Another blind date?

Last week after getting my tooth pulled I met a friend out for a drink (several) to catch up. We commiserated about how the economy was messing with our lives, she got a 30% pay cut and I was convinced I was about to lose my job. I talked about my rent increase and possible decision to move back to Atlanta in April. Suddenly she said excitedly, “Oh my God I have the perfect guy for you!” Last time she fixed me up on a blind date he was so unbelievably awful I almost gave up blind dates for life.

“Is he ugly?” were the first words out of my mouth because the last guy? Sheesh! But to be fair her description of him was; He’s not great looking but is so funny and has such a great personality you won’t even notice (I did). This time she say’s he tall, cute and very, very well off. “Ok, sure,” I say “count me in, when I move back to Atlanta we can schedule something.” “He comes to NYC once in awhile, I should give him a call” was her response.

Two days later she asks me if he has called me. “Called me?” I asked her, “You gave him my number?” “Yes,” she said, “and wildly enough he’s going to be in NYC next week and I told him you’d go out with him.”

But by then I realized that I was actually going to keep my job for awhile and would not need to move back to GA. So what would be the reason to meet this guy now I wondered? I asked if she was joining us so that it didn’t seem like a weird act of desperation but just a couple of friends getting together. “No,” she said, “you are going alone.”
On Monday afternoon he called, I waited about 5 hours to call him back turning the whole thing over in my head. What the hell I decided, so I called him back.

We chatted and I wasn’t bowled over by his “salesman” like conversation and ease. He’d also said that he used to live in the most affluent county in Atlanta but had recently moved. First of all who says that and second of all he was wrong and obviously used to talking out his ass. I found out my friend had also given him my email address and sent him pictures of me! I hadn’t gotten any pictures! No fair! Just because she knew him longer doesn’t mean he gets preferential treatment! He said he’d email me some pictures since I hadn’t been as lucky when I got in the next day and opened up the pictures I was like ahh, no! What is with this girl? Does she actually think I can’t pull hot guys?! So I started out with my interest somewhat peaked, and thinking this sounds like a story for the grandkids, we lived in the same state and never met, then just a week after having thought of it a mutual friend brought us together and the rest is history (cue the music).

We made plans to go to his favorite steakhouse. Whatever, I never go to steakhouses except for work events or client dinners but it’s only Tuesday night so who cares. So now I’m roped into a date with a guy who lives in Atlanta and is 6’7. When I saw him I recognized him right away and we ordered a drink and chatted easily at the bar. He asked me if I wanted dinner and I said yes which is a sure sign the date is going well. The date was going surprisingly well actually, he was friends with the bartender who was hysterical, a group at a nearby table serenaded me, he paid me several compliments, I had a great meal and about 6 too many glasses of wine. He did want to come in when we shared a cab home but was gracious when I said no and a pretty good kisser so that’s not all bad. As I was getting out of the cab he asked if he could see me tomorrow and I agreed…(to be con’t).

Wantabee’s

The picture posted is from a “fashion show” I went to on Friday night. I use the term “fashion show” loosely because, it wasn’t actually under the tents at Bryant Park where most fashion week events are held and because most of the “clothes” in this show were painted on (including the shirt and pants in this picture although she was wearing a thong). And well I’m pretty sure you won’t be seeing those at Bloomies anytime soon. I’d love to tell you the name of the “designer” but his name was NO WHERE at the show or announced, and even the people I was with couldn’t remember it.

My “friend” was in town for NYC fashion week, you may remember her from the “wonderful” time we had together in Vegas. Before she came into town she called often and sent me messages on Facebook about taking me to shows and parties and how excited she was to see me. However even though I called her for the first couple of days she was here and attending shows in the tents and attending parties she didn’t call me back.

