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Showing posts with label reflecting on relationships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reflecting on relationships. Show all posts

letter-heartDear Heart,

It’s time we had a chat. 

Lately you’ve not been yourself.  You seem to be consumed in thoughts of another.  First thing in the morning, last thing at night, even randomly during the day.

What’s going on here ?

Do you know what happens when you let yourself do that ?

You’ll make yourself go dizzy.  It’ll take your breath away.  You’ll feel the blood pounding against your chest.  It’ll make you question so many things.  Do you really want that ?

Do you want to be swept away the way you are ?

Don’t you want to know what all this really means ?

If you aren’t going to ask - how on earth are you going to know ?

And that’s what holding you back. 

You know I’m right.  You know you need to ask.  You don’t want to come across as pushy, and yet you shouldn’t participate in games.  

But this is you dear heart that we’re talking about.  Don’t you think you need to ‘know’ ? And I mean ‘really know’. 

How deep are you willing to go before you hurt yourself ? I know you don’t bruise easily, but scars often run deeper than you let on.  You’re a tough cookie like that. 

Time and space is of the essence but at some point you have to draw a line – even if it is an imaginary one just so that you know there’s a boundary somewhere.

So my suggestion is to pour it out, forget about the consequences because it’s better that you let it out than keep it all in and drive us both crazy.  I don’t know how you do it but it makes my head spin !And no matter what the result is – I’ll be there to talk you through it.

Understood ?

Love,

Your Mind

 

I’m a big fan of brunches; and especially more so of the boozy brunch … more restaurants should offer a liquid menu with a side of nibbles !

 

1.  Champagne & Cocktails all around !! PC080415

My favourite part of Bombay Brunches (and yes this tends to only really happen here) is the free flowing Alcohol which includes Bubbly (or sparkling white).  If it isn’t Vodka Redbull, then it’s gotta be Champagne (for me, and maybe for you too) !  We had the pleasure of having a liquid brunch – and it involved trying every cocktail on the menu; and then making up our own (as we all do at some point). Not only did we order a copious amount of cocktails, but we proceeded to call for pitchers of the all-time classics such as Long Island Ice Tea and Mojitos.  The liquid diet can be a lot of fun !  What’s your poison of choice ?

 

2.  Sharing is Caring

A typical brunch is a buffet.  A few select restaurants will serve the en-masse platters at the buffet and also have a special a-la-carte menu for their clientele.  That’s right, we were lucky enough to get to order a-la-carte and it was a foodies’ paradise !  Eggs Benedict, Waffles, Shrimp with Wasabi, Salmon, Ham & Sausages, and there was some pasta and risotto floating around – topped with a dash of champagne of course !! But oh! The variety! All you could hear over excessive martini orders were things like ‘How do you like your eggs?’ ‘Do you want a side of crispy bacon with that ?’ ‘Have you tried the lemon curd with strawberries ?’  It was the brekkie and dessert menu that had me salivating ! 

On a side note, I’m more than happy to recommend desserts but I sure as hell do not like sharing my dessert (or my men for that matter).

 

3.  Lock Jaw is a result of Enjoying what you Eat

And I’m not talking about just food here (nor am I referring to bacterial infections).  The brunch conversation included a fair amount of time discussing our individual preferences ; how lock jaw comes about and what sort of movements trigger such a reaction.  A few preventive measures that one can take include savouring the various textures and tastes; remembering to chew slowly to enhance the experience and to give your mouth and jaws a break every now and then so that you’re left wanting more ! But hell, if you’re loving what (and who) you eat – who cares about a lock jaw right ?

 

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4.  Eating Ass is a Delicacy

I was told that perhaps I should be a bit more politically correct and use a title like ‘Tossing The Salad’ but then I didn’t really see the connection so went with my original thought.  After hours of knocking back cocktails, champers and lots of other mixed concoctions; the conversation moved on to the more important things in life.  “Eating Ass". 

If you didn’t already know this – make a note of it.  If you think I’m being crude – I suggest you get over it.  Whether you have eaten ass or had your ass eaten – this falls under the bedroom delicacy category and not for the narrow minded.  If you’re adventurous and willing to explore other avenues – then it’s something you’ve got to try.  Oh and if it happens naturally, you’re onto a winner here !!

 

There you have it .. Brunch is pretty straight forward AND you get to learn a lot from it too !! I’m sure you’ll agree we should do it more often.

How do you like your brunch ? When and where do you brunch ? Have you fallen victim to lock jaw or been the cause of lock jaw for someone else ?  And last but not least, are you open to trying different delicacies or do you prefer to stick what you have tried & tested ?

Day 23a

The other day I wrote a post about how our lives are storybooks that we write for ourselves and that it’s a story book life that we live in.  Then I came across this quote and knew I was going to use it as part of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

And just as started to write this post, a scene from CSI stood out at me .. the gist of it was in reference to 'wondering how many people out there share the same name as us but live an entirely different life to us’  and ‘would you ever cross paths with them to form your story’

There are some people who are always going to be in your life .. you know it, they know it, your gut knows it.  Then are there are the ‘seasonal’ people who come and go just like the seasons in the year. Then there are people who you think and believe you have some sort of rapport or relationship with (doesn’t mean romantic) and over time you come to realize that what you have is either one sided or semi-superficial.

Whilst talking to my girl AD the other day – she asked me (or rather told me) why would I give such superficial people any importance by even discussing them … and my answer was that it’s not their behaviour that bothers me but more the half-hearted (actually half assed) phone calls / texts that say they can’t wait to see you or meet up but of course it never happens.  That’s what irritates me.  Just don’t bother if you don’t mean it right ? If it matters enough, then make the time otherwise don’t just say something you think you should be saying.

Over the past few months I’ve come to learn a lot about some of the people I thought I knew .. and they aren’t the people I thought them to be.  They aren’t bad people – we’re just on different tangents or wavelengths and I guess our respective parts in each others stories have to come to an end.  At first I thought there might be a sense of loss – but in reality there is no room for regret and I got to learn something about the expectation levels I have of those around me.

 

Day 19

There are some people who just seem to add stress to our lives.  Doesn’t it make you wonder ‘why’ they are even around giving you that stress ?

