Let's talk dating.

Dating. We all have our stories about awkward situations, DTRs and door-step moments. But I want to talk about another type of dating. Online dating. It usually has a negative connotation and is seen as something that only desperate, middle aged people use. But lately I have heard of more and more people using dating sites to meet people.

But how do you really know who is behind the profile? How do you know that charming college graduate is actually not a 30-something year old chatting from his parents' basement? Then once you actually contact someone you think you might be interested in, then you have to deal with meeting for the first time. Which has potential for awkwardness written all over it.

Online dating is such a weird concept to me. Everyone has laid out their life in a nicely organized profile that you can read through an decide if you are interested. It's like picking out anything at a store. You have the entire selection presented to you and then you can choose exactly what you want. And just like you are sifting through all the options, someone else is judging you based on your profile. Like you would judge a book by it's cover. Is that really fair to the book? It may be a fantastic book but you would never know unless you opened it and gave it an honest chance.

Call me old fashioned but I'm a little wary of online dating. The whole idea is just a little weird to me. But maybe I am judging it without knowing all the facts.

Would you ever try online dating? What are your opinions? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this so just leave a comment below.

xoxo,

sam

I said what?

One of the perks of having my best friend as a roommate is that she is comfortable with with telling me about the weird things I do. And some of them are things I never knew about. This story is about one of those occasions.

I am on some medication right now and it makes me really tired. So I have been sleeping more than usual lately. Last night I went to bed early and Ashley was up late studying so by the time she went to bed I was fast asleep. And according to her, I talk in my sleep. And this isn't the first time she has told me this. But this is the first time I said something comprehensible. What I said was this:

"There was a man... and he was creepily watching you."

Um, okay. No clue what that means. But I got a good laugh when she told me. I'm so grateful that she puts up with all the crazy things I do.

But really, I had no idea about this little quirk. I have had my own room ever since I was 5 so there really hasn't been anyone to hear my crazy night talk.

I also hope my future husband loves me enough to put up with it.

xoxo,

sam

The time the doctor thought I was mentally handicapped

It's story time peeps!

I was on the verge of adulthood at 17 years and 11 months. And after just graduating high school a few weeks before, I was excited to leave for New York City the next morning. It was going to be great! Just a full week hanging out with my mom in the city.

A few days before, I was cleaning my room and put a glass bottle on my floor (not sure why there was a bottle in my room, but there was. I'm sure there was a good reason at the time) and I guess I never put it back on the shelf. Well the night before we were supposed to leave, I was in my room packing and I was looking for my temple recommend. I couldn't find it anywhere! And that's when I stepped on the glass bottle! (I bet you saw that one coming.) It hurt and started bleeding really bad. So I rushed into my bathroom and tried to get it to stop bleeding. I called upstairs for my mom and asked her to come downstairs. Being the nurse she is, she wanted to see my foot. So she looked and decided I would need stitches. That piece of news just sent me over the edge. I started freaking out! Needles and I do not have a very good relationship and I am absolutely terrified of them!

Five minutes later, my foot was wrapped in a towel and I was in the car with my parents headed to the emergency room. I don't remember much about the ride over or what happened in the ER. But I do remember not wanting anyone to look at my foot. I was taken into a room to wait for the doctor. He finally came in and I kind of feel bad for him. I one hundred per cent acknowledge the fact that I am a difficult patient and I'm sure I didn't make his job any easier. When he asked if he could take the towel off my foot so he could look at the cut, I cried even harder. I was so scared! I kept saying "No. No. No. Take me home. No. No. Take me home. No. No. No. Take me home. No." I'm sure I sounded like a broken record and that was all I said the whole time at the ER. The doctor confirmed I would need stitches and asked to talk to my mom out in in the hall and I later learned that the following conversation took place.

Doc: So is there anything we should be aware of before we start?

Mom: No, I don't think so.

Doc: Are you sure?

Mom: Yes. Let's just get through this. I know she is not going to like this.

Doc: I just need to ask, does she have any learning disabilities?

Mom: *caught off guard* Umm... No. Why?

Doc: Well, I just wanted to check because we approach those patients differently.

Mom: She is definitely not mentally challenged. She is a straight-A student. She is just really scared.

They came back in and the doctor put 10 stitches in my foot!

When we got home, all I could think about was how my perfect vacation was ruined! How was I supposed to walk all over NYC now? I had stitches in my foot! I finally calmed down enough to sleep and we still left the next morning.

My nurse-mom was worried about my foot getting infected from walking through the dirty streets of New York. (I also learned later that the doctor was worried about infection as well so my mom was prepared with a prescription for something we could get filled in New York if we needed it.) I spent the week with my foot wrapped like this:

*Side note: See those cute sandals at the top of the picture? Those were the sandals I bought right before this trip, but because of the wrap on my foot, they didn't fit.

We tried to make the best of the situation and found benches specifically for me.

