soundhack's journals

I have recently started dating someone I met on an online dating site. It started off a bit off-and-on, but lately its heated up quite a bit. To my surprise (mostly pleasant), she told me that she was saving herself for her future husband. Now that may not be that shocking---although in this day and age I think it is rare---but she is not some teenage or even 20 something. She is a 30 something professional. Granted, she  hasn't had much dating experience, but still I think it is amazing that she is still a virgin.

I think most guys would have one of two reactions--- 1) give up and go find someone "easy" 2) think of it as a challenge and try to get her to sleep with them. I personally was touched by her commitment, and having come off a relationship where my SO couldnt have enough sex, I think her no-sex rule is just about right, at least for now. I'm no longer young, though, so I kind of want to settle down and raise a family soon. So the clock is ticking...

I teach during the summers in Boston, two classes in fact. one in web development and one in robotics. I've taught the former for 8 years now and the latter for 3, and suffice to say I am getting bored with the webcourse. Not coincidentally I guess is the fact that I got a real negative feedback a few days ago about my teaching style, which I am still puzzling over. I've been teaching this for so long that perhaps I am blinded by routine, but I've also gotten accustomed to recommendations and suggestions that are often diamterically opposed. Some say it is too easy, some say it's too hard, others say I should follow the textbook closer, others say I need to not cover textbook material.

In anycase the bottom line is you can't please everyone all the time, and I stopped trying a while ago. Still, it is a downer to get negative feedback regardless of its validity. I spoke to my supervisor and we both agreed next year I will move on and teach another, more advanced class. The robotics class I have been getting high marks, so I will continue to teach that. I just have to figure out another course to teach!

What a difference a day makes. Went to the State Department doctor to get the results of my blood/urine tests as well as get a physical. I've had retinal tears in the past, all corrected easily with laser surgery, but the doctor pretty much told me that will probably block my appointment, because foreign service officers are expected to be deployed anywhere in the world, including places with limited medical facilities.

He still suggested I get my doctor to send him a summary report, but I've gone from flying high to pretty much depressed in the span of a day.

To top it off, my current job is winding down and I don't have many other prospects, this was close to my last hope.  I've been moping around in my hotel all evening, can't wait till I get back to San Diego tomorrow night and go on a road trip to LA over the weekend to take my mind off things.

Well, I passed the State Department exam, and if all goes well I'll be able to take assignments all over the world. The work would be boring, mostly consular stuff at first (stamping passports I guess), but I'll be able to move around the world rent-free, which is cool, because frankly I'm tired of living in the US. And with the economy tanking the way it is, it might not be a moment too soon.

There were plenty of people who said they'ld leave the country if Bush gets elected, I may be 7 years late, but the way he messed up this country, it will take years (if ever) to fix.

Other than Iraq or Afghanistan, I wouldnt mind being sent to any country in the world.

Stuck in DC over the weekend (actually Boston too). Freezing MAO, it's snowing/sleeting. Miss San Diego and the nice weather.

I am practically in-between jobs now, and have some seriously hard decisions to make, as to where to go from here---continue on my boring career as government shill, or do something more part-time but interesting waiting for a big break in a startup.

What I want to do most of all is go work for the Foreign Service and get sent all over the world, meet new people (women especially! :) and see the sights. Final step is in January, wish me luck :)

If anyone from San Diego (preferably female, but I promise I wont bite) bothers to read this, please drop me a line. I would love to chat with more San Diegans, especially if I have to leave our fair city soon .

Just came back from a night on the town, it was spent mostly arguing ("discussing") with an old friend in a bar about society and politics.I've known this friend since high school, and it seems like as the years have passed we have diverged significantly in our views. It seems like we are now not only opposites in the way we think, we have flipped 180 degrees from our own views from high school. Back then I was very conservative and he was very liberal, now we are reversed.