Life is short.  Stress increases the chances of a stroke or a heart attack.  My work as an events & wedding planner is stressful enough as it is – and the last thing I need is to worry about people causing me grief when they’re really not that important.

Over the last few months – I’ve made it a point not to let people who seem to only want to cause me aggravation – hold any significance in my life.  Some of them are people I thought to be associates / acquaintances and I realized that they have absolutely no right to impose their nonsense onto me and cause me stress for reasons beyond my control.

I've also started maintaining the same with clients.  As grateful as I am for the business that I have; there are some clients who are appallingly painful to deal with and I can literally feel my blood pressure shooting up when I have to handle them.  So now, I take a deep breath – hear them out (all the while letting a ‘wooo-saaa’ feeling take over) and just let it go … unless it’s in the interest of my business, there is no reason for me to take on any unnecessary stress.

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Easier said than done right ? We’ve all gone through the conflicting emotions of deciding / debating whether to say what we are actually thinking or just say what we think we should say …

Most of the time I tend to say what I’m thinking .. often it has gotten me into trouble and I’ve been told that I should think before I speak .. I suppose that makes sense in certain situations i.e in the work place / with clients / at a press conference …

With friends – I believe that one should be able to say whatever they are thinking – even if at times it may hurt the other person.  A true friend will realize that it’s not meant to be intentional.  I’m very upfront with my friends and don’t beat around the bush.  My friends do the same with me.

When it comes to matters of heart or of the romantic kind or even with someone new in your  life – it gets kind of sticky though doesn’t it ? How do you go about telling someone what you’re thinking without them over-reacting / over analysing what you’ve got to say ?

It’s been a long time since I’ve been in that sort of a situation and recently I have found myself wanting to say out loud what I’m thinking but I’ve been choking up.  I know I will eventually end up just saying what’s on my mind .. I just need to do it sooner than later. 

(What’s quite ironic and a bit funny for me is that in January this year – I wrote about something similar ‘Just Say It’; and I may just end up complicating my life if I don’t follow my own advice) 

“Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it.” Michel de Montaigne, French Philosopher and Writer. 1533-1592

I actually heard this quote at the end of the latest Criminal Minds episode and it really struck me.

When it comes to relationships be it with your friends, family or your partners – sometimes no matter how hard we try to forget something – a situation, an incident, a milestone, a breaking point – it seems to be as if completely instilled in the mind with no signs of letting go.

My interpretation of the quote is that instead of focusing on the memory that you want to forget, one must just let it go.  The only way to truly just let go is to accept that everything happens for a reason and accept the given conditions, circumstances, and go on with your life.  There’s no need to wreck your mind or heart over a situation that is beyond your control and is laden with emotional, mental and psychological tangents.  Take everything that comes your way as it comes and deal with it then.  It’s all part of the universal spectrum and perhaps the ultimate key to happiness ?

Decide how important that relationship is to you and how much you value it in your life – and then you’ll notice that your subsequent actions will naturally weave them in your life (or unweave them).

It’s unlikely that you may share that memory with someone else but unless you give yourself a chance to do that – you won’t know.  And by focusing on what you had – focus on the things that you could have.  Just because things change between people doesn’t mean that its impossible to achieve again. 

Your thoughts ?

acceptance 2

We all have a ‘type of person we are attracted to’ right ? You’ve got a type, I’ve got a type, everyone around you has a type of person they are attracted to.  That ‘type’ could be right for you or could be utterly wrong for you; and some people fall into the trap of always dating the same type of person.

I touched on this a while ago – at a certain point in ones’ life – you reach a stage where you want ‘more’ than just a relationship.  You want something more meaningful and concrete, something which has substance, and most of all, you want someone you can share your life with.  Not just for now, or for a few months – but for the long haul !

Over the past few years, especially after moving to Bombay, I’ve realized that whilst my generic ‘type’ is what I look out for on the surface level – on a deeper level I’m looking for someone who has a personality that attracts and draws me to them.  It doesn’t matter how good looking, established, ‘great-on-paper’ a person is – but if there is no substance, what’s the point ?

I’ve met a few guys who leave my mouth hanging – but the minute they open their mouth – I come back to reality and think to myself ‘jeeeeeeeez shut your gob and just be eye candy’.  It’s been harder for me to connect with guys on a deeper level the past few years than ever before.  I feel like all the guys I meet, whilst they have may fit the ‘physical type’ criteria, they lack the ‘mental chemistry’ that any relationship needs to sustain itself it.

There are guys I have met who are ‘great-on-paper’ i.e. long term potential, but they lack that certain ‘je ne sais quois’ that I look for in a life partner.  I think that has to do with ‘actual conversation’, and honestly, I find that people no longer have time to have real conversations anymore.  Some of the guys I have gone out with just lack basic conversational skills ! They are fine over email / IM / SMS (which I hate) but put them in a real-time face-to-face or phone conversation and they bore the living daylights out of me !

As clichéd as it is – everything boils down to sex – and some people are willing to forgo things like personality and conversation if the sex is good.  I can’t bring myself to continue to fornicate with someone (don’t ask why I used that word but it came to mind) if I can’t even have a decent conversation with them !

levels of attractionI’ve had this graph with me for a while now and whilst skimming over Naked With Socks On’ – it all began to make sense.   You need to balance out the mental and physical attractiveness of a person and figure out if you are in the dating zone or if the person has long term potential i.e. marriage.

If you share a great vibe, physical & mental chemistry with a man or a woman AND like their personality – it doesn’t matter whether or not he/she fits in to your ‘general type’ category.  You need to say something to express yourself because you can’t rely on the man/woman to pick up on non-verbal cues or be a damn mind reader !  What’s the point otherwise ? ? It’s not so hard to open your mouth and blurt out exactly what is going on in your mind.  And if that’s too hard – email your thoughts to the person.  That gives you time to assess and break down your thoughts; and allows the other person time to actually respond in a coherent manner.  What’s the worst thing that could happen ? The person will either not respond or tell you they don’t feel the same way. 

