Happy Anniversary

I was originally going to post something else today (it's already written), but today is an anniversary of sorts for me. It's a strange one, and it harkens back to this.


You see, today is the anniversary of the day that I met the 'subject' of that piece.

I don't know if I shared the story last time, but very quickly (I promise)...went to a housewarming party. Host told me before I got there that someone else I'd seen the night before was checking for me. I'm not one...yeah, to the point...so I saw her and she immediately caught my eye. I didn't think too much of anything at first - I never do - but then opportunity knocked.

We were the only two people in the house at one point and we started talking. Turned out we had similar professional interests, similar backgrounds, and she even did things that I meant to start on in my life (like volunteering). She was almost completely perfect, and I was almost completely gone.

We talked and went out a couple times before I got the "good guy" speech.

So, why on Earth am I writing a post commemorating the anniversary of this?

Here's why: she taught me not to settle.

Over the course of my relationship life, I've made that mistake a few times...and I think I've mentioned a couple times how barren the landscape is. Well, she reminds me that there's always someone out there who's as amazing as I hope a potential mate would be. I met her by accident on a night when I was first focused on someone else, and she caught my attention in a way only one person has before.

I've been in a few relationships. None of those women captivated me the way she did. I overlooked this or that for the sake of being involved with someone. Never again. She did the same thing that my female friends do, but in a more intimate sense: she made it harder for other women to date me (not that anyone's trying, but that's another matter) by giving me rational and reason - there's a difference between the two - to keep my preferences specific.

*Note how I didn't say "keep my standards high".

I know what I want, and every thought of her (I admit to having more than a few) reminds me to not stop until I get it. If I do, obviously that will be great. If not, then I will at least have the satisfaction of knowing that I didn't choose someone who I knew would fall short...and my exes will tell you, it's not fun dating me if I'm less than pleased with you.

So that's why I'm happy. I'm not ruining my dating life, I'm not ruining anyone else's. I know there are awesome women out there, and I refuse to give all that I have for anyone who isn't all of what I want.

Anyway, time for this anniversary dinner.