Matchmaker, Matchmaker Make Me a Match

Matchmaker, Matchmaker Make Me a Match

One of my many side interests is to play match maker.  The ironic thing about this is if you look at my statistics, I’m not very good at it.  Over the past few years I estimate that I have set up about 500 people on dates.  These dates have resulted in 5 relationships and 0 marriages.  With such a dismal track record, you are probably wondering why I waste my time?  The truth is, the purpose of me setting people up on dates is not with the expectation that they will fall in love and get married.  Actually, if people start dating, I’m more surprised than anyone.

Let me explain the reason behind my thinking, help you understand what goes into the process, some tips on it and some things that drive me crazy.

Why Do I Do It?

I am one of the few people who truly enjoys being set up.  I took the mindset a long time ago to try just about anything once, and this includes blind dates.  I actually think they’re fun.  There is something exciting about getting to meet someone I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to be with.  I don’t go into it thinking I will be married to this person.  I just go with an open mind and a determination to have fun.  This is something I wish more people did, it could change their lives.

It’s Just A Freaking Date People –

I’m always surprised at how many people are so adamantly against getting set up on a date.  This is something that drives me crazy, especially the people who constantly complain that they never go on dates.  The majority of the time when I approach people about setting them up, they come up with every reason to not try it.  The main reason I hear is “If I’m not interested, I don’t want to lead them on”.  I am confused as to why so many people think that if you go on one date, it means you are now in a committed relationship.  A first date is exactly that, one date.  It’s a chance to get to know someone and see if there is a spark.  If you don’t feel anything, move on.  If the other person pursues, let them know you aren’t interested.  It’s pretty simple.

I Can’t Seem To Turn Off Match Making In My Head –

Literally every time I meet someone new, man or woman, I tend to think if they would be a good match for someone I already know.  Sadly, this even happens when I’m on dates.  As soon as I know they aren’t going to be the one for me, I start thinking of other people for them.  I am aware this is weird, and I’m trying to be better about it, it just seems to be a part of my brain I can’t shut off.

Sometimes Dating Is All About Networking –

This is the reason I don’t worry myself too much if the couple I set up is going to fall for each other.  By going on a date with someone, maybe you will fall in love.  But if not, maybe you will make a new friend.  And maybe that new friend will introduce you to their friend who ends up being the one for you.  You never know what can happen, and it never hurts to have a new friend.

Some People Refuse To Go Unless They Have Seen A Photo Of Them First -

I get it, you need to be physically attracted to someone in order to fall in love.  It’s just basic nature.  But if I come to you and say I have someone for you to meet, and you will only even consider it if you see a photo first to make sure they are up to your standards, you come off like a tool.  Trust me in the fact that I will not set you up with someone you find grotesque.  Remember that whole “it’s just one date” thing?  Besides, what if I showed them a picture of you and they said how ugly you were?  It sucks to be judged on basic looks alone, so stop doing it and trust me. 

When I was heavier, the only thing about getting set up that would bother me was when people would say “I have the perfect guy for you!”.  Then during the date, it would become painfully obvious that the only thing we had in common was that we were both overweight.  I’m not sure what the people who fixed us up expected us to connect on?  Our fear of abandonment and tendency to overeat to hide deeper issues?  Oh yea, there’s a match made in heaven.

Sometimes Bad Dates Are Better Than Good Dates, They Make the Best Stories -

Clearly since I am still single, I do not have some amazing tale about how I went on a date, fell madly in love and lived happily ever after.  What I do have is a huge collection of bad date stories, and I think they are hilarious.  Bad experiences help us realize the good ones when they come along.  And anyone who hasn’t heard about my date with the guy I’m pretty sure was a polygamist, I’d be happy to tell you about it sometime  J

It Can Be Ridiculously Time Consuming -

Let me give you a breakdown of the process I do for my online dating service Double Dutch Dating;

First I create a Facebook event asking anyone interested in getting signed up.  I try to make it clear that it isn’t an actually event, just a deadline for when you can sign up.  I then spend the next week answering a minimum of 20 questions asking me where they meet and other questions that are clearly answered on the invite.  Sigh, please just read the description people.