Instead of over analysing whether an ‘x’ at the end of a text means  something or nothing; just accept it for what it is and if it’s going to lead somewhere it will.  It could be a case of serendipity. If you have the intention to ‘date’ a man/woman – then make it clear.  Talk to them and ask them out on the phone, or face to face (and for Gods’ sake do not SMS someone for a date!) If you’re already in some sort of relationship with a man/woman – discuss whether its’ exclusive or not.

Do you feel that we as a society are forgoing on actual conversations ? Would you date outside of your ‘type’ to see if you could find what’s missing ? I know that I’ve made a conscious effort to date outside of my preferred type and the more I do, the more I learn about what I do want out of a partner.  How do you weigh out physical v/s mental attraction ? Do you relate with the chart that I’ve shared above ? Would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Further Reading

  1. Is your Dating ‘Type’ The Reason You Are Single ?
  2. It’s Not A Date … It’s A Suggestion’ by The Hopeful Romantic
  3. What People Truly Seek While Dating ? by SingleCityGuy
secret

I’ve decided to take part in a blog challenge as mentioned previously, where I am going to write 10 posts in 10 days.  Today is Day 1 and I’m going to reveal 10 Secrets.

10 Secrets About Me.

1/ I am a social butterfly; who is just as happy to stay in the cocoon.  I can quite reserved, stay-to-myself when left outside of a social ambiance.  My mother says I’m the most anti-social social person she has ever met (or social yet asocial person as my mate PK puts it)

2/ It kills me that I don’t have a better relationship with my father.  I try to talk to him but there’s really nothing to talk about.  Maybe that’s the problem.  We’ve spent so long not talking – neither knows how to actually start talking.

3/ Sometimes I feel like I have disappointed my father.  He doesn’t need to say it.  It comes off in his approach to me.  He would have been happier if I was a banker or worked the conventional corporate role.

4/ I used to be super shy to dance in front of a crowd / group until the age of 17.  Now I’m a true diva on the dance floor. 

5/ I used to sing in the school choir and did a lot of solo stuff too.  Then I graduated high school and went to university.  Now I almost get stage-fright if you ask me to crank on the karaoke.  A few Vodka Redbulls help the anxiety.

6/ I never attended my university graduation.  I had flown from London to Montreal to attend; but I got snowed in due to a storm.  I hung out with my boys Kimo & JA the whole day at Kimo’s flat. (they were gonna attend the ceremony with me)

7/ I’m scared of Fish.  Yup lil’ fishes.  I would probably fly out of the water if a fish swam near me.  I banged my head against a catamaran in Mauritius when my mate HA threw breadcrumbs over me whilst I was snorkelling.  I was practically attacked by a school of yellow & black striped fish ! And don’t even get me started on my reaction to the fish spa treatment I had in Thailand !

8/ I want to go diving with sharks and whales.  Yes I know I just said I am scared of fish (the little ones) – not the cool ones like sharks and whales.  I almost swam with a humpback whale in Mauritius but since my clients were on board – I had to be responsible and sit back.

9/ I can be an extremely emotionally detached from people; especially if they have f*cked me off.  I am able to shut everything out and go on as if ‘this new way’ is the norm.  Are you the type that can forgive ? forget ? or just f*ck it ?

10/ It’s really hard to share secrets !  There are still some things which I could have shared but I couldn’t do it.  I know you guys won’t think much of it – but its still difficult for me.  I keep a lot of things to myself; I even have conversations in my mind if I think it’s too much to do with someone else.

There you have it folks – 10 of my secrets.  Now it’s YOUR turn ! What’s your secret ? Feel free to share your secrets in the comments or share the link to your secret post.

10 day you challenge

I read a great post last night ‘It’s Not A Date … It’s A Suggestion’ by The Hopeful Romantic (do follow her on twitter) and it got me thinking about a lot of things.

When is ‘a date’ really ‘a date’ ? Ever since I moved to India almost 4 years ago, my entire perception and notion of dating has had to change.  It’s as if I’ve been thrown into the dating game in a foreign land !  If that’s not bad enough – dating is different across cultures and countries; and then you have the added thought of whether it’s exclusive or not ?

So when is ‘a date’ really ‘a date’ ? and by that I mean a date which has romantic intentions.

Ask You Out With the Intention To Date

The person who asks you out explicitly articulates that they want to go on a date with you.  It could be lunch, dinner, brunch, coffee, dessert, a picnic in the park, a theatre or a play – hell it could even be a long drive for all you know but it has to have the word ‘date’ or phrase ‘will you go out with me’ mentioned so that both parties are clear that this is a date.

A ‘date’ is something you plan in advance with someone you are interested in getting to know better along with a specified day, time and place.  It’s not a last minute plan. 

None of that ‘let’s hang out’ or ‘lets catch up’ crap because let’s face it – this is something you do with your friends, colleagues and buddies.  And SMS / BB / WhatsApp messages do not qualify for dates.  You don’t do any of this with a potential partner until they ARE your exclusive long term partner. 

SingleCityGuy got it spot on when he said ‘be clear about what you are seeking

dating billTakes You Out i.e. Pays The Bill

The asker generally pays for the (bulk of) the date.  Plus it then feels like you are actually being taken out ! That’s just my opinion.

Having said that it’s common for people to split the bill on a date but it’s polite and chivalrous if a guy pays for the 1st date.  If you want to court a woman – be a gentleman about it.  Once you have established that you are dating someone – then it doesn’t matter if you split the bill or take turns paying when you are out together.

I might be spoiled that way but I’m used to guys (dates or non-dates) paying when they ask me out / take me out / we hang out.  This might have to do with the Middle Eastern culture – guys just don’t let a girl pay unless its a massive group outing. 

Note : just ‘cos a guy foots the bill doesn’t mean the girl is gonna get into bed with you nor does it mean that girls have to feel obligated to ‘put out’ for them

Body Language

This is a bit of a no brainer BUT there are some people who are excessive flirts so it can be a bit confusing for some.

