45 and still no Swagger

First let me give you my golden rule. No matter how you look or how much money you have, if you have swagger and are confident people will be attracted to you. I consider myself one of these people. Not to toot my own horn, but I keeps it real! This is why I will be single the rest of my life.

I went out with some friends to a bar down in the Village early Octoberish. I met this dude who was 45. My friends convinced me to give him a shot because he didn't look or act 45. Personally I feel old in that bar, so I didn't know why a 45 year old would be there, but I don't judge so I said why not. We exchanged numbers. He actually called!! Not texted, called!!! Well this was a good start. I almost didn't know what to do. So we get to talking and he tells me how he is divorced has three kids and is a chef in Brooklyn. His oldest kid is 24, damn!!! But hey, he is a chef and it is nice to meet a guy who doesn't ask me off the bat if I know how to cook. Later in the conversation I find out he works at a grocery store deli. I guess technically he still could be a chef, but when you say chef I think restaurant, not deli. Still trying to be positive I keep the lines of communication open.

2 weeks later this fool finally asks me out! Where does he want to go....the movies to see The Three Musketeers, he is a big fan. Now I personally think a movie on the first date is a bad thing, I mean you can't really talk and get to know each other, but I said yes. I wasn't excited about the movie, but half the time I just go for the popcorn anyway. So we met at a theatre in Times Square. He bought the movie and I bought the popcorn. Note for all the men that follow this blog, if a girl offers to pay for anything on the first date, tell her NO! Then if she insists let her pay. Us women are only offering to be polite and we expect a man to challenge us on it, it is a test! At least for the first date.

We get into the movie theatre and are chatting while we wait for the movie to start. About 10 min after the movie was suppose to start the a theatre worker comes in to tell us they are having technical difficulties and the movie will start soon. Some guy down in the front row asks for free popcorn. Yeah it was funny, but then my date yells "No I want free McDonald's!" Really showing your class on the first date there buddy.

So the movie still hasn't started so he offers to go put more butter on the popcorn. I told he might as well get a refill while he was at it. Shoot I wanted my money's worth. So he gets up and spills his soda on the ground. Now mind you he didn't clean it up so I assumed the lid was on tight enough and he didn't spill that much. When he comes back he basically slips and falls into his seat. I ask him what he slipped on and he said he spilled the entire soda on the ground. Um...we had large sodas so you can only imagine the river of Sprite going through the theatre. Ya'll know I had a stack full of napkins to go with the greasy popcorn! The old Shannon would of ask him why a grown ass man doesn't attempt to clean up the Big Gulp he just spilt all over the theater, but the new Shannon just let it slide. Then to make matters worse, the guy sitting next to us slips and falls too! I am biting my tongue at this point. Oh and by the way he didn't come back with a refill of popcorn!

So the movie finally starts and it was actually pretty decent. I was chilly so he gave me his coat. I thought OK maybe I can let the other things slide, that was a smooth move. Then he gets up to go to bathroom, 3 times during the movie. He has about 50 keys on a key chain hanging from his belt loop. They jingle the entire way through the theater. He didn't even try to muffle them. People are shushing him and he walks, and has no freakin' clue. Yeah only a bitch like me would remember that I know.

So the movie is over and we are in the lobby getting ready to leave. He runs into an old co-worker and starts talking to him. About 30 seconds into the conversation I realize he is not going to introduce me or acknowledge me to his friend so I decide to take a break and go to the ladies room myself. I come out and he is no were to be found. This fool was in the bathroom again!! I guess its a good thing he spilled the first round of soda, or he would of missed the entire date all together.

All in all the date was OK but he definitely was nervous. You'd think by 45 a guy would know what the hell he was doing and be more confident. We texted a few times the next couple of weeks. Then he called me while I was moving and I didn't call him back the same day. Then next text I got was as follows..."OK I see you do not want to talk to me so I will not call no more." I took this as they easy way out. Delete!

Welcom to Astoria.

Well I am officially no longer a Jersey Girl. Not that I ever really was but now I can pretend to be a Queens girl that still says Ya'll! Jersey was nice while it lasted, but my broker's idea of an up and coming area was not up and coming fast enough. I decided to cross the river and become a NYer! Astoria definitely has a a different vibe than where I was. It is basically an extension of the city. Lots of Restaurants, shopping and bars. I might actually have a life now.

Moving day was very stressful. It was cold, rainy and my couch didn't fit into my new apartment. By the end of the day I was stressed, out over $1000 for my move and had a couch sitting in the hallway of my building. I had a slight melt down, but realized it all would be worth it in the long run.

The move was really in efforts to save money. I want to buy something in the next few years and the cost of real estate up here is bananas! So, I have a roommate again. Help me Baby Jesus!

There are a few lucky folks that read this, that have had the pleasure of meeting my friend Andy. If you have not let me give you a inkling of what my life will now be on a daily basis. He is a 25 year old who has never lived on his own. Up until 2 weeks ago he lived with his parents. He is Chinese so his mother treats him like a God and does everything for him. I just found out he has never cleaned a bathroom in his life. He would rather spend money on going to bars and getting drunk, than on furniture. The first night at our new apartment he asked me if I would wake him up in the morning. I kindly replied "You better figure out the F*C&ing alarm clock on your cell phone!" He does have some good points though, he is considerate, washes the dishes, cooks a good steak and shuts up when I tell him too! Needless to say I have to teach him a lot about being a grown ass man on his own, but hey what is life without challenges.

Once all is settled I will post pics of the new place. It isn't as nice as my new apartment in Jersey, but it has character for sure! No freakin' electrical outlet in the bathroom....but it has character!