Does anyone know this man? He looks like he might be perfect for me.
Starting Over
Archived Posts from this Category
August 4, 2012
Time to get back on the horse.
Posted by Unconfirmed Bachelorette under Love, Marriage, Relationships, Starting Over, Uncategorized | Tags: Cats, Cooking, Love, Marriage, Relationships |[4] Comments
June 16, 2012
I didn’t feel a thing.
Posted by Unconfirmed Bachelorette under Breakup, Getting Unstuck, Healing, Letting Go, Living Life, Manipulation, Moving On, Relationships, Starting Over | Tags: Abusive Relationships, Breaking Up, Getting Over Him, Love, Relationships, Starting Over |[13] Comments
I received an email from Mack the other day telling me he’d sent me the final payment. But instead of just telling me he’d sent the final payment, he continued with a long drawn-out emotional message about various and sundry things; things I don’t feel compelled to spend typing strokes on here. He did say we have no need to contact one another again. Ever. So I guess that means he’ll stop trying to hook me with emotional emails. Oh wait. Maybe not. What was the next thing in my inbox? You got it: another email from Mack. This one included a song he recorded. Apparently about me. I’m not sure though, because I didn’t listen to it.
So how did this final spate of emails make me feel?
I didn’t feel sad. I didn’t feel angry. I didn’t feel regret. I did feel a slight bit of irritation, but not enough to color my day. And I felt relief.
Dare I say it?
June 3, 2012
The Thing That Wouldn’t Leave
Posted by Unconfirmed Bachelorette under Abusive Relationships, Breakup, Healing, Letting Go, Love, Manipulation, Moving On, Relationships, Starting Over | Tags: Abusive Relationships, Breaking Up, Getting Over Him, Love, Manipulation, Relationships, Starting Over |[11] Comments
Remember the old John Belushi SNL skit, where Belushi ensconced himself in the home of Jane Curtain and Bill Murray and wouldn’t leave? It came to mind this morning in thinking about my latest email from Mack. Yes, Mack still sends me notes from time to time. For months I didn’t reply, but when he sent sympathy notes about my brother, I felt I couldn’t ignore those, and so I thanked him. Since then, I’ve been responding to his emails. In his last note, he told me he’d finish paying off his financial debt to me next month, and we can then finally go our separate ways.
My initial reaction, if only in my head:
We went our separate ways eight months ago. Or at least I did.
But then I started thinking about it. Mack’s been writing me notes since I ended things back in September. He never stopped. In early December, I stopped responding. But receiving his notes, whether I replied or not, kept him in my head. Which I’m guessing was the point. He wrote a song about me once, which included the line: “If I can’t be the love of your life, I hope I’ll still be on your mind.” And here we are, eight months after I ended the relationship, and yes, he’s still on my mind.
The last note he wrote to me, I let him get under my skin. I responded, expressing my ire. I could have kicked myself the next day for writing back. But it’s got me thinking: When at long last he stops writing to me and sending me monthly payments, will it be like a breakup all over again? Of course on a much smaller scale. But will it cause me pain?
What does it take for a goodbye to be final? What does it look like to be fully split? When there’s no longer any form of communication? When they stop getting under your skin? When you stop loving them? When you stop wanting them? When you stop wishing things could have been different? When you stop wishing they were the man you fell in love with?
When have you truly moved on?
June 2, 2012
Anticlimax
Posted by Unconfirmed Bachelorette under Abilify, Antidepressants, Blogging, Chemistry, Deplin, Depression, Getting Unstuck, Living Life, Mid-Life, Moving On, Running, Starting Over | Tags: Antidepressants, Blogging, Depression, Living Life, mental-health, Mid-Life, outdoors, Starting Over |[5] Comments
After a fabulous vacation in Tuscany, I am back to the mundanities of life. I’ve spent the past week and a half digging out at work (and getting behind on my blogging). I traveled to Chicago for meetings this week, and while I love Chicago in the summertime, the last thing I wanted to do was get back on a plane. My reward was accepting my neighbor’s invitation to drink bubbles by the pool last night. (Much to my chagrin, I think I may actually feel the stirrings of a requited crush.) The combo of the bubbles and all the recent travel finally hit me, and this morning I stayed in bed until 11:00 a.m. catching up on sleep and recharging.
Okay, okay. I won’t skip over the requited crush topic. My neighbor has been crushing on me for years. The trouble is, he’s nearly fifteen years younger, and wants babies. (“But not tonight,” he said, the last time he made a pass at me.) Despite the fact that he’s charming, sophisticated, well-traveled, single, stable, and has a job (the opposite of my last foray into romance), not to mention a sexy Latin accent, there’s just no point in going down that road. And then there’s the fact that it’s a terrible idea to have a fling with a neighbor. So I shall keep it as a flirtation, and enjoy that. But still, there is a stirring in my girl loins that I haven’t felt in months.
All in all, I’m feeling pretty good these days. But the anticlimactic feeling that often comes at the end of a great vacation has me looking for something more. The something more that comes to mind is getting back to my running. But I’m having trouble running in the heat on the antidepressants. The Abilify warnings state that it’s easier to become overheated while exercising, and cautions against strenuous exercise. I live in Austin. I exercise outdoors in the heat. I refuse to spend my life on my elliptical (sheer freakin’ drudgery). So I’ve made the decision to see how I do quitting one of the trifecta (Ability, Deplin, and Wellbutrin). I called Dr. McEnroe yesterday to get his input on my plan to quit the Abilify, but he hasn’t yet returned the call. Nevertheless, I’ve decided to go ahead and stop it, cold turkey. I’m sure there will be those who protest, but I’m going to do it anyway. When I’ve made up my mind to quit something, I don’t do it by halves. Including relationships and cigarettes. And besides, having quit smoking cold turkey some years ago, I can’t imagine this could be any worse. Just rip the band-aid off and get through it. It’s the best way. In quitting drugs, and men.
