Numbers

I am a numbers person. Love them.

As such -

27 trips taken this year (not including trips to the lake)
31 books read (thus far)
6 concerts attended
1 psycho person quasi dated

Not a bad year.

Montreal

Gone but not forgotten. That is how I've treated this blog lately. Still having an identity crisis and not sure where to take it. If anywhere.

Recently I was in Montreal for work and as much as I dreaded it.. I enjoyed it. Now, I don't claim to understand why Canadians insist on only serving Coors Light instead of my beloved Bud Select/Light but alas... It's not half bad here.

The first night I dined at Restaurant Baton Rogue and enjoyed the best Spinach Dip I've ever had. EVER. Although this was located next to the hockey stadium and it was game night so service was a tad slow.

Later I had a few beverages at the hotel bar. The bartender spoke to me in French (as they all seem to until you look as if pigs flew and they in turn begin speaking in English) and when I answered in English he said - oh, sorry you look French. I think that's their version of a compliment.

Friday after exploring a bit of downtown I had lunch at Wienstein & Gavino. Their tortellini Alfredo was yummy but the best part.....the fresh from the oven bread loaf. I am not a bread and oil person, more of a butter person but I survived. Especially when that yummy bread met my Alfredo sauce. I die.

Next up, the reason I was there. Work. And the meeting went very well.

For supper I went to a place I spied while exploring the city...Why did I choose it? Because they had Bud Light on their menu!!!!!!!!!! I nearly did cartwheels in the street!

The restaurant was Burger Bar. It was located on Crescent Street near Wienstein & Gavino. This was a really cute collection of bars and restaurants. Probably their hot spot area. The burger, their royale, was sub par at best. The hamburger meat was eh. And the bacon was not good. The cheese only somewhat melted and had that fake cheese glossiness to it. However the service and the onion rings....so yummy. The bartender was super friendly and even other servers stopped to chat. And harass me for drinking water...my beloved Bud Light.

All in all I would recommend Montreal to those who want to visit a metropolitan city with a European vibe.

Motivation for Being Single

The stage 5 clinger (S5C) continues to persist.

To catch you up we must go back in time. Two Friday's prior.

I watched the first quarter of a college football game while eating my chicken quesadilla at the bar. Then I went home. I wasn't in the mood to be out. After I left S5C showed up. With a girl.

insert happy dance here.

And then proceeded to ask my friend the bartender where I was, who was I with? Did I ask about him? Why did I leave? On and on. Of course bartender texted me to let me know what was going on. And to let me know that B was hearing his entire tirade. Others got involved telling him to drop it.

happy dance ended a long time ago.

The good part of this was that I never heard from him that night. Small victory for me.

Last Friday I was having a drink with B. I was sitting with my back to the door. B was standing with his back at the bar so from where he was standing he could see both the front and back doors. All the sudden he says - you need to go outside to the patio. I was confused. So finally I turned around and there was S5C. I said, nope, I think I just need to go home. Hoped off my bar stool and went home. S5C proceeds to text me about why did I leave. B checks to make sure I got home okay and was I being harassed?

Saturday after attending a wedding my sister, BIL and I went for a drink. My friend is bartending. She hands me her phone the second I walk in and its all of S5C's texts to her from the prior night saying. I guess its not best guy friend, she must be with B. She's sitting at the bar with him, I guess he has two houses and that must be why. On and on. He must have text her 15 times.

Then last night my sister text me to meet her for a drink. So we are sitting there and on my left is JL. S5C shows up. 5 min later I get a text from him saying - Please tell me JL isn't my replacement. I don't respond. 10 min later I get another text that says - Sorry, just trying to start a convo. So I respond and I said - I am not with JL, best guy friend or B. K? I'm not with anyone. So he responds again and says - Okay, I just don't know why you don't talk to me and stop listening to bartender she is probably not making me look good.

Okay buddy. What isn't making you look good is psycho texting. Asking anyone and their brother about me. Accusing me of sleeping with every guy I sit or stand next to. Get over it. It lasted two weeks. Not 5 years.

Where Did I Go?

