*** Official Weekend Singles' Thread - May 30 to June 1 - Crushes ***

May 30, 2008

[WFTR]

BTW.......great topic!

Thank Dave for this one.

[WFTR]

I can imagine that a woman would need to wear her hair differently in the summer. I find that I can’t stand going as long between haircuts in the summer as I can at other times.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

(I can pay my bill online).

But that does not mean that you have to pay it on line.

Pay it in person and choose a time when the other lady is not there. Go about lunch time, you can sit in the lobby filling out papers until you see her leave.

Sometimes you have got to be a bit sneaky.

[WFTR]

I wasn't sure if that was normal for an insurance company or not and I didn't respond. Yes, I'm kicking myself.

Oh man, that's tough.

[WFTR]

I'll take a shot at some of my own topics.

First, I've been more likely to develop crushes on public figures for some time. I think the biggest factor for me in that respect is that I'm so rarely in a position to meet women in real life who would inspire me to feel that way. The second biggest factor is that the women I like in real life are often inappropriate objects for those feelings. For instance, I very much liked a woman who worked at the plant for a while. However, she was married, and I really don't like the thought of having these kinds of feelings for women at work. Later, she divorced, but I still like to keep things professional at work. Even under other circumstances, I don't think she'd be right for me, but I thought very highly of her. To some extent, I thought that maybe I did have a little crush.

My most recent public figure crush is Julie Banderas of Fox News. I like her on-air persona on the Fox Weekend Live. She does well on Fox Report Weekend although that format doesn't show the individual anchor's personality as much. Sometimes, I can't sleep, and she'll be on Red Eye. She's really fun on that show.

I would differentiate a crush from an infatuation or obsession by whether one's thoughts and actions are unhealthy. For instance, I don't rearrange my life to watch her shows on Fox. If I'm at home when those shows are on, I'll watch for a bit. If I were changing my whole life to watch every moment, I'd be creeping myself out. Of course, another possibility is that I've reached the age where I don't have the time or energy to maintain an infatuation or obsession, so I have to settle for a crush.

I used to be somewhat infatuated with Brooke Burke when she hosted Wild On! on the E! channel. Her on-air persona was more overtly sexual and more obviously manufactured. However, she still came across as someone who was fun to be around.

[msnpatriot]

I’ve had some, and some have had a crush on me.

It’s a waste of time when they are ‘one sided’ either way.

It’s good to be able to sense early when they aren’t going anywhere...

[LaineyDee]

Are there any characters on TV or the movies who come close to meeting that description in your mind?

Hmmm.... Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones and Lee Marvin come to mind. Rough when they need to be....soft if necessary and they clean up real good. Course....those are only a few of my "crushes". *chuckle*

I've never run into any woman on whom I'd had a crush long ago. I can't imagine how that would feel.

You usually have this vision of what they were and looked like the last time you saw them. Kind of a shock when you see them 30 years later. This guy I met hadn't changed that much. A few lines and a bit heavier....but what got me, is his immaturity. Creepy.

[Nowhere Man]

The next question is what qualities tend to make you or those you know have crushes on someone? Do you fall for a certain "type" or have you had these feelings for all kinds of people?

Are you more likely to have a crush on someone that you know in real life, or are you more likely to have a crush on some public figure that you know through the media?

I think it depends on many factors, I really can't aswer it very well since I've had both. Howver, for a public figure, on Fox News, I always liked Patti Anne Browne although I haven't seen her recently. B-(

How do you think most crushes turn out? Do they ever lead to serious romantic relationships? Do they ever lead to solid friendships?

Well, at the risk of turning this into a horror story thread, I did read ahead an s saw RCA2000's horror story, believe me, I have my share too. Don't want to go into the whole detail again, but this girl I knew in college, she liked science fiction stuff like Star Trek, Dr. Who and so forth, but when I wanted to talk to her at one point, she told me to leave her alone in a very mean tone. I said, "well, OK, then, nice knowing ya," and parted. A few months later, because she saw my name on a Fidonet BBS user log, she accused me of trying to log into her account, which I never would do. The whole college got involved, there were threats of charges against me but none were filed, everything was ironed out and everything was OK. The day I was accused, I just drove home, I blacked out while driving (everything was a blur to me) and then "came to" at home, my cats were trying to comfort me, first Corky came up to me, then Cricket and Pansy (I miss you guys). This was back in 1989.

What questions have I failed to ask about this topic? If you were hosting this weekend, how would you have approached the topic?

I don't know, you did a good job, at least I think so.

[WFTR]

LOL You reckon you're the only woman to see good things in Clint Eastwood?

There are a few women that I admired back in college, but I always thought that they were pretty mature back then. If they regressed, that would be scary. I'm not sure that I've seen any woman that I'd known in high school since I was in my 20's. I can't imagine seeing one whom I thought was pretty back then.

[Nowhere Man]

Bonus Questions

1. The traditional Memorial Day was May 30, but Congress changed the observance to the last Monday in May beginning in 1971. Some people believe that this change cheapens the "real meaning" of Memorial Day because people use their three day weekend for various kinds of travel and parties. Others believe that the current observance is fine. Do you think Memorial Day should be observed on the traditional May 30 or do you think that the current practice of observing the holiday and giving most people a day off work on the fourth Monday in May is better? Do you think that more people would take time to honor those who've died if the holiday were observed only on May 30? If the government observed Memorial Day on May 30, do you think businesses would change their employee holidays or would they continue to give the day off on the fourth Monday in May?

