Hello From Chicago!
|
Posted:Jan 1, 2016 9:52 am
Last Updated:Jan 8, 2016 4:40 pm
35509 Views
|
(A bit of a rant and some good stuff so bear with me)
My and I arrived in Chicago yesterday afternoon. For those of you that have taken an extended trip on an Amtrak train, it is not the most pleasant experience. Case in point: a 3am departure that required us to be up at 12:30am due to the 1 hour drive we had to get to said train depot. As if that wasn't bad enough, we spent the entire 12 hour train trip confined to a car that had a noisy and a young woman that talked for 8 hours non-stop who sat behind me flirting with the guy and every other word was "Like...like..like.." in a whiny nasal voice. I seriously felt like I was a contestant on a hidden camera TV show called, "Lets Make a Therapist Crazy."
Upon our arrival, we met up and connected with my friend who so graciously offered to shuttle us to our hotel among other places. (Not to mention, he's super cute and sweet.)
We had lunch/dinner at a 24 hour diner a few blocks from our hotel in the Lakeview district. We then headed to Lincoln Park Zoo to check out the zoo light extravaganza then on to my friend's apartment where he showed us how to play this super cool card game he created. It was a lot of fun but the outdoor festivities and lots of walking in sub-freezing temps left me feeling VERY frozen!
Next on our agenda for a fabulous evening consisted of hitting the subway and over to the historic Chicago Theatre where we caught a comedy show by John Oliver. The show ended right at midnight.
If we weren't all so tired, I would have dropped my off at the hotel and headed back to my travel companion's apartment to celebrate the New Year in a more intimate way.  Alas, it was all I could do to get back to my hotel room where I passed out from sheer exhaustion!
Hopefully more fun will be had.
To be continued..
XOXO,
{=} myelin
|
|
|
11
Comments
|
|
Travel Plans
|
Posted:Dec 29, 2015 3:16 am
Last Updated:Dec 31, 2015 11:31 pm
33857 Views
|
My and I are headed to Chicago on Thursday for a long weekend. This is her Christmas gift from me. We are taking a train there which means we have to be at the train station for a 2:45 AM departure. As is custom, I have yet to start packing.
Kansas finally experienced winter evidenced by the dusting of snow and ice cold wind chill that hit yesterday. I'm wondering why my couldn't have picked somewhere warmer to spend the weekend.
The good news is that I get to see one of my friends while I am there so I am not complaining too much. I'm sure we'll find some activities to keep us warm!
Are you doing anything exciting for NYE? Inquiring minds want to know!
|
|
|
12
Comments
|
|
When Once Just Isn't Enough
|
Posted:Dec 20, 2015 12:01 pm
Last Updated:Dec 29, 2015 5:23 pm
35968 Views
|
As if I didn't get enough of a pounding last night, what do I do but decide to invite my friend "handyman" over to take a look at my bed and tighten up lose screws.
Handyman is married and we played once many years ago before he was married. Of course one thing led to another which was polar opposite to my encounter last evening with the bodybuilder.
This encounter was intimate about two people connecting on a deep emotional level. Surprisingly it did not involve intercourse. The explosive orgasm he gave me left my body convulsing like an earthquake. Wow. Just. Wow. Still reeling from that. I have another guy who's volunteered to come over and clean me up.
|
|
|
6
Comments
|
|
I Dodged a Catfish Bullet
|
Posted:Dec 19, 2015 6:54 am
Last Updated:Dec 28, 2015 6:27 am
32507 Views
|
Updated due to site denial for using language that the site deems "inappropriate."
The Urban Dictionary defines Catfish as: someone who pretends to be someone they're not using social media to create false identities, particularly to pursue deceptive online romances.
Last weekend my interest in trying the swiping app was piqued by another blogger's positive experience so I downloaded it on my smartphone. After about 4 days, three men had swiped right opening up a potential communication dialogue.
