Coley's in Like

Damn my place of employment. They blocked Craigs List. What will I do with my time now that I can't scour the Missed Connections in the vain hope that someone will write about me? Well, I can think of a couple of things: 1. Write in blog. 2. Daydream about dreamy boys.
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So, took a long weekend to go back to Chico and visit my mom for Mother's Day. Delightful visit with my mama. The older I get, the more my mother amazes me. She's a tough lady with 4 of the most challenging children I've ever heard tell of. She's come through it all and still loves us. I know, I know, you're thinking "She probably lost her sanity sometime in the mid 1980's, which allows her to still love you. She also probably carries on full conversations with her oven." And that might be part of it. But ask a mother, it's the child that really challenges you that you feel a stronger connection to. And all 4 of us made a strong effort at killing my parents with our teen years. There was my older sister, whom they knew was screwing up, but rarely caught her. There was me who made few secrets about the variety of ways I was screwing up. There was my brother who openly did drugs in their home, got kicked out of one high school and would blow up with rage at the drop of a hat. And now there's my little sister who is slowly asserting herself, but more than anything just refuses to DO ANYTHING around the house, has been talking about joining the military and is faultering at school.

My mother has, so far, raised 3 (the youngest is still a minor, therefore still being "raised" as it were) productive members of society each doing well in their own ways. So far, all the adult children have rejected my parents' religion and general moral code. Yet my mother takes this all in stride and rarely tries to push that garbage onto us (except for the periodic book like "Just in Case You Were Wondering" or some Jeebus video). She speaks in glowing terms of her children to all the Mormon friends and is unflinching in the face of other people whose children are "still in the church." Takes a tough lady to do that, let me tell you.
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You'll have to forgive me for this next section. I will put a warning on here: Extreme Giggly Infatuation Below! It will be obnoxious. I try to avoid emotional crap for the most part, and am rather uncomfortable with the whole topic, but I am in like. (Please Note: "in like" is the stage where you've finally admitted to a person that you like him/her and he/she has admitted the same. Big time infatuation where the sky is the limit with daydreaming and "happily ever after" fantasies.)

So, I've written about "Guy Who Came to Easter Dinner" to the point of exhaustion. Well, Christian and I went on a date on Saturday. After months of knowing each other and a month of "phone dating" we finally got together, in person, and spent an evening together. There was a bar crawl planned for a couple of "friends of friends" so I invited Christian (notice he has a name suddenly?) to join. In this way, it was a little lower stress and I could also get my friend's read on him.

I picked him up, and chatted with his roommates, whom I've known for years, and we left. I had tried to dress kind of hot, but also trying not to look to "datey" because I wasn't sure if it was a date. I'm trying to read Christian to determine if I'm "one of the guys" or if it's mutual attraction. I'm starting to think it is a date, when he turns to me and says "Oh, shoot. Can we stop along the way? I invited my friend Patrick to join us." Yeah, he'd invited someone else along. So, in my head, this is no longer a date and he's now invited someone because, clearly, I am unattractive to him and therefore he needs a bodyguard. We pick up Patrick, make our way to the bar and find my friends.

It was a first for me. Suddenly everyone is asking "Who's the hot guy?" and I could honestly say "Oh, he's with me." We spent an hour or two drinking and generally shooting the shit amongst about 6 people. The whole time Christian is sitting next to me doing the thigh's touching and periodically brushing my leg with his fingers in a casual "I was just gesturing along with what I was saying" kind of way. Then it was determined that we were moving to another bar, to dance for 80's night. Patrick and Christian both are willing to join, even though I'm betting that sounds like the last place either of them would like to be. As we walk to the next bar, Christian alternately holds my hand or puts his arm around me. Very adorable, but could have also been because he was limping pretty badly and didn't want to get left in the crowd. I'm still unsure of where the night is going.

We arrive at 80's night well behind everyone else (you know the whole "hit by a car" limp Christian had going). I'm ahead of Christian and Patrick in the "line" (I say "line" because there was no one in the line, but they still made us walk through the damn rat race of rope to get in. Schmucks!)to get in and just hand the door person the cover charge for all three of us (a whopping total of $6). Christian tries to argue and pay. I tell him that they are here as my guests and kiss him to shut him up. Then I felt embarrassed because that was awfully forward and immediately my thoughts all sound like this "Oh my god, why did I do that? He already must think I'm terrible and loud and he probably hates me, and now I've gone and kissed him! I'm such an ass!"

We go inside while I desperately avoid eye contact, because, obviously, Christian is now disgusted by me. I make my way to the bar to find that Sarah, my darling friend, is already ordering me a drink. I get Christian a beer and Patrick a water (weird non-drinkers!) and move it to the dance floor. Christian is right behind me, then grabs me and kisses me! Hurray! He doesn't think I am nasty! We dance and make out a little on the dancefloor. At some point, clearly, Sarah and I end up dancing on the stage (What else could possibly happen when Sarah and I get together?).

Once I'm done making an ass out of myself, I jump off the stage and Christian and I leave. Patrick, meanwhile, is nowhere to be found and I can't find Sarah to tell her I'm leaving, but manage to find some people who were in our group and tell them. [Evidently Sarah didn't find out I'd left for over an hour. Nice.]

Back to Christian's house. Of course all his housemates are home. Nakedness ensues. And, while I thought I was being good and keeping it quiet, I found out later, this was not the case. Awesome. Apparently I can still make a room full of 20-something males feel really uncomfortable. (Back in Milwaukee, at the ex's apartment I used to get standing ovations from his 3 roommates. Nice to know I've still got it.) Hours of talking, making out, doing it etc. During which Christian (who mind you is really damn hot and really unbelievably sweet) says this exactly: "I don't want to sound all weird or anything, but I really don't want this to be a one-time thing. I really like you." How cute is that?

Anyhow, long story even longer, 4:30 am I am driving back to my parents' house. I spent all Sunday alternating between hangover and blissful lusty happiness.
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So, my parents have already met Christian, and even like him. My mother is really silly and chatting about him with me, because of course I announce at breakfast that "Christian likes me!" Yeah, I'm really good at hiding my feelings. Later on in the day, my mom asks if Christian is coming over. I tell her no. She says "Damn, I was going to be total jerk and bust out with every stereotype I could. It would have been hilarious. Well, next time you're in town. In the meantime I'll have to study up on the stereotypes so I can really have a good repertoire going." Welcome to my mother. (Did I mention that Christian is black? That last section might make more sense with that knowledge. Sorry, I've stopped sleeping again, logic escapes me.)

Almost a year after ending my last relationship and starting my life all over again, I get involved with someone I actually like, who actually likes me and even better, my friends and family like him! Bizzarro. And of course the damn kid has to live 3 hours away. Kick ass.
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So I spent the last few days in this totally blissed out JBF haze. I'm finally starting to come down now. Which is probably a good thing since I just got thrown a bunch of work.

So a big Congrats to my sister who finished the year at Nursing School with a 4.0 GPA, a new scholarship and now starts her summer off with a trip to a spa. I'm so proud of you Sisterhead!!