Next, once the deadline is up, I get a list of the people who signed up on the website and email them a list of basic questions;

I ask if they would be willing to date someone younger/older than them, and the age limit for each.

I ask them to list at least 3 hobbies they have.

I ask them if they would be willing to date someone who is overweight.  My definition of overweight is more than 40 pounds above a healthy range.  I do not put “chubby” in this category.  The reason I ask this is because I don’t want to set you up with someone you would not be remotely attracted to.  I also don’t want that person to have their feelings hurt.

Once I get their responses back, I try to make my matches.  Most of the time I have twice as many women than men sign up, so I have to reach out to the guys to see if they will be willing to go on two dates.

I match my couples by age, and hobbies.  I try to match people as best I can, but it’s not an exact science.  Plus, it’s a free service.  If you want me to go out there and hunt down your perfect eternal companion, you are going to have to pay me  J

I check the FB page of the matches to make sure they aren’t already friends.  My goal with the service is to introduce you to people you don’t already know.  This is becoming more and more challenging, so it doesn’t always work out this way.

Once the matches are made, I send an email to both people with their contact information and a list of date ideas.  From there, I leave it in their hands.

So that’s the basic process.  It is very, very time consuming, but fun.  So if you want to give it a try, I would love it!  Just go to http://doubledutchdating.blogspot.com/ find my picture on the right and sign up! 

By opening up yourself to new experiences, you never know the people or happiness you can find  J

The Global Uplift Project OR My Cup Runneth Over OR Hooray for boobies!

No matter what you call them, boobs, boobies, ta-tas, fun bags, melons….we all have them.  And I think they could use some TLC.

Last week on Facebook, I asked my friends what it is that gives them self confidence.  I got a lot of answers ranging from the sarcastic (lots of money and good looks) to the spiritual (seeing yourself as God sees you).  These are all great answers and worth contemplating to improve your life.

My answer was; a good bra.  I mean this in all honesty.  There are few things that I think would improve a womans self esteem and confidence more than a really good bra.  You look thinner, your clothes fit better, and you get to show off what I think is one of the best parts of being a woman.  Looking feminine, to me, is the about the sexiest thing you can do.  Even when I weighed 300 pounds, I felt I looked put together because I had an amazing bra.

I get a little terrified, especially in the spring and summer.  This is the time of year when people start wearing less clothing so the twins are more noticeable, but they still wear the crappy bra!  Or sometimes no bra at all.  And guys, despite what you may think, the people who go without a bra in public, are NEVER people you want to see that way.  Pick it up off your knee and reign those puppies in!

A lot of women wear a bra that just doesn’t fit.  There are two parts you have to take into consideration; cup size, and size around your ribs.  By not getting the right size, it causes some of the worst problems, such as;

The Quad –

Not the scriptures like you might be thinking.  Nope, this is when you aren’t wearing a big enough cup size and you smash them in.  They have no choice but to pop out over the top, but not in a Victoria’s Secret model kind of way.  It more looks like you are some kind of alien with four boobs, or they are trying to escape from your body by finding their way up and out.  Not pretty.

Back Fat Bulge –

If you buy a bra that isn’t big enough for your ribcage, it will dig into your skin and cause you to look lumpy.  On some people, their rolls cover the entire back of the bra and make it look like your skin is trying to swallow your undergarment whole.  Ladies, I don’t understand, if you are a 40, buy a 40.  I know too many women who feel that size sounds too big, so they go one down to feel better.  Are you worried someone is going to come and randomly ask to see your bra tag?  Wear what fits!  Trust me, it’s better in the long run.

The Saggers –

Ladies, I’m in no position to judge.  You’ve had kids, you’ve gained and lost weight, you’re naturally busty.  It’s ok, everyone is going to sag at some point!  But you don’t have to make that evident to the world do you?  There is nothing I hate worse than looking at a woman and thinking “Why does her waist look so lumpy?  Oh wait, her boobs are in the way”  J  Wear a good underwire bra (bras without underwires are a crime against humanity in my opinion).  If you get one that fits right, it won’t be uncomfortable, I promise.