One of these was a very attractive guy who had several pictures which all seemed to match. My initial alarm bell went off at seeing the distance which was 6,000 miles away. Nonetheless, he initiated first contact and we struck up a conversation last night.
Questioning him about his location, he stated he was an officer the U.S. Army deployed to Cameroon, Africa but based out of Ft. Riley, Kansas. One of his photos showed a guy wearing an Army combat uniform and in the background, it was obvious the photo was taken in a third world country.
The more I talked to him, the more I began to realize that the man on the other end clearly was not American. His messages were not grammatically structured, and several words he used were clearly not typical American words (i.e.: referring to a movie as a "cinema" dialect spelling of favorite, "favourite" color, "colour" and other weird sounding inconsistent words.)
Due to this, I became suspicious that this man who claimed to be born and raised in the US and was an "officer" in the Army, clearly could not have made it through an American college or University based on his use of the English language. Having a minimum of a bachelor's degree is a requirement to be an officer in the Army.
I also researched to see if the 1st Infantry Division had any troops deployed to Africa and could not confirm it on the 1st ID website.
So, I called him out on it. I suspect he is on the site Catfishing women. I had all kinds of thoughts going through my mind about this guy- is he trying to dupe lonely, unsuspecting women into committing unscrupulous acts? I ended up reporting and blocking him.
Its easy to wonder if the person is who they truly say they are, especially when there are some major red flags that are warning you this person may not exactly be the same person you think you are talking to.
Here are some warning signs to help avoid getting duped by a potential catfish:
They seem to good to be true. Be wary if a person seems too good to be true, because they quite possibly might be. People who catfish others typically make up a completely fake like and are often extravagant with their life history.
They refuse to talk on the phone or pretend they don’t know what Skype is. If they’re savvy enough to be online, then they should know what Skype is. It’s much easier to pretend to be someone else when all communication happens online or via text. It becomes a bit more difficult when communication happens via phone. Catfish know this so they tend to come up with excuses in an attempt to avoid any medium that actually requires you to hear their voice.
They have a job that constantly has them on the move, so they’re never near by. A common tactic of catfish when coming up with excuses as to why they can’t see you is to claim that they’re traveling due to work or some other reason. This helps these fakers put off a meeting with you, while still being able to string you along for the ride. Be especially careful if the person you’re talking to tells you that their work has them travel to countries like Africa or the Middle East. If they start asking for money (excuses range from being injured in a hospital to being robbed), you can be sure that it’s a scam.
Their profile is littered with enough bad grammar that it would give an English teacher nightmares. Scammers from Africa, Asia and other foreign lands will claim to be born and raised in the United States, but really are stationed in their home countries with English being their second language. If they’re using English like a non-native speaker, be aware that the person you’re speaking to may potentially be a catfish. Don’t be afraid to ask additional questions to ensure that the person you’re speaking with is who they actually say they are before pursuing a relationship with them.
They’re getting serious very quickly. If they say that things are getting serious after only a short amount of time, you might have just met a catfish. Don’t be so quick to attribute the fact that someone professes their love for you right away to your incredible charm. Catfish often declare they have met their One True Love only hours after having met online. Keep your ego in check and make sure this person isn’t just trying to butter you up.
They look like they could be a model. While there are many attractive people using online dating sites, do keep in mind that most catfish want to look appealing so they’ll use pictures of extremely attractive people. This isn’t a sign on its own that you’re dealing with a catfish, but if it’s coupled with anything else on the list, you should definitely be wary.
Have you encountered a potential catfish? What are some of the warning signs that led you to uncover the truth?
|
|
|
7
Comments
|
|
Wet Rainy Weekend
|
Posted:Dec 13, 2015 12:01 pm
Last Updated:Dec 16, 2015 3:14 pm
33750 Views
|
It has rained mostly non stop since Friday night. The wet weather has increased my need to hibernate. Usually the creek behind my house is dry but the moisture has increased the depth to a concerning level since it's nearly in my backyard. Perhaps I should think about building an ark.
How do you like to spend a rainy weekend?