I sent her a text on Wed asking how things were going and she responded telling me that that she’d been out late every night, that FW was just a party and that all she’d seen and met were a bunch of moocher-wantabees-back stabbing competition and that she didn’t want to be a part of it. I told her how sorry I was to hear that and that I had plans Friday night to have a drink with a girl from work and that she was welcome to join us. I preferenced it with the fact that I had plans early the next morning, was still on antibiotics and hadn’t been feeling great so it wouldn’t be a late night for me. I also asked if she wanted to go hear a friends band on Saturday night and she sent me a passive aggressive text saying that she was leaving on Saturday and she’d have to stay at the hotel longer and she wasn’t sure what they would charge her to stay longer. (Whatever she has a $12,000 watch and was there on business). If she wanted to stay for the weekend or with me why didn’t she just ask me? I did tell her that next time she was here she should check out of the hotel on Friday and spend the weekend with me. She said she would have but she needed to get home for her dog.

Anyway, we planned to meet her at her hotel bar have a drink and make plans from there, but when we arrived she was with a couple people and said, “Come on we are taking you to a fashion show.” After realizing there was no way we were going to find a cab we decided to take the subway, everyone used my Metro card, and no one bothered to say thank you (so much for the moocher-wantabees she didn’t want to be a part of). The subway ride was great if you like standing next to people who spend the entire time talking about how grossed out they are to be on the subway with “these people”. I asked the two other people with us what they did (one was almost fully clad in Gucci) and was told they were stylists/personal shoppers for “many” people (insert eye roll). Speaking of wantabees my friend had on Chanel boots, her Chanel watch and a new large, gaudy, diamond Chanel ring. When I jokingly called her a “Chanel whore” she acted extremely offended and said, “I am not, I’m wearing Prada too you know.” Then we went directly to The Samsung Experience in the Time Warner Center, it was such an exciting event it isn’t even listed on their website.

My workmate was also being an absolute joy, she’d already had 2 glasses of wine and was speaking in that “I’ve had several glasses of wine” tone that makes people turn their heads in your direction. On the way to the fashion show she was so excited about the prospect that she sat on the subway reading the paper, walked through Time Warner Center while reading the paper, stood in line reading the paper, sat before the show reading the paper and looked up only enough to mention how hungry she was (often), and my high school buddy kept whispering that we should ditch her (I wanted to ditch them all).

Before we were let in to find seats we were pushed and shoved in a line outside, just as I imagine happens at all glamorous fashion shows. My friend’s wonderful companions stood sizing us up and ignoring us even though it was their idea to bring us and they were our contacts to get in. Wristbands for the after party were passed out but they seemed to “forget” to include my workmate and me. Once inside I never saw our “cool fashion companions” again (bummer), I found a spot, leaned against a wall and took it all in. There were a lot of bad dressers with big hair and more than a few pushup bras. I enjoyed watching them seat people in the first row across from us only to move them 2 minutes later when someone they thought was even more important came in. The ridiculous thing about watching them play musical chairs with people who all clearly believed they belonged in the front row was that they completely ignored the other side’s front row or the fact that we’d actually filled up seats with our coats and bags that they could have used (but never did).

After the show we went to dinner where my friend laid out our options for the night. We could go to the fashion show’s “after party” at the Dream Hotel or to a masquerade ball at the Trump Tower across the street that the hotel concierge told her about. Why do people who don’t live in NYC think they have the “fast track” on all the fun and “happening” things to do? It was decided (not by me) that we’d do both! When we got to the Dream Hotel the party hadn’t started yet, and wasn’t in the Dream Hotel at all but in a “night club” close by that we’d have to line up to get into. All in all it was a pretty ridiculous and surreal evening, I’m sure I didn’t win any awards for sneaking out of the “after party” and then texting from a cab that I was going home but I’d had it and knew it was the only way to make a clean escape.