Headlights –

When it’s cold, our body shows it.  Some parts more than others.  If you are wearing a bra that is so thin that I can tell the temperature, you need a new bra.  Even just a little bit of padding will take that issue away.

So I’m going to share a little secret with you.  I found the most amazing bra in the world.  Here it is ladies.

Made by Layne Brant, your girls will look incredible.  It sells for $39, but they normally have buy one get one half off specials.  Well worth the money.

I adored this bra, until a few weeks ago.  One of my biggest fears about loosing weight, is that my boobs will disappear.  I have never exactly been small chested, but I was terrified they might disappear altogether.  I realized my bra was getting a little loose, so I headed off to Layne Bryant for a new one.  Only to be told by the sales rep that 38DD was the smallest it went!!!  Say what???  How could my self confidence booster be unavailable in my size?  She then said they had one in 36 C I could order if I wanted.  I was confused as to if this women even had boobs to be under the assumption that a 38DD and 36 C were the same thing.  Instead I said no and went home depressed.  I was at a loss.  I had been wearing that bra for years, where was I supposed to go?

For some reason I had always had an aversion to Victoria’s Secret.  Maybe it was because every model was a little too thin for my liking (I think curvy is sexy, but that’s just me) or that they pushed their boobs up so much, it looked uncomfortable to breath.  Or maybe it was because the last time I had set foot in a store, over 10 years ago, I was informed by a snotty salesperson that they didn’t carry over a C in store.  But I broke down and went in, determined to find my replacement over the shoulder boulder holder.

I had done a little research online before hand, and was thrilled they now carried D and DD in store.  I looked around and found about the same style as my old one (no thanks to the two sales people who stood 10 feel from me discussing lip gloss with each other and never glanced in my direction.  Don’t worry, I’m not bitter…much) and took a guess at my size.  I grabbed a 36 D and headed for the fitting room.  Now let me explain, I have been very attached to my DD status.  I know that no one is going to know but me, well and I guess everyone else since I’m sharing it on my blog, but the idea of going down to a D scared the crap out of me.  I knew if that happened, I would not be surprised if I shed a little tear in the fitting room.  Sad but true.

Much to my joy, the D was too small!  The fit was alright, but I had a major quad, and that just wouldn’t do.  The sweet girls in the fitting room got me a 36DD to try and TA-DA!  The girls were looking fantastic!  Granted, I still didn’t love it like my old bra, but I was pretty happy.  Just to be sure though, I put on a shirt and sent a photo to my best friend to make sure she agreed.  I’m not sure how I lucked out to have such an awesome friend who puts up with me like that.  I guess tolerates me is a better way to put it  J

Here is the bra I settled on.  Just enough lift, just enough padding.

It was a little weird to have an 18 year old awkward guy help me at the checkout counter.  I wasn’t too excited about him touching my bra, but maybe that’s the closest he’ll ever get to a real boob, haha  ;)  The price tag of $50 shocked me a bit, but I wasn’t going to waste hours of my life trying on multiple bras just to save $10.  It was pricey, but worth it, and now I don’t feel at all weird when I check myself out in the mirror  J

So ladies, please, I beg you, get a good fitting bra.  Show off those girls!  I promise your self esteem will be better than it has in years  J

Chivalry - The Feedback

Chivalry – The Feedback

**A disclaimer.  It’s my blog and I’ll say what I want.  I try to keep it humorous and pick topics that people will discuss.  I do not consider myself a molly-Mormon, so don’t be surprised if you read some mild profanity or if I talk about things that make you blush.  I think it adds to my charm  ;)**

Let me just say, I did not expect this post to get this much feedback.  I seem to have ruffled more than just a few feathers with my thoughts.  I heard from several friends (or people I hope are still friends, haha) about their thoughts on the subject.  I was kind of surprised to see one common trend in each of their comments:

Nice guys finish last

Here are some examples –

“Females have trained Males over a long time to act in a way the gets a positive response from women. Unfortunately this way of treating girls, as many guys and I am sure some girls will agree, is to act like jerks. Girls love the bad boy jerk!”

