Say what?!

I enjoy talking with people; getting to know new people. You know, the whole nine yards. But sometimes, people say crazy things.

Yesterday I went to a weekday meeting for my church to study the Bible and other scriptures, and a random girl sat next to me.

We were making regular "getting to know you conversation" and this is what happened.

Me: So what are you doing in DC?
Her: What do you mean?
Me: You know, going to school, working, both?
Her: Oh, both. What about you?
Me: I'm working in education law and policy.
Her: Oh, did you go to college already?
Me: Yeah, I got a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from BYU.
Her: How old are you?
Me: 26.
Her: You don't look 26.
Me: I know. It's a blessing and a curse.
Her: You could call it a "blurse." [awkward pause] Do you want children?
Me: .... What?!
Her: Do you want children?
Me: .... Why are you asking me that?!
Her: Oh, I just met a guy last week that's doing law stuff and he doesn't want children, so I thought I could set you two up.
Me: ... ummm...

.... and then the class started ...

First. Who says that?
Second. Just because I have a law degree doesn't mean that I don't want children. Sheesh.
Third. Who says that?

For the record, I would like to have children. Not super soon, but you know, in a reasonable amount of time.

Mi Media Naranja

In Spanish, the term "media naranja" (half orange) means the same thing as your soul mate (or your other half).

I honestly don't know how anyone can find their other half. I've been in this dating life for a bit now, and it seems impossible. So many variables and questions.

My recent dating woes arise from some unwanted attention. Sometimes I think I'm a terrible person because I say things that are snarky and rude, but then, at other times, I think I'm too nice. I honestly try to be kind to everyone and want to get to know everyone personally. I really do. I like people in general.

Unfortunately, that is my downfall. Why do I have to be so nice? And why is it so hard to reject someone? I have been recently pursued by a man in my ward who seems nice enough. I'm not interested in him romantically, but I think he's a nice person. So in order to avoid the date, I agreed to go to a group activity at a restaurant with him and some of his friends thinking it would be sufficient and I could just shrug off the solo dinner invitations.

Well, I was wrong. I went, and now I get daily text messages. I even declined the dinner invitations. Apparently saying no is not sufficient. He thinks I'm just really busy (which is true), but if I was interested in dating you, I would make time for dinner. I mean a girl's gotta eat...

I legitimately am of the camp that if I see no point - no possible relationship, there is no need for even a first date. I know in LDS culture, the first date is basically required. But if I feel no connection and only dread, I don't think it's fair to him (OR ME ... mostly me?) to endure a dinner when I don't want to be there. I think that if I don't really know the guy or have any opinion, I'll definitely give him a first date. But if it's clear to me, I see no problem refusing the first date.

Do you guys turn down first dates? Or do you always give a guy a chance with a first date?

Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee

So my life has become semi movie-esque. Let me tell you of the ridiculousness.

This summer I went to Spain to visit people I knew while I served my mission, and then I worked in Madrid. While traveling my mission, several people professed their love to me. But I explained to them the nature of our relationship. All fine and dandy. I visited, and then I left.

Then I went to Madrid, and met a ton of new people and became friends with a group of YSAs in the Madrid area. (They don't have YSA wards like in the states, but they have very active YSAs that do everything together.)

Now, you cannot tell me that you never thought it would be exciting to date someone while in a foreign country. You watched all of those Mary Kate and Ashley movies too, admit it! I figured, I had 4 weeks, I might as well make the most of it. Thus, I went out a few times with someone while in Madrid... and then it all blew up in my face when I also went out with his best friend.* But for the record, I did not think that we were in any sort of relationship. I mean, how could we be, I was only there for 4 weeks! (Can we say DRAMA!?!)

Then we had this very long conversation about Green Cards and intercultural relationships. (Please keep in mind that he does not speak English.) He was very adamant that if he were ever to go to the United States, it would be on his own accord. He said, he'd be there in three months. It was all very good and dandy in the hypothetical sense. I did not really think it was possible, let alone plausible.

UNTIL...

He flew around the world and MOVED TO PROVO!

Luckily, Provo has several YSA wards, and I have yet to see him, even though he has asked me to go dancing with him. Sometimes your summer fling just needs to be light and fun, and STAY in the foreign country where it started.

But at least now I can check several things off of my life to-do list...

All I can say is that I'm not planning on squeezing into black spandex and sing "We Go Together" anytime soon.

* I did not know they were best friends at the time.

Seriously?

So you really cannot tell because the quality of the photo is not that great... I am not an owner of a fancy iPhone or other equivalent cell phone. However, this is a picture of a man with 6 wives on the back of a car. Now call me crazy, but that's just insane, even for Utah.

One of my pet peeves is bumper stickers. I learned the hard way about putting stickers on furniture when I was little, and I just don't think that grown up stickers put on a vehicle worth thousands of dollars is good sense. This is not a sticker, but actually painted on, but for me, it's the same principle.

Anyway, this just made me upset when I saw it and wanted others to know of such horror as well.