Plans.

As expected/predicted, an email came out about a work Halloween party. It's been years since I was last at one, but our regular monthly thing is less frequent now and I could do with a night out.

I asked who was going in my work chat with Stalky Guy and Quiet Girl.

"I'll go," said Quiet Girl, "but I'm not dressing up."

I knew this. QG is definitely not the "dressing up" sort, and I'm glad cos that means she'll be wearing her usual attire: jeans and a t-shirt and I get to surreptitiously admire her ass.

So that's three definite social engagements in the diary: I'm meeting Nerdy Girl on Friday for drinks, it's just over a week until I head out with D, FBS etc. and then just over two weeks until this work thing with QG.

Still outstanding: a night out with AM (and QC1 etc.) and a rescheduled night out with KfW2, but that's unlikely to be for at least 5 weeks. Oh, and a potential meet up with M.

Hmmm.

In the space of a few hours, both M an Quiet Girl have suggested they might not go to the Sunday afternoon gig in CB Pub with my favourite local band. Well, to be perfectly accurate, M has directly said that he won't be going due to his MM double-booking him for a birthday BBQ.

Quiet Girl has suggested that, because it's a tickets (i.e. paid) event and because she has guests over, they might not make it either due to price and potentially the guests wanting to sightsee rather than go to a gig.

I said that I'd be there regardless and if she does decide to go, I have a spare ticket courtesy of M's unavailability. 

Let's rock.

M was quite quick to reply earlier saying that he'd like to go to the gig at CB Pub in a few weeks time. I'll admit that I am surprised, but in a good way. I had half-expected him to say he had other commitments, but that wasn't the case. I'm looking forward to it already.

Groove on.

Quiet Girl's just sent a message about the music festival that's in town at the end of the month. We were talking about this a few weeks back at the last work's event. Her and her husband are taking in a few gigs that weekend, but they've also decided that they want to see my favourite local band who are playing that weekend as part of the same festival.

I've texted M to see if he wants to go. I'll happily go on my own - my ticket's been bought for a while, but I've not seen M in ages, so it'd be nice to have a pint and a catch-up. 

Woohoo!

I've spoken about them before, but one of my favourite local bands is playing CB Pub at the end of June, according to Facebook. It's a Sunday afternoon, strangely, but that wouldn't stop me from going. I went with M a few years ago, on a Friday night, but he was unavailable last year. I'll maybe fire him a text message this weekend about it.

Dream a little dream.

I woken this morning to a semi-remembered dream. It was something that actually happened: a night out with MM and MMBF. They were out celebrating their birthdays (they were born only a few days apart), and MM messaged me and asked me to join them.

What happened in real life was that we chatted, MMBF added me on Facebook (or was it the other way around?), we moved to a different bar after the girls insisted I do many shots, MMBF went missing for about half an hour before reappearing, then MM and I got a taxi and went home.

In the dream, MMBF got very tactile and when MM suggested getting a taxi home, MMBF made it perfectly clear she wanted me to hang around.

I kinda woke up at that point.

I'd always wondered if MM had any ideas about that evening. M was nowhere to be seen, so it was puzzling why I got an invite out. I'd never been shy with M or MM about saying that I thought MMBF was attractive, though I think we all agreed she was too high maintenance for me. And at least one conversation from that evening was MM trying to talk MMBF into not talking to a guy that MMBF admitted was no good for her. So had she any plans for me and MMBF? She never admitted to anything and I never saw anything from MMBF to think that anything non-platonic was on the cards.

A pleasant start to Monday if nothing else, though. 

Provocation?

I was reading Reddit earlier and a post in a Men's sub asked the question about turning down an attractive friend.

I instantly thought of the evening that E3 kissed me, at the end of M's birthday party. What I didn't put together until today were the parallels between that evening and the first night I kissed FA2.

On the evening I first kissed FA2, I was out with another group of people that included FA1. FA1 and I had a bit of chemistry, but I could never tell if that was translated into actual romantic interest. BW was meant to be out, but there was no sign of him when we all met in the early evening. Eventually BW turned up, with FA2, nearly three hours after the rest of us had met. By that time, I'd been chatting to FA1 for a while. I'd ruled out any interest on her part due to the fact she'd recently started dating a new guy. But as I said, we'd always had chemistry, so the conversation flowed easily, and that was how BW and FA2 found me, deep in conversation to the point of being oblivious to anyone else around us.