“My opinion is that there are LOTS more nice guys than there are jerk guys, but girls have been very focused on the "jerk" guys.”

“It’s dead.  Girls want money and bad boys w good hearts.  Lol…”

So do I agree with this?  Yes…and no…

Let’s start with the comment that men do things to get a positive response from women.  A lot of times I think this is very true.  It reminds me of an episode of friends where Mark is helping Rachel get a job for no apparent reason.  Ross thinks there is an ulterior motive and to prove his point he asks Joey “Do men do nice things for women for no reason?” to which Joey immediately replies “No, only for sex”.

Granted in the LDS world, sex isn’t just out there as a thank you (well at least for most girls), but it still speaks a lot of how I perceive men to work.  Pretty girl – do something nice for her – positive reaction from pretty girl.  It’s pretty straight forward.  Unfortunately, too many guys have done too many things for girls, only to get the cold shoulder from them.  If they get this reaction over and over, why should they continue to put the effort out there?  This is a very valid argument.

Now to address the “girls only like bad boys” issue.  Is this true?  Yes…and no…

Unfortunately, most women have a part of the brain that makes us only be attracted to douche bags.  I think it’s located in the same part of the mans brain that makes them only be attracted to the “hot chick”, no matter how bat sh!# crazy she may be  J

For women, we eventually grow out of this phase and move on to looking for good guys, but it takes us a lot of time and a lot of heartbreak before we get there.  But I think guys need to understand, we are looking for a good guy, with just a bit of a bad boy edge.  If a guy is too nice, he runs the risk of coming off as a “leg humper” or spineless.  Ever see the movie “Bedazzled” with Brendan Frazier?  This is one of my favorite movies and I think it explains a lot about how women think.  The part with the super sensitive guy on the beach is the perfect example.  We need that balance of nice guys who will be kind to us, but will stand up for himself and be a man when needed.  Confused?  Of course.  We’re women, we are confusing.  But we’re cute, which helps.  And we have boobs, which guys seem to like.  I guess that’s enough to keep you coming back  J

A little more feedback I got –

Holding the door open –

I got some feedback from my friend Eric on this one “Women trying to enforce archaic and outdated demonstrations of chivalry because it makes them feel special”.  Ouch, and touché.  Yep, it makes me feel good about myself when a guy holds the door open for me.  Maybe that’s wrong of me.  I have no argument for this one.  And I promise Eric isn’t as bitter and hostile as that comment made him out to seem  J

I hold the door open for people.  I like when people hold the door open for me.  This is just something I think everyone should do, regardless if the person is 8 or 80.  I wish more people did it.

Opening her car door –

Let me just make my opinion clear about this one.  This is not something that makes or breaks a date for me.  If he doesn’t open my car door, I’m fine.  If he opens my car door, that’s nice.  Actually one of the worst dates I had with one of the biggest jerks ever was with a guy who made a point to open all doors for me.  This is not a move that will tell you if he is a good guy or not.  When we are getting out of the car, I don’t think he need to have me wait so he can open it for me.

This whole thing is something I think girls make WAY too big of a deal about.

Setting Up and Taking Down Tables and Chairs –

This got some interesting feedback.  I think my friend Cody made a good point when he told me

““Being one of the only ones that would stay back and help clean up, I was segregated from the group, any girls that I was interested in were now off with other guys (the competition) getting face time, while I was back doing the dirty work. Never once was I recognized as the guy who went the extra mile while other lazy people walked away. And by recognized I am referring to girls recognizing me. This is the reason why guys do not stay back and clean up, because who wants to do extra work and not receive the acknowledgment from the member of the opposite sex when all they have to do is walk away with them and do nothing. Too many times my friend has gotten the girl because I stayed back and they enjoyed the rest of the night with the girl.”

