Everwhere is walking distance if you have the time

[ClingingToHope]

Had a really enjoyable weekend with the girls. Friday we just hung out at home. Saturday we did a bunch of Christmas shopping. Sunday, we hit church and the gym and they both hung out with their mom for a couple of hours.

Saturday we bought blue Christmas lights -- one strand -- for the rental house. Why blue? XW hates blue Christmas lights so I said that's what I'm getting. We laughed and laughed about that.

We/I also spent about $100 on Christmas presents for XW from the girls. D9 is paying me back $15 through her weekly allowance for her gifts and D12 is paying me back $25. So I'll end up spending $60 on her.

I guess she/they bought me gifts as well.

Money is going well. Insurance company of guy who hit me already sent me back my $1,000 deductible. So that's sitting in the bank. Lots of basketball games are adding to the coffers. I'd saved up $400 towards Christmas through my credit union so I pulled that out. I even got an unexpected $50 check from some class action suit I knew nothing about.

So I'm heading into 2012 in the best financial position since -- perhaps December 2006.

Nothing lately from Prof-40. A new prospect tonight though. She's 41 and runs a mentoring program at the high school I work the basketball games for. Very small world.

She's sending me forms on how to become a mentor. So if we don't hit it off (she's a blond. Historically I haven't done well with blondes) at least I may be helping someone. The town I live in is growing increasingly poor. It's in a death spiral unless we turn it around for the next generation.

Funny thing with the accident. I've started seeing the (really pretty) chiropractor that I met through a church divorce group several months ago. The other company is paying for it so I thought why not. Twice a week for the next month.

She's given me some exercises to do and given me some very nice back, shoulder and neck rubs, but now my neck hurts worse than it ever did from the accident.

It may be from the fact I'm consciously trying to sit up straighter. She showed me an X-ray showing that I hold my head too far forward. Likely, it's from hunching to type on a computer for the last 19 years.

So I'm trying to keep my head back when driving and I elevated my monitor so I have to look straight at it.

And now my neck hurts.

[mishka422]

You're probably right. You're retraining muscles that are used to going one direction into another direction. That can be very painful until they adjust to it. Don't give it up, you'll eventually see a benefit from it.

I learned I was sitting too high at my desk and it was putting too much pressure on the back of my legs (even though they weren't dangling, my knees weren't bent enough) and that was leading to sciatic nerve problems. I lowered my chair 1 inch and I haven't had a problem since.

[ClingingToHope]

Chiropractor is pretty hot -- not super hot. We had a conversation at my second appointment that was eye opening. She's from a small town, lives in a small town and has no plans on moving.

Not that there's anything between us, but I do not plan on marrying another small town girl whose horizons only stretch as far as her back yard. So really this is about having a good looking doctor give me back rubs for a couple of months.

More messages with -- I'll call her SW38 (social worker 38). She's a blond and I don't do well with blondes so we'll see. I'll fill out the paperwork for the mentoring program and drop them off -- which will give me a chance to check her out. Hey, I'm still pretty shallow.

Got lots of personal stuff done today. Switched electrical providers. Good incentives. $100 to switch. 3 pct. off on electric delivery charges. Filled out medical records request for opposing insurance company. Filled out mileage request.

D9 had a rough day so she called and asked that I pick her up rather than take bus to daycare. That was fine. Talked to D12 for 10 minutes.

Spent rest of day at work. Here too long. My shoulders are burning from sitting too much.

Did do some advanced planning. At least a couple of my running races fall on weekends I'm supposed to have the girls. So I'll have to ask XW to keep them those weekends. I hate that, but it's a necessary evil.

I'm looking forward to 2012 though. It's going to be a very good year.

[antlers]

I'm looking forward to 2012 though. It's going to be a very good year.

That's a good healthy attitude.

When it is your time, love will track you down like a cruise missile.

[ClingingToHope]

Interesting development. The lady I was messaging through DateHookUp.com in October sent me a couple of texts.

We were supposed to go out to lunch. She gave me her number to call her and set up a day. But then she never answered. She'd apologize the next day through the site and promise she'd be home that night. After several days of this I sent her a message with my number saying basically if she wanted to get in touch with me, here's the number.

So now seven weeks later she wants to talk.

??

[whatisis]

You're a trooper, CTH. My thoughts are that past experience is a valuable indicator of what you will most likely get in the future. It's your call!

[SunFunOne]

C2H: My guess is that she was also talking with someone else and decided to see where that led. And now she knows. Hmmm...

But what the heck - you could just see if you can find out more and give it a shot.

As Wii has pointed out - dating during the holidays has a different twist. Many just stick to family till the New Year.

Barb

[ClingingToHope]

A couple of long talks with DHU-41 (DateHookup 41). I was invited to a restaurant opening by my real estate developer friend. It's Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. I asked DHU-41 and she said yes. I am picking her up at 5 p.m.

My best friend is in town from Florida for the next week and a bunch of friends are getting together to play cards at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. Saturday so the night can go several directions. We can have a rip roaring good time and hang out to 9 or 10 p.m. Or we may not work out and I can head off to play cards.

So we'll see.

Just from the conversations we seem to have a lot in common.

It's going to be a good weekend. I'm meeting a friend Friday for drinks. His girlfriend just broke up with him. I will have to watch what I drink though. I want to look good Saturday. Luckily my early morning basketball game was cancelled. Normally, I'd be fretting about the lost money but I'm OK financially right now.

Saturday and Sunday I have to get my Christmas shopping done for the girls.

You know SFO, it was this time last year I had my two-week fling with a lady from a city 30 minutes from here. Maybe I'm only appealing around Christmas.

[whatisis]

You know SFO, it was this time last year I had my two-week fling with a lady from a city 30 minutes from here. Maybe I'm only appealing around Christmas.

OMG, I've got a couple of really crude but funny lines I'm dying to type here...but I'll sign off instead before I can't stop myself!

[ClingingToHope]

Saturday date went about as good as a first date can go. I am taking myself off of the various sites. I am off the market.