firsts – FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER!

The Contractor and the Jet Setter

September 12, 2026September 11, 2026 Posted in best, California, cars, chemistry, firsts, high heels, humor, jet setter, last, meet and greet, relationships, travelLeave a comment

(re-run) It was Tom, the contractor’s, umpteenth date on Match.com. The woman he matched with was from the same affluent town, was the same height as he was, and was ready to meet him at Bridges, the hot spot downtown with the best happy hour. But when Ellen walked in, she had on three inch… Continue reading The Contractor and the Jet Setter

Head in the Clouds Harry

September 11, 2026September 10, 2026 Posted in dating, firsts, hiking, relationships, sports, travel, worstsLeave a comment

They met at the Appalachian Mountain club, an organization for sporting events in Boston. He was athletic looking with a nice smile. Harry asked Margo to go on a short hike with him in New Hampshire. She agreed to drive separately and meet him at the trailhead since she had a dinner to attend that… Continue reading Head in the Clouds Harry

Marathon Man

September 7, 2026September 6, 2026 Posted in dating, relationships, firsts, sports, restaurant, California, online dating, worst, marathon, runnerLeave a comment

(re-run) She had tried them all — Match, eharmony, Our Time, Chemistry, Zoosk, OkCupid, and CoffeeMeetsBagel. She’d had her share of weirdos and had learned to use a fake name, fake town, and a fake place of work. She had been stalked in the past. Now she knew how to do it and be safe.… Continue reading Marathon Man

The Third Date Rule?

September 4, 2026September 3, 2026 Posted in aging, California, clueless, dating, dinner, escape, firsts, hoarder, humor, last, online dating, relationships, restaurant, romance, waiter, worstLeave a comment

After Sue became a widow, her adult children were protective of her dating online. They had her send them a profile photo, an address, and phone number for each guy she dated. One of them was an anesthesiologist named Don. Sue’s son’s friend knew Don since he was in the medical field. Sue felt safe… Continue reading The Third Date Rule?

Leroy, the Farmer Boy

September 1, 2026August 31, 2026 Posted in blind date, college, dating, firsts, humor, Iowa, relationships, restaurant, worstsLeave a comment

It was a Saturday night and the dorm floor was deserted. Everyone was off doing something fun. Ellie sat at her desk trying to study Biology 101, but she wasn’t feeling it. A dorm mate burst in and asked her if she wanted to go on a double date right then and there, to a… Continue reading Leroy, the Farmer Boy

Moon Over Lafayette

August 31, 2026August 30, 2026 Posted in dating, firsts, relationships, restaurant, worstsLeave a comment

(re-run) Trudy worked at an engineering firm. Joe was the visiting copy machine repair man, or as her office mates called him, the Xerox guy. One day Trudy had to make copies. Joe was at the machine, repairing away. “Oh,” she said. “No copies for me!” “Hey there,” Joe said. “We should catch dinner sometime.”… Continue reading Moon Over Lafayette

Don’t Date the Neighbor

August 29, 2026August 28, 2026 Posted in California, children, control freak, dating, divorce, dogs, firsts, humor, last, mom, moving, neighbors, relationships, restaurant, toys, worstLeave a comment

Julie got divorced and moved into her new townhouse with her six-year-old son. One day, when she was out walking her dog, a guy mowing his lawn turned off the mower and said hello. They chatted about her dog, and Julie mentioned that she had just moved in. Doug rode his bike a lot while… Continue reading Don’t Date the Neighbor

Betting on a Jersey Girl

August 20, 2026August 19, 2026 Posted in betting, dating, firsts, marriage, marriage proposal, relationshipsLeave a comment

(re-run) He was working in Pittsburgh, auditing Gulf Oil for Price Water House. One of his married buddies approached the crowd at the water cooler and asked a guy, John, if he wanted a blind date with his wife’s friend from dental school. “Wait!” Arthur said. “You already have a girlfriend, John. How about me?… Continue reading Betting on a Jersey Girl

Keeping Up with the Culture

August 16, 2026August 14, 2026 Posted in best, culture, daughter, ethnicity, firsts, grad school, humor, last, memoir, Midwestern, Omaha, racist, Redbull, relationships, Roots, slavery, son, student, student teaching, Study abroad, teaching, TV, University of Nebraska at Omaha, water cooler, worstLeave a comment

Yesterday my son told me what click bait means. I am woefully out of the loop on many things computer. But I think I have a good handle on pop culture, for the most part. The first time I heard an eighth grade student say awesome, it sounded out of place. But that was 35… Continue reading Keeping Up with the Culture

Popsicles, Light Carpet, and Stitches

August 11, 2026August 10, 2026 Posted in babies, best, California, childhood, children, daughter, emergency room, feet, firsts, holidays, hospital, humor, Labor Day, memoir, mom, nine year old, pain, parents, relationships, summer, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) It was Labor Day weekend. We needed to get a handle on the mess in the garage. I asked my oldest to watch my youngest while we parents worked outside. She was nine, in 4th grade already for a week, and the baby was almost two and a half. Then a series of unfortunate… Continue reading Popsicles, Light Carpet, and Stitches