A point I want to make is that these obviously were not the girls you were supposed to end up with.  I know, it sounds totally “after school special” about respecting yourself, but I think it’s the truth.  If guys are going to give us crap for going after the bad boy, I’m going to give you a hard time about going after a girl who clearly isn’t looking for the good qualities you possess.  Keep being the good guy and I promise that the right person will come around.

I also want to bring up one other kind of good guy I forgot to mention in my last post – The Good Dad.  As I get more involved in the mid-singles scene, I have met a lot of divorced people.  People that have been thru difficult, heartbreaking divorce.  One of the things that has surprised me is how many devoted fathers I have met.  Men that have full or majority custody of their kids.  Men that devote all of their time and energy into being the best father they can be.  Men, who some of their children are not even biologically their own, but they love them with all their hearts.  Men, who thru the awful things they have been thru, have stayed strong in the church and continue to serve.  This is a level of commitment I respect far more than any guy just holding a door open for me.

So feel free to give me your comments about this one.  I’ve spoken my mind so I won’t be offended if you do the same  J

Checking Things Off the List - Go Camping

Go Camping - Completed in August of 2010

 

Pretending I'm homeless is not my idea of a vacation.

This has been my motto whenever someone asks if I like camping. Living in Colorado, you tend to meet a lot of outdoor enthusiasts. You know, the people who use carabineers as key chains and buy their cars based off of how well it perform in the mountains. I have nothing against this lifestyle, to each his own, but I have just never been able to figure out why people would spend their few days away from work sleeping on the ground. If I take time off of work, I prefer to go to an all inclusive beach resort.

Now that's not to say I have never been camping, I have. I guess that makes this item on the list a little misleading when I say "Go Camping". What I really mean is "Give Camping a Fair Shot".

I've been camping a few times in my life. I remember going once when I was about nine with my sister, her boyfriend and my brother Marc. Marc is the one member of my family who loves to be outside and he even slept outside under the stars. I prefer large windows to look at nice views while I sit in an air conditioned room and read a book. Anyway, I don't remember much about the trip except that I hated her boyfriend and so in my mind, that made everything miserable.

I think I went to one night of girls camp once. Growing up I had horrible social anxiety and refused to go to school, church or just about anything that would make me interact with people my own age. Pretty much I stayed home all the time and made my moms life miserable (I now try to call her once a week to apologize for what a pain in the ass I was/am). The fact that my mom was able to get me to go to even one night of girls camp was a small miracle in itself. I remember very random things from that night. My mom drove me up on the last night of camp. For dinner they served a combination of chili and spaghetti-o's, which was surprisingly tasty. It rained all night, and if you touched the walls of the tent, the rain would soak thru. It was miserable and I just wanted to go home.

I know I went camping again sometime when I was a teenager. Camping with other teenagers without any supervision is never a good thing. I remember there was a lot of beer (why is it teenagers, or most people for that matter, literally have no idea how to have fun without drinking?), people peeing on the campfire and what seemed to be everyones goal of who could get the most STD's the quickest. To put your mind at ease, I did not take part in any of that. This was well before my "I'm going to do stupid crap to mess up my life" phase.

Several years ago I dated a true outdoor enthusiast, wait, that's putting it way too lightly, it's more like he was obsessed. He lived for being outdoors. One entire room of his house was devoted to outdoor equipment of every kind. any free time when he wasn't working, was spent on some adventure. Again, nothing wrong with having a passions for something, but when you fall in love with a man who's main hobby is something you hate, you just know it isn't going to end well. I tried to do a few outdoorsy things with him, but he was at such an advanced level, it was embarrassing for him to have to stop and wait for me all the time. Once I convinced him to come on my idea of a vacation to Aruba. He agreed, but didn't enjoy it. He ended up breaking up with me during the trip. Yea, that didn't make the last day together awkward or anything. After that, as soon as a guy mentioned he loved the outdoors, it was an instant turn off for me. But that's a tough thing in Colorado. I've found if a guy doesn't love the outdoors, then they seem to love video games and have an overwhelming desire to live in their parents basement forever. Tough choice.

