I can say with quite a bit of certainty that I've been quite thoroughly enjoying this 4th of July weekend. I'm also really enjoying my new home. It's not really seemed weird yet. I'm not sure why I expected it to be weird... probably because awkward is my self described "thing." Sure, it's been a little odd at times while we sort of figure out how this new living situation is supposed to work... but it's not really been too strange yet. The first truly awkward moment came on Friday night. I was sitting in the back yard talking on the phone and my new roommate/ ex boyfriend came home with some beer and groceries. He handed me a beer and sat down in a lawn chair a few feet away. This was all very nice except I happened to be on the phone with a guy I had been emailing and chatting with online for months. It was the first time we had made the "jump" to talking on the phone and we were making plans to meet up sometime in the near future. This was an already awkward situation made even worse with the addition of another pair of ears listening on. In the end it all worked out though.
The guy I was on the phone with lives in Denver and we had met on okcupid.com since we had something like a 96% match. That was my highest match for anyone in like the intermountain west region so I sent him an email months ago and we enjoyed a fun and thoughtful correspondence for several months. We were both single when we met then I was dating the guy that is now my roommate and then he was dating someone and then we found ourselves both single at the same time so we decided it was time to actually meet in person. He drove up here yesterday (the 4th of July) just to see me. I think this might be some sort of record. I'm not sure any dude from Denver has ever offered to drive up here to see another dude, ever. We almost always have to migrate south in order to find the men folk. So, he got here and we wandered around the festival in the park, we had lunch, we wandered around the festival some more and had a funnel cake, and then he went home. Admittedly, it wasn't an exceptionally eventful day but it was good. I think we both felt just a little off our games and hopefully there will be a second date. If that even was a date... it's hard to say. At any rate, I'm going to see him a week from today in Denver. On paper he's perfect for me, plus he's pretty darn cute. I feel like there aren't really any big compromises other than the distance, no big things I have to forgive, no strange flaws that don't mesh with my own strange flaws, we aren't exactly cookie cutter duplicates, which is good, since instead we sort of compliment each other... at least it seems that way on paper. But I'm still a little afraid of a long distance relationship. Oh well, first things first... a second or possibly even a first date and then go from there.
Living with someone that wasn't born in this country has been an interesting experience. He's been in the states for over 11 years and has naturalized and owns a house and all that but there are still some odd differences. Nothing major and they are mostly just interesting more than anything. Meals are slightly different - ie runny scrambled eggs, and dinners that consist of sausages, sliced dark bread, and tomato wedges... and alcohol, lots of alcohol. I don't think a day has passed since I moved in where I didn't have at least one beer with him. But I have been VERY careful to not get drunk since ex's living together + being drunk = danger. But all in all, things have been really good and I like it here. My dog is thrilled, it's like she is a different dog entirely. The whining has completely stopped, the restlessness is gone, she is just happy and content. She mostly stays out of the way and follows one of us around or hangs out under the Norfolk pine in the dining room. She's actually pleasant to be around, it's great!
Yesterday was the 4th of July and I've probably already mentioned that but I have to get back to the original topic I planned for this blog so think of this as a clunky transition. My roommie was painting the upstairs bathroom when my date/ friend/ question mark from Denver showed up. We live like 3 blocks from a big park where there is a huge 4th of July festival and I had originally invited him to go with me before I knew I was going to have company. He seemed less than thrilled and said that he's gone past on his bike in years past and didn't really think it was something he was interested in. After my date/ friend/ question mark from Denver left I had plans to go to the next town over for a party at a colleagues house and he was invited. Again, he opted to stay home and work on the bathroom. I guess the independence day of a country you aren't native to, just isn't that big of a deal. I made sure we had what passed as a "traditional" 4th of July/ picnic/ bbq type meal the night before and he appreciated it. He didn't even have any interest in stepping outside to see the fireworks that were practically shaking the house but at the same time he didn't get upset when the drunk neighbors were up until past 1:00 in he morning shooting off fireworks and celebrating. It's sort of an odd easy going dichotomy that he has going on.
All in all, I'm a pretty happy camper. I just have to be careful to not get TOO happy. I realized the other day as we were both walking my dog that I actually had just about everything I ever wanted but in the wrong way. I live in an adorable house with a guy I get along with really well. I have a cute dog that loves her home. I have a good job and enjoy my coworkers. Given all of these things... I even like the town I'm living in... but it's not right. I'm a guest in this house, it's not my own or even partially my own and the guy that owns it is not mine either. My things are hidden away in a storage unit and I'm borrowing a make believe life that can't last. That cute gay couple walking the cute dog in the park is not a couple. My advice for myself so I don't forget: guard yourself and don't get too comfortable since this can't last. You are playing with fire so be careful.
No comments:
Post a Comment