Different Strokes for Different Folks May 26, 2021

Yup. I’m unique. In a beat a dead horse until it’s more dead sorta way. In a replay everything in your head and overthink everything ad nauseam before deciding which route to take sorta way. In a choose the exact wrong option every single time sorta way.

I tried the no contact. I tried the blocking. I tried the cut him off completely. I seemed to get worse as time progressed. My mind is one fucked up wasteland of bad decisions and self negativity. I needed to figure this shit out. I’m tired of being sad and whiny and mopey.

You all may not want to read what comes next, but I’m writing it down for me. Feel free to yell obscenities at your phones. I deserve it.

I saw Mr. OoT. Are you still there? Did your phone survive the throw across the room? Did you scare the neighbors yelling at me? Honestly though, you can’t be THAT surprised that I did this, can you?

I wrote down 82 versions of what I wanted to say. Not what he wanted to hear, but what I wanted him to hear (as much as he is capable of listening – which is minimal). I drove to his town and he excitedly agreed to meet. We sat in a park and damn, it was weird. I haven’t seen him in person since October. He looked good, but chemistry was never the issue.

Without going into exactly what I said (as no one needs to hear that nonsense), I pretty much poured my heart out. Left no stone or speck of self respect unturned. I cried. I questioned. I defended. I explained. He sat there stoically as if I were a stranger. Asshole. Why I thought it might be appropriate to seek reassurance from the man who caused the damage is kinda beyond reason, but welcome to my world.

He apologized for being seemingly unaffected by anything I said, but said he didn’t think getting emotional would help the situation. He further explained that he had ‘friend zoned’ me long ago (fuck you and I call bullshit) and that, wait for it…..I was never ‘the one’. Thanks for that unnecessary tidbit you stupid fuck. He then proceeded to tell me that I am one of his all time favorite people and that he will always love me. As a friend. That I am his best friend Whatever.

As ridiculously hurtful as it all was to hear, it actually helped me. I got my questions answered, my feelings hurt and my pride all but decimated. Apparently those things are good for me? I ended up getting to see his son and his dad and (super weird) we all went to dinner. I guess I wanted 1 last day with everyone? Who knows. More tears were shed, but oddly enough, I didn’t cry during the 2 hour drive home.

Mr. OoT was bad for me. A narcissist to the core. Everything was a test that I repeatedly failed in his eyes. He wanted me to put in all the work while he did nothing.

One of the things that was hardest for me to wrap my head around was the fact that he is willingly handing out a multitude of ‘passes’ for The Frump. Things that he would NEVER accept from me, she gets away with. Things he would NEVER do for me he does for her. It’s mind boggling. He is 100% deluded if he thinks he will be able to sustain this charade. He is a narcissist to the core and while he may think that having someone whose only value add seems to be her adoration of Mr. OoT (pretty much the only thing they have in common). It is no longer my circus or monkeys.

Ready for the best part?! He actually asked me if 1) I would be willing to teach him how I planned such amazing travels for us so he can do the same for The Frump and 2) If he could hire me as his secretary so I could still help keep his life on track. My reply was 1) fuck you 2) why don’t you ask The Frump to do it 3) fuck you 4) fuck you 5) all those things are part of my ‘perk package’ that you are no longer entitled to and lastly 5) fuck you. What an asshole.

I get it. Seeing him 1 last time might seem insane to some. It actually helped though. He is not what I want. If he truly believes The Frump is his dream woman (I just gagged) I was never what he wanted. I let it all go on too long. I accepted way less than I deserve. I put up with far more than I ever should have. I’m still working on me and trying to figure out why the news of his impending nuptials (2 weeks and counting) sent me into such a tailspin. I feel better for having done this. I am a work in progress.

Good luck to The Frump. While everyone believes she is 100% manipulating Mr. OoT by playing on his insecurities (of which there are MANY) and is pulling all the strings, she has no idea what she is in for. While maybe she is The One to tame his demons and make him truly happy, I fear they are both in for a rude awakening. And honestly, as bitchy as it sounds and as much as it goes against everything I stand for, I couldn’t be happier about it.

