Chapter 3: You are the Dr.Phil to my Oprah

Chapter 3: You are the Dr.Phil to my Oprah

Over the course of the year Steve and I got to know each other and became friends. He was in New Mexico still doing super awesome stuff for the air force and I of course was in New York being a super awesome hippy graphic designer.

We dated other people. (boy, did we date other people…) My friends had dubbed me the "one date wonder" at the time. I'd go on a date with a dude, shrug him off and never call him ever again.

I dated everyone under the sun. An Egyptian pro wrestler (yeah, those exists) a young divorcee, some fireman who was apparently living with his girlfriend (yeah, scumbags exists too) and basically any guy that I met at a bar.

I read somewhere that some chick said "yes" to every guy who asked her out on a date, and I guess somewhere in the back of my mind that stuck with me. I figured "hey, its just a date, whats the worse that can happen?" In fact my friends loved "single Leonora" cause "single Leonora" always had awesome stories to tell.

During this whole year I never had a boyfriend, just guys here and there that would take me out on a date or 2. Commitment freaked me out. Not because I can't be loyal or because I *want* to date a million and one people, but I guess on some level if I didn't have a boyfriend that meant that I couldn't get hurt.

It takes A LOT for me to have a boyfriend. Every guy that has ever been my boyfriend definitely had to ask me out at least 3 times before I said "yes". A year passes and Steve and I (side note: totally weird calling him Steve and not Bub) keep in touch and we are each other's "go-to's" for relationship advice. Like as if he was my Dr.Phil and I was his Oprah.

and then something happened.

The year long "one date wonder" got her a boyfriend.

(and it wasn't Bub)

....chapter 4 tomorrow!

Chapter 2: I'm sorry, you came from where?

Chapter 2: I'm sorry, you came from where?

3 days past and I find the cutest lil black dress (total win side note: said dress has been warn to 3 weddings, 2 fire department installation dinners and 1 photo shoot over the course of 2 years, take THAT extreme couponers. You may get a years supply of toothpaste for free but I've worn a $90 dress 6 times in a  2 years span. All hail me)

The dinner was at the Sheraton so all the fire guys got hotel rooms to stay at for the night. Now I didn't feel comfortable staying the night with Matt so since he had an extra bed in his room he offered it to his friend that was also attending the dinner.

I go down to the lobby and see some dude standing there with luggage. He's talking to matt so I assume this is said friend that is staying in his room with him.

"I'm Steve"
"I'm Leonora"
"I just got in from New Mexico"
"I'm sorry, you came from where?"
"New Mexico"
"So this was planned...?"
"No, bought my ticket 5 minutes before I left--just landed not too long ago"

I just kinda stood there confused.

...the 4 of us got ready together (Me, Matt, Steve and his very very last minute date)

Matt and I and my awesome cocktail dress that has been worn A TON. (sorry still stoked about that)

Steve and his date (and Matt photo bombing)
At first I wasn't really feeling steve, he kept socking Matt in the stomach...

man down man down!

But we all had an awesome time together, and sadly these are the 1st pics ever taken of Bub and I

 way to be classy Leonora.

please just look at my face for a second. Like really look at it.  I don't drink. I've never been drunk, and yet I look totally HAMMERED HA! It's kinda embarrassing but sorta epic all at the same time.

...part 3 tomorrow!

Birth-a-versary (and Chapter 1)

August 2nd is mine and Bub's Birth-a-versary (Bub's bday, and our anniversary all rolled into one awesome glorious gift giving day)

We are currently on Vacation enjoying each other's company (or cursing and hollering at each other as to who has the last set of quarters to pay the toll--whichever) so I thought now would be a good time to tell you all how the lovely bubs and I got to be, well, Bubs and I.

I'm going to try to spread it out over the course of 5 blog posts, lets see if I can actually get  5 blog posts out of it ;)

ok Chapter 1: Did you hear about the internet?

It's no secret that I think firemen are mega mega mega (mega to the 10th degree) sexay (what? I'm a woman, I dig a man in uniform) ok lets flashback to little pudgie pigtailed Leonora circa 1991 where I'm in 1st grade and one of my best friends at the time is Doug (pretty sure he was pudgie too, I think if you wanted to be my friend back in 1991 you had to be a chunk)

Doug and I remained friends up till 5th grade. I moved, we lost touch and I continued to go on about my life.

Doug and I reunited years later and found each other on this really weird and new invention at the time called the internet (guys, when ya think about it I've only been rocking my AOL email address since, like, 8th grade--now kids come out the uterus sporting an iPod and a droid)

We started to IM each other and in my super awesome AOL profile I think I had some ridiculously cheesy comment about how much I frekkin loved firemen--it was probably hidden in there between the backstreet boy lyrics and those lame little butterfly characters you put between your name, ya know something like this })i({ ~~(((::::LeOnOra::::)))~~ })i{( (note how the "o"s in my name are different sizes, I think this was how I knew I was destined to be a graphic designer)

Anyway, Doug mentioned to me bout how he was working with this guy named Matt and how he was a fireman.

And I'm all like KA-CHING!

Matt and I meet and become friends for quite a few years (HA! fooled you all, you guys thought that I was gonna say that Matt swept me off my feet while wearing some fire gear, while holding a baby that he just saved from a burning building in one hand and sporting a tray full of penne a la vodka in the other hand, huh? well, no--girls scout honor we were just friends. We never dated)

Through out college Matt and I keep in touch. I graduate and become a big girl with a full time job (yep, that same full time job I still rock till this day…scuse me while I bang my head against the floor for a couple of minutes…) one day while sitting at my desk at work I get a text from Matt asking me to go the Installation dinner with him. (Installation dinner: See also, an award ceremony for firemen that wear their dress blues and look mega mega daymn fine in this process)

Me: Sure! When is it?
Matt: in 3 days
Me: 3 DAYS?! Your dated bailed didn't she
Matt: no
Me: What do I wear?
Matt: Nice Dress
Me: Thanks Matt, you have been very, very helpful

I still think his date did bail--but who frekkin cares?! I get to go to a place where there are a ton of firemen all dressed to the nines?! uhhh HELL YEAH.

so ladies and gentlemen I had 3 entire days to find a bangin' ensemble for this fire department shin dig.

Part 2 tomorrow.