It Gets Better
With apologies to the current anti-bullying campaign. There is no copyright on the term though, and today it fits. This is a post that is totally devoid of self-pity...
It took a day, and I am still puzzled, but I am over the pool party snub this weekend. I wound up with an invitation on Sunday to friends who are much closer for some pool time there and a cookout. It will be a smaller crowd and that is just fine with me. I am very happy to spend time with friends who really do want me around. As it is, I truly do hope there is just an oversight going on, but there are other circumstances at play that make me think otherwise. Time will tell, but I am not worrying about it.
As it is, I danced the night away at the Round Up again last night - 8:30-11:30 near constant two stepping stopping only during line dance, shuffle and waltz time. Well, there were a couple of really fast ones that I skipped as well due to my knees, but it was pretty constant. My dancing buddies were there so there were plenty of partners around. Also, two different buddies who have broken up from long relationships wound up out and I danced with them as well. One is a really good follow (I will have to introduce him to mrdreamjeans - he likes to spin), but my poor friend George has not danced in 12 years. His ex absolutely refused to go into the Round Up, much less learn to dance. Too bad as George is a really sweet man who deserves better than that. He was really hesitant at coming out at all, but I introduced him to some of my friends and in the end me texted me later that he had really enjoyed being out again. He needs some practice, so I am going to keep after him to come out.
Tonight, a couple of the Friday night dance buddies are coming out as well since it is a holiday weekend. So, I will be back at the Round Up EARLY before it gets too crowded. Thank goodness my buddy Roger is DJing this weekend. The musical selection last night was far superior to last weekend, as I know tonight's will be as well. Monday, I will keep it low key - maybe a movie to get out of the heat and then gear up for the short workweek (WOOHOO!).
It is hot in Texas though. Last night when I left the Round Up it was still 88 degrees past 11:30 PM.
One thing has come out of left field in the past couple of days - I have been asked out on a date this week. Carl is a guy I met here not long after I moved here in 1994. He is handsome, make that OMG handsome, down to earth, grew up on a ranch in west Texas, and has always been friendly to me. However, after he came out and got divorced, he was convinced that to be anyone in the gay community in Dallas, he had to get with the "right" crowd. Dallitude - UGH! Anyway, we have always stayed on a friendly basis and when we see each other in person have always been very comfortable around each other, but never any indication he might be interested at all. See, I was not in the "right" crowd.
Anyway, we still texted back and forth a bit, so Thursday when I got my weight loss news, I sent him a text to let him know and a photo of me (you can already tell a bit in my face). It had been about 6 months or so since we had been in touch, and I am REALLY glad I made the effort to stay in touch. It winds up Carl got sick of the "A-bear" crowd. He said that in the end the only thing he really had in common with them was that he was gay, male and had money. There were other things going on as well, but the gist is that in the end he asked me out to dinner this week. He apologized that he could not make it this weekend as he is already tied up with family stuff, but hey, I will take dinner with a handsome man anytime. He likes to dance as well. This could get interesting...
It took a day, and I am still puzzled, but I am over the pool party snub this weekend. I wound up with an invitation on Sunday to friends who are much closer for some pool time there and a cookout. It will be a smaller crowd and that is just fine with me. I am very happy to spend time with friends who really do want me around. As it is, I truly do hope there is just an oversight going on, but there are other circumstances at play that make me think otherwise. Time will tell, but I am not worrying about it.
As it is, I danced the night away at the Round Up again last night - 8:30-11:30 near constant two stepping stopping only during line dance, shuffle and waltz time. Well, there were a couple of really fast ones that I skipped as well due to my knees, but it was pretty constant. My dancing buddies were there so there were plenty of partners around. Also, two different buddies who have broken up from long relationships wound up out and I danced with them as well. One is a really good follow (I will have to introduce him to mrdreamjeans - he likes to spin), but my poor friend George has not danced in 12 years. His ex absolutely refused to go into the Round Up, much less learn to dance. Too bad as George is a really sweet man who deserves better than that. He was really hesitant at coming out at all, but I introduced him to some of my friends and in the end me texted me later that he had really enjoyed being out again. He needs some practice, so I am going to keep after him to come out.
Tonight, a couple of the Friday night dance buddies are coming out as well since it is a holiday weekend. So, I will be back at the Round Up EARLY before it gets too crowded. Thank goodness my buddy Roger is DJing this weekend. The musical selection last night was far superior to last weekend, as I know tonight's will be as well. Monday, I will keep it low key - maybe a movie to get out of the heat and then gear up for the short workweek (WOOHOO!).
It is hot in Texas though. Last night when I left the Round Up it was still 88 degrees past 11:30 PM.
One thing has come out of left field in the past couple of days - I have been asked out on a date this week. Carl is a guy I met here not long after I moved here in 1994. He is handsome, make that OMG handsome, down to earth, grew up on a ranch in west Texas, and has always been friendly to me. However, after he came out and got divorced, he was convinced that to be anyone in the gay community in Dallas, he had to get with the "right" crowd. Dallitude - UGH! Anyway, we have always stayed on a friendly basis and when we see each other in person have always been very comfortable around each other, but never any indication he might be interested at all. See, I was not in the "right" crowd.
Anyway, we still texted back and forth a bit, so Thursday when I got my weight loss news, I sent him a text to let him know and a photo of me (you can already tell a bit in my face). It had been about 6 months or so since we had been in touch, and I am REALLY glad I made the effort to stay in touch. It winds up Carl got sick of the "A-bear" crowd. He said that in the end the only thing he really had in common with them was that he was gay, male and had money. There were other things going on as well, but the gist is that in the end he asked me out to dinner this week. He apologized that he could not make it this weekend as he is already tied up with family stuff, but hey, I will take dinner with a handsome man anytime. He likes to dance as well. This could get interesting...