the master of tact

On Monday's there is a very attractive swim coach in the lane beside me. I have admired him from afar but did not have the courage to talk to him. My friend talked to him (she's married) this past week and we discovered he worked at another treatment centre. We were unsure if he was married or not, and truthfully, I didn't really want to know! This past Monday, Kris and I were talking in the locker room, and jokingly I said "He was checking me out and even gave me a smile." Right as I was saying this, the female coach that was assisting him walked by us. I was completely mortified. In doing some research I found out he was married. So there I am, exaggerating the truth about a hot married man, making a complete fool of myself and he might actually find out what I said. Anytime I think of this story I want to find a large rock to hide under.

My three choices are to a) never go back to that pool again, b) avoid any and all eye contact and pretend I never said anything like that and hope the girl didn't tell him I said anything like that, or c) start a friendly conversation and act normal.

I'm leaning toward a or b. I can't count how many times I have done something similarly stupid. I don't think I will ever learn my lesson.

mass produced mistake

Creamies are a great way to finish off your meal. My favourite is chocolate, big surprise there. When I finished one last night I read the little inspirational quote they left me on the stick. I read it again and laughed and laughed.

I wonder how that gets by so many people. Have you ever been amused by a mass produced (or mini produced) mistake?

elevator etiquette and other such things

Prior to the 3rd of October I was a Vegas virgin. My first trip to Sin City was quite entertaining and a post will be done shortly. I am still waiting on a few pictures from my friends. Our hotel, the MGM Grand, was huge. Many minutes were spent waiting for elevators and watching other people also waiting for elevators. And no big surprise, a great many needed elevator training.

I wanted to give a beat down to those folks that would push past the line of people waiting for an elevator, quickly jump in to the first one to open, making the rest of us squeeze in or wait for another one. A line is a line is a line. Get in the back!

What annoyed me even more was when people would squeeze on to the elevator before the rest of us got off. I sometimes get antsy if I've been waiting awhile and the elevator is crammed full but haven't ever had one take off before I can get on. I assume that others have also had my experience, so having to shimmy around another person is beyond irritating.

Then there were the people that seemed as though they had never rode on an elevator. If the door opened, the assumed it was going the direction they were wanting to go to. If they spent one or two seconds looking around they would notice that the light identifies the direction it is heading. Oh how I wished I had counted the number of people that would start to get on the elevator only to turn back when we told them we were going up.

Apparently taking an elevator isn't as easy as 1, 2, 3.

dating game

So, when you are older and single, people want to help out by setting you up. I'm usually open to it because you never know, prince charming might just be your friend's second cousin once removed. The most recent request I received was from my sister-in-law's mother. The bio sounded positive... older, attractive, similar values, son of a prominent member in the community. So I gave my mom the go-ahead to send off my email.

I was sharing this information to my girlfriends yesterday and one said "Wait, I think one of the sons got in trouble with the law." I went home and used my google sleuthing skills only to find out that this young man had two disturbing arrests. I'm not in the business of outing other people so I'm not giving any further information but let's just say you wouldn't want to date someone with this history. I can forgive a DUI but there are some things I'm not messing with. I call my mom freaking out (she might have thought she was talking to a sailor with all the colourful words I was using). My mom had already sent my email to the setter-upper so she called her and luckily my email hadn't yet been sent to this guy. She was quite shocked at the news and completely understood my apprehension at this person having my email. After I calmed down I laughed a little. That could become a party story, you know "So my sister-in-law's mom tried to set me up with a (insert legal history). Guess things must really be desperate for me." {Chuckles all around}

Then several hours later I started to feel a little queasy again. How do we really know the people we are dating? If he had been an average Jo, a google search would have come up empty. People could have skeletons in their closets and I could be none the wiser. I guess life is fraught with risks, I'm just glad I knew about this one ahead of time. And for the record, I need a few more months before someone wants to set me up. This one left a bad taste in my mouth.

things to do in september

Just in case your September was dull, I'll give you some ideas for next year. My September was pretty fabulous.

Start your September with a mommy/daughter road trip. You can go anywhere, but my mom and I chose Moab. She was a super trooper on our several hikes in Arches National Park.





Pretty isn't it?

Turn 30, or at least pretend you just turned 30. I'm now discovering how fantastic it is. Your friends might be sneaky and decorate your office floor to ceiling. It was amazing and embarrassing.


Be sure to show appreciation to those that sent flowers. Top of a big birthday with pedicures and dinner with your closest friends (and phone calls with those far away).

Once you are feeling the vibe that 30 brings, socialize and flirt like crazy. It will score you two dates in one day (for you married folk, don't accept unless it is from your spouse). What can I say? I'm hot!

Book a flight to Boston and Vegas in October. This gives you something to look forward to once September is over.

Attend an Arcade Fire concert. The set will amaze you, as will their energy. Check out Dainon's blog for a more thorough review. Absolutely fantastic.

Round out your month with a trip to Vernal. You might just get an invite to participate in a cattle drive. The real cowboys will laugh at your city slicker-ness but it will still be worth it. I'm sure I would laugh at someone trying to get their horse to stop galloping or holding on for dear life as the beast jumps a ditch. However, if you get a chance to do something as cool as this, bring your camera. You will regret not being able to share the images that are in your head. It truly was a beautiful site to see... cows, mountains, horses, sun setting.

September really has proved to me (like Lisa says) that 30 really is the new 20, except you're smarter and richer. I'm pretty stoked about the next 10 years.