I decided I would be willing to try camping again, but I had a few requirements.

1. I will only go with the right people. If even one person going is a "debbie downer" or a whiner, I'm out.

2. I have to be able to bring an air mattress. Sleeping on the ground with nothing for padding but a thin sleeping bag sounds like my idea of hell.

3. I have to have a bathroom of some kind. The thought of squatting behind a tree is not something I'm looking forward to. Not because I'm too girly to do it, but because I would be so paranoid about peeing on myself or my clothes. I have a fear that if I can't get at just the right angle, my pants would be covered. So does that just mean I should just take my pants off while attempting this? Well peeing pantless in the woods isn't sounding much better. And knowing me, I would loose my balance and fall directly into it. So there I would be, pantless, on the ground, in my own pee. Yes, a toilet is a must.

When the opportunity to go with Sara Rutman and Lauren Woodbury to the Sand Dunes (this is also on my list, but I will cover it in another blog post) and camping, I jumped at the chance. Sara is way fun, and lauren is hilarious, so I knew it would be good.

I realized I had zero supplied for camping, so I decided to go fully prepared. First, I didn't have a sleeping bag. I could have borrowed one from someone, but I figured if I enjoyed camping, I may as well have my own to take in the future. After much searching, I decided on a pink and grey camouflage bag. Not the most normal choice, but who knows, it may come in handy in case I ever have to hide out in the Barbie Corvette.

I also ended up spending way too much on things like; trail mix, a camping chair, every medicine known to man (just in case), a backpack, water bottle, air mattress with pump etc. I also had to make sure I got bug spray. It seems that mosquito's are drawn to me like rednecks to a free taping of the Jerry Springer show. For everyone who says the best part about camping is that it's cheap, I would like to show them my $200 receipt from Target.

Because we left after work on Friday, we didn't get to the Sand Dunes until after the sun had gone down. Also, because it is located in a national forest, you can't use any brush you find for fires, you have to buy it at the little check in station, which was also closed. We stayed at one of the reserved campsites which was actually pretty nice. It had a picnic table, bear proof storage for food, fire pit and was in walking distance from actual bathrooms! Hooray for indoor plumbing!! But because we didn't have wood for the fire, it meant setting up the tent in the dark. Thankfully, the people I went with came prepared with some cool forehead flashlights. In the midst of buying multiple packages of trail mix, the necessity of a flashlight slipped my mind. Mostly I tried to stay out of everyones way and do whatever they told me. Sara brought a little propane grill and made some tasty burgers for dinner. It's true what they say, all food tastes better when you're camping.

Sleeping, well it sucked, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The air mattress I bought was half deflated by the morning so my shoulder was digging nicely into the ground. I normally don't get out of bed before 8am, but as everyone knows in camping, no one sleeps after the sun comes up. I think it's actually impossible to. The lack of sleep, along with crappy sleeping positions caused me to feel like I had a hangover. Thankfully, Lauren was creative enough to put a cooking sheet on the grill so she could make us pancakes for breakfast. Looks and brains, quite the combination.

After breakfast, we packed up camp (another thing I like about hotels, you pack your bag and leave. You don't have to pack all the furniture and fit it in your car to take home) and headed off to our next stop, Mesa Verde. Keep in mind, we went to both of these places and then home within 48 hours. We camped in Mesa Verde, and the sites were even nicer than the other, these were a little more private. We had bought firewood on the way there and even got to camp while it was still light out. I filled up my mattress even more this time and it was a much better night. I even got a smore that night, yummy.

