think for the next year I will enjoy my chill Denver bars like Prime Bar or Cheeky Monk to hang with friends and save the hard partying for once a year.
Another Year Older
“We grow neither better nor worse as we get old, but more like ourselves” – May Lamberton Becker
So much has happened over the past month and I haven’t had a chance to share! Pardon this post but it is going to read a little scattered for trying to get everything in. As previously posted, I have been busy with school. This semester I registered really late for classes and could only take online classes. I had no idea what I was in for! Online classes are MORE time consuming then regular classes, where I am spending somewhere around 20 hours a week on school. I am really struggling but I refuse to fail. Hopefully I will succeed but only time will tell.
Back to the fun stuff! I attended my high school reunion at the end of August and reconnected with my old best friend, Catie. We had known of each other since middle school, but somehow bonded our sophomore year of high school. Whether it was our mutual love for dance or preferring to ditch class for Burger King breakfast, we became inseparable. We did everything together; we could act silly and weird and have conversations through just movements and gestures without saying a word. But as we got older, and started to branch into our own relationships with men, we had a falling out. While it was sad to lose a friend, our friendship had taken its course at that time. With the reunion approaching and not speaking for many years, I reached out prior so as not to have any tension or awkward moments. So to make a LONG story a little shorter, we have picked up where we left off and it’s like we never stopped! I have always loved her and I am glad that we were able to flourish on our own which I believe allowed us to become friends again.
The reason I bring this reconnection up is my birthday is on the horizon, in fact in 3 days. And this year I decided to do something big! I am going to LAS VEGAS! I figured, why not. It has been 3 years since my last vacation (which was technically my engagement trip) and I don’t count my trips between Denver and Chicago to be “relaxing” by any means. I don’t think I have ever done something this big for a birthday before. I invited a ton of people but it will only be 3 of us going. (Random thought: what is up with all the 3’s in this paragraph?) Luisa, Catie and me! This birthday getaway is going to be a lot of firsts. First time to Vegas, first trip with friends, first time gambling, first time….well you get the idea. Maybe I can get some more of my life list checked off?
That’s about it for my quick update as I got to get back to my school work before work tonight (oh I started bartending again to help out a friend, so yes job #1 Monday-Thursday, job #2 Friday-Sunday and school every day!) With this busy schedule, I am so ready for this much deserved break! I promise to post pictures and stories from Vegas because “what happens there” isn’t going to stay there! *smiles* 5 days and counting until I check into the Bellagio! Eeek! So excited!
If you are wondering about the quote on top, I happen to stumble upon it and couldn’t think of any way to describe my life right now. I may not have a partner in life to love, but I have something better; I have fallen in love with my own life. Ever since 2008 after going through cognitive therapy along with all that has happened over the course of these two years; whether it was moving, school, new jobs, new friends and old friends, I finally feel comfortable in my own skin. I may make mistakes and fall down but I am at last participating in my life and can pick myself up again. I am not trying to be anyone but me and I love every minute of learning who that person is.
Cheers to another birthday! I embrace thee… and look forward to the others yet to come!
Women Can Plan Dates Too, Right?
Apparently not this one… maybe I just over think it too much or are am too anal-retentive to do it? You see, recently I wanted to be the one to plan the next date (ok ok, actually it happened today. I was trying to plan for next week) however, after 4 hours of researching and trying to plan I have ended up empty handed and gave up.
I know it sounds lame… how can I not come up with a date idea? Well I can, I just seemed to have picked the wrong weekend to do it! I have been craving a nice night out on the town; you know the one that you put a real effort into your outfit, hair and makeup. Possibly even buy a new dress that makes you feel confident and sexy. I think this feeling stems from me feeling very frumpy lately. I wear frumpy, boring cotton clothes to work and then anytime I have been out and about, it has been t-shirt and jeans with sneakers. Now don’t get me wrong, I love wearing comfy casual clothing but every once and a while you need a change. I feel like Denver has something against me this week and that all my ideas only seem to fit into the month of July.
So my recent date ideas were:
- Going to a fun charity event
- Dinner at Fruition, then maybe dessert in a park and a swing set
- Dinner on the Bistro Vendome patio
Then I started thinking about summer outdoor events
- Going to an outdoor movie in the park
- An outdoor festival; whether food or music
- Activities like hiking, swimming or golf
- Botanic gardens, zoo, museums, or art galleries
The only charity event worth going to is Janet’s Campat the Shanahan’s home, but I really don’t want to spend all that money. I like charity events where the ticket price isn’t so high so I can actually bid on the auction items or be able to donate. Not just pay for the cost of the event. That’s why I am looking forward to Taste the Nation on July 18th. I couldn’t get a reservation at Fruition (5pm or 9pm) and didn’t really find another place that I knew both of us would like. Of course I found a great place for brunch though (and I am sure I won’t remember it next time I want to go to brunch). There is a park movie playing next weekend but I REFUSE to see New Moon (Twilight lovers, no need to attack). Would love to take him to the Jazz Aspen Snowmass 20th Anniversary Show, however, I have family plans during the day on Saturday, so a 3.5hr drive is out of the question. Which is another reason we couldn’t do any of the other day time outdoor activities like even City Park Jazz on Sunday. I am booked on Saturday day and he likes to have Sunday to work on his backyard as he is the in the middle of completely re-doing the landscape.
After all this searching I realized all I really wanted was to have a good time with The Man and that anytime I have had a good date it was because it was unplanned! Just between the two of us, it was the going to an outdoor community event, then grabbing food and drinks somewhere. It was the conversations and the people around us that made it fun. I have really enjoyed the low key evenings of a local Rockies game then off bar hopping around town. It was never because we had concrete plans for the entire evening. I wouldn’t consider myself a spontaneous person, but that doesn’t mean that I have to stick to my plans or the whole entire evening goes to crap. I wanted to plan a date that would have been fun for The Man and for me and he didn’t have to think or do anything. I think with most dates, you do something that reveals a little of what you like doing along with what they like. I don’t know how guys do it time and time again? Maybe it is just me, but there is a lot of pressure! I think I have planned only a few dates, but mainly because of the fear of it failing horribly. Heck, I even did that just the other week with Luisa, tried to plan a fun night out for her, but spent more time stressing about where we would have fun instead of actually doing it. After giving up on plans, we just started going places and ended up having fun driving all around town and stopping at different bars.
I dislike when the anal-retentive perfectionist planner inside gets the best of me. That’s why today after feeling overwhelmed and trying to make everything perfect, I have thrown my hands in the air and gave up. At that point I would rather just stay home, cook a meal, hang out in comfy lounge pants and maybe watch a movie just enjoying the company.
So I guess what I would like to say is, thank you to all the men out there that come up with fantastic ideas on your road to wooing a woman! (And same goes for those women that have that ability to do the same.) Thank you for putting up with neurotic women like myself that want to have the best night but are so caught up in their own head to be able to spit anything out. It makes it so much easier, that we can calm down knowing that you usually have something up your sleeve or have the ability to play it by ear. It is wonderful to be able relax and just spend the time getting to know more about one another, usually laughing along the way. I appreciate you and all the effort that you put into dates! Now I am curious as to what we are going to do next week… after all this, it could be the “nothing” we have planned, which could turn into the best date yet …. *smiles
*Authors note: I wanted to make sure that you know my perfectionist qualities are not related to my most recent post, but is something that has been a part of my life since I was a little girl. Just ask my mother, I cried when I got my first B on a paper and swore they were going to hold me back a grade. I try and use the term “Pobody’s Nerfect” and is something I work on all the time. I know that I am not nor can I ever be perfect and sometimes it takes me a few tries to let go and accept it.