Good-bye 26, Hello 27!

Yep, today was the big day. It's been non-eventful, thanks to the rain canceling my work assignment for the evening, but my co-workers did buy me a cake, my mother, younger sister and my road dogs called me early this morning, big sis sent an e-mail later in the afternoon and my facebook wall is one HUGE birthday greeting from a gang of folks.

So far, I've had a good day in the fact that I've been happy all day, and even though some random person tried to throw me off my game this afternoon, it's been a great day. It got off to a great start this morning when I went to the park to exercise. The basketball courts are closed down for two weeks for resurfacing, and that threw me off for like 10 seconds. Instead I decided to join the other folks who walk around the long circular parking lot (there are four baseball fields inside that circle, so it's a LONG way around). This morning, I got bold and chatted up an in-shape 53 year old sister who we'll call "Chocolate Miz," or CM for short. The reason we'll call her that is because once again, I'm an unabashed cougar connoisseur, and the only thing stopping me from making Miz the Demi to my Ashton is a few hundred to thousand miles of distance. Hi Miz! *waves and smiles*

Anyway, so CM and I chatted as we walked for over an hour straight about everything from Obama to educational programs to racism to our exercise routines. I never did ask if she was seeing someone or not, because I had a feeling her saying "my sons are older than you" was her way of deading any thoughts I had of advancing things. But man, does she look good to be 53. 5'4, 150 pounds, strong legs, a little something in the back underneath the track pants, hoodie and bucket hat. And there's the chocolate factor. Although I struggle with being darkskinned myself, women with some serious color do it for me everytime.

But yeah, the bigger story was the fact that I chatted up a woman on the fly and IN person, instead of trying to approach women via this here machine. Hopefully this morning's events will give me enough confidence going forward to approach more women in person. I know every woman won't be as open and accepting as CM was this morning, but I can't let a few failures get in the way of potential successes.

La had a brilliant post earlier this week about timelines and deadlines we impose on ourselves, and ever since I read it, I've been thinking about it, and she's pretty much spot on, as she always is. We really can't measure ourselves by what our friends and peers maybe doing, the most we can do is be happy with where we are ourselves, and if not, then make steps to change it. Both my boys have children, healthy relationships with their current SOs, but they both have been divorced too, so even they had some valleys in the journey to their peaks.

I think about where I am now that I'm starting 27 - no kids, certainly no relationship prospects, but when I think about the entry-level nature of my gig...could I really be a family man right now? No. I'd have to pretty much work two jobs to support a wife and kid(s), even though I'm sure my wife would work, it'd be tough right now, so the best I can do is just keep progressing in my career until I can rightfully feel like I can be the provider that a man is supposed to be in the household.

The biggest storyline that will unfold as this year goes on is feeling better about myself. Even though I did have a quick issue with someone this afternoon, it passed over because I was still feeling high off the well-wishes I received and the conversation with CM. Even though it's been raining all day and the skies have been dark, I was determined not to let anyone steal my sunshine, especially on my birthday. And with the help of the people that care about me and a conversation with a certified couger in the AM, I was largely successful.

Let year 27 begin.