I was annoyed to hear a voicemail the following day my “friend” left me telling me that my workmate/friend “turned out” to be really nice (as if I’d said she wasn’t). They’d gone to the masquerade ball (all women), and then to a bar and then to workmates apartment (weird). I sent text to the “nice” girl from my office the next day asking how her night ended up and if they were out late. She responded by sending me an apartment rental listing. So I emailed her and asked her again and her response was “How is your jaw?” WTF? It really annoys the crap out of me when you ask people a direct question (more than once) and they refuse to answer you, nice smice. In the message my friend also said she was coming back in April and would take me up on my invitation to stay with me. I hadn’t invited her to stay with me the whole time! Suddenly I pictured coming home to an apartment full of awful people, judging it and turning their nose up at my clothes and not getting any sleep because they were drinking and talking and watching TV when I was in bed, or her stumbling in at 3-4am waking me up nightly, at least I have a little while to figure out how to dodge that bullet.

Oral surgery and an unexpected realization

Yesterday I went to the dentist for some “light” oral surgery. For some reason I was under the impression that after having a tooth pulled I’d just go back to work and continue on like nothing happened. That unfortunately was not the case. The entire right side of my mouth was numb and bleeding and the left side was drooling.

I went to this new dentist on referral from a co-worker and knew I’d finally found a great one when I went in last Friday and he gave me a box of chocolates and a rose for Valentines Day (a dentist gave out chocolates, can you say job security?). I went back to work and tried to make out that I had a lover or in the very least a secret admirer but I’m a pretty bad liar and eventually I ended up admitting to everyone that my only Valentine related gift was indeed from my dentist.

After the surgery he wanted to inform me of something very important, so he began explaining to me that since I am on birth control the antibiotics he was prescribing would make by birth control pills less effective and for the next two weeks I should use back up protection. Back up protection? This conversation got me thinking back, WAY back to when I’d actually had sex last and suddenly I realized it was way longer than I wanted to admit, to you dear readers, to the dentist and even to myself! OMG maybe March needs to be the month that I focus on resolving that little issue instead of painting my apartment?

UGH

Ok, layoffs are happening between now and the 18th. Did I mention my boss is away on business and then on vacation, but is coming in on the 18th? Part of me is calm thinking its ok I am braced for the layoff, but most of me is panicked because the possibility is closer than ever. I can’t even imagine how I’ll survive, pay my rent, live without insurance, takeout and happy hour.

Yesterday I bit into a blow pop and broke my tooth/bridge/cap/whatever it is. It wouldn’t be such a big deal but there is a small metal post sticking up from the area rubbing itself against my tongue and even though it’s the most action my tongue has seen in months it’s really painful! I showed a guy in the office and his response was, “You better hurry up and get that taken care of while you still have insurance.” Gee thanks for those words of encouragement.

For some unexplainable reason my landlord is raising my rent $100 a month. In a recession they actually think people can pay additional rent. For a few days I psyched myself up thinking about moving to a less expensive apartment. Then I realized moving would end up costing me more money that I don’t have. So I’ve been carefully drafting a letter asking my landlords not to raise my rent at the encouragement of a broker I met last week. If you know anything about apartment brokers in NYC you know they are shady, underhanded and slimy creatures. Think used car salesman. But the woman I met last week is the exception and I bet the one and only exception. I met her to look at an apartment and we started talking and for some reason she’s (thankfully) decided to take me under her wing. She gave me an article that was in the New York Times talking about how landlords are now bending over backwards to acquire tenants doing things such as paying the broker fees, giving one month free or lowering the rent. It turns out we both live in buildings run by the same landlord and she encouraged me to call them and ask them to not raise my rent. I’m really nervous about doing that though because my experience with my landlord has never been a positive one. They are a large corporation and have never been concerned about the needs of their tenants. But due to the current downturn in the economy the rental market is becoming soft, so it’s possible that they may approach things differently. This woman is awesome she’s been emailing me words of encouragement to talk with my landlords and even went as far as sending me a letter that she wrote to them requesting that they not raise her rent. She’s lived in her apartment for 20 years though so I think she has a better chance of having them work with her than I do. But keep your fingers crossed and if you need an apartment broker email me I highly recommend her!

Why is this so difficult?

Last week I got an email from a friend asking if I was available for dinner on Wednesday night (tonight). This started an onslaught of emails that have left me so frustrated I not only want to go straight home, I want to never make plans with her again.

