Bagel, extra cheese please!

In my recent endeavours with Coffee Meets Bagel, I've noticed a couple tendancies in myself. Nothing is too cheesy. One guy wrote that he liked cuddling, I liked him. Another wrote that they were "looking for another sweetie pie to call my own." Yup, I thought that was funny, partly because I think it's song lyrics, and partly because he had guts enough to write "another". As in addition to yourself a sweetie pie? I'm building an army of them! They all know about each other in my life...

Another guy wrote "desperate" in his which I found refreshingly honest, and I'd have given him a go if it didn't also say "kink". I had to check with my dating expert, that's short for kinky isn't it? Now 50 Shades of Grey has made the dating scene a scary place in my humble opinion. He used to have to find a way to drop his fetishes causally into the conversation on a third date, but now he just airs it out on his profile like his underwear on the line! Thanks a lot Mr Grey, but the only reason your book was so popular was because women are sexually repressed, not because we're all secretly hoping for that! No thank you! Gawd forbid I'm dating a guy and he spontaneously springs "kink" on my unsuspecting self, nuh uh. Although it would make a wicked post if I had the courage to tell it...

And what about this guy? 

Yes I passed, not because he took a mirror selfie, but I don't TRUST his abdominal muscles. I'm sure he worked hard for them, but they kinda look like they got lost, and ended up on a guy who plays too many video games. Smile! It's way cheaper than a gym membership! Bagel on. 

Dinner time talk

We all have goals in life, right? When I make a card, I aim to get "mantle status" where the receiver of my card loves it so much they put it on display on their mantle. 

During my day, I like to connect with random strangers. I make jokes mostly. Especially to quiet, reserved people who look like their either gritting through the day, or about to explode. I like to brighten them, make them smile. I don't mind if I make fun of myself in the process, and appreciate very much if they give me that, "you're an odd duck..." look. But what I love the most, is imagining them sitting down to dinner with the their family that night saying, "You'll never guess what this random girl in line said today..." Mission accomplished. 

Photo

Recently I had the experience of going through some of my dads things, he passed away May last year. It's interesting to realize what was important to someone by the things they keep. I found school projects I don't even remember making, but the most special was all the photos. There were some of my dad when he was young with the vans he customized, and the van club parties. Pictures of friends he didn't talk to often, but I know he valued in a big way. Pictures of me. So many pictures of me! 

As the second kid, I thought my parents had forgotten how to use a camera by the time I came along, based on volume, so I was pleasantly surprised. Some I'll treasure forever. 

One picture stands out for me. It was taken when I was in the hospital with my appendix. They said I could only have one parent stay with me. Mom said automatically she'd stay, but they let me pick. "Daddy!" We stayed up tying flies together, right there in the hospital. 

One of those times dad was never worried about being "out of the box". I have so many dear memories, and to see them come alive in photos of the fishing trips, camping trips, my first time on a bike. I remember telling dad not to let go. But he did. And when I realized he had I crashed into a bush. He ran after me, fished me out and cuddled me until I stopped crying. And then he put me back on the bike.  

21 Days of Bagels

In my ongoing search for love, or argueably, juicy blog material, I starting using a dating app called Coffee Meets Bagel. I'm not surprised if you haven't heard of it, only two of my Facebook friends are on it, because of me. Seems to be more popular in the States based on the majority of guys on it. I am sent a "bagel", or hopefully single gentlemen once day. I see up to four pictures, and a short profile of things they like and are looking for. We only make a connection if they've also liked my profile. So far I've made only two connections. One who asked for my number he never used, and another who seemed to loose interest after 3 messages. Unlike Tinder who basically just ask you which bits you're looking for, and send you as many as possible in your area, this is slowly moving, and the perception is, better matches. Lots of great guys it looks like, but the feedback to me was that I need better pictures. 

What on earth is cuter than THAT? 

No, I didn't put that one up, but I was tempted to. Anyhow, it came up the other day, "Congratulations! You've signed in 21 days in a row! Extra bagel for you!" And I was thinking, oh gawd, I need a LIFE! Do you have any of those? Seems counter intuitive to send me another match, like giving booze to an alcoholic right? Bagel on. 

