I spoke with another ex-girlfriend last week over the phone. She lives in Paris now, and is working on her Masters degree through a school in Vermont. She seems happy, hopeful, and excited about life, which is a good thing and I am genuinely happy for her. As a part of our conversation, the breakup with Lindsay came up and all of the reasons why Lindsay and I did not work out. My other ex, Leanne, in her own way let me know that I was kind of lame as a boyfriend also. She had different reasons, of course, which were at least some consolation for me, as that means I didn't make the same mistakes twice I guess.
For some reason it hurt, it just felt like another nail in my coffin, and it didn't really help me cope with anything. Leanne was my high-school sweetheart, whom I dated until after I graduated from college. Our breakup was facilitated by my move to Lincoln to begin graduate school. At the time, this was hard for me. The hardest thing I had ever done, which says alot considering that I had just graduated from the University of California with a double major, in four years, while preparing for the GRE, and applying to grad school. All the while, I had been working full time to pay for school and my bills. I moved to Lincoln not knowing anyone, with a broken heart, and feeling literally like the loneliest man on the face of the earth. It took almost 2 years of regret to get over her.
In the mean time I had done some dating, and been for the most part disappointed with the girls I met. I also made a lot of friends during this period of time which helped to make living here bearable. And then I met Lindsay. When I met her I had so much hope. I fell for her hard, I was in love, and I told myself I would never go through what I had gone through with Leanne again. Well, we all know where this would go, and so I won't bother with it, but I think that by and large I just had to learn different things from both of them. Lindsay seems so upset and bummed out these days, but she says she is happy. I am not sure I believe her, but more than anything, I am sad that she is unhappy. I am just beginning to move on with my life. I've been spending a lot of time with my friends, and meeting lots of ladies, but Lindsay is always in the back of my mind.
It's probably unhealthy for that to be the case, but I can't fix it. And her depression also makes me worry, even though I try to be civil to her in our communications. I still feel like she wants to rub it in my face or something, even though I know that isn't the case. In any event, even though I've found some ladies to try to fill the gap left by past loves. Don't get me wrong, I am not a player or anything, I've just made some new "friends" and they are all decent people and are intelligent and funny. I know that it will take a long time for me to really get over Lindsay, long enough in fact, that I probably shouldn't bother trying to start any type of serious relationship while I am still in school and should, instead, wait until I find a job and move somewhere. Unfortunately, for me that seems so far off. I guess all I can do is try to maintain my friendships, play music, and try to get a god damned dissertation together. Some day, I will find a new someone special. Hopefully, by then I will have learned enough about my flaws from Leanne and Lindsay to make things work out better. Also, I hope her name does not start with an L. I am not superstitious, but I can recognize a pattern when I see one.
Monday, October 13, 2008
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2 comments:
I just wanted to say "thanks" again for sharing your thoughts. Does that sound weird? Probably. Its not as if I find enjoyment out of reading about your now defunct relationship.
I know people blog for many reasons: to vent, to distract, to entertain, to ruminate. I'm not sure why it is you have chosen to write such personal things, but I do know that one of the reasons I READ blogs is to get a handle on things going on in my own life, and reading about other people's thoughts and experiences provide anchors and perspectives for me - especially when it comes to reading thoughts like yours which are emotionally honest, straightforward, and well-written - a rarity in the blogosphere these days. Or maybe I'm just not looking in the right places... Anyway, thanks again.
Its interesting to read your thoughts about your relationship. Quite recently I have come back in touch with someone who was once a good friend after several years of very sporadic, almost non-existent contact. In the 7+ years since I have last seen her, just in the past few weeks I have come to learn that she ended up getting into what I can only say (from what I know) was a pretty awful and miserable marriage with her boyfriend that led to a bitter divorce about a year ago.
She now is raising 2 kids on her own and for all I know her ex-husband thinks fuck all about her and the kids. The good news is that she is no longer in what was a pretty miserable relationship with a total cock. The bad news is that she wasted several years of her life in misery, and will probably never emotionally recover from this poor marriage (not to mention all the other tangible and intangible items like the embarrassment of a divorce, raising two young kids on her own while working, and so on).
Currently, I'm in a relationship with someone that is complex, and yes, serious. I'm guessing I'm probably 5 or so years older than you at least, but that doesn't mean that reading and hearing of experiences like yours and my friend's fails to give me pause. I mean that in a good way however. It forces me to think hard and long about my own relationship and the decisions I need to make about it.
Regardless, I sincerely hope things turn out well for you, and it sounds like they are. If you are ABD and getting ready to head out from Lincoln within the 6 months/year, well you are better off than 90% of the rest of the world.
Take it easy.
Thank you for leaving comments. Sometimes it seems pointless to keep writing things when I don't know who might even be reading them, let alone what they may think about it.
As to the first question, I think the blog lets me say things I don't really like to talk about in person. I could just as easily write them in a journal and keep it in my desk, but I figured that if anyone out there gets something out of reading what I write, then it's worth it.
I think most people take relationships for granted (myself included). Maybe they just think they will always be the way they are or were and I think people get surprised and caught off guard when things change. In my experience it can be hard to deal when you feel alone, so you need to reinforce all of your other relationships with friends and family. That's what I am trying to do I guess, and I'm hoping it will soon pay off. I think your friend could use some companionship at a time like this. My mother was also a single mother, but it was her decision to get a divorce, and so I don't think she had to deal with the same sorts of feelings.
My dad, on the other hand spent so long in courts fighting over custody, etc. that I think he was too busy to really let the fact that his marriage was over sink in. He recently re-married, which I think has made his life a little more relaxed.
Both of them relied on family and friends to deal with the whole thing.
As for the last portion, I am looking more at a 1 year timeline, plus however long it takes to find a job. I'll be on the job market starting in about August 2009 (at least that's the plan at this point), looking for a job to begin in the Fall of 2010.
Thanks again for the comments.
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