Suzy

So! I survived Saturday! I more than survived Saturday. I had a ton of fun Saturday, actually, and there has been a lot of texting since.

I gave him my cell number to avoid any cross purposes at the museum, and he jumped excitedly into texting.

Him: Isn't this better than okc messages??
Me: Nope!
Him: You're so fun!

I'm glad he's charmed by my saying no to things, that's useful. ;)

I hit an open thread on Friday and asked for help rewriting my usual pre-date panic scripts. I needed outside thoughts from people who don't know the extent of my panic and deep seated social anxiety. Basically, they reminded me that I should use my breathing exercises and also, I should try to wear myself out with exercise before I headed in. An excellent idea.

It was very easy to wear myself out with exercise when I realized my train left an hour earlier than I thought and I had to run there to get there on time after picking up my holds at the consignment store. (Yes, clothing was more important than the date. It was seriously great clothing. See? If I'd missed the train, I'd have just texted that I'd be late.) But I did make the train! And that meant I had an hour to spare downtown. I browsed anthropologie and the Disney Store and got my favorite tea, all of which helped relax me a great deal. Then I hopped a cab over (there has to be a way to walk, but I wasn't sure where), and was almost there when he texted that his bus was late.

So, more time to relax when I got there - I walked around the lake, took a lot of pictures, finished my tea, talked to the guard about the best place to grab a cab to get back, etc. That helped so much. I hung out on the big grand steps reading an eBook and waiting for him - yes, I sort of wished he wasn't showing up, but not overly much. When he got there, he said I'd looked like the queen of the museum, the steps were like a throne, and he'd wanted to take a picture but thought that'd be creepy. I was mostly thrilled to learn that he totally had boundaries after all, which I'd been nervous about from all the emails, heh.

This is where I get shallow and say that he had his hair done like he does in his profile pic, and it's super cute and way better than the flat way he had the first date. It was an instant, oh you are CUTE reaction. Also, he gives really fabulous hugs.

Ugh, okay, this is basically just going to be a recap of the day. I'm sorry! It was fun!

So we hit the cafe for lunch, except I was nervous (regular nervous! not social anxiety panic!) and fine from my tea and macarons, so he ate and we chatted. (Total opposite of first date, when I ate nachos and he drank some water, ha. One day, we'll sync up.)

He sort of apologized for what he was wearing (is this a thing? Eleven did it, too) and totally complimented my lipstick. Which I find hilarious. I seriously get weekly compliments on the shade, which still blows my mind, but it's always women.

Anyway, blah blah whatever. He's charming and cute, we talked about his vacation this weekend and we got our tickets for two shows and the exhibits. We both sort of geeked out at various things and shared random related sciencey/history stories as we went. The shows were amazing. We joked about the souvenir penny we got from the Universe one and he sort of teased me with it, tapping me with it and stuff. The second show, we got to recline, and that was fun. He started playing with the rings I wear, said it seemed I always had a lot of stories about things, so what were the stories with them? I explained and he thought it was cool.

The big thing there is that he was sort of touchy and it never once bothered me. We were sort of touching looking at a lot of exhibits, his hand on mine or standing really close, and that was fine, I didn't mind him playing with the rings, anything. No flinching. I told R before I left that I was planning to fake being normal and having normal responses, and I think it worked. I actually probably wouldn't have even minded if he'd tried to hold my hand.

He had talked about hopping a cab with me back to my train station, which wasn't far from his line, but we left and there were three of his buses lined up in front of the museum. So it made sense for him to get on that, which meant a sudden and abbreviated goodbye. But I initiated the hug, totally new, and eventually managed to find a cab, which was hard.

Okay, I totally put off opening his texts later that night (and, okay, every time since), but not with real panic, so that's a step up, and also, I have always responded. And he texts me a few times a day, just to say hi, and that is something I am not used to. And not entirely fond of, but mostly because it's new and also I don't have unlimited texts.

So we're going to see Next to Normal and out to dinner in two weeks (I'm going to drive us, it's right by my favorite mall, and I am totally nervous about that, but I also sort of trust him to not be a creep, so I am not panicking? Even through it's the 6pm show and not the 2pm I'd have preferred, too). And he just now texted me, "I wanted to let you know that I definitely like you. I am pretty open about how I feel. I think good communication is important and I wanted you to know before I left for vacation." Well then. Okay.

(I texted back that I also like him and look forward to spending more time with him.)

This is notable because as R pointed out, I am not using him saying that he likes me as a reason to run because there is clearly something wrong with him. Progress! With Eleven, I decided to take things day by day. This time, I think I am trying not to distance myself. I'm crushing on this guy, and I am going to enjoy that and keep pretending that I am normal. Even if we only do these three dates, that will be fine with me, because I am having fun with how it's going. But, I also wouldn't mind it continuing way past that.

Weird.

