There is something strange in the water......

[Evil Queen]

How does the saying go? Don't count your chickens until they hatch? Enjoy the fun while you can Jester, because I have a feeling it won't last.

The Cute Little Redheaded Girl

Thank you Charlie Brown.

[Rapscallion]

So, there's a drought and then you drown?

Rapscallion

[Jester]

Islamorada is lovely. My mom's cousin lives there. It is about a two hour drive from there to here. If/when you decide to venture out in that town, check out Lorelei. Yes, it's a bar, but during the day, very casual, not overly "bar-ry," and they are outside, so it's very nice....and they have GREAT food. Their bacon-wrapped shrimp is the best I've ever had!

Also, cold frosty beverages do not have to be alcoholic, nor served in bars. But after the move, the next time you are going to be here, or I there, we should think about meeting up.

You bring your spawn, I'll bring my harem!

[persephone]

And where in the Keys are you moving? And when are we getting together for some cold frosty libations, hmmm?

1) You're talking to someone with two kids, one on the way and NO babysitter, so that means "going out" happens very little.

2) You're talking to someone who does not like alcohol, drunk people or crowds and therefore avoids bars (and, most likely, all of proper "Key West") like the plague.

3) We'll still be at least an hour or two up the keys from you, as we are going to be well above the seven mile bridge (outside of Islamorada) and, if I remember right (I've only been to Key West once and that was years ago), it's still quite a drive from there to Key West proper.



But if Hubby and I do decide to head down for a night after the baby's born or something, I'll be sure to let you know we're coming down.

[Jester]

There is the annual yacht races in town right now. It has boosted business, but I don't think that that is the only thing that has done it.

As for people with money....no. That is the powerboat racers in November. The joke about the "snotty yachties" as we call them locally is that they each come down with one pair of underwear and one twenty dollar bill....and don't change either one. The boat OWNERS have money, but the crews? Only a few sheckels above being homeless, really.

And where in the Keys are you moving? And when are we getting together for some cold frosty libations, hmmm?

[persephone]

It also helps that this week has been freakin' awesome at work! Majorly busy, majorly lucrative. And as I've said before, I fucking love my job!

Isn't there some kind of big boat race or something in Key West this week? Being that we're moving that way (not Key West, about half way down the keys or so, but hey -- closer than we are now), I've been kind of keeping an eye on it, seeing what's going on and reading your paper down there online. There were some kind of boat race articles.

What kind, I have no idea. But they were big and looked expensive, so I assumed your little town might be a bit overrun with people that have money to spare.

So glad the week's good at work and good for you about the girls! What everyone else said is right -- confidence is an amazing thing.

[Jester]

Hard to argue with you, Sand.

Let's face it. After a year in exile, I'M BACK! With a VENGEANCE!

And not a clue how or why!

[Sandman]

Jester's becoming a PIMP! You go man!

[Jester]

I know this, but knowing it and pulling it off are two totally different things.

It also helps that this week has been freakin' awesome at work! Majorly busy, majorly lucrative. And as I've said before, I fucking love my job!

[AsatruThorsman]

Obvious answer is obvious.

Women have a confidence radar. Your attitude's changed and become more confident (read: you've finally made the decisive step to stop thinking that you desperately need to be in a commitment with a woman or your life is over - women have a radar for that as well, and I've had that attitude in the past as well, so this isn't a reproach, just an observation), so more women are coming after you. Just bask in the glow of it and enjoy it.

BTW, congrats Jester!

[Jester]

Or something. That is one of the only explanations I can fathom as to what the HELL is going on suddenly in my life.

As many of you know (since I bitched about it enough), my dating life in 2008 was about as exciting and fulfilling as a tv screen filled with static. In other words, a fucking joke. So I made that New Year's Resolution about having a more carefree, less stressed out attitude towards women in 2009.

It seems to be working. Beyond anything I ever could have expected.

Some background. As a single guy, there are often women I am somewhat interested in that I consider "prospects." More often than not, these are simply women that I fancy but nothing ever comes of it.

Lately, there have been three, whom I have taken to referring to as the blonde, the brunette, and the redhead. I have mentioned the blonde before (Flirt), as well as commenting on the redhead (The Cute Little Redheaded Girl). The brunette I shall call Bouncy.

So. Where to start? Well, The Cute Little Redheaded Girl (TCLRG) is an amusing one, a beer-drinking football fan. You know....my kind of chick! Well, we had a little smoochie action going on the other night after the football games, but nothing over the top. Then two nights ago she invited me out to a burlesque show at a local gay bar. It was a BLAST. (And no, I have no problem going to gay bars, as long as they have cold beer.) I kind of figured she was interested in me, for various reasons (including but not limited to the smooching on Sunday), but I am a paranoid idiot, so I had my doubts. Well, she erased many of those doubts Thursday night, as more smooching ensued.....and was very....eye-opening.

