A Puma is a Cougar in Training.

I have girlfriends calling me a Cougar.

But I'm not over 40. So, I don't know if that counts. Apparently, a bunch of friends of mine got together awhile back and categorized people who date someone much younger than they... And a puma is a cougar-in-training. (A man who dates a much younger woman is just a "dirty old man". Again, this is according to others...)

Anyway.

Something's been in the air around me lately...

I've been asked out four times this week. And only one of those was a man older than I am.

I had a date with a boy 9 years my junior last night. But the day before that, I was asked out by someone three years younger than THAT!

I don't really understand what's happening here, but I'm enjoying it!

(I think the Universe has picked up on me using the word "boy" and is throwing them in my path! Or the Universe is throwing people in my path who are willing to have sex with me. Not that I've indulged, but it's nice to be asked??)

So, I'd been talking to this boy (Let's call him... Jason Mraz. ::snort::) for months. He worked at a store I frequented, and we always had a great time talking to each other. Flirting. Enjoying each other's energy.

Finally, I brought NOF with me and she pretty much pimped me out, and the next thing I know, he and I are friends on an online networking site, and texting fairly frequently, and talking on the phone. He came out with me and some friends a month or so ago (during the Leon-era), and we had a nice time. Apparently, he'd been reading my blog and knew all about Leon, but we pretty much established that there was an attraction there.

Anyway.

First day of school. I got a text from him, saying "happy first day", which was really touching (no, I hadn't heard from Leon. ::sigh:: LOL.) So, we kinda texted back and forth a bit, and then somehow, we ended up deciding to go to dinner last night.

I was pretty thrilled. (Because for weeks, I'd been joking with friends that I needed to hurry up and have sex with Jason Mraz before I ended up in a relationship. (Because it would be fun to say "I had sex with Jason Mraz!" Even if it's not THE Jason Mraz. Yes, I am a dork.)

So, I drove more than 45 minutes to meet him at this awesome restaurant, and we had an enjoyable time. The food was amazing... The company? Meh. Neither one of us was really feeling it. I was struck that he's really, really, really young. Or maybe he just didn't care enough to open doors or whatever, but I'm kinda spoiled.

I like it when a guy shows me that he's considering my feelings or whatever. I loved how Leon would wait for me to walk past him and place his hand on my back (or just watch me walk in front of him. Also flattering. ::giggle::) I loved how the first guy I went out with two months ago was so considerate of me, holding doors, holding my hand, walking me to my car, etc. I like that. I also felt like a guy who knew that there was non-valet parking on the street should have told me that before I arrived and parked with the valet. Argh.

Anyway, we had a wonderful meal (I'll totally go back to the restaurant!) and then the evening ended rather abruptly. I wasn't all that disappointed, but I was a bit surprised at how it went down.

I had a bit of a drive ahead of me, so I went back inside to use the restroom. It was barely past 8:00, and I considered sitting down in the bar and listening to the live music and hanging out with what seemed like a pretty chill crowd...

But common sense won out at that moment. I should probably head home and get some sleep. I still had two days left of my first workweek, and I didn't know how I'd feel by Friday.

So, I went to get my car from the valet... And when that amazingly handsome guy asked, "How was your dinner?", I responded, "Well, the food was great!"

And he picked up on something in my voice, and asked, "But not the company?" And as I pondered how to put it into words, he went and got my car, and asked me again how I'd felt about the date...

It was more than an hour and a half later that I finally drove away. This guy was amazing. Smart, educated (still in college. Leaving to go back in three weeks. Yep, even younger than my date last night!), gorgeous, interesting... We hit upon some pretty sensitive subjects even in the short time we spoke. I felt more of a connection with him than I had with the guy I'd been talking to for months! And he felt it too. Turns out, we actually live in the same town, and it wasn't long before he'd asked for my number. He called my cell "so that I won't show up as an unknown number", and I could have talked to him for hours... I loved looking at the moon with him... It was all hazy but bright... It was pretty awesome. Some mild flirting, but mostly just talking about whatever popped into our heads. No awkward silences. It was just comfortable. And he used words like "How do you keep your zen?" without me ever saying the word "zen". He just really got me.

I hated to leave, but I knew I would need some sleep. So, with assurances that we would connect soon, we said goodnight... And, yes, there was kissing. ::giggle::

So, no, I didn't have sex with Jason Mraz, who is 9 years younger than I... And I probably never will.

But the evening wasn't a total wash because I ended up with a beautiful boy's tongue in my mouth anyway. And even if I don't ever see him again, it will still be a night to remember.

Not quite the Skinemax rated blog we were hoping for.

So, my cousin set me up on a blind date. Sort of.

A couple of weeks ago, she and I decided to go see our uncle's play. And she asked me if it would be a girls' night or could she bring her boyfriend? I didn't get back to her before she asked me again and told me that she had a date lined up for me... Cute, but young. A friend of the boyfriend's. I wrote back "that's fine. Just tell him I'm expensive and I don't put out..." LOL.