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On The Road Again April 14, 2021

Well, not as if I’m actually taking a road trip or anything. Although I will have to drive to the suggested spot for my 1st ‘meet and greet’ or whatever you call a 1st meeting online in several years. Not gonna lie, I’m a little nervous. Mr. OoT did some damage. I allowed it. I allowed him to make me doubt myself and to believe, as he told me often enough, how hard I am to love. Dumb fucker. Him AND me. Anyway, I’ve been back on Bumble for a couple of months but given it the old half assed effort that I felt like investing. Plus my options in eligible bachelors was less than impressive. As an aside, when did ‘consensual non-monogamist’ become a thing? Doesn’t that just mean that you both cheat? Being as I have a hard time sharing a steak, I doubt I would do well sharing a man.

Anywhoo, it seems that April 1st rolled around (ironic, right?) and everyone hopped back online. What used to be a few very ill matched men that would appear, magically turned into many ill matched men! Yippeee! Let the pen palling begin. *insert eye roll here* I’ve been chatting with several different men. The ones that I was super excited about learning more about after reading their profiles (and, let’s be honest, seeing their pictures) stupidly chose not to respond. The big dummies.

I have been chatting with an appropriately aged man who seems to share a lot of common interests with me and loves to travel almost as much as I do. His photos are all over the place, geographically and visually, so not actually sure what he looks like these days, but he asked to meet. And I happily said yes! This will be my 1st date in almost 3 years. Bonus points as he threw out the option of meeting for coffee (hell no) or a cocktail (hell yes) and then proceeded to choose a very cool place that I love not far from my house. Heaven forbid I have to drive too far for a 1st interview. 😉

I think I remember how to do this. I think I remember being kinda good at this. Smile, ask lots of questions, tone down the sarcasm a tiny bit, make eye contact, imagine if I want to kiss him, plan out our entire future together, blah, blah, blah. Okay, okay, we all know I have hard time toning down the sarcasm and that, when I do, it ends badly. My love language is sarcasm. And laughter. And every time I’ve tried to tone that down, it’s always been misinterpreted when it inevitably reaches the surface again.

No clue what I’ll wear. Or what I’ll say. Or how it will go. I will go with good intentions, and optimistic spirit and ALL my stones and crystals!

Happy New Year? March 26, 2021

I just published a post that had been sitting in my drafts folder for 6+ months. Does it contain angst about Mr. OoT? Well, of course it does! Duh. You all should know me by now. But wait! Before you throw your computers and smart phones out the window and go hoarse from virtually yelling at me, let me preface by saying this: we DID break up in August of 2020. And it was ugly (did you have any doubt?). Really ugly. And embarrassing. And humiliating. And kinda sad.

I think Mr. OoT was on chance number 1,428 with me. Surprisingly (not), it didn’t go so well. His kids were involved in this time. And there was a solo 9 hour drive home after it happened.

Let’s suffice it to say that 2020 in it’s entirety was complete shit-show. I was a complete shit-show. I was far from my best self. For a multitude of valid reasons. Mr. OoT and I didn’t talk for months. I know that it was for the best.

A little backstory on Mr. OoT: when we met and thru the entirety of our relationship he had a shit job. A mind numbing and horrible for the psyche job. I always felt that the lion’s share of his being happy was placed on my shoulders. Sometimes I succeeded, sometimes not. He lived in a horrible little apartment, smoked weed more days than not and was generally not a very happy person. In all our time together I helped him thru the process of buying a home, of chasing a dream by enrolling in (and subsequently excelling in) courses that would lead him to his dream job. He did it. He graduated top of his class and got recruited directly out of school.

I was his biggest cheerleader. From a distance. I was interested in seeing if having his dream job and not being in his mind numbing and defeatist job would help his overall outlook on life and love and everything in between. I was excited to see.

NO, we did not get back together. I did see him once in October (3 months post breakup) and we had an amazing day and night. Oh, don’t be so surprised, of course I slept with him. And it was fantastic and different from all the other times before. It was like we totally connected. As my normal M.O. would then be to try and see if ‘we’ could work just one last time (HA), I instead decided that taking myself away, FAR away, for months would be a better option.

