A Post About Everything

I was debating about writing a post on my online dating experiences lately, but I’ve written about this subject previously (been there, done that) and nothing has really changed.  Still a time-fill for something else to come along. Although, now with the introduction of Instagram; everybody who you meet online wants your account; and then you get theirs; and you start following each other;  and then you can kind of determine what they’re like from their photos and comments.  All the technology stuff makes me tired.  Wouldn't it be possible - just once - to share a meal and get to know each other the real way?  I don't need to see your 500 selfie photos of you working out at the gym.  Seriously.  (I've noticed that you don't have any selfie photos injecting the steroids....)

My friends and I face the same dilemma once we get into a relationship; Insta-jealousy (Instagram jealousy).  “Why is he adding all those bimbos?”  or “Why are those bimbos commenting on his photos?” or “Who IS that particular bimbo?”  I have to actually stop following online because it gets out of control and at some point, you just have to give up and trust.  If there is no trust, you don’t have a relationship anyways.  If dude is going to cheat, it probably won’t be so obvious anyways, so let it go. 

How did we get to this point?  Sigh.  

The best relationships happen spontaneously.  I’ve heard over and over again, once you give up, he’ll appear. 

Mashallah, someone appeared in my life recently and he wasn’t through the usual means.  God just sent him to me and the day I met him,  I spent 5 hours with him (that felt like 5 minutes) in the water at the beach.  I didn’t even know his  name until several hours into the conversation (and he didn’t run away, blinded by my whiteness!)   I had/have no expectations and that is what is so amazing about it all.  He is just there.  The day I met him was one of the most magical experiences of my life and you know what?  That’s enough.   Sometimes you are given those days as a gift and they stay with you. 

... And enough said before I jinx myself.

And the other man in my life:  Mikey will be back soon from obedience school; hopefully by the end of this week.  Around the same time as my sound-proof apartment door is completed.  I don’t want to give the landlady any ammunition.    (Expat renter woes, unfortunately.)  I know the law and my bases are covered.  I don’t disturb anyone and they shouldn’t disturb me.  I'm the ideal renter:  Single, quiet, pay rent NLT the 28 of the month (before rent is due), pay double when asked for an advance (I'm freakin' Bank of America!), fix my own stuff (plumbing, electric, appliances, etc.).  Don't mess with that just because I have (quiet) dogs. Desert Dawg is actually written INTO my lease agreement, so they have already shown their acceptance to dogs in the apartment.  I just have one more now - purely for protection (mostly from the landlady's too-creepy half-brother!)

Speaking of disturbances.... They have been “painting” the house where I live for the past 3 months.  It was supposed to take 1 month.  They have completed almost the entire house – except where I live. (Thaanks.)  I wasn’t able to take advantage of my terrace/grill for any of the nice weather.  I had to cancel my annual birthday bash.  I have scaffolding and debris and tarps all over my terrace.  It is disgusting.  I have very noisy Egyptian men (Mohammed and Abdullah!) shouting at each other constantly at 7am on Friday and Saturday mornings; which, in turn, wakes up the kids upstairs who can no longer go outside to play for fear of hammers being dropped on their little heads (yeah, one fell down very close to a kid when they first started working).  So they play inside.  At 7 am.  On top of my head.  IF my dogs did ever bark (neither do, thank God), you wouldn’t be able to hear them over Mohammed and Abdullah.  I thought painting was a quiet art?   

So, I get up on the weekends and go to the beach.  Sometimes with friends to Kubbar Island; sometimes with other friends to Khiran (where we just drive around and pick a beach next to a chalet).  In Khiran, the water is clear and the beaches are clean.  Most of the time, you can find a quiet spot with no one around and spend the day in peace. I don't like the inside inlets, however. The water is more shallow and there are lots of oyster/crustacean beds and I hurt my feet.  Some of those things are enormous (not good for eating, however).   Kubbar is another story.  Depending on the time you go, it might be a big party.  The friends I go with don’t park close to other boats so we still have privacy (unless, of course, there are pretty girls around and then they are like sharks when the water has been chummed).  ‘Please!  You’re old enough to be her grandfather!’  Neither party seems to care.

Everybody is into serious activity prior to Ramadan.  I’m still planning to go to the beach every day during Ramadan.  Shorter hours at work - and no one will be around.  Woo hoo!  I can bring Mikey and be content.

And then... vacation in the States!