On Strike!

I've literally just about had it with members of the opposite sex. Fucking had it.

And we'll get to all that in just a minute, but there are other, more pleasant things I'd like to talk about first.

Yesterday was Julia's Thanksgiving Day lunch at her school, and it was awesome. I left work here and arrived at her little school and she just lit up with such a big smile when she saw me. We had all kinds of turkey and potatoes and it was wonderful to sit with her at her desk and talk and eat. She showed me some pictures that she did and she was just so happy and proud that I was there and told me later that 'I love that you came today for the feast, daddy!'. Made my heart smile so wide. I picked her up after school and we got McDonalds and did some paintings which was great. I'll pick her up tomorrow around 4 for Thanksgiving and we are going to Tina and Gina's for dinner, and then Friday is Christmas Tree Day, which should be a blast.

Our weekend together was awesome too. The Children's Book Festival was fantastic as we were there all afternoon. It was nice and warm in the sun and there was all kinds of book readings, crafts, little shows, food, all sorts of things that of course Julia had to do every one. It was a great day and I guess she was worn out because the kid slept for like 13 hours that night, lol. Bless her heart, he had such a fun weekend there, and just doing stuff around the house. I even got her to help me with the laundry and clean up her room. What can I say? The kid just loves being around me and I love it. She latched onto my leg so hard on Sunday when it was time to take her back to her mom's. One day, one day.........

Probably the best news I have heard in some recent time is the recent discovery that was made by scientists in the stem-cell research department. As you all know, my brother suffers from MS, so any advancements here can only benefit. Well, it turns out that some scientists have discovered that they can now make ordinary skin cells act like embryonic stem cells, which is simply amazing (embryonic stem cells can turn themselves into any type of cell in the body, which allows for cell repair from the ground up). Sure, there are still some things to be worked out (the skin cells need to be genetically altered in their DNA which upps the risk for cancer), but the scientists believe that these can be worked out. Stem cell research is so very important, but it is such a hot-button issue due to the fact that they come from human embryos, which of course is a major redflag for pro-life people. Yes, the work is far off from providing medical payoffs, but at least the foundation is there. Scientists will continue to not only pursue this method, but the embryotic method as well. Hopefully, one day, all of this can lead to major cures for cancer, MS, Parks, all of those terrible debilitating diseases. Good job, science.

Kroger and Suntrust both felt my wrath yesterday. Fuck with my account, why don't ya? Then you get buried. Took me an hour yesterday and conversations with about 5 different people, but I got my money back. Not really interesting enough to get all into, but just wanted to make a point. No one fucks with me and gets away with it. Those days are longgggggggg gone.

Congrats to Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins for being named the Most Valuable Player in the National League yesterday! He most certainly deserved it, but I sure as hell didn't think he was going to get it. I was pleasantly surprised and he accepted the award with pure class. Spring training is only a few short months away. Speaking of sports, the Eagles play the Patriots this weekend and we are going to get trounced. Sure would love an upset though! And the Flyers get back into action tonight with a tough series of games which include Carolina, Washington, and Ottawa. Oh yeah, and thanks Penn State for ruining any chances you may have had the Outback Bowl on New Years Day with such a shitty performance against Michigan State this past weekend. However, the silver lining in the cloud is that they might end up in Orlando for the Champs Sports Bowl or whatever the hell it is called, and that game happens to be the night before the Flyers/Lightning game on Dec 29. PSU Bowl Game on Friday and Flyers/Bolts on Saturday? Hmmmmm...... sure would be a lot of fun!

I have been kicking so much ass at Jeopardy recently it hasn't even been funny. But man would I like to crosscheck Alex Trebek right across the face.

I'm going to smoke a cigarette, I'll be right back.

I am excited about my trip next week to Tampa for the Wrestling Reunion Show. Should be kickass. I don't think I am going to do anything physical, like ref or anything, I am just going to go to show/party and have a good time. I can definitely use it. I'm leaving Thursday and will spend the night at Brad's, then tear it up on Friday night in NPR with the crew, and then Saturday is the show. I really haven't spoken to TerriLynn in a while, and that's ok, it really is. And that is pretty much a perfect segway into my rant about women.

Seriosuly, I have just about had it. Between Sara from Connecticut and Lori here and TerriLynn and Angelina and even fuckin' Marilyn, I have just about had it with all the bullshit and drama. The thing I realized last week is that I don't have to put up with anyone's shit. I am so sick and tired of it, I really am. It's not worth it, it really isn't. Let's delve a little deeper, shall we?

I've been talking to Sara form Connecticut quite frequently and we actually had plans to meet face-to-face in December. Our conversations have been pretty good and also pretty hot as she likes to send me dirty pictures, which of course is right up my alley. We seem to be on the same page sexually and I have been very honest with her in terms of what I like and what I am into. I can tell she is a little unstable, but she does have a lot of positive attributes which I like, plus, she is kinky AND drop-dead gorgeous. Anyway, so last night, she texts me and tells me she is in the ER. I'm like what the fuck, did you fall down or something? She tells me that her therapist sent her there because she was afraid that she was going to hurt herself. Can you fucking believe that shit? I certainly can't. I don't know what happened, I really have no idea, and this girl was a little too clingy to begin with. The girl is in the hospital because her therapist was afraid she was going to hurt herself. God Almighty, man. So, that's that. I simply don't need to put up with anyone or anything like that, because I have gone through that before with Marilyn and it is simply no fun. I am not a fuckin' charity case here and my days of helping people who cannot or will not help themselves are all over. It never leads to anything good anyway.

