Living in the Present, only Looking Forward

[Coconut]

It's not easy to see someone else bonding with and raising your child, that's why I was so moved, because his focus was on doing what is best for his daughter, not on himself, willing to make himself vulnerable for her benefit. You demonstrate that strength Ginger, I stand and applaud your dedication to doing what's best for her. There are lots of factors that you can't control, but because of your commitment to raising her proper, she will grow up knowing how to be a loving, strong, self sufficient woman.

As for my social life/activities, when I read your statement "I love reading how proactive in GAL you are", it made me realize something, I'm no longer GAL; I'm living my life now. I no longer forcing myself to look for things to do to get out and meet people and try new things, I'm in a place where I have a life and am just enjoying living it. That's not to say that I don't want to meet new people and try new things, just that I'm not doing it so I can GAL, I'm doing it because that is my life.

Over this last month I've realized how social I really am, I find myself feeling more comfortable having conversations because I know the importance of listening, understand how to validate others feelings, and most importantly no longer feel the pressure of wanting to say the right things so someone will like me, and just being me. In no way am I saying I'm great at doing all those things every time, but considering 3 years ago I never thought about consciously doing any of those things, I've come a long way.

And to touch on the escape room we went to, it went well. Because we were such a big group, they had us pay and then brought us to another building with a very long table to hang out wait for everyone. I was paying while talking with two other ladies in our group when, let's call her gg for gamer girl, came in. I looked up and said hello to her, introduced her to the other ladies, basically tried to make her feel comfortable and to show that I do remember her (we haven't talked since first game night on Super Bowl Sunday, although I have caught her looking at me from across the room). We all walked to the other building and she sat on the far end of a very long table, by herself. I walked around, gave some hugs said my hellos and then went and sat next to gg, I was going to sit closer to everyone else and then invite her to move closer, but decided to take the opportunity to talk mostly one on one. As more people showed up, we started to get people around us, but that was ok because I felt I had shown an interest in her, but I was also there to hang out with friends, not to try and get a speed date session in.

When we started splitting into groups for the rooms, I was the first to pick because it was the only room I had not done yet, and she chose to join my group. Her and I worked very well together in the room (maybe because of the gaming experiences?), not intentionally working together but bouncing ideas off each other when clues were found, the rest of the group were having a hard time figuring things out and getting frustrated. I don't want to make it sound like we were only interacting with each other, cause the whole group was involved. Anyway, in the end we got close, but didn't escape. But it was fun and I had a good time.

Most of us were doing a cooking class after, but gg was leaving to go to the game night and asked if I'd be going there later, told her I wasn't going, I was hanging out with the singles group after cooking class. she mentioned a painting class (drink and paint) we are doing next weekend and I told her I would like it if she would join us.

Spent a total time of about 1 1/2 hrs with gg, it went well, no crazy connection feeling, but I do believe there is a shared interest to getting to know each other more. It was nice getting to socialize outside the gaming night, cause I've never felt comfortable showing interest in that dynamic. When I got home that night, I messaged her on meetup that I was happy she went, that I thought if it was just the two of us I think we would have escaped and that I had fun. She replied this morning with I agree and some blushing smiley emoji.

So now we'll see if she goes to the painting thing.