Also, I spent last night with R and M and her sweet baby watching the VMAs. I loved NSYNC and they looked so happy. We were all sort of giddy and excited, and they didn't tease me a lot about how really excited I was, and I got to snuggle the sleeping baby while doing the Bye Bye Bye dance, and really, there could have been no better way to experience that. (Except maybe if Kate and Oliver and Jennie and Anna were also there, I suppose!! Then it really would have been like 2003, but even better.) I had today off, and spent the day listening to nsync and now Britney. I mean, just look at them. Joy.



In conclusion, boys. <3

I totally and completely love Johnny and Olivia on GH. They are cute and sweet and the actors have great chemistry. I'm afraid to get attached, though, for fear that Olivia will end up with Sonny and I'll never be able to like her again. Please, Sonny, just die. Please. Fast.

Speaking of GH, are any of the characters aware that Luke was kidnapped by Helena a few months ago? I had such high hopes for an awesome summer storyline where Nik, Lucky, and Ethan (and maybe Lulu) went on the hunt for him and had to deal with their relationships to succeed. Nothing says sibling bonding like summer adventure. (Way better than sibling bonding over who caused the accident that killed their unborn half-brother, which is the sibling story they opted to tell with a different family.)

I love that the show is bringing on good, older, talented female actresses, though. It's great to see Martha Byrne, and I've loved Lisa LoCicero since Loving. Also, the actress who plays Diane, Carolyn Hennesy, is a children's book author, I learned today. Just ordered the third in her series for the library, in fact. She's pretty good - funny, occasionally heavy handed.

I have been knit knit knitting while rewatching S2 Mad Men in preparation for S3 on the 16th. Mom's intended scarf has become an ear warmer due to scratchiness and my winter hat is about 80% done. Also, it looks amazing. Just sayin'.

Anyway, Jezebel cast Mad Men characters with Muppets. Too funny, but the best bit by far is one of the earliest comments depicting a skit where Grover is trying to direct the cast of Mad Men, but they keep giving him Sad Men, Glad Men, Plaid Men, etc etc etc. Brilliant.

In other news, I adore my mother. Yesterday morning, half asleep, she didn't greet me with hello, she greeted me with, "What was Chris from *NSYNC's last name?" Once I got to work, I e-mailed to ask WHY she needed to know this information, and she responded, "had a dream about JC writing a song for a movie. He wasn't sure about the song but it turns out the movie was becoming a huge hit and Oprah loved the song he wrote for the movie and had him on her show. I couldn't remember his name though. I kept thinking Josh but then I knew that was wrong. Well not really wrong but it was because I couldn't remember JC. Heck, in my dream NSYNC was only 4 guys. I completely forgot Lance Bass.
And I couldn't remember Chris' last name.
Weird. I know."

I'm so amused. But poor Lance.

OMG! No one TOLD me that iTunes had the music video for Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays for sale!!!

I got a $50 gift card with my new iPod, so I went to play tonight. So far, I bought two Elvis CDs, some Nickelback songs, and MCHH music video. AND the Tearin' Up My Heart and I Want You Back vids. HEEEEEEEEEEE!! Oh, my God, I am dying of laughter here. I love them so much. {{HUGS NSYNC}} OMG I love JC so very very much. And Lance! Eeee!

I am feeling hugely, hugely better this morning. I'm finally feeling like myself! I think it's because I finally just let it all out in that post. Thank you for putting up with me. :)

Of course, waking up to Lance's People magazine cover didn't hurt. I'm so happy for him, and for him and Reichen, but I wish he hadn't felt the need to do it because of the gossip columnists. That's just not right. But I obviously totally support him anyway, so go him and his pretty gay self. I told mom and she was stunned, much to my amusement. "He is? And we're...not surprised?" No, we're not. <.g>

The first two discs of Firefly are shipping to me from Netflix today. Yay! Last week, I randomly decided I wanted to get into it. I've alwatys wanted to, I was horribly disappointed when I didn't like the show when it aired. (Although it's four years later and I still remember a lot of scenes and characterization bits, so it clearly made some impact.) Liss and I watched the movie at MWC, and it was so so dark that I wasn't overly interested. But it's stuck in my mind since then, so I decided to give the fic a try. The way I snag Nydia into fandoms. <.g> And it's working. I've fallen for the characters, I've seen vids and know what to expect, connected what I remember to what happened in some eps, and I'm all excited and giddy to see new Joss stuff and this all bodes well. Hail, Firefly! Recs are appreciated.

I'm also thoroughly delighted with Eureka on Sci-Fi. I adore Jack Carter, even as the name amuses me, and SARAH is hysterical. I love the town, I love the show. I love that a boy with autism saved the day in the pilot. I can't wait for next week and more. Psych is also totally winning me over. Yay summer programming!

(eta: Ack! Just got clobbered by a rather huge Gilmore spoiler while looking for a CSI one. Damnation. It's not even a spoiler I'm excited about, although strangely I'm not surprised, either.)