P.S. thank you to my friend who drove 6 hours to hang out with me on this wet Weekend.
|
|
|
13
Comments
|
|
Holiday Stress
|
Posted:Dec 12, 2015 8:15 am
Last Updated:Dec 27, 2015 10:27 am
33597 Views
|
I am finding it difficult to blog lately. Every time I contemplate writing a new blog post, my mind is clouded with a billion other things I should be doing.
For a lot of people including myself, the holidays are a stressful time. Of course there are the usual preparations for the holidays- decorating, cooking, wrapping and such. Then there are the invitations to holiday parties that I often feel obligated to attend. Last weekend I totally spaced out a holiday concert that I had tickets for and was disappointed when I realized what I'd done.
Topping off this month, the holidays aren't always festive for a great many people. I've seen a huge increase with sliding into the abyss of depression; I've had to implement more crisis resolution and safety plans due to increased suicidal thoughts. Couples are fighting.
Why is it that some people are more affected than others by the holidays? Perhaps it could be for some that the holidays reinforce thoughts of loneliness and isolation or missing a deceased loved one. Could it also be that people are putting too much pressure on themselves to spend more, do more, and be more to others? When we clearly can't meet these unrealistic expectations, our brain has a way of often becoming our own worst enemy.
Here are a few steps you can take to safeguard yourself against holiday depression.
The number one rule is: Give yourself permission. Permission to drastically cut back on holiday preparations, permission to feel emotions other than unqualified joy and happiness and permission to gently but firmly say “no” to family and friends.
Other things to consider: focus on mindfulness which means staying in the moment. When your mind begins to wander, gently bring yourself back to the present. I find practicing good self care and gratitude toward others to be a good insurance policy for staying mentally healthy.
What are you doing to manage your holiday stress?
|
|
|
8
Comments
|
|
An Update
|
Posted:Dec 4, 2015 1:18 pm
Last Updated:Dec 10, 2015 2:59 am
35715 Views
|
I'm kind of back from a blogging hiatus. Every now and then, it's good to step back from blogging to focus on real life and all of the fun issues that go along with it.
For those that were curious, I haven't had sex since my Chicago trip at the end of August. I've turned down more offers than I can count mainly because the men that have crossed my path seem to think that they don't need to put forth any effort in establishing a mental connection with me. They just want a "wham, bam" fuck." To that I say, "No way."
The doctor from KC offered to come see me this weekend (our schedules seem to never mesh) but as luck would have it, Aunt Flo decided to make her monthly appearance. So much for that.
I gave my roommate notice last month that he was not meeting his agreement with me to compensate repair work in lieu of rent so I informed him he would need to move out or start paying rent. I played nice and gave him 60 days to figure it out but required him to continue helping with the repairs and maintenance.
Well, he got butt hurt because I gave him constructive criticism about one of the chores he has been doing for me. See, he takes short cuts and his short cuts end up costing me money. I even did it in a nice way but he came home last night, told my "I bitched him out," gathered all of his stuff, and moved out. To that I say, "good riddance." His moving out has made my life SO much simpler.
I kind of feel stuck in a funk right now. I was sick with a cold that hung on for over two weeks which I finally am getting to the end of. Prior to that, I had an allergic reaction to the dental glue they used to cement my temporary crown.
The only thing really getting me through this hellish month is my trip to Chicago which I am taking with my from December 31st until January 3rd.
I'm hosting a parent's night out/holiday movie party for my this evening. It's kind of a marketing event. I will be showing the movie, Inside Out, and the will be enjoying refreshments, doing activities and playing games that involve learning about feelings. If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it.
Have a wonderful weekend.
{=} myelin
|
|
|
9
Comments
|
|
Are We Too Quick To Judge?
|
Posted:Nov 24, 2015 4:34 am
Last Updated:Jan 2, 2016 10:20 pm
38470 Views
|
Did you roll your eyes at that 350-pound man in front of you in the all-you-can-eat buffet line? Would you judge him a little differently if you learned that he has an inoperable brain tumor and needs to take steroids that blow up his size?
