A Month Away

Yesterday I neglected to mention that we were at the one month point for the release of Sin City.
As I’ve mentioned many times on Threshold, this movie is the major thing in my life that I have to look forward to.
I’m even going so far as taking the day off on April 1st so that I can see it right away. It’s my intention to get up and go to the earliest showing…then possibly see it again.
As should be apparent, it’s unusual for me to get that excited about anything.
Undoubtedly I’m setting myself up for disappointment (which is probably one of the reasons I so seldom get excited about things), but I really, really love the books, and the fact that the movie is directed by someone else who really, really loves the books, with the assistance of the creator of the books, makes me think that it’s going to be an amazing, especially since everything I’ve seen so far really has been amazing.
Anyway, I just thought I should point out how close the release date is getting.
In addition to being the release date for Sin City and the international prankster’s holiday known as April Fools Day, April 1st is also my sister Kim’s birthday, and marks the start of a rash of birthdays in my family, with my dad’s on the 3rd, mine on the 13th, and my brother Brad’s on the 15th.
At the end of May I’ll be heading home to Michigan for my niece Jourdan’s graduation. It’ll be the first time in almost 6 years that my whole family will be getting together.
It’ll be the full family, too, as my brother-in-law Dean found out that he’ll be able to get leave to be home for the graduation.
Like I usually am at such events, I was amazed at yesterday’s meeting by the number of attractive women who work in my department. Of course, outside of these meetings, I have no reason or opportunity to see them, so it’s always sort of surprise to discover that they exist at all.
The fact that there are attractive women in my department doesn’t mean much to me, since, as I said, I seldom even see them, most of them are married or at least seriously dating someone, and, of course, I’m Jon.
It’s probably significant that two of the most attractive women in the department actually work as assistants to our VP. Still, there’s no real “hmm…” there, as they had been in those jobs or similar ones at least) under our former VP, who was a woman.
Throughout the meeting the two of them were buzzing around the place making sure that everything was proceeding smoothly.
At various points as people were speaking I was wishing that we had something in place like the Oscars, with music that would start playing to let the speakers know that they needed to wrap it up. Thanks to one of the very pretty, but very forceful, administrative assistants, the last speaker of the day did get something like that, as she walked over to the light switch and flashed the lights to let him know that he needed to shut the hell up.
At one point she was even shooting daggers at our VP to get him to wrap things up.
So clearly that's one assistant you don't mess around with (though you'd like to, since she's extremely hot).
On the topic of attractive women in my department, there’s one I find especially attractive (though nobody else seems to think she’s as hot as I do), whom I see occasionally in the hallways, and whom I was looking forward to seeing at this year’s meeting, as I recall her looking especially good last year.
Looking is, of course, all I can do, as she is married, and was, in fact, married the very first time I ever saw her. Still, in my estimation she is well worth looking at.
I spotted her this year and noticed right away that she seemed to be wearing a maternity top. So apparently my ability to have my interest serve as a catalyst for marriage/procreation has struck once again.
Speaking of which, over the past weekend I overheard confirmation that “Flame Chick” is, in fact, engaged.
In addition to that life-changing event, apparently her schedule has also changed, as she was in on Friday and Saturday, and came in much earlier than usual.
On Friday I happened to walk into the break room when she was in there and semi-successfully to engage her in conversation.
Saturday I found myself presented with a similar opportunity, but declined to take it. After all, there really wouldn’t be any point. Even if she weren’t engaged, she is a rabid sports fan, which would likely make a relationship impossible.
So as I was searching my mind for something to say, I thought, “What’s the point?” Unable to think of an answer, I merely filled my cup with water and went quietly on my way.
Honestly, I couldn’t think of a reason to bother trying to talk to her. For the sake of small talk and filling the emptiness of an awkward silence? Meh, I have no problem with awkward silences, and feel no need to fill any empty spaces with small talk.
In the interest of fostering friendly relations? As I’ve mentioned many times, I have very little interaction with her, so that’s not really an issue.
Honestly, the only reason I can think of to attempt to engage her in conversation is to pursue a possible romance, and as we’ve established, that’s not a possibility.
So again, what’s the point?
In the past I’ve been taken to task for this attitude. The seeming implication is that I perceive women as having no value outside of a romantic (sexual) relationship.
I can see how someone could think that, but I don’t think that it’s true. After all, it has been exclusively female, non-romantic friends who have expressed this idea.
I think it’s clear that I have no problem whatsoever with being friends with women, and valuing them as friends.
However, I am single (and straight), and have been single for a long time, so it only makes sense, especially when it comes to a woman I find physically attractive, that my primary interest would be in pursuing a romantic relationship, and not just a friendship.
Does that mean I’m opposed to having friendly, non-romantic relationships with women? Of course not.
However, in general, I’m not particularly interested in actively pursuing new friendships with anyone. That’s just the way I am. So yeah, if I don’t see a potential for romance with a woman, I’m unlikely to pursue any kind of relationship.
Besides, it’d probably be good for me to be a little misogynistic anyway, since chicks like assholes.
Okay, so I only meant that semi-jokingly, but in all honesty it’s long been my belief that the biggest obstacle preventing me from successfully establishing a relationship with a woman, apart from the fact that I so seldom encounter women who are available, is the fact that I do genuinely like and respect women.
So far as I can tell, they absolutely hate that.
At least when it comes to a potential mate.
It does, however, serve me well in the role of “guy friend.”
But whatever. I don’t feel like getting bogged down in all of that today.
Not much that’s new or exciting is going on today. I’m making a casserole that consists of round steak, cream celery and cream of chicken soup, and dry onion soup mix. I figure on accompanying it with some kind of rice and vegetable.
Beyond that, tonight is my big TV night, when I find myself glued to the set for three hours from 8 to 11.
Looking at my finances it’s clear that, as I usually do, I’ve spent a little more money that I thought I had. It’s not really a problem, though, as it just means that I won’t be able to bolster my savings quite as much as I thought I would.
But I do have more money (with more to come) in my savings than I have in a long time, and with the raise and some decreases to my bills, I should be able to sustain some growth with that account.
As I fail to buy some of the things that I want that I can actually afford, though, I can’t help but wonder what it is I’m saving the money for. After all, with the insane cost of housing in this area, it’s clear that, on my own, I’ll never be able to own property here. In all of Loudoun County (which is where I live) there is not one piece of property on the market for under $200,000, and the average cost is expected to increase by 20% this year, with no indication of the increase stopping anytime soon.
Housing costs in surrounding counties aren’t much different.
So unless by some miracle I meet and marry a woman who makes at least as much as I do, I’m going to continue living the life of the renter for a long time to come.
In any case, I should try to find something to do with what remaining non-TV time I have. I may return after I’ve finished the whole couch potato thing.