Mid-day Musings

OK, the next religious right person who tells me that these hurricanes are about God punishing New Orleans for being decadent is going to be bitch slapped summarily. Of course, since they also don’t believe the science of global warming, I guess they have to give God the blame. Ignoring facts, like evolution, seems to be the hallmark of a significant part of our population here in Oklahoma City.

More about dating

Part of the trouble about dating has to do with “The Rules”. What ARE the rules for dating when one is over 40? It seems like everyone I date has a different set of “rules” and that’s OK, we should all set our own boundaries. The trouble is that I don’t know the rules until I break one. I think it should be a “rule” that everyone has to type out a sheet of their rules and the precedents and reasoning and interpretations and hand them out before the first date. Maybe some sort of mandatory checklist form: “Do you kiss on (pick one) first date? second date? third date? never? always?” That sort of thing. Other rules might be: “Listen politely while I savage my ex husband but never comment because I still love the low life bastard.” Or, maybe, “I know that my teenaged child at home is impossible, but never ever complain or I will kick your ass out so fast your head will swim.” Lately, to generalize horribly, the rule I tend to run into is this one: “You can never know the rules; I never have to follow the rules; your failure to love this idea is fatal to our relationship.” I hate dating, so just shoot me.

This one is gender neutral and drives me out of my mind: “I don’t know what I want, but I don’t like this.”

I have a date tonight with a woman I’ve never taken out before and I’m anxious and fearful, to tell the truth. Some of my angst is undoubtedly reflected here.