Nearly two years later, I am left with an ugly scar.

Dear Boys

Dear Tall, Dark and Handsome

You left today.

And I'm not sure how I feel about that yet.

I hope you find what you need in life because it definitely wasn't me.

Goodbye,

Sammy

Dear Water,

I can't believe how fast time has gone.

I am counting down the days until I see you again.

There's not very many left.

Impatiently Waiting,

Sammy

Dear Gamer,

I saw you last weekend but couldn't remember what I ever saw in you.

Thanks for messing up the rest of my life.

Grudgingly,

Sammy

Dear Blank,

You were just a crush.

But why do I still secretly look for you everywhere I go?

Confused,

Samantha

Dear Nameless,

I promise I really am not a complete ditz.

I just act like it around you because you are so perfect.

Try to see past my awkwardness?

Lovingly,

Samantha

Dear Hot and Cold,

I can tell that things are changing.

And I'm not sure why that bugs me. But it does.

Can things just go back to the way they used to be?

I miss you,

Sammy

Dear Boys: Past and Present

Dear Hot and Cold,
We tried and tried but it never seemed to work.
I  think we are just better off as friends.
Seriously.
Your friend,
Sammy


Dear Water,
Please come home soon so we can figure this out.
Whatever 'this' is.
Love,
Sammy
P.S. I miss you more.


Dear Clarinet,
Remember all those notes we would pass in class?
Yeah, I might still have those.
And now I bet you wouldn't even remember my name.
Have a nice life,
Sam


Dear Ninja,
I remember those MSN chats.
And trying to get you to tell us who you liked.
Years later, we found out your secret.
Thanks for the memories,
Sammy


Dear Tall, Dark and Handsome,
I knew you were too good to be true.
It was short lived and sometimes I regret it.
And sometimes I don't.
Love,
Sam


Dear New Guy,
You are messing with my head.
Please just ask me out already or stop with the games.
It's hard enough to make up my mind about you.
Love,
Samantha

Dear Mission Impossible,
I'm so sorry.
I messed everything up.
Regretfully,
Sammy

Married Man

His nickname is Married Man.

At least that's what Ashley and I call him.

And this is my story:

First, let me set the scene. I was a young, nervous and carless college freshman. I didn't have a bus that year and I had to take the bus to work. One day, I was just sitting on the bus when a guy sits down beside me. (I cringe every time I remember that I was kind of excited about this. Little did I know what would happen later with him.) He starts talking to me and soon asks for my phone number. And me being the naive little freshman that I was, gave it to him. The bus arrived at the station and we went our separate ways. And I half expected never to hear from him again.

1 day later...

To my surprise, he texts me and tries to get to know me. He seems genuinely interested and like a nice, honest guy so I start asking some questions about him. We text back and forth for about a week and that's when he mentions that he has a 1 year-old daughter. Then I got curious so I ask about her. And he let his slip that he is married!!! I remember being one hundred and ten percent shocked. It's not like he was some middle-aged man. No, he was probably around 24. I had no idea what to do. I had never really had a ton of experience with single guys let alone married men! I tried to ignore him but he kept texting and calling me. When he asked me on an official date was when I called him on the whole marriage thing. His excuse/rationale was that he wanted a divorce. Oh, well why didn't you say so before? That makes everything okay. Umm... Are you kidding me? That was the lamest excuse.

Over the next few months...

He continued to text and call me just to talk or to ask me out. Finally, I told him straight out that I wasn't interested. He told me something along the lines of this: "Are you sure? I'll give you some time to think that over. You don't know what you are giving up. But don't take too long because I won't wait around forever." He made it sound like he was doing me a favor. I told him I was sure.

3 months later...

Married Man had been silent for a few months now and I thought that I was in the clear and that he had forgotten all about me. One day, I was eating lunch with Ashley and her boyfriend when someone mentioned Married Man. They both got a kick out of this whole awkward situation and were curious as to what he looked like. But I didn't know his last name so we couldn't facebook stalk him. So they convinced me to start talking to him again. He took that the wrong way. He thought I was completely interested. I was asked to go to the movies with him. And to go to his house to "relax" after a long day at school. I was even invited to his kid's birthday party! I kept ignoring him but this guy was persistent. That summer he even wanted me to go to California with him and kids!

Earlier this year

At the beginning of his year, things eventually calmed down with him and I heard from him less and less. One might assume that is where the story ends. But no. My life wouldn't be complete without regular awkward encounters with him. Almost every time I go to Wal-Mart, I see him. I'm literally afraid to go by myself because I'm worried about running into him. One day, Ashley wasn't home and I really needed some groceries. So I put on my big-girl shoes and went alone. Bad idea. It was the most awkward of awkwardest encounters. It was a full-on shopping cart collision. I tried to get out of there as fast as possible but he wanted to talk. And of course, ask me out again.

From this point on, I will always go to the Logan Wal-Mart with a shopping buddy.