If the guy / girl is leaning into you, constantly making some form of body contact i.e. touch hands, arm, shoulder (hell I’ve even scratched a guys stubble ‘cos it looked so damn good) then the person is interested in you and it’s a date (for them, for both of you or for one of you – depends on the situation but you get my drift)

Chemistry

Chemistry can be mental and physical.  Ideally you want a good combination of both.  If you meet someone online then typically it’s the physical chemistry that attracts you to a person (i.e. their attraction 2photo) followed by their capability to keep you entertained on a mental level.

You and the other person ‘feel’ that attraction, that chemistry, that feeling of ‘wow I don’t want this night to end’ ! and when it does come to an end – you don’t want it to.   There’s a long hug / kiss good bye.  It was a date !  If you couldn’t wait to get rid of the person there was no chemistry and this is definitely not going to lead to a 2nd date for you at least.

The more I think about it, the more I wonder ‘dating ? what’s that ?’ For me, a date is meeting someone who may have the potential of becoming someone you are interested in; in more than a friend capacity which can eventually lead to becoming a couple i.e. boyfriend & girlfriend.

I read somewhere on Twitter that it takes the average person 100 dates before meeting ‘the one’ ! Jeeeeeeeeeez at the rate I’m going – I might have reached the ‘Indian expiry date’ (i,e. read single at 29 with no hope of getting married) and be totally off the market !

What do YOU think should define a date ?

Further Reading :

  1. What Defines A Date ?
  2. What is Dating Really ?
  3. It’s Not A Date … It’s A Suggestion’ by The Hopeful Romantic

Disclaimer : Originally written for ‘Met Another Frog’ as a guest post by yours truly and published on 9th March ‘11

As cliché as it might be – I reckon all of us recall our very first sexual encounter – who, where, and when.  Ladies, do you remember your girlfriends telling you that it might hurt, you might bleed, and them asking you repeatedly if “you’re sure you want to do this?” Guys, did you practice putting on a condom just so that you came across as a pro only to find yourself still fumbling around for a bit?

I remember my mother telling me that she didn’t ever want to know about when I had sex; but if I did – it should be safe and ideally with someone I saw myself getting married to. Yup that’s an Indian mom for you. Needless to say I had sex – and no I’m not married to ‘him’ or any other guy (as yet… there might be hope still.)

My Story: June ‘99

My boyfriend informed me he wanted to spend an uninterrupted day with me before I left for the summer holidays and that I should meet him in the lobby of this really nice hotel.

I got there and he wasn’t around, so I called him and he gave me the room number to the suite he was waiting in. I was a bundle of nerves and all I could think was, “OMG. I’m meeting a guy in a hotel room!” (Hell I was17 and a half years old!).  But they all disappeared completely when I walked into a room filled with rose petals, scented candles, soft music, complete with my boyfriend holding a bouquet of blue roses and a box of my favourite chocolates!

romantic roomThe next few hours (fine maybe it was a half a day!) were a blur. Between the laughter; the soothing yet super sensual massages; the full body tingles that sent shivers down my spine, making my toes curl; the many “ooohs”, “aaahs” and cries of “Oh God, that feels amazing!”; still more massages, followed up with champagne and ice cream from room service – the two of us fell asleep wrapped up against each other.

I woke up to soft kisses against my face, a look of concern in his eyes as he asked me if I was ok. Damn, I even got a sponge bubble bath to add to all the pleasures of the night before.

Perfect first time right? I can’t help but smile when I think back to that one absolutely wonderful day.  It kinda sets a bar doesn’t it?

Fast forward to Summer of 2007

My ex and I met up (we’ve been friends ever since our break up) in London and found ourselves walking from a lazy champagne lunch in Covent Garden all the way to Knightsbridge. There’s something about the vibe he and I share, that makes everything comfortable. Whenever we’re with each other it’s as if we’re ‘together’ even though we really aren’t. But I digress.

After washing our sore feet and falling flat on the bed since it was the only part of the apartment that wasn’t covered in boxes – we got talking. I was actually telling him how I was nervous about doing the deed with a new partner as I had recently come out of a long term relationship. Our discussion continued and somehow the topic changed to ‘Orgasm 101: How to get it right…every time’.

And then he said, “I wish I could have made our first time and your very first time more memorable and pleasurable’.

I looked at him like he had two heads, laughed and told him, “You’re crazy if you think my first time was anything less than memorable or pleasurable.”

“Come on. There’s no way you really enjoyed the first time we were together,” he retorted.

And a debate ensued for a good 10 minutes before we both agreed to describe our versions of our first time.

His Story : June ‘99 (A week or so before my story)

Prom night would have been too cliché, and we’d only just started dating a few weeks earlier. But as luck would have it, I’d recently started working at a bank close to his best friends’ apartment, so we would meet every day for lunch and/or dinner.

One night we ended up in the pool of his mates’ complex, and then back at his apartment since he was out of town. We had our first bubble bath together, and things got a bit frisky.bathroom

He towel dried me and then kissed away all the water droplets that were left behind. Somehow we ended up making out on the bathroom floor with the towel under us. He kept asking me if I was okay, if I wanted to move to the bedroom. I thought it was just because the floor was a bit cold, and because we were both literally dripping wet I didn’t think it made any sense to move.

I recall being a bit uncomfortable every time he touched me, but I thought it was due to the whole ‘just come out of the pool, had a bath and laid down on a cold floor’ thing. Or… anything at all besides the discomfort of having intercourse for the first time!

Fast forward to Summer of 2007…again

There I was learning for the first time that, I had actually been deflowered on the cold (and most likely very dirty) bathroom floor of my ex’s mates’ flat!! I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t even been aware of the ‘big’ event as it happened, and that for all those years I’d mistakenly believed that my absolutely ‘perfect’ second time, was my first. After recovering from the shock I swore him to secrecy telling him, “If you EVER disagree with me about my version of the story again I will tell the world how crap it was!”

He just started at me and shook his head, obviously as stunned by the fact that I hadn’t known what was going on that fateful day in his mate’s bathroom as I was. And when I went on to explain that I didn’t make the connection because…

  1. It didn’t hurt (like everyone said it would)
  2. I didn’t bleed (so how was I supposed to know any better?)
  3. He never told me that we’d done it (sure we were fooling around, but he always talked me through things!)
  4. My version was still better than his version! (An unrelated point, but worth repeating nonetheless.)