So all in all, I can't say that I hated camping. I will also not go as far to say that I loved camping. The most accurate statement would be that I tolerated camping. If done in the right circumstances, I can see how it is a lot of fun. i am even willing to go again sometime. But you're smoking crack if you think I would choose camping over a resort on the beach :)

arking Things Off the List - Learn to Shoot a Gun

Learn to shoot a gun - Completed in October 2010

I don't like guns. I never have. Frankly, they scare the crap out of me. I do not come from a family that enjoys hunting, or being outdoors for the matter. I have never understood the appeal of the NRA, or the whole "From my cold dead hands" hoopla. I'm not anti-gun, I just didn't get what the big deal was. Or maybe it was because the only times I have been exposed to guns was by rednecks or pushy republicans :)

One of the reasons I started this list was because I wanted to face my fear of things I have always been afraid to do. Shooting a gun was a big thing on that list.

 

Before this day, I had held a gun three times in my life. The first time, I was about 15, working in my dads dental office. He had a patient, who's name I can't remember, but I will never forget. He was a very large man, with such bad emphysema he had to be on oxygen constantly and carried the tank around on his back. Due to his weight and his health, I remember he could barely walk, but he always carried a little tote bag that said "Smokers Rights" on the side. I still find it amazing that a man who let such a horrible habit destroy his life, still believed in fighting for the "rights of the smoker".

 

Anyway, one day I remember my dad was talking to him about his little bag, turned out it's where he kept his little gun. He kept it in a case, unloaded, but explained it was for protection in case someone attacked him. How a man in his condition would be able to get the gun out, load it and be ready before his attacker was to him is beyond me. He asked if I wanted to hold it, I didn't really want to but my dad encouraged me. I remember I was so nervous my hand shook holding that gun (it was something like a 22) and it scared me. I gave it back as quickly as possible.

 

The next time I held a gun was at my dads house in Virginia. My step-mom had me hold her new 357 magnum she had bought. That is a big freaking gun. Plus in my little hands (no really, they are strangely small) it looked even bigger. Thankfully she didn't ask if I wanted to shoot it, I probably would have peed myself.

The last time I held a gun was at my friend Melissa Williamsons apartment this year. Melissa was a cop for 10 years so she knew exactly what she was doing and was very confident, which put me at ease. She made sure the gun was unloaded and showed me the correct way to hold it. It only lasted a few minutes, but my hands didn't shake and I felt ok with it. Just not ok enough to shoot it.

 

When Melissa came into town last week, I asked if she would be willing to teach me. She took me, along with Lauren Woodbury, to an indoor shooting range in Aurora called the Firing Line. I was nervous, much more than I let on, but I was determined not to back out. Mel gave me her basic "Don't be a dumbass" rules for handling a gun, which were;

 

1. Always treat a gun as if it's loaded

2. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot

3. Be aware of your target and beyond

4. Don't point the gun at anything that you don't want to destroy

 

Mel bought a few paper targets (the big ones that look like the upper body of a person) then showed us how it's done. She is a very good shot, which is a good thing since she is a cop. Then it was my turn. I pointed and tried not to hesitate or close my eyes. Baby steps, get the first shot out of the way. Guns are loud, even with my oh so sexy ear protection, it was loud. I knew there would be a kickback, but I prepared myself for the worst (meaning movie quality where I'm thrown back 5 feet into the window) but it wasn't as bad as I thought. I tried a few more shots, no idea if I was hitting the target at all, but just happy I hadn't freaked out. I thought I was aiming at the right spot, but Mel pointed out that I kept hitting the guy in the crotch. Hmmmm, still a good shot I guess. Mel figured out I was left eye dominant, so when I started closing my right eye to shoot, my aim improved drastically. I started hitting the chest and head, and a few groin shots just for fun :)

 

Now to answer the question everyone keeps asking. I shot a 40 milometer gun, I thought that would be more than enough information, but apparently not. They would ask, what kind of gun (didn't I just say 40mm? Is that not right?) then I would just stare at them with a confused look, trying desperately to figure out what kind of information they wanted. I would say a handgun, still not enough information. Seriously people?? Apparently I was supposed to know the make, model and every detail about this gun or I would look like a complete moron. So here is what I know. It was a gun, it fit in my hand, it was black, it shot bullets, it went bang. That's about all I care about. If you want more information, you'll have to ask someone else.