At M's birthday party, while there was a group of old school friends in attendance: G,BR,E3 and others, I was being more of a social butterfly. I was chatting to some of MM's friends, including MMBF who was looking mighty fine in one of her figure hugging dresses. There was a bit of low-key flirting going on. Both M and MM knew that I had a bit of interest in her, but I think we all agreed that we probably weren't suited from a personality perspective. On more than one occasion, MM's friends had me on the dance floor.

There are strong similarities in both nights - me being fully engaged with other, attractive, women. So, it struck me earlier. Was it my behaviour with MMBF and FA1 that prompted E3 and FA2 to make their moves? Another similarity was that I didn't see a lot of E3 or FA2 at that point (that changed with FA2 after this night though).

Party Time.

Tonight was the night that I suggested to KfW2 that we went out for dinner and drinks, which she says she couldn't do for family reasons. so she pondered other dates which we've yet to talk about.

But that reminded me that we're getting into social season. As stated a few days ago, G's home, so there's an outside chance of seeing him tomorrow. I still have to message M, which will probably be a midweek coffee or pint.

I have at least four things to do this month - meeting FBS, D etc. next weekend, a gig to go to on the 27th, a possible work thing on the 28th and another gig on the 29th with my brother-in-law.

There's also the possibility of something with KfW2, but I doubt that'll happen until December, if at all. 

And December will be busy too - another work thing, out with S/The Crowd, the potential KfW2 thing if it doesn't happen in November and another gig. And I'm sure I've forgotten something else. 

I feel tired already. 

Out of the blue.

For some reason, M popped into my head earlier.

"I should see if he's free for a coffee or a beer,"  I pondered.

Then I made a mental leap.

"It's been ages since I heard from G. I should see how he's getting on"

So I sent G a message. Coincidentally, he's home this weekend on a flying visit. He had "stuff" going on (non-serious) that meant he hasn't been back in a while. I had assumed he had been back but family stuff had kept him from being in touch.

He doubts he'll have the time to meet up, but will be in touch if he does. We're still swapping messages though, catching up.

What's in a name?

Years ago, when I worked alongside Friction Guy, FBS, D etc. I mentored a guy who was about six years younger than I was. It became a running joke that he was Ruuude Jnr or Ruuude 2. They claimed that we were effectively lookalikes, but I thought they were taking the piss. Their opinion was based mainly due to the fact we had similar hairstyles more than anything else. Our build and height was completely different, for starters.

However, years after I left, I was due to meet someone in a bar. As an aside, it was the pub that I first met R2. Regardless, I stood at the bar and ordered a pint. A group of people walked in and stood beside me at the bar. I recognised some of them as being ex-colleagues,but having no interest in talking to them, I ignored them.

Literally seconds later though, they kept saying a name over and over again. It took me a while to realise that they were trying to get my attention, but they weren't using my name. They were using Ruuude Jnr's name. I continued to ignore them.

It was around that time that my companion (probably G or M) turned up and we moved on. 

Time flies.

It was MMBF's birthday yesterday. I have memories of a night when MM invited me out for drinks with her and MMBF and it being a really good night, but that must easily be over ten years ago. I sometimes wonder if MM had ulterior motives, but I never saw any evidence that MMBF was romantically interested in me. I do semi-recall her being quite tactile that night, though. I also recall MM chatting about some guy that was showing interest in MMBF - an ex of some description - and her disapproving of it. But they both asked my advice, which I gave (and MM approved of). 

I had already made some effort at trying to bed MMBF at M and MM's wedding, but again, saw nothing to indicate she was interested in anything, and she left the wedding at the end of the evening despite my invitation to the resident's bar to carry on celebrating.

So, Happy Birthday MMBF. 

 

Taps foot.

One of my favourite bands is playing tonight, in CB Pub. I tried to get M to go to it, but he's not in the city this weekend, sadly.

Additionally, Quiet Girl suggested she'd let me know where she was going this weekend. There's a music festival on with plenty of gigs across the city this weekend. We're both fans of the genre, so she said if she was heading to a gig, she'd let me know. I've not heard anything from here, though. Not yet, anyway.