A Timeless Truth

There are always two sides to a story. We all have our own perspective on our own thoughts, words and actions in a given situation. Maybe your first time was as ‘perfect’ as my second time, or maybe it was unremarkable as my first. But does it matter either way in the long run? Not really.

Now it’s your turn to share (did you really think I would let you just read this, and hop on over to the next blog so easily ?) Come on – you can do it *cheeky smile*

There’s this guy from ASW (a social networking site) who has been texting & BB’ing me for a few weeks now.  His texts were always a ‘hey – hi’ sorta message which after a point – I just ignored.  In fact I told him that I am better at responding to people on the phone than I am via text / BB.

Especially when I don’t know the person,  I have no intention of ‘getting to know someone’ over a damned SMS / BB conversation.  Anything beyond 3-4 lines of communication warrants a phone call.  Once you are my BFF or near enough that sort of status – you can SMS / BB me.  Anyone who knows me – knows that it is my pet peeve !! (whole other blog post waiting to happen there !)

So anyway – this guy has called me twice / thrice and we have had good conversation.  He’s a surgeon – so the brain cells are definitely there.   However on 2 different occasions he has messaged me stating that he’d like to ask me out.iphone-texting

WTF ! Why would you ask out someone who you have never met over a BBM / SMS ?  Especially when the lines of phone communication have already been opened ? I never responded to those attempts – until last night.

The man sends me a message in the midst of a spa treatment (yes, metrosexual man) asking me out and my response was ‘seriously ? over a BBM message ? I don’t think so!’

Instant reaction – he picks up the phone and calls and goes on to explain to me  that the only reason he messages me is because I am the busy one ! Erm hellooooooo ! he’s the surgeon over here not me !! I throw parties for a living – everyone can call me ! But I’ll be damned if I pick up the phone and risk calling a cardiac surgeon in the middle of the day in case he’s got his hand stuck down someone’s heart !

Moving on, the guy gets a plus point for asking me out last night for next Saturday – a whole week ahead.  Minus points for suggesting going out to a very loud and crowded night club for a first meet-up !  Plus points gained however for telling me not to worry and that he would pick me up and drop me home too. 

Actually – I told  him straight out that I might have an event on Saturday night but as of last night it wasn’t confirmed.  Which is the truth.  And in the back of my mind – if that night club plan didn’t change to something more civilized like dinner & drinks – ‘my event would materialize’ !

I did hint that a night club might not be the most appropriate choice for the night but it could be played by ear.  After all – it’s just one date and he did actually pick up the phone and ask me out  … So lets see how that pans out; and I’ll keep you all posted on that.

I just read a post by one of my fave bloggers, Simone Grant, titled ‘I Vant To Be Alone’.  You must read it and I’ll give you my version of it too. 

Disclaimer – this is a kinda heavy personal post.  You’ve been warned.  Don’t judge me.

Ever tried to ‘run away’ after a break-up ? You know – put some distance between you and the ex ? For the sake of your own sanity ? To give yourself some sort of closure ?

I have for the better part of my dating life been very good at dealing with relationships and break-ups.  It’s a part of life and break-ups happen.  Some hurt more than others.  But none ever gave me reason to want to pack my bags and just RUN.

kid with suitcaseI didn’t just happen to move to India a few years ago.  It chokes me to say it – but I ran like a scared child into the comforting arms of my mom – not that I ever admitted to her ‘why’.  All because he made me want to run away; because I couldn’t take the every day pain of being in my favourite city without somehow conjuring up an image of ‘us’ and the upheaval caused when I bumped into him.  (I think he did it on purpose – be wherever I was).

He broke up with me.  Nat was my saviour – we flew off to Milan for a few days.  He called and she would answer and tell him never to call me again.  We returned and I found myself heading to NY where I stayed back for almost 5 weeks.  He called me one afternoon whilst I was in Bryant Park and I don’t recall the conversation I had with him but I remember bawling my eyes out in the bathroom there.

I came back to London and the first weekend out bumped into him and the sharp pang of pain that went through my being was enough to make me want to be sick.  I’m a tough cookie – I walked past him with so much arrogance it left him coming after me.  Dee was by my side the minute my hard shell crumbled. 

I met someone else who adored me, but I made plans to move – not my neighbourhood – but leave the country.  Chicken-shit I know.  But I knew it was for the best.  New life, new prospects, and I would get to be with my family.  After all I had already closed my company after a fall out with my business partner.  But deep down I knew part of the real reason – I just didn’t want to acknowledge it ‘cos it would hurt.  Now that’s really putting distance between two people huh ?

Did running away help me ? May be in some way it did.  It was a bit extreme.  Of course I had other reasons to move – it wasn’t just because of the break-up – but it was definitely was one of the reasons involved in the decision to move.  Not necessarily a wise one.  My girls understood that and stayed by my side – ready to help me make the most difficult decision I had to make. 

It’s been a great journey the past 3 odd years.  I’ve met a lot of people; the professional front has taken new heights; I’ve managed to do some major family bonding in my own way; and I’ve gotten to travel and explore places which I hadn’t had the chance to.  Did it put a permanent block to the heart ache I felt ? No – but it eased it considerably.

I’m very good at burying my emotions.  Ask anyone who knows me.  I buried them so deep without even realizing it.  I have gone on with my life and not thought about the past.  Yes, it creeps up on me, when I least expect it and when it does – I feel my heart caving in on me.  And lately – I’ve thought – this needs to be out of my system once and for all.

When I was in Jordan a few weeks ago, I sat staring out in to the vastP4300547 mountain canyons and desert terrains and kept ‘churning out’ any last thought I had of that past that I have buried so deep.  A long time ago I had accepted that somehow I had managed to let someone get so close that they had the power to hurt me in ways I couldn’t even imagine. I shut it out because that’s what I do best.  Thinking about it made my eyes sting, and my heart swell and I kept at it until I couldn’t breathe anymore.  I found an inner calm somewhere.  Sabs was there to make sure I didn’t fall off the ledge. 

