My Two New "Businesses"

After helping "save the day" at the 11th hour for my co-worker's anniversay by coming up with a simple yet romantic idea and yet again providing said co-worker with advice, I have decided that I should provide men with simple advice on how to make a women happy. A "Life Coach" type role if you will. I decided this was a good forum to share that knowledge. The first idea is for your anniversary, you simply need to show that you put thought into the celebration. For my co-worker's anniversary, I told him that he should just go by Eatzi's, buy some flowers, a bottle of wine, and pick up dinner. He did just that and his wife was quite pleased -so basically he in indebted to me. So for all of you guys wondering what to do for an anniversary or special occasion see above example.

As a follow-up conversation to how I saved the day for the anniversary, I shared more wisdom with my male co-workers. I told them to go to their Outlook calendar and pick 5 dates over the next year and set a reminder for you to do something for your wife/girlfriend. On the reminder write "pick up Eatzi's and wine" or brainstorm for an hour and and think up 5 different ideas that show your wife/girlfriend that you appreicate her and that you were thinking about her.For starters you can use the "pick up Eatzi's" idea for all five. It is important for the dates to be random so that when the day comes, you see the reminder and it seems kind of out of the blue and therefore thoughtful. So take my advice and you will stay out of the dog house and make for a happy wife/gilfriend! My co-workers of course loved the idea and promptly set reminders all the while thanking me and saying that it was sad that they had to set reminders. So I told them that I should charge for my great ideas and thus this blog was born!

Now onto my next business idea...it is simple but a good idea to help homeowner's who either travel during the week or have trouble making appointments with the cable guy, the roofer, the patio guy, etc during the work day. Instead of you having to meet the repair man, I could meet them for you and keep your appointment - basically an inhouse concierge. So once I get tired of my current job, I may open my own inhouse concierge company.

Alfredo's and "The Break-Up"

Now I will switch gears and put on my critic hat. Someone recently told me about a hole-in-the-wall Italian place on Cheshire Bridge called Alfredo’s so this weekend I decided to try it out instead of calling on my default favorite restaurant list (Tacqueria, Eats, Figo). When I hear “hole-in-the-wall” restaurant I think of Eats here in Atlanta or The Village Deli in Augusta and I also think cheap. While the prices aren’t absurd, you will end up spending $25 on an entrée and a drink if you go with the pasta and more if you go with a meat entrée. The food was good – I had the capellini pesto – but it wasn’t as good as Scalini’s (who has the best rolls vs the garlic bread at Alfredo’s). It is definitely a hole-in-the-wall and the atmosphere took me back a few years. My party also brought the average age of the customers down by about 20 years – for a minute I thought we had arrived for the early bird senior citizens discount. Aside for not being a typical restaurant that I would try, the service was good and the booths were cozy. I would recommend making reservations because the place is hopping. I probably won’t go back but it was worth the new adventure. Next up, Nino’s also on Cheshire Bridge.

This review may be biased because I like Jennifer Aniston but I really think the critics have been harsh on her last few movies. I thought Derailed was great and Jennifer really only played a small part – it was really a movie focused on Clive Owens’ role and had a good twist at the end. “The Break-up” was somewhere between “Failure to Launch” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” (with “Failure to Launch” being on the below average side and I am sure that some of your are laughing that I consider “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” as good but that was the best I could come up with as far as good romantic comedies). Vince Vaughn was hilarious – he had a lot of good lines and delivered them in typical Vince Vaughn style (talk fast and lots of punch lines). This romantic comedy was probably the most true to life movie about relationships. Disclaimer: Stop reading if you don’t want to know the ending. Most relationships don’t end happily ever and neither did this movie. This movie was left open to your own interpretation of the ending which is how many relationships end. Most relationships, you wonder if you will get back together , are thankful that you never have to see that person again, or you and your ex end up being friends. With this ending, I think you can interpret the ending to be either the first or the third option based on your own experience. Overall this movie was funny and entertaining, may be worth renting vs going to see it in the theatre.

Misadventures in Atlanta

Thanks to my friend Amanda for forwarding me this link...Apparently it isn't uncommon for folks to channel Carrie Bradshaw or the author of "He's Just Not That Into You." Our very own AJC has an ongoing column where 2 girls and now a single guy blog about dating in Atlanta. If you want to check out the Single Guy's first entry click here.