I like it the way it is now, I do like the 3 day weekend. As to the real meaning, I think the people that care will still care no matter what day it falls on and the others that don't care, won't. As to businesses following the rules, if the government deemed it that we go back to the old way of having it on whatever day it falls on, business would follow suit.

2. Memorial Day is traditionally considered the start of the summer vacation season. Is the cost of gasoline impacting your plans for summer vacation or any other kind of summer activity?

Not really, I can't afford to go anywhere anyhow. Cost of gas, well, since I was laid off, I haven't been behind the wheel for close to three weeks, usually Mom drives when we go places, the last time I filled up was May 2nd at $3.55.9 per gallon, but it seems like a long time ago. I plan to go back job hunting after the Stanley Cup is decided plus I'm working on a big project for a client, I sometimes do freelance web pages. I figure I need a little time off, except for holidays and 3 sick days over 4 years, I was always on the job.

3. Do you tend to wear your hair differently during the summer because of the heat, different summer activities, or for any other reason?

Well, I do try to keep it shorter over summer, I sweat easy and heat isn't my friend.

[WFTR]

I haven't seen Patti Ann Browne in a while either, but I don't watch for her as much. She can be pretty funny on Red Eye sometimes.

I can see how the stress of your situation would make you "black out." Those kinds of situations are what makes many of us think twice (or three times or four times or ... or thirty-seven times ...) before acting on our crushes.

Bill

[WFTR]

I tend to agree with you about Memorial Day. The people who are going to make an extra effort to honor those who've died will make that effort regardless of what day we observe. The others aren't going to do anything special anyway.

I'm not so sure about how business would respond to the government changing the official Memorial Day holiday. Businesses are not forced to follow the government's practices on holidays, and they may find that they can keep peace with employees more easily by keeping the holiday on the last Monday in May. Another possibility is that some businesses will use the excuse to cancel a paid holiday, and still others will make the day a floating holiday that employees can take on either day.

[Nowhere Man]

I haven't seen Patti Ann Browne in a while either, but I don't watch for her as much. She can be pretty funny on Red Eye sometimes.

Yeah, I miss seeing her too. I can see how the stress of your situation would make you "black out." Those kinds of situations are what makes many of us think twice (or three times or four times or ... or thirty-seven times ...) before acting on our crushes.

Tell me about it, it sure makes one gun shy although the most crushes later on, I found out they were married or committed so those were a no-go for me anyways.

[Rca2000]

I have enough “horror stories” about experiences in my life to scare most people from sleeping for a week or two!! Believe me I have shared a VERY small amount of them (publicly—a couple of FReepers got a couple of PM’s about some other things over the years)—there are others that would make some here shiver!!

and THIS week...I had a number of"nice" things happen...my pay is late AND my hours have again been cut, the guy who hit-and-ran my van a couple of weeks ago is NOT going to take responsibility for it (and if I want MY insurance company to take care of it--it will no doubt raise my premiums AND I have to come up with a $250 deductible), and my tax bill for the house for this half year ($1200) has come EARLY and is due EARLY too.

Face it..my whole life has pretty much been a horror story. (EXCEPT for my health--which God has kept nearly perfect all of these years).

[Nowhere Man]

I'm not so sure about how business would respond to the government changing the official Memorial Day holiday. Businesses are not forced to follow the government's practices on holidays, and they may find that they can keep peace with employees more easily by keeping the holiday on the last Monday in May. Another possibility is that some businesses will use the excuse to cancel a paid holiday, and still others will make the day a floating holiday that employees can take on either day.

True. One pet peeve of mine is when Christmas is in the middle of the week, you work at the beginning of the week, take a day off and then work at the end. I think it should stay that way though, just saying it is a pet peeve of mine.

[LaineyDee]

LOL You reckon you're the only woman to see good things in Clint Eastwood?

Nah.....He was a heart-throb in his day. But the persona he portrayed was what I found attractive. He could be the cowboy, or dress in a tux and be appropriate in both worlds.

I can't imagine seeing one whom I thought was pretty back then.

Reminds me of my 10yr HS reunion. The gal who was voted "most changed" had been this cute, petite little cheerleader with blonde hair. All the girls were in awe of her and all the guys wanted to date her.

When she showed up at the reunion, she weighed no less than 300lbs on a 5ft frame. She'd married right out of HS and had 4 kids. No one recognized her.

[WFTR]

I’ve always worked at companies that gave us two days for Christmas. I would always take a day of vacation for the odd day when Christmas was in the middle of the week. That way, I could go home to see my family for Christmas.

[WFTR]

When she showed up at the reunion, she weighed no less than 300lbs on a 5ft frame. She'd married right out of HS and had 4 kids. No one recognized her.

I bet some guys felt that they had dodged a bullet.

[LaineyDee]

I just got to figure out how to get rid of the old lady.

The old lady has probably already figured you out.....based on your body language and interactions. Why not just ask the girl if she could step out for a moment, so you could speak to her in private? If she agrees......then step outside and ask her to meet you somewhere for lunch or a cup of coffee. Short-term date and a public place....goes a long way in making her feel safe...plus if she's in her own car....a way to "escape" if she feels uncomfortable.