Busy weekend

A few nights ago I was out with that crowd from work that I've recently been socialising with. The cute blonde girl wasn't out, but others were. It was a good night and one of the girls, that everyone seems to follow, dragged everyone to a pub I like based on the fact I'd taken her there a few weeks ago. I think I'm now in a position where I can count on these guys as a proper source of potential socialising.

Tonight, on the other hand, was spent in the pub with my housemates. This is the first time I've done this since I moved in and it was OK. I met a few people, but it was hard to get into conversations... I felt that I was being excluded, not deliberately, but excluded nonetheless. Conversations were closed off to me and people stood or sat with their backs to me. I had a bit of acid reflux tonight, so I ended up using that as an excuse to go home earlier than I would have liked. There was a girl that caught my eye... she knows my housemates in some shape or form, but I'm not entirely sure how well. If you think of a brunette Cameron Diaz, then you're on the right lines. Nothing will come of it, I'm sure, but she was nice eye candy for an hour or so. However, I should make the effort to get the guys out to the pub for a night out, just to get to know each other a little better.

Tomorrow, I have a family BBQ to attend. That should be fun, plus I can pick up some stuff from my parents' place too.

Upcoming stuff

The start of next week sees me being busier. I start in a new job, which looks very promising. At the same time, I should be starting my new gym membership. The new gym is a lot handier to work and my new place, so I should be able to attend much more often than I did at my last gym/house.

Tomorrow, I think I'm heading out with FP and seeing as the weather is nice, it should be good for plenty of, erm... appreciation.

Next week, I'm out with my sister and a few other family member for a meal and some drinks. I'm really looking forward to that. I found out today that the same day is the blonde girl's birthday. I may or may not get an invite to it (after all, I barely know the girl), and if I did, I think that would be a clear indication that something might be on the cards. If not, there's a work night out the night before that loads of us are going to, so there might be a good night out there, too. In fact, thinking about it, she might have a work-specific night out that Friday and keep her professional and personal life separate.

*not pleased*

F was due to come over for a visit this summer, but due to a recent house move and her hubby spending all her saved cash, that's just been blown out of the water. I'm disappointed because F and I get along really, really well. It would have been nice to see her again and spend the weekend in the pub talking rubbish and getting drunk.

*pleased*

With a few work-related engagements coming up within the next few weeks, I have reflected on how things have turned out with the group that includes the blonde girl. As I mentioned in a previous post, I kind of wormed my way in during a birthday celebration and then engineered a couple of moves afterwards for further socialising with the same people.

The last time I was out, I had some slight suspicions that something more was going on. Not anything hugely obvious, but I thought there were some very subtle signs that contact with the blonde girl was being engineered and I know that, in the past, some of the females have tried a bit of match-making. As luck would have it, we did spend a lot of time together that night, but it didn't seem to me that anything would come of it.

While I am on the outside of that social circle, it does appear that I may get further invites to tag along (if not actually become part of the group itself) and there have been subsequent incidents that may increase my chances of that happening. I'm not expecting anything to happen with regards the blonde girl (though that might be a bonus if it did), but at the very least, it's another few people to head out with and that's definitely something I want.

More random thoughts.

Yesterday, as I was returning from a social engagement with some co-workers, I suddenly found myself thinking about CAB. I've no idea why... it's not as if we were talking about anything that might have prompted those thoughts. Yet again, my thoughts turned to wondering what kind of fun we could have had if things had turned out slightly differently and there was the tiniest pang of regret that I called the whole thing off (or at least called it off far too early).

Random thoughts.

Before FA2 and I actually made our relationship official, there were a few months of on/off casual sex. I thought, perhaps naively at the time, that this was what FA2 wanted, having separated from her husband and was at the beginning of her divorce proceedings. 

Of course, it wasn't, and FA2 tried several times to force my hand into cementing our relationship. FA2 had actually been out on a few dates with another bloke, a friend of FP's. I'd been on the phone to AM moaning about my lost chance and admitting that things weren't looking positive. However, I managed to talk to FA2 over a quiet drink in the pub one Sunday evening. 

I'd gotten her out with the intention of telling her how I felt and that I actually did want a relationship.

Before I got to talk, FA2 told me that there was no chemistry with the bloke in question and that she was going to call him in the week and turn him down. A day later, sitting in the back garden, we spoke about what would happen after she'd made that call. 

I made a comment about doing something on that Friday night. I can't remember exactly what we did that night (I think it was dinner and drinks), but I know we definitely ended up back at hers, screwing. 

The next morning, FA2 said something along the lines of "you know that this means we're going to make a go of this, don't you?" to which I replied in the positive before going down on her for another session. 