Disuccsion Points after you read the artilce: I agree that if you don't want to go on a date then don't say yes. You should always show up for a date that you say "yes" to unless a natural disaster occurs. It is way easier to say "I don't think we should meet up" than to fake your way through a date and then have to insincerely say you had a good time which is a whole other topic. And a lot nicer to say that than to have a person waste their time and look forward to a date. The Single Guy asks why girls make plans and then don't show up. I ask why did Mr K say he was going to call and then didn't. Just say "Thanks (or I am flattered) but I am seeing someone" that way the girl knows it isn't going to happen and you don't lead her on and you do justice to the girl you are seeing.

He's Just Not That Into You

It seems like most of my interesting material for my blog comes from my dating relationships or the lack there of. I seem to be inspired by Carrie Bradshaw’s character from SATC as of late. Although, I would also consider myself part food critic/movie critic but for this latest blog, I will once again turn to my favorite topic of (not) dating.

I was sitting at my desk at work this week when I had an epiphany. Here I was wondering for the umpteenth time why my crush had said he would call – not just once but he said the words “I will call you” twice. This was over 3 weeks ago and I had begun to lose hope at about the 1 and a half week mark. As I continued down that thought path, I remember my own unreturned email from a recent date. We had gone on a date, he followed up via email, I responded, he emailed back and I…well, I did nothing. Doing nothing is better than doing something to encourage further email or encourage further dates. It was then that I had my “Aha” moment. My crush doesn’t like me because he didn’t call me like he said he was. I am sure this must be a chapter straight out of “He’s Just Not That In To You”. Why do women try to make up excuses for their crush, boyfriend, etc for not calling when in fact we as women don’t return the phone call or email when we are not interested. If you are interested, you are excited about talking to that person or emailing that person, if you aren’t excited then you are “too busy” to return the call or email. Scary that it took my 20+ years to learn this lesson.

I think this rule is applicable 98% of the time. I think sometimes the call back or initial phone call doesn’t happen because one person is scared. Scared of possible rejection so instead of making the call or returning the call, they avoid the situation and choose to go the unknown route. Instead of resolving an issue, they let the issue die with time and never really resolve whether or not the relationship could go further. So the relationship is kind of a ping pong match of “do they like me, they act like they like me when we are together, they tell people they like me but there is no action.” This unfortunately can drag a non-relationship relationship out for months/years with neither person really being satisfied. This example falls somewhere in that 2% - maybe a ½ of a percent.

Back to the 98% situation for a sec. Is it better to return the call or email or let it die with time? I usually just don’t return the call which is probably something you did in high school but something you shouldn’t do as you mature. Is it better to know that you are rejected or better to go on with false hope? I have had crushes that lasted way too long because of false hope yet I am not good at all about giving the guy the boot – I choose avoidance myself but is that the right answer?

Not sure how long this post will stay up

So after going on several failed first dates, I started thinking about the one thing that was in common with all of these dates .... me. I do think there may be two things affecting my thoughts on a first date 1)me (well, the me that has been hurt before) and 2) being set in my ways. RDK, since I know you read this blog feel free to comment or individually email me with other things that I may do wrong while out on a date. I do know that I wear my heart/emotions on my sleeve so it is pretty hard to cover it up if I am not having a good time. While I ponder those thoughts, I will let you know some of the things that aren't good to do on a first date and some things that are appreciated. Good things to do on a first date: think of something fun to do like going to a sporting event, plan ahead, pay for dinner, pray at the meal (that might be much for a first date so you have to feel the person out but I was okay with it).
Some things that may be a little bothersome to some (ie me): not tipping enough on the check (if you don't let me see the check then I won't notice this so I may not find out until later that you are cheap), yelling at the usher, making voices to the video screen, flying like superman to the star wars song. So am I picky? Am I too picky? Probably.
I did forget to mention that I think it is a deal breaker if you don't drink. I guess it is reverse discrimination to some but I think it is fine to have a glass of wine with dinner, have a few beers at a football game, etc. So if you don't drink then it can be awkward. I have friends that don't drink and can hang out with them fine but I don't know if that works the same way if you are dating. And the final no-no for the hour - if you email and say that you aren't going to get your "(insert person's name here) time" in for the week since I am not going to see you all week, know that that will creep me out! This may be considered endearing after dating for a few months but not before - I can see how this point may be confusing but as we all know girls are confusing.