Remember the way you screamed and glared at that lady who started to drift into your lane? Would you have reacted differently if you knew that she was driving home from the hospital after her just passed away?
Did you judge that guy who stood helplessly by, while the lady in front of him struggled to lift her heavy carry-on bag from the overhead bin? Would you think differently if you knew he was flying home from two spine surgeries and wasn’t allowed to raise his arms or lift anything more than five pounds?
Or maybe that guy you thought was rude, because he didn’t acknowledge your greeting in the elevator? Would you cut him a little more slack if you discovered that he just left his lawyer’s office making a bankruptcy filing for his business, and was thinking about how to tell his family?
Remember what you thought about that lady in front of you at the checkout, trying to sneak 11 items in the 10 items or less line? Would it matter so much to you if she had a special needs at home, or was a caretaker for an elderly parent, and she was desperate to get back to them quickly?
You know that new guy that seemed aloof to you? Would you have given him more of a chance if you found out he has social anxiety disorder and needs extra time to open up to people?
Did you think that guy on the subway was a jerk because he didn’t get up and offer his seat to that elderly lady? What if he’s a wounded warrior and under those slacks are two prosthetic legs that he’s still learning to balance on?
Maybe the better question is simply this…
Are we too quick to judge?
|
|
|
12
Comments
|
|
Life Lessons
|
Posted:Nov 16, 2015 7:01 am
Last Updated:Jan 31, 2016 7:32 pm
38874 Views
|
Lately I've been finding myself spending more and more time wandering around my past. I suppose it’s a natural inclination as we age to re-trace the footsteps of one’s existence and perhaps try to validate one’s experience as having a life worth living.
As I sort my way through the blur of days, months, and years of a randomly unfolding series of experiences—good and bad, happy and sad, triumph and tragedy, love and hate, beauty and ugliness— I wondered whether anything I’ve learned over the years is worth sharing.
Each generation is presented with new and more complex challenges than the previous generation. The conditions of life they have to navigate get more complicated as the world gets smaller. We find ourselves invading each others’ spaces as technology creates fast moving treadmills of daily life with no way to get off.
A shrinking world featuring transient population shifts finds new inter-racial, inter-cultural, global communities springing up everywhere. A shrinking world also sets the stage for cultural lifestyle clashes as we struggle to exist in shrinking spaces. With less space to share, the world has become a more dangerous place as violence too often becomes the option of first choice in resolving conflict.
The profound impact of all of this is a feeling of helplessness. These conditions of existence become personal, hanging over some of us like a cloud. Relief is elusive.
The only thing we can control is ourselves. For many of us, getting ourselves from one day to another is a challenge. But we can take action to pave ourselves a more deliberate and predictable path that at least diminishes that helpless feeling and puts the steering wheel in our hands.
Here are a few Universal Truths I’ve assembled over the years. These universal truth statements are derived from ideas and concepts that have resurfaced in my life time and again.
1. Life is not fair—get over it.
2. For every choice there is a consequence.
3. You are who you believe you are.
4. You have the power to make or break someone’s day.
5. Show respect to get respect.
6. Helping others succeed helps you succeed.
7. Take time out to regroup.
8. Broken promises signal a broken person.
9. Live life with intention.
What say you? What are your universal values?
|
|
|
9
Comments
|
|
The "Cheating" Husband
|
Posted:Nov 1, 2015 10:05 am
Last Updated:Jan 13, 2016 7:47 pm
40650 Views
|
A couple was invited to a swanky Halloween party.
The day of the party the wife got a terrible headache and told her husband to go to the party alone. He being a devoted husband, protested, but she argued and said she was going to take some aspirin and go to bed, and there was no need of his good time being spoiled by not going. So he took his costume and away he went.
The wife, after sleeping soundly for one hour, awakened without pain, and as it was still early, she decided to go to the party. In as much as her husband did not know what her costume was, she thought she would have some fun by watching her husband to see how he acted when she was not with him.
