Friday, April 24, 2009

Deep Thoughts on Date-Cation


I had the sort of March that left me with only two options: take April as a date-cation, or write a rock opera and sing all about it. As “Shannon the Musical” is really just about the worst idea anyone has ever had, I went with the date-cation. Man Free ‘til May! Woot!

I had this vague idea that I would learn a great deal, and turn into this saintly being who could forever lose her interest in emotionally damaged men in rumply Oxford shirts (I can fix you! I can save you! ….Daddy? Why don’t you love me?).

Well, I didn’t really learn anything at all. I don’t think I really expected to. I just figured I could use a break. Plus, I love arbitrary deadlines and self-denial. I used my time off wisely, on things like my amazing girlfriends, my awesome job, and catching up on six months’ worth of ironing.

And now I’m looking at the last week of Mancation, and wondering what’s next. The extension idea has been shot down, on the grounds that I’d probably explode all over Washington like a miniskirted supernova.

I’ve chosen to use my last week wisely, on the things that make me happy: Makers Mark and Grand Theft Auto. Somewhere in the bowels of Vice City, there's a little slice of enlightenment just waiting for me to find it.
In the comments, mock my love of failed experiments. Or, imagine the musical of your life.

23 comments:

Just A Girl said...

My musical would be awful. It would be all "Lalala life is so beautiful and I'm feeling so great but WAIT no it really sucks and people are awful but maybe it's OK AFTER AAAAAAALLLLL"

So instead, I think I'll pass on that in favor of eating this cookie I have for breakfast. April was sort of an accidental date-cation for me, but I'm with you, much longer and KABOOM.

HP said...

I hope you'll still have time for beers...(sniff)

Shannon said...

JAG - I'm picturing a dance routine with tambourines and sparklers.

HP - Oh, I'll always have time to drink beer with you!...how 'bout right now?

Capitol Hill 20210 said...

I thought you did very well on your mancation, you did better than me. I was bad, hence my extension.

however snay pointed out something on facebook yesterday - do I really need a mancation or satancation?

Shannon said...

Zip - You need major surgery. A Satanectomy.

Capitol Hill 20210 said...

Yes, Yes, Yes I do -- know any good doctors?

Just A Girl said...

Yeah, I was too. And jazz hands and overacting.

Shannon said...

Zip - You'll need a specialist.

JAG - Jazz hands? Spirit fingers!

Anonymous said...

Sorry for the lack of snark, but . . . do what makes you happy. You seemed to be really pleased with the datecation and very happy to have freed yourself from the expectations of others. Something worth thinking about.

rachaelgking said...

These are the things that should be pondered over shangria on a porch while meat cooks on a grill.

See ya tom.

Shannon said...

Fiery - A lack of snark is like a lack of sunshine or love. And thank you.

LiLu - I don't ponder. I reckon. Reckoning is far less taxing than pondering.

HomeImprovementNinja said...

Well, I don't know what you'd learn from a month of no dating, other than "wow...no sex for a month makes me reeaaaaalllly horny."

Shannon said...

Ninja - I plead the Fifth. In fact, I plead every single prime number I can think of. (Which isn't many, but, I still plead them!)

J said...

I've sort of inadvertently been on a TV-cation for the last month or so. This tends to happen every so often (sometimes when the DVR is clear I just go a month and let it refill). And it's hard to go back because once I'm out of the TV habit, I find myself with so many wonderful and interesting things to fill my free time. Not that TV isn't sometimes worthwhile (I am not a TV hater at all), but there aren't enough hours in the day to do all that I want to do.

And something similar happened with my dating hiatus, but it's something I'm less happy with. Once I got out of the habit of dating for 6+ months or so, I got some inclinations to try it again. And it's been rough. My confidence is bruised, and it's harder to get excited about girls.. I don't know if I'm growing up, getting jaded, or just struggling to emerge from a slump (hopefully the last).

I don't know what the conclusion is here, though. I think I need a catalyst. Watching one really good episode of 24 might break me down and get me watching TV all over again. Meeting someone really cool might be a good catalyst, but that seems slightly less self-sufficient than I want to be... I guess I'm trying to let go a little and just see what happens. I think there is hope :)

Patty Duke said...

I don't think that your experiment failed. You haven'that will done the litmus test yet. Going out on a date. That will test how far you have come.
My musical would be Dreamgirls Revised. Unfortunately I would be Effie.

lacochran said...

First, I would SO see Shanusical!

Second, why not try 8 minute dating. It's all the rage. Bound to give you blog material. :)

Shannon said...

Justin - Oh, you have plenty of time to get jaded. Case in point: the Bad Boyfriend Showcase Showdown HP and I were having today. But if you're not feeling it, why force it?

Patty - You're right. So long as I don't act barking mad or face-plant into a taxi, I'm sure I'll be fine.

I didn't really get why Dreamgirls was supposed to be so great, I found it kind of blah. I think my musical would be the HMS Pinafore.

Shannon said...

Lacochran - Shanusical sounds like...I dunno? A disease? And it was bad enough looking at my OKCupid profile after a long absence - remind me and I'll blog about it at some point.

J said...

Shan,

Whenever I get pessimistic, it tends to pass after a good night's sleep. I think I have a long, long way to go before Jadedtown... As for forcing it, I wasn't, but I think I might slowly be working back to that point. Trying to pull back now (last night makes that a lot easier).

But I started again because a) things were looking up, a) I was ready for a change/my mood and outlook were improving - thought it would be a good time to come out of my rut/hiatus (i.e, I wanted to!), b) girls are pretty!

Now, when are we doing happy hour again? :) You'll make me a beer drinker yet...

FoggyDew said...

First, there's no way that "Shannon, The Musical" is a worse idea than "Baseketball."

B, you still have almost a week left in which to find some deep, inner meaning and enlightenment.

And, lastly, ... I got nothing. No lastly, except stick with the booze. It's the answer to all of life's questions.

Shannon said...

Justin - Always, though, next time maybe we won't be eating Godiva chocolates at McFadden's. That was a little too high class/white trash, even for this Woodbridge girl.

Foggy - You just compared me to Baseketball. That alone tells me I have a long way to go in my spiritual journey.

Patty Duke said...

Yeah the movie was blah, come on, Beyonce' as Deana. The play was much better.

Zandria said...

Well, like you said, this month was a date-cation. And I admire the fact that you set a period of time that you weren't going to do a certain thing, and you stuck by it. (And getting productive stuff done? Score! You're doing better than I am!)

Totally up for another happy hour, by the way. And I promise not to leave early, like I did the first time we met up. (Stupid men.)