Hopefully once the Abilify is out of my system, I’ll be able to run without feeling like I’m going to keel over from the heat. And just to get it out there, I really want to be drug-free within the next several months. I’m feeling better. And with proper sleep, exercise, and Vitamin D (and staying away from abusive jackasses), maybe I’ll be successful in managing the depression without the drugs.
I think I’ve got this now.
May 17, 2012
Vorno, Tuscany: Walk #2
Posted by Unconfirmed Bachelorette under Flowers, Italy, Living Life, Mid-Life, Starting Over, Travel, Tuscany, Vorno, walking1 Comment
Here are some sights from my second walk near the villa. Tomorrow, I make it to the top of the hill!
May 17, 2012
Tuscany Day 3: Walk In Vorno
Posted by Unconfirmed Bachelorette under Flowers, Healing, Living Life, Mid-Life, Moving On, Starting Over, Travel, Tuscany, Vorno | Tags: Flowers, Living Life, Travel, Tuscany, Vorno |[2] Comments
I went for a lovely walk yesterday in the town where the villa is in which I’m staying: Vorno. I’m going to do a repeat today. Here’s a sampling of yesterday’s walk.
May 17, 2012
Tuscany Day 3: Lucca
Posted by Unconfirmed Bachelorette under Blogging, Flowers, Healing, Lucca, Moving On, Starting Over, Travel, Tuscany | Tags: Flowers, Living Life, Lucca, Mid-Life, Travel, Tuscany |1 Comment
The days have been so full I’ve gotten a little behind on my posts. Here are some shots of our visit to Lucca, which is a walled city in Tuscany. It used to have a moat, as well.
May 14, 2012
Tuscany, Day 2: Morning Photo Blog
Posted by Unconfirmed Bachelorette under Flowers, Living Life, Mid-Life, Moving On, Starting Over, Travel, Tuscany | Tags: Flowers, food, Interior Design, Living Life, Mid-Life, nature, Starting Over, Travel, Tuscany |[6] Comments
Here are some shots of my morning walk, followed by the lunch cooking class:
May 13, 2012
Tuscany, Day 1
Posted by Unconfirmed Bachelorette under Living Life, Moving On, Starting Over, Travel, Tuscany, Uncategorized | Tags: food, Getting Over Him, Living Life, Starting Over, Travel, Tuscany, vacation |[4] Comments
After 12 hours of flight time, I made it to Tuscany and I’m at the villa. It’s lovely. But I’ve yet to sleep on a trans-Atlantic flight. I was plied with Prosecco and Italian salami, olives, and cheese upon my arrival. The chef’s name is Valentino. Perfect.
I hadn’t intended to nap. The plan was to push on through. But then the light rain began, and it was so cozy that I thought I’d rest my head for a moment. A moment turned into a three-hour nap. I feel rested and ready to continue the adventure.
I’m off in search of my villa-mates, whom I haven’t yet met. And more Prosecco.
March 27, 2012
Painting Over the Past
Posted by Unconfirmed Bachelorette under Abusive Relationships, Antidepressants, Breakup, Depression, Domestic Violence, Getting Unstuck, Healing, Interior Design, Letting Go, Living Life, Love, Marriage, Mid-Life, Moving On, Relationships, Starting Over, Travel | Tags: Abusive Relationships, Antidepressants, Breaking Up, Depression, Domestic Abuse, Engagement Ring, Getting Over Him, Interior Design, Living Life, Love, mental-health, Mid-Life, paint color, Relationships, Starting Over, Travel, vacation, women |[4] Comments
The painter comes tomorrow. It feels like this change is about a lot more than paint color. It’s been six months since I ended things with Mack, give or take a handful of days. According to popular thinking, it was to take me half the time of the relationship to feel free of him. We were “together” a few days shy of a year. So here we are, at half-time.
At least in my case, the formula is accurate. It took a psychiatrist, a cocktail of antidepressants, a therapist, a personal trainer, an interior designer, a painter, and a scheduled trip to Tuscany. But I’m free of him. Mostly.
I go days at a time without him sliding into my thoughts. I’ve stopped mentioning him to my friends; for which I’m sure they are most grateful. I’ve stopped muttering a barage of profanity to myself, when I do think of him. I’ve started wearing the ring again. On my right hand. I asked two of my dear friends at sushi the other night, “Does it pass as a right-hand ring?” And they said, “It can be whatever you want it to be.” What I want it to be is a very special ring I bought for myself. Which is exactly what it is.
I’m so grateful it sits upon my right hand, rather than my left.
Yes, it’s definitely about more than just the paint. It’s about making my life, my environment, my world, just the way I want it to be. My old paint is a burnished red. And sandy beige. My new paint is a deep vibrant teal and a neutral called Coastal Fog. I’ve always been attracted to cool colors. I have no idea how I ended up with warm. But tomorrow, they’ll be gone. And my home will be vibrating on the same frequency as my soul.
And I’ll have painted over Mack.
