Well I suppose it's time to re-write this.

I've been divorced for a year (and 4 days, to be precise). I don't think I was designed to be single. I took on a bunch of bills when she walked out, so since November '07, I've been living in a barn/cabin on the family's property. The financial picture should look considerably better by year's end.

I don't really have any friends any more. I lost touch with most of the old crowd and I really pissed away most of the 90s. To be honest, there are some years I don't remember very well. The ex liked having control and as soon as I came out of my stupor and got my stuff together, she took off to find someone else to nag. I thank her for that on a nearly daily basis, because I'm so loyal I'd never have left.

I have basically zero social life at this point. I spend most of my free time looking for ways to spend my time. It's just no fun doing things by yourself, but I'm getting along ok.

Alright, in red text (which means IMPORTANT!) above this space, I'm being told that I need to talk about certain things.

Hobbies.

I really enjoy cooking, though it's considerably less fun to cook for yourself than for others. Hunting and fishing work into the cooking more than anything else. If you're not going after the tasty meat, you're just camping. Which is fine, too. I've picked up golf in the last year or so, mostly as a business tool. I enjoy building things, anything. Furniture, computers, models, kits, you name it. For travel, I've been around the country and to Europe; someday I'd like to have more time/funds to get around a little more.

Goals/aspirations.

Wow. Well first of all I'd like to have a family. I don't want to dwell on the past but the day the ex announced that she never, ever wanted to have children (there's more to the sad story if you care to know), I knew that relationship was dead. To my way of thinking, family is the most important thing in the world. This goes up and down the chain - meaning the family you were born with and the family you bear. At 36 years old, I recognize that it's becoming increasingly unlikely that I'll have children of my own. I've come to terms with that, but that doesn't erase my desire to be involved in bringing up the next generation. In short, women with children need not think that it's a black mark on their attractiveness.

I have some "goals" which may or may not be pipe dreams. As an outgrowth of my cooking skills, I regularly make my own spice blends, sauces, and marinades. Everyone says I should pursue that as a business. Maybe someday I will, who knows.

In time, I will have the opportunity to "inherit" (aka buy) my family's industrial supply company. If it was mine to control, I'd almost certainly expand its operations. For now though, I'm just on the payroll.

Myself and what makes me unique.

HAHA! Nothing makes me unique. That was a hard lesson to learn. I can say this much though: I read people. I think most people have this ability to some degree, though I also believe that most people do it instinctively. In my case, it's more deliberate. Others may see this as being "judgmental." That's a criticism I've learned to accept, though I refuse to see it as a detriment. It's a skill like any other, and in my case I believe it to be finely honed. The point here being, I suppose, that none of us is "unique," and I tend to discount those who think they are.

My taste in music.

Everybody says "I like everything." At heart, I'm a rock 'n' roll guy, I'll admit that. I refuse to make a long list of things I like, as I view it as a pointless (and endless) exercise. But I like oldies, blues, rock, blues-rock, country, rap, pop, doowop, and a little jazz and classical. As for what I don't like? Stuff that doesn't sound like music (i.e. "experimental" music), and people screaming into a microphone (i.e. deathmetal or "black" metal). That doesn't mean I won't listen to it, it just means I don't enjoy it.

(Wow... I'm going to have to update this section some other time.)

First date? That depends on a lot of factors. It would be presumptuous for me to act like it's my decision.

Anything is fine with me. Dinner at a favorite restaurant or a new one. A show or a concert. Something adolescent like go-kart riding or miniature golf.

The list could go on and on. But how about instead I list things I would NOT like to do on a first date:

Help you move.
Accompany you to court.


Bail you out of jail.
Run a marathon.
Play Wii.
Go shoe shopping (okay, maybe I would.... shush).
Ambulance ride.

This is getting silly.