Normally in my life, this is where the story would end, with me being rather smiley about the whole thing....which I was. But remember that new attitude I have? Yeah, I am just going with the flow here. So, since I am still single, I had no problem continuing the flirtations with Flirt and Bouncy. Bouncy always seems thrilled to see me in her bar, but I have not managed to get her number or take it beyond that.

Flirt I have been flirting with both in person and via text for several weeks now. Well, last night, she showed up at my bar as I was getting off, and she and I and a friend of hers hit a couple bars, and then he had to go to work.....as a boy go-go dancer at a local gay bar. Flirt suggested we go there. I have no problem with such things, so off we went. (What is it with me and gay bars? I can't figure this out.) And there were boys dancing in very little, right in our faces. This didn't phase me in the slightest, and I continued drinking my beer, politely ignoring said boys. Flirt was rather shocked, as despite her bad-ass act, she really has been a bit sheltered. And then, at one point, out of absolutely nowhere, she reached out, grabbed my head, and decided she needed to taste my tonsils.

Cue my utter shock and disbelief. Especially since I had, mentally, written this girl off. More varieties of smooching ensued, much to my disbelief and great amusement, and once again, I rolled with it. Hey, why not? The beer gods know that I was overly due for such wonderful attention, right? I ended up driving Flirt home, as she was trashed, I was not, and she had to work in the morning. Even if she had been a totally evil wench, I would have driven her home....despite her insistence, she was in no shape to drive even a tricycle! That's just the way I roll. And I got a text from her this morning thanking me for being responsible.

So, two nights, two lovely young ladies are all about The Jester. I was bemused, and frankly quite baffled, but after dropping Flirt off, met up with my friend Photo Dude at one of our local watering holes, where he was with his current female fling (which seems to be slightly more serious than most, as she has lasted more than a couple days). I related my good fortune to them, and some others, and we all rejoiced in the bright and wonderful dawning of a new year, with promise and hope for me.

And then shit got downright weird.

I was talking to an acquaintance, KB, and two women walked into the bar. I turned to KB, full of confidence and bravado, and said "you can have the brunette." The brunette was not exactly Kate Beckinsale, to say the least, but much to my surprise, KB said "Why not? I'll take one for the team. And hell, I'd love to ride your coattails!"

Um, what? Ride my coattails? When did I become Mr. Romeo?

The funny thing is, I was pretty much joking. The part where it turns bizarre is that the other girl, a redhead (what the HELL is it with me and redheads??!?!?!), hit it off famously. We'll call her.....Ginger. We exchanged numbers, and I probably could have had yet another smooching session, but was sticking to my guns of taking it casual and easygoing, so didn't press anything. Actually, it could have ended quite differently than it did. At one point, she said it looked to her that her friend and KB were hitting it off rather well, and Ginger assumed they were going to go off and enjoy each other's company, so Ginger went over to say goodbye. Much to both our surprise, the brunette decided it was time to go, without getting any KB love monkey action. Had the two of them hooked up, things might have gotten interesting between Ginger and myself. She did make me promise to come see her at her bar, which if I'm not dead after my 12 hour shift today, I just might do. But anyways, Ginger and her friend left, and KB was standing there, in awe of me, pretty much convinced that yet another lovely young thing was charmed to death by me. And frankly, I think he might have been right.

Which brings me back to my whole initial premise. To wit....what the flying holy monkey batshit is going on here? Seriously? Don't get me wrong, I am NOT complaining, and half expect Bouncy to come bounding into my arms sometimes this weekend, but the phrase "when it rains it pours" has almost never been so well illustrated in my life! Well, at least not recently. Amusing footnote: all four of them (TCLRG, Flirt, Ginger, and Bouncy), despite looking otherwise, are all 30+. This goes against my usual trend of going after the twentysomethings. This was not a conscious choice (none of this was, other than the attitude adjustment), it just happened.

I am not trying to gloat here (no, really, I'm not), I am just left scratching my head and wondering where this all came from all of a sudden. I am, naturally, enjoying the hell out of it (duh!), but am left scratching my head in wonder and disbelief. A few of my friends did sum it up quite nicely, though, by pointing out that a little confidence really can go a long way.

Which means I am now one dangerous bad-ass motherfucker. Happy New Year, kids!