With that in mind, we always had a playful disagreement about when our anniversary actually was. She reckoned it was the Friday night date, I reckoned it was when we actually vocally recognised the relationship. 

If it had been the first night we hooked up, then that would have been probably three months earlier. Why this story now? Well, this was the date we would have had that conversation, lying naked in bed together. It was probably around this exact time, too, eleven years ago.

More goal setting... part 2.

Along with the fitness thing below, the social thing has improved recently. I need to keep this up. There have been the unexpected nights out with a few people from work (including the blonde girl) that I hope will translate into more nights out with that same crowd.

Additionally, over the next four or five weeks, there are at least another four nights already planned with people from work. I have a night planned with my sister and cousin and respective spouses/partners plus a few nights out with FP.

With the summer rapidly approaching (though the weather would suggest otherwise), I hope this is going to continue into the better weather when things can get really fun.

In other news, SSCW has taken a HUGE huff with me over something that I really don't understand. She's let me know she's annoyed but hasn't actually explained WHY this is. From what I can gather I've done nothing wrong, so it's just going to be a matter of waiting and seeing what happens. To be honest, if this is the kind of game she plays, then not talking to her any more isn't going to be a huge problem. We only see each other in work, we (or rather she) doesn't socialise, so it's not like we'l be sitting in the pub ignoring each other. She might calm down and let me know, but she might not. That's her decision, but I really can't be arsed with the dicking about.

More goal setting

From the first of June, I should be in a better place to further another of my goals, that of getting fitter (and dropping a bit of weight). I'm in a position now where I could be playing football up to three times per week, but from the start of June, I begin a new gym membership at a gym that's much handier to where I live in terms of being closer to work AND on the bus route to and from work. That should enable me to go a lot more frequently than I did to the last one (no more secret perving at GC though).

Still... by June, my new fitness programme should be in full flow!

Rambling on further.

I'm now settled in to my new place, but I think I need to work on a couple of things. First of all, I do need to spend more time with my new housemates. I'm still stuck in a routine online that takes me away from the guys, spending time alone in my room doing some of the online things I used to do in my old place. Seeing as part of my goal in getting a new place was to open up and become more social (with a better social life the ultimate goal), sitting in my room on a forum and on Facebook is kinda defeating the purpose a bit, though I am readjusting slowly.

Secondly, there are potential meetings with QC2 and FA1 in the pipeline. FA1 should crop up next week at the earliest, but not too long after that, if things go according to plan. QC2 is different. The ball is in her court, but she's yet to pop up and arrange something (although she has been in email contact). It'd be great to see her again (but then I am a sucker for spending time in the company of attractive girls, even just for a chat and a drink.

Ramble on.

Sometimes, when I am unsure of myself, I read through some of USHW's really old blog posts, the ones from before The Big Incident (there are capital letters there for a reason). Now, before I go any further, when I say "unsure of myself", I don't mean I'm hugely depressed or anything, just that I might be under-estimating how great I am. USHW used to tell me I had a huge ego, half-jokingly (I think), but sometimes it was true because there are some things I do know I'm simply fucking great at.

There are some things I'm not so great at. Selling myself is one. That could be to a team leader in trying to get recognition for a job well done, trying to make myself heard in a group or trying to make a good impression on a girl (for romantic or sexual reasons).

Reading through USHW's old blog posts is an ego massage, but it has a purpose over and above some psycho-wankery... it does help me realise that I can be good at these things should I put my mind to it.

On a good day, I can be really good at selling myself to girls, at making a good impression, but I really have to be in a particular mood or have a good foil for some banter. Sadly, I can't really turn it on or off by myself. Apart from the recent blonde girl thing (which is still being pondered and nothing is decided or deduced), the last time I made a big impression on a girl was RB last summer and that was more a mutual attraction thing going on, right from the start. By that I mean we both knew we were attracted to each other, so it was a matter of not putting the other person off rather than trying to sell yourself to the other person. Even then, things fell apart, despite the fact RB was interested.

I guess this confidence dip is as a result of this blonde girl. I still don't know if she's interested or even if I am (for reasons explained in previous posts), but I'd like to be in a position to at least make a good impression and that's where things start going awry. There might be other forces at hand, too, but that's to be pondered.

The other thing that I realised when I was reading USHW's blog was that we don't really communicate any more. USHW doesn't say much on her blog any more... hasn't done for a while, and our communication via Facebook (or only other channel of communication) is very sporadic. I miss chatting to a few people on MSN as I used to do, and USHW is right up there.