I distanced myself physically and mentally. I was gone for 4+ months. We chatted and texted a bit during my absence but not much. I was NOT going to be the one to say that I missed him. I was NOT going to be the one to ask if we should try one last time. As one of my main issues with ‘us’ was that I always felt I put in the lion’s share of the effort with us I wanted him to be the one to make the grand gesture.

And he did! Just not with me. I returned from my months away about 3 weeks ago. He was stationed out of state and would be back this week. We spoke a couple of weeks ago and he asked if he could see me. I, of course, said yes! Here would be my chance to see if, since starting his dream job, his psyche was better and more positive. I am not going to lie and say I wasn’t hopeful, but we know how lame I can be when it comes to men. We hadn’t really spoken since then. I called him on Monday as I was wondering what was up and if he was indeed in town and he asked me to hold so he could ‘have some privacy’. Well damn, that’s never a good sign.

He ‘met’ someone. Someone he went to high school with. Someone that he has been chatting with forever. As friends. She is the epitome of everything he had always given me a hard time for: a non drug user, a square, a nerd, blah, blah, blah. She flew out to see him last weekend. And he’s in love. As her religion does not allow for sex outside of marriage, he is ready to marry her. She’s the one, he says. Just hearing her voice lowers his blood pressure.

I have gone thru all the emotions: sad, angry, humiliated. I see an absolutely identical situation as with TD. I think I really felt, in the end, that he would choose me! Here’s the shitty part (because, let’s be honest, I can be super shitty and petulant), I feel that I am the one that should benefit from this new life and outlook of his that I put the time and effort in to help create. That I should be the one that he professes his love and devotion to. I read back on all my posts and am reminded of how amazing he was at the beginning. Kind and affectionate and supportive and wanting to move things forward. I was the one that kept pulling back. I was the one that kept giving him doubts. Maybe I am the cause of his never feeling secure and, in turn, never being able to make me feel secure? Gah, we had such a roller coaster relationship. I will not lie and say that I hadn’t hoped that finally having a career he loves and doing something that keeps his mind engaged, would keep his inner demons at bay. I will now never know.

He wants to remain friends. After our last and final breakup he immediately changed his FB status to single and blocked me (as all 13 year old boys do). He wants to be FB friends again. Uhm, no on all counts. I cannot get out of my head though. I have read back on ALL my blog posts about us and am fully aware of what a shit show we were. I also was reminded that I played a large part in that. That both of our insecurities and pride got in the way. That we ‘tried’ way too many times.

He is a different person now. Not such a stoner. A list maker. Organized. All things that used to drive me insane. This new love of his is recent. It’s very much in the honeymoon stage. I look back at the beginning of our relationship and see the same exact pattern. He wants to be in love and have someone to take care of him. Her religion puts a HIGH value on being married. I see it happening. I just don’t know why I feel like such a failure.

So I need for every single one of you who reads this post, regardless of if you’ve followed the entire shit-show or not, to tell me to snap out of it. There is no other choice. I could chase him and then be stuck in the loop of ‘did I force this’ or I can just let him live his life and wish him every happiness.

Adulting is hard. Online dating is even harder …… Pulling my head out of my ass, however, seems to be the hardest of all.

*edited to add:

1) no clue if I think this way because he is now out of reach & I am super competitive (which I never realized I was)

2) if I really want him back

3) if I believe he has really changed

4) that I feel slighted by the flirting and mixed messages he has been sending me up until 2 weeks ago which caused me to even consider working on “us”

5) WHY can’t I be a normal human being and just let things play out as they should and trust that what is meant to be will be?

Sometimes It Just Doesn’t Come…. September 15, 2020

The apology you deserve. The explanation you hoped for. The clarification you needed.  And you know what? That’s okay.

In a year that has been less than stellar for OH SO MANY reasons (I have a plethora of unpublished drafts from this year; and last for that matter), one long awaited positive has come about. I am done with Mr. OoT. Yes, finally. Yes, for real. No really. It’s been 6 weeks since our unnecessarily dramatic breakup. 6 weeks since he told me to (and I quote) “get the fuck out of his life and never speak to his family again”. While I absolutely did the 1st, he can fuck off if he thinks I’ll follow the 2nd.

