(1) I�ve written my breakup list. There are seven rather trivial items on there. As I leave my state of denial, I�m sure I�ll add more, but right now it�s tough. We�re really similar people, and I think I�m rather cool. By default, so is he. Blah.

(2) I don�t need a rebound man. As I mentioned above, I already think highly of myself.

(3) I�m not really drinking, nor do I have any interest in smooching anyone. I don�t drink after others, so why would I share mouth germs with someone I�m not interested in?

(4) I really have no interest in getting drunk as a release. I allow myself to wallow in self pity in the shower only, and I otherwise go on with my life.

(5) Food tastes like cardboard right now, but I�m choking some down each day. I�m sure I�ve already lost weight, but don�t start hooking me up to any nutritional IVs. I�m maintaining my usual strenuous activities, so some weight loss will occur with decreased calories. Give me a couple weeks before food starts tasting like food again, and I�ll be back on the half a box of cereal per day kick.

(6) Me? Busy? BBQ on Monday. Helping a friend move and going out for dinner on Tuesday. Sailing on Wednesday. A rockabilly music show on Thursday. A skating event on Friday. A friend�s birthday party on Saturday. Volunteering on Sunday. Volunteering on Monday. Running club on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Oh no! An empty day on Friday. Running club and volunteering on Saturday. Volunteering on Sunday.

And this is just in the next two weeks.

(7) I�m not drunk dialing anyone because I�m not really drinking.

(8) I always look good when I leave the house, so I�m not really concerned. I�ve already got a following of men who can smell my singleness, and I�m pretty sure Benito would give me the eye no matter what I was wearing.

(9) Hambone is wonderful. How great is it to be met by the front door? for him to wake me up just to play? for my lap to be the preferred resting spot in the entire condo? I�m especially thankful for him.

(10) The responses I�ve gotten have been wonderful. Again, thank you all.

Being out of the dating pool for so long, I�ve forgotten how sneaky men are. If they�re good conversationalists, it�s especially easy to get tricked. This is how I accidentally agreed to a non-date for this Thursday.

I call it a non-date because my friend Happy was clued into what was going on and invited herself with a quick, �Ohh! I want to come too!�

Bless that woman.

The guy is in the same industry as Benito, so we had plenty to talk about. I know the major players, what�s up and up, and a bit of history too. I suppose being able to talk about stuff that boys like makes boys go ga-ga.

With exception to me having no interest in dating whatsoever, there�s another problem with this. This guy is currently all-out in love with a friend of mine. And although she has no interest, there�s something weird in girl land about a guy being all about you and then suddenly not. I say good riddance, but most ask what happened to change his mind and then obsess about it. And while obsessing, any negative thoughts get thrown on the guy�s new topic of interest. Eek!

I need to try my little tush off to make sure the guy sees that I�m not available, that I�m only as cool as he thinks I am because of my ex, and that there�s no chance that it�ll happen... All the while, still enjoying myself in friendly company.

I�m not too concerned about it. I just don�t want that girl friend of mine to turn into a girl hater over this.

There�s some humor I�ve found in having been dumped. Because of this, I�m allowed to do damn well whatever I please while muttering, �I just got dumped.�

I want to leave early? I just got dumped. I need to go home to cry.

Friends want me to drink with them? I just got dumped. I don�t need another depressant.

A guy seems interested in you and you want to blow him off nicely? I just got dumped. I�m still obsessing over the ex.

Similarly, if there�s anything I want to do and others are unwilling, I can use it in the opposite sense. I just got dumped. You really should go watch midget wrestling/eat copious amounts of sushi/sit on the couch and watch TV/etc. with me.

I figure I�ve got this excuse for a good couple months.

As for my close friends, they too can feel free to use it.

When a guy asks her out and she isn�t interested but didn�t cancel in time to not be a bitch? Jo just got dumped. I have to go watch midget wrestling/eat copious amounts of sushi/sit on the couch and watch TV/etc. with her.

Ta-da!

As mentioned in (6) in the list above, tonight I�m going sailing. I grew up spending a lot of time on Lake Houston, yet I�ve never been on a sailboat.

I�ll be with the yacht club snobs out at Belmont, learning what�s what and what to do. If nothing else, it�s one new thing to try that I never have to do again.

Time to skedaddle since it takes forever to get out there. �