Is there a reason for this post? Not really... I was thinking some things and needed to see them in the written word. Now I think I can deal with them better.

A dilemma, of sorts.

I am still considering contacting R2, a girl I met way back in '93 or '94 who went to live in America. We kinda lost contact down the years, but I saw her in the town recently-ish and I had previously found her on Facebook. The only thing that's holding me back is the wording of the message I send to her. What do I say to someone I haven't contacted in thirteen or fourteen years?

Results?

Well, I had a great time at the pub last night. I did get to spend a lot of time chatting to the blonde girl that I mentioned a month or so ago and I think my stock might well be rising with her.

However, she seems a little... I dunno... prudish? I don't know if that's the right word to use, but she mentioned that she'd snogged plenty of guys but when it came to talking about sex, she seemed embarrassed.

She is attractive, but I don't think she's dating material, but she might be worth pursuing for a shag. She seems a little high maintenance for me, hence the non-dating thing, but she is a really nice girl. I don't know if she'd be the type of girl that has sex just for the sake of a fuck though, given her "prudishness" and vocabulary last night.

I guess things are still ongoing, and the group of people out last night do seem to spend a bit of time match-making (though none of them are dating material in my opinion, there are a few I'd happily snog/shag). From what was said last night, I think this blonde girl is quite pro-active (strangely while appearing quite timid), so if she is interested (and I do actually make up mind if this is what I want), then I shouldn't have to wait too long.

Yay

A mate from work has just been in contact about heading out tonight. There will be a few people out, including that blonde girl I mentioned a few weeks ago, which might make things interesting (and at least make things nice to look at).

I've got a few things to do, but will head into town in a few hours.

Is there anything wrong with this picture?

It was a good weekend. On Friday, I made a successful comeback to the work's footy after a recent hamstring tear, though my legs have been aching all weekend. I was out with FP on Friday night where we trundled around a few bars before I called it quits reasonably early at midnight. Yesterday, after enjoying a (very rare) lie-in, I caught the new Star Trek flick at the cinema, follwed by a bite to eat and a few pints watching the footy on the telly before returning home and chilling out for an hour or so and then calling it a day. Today has been spent chilling out (it's a glorious day here - bright and sunny if a little on the cool side) and I'll probably watch a DVD this evening before trying to get a good night's sleep.

On reflection though, yesterday wasn't as enjoyable as it could have been for one reason: I did it all on my own. It would be nice to have someone that I can call up and do stuff like this without the weeks of planning that's required for other people (i.e. those in relationships, with mortgages, with kids). It doesn't have to be female (though there can be obvious benefits there if it were), but it would be nice just to be able to know that I can meet people socially and have a pool of people from which to choose rather than be reliant on FP all the time.

Yes, there are people like QC2, but she's more of a mid-week coffee/drink friend than heading to the pub for pints and football. People like AM are just too unreliable. FP is busy with his own life and everyone else (including QC2) are the kind of people that can get out every few months.

I suppose, if I did a bit of work figuring things out, I could schedule my life months in advance, see all these people and be out every week or two out opf three weeks instead of one out of three weeks.

We'll see... I'm still eyeing up the dating sites (though even the free ones haven't offered too much since I first launched my profile there months ago), so I might tweak my profile seeing as I'm really considering using these "properly".

An interesting weekend!

Friday started off well. It was our regular work-related piss up as I've no doubt mentioned before. I had a few beers with the boys, then me and a few others took ourselves off while a female colleague played silly buggers. She seems to crave male attention though I wouldn't necessarily call her a tease or a flirt. The amount of guys that run around after her is unreal though. I was kinda hoping that the girl I mentioned from a few weeks back would be out, and she was for the early part of the evening, but when we all met up later for some pool and beers, she was nowhere to be seen, sadly. We nodded at each other earlier, but that good impression I thought I made wasn't as good as I'd originally thought, I think.

Saturday proved to be interesting in that I had a conversation with a friend of E on a social site. We talked about online dating and E. I mentioned that I was probably going to try online dating soon once I settle in, more to expand my social life than for dating per se, but obviously I'd only be selecting women where there was a possibility of things evolving. I might settle down this weekend or the weekend after and start updating my profiles that I've had on a few sites now but that were never used.

E's friend also mentioned that she'd hoped that E and I would hook up, not that she thought there was anything going on (she says), just that she knew we were close and wanted the best for E. That sparked a further conversation about the amount of times E and I were out and people DID think we were dating. E's friend was fairly interested in that, but the conversation moved on to other things and E's friend doesn't know me well enough to prod further (or just ask questions) that perhaps QC2 or USHW might have asked.