If there are any tickets left, I might go to the gig by myself, you know. 

Groove on.

Facebook has just informed me that my favourite local band is playing CB Pub at the end of June. Last year, I attended with M. I might reach out to him to see if he fancies it this year. AM and her hubby also like this ban, so i might reach out to them to see if they're interested.

But something else to look forward to.

Wonderful.

Hallowe'en always brings back fond memories, plus one frustrating one. Obviously the frustrating one was the night Sports Girl admitted she liked me while wearing a home-made Wonder Woman costume and looking absolutely stunning in it. How she liked me, I never discovered, but the timing was bad as I was living with family before I moved into my current place. I still maintain it wasn't platonic, though she never showed any signs before or after... it was just that night.

The other memories are of me being out at the pub with M, chatting to women in costume. While I get really self-conscious when dressing up (in suits or costumes), I do love a woman in costume.

And seeing as tomorrow my Instagram feed will be awash with celebrities in fancy dress, here's Myleene Klass dresses as, you guessed it, Wonder Woman.

Missed opportunities.

It was M's wedding anniversary yesterday or Monday. He did mention it on Sunday evening, but I forgot all about it until wedding photos turned up in my Facebook memories today.

I took my own photos but I am disappointed by the lack of photos of MMBF and SBF who were both stunning that day to the point I even made some effort to take things to some level, at least with MMBF. I do have a few of E3, and sometimes I still wonder what might have happened had things turned out differently there instead of her trying to kiss me in full view of all our friends.

Yes, I'm stubborn... and private.

Good times

A bit of a full day yesterday. The expected call from G came in and we met in one of our local bars. It's always great to chat to G and I think he likes chatting to me. We're both going through some family stuff, and G can't really talk to his wife about it.

M arrived in about an hour later and we continued the chat.

I also spent some time with my sis, going to hers for Sunday dinner. She used to invite me up every week, but that's only the second time this year that I've been up.

Still a good day all round though.

Talk it out.

Both M and BR have given up alcohol, so when we get together these days, it's a much quieter affair. However, that doesn't stop the laughter from flowing and even though we were only out for a few hours at a local (and delicious) pizzeria, it was great to see the guys.

I know I have my frustrations with M's selfishness at times, but when you get him out, he's great company.

And the recharging I get from chatting to these guys is so much more than I get from, for example, the people from work.

Argh.

People have always been surprised when I admit that I don't really like Indian food. That causes havoc when I go to my English friends to visit or stag weekends or whatever because of the culture of going out for beers and a curry. No-one ever asks about dietary requirements, they just assume. Now, I know that not liking something is not a dietary requirement, but it is one of the few things I simply refuse to eat.

So, I was slightly angry that M sent a message earlier off the back of BR's message from yesterday. He'd booked a restaurant. there was no conversation about times or dietary preferences. He just booked it. And it was an Indian. I considered just inventing a last-minute reason for not attending, but I really want to see BR.

I sent M a message, explaining the problem, and he eventually replied.

"No problem, I'll book something else."

OK. But he's still not engaging in conversation about what we might like. He's just doing it himself. I fucking hate that.

Hello again.

BR's just messaged to see if I am free at the weekend, specifically Sunday. I am. However, this won't mean a trip to the pub because BR no longer drinks. We will, though, go get some food somewhere. I've no idea where, mind you, but luckily BR hasn't asked me to suggest anything or book anything.

If we're lucky, M might join us, too.

Memories.

I had a random thought in the middle of the afternoon about a girl who'd gone to the same school as I had. I think I've posted about her recently as the one that M had admitted had split with her husband/long-term partner. She was a school crush of mine, and she stands out as one of the few that I actually acted upon.

Back in the day, I actually asked her out, having managed to get her phone number off her.

She turned me down.

But that then provoked the question about whether or not I ever admitted that to USHW. I don't know why that thought popped into my head, but it did, it was quiet in work, so I spent an hour going through some old email conversations with USHW from around ten years ago.

I miss those conversations. They could get quite detailed and quite personal/in-depth. So it was an enjoyable but somewhat bittersweet end to the afternoon.