I kind of forgot the whole thing until a couple of days before the play. We were hammering out details about dinner and she mentioned the date's name. And I pictured some short guy with red hair and freckles who looked like he's about 12 years old.

And then it hit me... Was this what the kids call a "blind date"? Asking a few friends, and a couple of my students... Who all agreed. This would be a blind date.

Great. Well, someone to practice on, right?

Anyway. Saturday morning, the cousin called.... Had I ordered tickets for the play? Um, no. Had she? We decided she should call our uncle and find out if we could still get in, but that we would still do dinner and perhaps a movie instead if we couldn't go to the play.

Ten minutes later, I got a text. That we were all set for the play, and BTW, C and E would be there. Um, you mean my ex-boyfriend's grandparents??? The ones who are practically like MY grandparents, but still might not know that I am getting divorced?

Wow. This would be fun.

Only in my world would anybody be going out on an unexpected blind date and go hang out with an ex's grandparents.

And that was when I got nervous. Ugh.

And of course the guy turned out to be adorable. Tall, dark, and handsome. And, yeah, he looked like he's about 12. I was surprised that we actually had a lot in common, but we didn't really talk that much. He was busy catching up with my cousin's boyfriend and she and I kind of talked to each other, but we did hit upon politics, religion, the weather, exercise, etc... I was slightly miffed when he said something about "Thirteen miles? You should be able to do that in less than three hours..." Um, and how many half-marathons have you run, Mister?

I was having a good time, but not feeling any particular connection... Just enjoying being out with nice people and going to the theater... Did see the ex's family, but didn't really get into any introductions or anything... And then, of course, the ex's MOM came outside to greet me! (I stupidly hadn't thought that she would have been the one driving them to the theater!) I didn't want to be rude, but there was no way I was going to introduce her to the guy that had just figured out that I have a son... (He asked "does your son like climbing on stuff like we do?" I grinned and answered, "absolutely. He gets it from his mom...")

While we were in line, we kind of split off a bit. My cousin and her boyfriend were all snuggly in line and that left me and my "date" to chat. We were finally having a dialogue when his phone rang. He very nicely apologized for answering it, but it was, apparently, his buddy who had just broken up with someone the night before... My "date" had insisted that the guy stay at his place that night so he wouldn't have to stay with his now ex-girlfriend... (At dinner, I'd asked, "Oh, you mean when people break up, they're supposed to not live together for more than a year afterwards?" And we all laughed about that....) Anyway, the friend had, apparently, locked himself out of his house, and could my "date" go let him in? My cousin and her boyfriend joked that he should just let him sit there for a couple of hours and wait, but this guy is pretty nice (and I, apparently, wasn't interesting enough for him to want to stay) and so he left to go rescue his friend. It all happened very quickly, the leaving and such.

So, no, TG, I doubt that I will see him again (unless the cousin sets up another "date" for the next play! LOL!)... And that's totally fine... I did ask "So, he found out I have a kid and went running, huh?" My cousin insisted it had nothing to do with me and that it's just "something that happened."

So, we watched the play and hung out with my uncle and his friends for a bit afterwards, and then I came home, set the clocks, and went to sleep for a few hours.

Last time change, BlackBerry didn't automatically update. So, I changed the time and set my alarm. And, this time, BlackBerry did it itself and I ended up getting up an hour earlier than planned. Ugh.

But I got in some lovely mileage with Ari, and then CoffeeLady met us for coffee... Ari spoiled me with a huge bag of Its a Grind High Octane coffee beans as a housewarming gift. I can't wait to go grind them. Whee!

So, here I am, procrastinating (again!) on my schoolwork... Blogging it because certain people were expecting the story. Which isn't much of a story. *shrug*

But I'm learning something about myself. Well, several somethings:

1. K2B thought it would take me a lot longer to find my "happy place" here. I wasn't insulted to hear that. But I am glad that I am in this "happy place".

2. I can go on a date. And not take it personally if it doesn't go anywhere. (DM and I decided that it's a "maturity" thing and not an "age" thing. So, I am now more open to considering someone younger. Where I wouldn't have before...)

3. If someone wants to run because I have a son, LET HIM. Buh-bye. I'm not going to hide that fact. Don't want someone falling in love with me and then having to "decide" whether or not I'm worth taking on my kid as well. My mom hid the fact of my existence the first couple of times she went out with my dad... And, yeah, they ended up living happily ever after (-ish), but I'm not that girl. I'm a mom, first. A potential mate second.

4. Awkward situations aren't nearly as awkward as they can seem. I have madder communication skillz than I'd given myself credit for.

5. Sometimes a molehill is just that. And I don't really need to make it a mountain anymore.

Now for some schoolwork.