I came back to Bombay, and FB decided to remind me of this past with a friend suggestion; which quite literally suffocated me – I almost had a mini-anxiety attack  (damn didn’t my picturesque mountain self-healing help?)  So much so that for the first time I openly said something about it (via my FB status which caused an ex and an aunt to question if I was ok).  That was 3 weeks ago.  My days in Jordan cleared my minds’ eye and reading Simone’s post hit home the other night.  Perhaps running didn’t solve the problem on hand – but it led me on another path of adventures which I would have never experienced if I stayed where I was.

I didn’t ‘deal’ with it then; so I am dealing with it now.  I’ve been dealing with it in my own way – on & off – for months whenever it creeps up on me.  Now, I’ve finally dealt with it. And hence today’s post.  It’s out of my system.  Gone. Forever.  

If one can’t appreciate what they had then he / she never deserved it in the first place.  And you can’t beat yourself up just ‘cos he / she couldn’t see that. 

I just read a post titled PDA in the USA by Jess Downey (she’s brilliant and so is her blog ‘Not What I Ordered’) and it totally inspired me to put my own thoughts down on the subject.

Personally I’m not a fan of extreme PDA.  I can totally digest and handle the rudimentary basics such as hand holding; arms around the waist; a slightly longer than the average peck style kiss when meeting or leaving your partner; and general body contact. 

I can’t for the life of me tolerate tonsil-sucking making out sessions combined with groping of all body parts – which should really be kept for the bedroom, bathroom, living room and even your kitchen – it’s NOT meant for the public eye !

I’ve always lived in multicultural countries where PDA is generally accepted as long as it’s not lewd or obscene.  The UK and Canada are fairly tolerant and accepting countries when it comes to PDA.  During my years in Dubai, UAE – I always ‘knew’ that excessive PDA was not permitted (after all it is an Arab country) and it was only recently after hearing of cases where people were fined / jailed public-display-of-affection-demotivational-poster-1246202951for OTT PDA did I realize it’s actually slightly frowned upon.

Since living in India the past 3 odd years, I found it ridiculous that the Supreme Court deems PDA to be practically ‘illegal’ ! Seriously WTF ! The moral police are able to slap a fine or conviction on citizens if they are caught being overly affectionate.  The government made a mountain out of a mole hill when Richard Gere pecked Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty a few years ago.  I find it a bit of a sham that people are able to urinate, defecate and vandalize the city without any punishment but if a couple were to hold hands or be caught kissing, it could result in jail time !

PDA and tolerance of it varies from couple to couple; relationship to relationship; and society  – so there’s no real way of saying No to PDA unless it makes you want to scream ‘ewwwww get a room folks’ ! If you’re gonna react that way to something then make sure you aren’t doing that out in the open !

What are your thoughts on PDA ? When does your PDA meter hit unacceptable ? Do you indulge in PDA or are you more of a private person ? Ever been told off or stared at for excessive PDA ?

Further Reading :

  1. The 3 Rules of PDA Etiquette by Tres Sugar
  2. PDA: What is Acceptable and Unacceptable for Spring/Summer 2011 by Hamsterdam.com
  3. Infographic from Chemistry.com: PDA in the USA by Jess Downey
  4. Puckerin’ Up in Public: When PDA Isn’t Okay by Shayla Batliwala
  5. Public Affection : How Much is Too Much ? by Jocyln Voo for CNN Living
  6. 5 Forms Of PDA That Won't Piss Anyone Off by Soo L for Manhelper.com
  7. Acceptable Public Displays Of Affection by Askmen.com
  8. How Comfortable Is Your City with PDA by SingleCityGuy

As I sat restlessly in the lobby of the hotel; waiting to reconnect with the charming stranger that I struck a connection with on flight; I couldn’t help but run through various scenarios in my mind.  After all I am a planner – I can think of most ways something can work or go horribly wrong.

Airport Boy had initiated the first physical contact between him and I – from the hand holding to the kiss.  He had suggested meeting up again; and during our sleepy text exchange even suggested spending half a day together.  I was the one however to call him back when we couldn’t find a way to meet up on his 2nd day in the city and asked him if was game to meet up for breakfast or a coffee before his flight out.

hit or missMy phone was still dead and getting a charge courtesy of the sweet trainee at the business center; I felt like a teenager wondering if her date would show up .. and then it struck me ..

What if … he never got the message I sent him the night before ? He had mentioned that he was giving his Sim card back.  But then surely, whoever had the phone would see the message and convey it to him.  Even if he didn’t get my message; since he did ask him to specify a location and time to meet – he could always call me from any phone including his international line as he had my business card.

I on the other hand – had nothing other than his FaceBook account info; his local number which he no longer had; and his email address.  How was I even to attempt to get in touch with him ?  A FB message seemed ridiculous (what if he didn’t have the app installed on his phone ?).  He had mentioned he had an android phone – which from what I understood was just as good as a smart phone … and that’s when I decided to email him …

A short simple message letting him know that I hoped he got my message ‘cos I was waiting at the hotel and it would be great to see him .. and if he didn’t get it (which would suck), then I wish him a safe flight.

15 minutes.  30 minutes. 45 minutes.  1 hour 15 minutes go by and there is no sign of the guy.  More thoughts going through my mind.  What if he got really wasted at the wedding party, over slept and rushed off to catch his flight ?  What if there was no land line at the place he was staying at ?  What if he did get my message but ended up at the wrong hotel ?

MissedConnectionsI guess he never got my message.  I couldn’t believe I had driven an hour out of my way to meet a guy (who I didn’t even know had or had not gotten my message) with no way to contact him.  The two of us managed to miss our connection – whatever it was. 

I suppose everything does happen for a reason ?  It might have been too much to ask (or assume) that Airport Boy actually received that text message  and was making his way over to meet for a quick chat before flying off.  Maybe I should have just called him instead of messaging him the night before (especially since I really don’t like texting at all).  I was annoyed with myself for not having done that.  I just took it for granted that he ‘would’ receive the message.  Damn, I could have even gone to the airport gate since I knew his flight departure time but then didn’t want to seem like a crazed stalker (which I am most definitely NOT) ..

