A Date and Easter

I have studied the art of Craig's list personals ads for some time now. The sheer craftiness of enlarging penis size, decreasing waist size and increasing kink acceptance seems to be an ongoing hobby of a lot of guys out there.

If, however, you stumble on a small, but interesting section, you find guys looking for more than one night stands, kinky hobbies and careless practices that even horny sailors would rather stay on the ship than experience. This section features guys commonly looking for an LTR with the right guy. LTR means Long-Term Relationship. Figuring that I'd never find my "the one" through a Craig's List ad, I sometimes answer these ads and often get the same response: nothing.

This changed about a week ago when a guy named Jason responded to an email I sent him. Over the course of several days, we exchanged emails and by the middle of the week we were talking on the phone. As I read his emails I began to take interest in this tall guy who also seemed to be taking an interest in me. We have similar interests, yet there are also differences that offer promise of variety. He insists on calling where I live Hell-vue and I insist that Zac Efron is cute and has a promising career.

We ended up meeting for the first time on Saturday at the Seattle Center. Jason is a bit taller than me at 6'5". He calls himself tall and lanky, but it suits him. My first impression is that he's a guy I can get along with. He has a dark sense of humor that sometimes turns dirty (I love that!). About the only thing that bugged me about him was that sometimes he'd interrupt me. I chalk that up to being nervous, though. I probably did it, too.

I had passes to the science center (and an IMAX movie) so we walked around there for awhile, saw a 3D movie and then went for a late lunch around 2. While walking to the restaurant, I was called to from a car in the road and saw Eric Lane Barnes and his partner on their way to the Seattle Women's Chorus concert. I had wanted to go, but didn't have the money for a ticket, though when he found out about the concert, Jason wondered if we should go. He was hungry, though so we continued to the Chinese restaurant near the Center.

I ordered Mandarin Chicken because it just sounded so good, but was dismayed to discover that it came still on the bone. I HATE eating meet off the bone. It's a lot of work for so little payoff (I stole that from Jason) and it's SO messy - especially on a first date. I struggled through the meal, messy though it was. At least it did taste good. The conversation was great. I don't think either of us had a problem being able to talk to the other.

After the meal, we walked to Pike Place Market and a comic book shop there. It has a lot more than comics, but the general theme of it is such. When I'd gone there with Gavin and his family I had looked for a Buddy Christ figurine (from the movie Dogma) but they had been out. This time, they were in stock and I actually held one in my hand! I came VERY close to buying it, but if I couldn't afford tickets to the SWC concert, I couldn't afford Buddy Christ, so I put it back. It was a challenge to do so, however.

Jason then walked me to my bus stop and we parted ways. On the ride home, I sent him a text that I'd had a great day and hoped we'd do it again. He text back "Does that mean you'd be interested in dating me?" I told him that indeed I would and asked if he felt the same. He does and said that he's interested in pursing a relationship with me.

So I guess that doesn't quite make us boyfriends, but it sure seems to be heading that way. I like Jason and enjoyed the time spent with him. I would expect to be blogging more about him in the future.

On Easter, I had made plans to spend the day with my cousin, Jessica. I went to church that morning at the church of SMC's director, Dennis Coleman. I'd been there once before and liked it, plus it's close to my new apartment. I figured that Dennis would have cooked up a great set of music for the special Church day and he didn't disappoint. I even saw a couple kids who ride my bus! I'm glad I went and I'll be heading back there, I'm sure.

Jessica arrived in the early afternoon and we went to Olive Garden. We both went for the endless salad and breadsticks. AHHHHH, the budget of broke people. We did splurge and get deserts, too. Jessica regaled me with complaints about her roommate (oh so familiar territory with me!). The roommate had been invited along but had flaked at the last minute. Based on what I'd heard about her, I was glad she'd flaked. I had been a little bothered about the roommate coming along anyway. I'd been looking forward to the family time, but when Jessica had asked, of course I told her to bring the roommate. I wasn't about to let someone be alone on Easter, however if that person chooses to be without my doing, I'll gladly reap those benefits.

After dinner, we went back to my place and played board games for several hours. I mostly have Disney games but Jessica likes Disney so we had a lot of fun. We played some DVD games I have for The Price is Right and Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader, too. The day was full of laughter and good times, so I call it a success.

Later than night I sent a text and email to Jason to see how he was doing, but he never responded. I later found out that he'd gotten a migraine and went to bed early, but until finding that out, I'd been afraid that my path to a potential relationship had already ended. I haven't heard from him at all today, either, but I'm planning on calling him later tonight. My night & weekend minutes don't kick in until 9pm and our phone conversations tend to use up many minutes.

The only other thing going on is that we've started rehearsals for the next SMC concert. I am REALLY trying to get into this concert, but I'm finding it difficult! This entire concert is going to be acapella which scares the crap outta me! It is SO difficult to stay on pitch when singing acapella. The songs are beautiful, but difficult to sing. One of them is in German, one in Latin and one in Indian.

At last night's rehearsal we had guests who worked with us on a couple songs. The first worked with us on the German. We tore about the words line by line, sang them over and over. It was laborous! To top it all off, he was adament about proper sitting in the chair - sitting foward and up. I get that this is not only the proper but best way to sing, but it got exhausting after awhile. A couple times, he even went around the room, gently poking people who were slouching. While I was never poked, there was added pressure.

The second guest worked with us on how to find overtones. This was for the Indian piece. It's an Indian Raga that has us, at the beginning, making random vowel sounds. It sounds cool, but after 25 minutes it got tiring.

I began to realize that I wasn't having fun. One thing I love about the chorus is that while we usually do work hard, it's still fun, but this wasn't fun. It was exhausting. As I look over the songs, none of them really strike me as exciting to sing. For the audience, I'm sure they're going to be a blast, but I'm not sure that I'm going to enjoy the process of getting them ready.

We also will be having a guest group singing in the concert with us and it looks like they'll take up significant portions of both acts for the concert (if I'm remembering correctly, it was 40 minutes each Act). That means a lot less involvement from the chorus in the concert. I'm still trying to decide if that's a good thing or not.

I don't want to drop out of the concert, especially since I ended up not singing the Holiday concert. Another factor, not even musically related is my transportation status. Last quarter, I had found rides home, but those saviors don't seem to be singing this concert, leaving me to ride the bus home. While this isn't impossible, it does make my Monday nights later. Also worrying me is how late the buses to our venue for this concert will run. Will I even be able to get home should a tech or dress rehearsal run late?

I am planning on going back at least once more next week and seeing how I feel about that rehearsal. I get that making the kind of amazing concert that we make is a lot of hard work, but even in that hard work we have fun. The work for these songs, though, seem so intense! It almost seems like everything I enjoy about singing with SMC seems to be lacking with this concert. I know the concert will be amazing, though, which makes it hard to just drop out and not sing.

So, I struggle.

One final thing involves the archival DVDs from the Debbie Reynolds concert. I just found out today that SMC was successfully able to negotiate to have Debbie's footage on the DVDs! This is fantastic news! She was such a huge part of the concerts! Thank you, thank you THANK YOU Debbie for allowing it! And thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to the SMC powers that be who fought to make that happen. I can't wait to get that DVD. We should get them in early May. Thanks to Mark Schmidt who puts those together. MAN! I so can't wait to see that concert!