The Weekend...

started off on Friday night with a humble dinner from Subway with Alexis. We finished up at the new Starbucks where I got my signature venti decaf/nonfat capuccino with 2 (but sometimes just 1) pump of sugarfree hazelnut syrup.

Saturday Sarah and I hooked up fairly early for a trip to the post office (had to mail off some grad school application components--here's hoping!), to visit her office, and then to meet up with a former coworker of hers for sushi in the suburbs.

This morning something of an impromptu scone party at the same former coworker's house. I ate 4. I also took two home. Scones are a real weakness. I can feel that I've gained some weight this week. The office Potluck on Wednesday was the beginning of my downward spiral. Hoping to regain some ground (by losing) this week.

After grocery shopping late this morning I came home, got settled, and trekked to the library to pick up some reading material (had a $4.00 fine, but because the Enoch Pratt Free Library system is cash only, could only pay half of it. It's fortunate that I had any cash at all--enough to remove the block on my card), namely *blink* which I've wanted to investigate for a while now.

Beginning on Thursday, I fly out of town (business) and will be gone through the weekend. Then, on next Tuesday I'm out of town for the day again. Soon after that it will be Thanksgiving, so I've got to get vigilant about keeping the food intake in check and the exercise consistent. I'm too close to give up now. Scones be damned!

In other news, I have Eighty Sixed my online dating activities (did I already mention this?). I didn't just make my profile unsearchable, I deleted it. Between ensuring a continued commitment to weightloss and to continuing my education (and staying on top of my work projects), I've got plenty going on.

I do feel that my brief foray back into this world served me well on one point, though. There was another interaction aside from the one I had going with the fetishist lecturer that I also put the kibosh on (on which I also put the kibosh?). A nondescript but respectful gentleman wrote to me. I wrote back because his note was careful, struck a good tone, and I wasn't altogether sure that I wouldn't want to go out with him at least once. I suspected, but...

We exchanged a few e-mails over the course of a few days. He asked good questions, made good points, represented well in print, but I didn't feel myself feeling the spark of intrigue that is necessary to keep these things going. He called me one night last week and that settled it. Definitely not interested. I remembered just how important the sound (tambre, tone, etc.) of voice is in the overall attractiveness package. What is more, I was pretty bored.

I debated keeping plans to meet for coffee or something,but then wondered why. I already knew I didn't care to keep it going. Who was I to think that he'd want to meet me under those circumstances? Because of the nature of the business of online dating, it's okay to take advantage of that beautiful period of time in which neither party owes the other any explanation. I sent a general but direct note that told him how much I appreciated his initiation and his time, but that in the interest of fairness I needed to let him know that I did not want to continue communication or to meet.

It was as simple as that. And with my quiet but definitive statement I got back a bit of what I lost when Mr. Close Encounters ended things with me. It actually helped me to let go of all that a bit more. As much as any legitimate regret I had about his lack of interest (ultimately), I also know that my pride was hurt at the rejection.