It was so weird (and by weird, I mean super shitty) how things ended up playing out. We had taken a road trip to see his daughter’s family. Mr. OoT and I had gotten in an argument a few days prior where he threw something exceedingly personal that I trusted him with back in my face. I hadn’t yet forgiven him and wasn’t actually/finally sure that I could or would.

Mr. OoT was SUPER cold to me the entire trip and visit. He was his usual self involved narcissistic self. It was weird/sad/embarrassing/horrifying seeing our relationship through his daughter’s eyes. His entire family knows exactly who he is and what he’s capable of, so it was no surprise to them when or how it came about. Anyway, seeing our relationship through his daughter’s eyes was, frankly, embarrassing. Sure, Mr. OoT could be kind and charming and generous and chivalrous and complimentary and amazing when he wanted. He just didn’t want to. With me. Anymore.

I was basically a non entity in our relationship. Everything was always about him and I was (finally) tired of it. I had gone for a drive alone the day before we were set to leave. When I got back to the house I asked Mr. OoT if he wanted to stay an extra day as his daughter and her husband were disappointed that we were leaving the next day. His response to me was that he didn’t want to spend one more second with me than he had to and that he had been miserable every day for the last 6 months. Uhm, what the fuck?!

I have no clue what, exactly, had set him off on that particular day but I told him he either needed to apologize or he could find his own way home (500+ miles away). He opted to “double down” and throw in a few more scathing comments instead. So I did it. I left him there.

It took two and a half overly stressful and self confidence crushing years for me to come to this one conclusion. I DO matter. I SHOULD count. I DESERVE someone who makes me a priority at least part of the time.

I’m not going to lie, I cried most of those 500 solitary miles home. We have blocked each other on social media and have had zero contact (well, aside from that amazingly ill timed funeral thing that following week). Have I missed him? Yes. Have I missed having someone? Yes. Have I wanted to reach out? Also yes. Have I? No. And I’m not going to. I deserve better. I deserve respect and kindness and understanding and romance and butterflies. I deserve someone who will be kind to me even when I’m being a bitch. Someone who won’t hold our relationship for ransom. Someone who will still care when I am exhausted and have nothing to give. I deserve to be with someone who doesn’t make everything about him and on his terms; According to what he feels I deserve or have earned at that particular moment.

In these past 2 1/2 years we have fought countless times. Have broken up often. Have gotten back together way too much. He has called me horrible names and ignored my feelings. He has tuned me out more times than I can count. He has violated trusts. I’m self aware enough to realize I’m no picnic to be with, but even at my worst, I deserve unconditional love and kindness.

In the end though it was none of those things (or maybe it was all of those things) that finally had me walk away. I just knew I’d never be able to count on him when it mattered most. I was with a man who actually made me feel lonely and as if I didn’t matter. I don’t want to be lonely WITH someone. No one should be.

And thus, my friends who have waited for 2 1/2 infuriating years for me to finally listen to everyone and move on; I have. For my own feeling of self worth. For my own happiness. And, of course, for my horrifying stories of online dating. You’re welcome. 😉

Much Overdue April 15, 2020

** this post is from April and kind of a missing link **

Understatement of the year. I wanted to update all two of you everyone on Grey Goose’s state of affairs. First and foremost, thank you to all that kept good thoughts for my doggie. After being in the ICU for over a week and almost losing him 2 more times, he was discharged to me. I thought it was hard having him in ICU! I had no idea how hard having to force feed, give meds to around the clock and generally keep him alive would be. I did it. He did it. After several more weeks in a shitty hotel and innumerable blood tests and follow up visits, I was given the okay to embark on the 18 hour drive back home. He is still in treatment and there is every possibility that he could relapse, but for now, finally, he is doing well.

Okay, crisis #1 averted. I still had crisis #2 to deal with. Remember that trip I said I had planned with Mr. OoT? The one that he said he would only NOT go on if I paid him for his ticket? The one that we had planned for almost a year? The one that was pretty tops on my bucket list? Yes, that one. What to do, what to do? My dog was still very sick, I hadn’t spoken to Mr. OoT since the ‘I never wanted to be with you’ phone call. Did I want to travel and leave my dog behind? Did I want to see Mr. OoT? The answer to both of these questions was a resounding NO. It wasn’t until the night before we were supposed to leave and an emergency dinner with friends (they ate, I cried) that I decided to go. My dog was in VERY good hands with my most trusted friend (actually an old boyfriend who we always joked loved my dogs more than he did me – truth), I didn’t have trip insurance and just having spent well over 8 grand saving my doggie (thank you CARE card), I knew if I didn’t go on this trip now, I never would.