Big White ARM

I love the group shot we got at my friend Nicole's stagette a few weeks ago, she posted it to her Facebook page.

 I didn't realize right away how considerate this made my dear friend, until I saw the original. 

HOLY MAN! Do you see that giant white whale in the bottom left corner? It took me a minute to realize that it was attached to my person. It's bigger than most of her friends HEADS! I'm going to have to start paying property taxes on that damn thing! I considered that maybe I'm trying to smush it against my body to get in closer. Like maybe how ones thighs look the worst all flattened out while you sit on the toilet. Maybe. But then there's this picture...

See that wee stick? Same arm people!!

First time Grouse Ground

I had it on my list this summer to do the Grouse Grind, so when Sarah suggested we do it today, the last day of summer, how could I say no? Even though we had to get up at the crack of dawn to get it in before my shift started. Just a little back story, a couple years back my roommate and manager at the time did the Grind within a month of each other, and despite their accounts being somewhat similar, I'll admit I thought they were exaggerating. Not that either of them are whimps, I did the Spartan Race with my manager, but it all sounded pretty extreme for a hike. 

I was expecting more of an epic entrance. There was this gate, a huge bright sign, and oh, we started. Did we ever. 

I was so happy to see this marker, you don't even know. Everyone says the first quarter is the hardest. I don't know about that in retrospect, it all felt pretty uphill. Can you tell how soaked I am? It poured. Absolutely drenched. But something else positive to come out of my experience doing the Ride, extreme wind and rain didn't even slow me down. Bring it on Mother Nature. 

And she did. The flash version of this shot is worse, I can assure you. I thought the stairs were the worst part, until I'd get to a spot I was sure the trail had ended. Then someone would pass me,which dozens did, and start climbing up the rock face beside me on all fours. 

This is obviously not my picture, there aren't mini waterfalls coming down, and whats that yellow hue? Sunshine? I stole this picture from Facebook. It captures the "all fours" experience though. 

The pain you see in this shot is real. I didn't even want to take this picture, but Sarah insisted since we'd already taken the other two. Kinda glad she did. This is where my shoes soaked completely through, which is impressive on it's own. Go Merrell. But it was quite sloshey after that. 

Never has a picture captured a feeling so well. Thank goodness that's over. 

Typical. But I had to. Glad to see my butt is in this shot, I couldn't feel it at all by that point. One would probably assume based on probability that it's still there, but confirmation is comforting. 

Another picture that's not mine, but its important to get a feel for what I'm talking about when I tell you about our gondola back down. Because of the wind, they had to leave the huge window in the front open, where Sarah and I were such geniuses to choose to be, despite being some of the first people on. "Oh look, the windows open so all the cold and rain is coming in, bet they'll close that.." No, they did not. And they went nice and slow to maximize drenchiness.   

Which lead to this. Including the "FIGHTER" headband that supports cancer, which I bought at the top. And a hot shower. But I had a great time! Next opportunity you have, do the Grind if you haven't yet. Maybe check the weather report before you go...

Tattooed men

For the most part, I'd have to agree with this. It doesn't make any logical sense, but a guy with a sleeve tattoo is more likely to catch my attention. That being said, a few things deter me. Big coloured flowers, skulls and other scary things. I've said it before, but I saw a guy with a chuckie tattoo on his arm, it was scary to look at it. But in the dark, if I rolled over in bed and came face to face with it, no thank you!! 

This might sound a little strange, but when the shading cuts off weirdly. If you have a big meiral on your arm, and the shading cuts off in a line mid bicep, I think that looks strange. I think it looks better when the tattoos seem to blend into the body, like big Celtic tattoos. 

It's also kinda fun when you don't know where they are, and you go on a scavenger hunt for them. "How many do you have? Hmmm...and I only see 3..." I bet that's more fun for guys, we're less predictable I'd say. Except for me of course. Three, all on my feet. Sexy on tatooed gents.