So many if’s, but’s, could have, maybe’s … Oh well – maybe when he finds a spare moment – he will reply to my email and then I’ll know what happened that morning.  Should be interesting to know his side of the story.

Have you ever crossed the city to meet someone ? Or experienced anything like this where you genuinely felt there was a connection with another person ? It felt like a blind-date (even though I’d met him before) and perhaps for a minute I even felt vulnerable at the fact that there I was, waiting, by myself in a hotel lobby looking out for a stranger to walk through the door.

As you know I came across a stranger that I connected with on flight; and we had parted ways saying we would both like to make plans to see each other somehow over the next 48 hours whilst he was still in the city.

For most of the taxi ride home, my mind sort of drifted to make head or tail of the way our interaction unfolded; and in the end I just thought ‘well everything happens for a reason’.  Right ? It couldn’t have been a bad thing ! In fact it was possibly the most fun thing to happen to me.  Maybe it was the universal spectrum communicating with me.

T-48 Hours

too-tiredI had a ton of things to do once I got home by 12:30 – unpack; sort out a few gift items; catch up on a few days worth of emails; get back into instant work mode.  It was such a jerk to my system and that too after being sleep deprived for close to 30 hours; not to mention the time zones my body had been through.  I’d been on 4 flights, driven over 2500 kms in 5 days and slept less than 5 hours a night .. my body was crashing on me.  By 6:30 p.m I started dozing, before which I dropped a quick note to Airport Boy, and found myself waking up by 9:30 p.m, totally disorientated.  Did I want to eat (I was starving); have another shower or just stay curled up in bed ?

I think I ate something; managed the shower; fell back into bed and woke up to find my laptop had died out on me and it was just past 1 a.m according to my crackberry.  Oh and Airport Boy had replied as well; ended up sending a few texts back & forth and as much as I wouldn’t have minded taking him up on the offer for a back massage (which he did suggest once again) – at 2 a.m there was no way I was gonna be able to get out of bed; drive to the suburbs and explain that to my father in the morning once I got back home !

The boy fell asleep messaging me.  That was a day gone to waste.  Would I get to see him the following day ?

T-24 Hours

I already knew he had a busy schedule for the first half of the day– so did I; and both of us had plans in the evening.  NC had lined us up an 8 p.m meeting and he was off to a friends’ sangeet function.  At about 5ish – a quick text hello & to have a good night; I got a call back.

From the sounds of the call – didn’t look like we were going to be able to meet up.  He did apologize for passing out on me and then said something which struck me .. “I guess we missed our chance last night" .. and it seemed that way too.  We chatted a bit more, planned to stay in touch and hung up.

I stared back at my phone thinking, ‘wait a minute – I would like to see him; he’s not meet up laterfrom the city and as a planner I’m sure I can figure a way to manage this’ .. so I called him back (and he did sound a bit surprised) and told him point blank that his words got me thinking; and if he was up for it – I would be happy to pick him up in the morning and we could go for breakfast near the airport at one of the hotels and then I could drop him off’.   This was a plan that could work – I knew it could – he liked the idea and agreed with me.

A few hours later, in the midst of my meeting I got a message from him telling me that he had to return the SIM card he was using; and he was moving location; but to message him the time and place for the following day and that he would be there and meet me directly.  I had replied to him with a fixed time & location but perhaps an hour later when I was actually done with the meeting.

T-5 hours

I woke up early with a dozen thoughts going through my mind.  Should I have called him back last night instead of the message ? Surely he would let me know if there’s a change in plans.  We had discussed on the phone an approximate time to meet ~9ish at one of the airport hotels and even though he had to give his Sim card back – he could always keep my number handy (he had my business card) and call me from someone else’s phone.

My mate Addiee told me to stop thinking so much and just get myself over to the hotel and wait for him there.  If he needed to get in touch with me – he would and since he hadn’t as yet – all was battery lowas planned.  And so I made my way from Colaba to Andheri and found myself in the lobby of the ITC Grand Maratha – keeping an eye out for a complete stranger who I might not ever see again.

With my phone on the verge of dying on me (seriously the BB needs proper battery life!); the trainee at the business center came to the rescue which meant I was without a phone for 15 minutes.  What if he called during that time ? So I did what anyone would do (at least I think they would do this) … perched myself on a seat in the lobby with a view of the front door and waited …

I recently came upon a few articles that promoted the ‘One Date Rule’ and it got me thinking. 

There’s nothing wrong with accepting a date with a man / woman who ASKS you.  By ‘ask’ I mean someone who has the balls / guts to pick up the phone and have a real conversation with you and tells you that ‘hey would you like to go out for _____ (dinner, coffee, jazz concert in the park, some sort of activity) on X Day at Y Time’.

If someone can pull up the courage (yes it takes courage to ‘ask’ someone these things) to ‘ask’ you out then you should apply the one-date rule and go out with them.  That person deserves the chance to take you out and show you what a date can really be like.  Even if that person doesn’t fall into the category of the ‘type’ of person you are attracted to.  

Side Note : according to some groups of people it is acceptable to ask someone out via email, text message, BBM, WhatsApp and even Skype ! So I guess that means you can give them a chance too.  (not that I approve this practice at all)

After all -  the guy / girl could turn out to be cuter than you remember / better than their photograph from the online dating site.  You could have the best time ever.  You could both get along like a house on fire.  You could both end up totally smitten with each other.  You might even discover your soul mate.

datingcartoon47What’s the worst thing that can happen ?  Lack of chemistry / absolutely no compatibility and therefore no chance of a 2nd date.  Or he/she could just be a more subdued (i.e boring) than their online avatar ? 

In the very rare (and extreme case) the person turns out to be some sort of psychotic serial killer who spends the evening trying to find ways to torture you.  

But you won’t know whether you are going to enjoy the date or get bored out of your mind until you actually decide to go on the date.  It doesn’t have to be a heavy duty date – just the basic first date.

So why not give it a shot – the next time someone asks you out (phone, BBM, whatsapp, text message, or email) – just be a sport and go for it.  You might just have a ton of fun, make a new friend or find a pea for your pod.  Worst case scenario – you’ll cuss me if you have a horrid time (but I can live with that) for suggesting going in the first place.