I won't bore everyone with the details, but he adamantly insists the war in iraq is a worthwhile endeavor, although it has been executed badly. The other point of contention was whether one should pick a fight with a stranger wearing Nazi gear on the street. (I say just ignore the idiot, my friend thinks we have a moral and social duty to "correct" people who think offensive thoughts)

In anycase, it was pretty stimulating, but now I'm a little down that it seems like we wasted so many hours just arguing. The only cool thing tonight was that the very cute waitress hung around our table (it was a slow night) to chat. She was REALLY cute :)

So United definitely sucks.

I've had more trouble with united in the past two months than I've had with American the past two years. I think United flight attendants are friendly (at least to me) but the equipment they fly sucks. Three times already I've had major delays because of mechanical problems. This is the second time I'm stuck overnight in Chicago trying to get home to San Diego.

They've put me up at the Wyndham O'Hare, which is small consolation because I really wanted to spend the night in my own bed (a cot really, but it's still mine).

At least this hotel has HBO and R-rated movies on.

I am in DC, stuck in a hotel over the weekend on business travel. One good thing about this is that I get cable, which I dont have at home. This is the third time I think that I have spent Saturday night watching multiple episodes of Nip/Tuck on FX, and I must say I am hooked. Intelligent dialogue, wacky but somewhat believable plots and story arcs, and of course all the beautiful women.

Still I can't help but think if I were younger I would be impressionable enough with the glamour to want to get plastic surgery myself. Lucky for me, I'm older, wiser, and while richer, more concerned about trivial expenses. So while I'm far from good looking enough to attract the women Christian manages to, I'm ok with it, really.

I wasn't a psych major, but I am a student of human nature. The older I get it is hard not to get cynical about people's motivations and behaviors.

For example:

I've noticed this in the past, but recently it was so blatant (at least to me) that I had to laugh. I've noticed that when a guy is with his girlfriend he apparently has this innate urge to "mark his territory" when another guy is around. The usual cases I observe are when I am walking down the street. From far away the guy and girl may be walking nonchalantly, but as soon as the guy is aware of my presence, he immediately takes her hand, puts his arm around her shoulders, pecks her cheek, etc. etc. ad nauseum. Now once or twice I can figure it is coincidence (he was going to do that anyway) but almost without fail does this behavior happen, making me believe he is reacting to another guy's presence and making clear that this women by his side is HIS. 

I find this behavior amusing, if primitive. The case that brought this all to mind again was when I was at Borders this weekend. I was browsing for a book at some tables. This guy (white) and his girlfriend (Asian) were at one table, not even close together. As soon as I walk to this table, he hugs her, kisses her, and makes all sorts of silly (to me) comments. She basically ignores him and continues reading a book. All this time he is furtively looking in my direction. I am not sure if this was a typical male/female-male reaction, or because he was white, she was Asian, and I happen to be Asian too.

In anycase all this amuses me to no end, primarily because it is such a primitive, insecure behavior. I try to remember when I had a girlfriend if I behaved like this, and I honestly don't think I have. I guess I need to have another girlfriend soon to test out whether I have this behavior or not!

I would like to think though that I am secure enough in myself that I not only wouldnt display such obvious behaviors, but wouldn't mind at all if my gf strikes up conversations with other guys.

Wow, it's been a while since I last posted. A lot has happened to me since, but getting reacquainted with this site brings back good memories. I have my own wordpress blog up on the net, and have been periodically updating that.

I just ended a seven week teaching gig in Boston (this is the seventh year Ive taught) and for a while I was traveling between Boston, DC and San Diego. This past week I was finally able to relax at home, in San Diego, and caught up on a lot of sleep.

Lately I've been a bit "meh" in terms of dating. Partly because Im too busy, but also because it is beginning to feel like too much work. The girl of my dreams is still in a foreign country, I have another "friend" Im going to visit in a few weeks, but am not looking forward to it too much. I think I need a break. I've always tried to be a "nice guy," but lately I think a shallow, physical only relationship is looking a lot more appealing. No commitments, no drama. Only thing is, I'm not the attractive hunk type that can pick up anyone. What's a sensitive good-guys-finish-last type to do?