She joined the party and soon spotted her husband cavorting around on the dance floor, dancing with every hot chick he could, and copping a little feel here and a little kiss there. His wife sidled up to him and being a rather seductive babe herself, he left his partner high and dry and devoted his time to the new stuff that had just arrived.
She let him go as far as he wished; naturally, since he was her husband. Finally he whispered a little proposition in her ear and she agreed, so off they went to one of the cars and messed around.
Just before unmasking at midnight, she slipped away and went home and put the costume away and got into bed, wondering what kind of explanation he would make for his behavior.
She was sitting up reading when he came in and asked what kind of a time he had. He said, "Oh, the same old thing. You know I never have a good time when you're not there."
Then she asked, "Did you dance much?"
He replied, "I'll tell you, I never even danced one dance. When I got there, I met Pete, Bill Brown and some other guys, so we went into the den and played poker all evening. But I'll tell you... the guy I loaned my costume to sure had a real good time!"
 |
|
|
11
Comments
|
|
Something to Consider
|
Posted:Oct 29, 2015 6:58 am
Last Updated:May 1, 2016 4:47 pm
40564 Views
|
Disclaimer: The proceeding does not imply that I am either pro or con, it is simply something worth considering.
Twenty three states have enacted laws to legally regulate medicinal marijuana usage. There have been countless individuals holding prominent positions in our government going on the record supporting its benefits.
Joycelyn Elders, MD, former US Surgeon General states, "The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS -- or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. And it can do so with remarkable safety. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day."
In spite of it's apparent support, several organizations and individuals have opposed its use. John Walters, Director, Office of National drug Control Policy went on the record stating, "Smoked marijuana damages the brain, heart, lungs, and immune system. It impairs learning and interferes with memory, perception, and judgment. Smoked marijuana contains cancer-causing compounds and has been implicated in a high percentage of automobile crashes and workplace accidents."
While I agree that in some cases, there are overwhelming benefits to its use, there is enticement for individuals who do not need or meet the specifications for being prescribed marijuana for medical reasons to abuse this drug.
Being a therapist, is a job that can be morally challenging at times. Sometimes I feel like my need to unload and confess their indiscretions. A majority of my routinely smoke marijuana recreationally and claim it helps to calm their nerves and reduce anxiety. I don't disagree with this at all.
However for me, an ethical dilemma arises when a who holds a prominent position and a medical license uses their position and medical license to abuse the drug. (think doctors, surgeons, dentists, anesthesiologists) Often they confess to routine recreational (not medicinal) marijuana use. By the way, Kansas is not one of the pro marijuana states.
As a medical professional that has to maintain liability/malpractice insurance, that is certainly a consideration I have because we live in a society that is extremely litigation-focused. Now imagine for a moment, it were your physician, surgeon, anesthesiologist, or dentist that was a frequent pot smoker. Would that undermine your confidence in them being able to remain competent in doing their job?
I don't care what your stance is on this subject. I am simply wondering how you might feel if you had to undergo a surgical or medical procedure by a medical professional who was under the influence of marijuana while you were under their care. Would you trust your life to them?
|
|
|
13
Comments
|
|
Thirteenth Virtual Symposium: Apparently Being Smarter is NOT Sexy
|
Posted:Oct 28, 2015 6:40 am
Last Updated:May 26, 2016 5:44 am
47980 Views
|
This is my contribution for The Thirteenth Virtual Symposium: Sapiosexuality -- The Intersection Of Smarts
Men, you are an oxymoron! If you don't know what that means then look it up!
Time and again men report that intelligence is one of the top qualities they seek in a woman. From a biological standpoint, it makes sense; smart women would be better able to pass along these smart genes to offspring. But recently, a team of researchers from the University of Buffalo, California Lutheran University, and the University of Texas discovered that, despite this biological advantage, if given the choice, most men would not date a woman who was smarter than them.