Lori? Well, that is a good one. Out Thursday night with her and Melissa because she decides to tag along, although she wasn't invited. Fine. So, she proceeds to tell me that I look 'super-cute' tonight (which I did) and was putting me over huge and what a great dad I am and yadda yadda yadda. So, I ask her to go to the movies to see 'Dan, In Real Life', and she's like sure, that sounds great, I'd love to go with you. Sound good, right? Then, not a half hour later, she starts talking about her friend Scott. So out of the blue, I ask, is Scott your boyfriend? And she says 'Yes, yes he is, but I don't know how happy I am with him and yadda, yadda, yadda.' I couldn't fucking believe it. So, a few hours later and a few beers later, I walk right up to her and say "Ya know what, Lori, you suck. You accept a date with me and here you have a boyfriend? What's wrong with that picture? I'm not second best to anyone, because I have lived that life and it makes me miserable. If you'd like to go out with me sometime, great, I'd love to take you out, but make sure you are single first before accepting. Understand?" Well her jaw hit the floor but I really don't give a fuck. And I can tell this girl likes me, as she's always complimenting me and has all the little notes I leave for her all over her monitor at work. But, too bad. I DO NOT play second-fiddle to anyone because I did that for 4 fucking years with Marilyn and look where that got me. I am too good of a catch, too nice of a guy, too fucking hung, too good of a father, to put up with the slightest bit of bullshit from anyone. How dare anyone try to play me anymore, and let them try, because they will get a mouthful of truth thrown right back at them. Fuckin women and their stupid games. Go play somewhere else, because this boy doesn't play anymore. Put up, or shut up, or better yet, just go away.

All setup for a Friday lunchdate with Angelina, I email and call to confirm three times the previous day, and nothing. I didn't bother to show up and haven't been in contact with her since. Have some fucking respect and tell me if you are going to change plans (again), or that if you aren't interested. No fucking respect on these bitches, I swear to God.

The only two people worth a damn here that I know are Tina and the girl from the laundromat, who seems so nice and just adores me. Who knows, she could turn out to be a psycho. At least I know Tina is stable and on the up-and-up. She said some very nice things to me on Saturday night and put me over HUGE. HUGE. Hmmmmmm.

As you can see, I learned alot from my relationship with Marilyn. I learned that I don't have to settle, I don't have to put up with anything that doesn't fit within my character. I don't have to do anything I don't want to do, or be with someone who doesn't treat me with the respect I so deserve. If I don't want to be with someone who is in the ER because her therapist thinks they are going to kill themselves, I don't have to be. If I don't want to be with someone who accepts a date with me and then I come to find out that she has a boyfriend, then I don't have to be. If I don't want to be with someone who is 24 years old and lives 300 miles away, I don't have to be. If I don't want to be with someone who shoves coke up her nose, smokes dope everyday, drinks like a fish and acts like a whore and an attention slut, I don't have to be. If I don't want to be with a woman (and I use that term loosely) who is in such a rush to impress others who really don't matter that she doesn't care about the people who really do, then I don't have to be. I'm BETTER than all that shit, SO much better. I am sticking to my character and my values and what I believe in and what I want out of a potential partner. Plus, most importantly, I have a daughter to protect. If women don't live up to my standards and I couldn't find their character with a magnifying glass, then FUCK 'EM. I absolutely REFUSE to stoop down to someone's level, when it should be them trying to rise up and meet MY standards. I am so sick and tired of the bullshit, the runaround, the lies, everything. It's simply not worth it.

So, I quit. I am going 'ON STRIKE'. I am sick and tired of looking and finding, well, garbage. Perhaps I am jumping the gun a bit, but it's how I feel. I refuse to pursue, refuse to get involved anymore. And yeah, maybe it will only last a few weeks or whatever until I actually try to date again, but for right now, all bets are off. I am just sick and tired of the bullshit and the games! Jesus! Isn't ANYONE out there halfway normal? I am beginning to lose faith so I am taking a break from trying to hook up and find what I seek. I am going to shift my focus, and my focus is going to be on securing that additional web job, working on my stained glass stuff, and getting that website up and running. It's time to stop fucking around, and since I have eliminated that chase of a mate, then the focus will be easier to achieve. My morale has been boosted because I feel better about myself. I know who I am, I know what I want, and I don't have to settle or play games or get manipulated anymore. Those days are over, and truth be told, they should have been over a long time ago. Marilyn should have been dumped on her ass right after the Valentine's Day incident, and I should have never looked back. But, you live, you learn. Hey, it only cost me 4 years of my life and my family. Christ.

Remember: I don't give a fuck. That's simply what it boils down to.

Have a good day and happy Thanksgiving.