I responded telling her I would love to meet her, but that since I am such a baby about snow and cold could we meet near our respective offices. Two emails later we realized we both work fairly close to each other on the west side and had decided to meet at 6pm. Her next email included 2 restaurant suggestions. One of which was in the Meatpacking district, the other in the East Village, neither of which are anywhere near our respective offices. Odd, I thought. So I responded again asking if instead of our both going so far out of our way that we could meet near our offices as we had originally planned. Then to make it even easier I included a list of 5 restaurants located between the two of us.

She responded saying any place was fine. Her next email suggested somewhere near Grand Central instead. Again, no where near our offices, and I have no convenient way to get there (neither does she) but walk, cab it or take 2 different subways (which I hate doing). Plus she lives and works on the west side how does that make sense? So again I email her and suggest we meet somewhere near BOTH of our offices as originally planned. She responded saying great idea she’d think of a place and get back to me (obviously my suggestions were rejected). Shortly after that I received a reminder call from my doctor that I had a 5:30pm appointment on Wednesday. My doctor’s isn’t far from Grand Central so I emailed her about the appointment and she suggested we make plans to meet at a bar in Grand Central and then to decide where to eat from there. Whatever, I just agreed.

Then the next day she emailed me to tell me that her office just scheduled a 6pm meeting so she wouldn’t be able to meet me until 8pm. UGH! Meeting for dinner had suddenly become more tedious than looking for a job in this market. It’s possible she was starting to sense my growing frustration so she sent me yet another email saying she will meet me near my apartment at any restaurant I’d like at 8pm. So I made arrangements to look at apartments at 6pm and told her that I would still meet her at Grand Central as planned at 8pm, trying to be flexible since she originally suggested it and it’s not that far from my apartment.

This morning she sent me another email, suggesting a new Vietnamese (gross) restaurant near her apartment, on the upper west side. Nowhere near our offices, nowhere near my apartment and no where near Grand Central. Is she kidding me?! Is she even reading our emails?! What a pain in the ass.

February Goal

So last month my goal for January 2009 was to do a few projects at home. If I took that literally and went with the word “few” then I didn’t accomplished my goal. If I think about what I actually accomplished around my apartment besides “thinking about things I want to do” I only count 2 things. One of which was caulk my bathroom tub (yep I’m a regular handyman) and the second was to organize all of my “tools” into a new and easily accessible location (and by tools I mainly mean hundreds and hundreds of nails I will never use). I did also manage to get some paint swatches at Home Depot and contemplate hiring someone to paint my bedroom rather than purchase a ladder I have no room for and then break my neck trying to paint above my stairs (that issue isn’t resolved yet). In the past I haven’t had a lot of luck choosing colors for my apartment (I repainted my bathroom 3 times and my kitchen twice) so it’s been taking me at least a year to decide on a color for my bedroom (I still haven’t decided). I don’t like starting the first month of a new year out unsuccessfully so I’m going to get that damn room painted this month!

My goal for February I’ve decided, is that I really need to get out more. I’ve been hibernating and canceling plans a lot last month because I hate the cold weather. But since the ole groundhog predicted 6 more weeks of winter today I decided I can’t possibly wait 6 more weeks to go out. So I’ve resolved that in February I will go out no less than 2-3 times a week which sounds lame if you recall I used to go out 5-6 times a week.

I also want to start a social networking group for women in New York City on Facebook where I plan at least one fun event a month and invite my friends (and their friends, and their friends and so on and so on) to participate, I am an event planner after all. It’s something friends and I have always discussed doing in a less organized way, a chance to do fun things in the city as well as some time out with just the girls. I think it will also be a fun way to make some new friends with varying interests since I’m putting it on Facebook and leaving it open for others to join. I’m looking for a fun name for the group so if you have any ideas let me know. Speaking of Facebook, I recently removed the “Single” status from my profile to fend off weirdos trying to “friend” me. But all my friends keep commenting on my profile page that their really happy for me, even though they know I haven’t even had a date in months, they all assumed it meant I now have a boyfriend, I may need new friends.