For their research, published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, the psychologists conducted various studies on male undergraduate students. They asked 105 men to read a hypothetical scenario about women who had either scored higher or lower than them on a recent exam, and then rank their attractiveness. In addition to rating the women, the men were asked to fill out a survey to measure how much they personally related to various stereotypical male qualities.
Results revealed in general, men “had favorable impressions and showed greater interest” in the women who had performed better than them, rather than those who performed worse. Eighty-six percent of these men also said that they would feel comfortable dating someone smarter than themselves, and none exhibited an effect on the way they evaluated their masculine qualities.
For the second part of the study, researchers created scenarios in which the intelligent women were not abstract hypothetical examples, but rather present in the flesh. This time, 151 men were asked to take an intelligence test and were subsequently informed they would meet with the women who had performed better and worse than them. Just like before, the men were asked to gauge their initial impressions of the women and rate how attractive or desirable they found the women to be. Suddenly, the men’s opinion toward the more intelligent women had changed. Now, the majority of men rated the more intelligent women less attractive and showed less desire to exchange contact information or plan a date.
The studies concluded that for some men, superior intelligence is simply an attractive trait in theory. When men actually meet women who are smarter than them, that attractive trait then becomes a turnoff. According to the researchers, the mere presence of a more intelligent woman was enough to make men feel threatened, and "feelings of diminished masculinity accounted for men’s decreased attraction toward women who outperformed them in the live interaction context."
While these results do not necessarily mean that all men are threatened by more intelligent women, they do shed an interesting light on the dynamic between what we say we want and what we really want. It also suggests that a date’s body language, rather than how they converse, may be the best indicator of their level of interest.
Guess I need to dumb down my profile now?
What say you?
Stop by and visit the other wonderful contributions to the symposium here:
Participants In The Thirteenth Virtual Symposium Sapiosexuality Intersection Of Smarts And Sex
Source: Park LE, Young AF, Eastwick PW. (Psychological) Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder Effects of Psychological Distance and Relative Intelligence on Men’s Attraction to Women. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 2015.
|
|
|
25
Comments
|
|
Signs You're Not Getting Enough Sex
|
Posted:Oct 25, 2015 7:39 am
Last Updated:Nov 9, 2015 5:27 pm
38711 Views
|
Your nether region is starting to resemble Sherwood Forest.
You feel yourself about to explode on the checkout guy at the grocery store for asking, "paper or plastic?"
You drunk text an ex in the middle of the night.
You feel a strong urge to punch someone in the face for no apparent reason.
You wake up after a vivid sexual dream in a pool of.. er...
Shopping for produce at the grocery store gets you all hot and bothered.
Any others you would like to add?
|
|
|
7
Comments
|
|
To link to this blog (myelin36) use [blog myelin36] in your messages.
|
|
|
| Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
|
151
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
Most Recent Comments by Others
| For those of you wondering (33) | pat910123abc
Jun 26, 2020 8:45 pm |
| Snow is falling (11) | 08540Tantrafun
Dec 27, 2019 1:03 am |
| Can I Just Skip Today? (13) | ULIXBIG
Aug 9, 2019 4:40 pm |
| I told a Lie (37) | leftbehind62
Jun 28, 2019 1:49 pm |
| Random (41) | OldSoldier44
Jun 20, 2019 5:26 pm |
| Loser Email of the Day (36) | discreteSteve62
Aug 13, 2018 1:50 am |
| The Audacity of Some People! (50) | _IKanCu2_
Jul 10, 2018 10:31 pm |
| Ch Ch Ch..Changes (27) | 08540Tantrafun
Jun 19, 2018 5:43 pm |
| Therapist Heal Thyself (28) | sweetlips_03
Mar 21, 2018 4:47 pm |
| Greetings from Eureka Springs! (19) | topshelf69x2
Oct 17, 2017 9:11 pm |
| Fair Weather Friends (25) | workinPaNub
Aug 12, 2017 6:51 am |
|
