Ward Comments TAKE 2

Part of me wants to vow that I will never attend the Family ward again, but at the end of the day, I know I will. But every time I attend, I can't talk to people without them bringing up the fact that I'm single... Never mind the fact that I just started an awesome job, am traveling a lot, and loving in life!!!

The aforementioned widow stopped me to talk, but I quickly said hi and walked away. I thought I got out of it... Until she got me in the corner in Releif Society like an animal with its leg in a trap. She asked how I was doing and I said, "Super great!" Her eyes narrowed for a second as if inspecting me. After a moment, her eyes unnarrowed and her eyebrows lifted as a pure look of pity crossed her face. My leg was gnawed off and I escaped quickly there after.

The worst one of today: I was talking to a neighbor about her daughter, who is 33 and unmarried.

ME:                  "I follow her on Facebook. She is so pretty."

NEIGHBOR:     "Yeah. I just wish some guy would think that about her.... But you know how that is."

Here is somthing else about singledom: people assume that if you aren't married, you aren't dating. I currently have 4 guys who are trying to pursue a relationship with me. I don't advertise this because it's not really any of their business (much like my marital status).

Sure, one day I hope I find an awesome guy that will be my best friend, confidante, and husband. But until then, I am seriously loving my life and soaking in all the wonderful people, places, and things that God blesses me with.

Single, but not sorrowful.

Vegas

So i am currently on a business trip in Vegas.

Wow. If there were ever a place to make a girl feel insecure or terrible about herself, this is it.

Walking through the Casino, I see girls walking around in dresses that i’m not sure how they sit down in; dresses that leave nothing to the imagination, and if they bunch up only a half inch, will expose EVERYTHING. Like- how do they stay in place? Tape?  Hairspray? There is probably some secret I don’t know about- but not that it matters since I could probably only use the dress as a leg warmer.

There are of course, the girls that are completely covered, but their clothes are so tight and form fitting, they look like a form of an Avatar. Again, nothing is left to the imagination.

Last night we went to Gillies, a part of Treasure Island. There they had “GIlley Girls”, that are more or less wearing a bikini, cowboy boots, a hat, fish net tights and a big, blingy belt buckle.

I first noticed them because they have to stand by a barrel and open beers, and some men were getting photos with them. I can’t help but wonder how the girls feel about that- do they feel like a piece of meat? Do they feel good about themselves? Do they appreciate the attention or do they see these men as the dogs they are?

As my team gathered, a co-worker, Jake, asked another co-worker to pose in front of the mechanical bull, so he could get a picture  Of course that was a lie- but Jake captured the Gilley Girls in the background instead. Respect: LOST. 

Regardless of the fact that i think its a total disrespect to women, he’s married.  Awesome, right?

As the girls got up to shamelessly shake what they have, some guys pulled out their phones to record the dance. My manager Mike, slightly turned his back on the dancers, pulled out his phone, and kept himself busy checking his mail, reviewing text messages, or anything else he could. I’m sure he didn’t realize that i noticed, and he definitely didn’t know how much I appreciated it or how much it affected me. Respect: WON.

I am a definite proponent that everybody is beautiful and has something to offer the world (though its hard to see in myself at times), but it is places like this that makes me wonder if I were to skip meals and spend enough time in the gym to get a “Gilley Girl Body” if I could be married. 

That is what society would have me believe, isn’t it?

And then it makes me sick to think that my value is based on what I look like, instead of the person I am, and the things I have to offer.

Plastic Boy

Blind Dates.

Gotta love 'em.

Two strangers with at least two common threads in their life (a friend and singledom), getting together to see if they can find more commonalities.

Working for the Boy Scouts of America, I work with many men.  Luckily, its women that tend to try to try to solve singledom, so I don't get set up on blind dates very often.

So I was surprised when I received a text from a  random number, explaining he was the son of one of my volunteers and was wondering if I would like to go out.

His dad is a nice guy, and I'm single, so why not?

Converstation is hard over text when you don't know a person, and it would normally take him at last 24 hours to respond, so I didn't know what to expect.

Rick is a middle school teacher.  He wanted to pick me up at 11:30 AM and have lunch.  I have a flexible schedule and work a lot of nights and weekends, so I agreed.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Rick is your typical "nerd"- greasy hair with a straight part and it combed over to the side, glasses that are too big for his thin face, so he had to occasionally scrunch his nose to keep them from sliding down his nose, a voice that was somewhat nasally, and interesting clothing choices.

He was handsome- though it was a hidden.

He served his mission in Japan, so he decided to take me to Hibachi House. I was leaning towards the Teriyaki Chicken (safe bet), but he told me I should really get the Hibachi Shrimp.

Well, okay.

So we got up to the register and I ordered the Hibachi Shrimp (not a huge deal, since I am fine to try new things and he obviously knows what he is talking about). Rick orders next and he orders the Teriyaki Chicken.

No comment.

Our food came, we found a table, and I began asking questions.
ME:      "So what kinds of things do you like to do?"
RICK:  "I could tell you I like all the typical things, like hiking and camping- but I really don't"

**I appreciate honestly. No. I LOVE honesty.**

I can't remember what is actual answer was to this question.  It was something to the effect of learning and running tests. So the subject changed to his teaching and cancer research.

He loves teaching, loves the things he studies. He went into a topic that interests him: PLASTICS.

I can't remember his favorite color or his favorite candy bar, but his favorite plastic is #3- because its the most similar to tupperware.

His second favorite plastic is #2 since it is cleaner than glass.

...

We talked over lunch for about an hour and half.  I started to thank my lucky stars since I began thinking the date would end after lunch.  Surely he could tell we didn't have much in common.

After lunch, he suggested playing Bocci Ball.  Again- I'm up for trying new things, so I agreed.  We went to a park, and it was actually a lot of fun.

Three hour mark.

We're done and he suggested heading to a Nickel-cade.  I'm screaming no in my head.

**I suck at saying no**

He says we will only be there for 45 minutes, but the closest Nickel-cade is a half hour away.

Six hours after if began- it ended.

GUYS:  No first date should EVER last more than three hours.  Leave us wanting more.

As for Rick: One day- there will be a woman who can contest or content with his favorite plastics- but that girl isn't me.

The Widow

Oh the things people let stroll out of their mouths!

In Church, a widow stopped me in the hall. Here was our conversation:

WIDOW:   Oh hi, Alli!  How are you?

ME:           Super great. How are you?

WIDOW:   Good. Are you still working for the Boy Scouts?

ME:           Yeah, I am.  Its good.

WIDOW:   I'm sure you work with a lot of men there.

ME:            (Laughing) Yeah. They are all either old or married though...

WIDOW:   Well I'm sure one day their wives will pass away and they'll start looking at you, thinking 

                   you look pretty good.

ME:            (Shocked) Yeah. Maybe.

I can't tell you where the conversation went from there (I was in shock and don't really remember), but I promise you it didn't get any better.  I can tell you it was really short- I wasn't very talkative after that.

This poor widow was in fact getting re-married that week, so it was probably just what was on her mind...

But I'm also feel that by age 27, I am an old maid by Utah standards, and this may be many people thoughts of me.

I"m sure she meant well...