Were you thinking that my bloggy world absence was caused by the possibility of a boy?

Well, it wasn't because really the demise of that would have been great blog fodder.

It's too bad really. He was very nice. We had fun.

It was just too much.

Too soon.

B's stage 5 meltdowns didn't help either, even if he shouldn't have a voice.

But B aside, it was too much.

Too soon.

And I told him that.

And he didn't get.

I said I wasn't saying never. Just not right now. I've been alone for a very long time and I need time to figure out what it is I want.

Do I even want a relationship after all?

He didn't get it.

He kept texting.

And texting.

And calling. 

Even when I wasn't responding.

Texting my friends trying to get information.

Which also turned into accusing me of sleeping with my best guy friend. Or if not him, it must be someone else, or was I diseased or pregnant?

Because it must be something if I didn't want to talk to him anymore.

No. I just need space.

I finally got 10 days of silence. I thought we could turn the page.

No, it turns out that over the holiday weekend he was texting my friend again and asking her for more and more information.

Asked best guy friend if he was the reason why I didn't want to talk anymore.

Then last night he made a comment. Which was followed by a text.

When I hadn't responded in 10 minutes I got another text basically going off on me. This went on until I finally had it. I said not nice things. That this type of behavior made me not want to talk to him again. Ever.

This type of reaction is not justified after 2 years. Let alone 2 weeks hanging out.

And this my friends is exactly why I am resigning from the dating world.

Read A Book? What?

I set a goal to read 30 books this year. I think I picked 30 as the number since I am 30.

But with 24 down now I am striving for 50 because with winter just around the corner I will just want to curl up on my sofa and read. 

So what have I been reading since I last shared?



The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love legal books. Love Mickey Haller.








View all my reviews
The Reversal by Michael Connelly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Good yet predictable.







View all my reviews
The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Good book that kept me intrigued but at the end felt very formulaic. I'm excited to see something new and different for Mickey Haller in his next book.





View all my reviews A Place of Yes by Bethenny Frankel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this book gives sound, frank advice about love and life. Amazing insights into her life as well.






View all my reviews All She Ever Wanted by Barbara Freethy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very good book. Quick read. Perfect for the pool or beach.






View all my reviews The Choice by Nicholas Sparks


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good book, beautiful love story but I'm afraid it could provide false hope to others in a similar situation.



View all my reviews

Everything Changes by Jonathan Tropper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another fabulous book by my favorite author. He can do no wrong in my opinion.






View all my reviews A Bump in the Road: From Happy Hour to Baby Shower by Maureen Lipinski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Decidely honest book about life changes. I love the honesty in the authors voice ans was happy to see that it wasn't all roses.





View all my reviews If You Were Here: A Novel by Jen Lancaster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Easy read in her total Jen Lancaster voice. I enjoy her witty snark.

View all my reviews

About a Boy

There may be a boy.

It is very new.

So new I am hesitant to write about it.

But he's sweet and kind and wants to spend all of his time with me.

And for the most part I am not feeling smothered. Though I do think my trip to the corporate office this week was well timed.

The discussion about my career path I am about to have, knowing I won't relocate, is not on my top 5 favorite things to do list.

But its nice to hear he wishes I were there.

It isn't without complication of the B variety.

Full fledged melt down on Friday and I fear it could happen again.

To which I say; you have no one to blame but yourself.

But there is a boy and we will see where this goes.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

My Space

I've never really had a finished bedroom.

Sure, when MX and I were together I painted and purchased bedding. But it was never fully done. I always concentrated on other rooms in the house. It was always the lowest priority.

But I am changing that now.

As I prepare for the arrival of my new bed I will be overhauling both my guest room and my bedroom.

This is a lot to accomplish by the 16th. Luckily my sister volunteered to come paint my guest room tomorrow! Such a help!

But I think I have finally settled on a look for the room.

One that is me.

One that is calm.

I'm going shopping tonight for accessories and am so excited to see this come to life. I won't be having the drapey thing or that bedframe. Rather I am in search of an old door to create a headboard...More to come.

PS - can anyone tell me how to add a Pinterest board to a blog post?