So I went. And Mr. OoT was amazing. Helpful and kind and patient and wonderful. I had to keep reminding myself that this was the version of himself that I only got to see 10% of the time, at most. We had separate rooms and there was no ” funny business”, but the trip and he were great.

I promised myself we wouldn’t get back together……..

A Trip of a Lifetime January 20, 2020

With a recently ex boyfriend. Lovely. It’s been 3 weeks since the shit hit the fan and we finally called it quits. It’s been 2 weeks since our ridiculously excruciating week together at my beach haven ended and I dropped him at the airport. I haven’t spoken to him once. He’s messaged me a few times and I have not responded. He ‘likes’ all my FB and Instagram posts (like any good 13 year old would).

I’m trying to prepare myself for our upcoming trip. Both physically, mentally and logistically. It’s going to be weird. I SO wish he would do the right thing and not go, but we all know there is about .00001% chance of that happening. I called the tour company and asked for separate rooms. As the final payment has already been made, no changes are allowed without a hefty penalty. Like a BIG one! One I cannot afford.

What I can afford is to look up the hotels directly online and book an additional room and hope that it doesn’t get cancelled as a duplicate reservation. What I can do is to research tours and sights that I want to do and see and book them for myself. I am hopeful/certain that he will be ‘Charming Mr. OoT” and not “Antichrist Mr. OoT” on this trip *fingers crossed everyone*.

Death, Anger Management and Family BBQs July 9, 2019

So is it weird that I asked Mr OoT if I could meet his sister from out of town that i hadn’t yet met and go to a family BBQ that his parents were having? No? Well maybe I need to fill in some blanks and then you can decide.

I haven’t written much (or at all) about Mr. OoT and I since just about the beginning of the year. Why you ask? Well that was because I was sparing you all (and myself) the annoyance of rolling your eyes and yelling at the computer.

Mr. OoT and I have issues. Big ones. He has some anger management issues. I have some ‘fixer’ issues. He has some deflection and projection issues. I have some defensive issues. We weren’t the best match to begin with (understatement of the century). Throw in that we are long distance and that makes everything a million times harder.

We’ve been in so many arguments that I’ve lost track. He tells me I fight weird. This is because I don’t engage. I allow him to go off on me and spew some of the most hateful and hurtful things at me and all I do is warn him to make sure he really means the things he’s saying as he can’t take them back once said. This usually just infuriates him more. I’m not quite sure when I became someone that would allow ANYONE to speak to me that way, but here I am. Or was.

This last time was especially cruel. He usually has a somewhat set litany of things that he venomously spews at me, but the past couple of times he’s thrown in new things to the effect of ‘the long line of women waiting to date him’. Uhm, wait, what? I know that Mr. OoT’s version of telling the truth is most rational people’s version of a lie. I know his “tells”. I know he wouldn’t have said this unless he was actually talking to other women. And he has been. How do I know? I went through his phone. And that, my friends is when I realized I was becoming a crazy person. I DO NOT go thru people’s phones. There is never anything good that can come of that. It’s a huge violation of trust and a horrible thing to do. I had to know though. And guess what? He has been overtly flirting with a couple of women. I see that as cheating and crossing the line, he does not. He feels he should get a gold star for not actually sleeping with them when he could have. Uhm no, gold stars are not given for doing the right thing and being a decent human being. Do I think he’d be flirting with other women if we were in a good place? No I don’t. As we aren’t/weren’t does that make it any less shitty? Nope.

One other thing he spewed at me was ‘no wonder you’re alone’. Sort of an odd thing for a supposed boyfriend to say, right? I realized though that he was right. I am alone. I have been for the past year. He’s not here when I need him to be. Physically or emotionally. We fight way too much. He has slowly and systematically crushed my spirit and sense of self worth. When did I become the woman that would allow that?!