 

One lesson I learned the hard way is that shells are very hot right after they've been shot. I learned this when I shot and a shell came to rest right at the base of my neck on my shoulder and decided to hang out for a bit. It hurt. Another one headed for my cleavage (just another thing I can add to my list of weird things I have found in my cleavage) but thankfully landed on top of my shirt, still pretty warm though.

 

Remember how I said most of my exposure to guns was from redneck people? A few lanes down were some teenagers (who I would be willing to bet drove a truck with a confederate flag in the back window) shooting guns. They had these little paper targets with squirrels on them. While I was shooting, all of a sudden I hear this BOOM, it was so loud. I step back to see those kids are doing target practice with a 357 magnum! It practically ripped the target off the hooks. They thought it was hilarious, I thought that they probably found their cousins very attractive.

 

For the first half of shooting, I wasn't having a very good time. I was still really nervous, but I kept at it. By the end, I actually started enjoying myself. I was extremely excited that I kept hitting the target, even if everyone else there was using targets 1/4 the size of mine.

 

So all in all, it was a pretty good experience and something I would like to do again. But don't expect me to run out and buy a gun anytime soon :)

Markign Things Off the List - Feed a Giraffe

Feed a giraffe - Completed in 2010

I've always like giraffes and have wanted to see one up close. A few years ago I heard that there was a zoo in the springs where you could feed them, so of course I had to add it to my list.

Cheyanne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs is a really interesting zoo. It's literally on the side of the mountain. Thanks to Lauren for going with me to get this checked off the list :)

They have a deck that puts you high enough with the giraffes so you can feed them crackers they have to buy. Yes of course we tried the crackers, they tasted like unsalted Triscuts. There were a lot of people when we went so at first the giraffes didn't seem too interested in us since they were being fed so much. I got bored so I decided to feed Lauren instead, she was much more receptive. Eventually though I got one to take my cracker and even let me pet it. Lauren even held a cracker in her mouth and the giraffe took it from her, didn't lick her or anything.

The giraffes didn't seem very interested in our crackers for the most part, but they did spend a lot of time licking the big wooden poles holding up the porch. And I mean a lot of time, like more than 10 minutes. And it wasn't just one, there was a giraffe at every pole. It was a little awkward so of course I stared and took pictures.

Very cool experience, if you have kids make time to take them there.

Marking Things Off the List - See a Meteor Shower

See a Meteor Shower - Completed in August of 2010

So I've been a slacker when it comes to marking things off my list. I LOVE my calling as ward activities co-chair, but this summer it has taken up all my free time. I'm not complaining though, this has been one of the best summers that I can remember! I will be better about it in the next few weeks.

I was a little worried when I put "see a meteor shower" on my list. I had no idea if there was even one happening during this year. Thankfully last week I noticed a friends status about a meteor shower that weekend. Friday August 13th, I grabbed some friends (thank you Joy, Jeff, Crystal, Jeane, Dustin, Sara, Lauren, Candi and Joni!) and headed out to see what we could see. One of my downfalls is that I come up with fun ideas, but don't plan them well. My idea was to drive into the middle of nowhere in Castle Rock and lay on the grass somewhere. One thing I didn't realize was that all of the open areas in CR are farms. This meant all the land was fenced off right by the road leaving no comfy places to lay down.

Thankfully Joy realized I was wandering without direction and called her sister who lived close asking if we could lay out on their yard :) The view was pretty amazing (and not just because of the hot boys that were with us). I have always been fascinated by the sky, especially stars. we get to see some great stars in Parker and CR, but this was more than I had ever seen before. We got to see 2 satellites that we could track across the whole sky, something I had never seen before. We were outside for about 90 minutes and saw about 15 shooting stars. It was a very cool experience.

Every time I lay out to look at stars, I can't help but think about how amazing this universe is. I know it didn't all happen by accident, we are all here for a reason.

Thank you to all who helped me check this one off my list! Love you!