Do you have any dating rules that you follow ? Have you perhaps applied the ‘one date rule’ at some point in your dating history ?

Further Reading :

  1. The One Date Rule : Why I’ll Go Out With Anyone Who Asks Me by Chiara Atik
  2. The One Date Rule, Revisited: Why You Should Always Go on That First Date by Chiara Atik
  3. To Feign Interest or Cut Him Off At the Knees ? by Mishi
  4. The Basics by Simone Grant 

I came across this info graphic via ClassFinders and just had to share it with you all.

I’m glad I don’t have The Propagandist on my friends’ list; everyone else I can deal with.  There are quite a few hometown heroes & heroines that I know; a few baby braggers (but they aren’t really that bad); a few exes too (but I don’t creep around their profiles stalking their daily behaviour !!) that are on my FB list.

What about you ?? Who’s on your FB List ? I suppose if I had to be one of the below types – then I’d be the organizer .. except that all my friends DO attend the parties I organize.  I was asked to help organize our class reunion but with all of us spread out across the world – there didn’t seem to be a point since sub-groups of our graduating class meet up anyway throughout the year.

6 Types of Facebook Friends From High School by Class Finders

by Class Finders

The Dilemma

Have you ever noticed that sometimes it can be really hard to admit to a guy / girl that you have a crush on them ?  Given the choice, you’d much rather bungee-jump from a sky scraper or go sit on a crocodile than tell him / her that you are crushing big time !

It’s a tough one huh ?  Don’t worry – the majority of us would avoid telling the man / woman behind the crush about the obvious crush .. but why ?? Is it fear of rejection; or being laughed at; or absolutely no acknowledgement ?

crush on you 2But seriously – what’s the WORST thing that could happen by admitting to a crush ? That the person doesn’t reciprocate those feelings.  Maybe he / she will keep a distance from you for a while but that’s about it (and really if they do that – then that’s just a bit silly).

As an adult – we take on copious responsibilities – and yet we find it hard to admit to our basic feelings.  My very good mate SG and I have been discussing this with regards to relationships and we’re both in agreement – that it’s better to confess and admit you have a crush than just sit back and deny it altogether.  Of course there are times that admission can be avoided – but it really depends on person to person and on the situation as well.

Confession IS Good for the Soul

Are you crushing on someone right now ?  Do you find yourself thinking about your crush randomly during the day ? Does the thought of your crush bring a smile to your face ? Did you suddenly start doing a double check of your wardrobe on a night out in case you bump into your crush ?

‘Tis a warm fuzzy feeling isn’t it ?  Every word out of your crushes mouth could be a proclamation of their mutual feeling .. but really is it ? Does your crush even know your current state of mind ?

It was about 2 weeks ago that I came to the ‘in-your-face’ conclusion that I was crushing big time on the Roadside Romeo; so much so that I even tweeted about it ! Sure I was re-posting my old blog post – but really – I was just crushing and I wanted to let it out of my system. 

On Sunday, I took the bull by the horns and just went ahead and confessed !!  It was over a BBM message; and the anxiety caused by writing up just a few lines was over-whelming .. I had knots in my tummy .. I even thought about NOT sending the message .. but then I did it .. and I felt a whole lot better !!

So perhaps a nerve wrecking two hours after my ‘confession’ .. I get a response … and it was Positive =)  The RR thought it was cute of me to send that message; was quite flattered; but realistic enough to state that it probably wasn’t the best idea to have a crush on someone who lived a few continents away. 

Of course he’s right – but it just felt like a huge weight off my chest to ‘express’ just how I felt – even if it was as silly as a crush.  I got a chance to tell someone that they had some how left an impression on me and it was nice to know that he’d noticed a few things about me too =)

What’s the worst thing that could have happened ? He would have just told me that I was being silly or tell me that he doesn’t feel the same way.  Neither of us live in the same country; nor do we hang out on a regular basis – so it’s not as if my confession would have made any difference to the scenario I was already in.

Sometimes Denial Is The Only Way

There is no time or place for a crush.  It can happen to anyone and everyone, at any time without warning, and it applies to ‘everyone' – that includes people in happy & committed relationships.

crush on nurseIt can happen to the best of us.  The last thing you want to do is tell your best friends boy friend / girl friend that you have a crush on them; or admit your crush for your very sexy boss or co-worker. 

Do you really want to go down the road of admitting feelings to a married man or woman ?  Denise Ngo from Your Tango.com explains 3 steps to take when you crush on someone you shouldn’t !

Depending on how one chooses to act and react to their crush is when denial would be a good option.  Avoid alcohol around your crush – especially if you are married – you might end up saying something that could result in something you’d regret soon after or it would just make things very awkward for you and the person concerned.

I found an article titled Evolution of a Crush’ which is a funny way of looking at why one should just deny having a crush ‘cos it can lead to a realization of ‘what the hell was I thinking crushing on this person anyone’ !!

Relationship Consultant Toni Coleman discusses 4 Ways on how to deal with a crush on a friend.  Every option will result and bring about a change in your relationship with your crush – and that’s something one needs to know if they are ready to deal and accept that change.  It’s not always peachy out there !

To Confess or To Deny ?

This one is kinda tricky.  It really depends on person-to-person, situation to situation and how one is willing to deal with the outcome – whether it is positive or negative.

Sometimes – like in my case – ‘fessing up about my crush made me feel better, got me a positive reaction and made me feel more comfortable knowing that I no longer need to feel ‘what if’ ..

If you are crushing on someone you really shouldn’t be crushing on – then it’s best to deny it.  Is it really worth the drama afterwards ?

And just because people and relationships aren’t complicated enough; an article by Dr Robi Ludwig, a well known psychotherapist & news reporter,  states that having a crush can just prove to be healthy for one’s relationship.  Go figure !!

What’s your take on it .. Have you ever confessed to your crushes ? What was their reaction ? Have you found yourself in a situation where you realized it was better just to deny the crush ? I’d love to hear your views on this – so please share them in the comments section.

 

You Might Also Enjoy Reading :

  1. You Have a Crush – And It’s Not Your Partner
  2. Evolution of A Crush on TBRDR.com