I saw him over the weekend. He went off on me again. This time it was different. I fought back. Not in the insane way that he fights, but simply asked, when he finally took a breath, “are you happy now? do you feel better now that you’ve said these horrible things to me? you are truly an asshole and I deserve better” and walked out. I’ve said things to this affect before to no avail. I always counter balance his evil side in my head with his generous spirit and kind, yet hugely damaged, heart and end up giving him a pass. He never truly apologizes. This time was different.

He came to find me and when he did, he was crying. Like hysterically crying. He apologized a million ways, said that I don’t deserve any of this, that he doesn’t know why he does this, that he realizes his anger is getting progressively worse, that I’m one of the best people he’s ever met (I am), that I DO deserve better (I do), that he is going to seek some help and work on himself. He then asked if I think that some people are broken beyond repair. To which I replied ‘yes’.

Do I think he’s broken beyond repair? No, not really. I believe that truly broken people will never actually admit to being broken. Do I hope he gets some help? Yes, I certainly do. For his sake. Will I wait around for him like he asked me to? No, I absolutely will not.

Did I ask to go to his family BBQ on Sunday? Yes, yes I did. I wanted a chance to see his family one last time and get a bit of closure. None of them knew we had broken up (oh, aside from the fact that he brought a different girl with him on the 4th of July! Fucker, but that’s a story for another time). It gave me a chance to see everyone one last time. His dad loves me. His dad implored me to come visit any time, with or without Mr. OoT. That speaks volumes. His sisters were great and must have sensed what was going on.  They both said it was great seeing me and to not let Mr. OoT get away with too much.  They do know him best…..

He wants to remain friends. I said no. He wants me to wait for him. I said no. He wants me to know he will always be here for me. Whatever. Did I tell him to go to hell and never contact me again? No. Not sure why. I will stand my ground this time though.

Oh, and I told him I hated the candle he sent me. In some small way, being the petty bitch he’s always accused me of being made me feel better…..

Just Admit It October 25, 2018

So silly. And annoying. When I say something and forget. Or when I say something and change my mind. Or when I say something that I regret. All have the same response and reaction from me. I apologize for forgetting, for changing my mind or regret saying. It seems so simple. SO. FUCKING. SIMPLE.

I don’t think I’m in in the minority when it comes to owning my shit. Maybe I am. When it is in regards to stupid shit though it’s just annoying as fuck to not have the other person just admit they forgot or changed their mind or never meant to say it in the first place. How hard is it to say those 4 simple words ‘I’m sorry, I forgot’.

For fuck sake. I talked to Mr. OoT yesterday about his coming to visit next weekend. He doesn’t like to be away from his son when he’s home, so it’s usually a given that he will come with on the rare occasion that Mr. OoT comes to my town. No biggie. I love that he loves his kids. Imagine my surprise and delight when Mr. OoT said (and I quote) “I may just leave him at home for the weekend, would that be okay?” Uhm, YES! I love his son, but this is the last weekend we’ll be able to spend time together before I leave for an extended period of time. When we were talking tonight, however, he mentioned his son being here. I told him that he had said he wasn’t bringing him and he then proceeded to tell me that I misunderstood. That I was wrong. That he never said that. That he was talking about Halloween night, not the weekend. That he never said he wasn’t going to bring his son. That he LOVES his son and doesn’t want to be away from him. Bullshit on the not being able to be away from his 15 year old son, btw (NOT that he loves him – ’cause he does. A lot) Why can he not just say he changed his mind instead of trying to convince me that I am wrong. That I’M the one that misunderstood. I AM wrong a lot of the time. I’m NOT this time.

As a bonus, he said he was probably going to drive up on Saturday and then head home on Sunday. For those of you bad at math, that’s 1 night. ONE. When I said that I was disappointed that he wouldn’t be staying longer, he said that he was too but that he couldn’t. You know, his son has school and all. I’m fucking pissed. I’m leaving for THREE MONTHS. He says he ‘wished’ he could stay longer. Uhm, he could. He doesn’t work when he’s back home. He has 2 solid weeks off. He just doesn’t want to. When I tried to talk to him about it, he said that since it’s more than a week away, it wasn’t even on his radar yet (he is incapable of planning ahead). Super great end to our conversation last night.