Monday, March 23, 2009

Oh great.

So ends another work week. I have had about seven hours of sleep over the last four days. Needless to say, i'm a bit cranky. I am an insomniac. I am dead tired all the time, yet i can't sleep. My little brain just keeps spitting out random thoughts about all the things i've got going on in my life. There's been a lot on my mind lately, but for the last week or two, i've been feeling pretty optimistic. Things have been falling into place, and for the first time in a very long time, i have felt like i am making progress in my life. Sure, there's still heaps of shit to take care of, but at least i'm doing something about it. That's kind of gone away the last couple of days.

The buzz has worn off from coming out to my friend at work, and i've actually felt myself sliding back into my cocoon of depression and self loathing once again. It sucks. At first glance, my life would seem to be pretty good, and on a lot of levels i guess it is. I'm not in danger of losing my job or being laid off, i have a roof over my head and food on my table, and have more useless material shit than anyone needs. Although i'm making progress, my life is still a very lonely place. I don't think i will ever feel whole until i find a guy who will love me forever. But alas, my standards a probably a bit too high for being 32, out of shape, and having thinning hair. My prospects are very slim indeed. And the thought of being alone for the rest of my life, scares me more than anything. God, i feel old... Being terminally shy, and having a stack of self confidence and self esteem issues isn't helping me either.

I have been trying out a couple of these online dating site over the past few months. The conclusion i have reached about those is that they are all useless pieces of shit. I have sent out almost 70 messages to guys who seem interesting to me ranging in age from 18 to 35. Number of responses: one. One FFS!!! Wow!!!! I really feel good about myself now! I know i'm not porn star material here, but damn, i didn't think i was that bad. Or maybe it's not me. Maybe it's just that every single guy in the known universe is just an asshole. All i want is a guy who I find cute, who's got a good sense of humor, is caring, compassionate, smart, etc. I'm not asking for too much, am i?

The bottom line is time is running out for me. In three months, i'll be 33. I might as well be 63. With each passing day, i can feel more and more possible partners slip just beyond my reach. And when i think about all of the opportunities i have watched pass me by from the confines of my closet, it only serves to depress me further. What is wrong with me? Why have i stood idle by and watched all these possibilities, opportunities, and life in general just pass me by for all these years?

To top things off, Eric has changed days off. This really sucks, because now i never get to see him. It also sucks because we won't even be able to do things together outside work now. We were planning on going hiking and doing some bike riding together. Maybe this will be for the better, as not seeing him everyday will help me to get over him. At the same time, seeing him and spending time with him is one of the few things that actually made me happy, even though i knew there was no chance of us ever being more than just friends. I miss him already.

Time for a stiff drink and a couple of Tylenol PM's. That ought to put my ass to sleep. And when i wake up, maybe i'll find Eric in bed with me and discover that this confusing, frustrating mess i call a life has all been nothing more than a bad dream...

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, *I'D* date you if I were there. ;-) Bet your ass I would, thinning hair or not, who cares? As long as you are also a nice, loving, decent guy. Date one lemon and you realize very quickly that the "objective beauty" (if there even IS such a thing) of a guy pales in comparison to a great many things about his personality.

Anyway, try not to worry too much about being depressed, eh? It happens and it goes in cycles. I try to tell myself when I'm in a bad funk "this won't last, this won't last." Sometimes that mantra's all that saves me.

Randy said...

DUDE!!!!

Shut the fuck up about ur age, and thinning hair etc....

Your a cool cat, with A LOT going for ya... You'll find a dude that is cute and interesting...the odds are in your favor...

You cant win the Cup if you stay parked on the grid! (awesome racing analogy me thinks)

Its a complimentary cycle, if you forget about why your self conscience, and be bold and show confidence, your self conscienceness will soon disappear...

Go into every situation like you've got the biggest dick, like your the best and to hell what everyone else thinks....

And if you are THAT self conscience, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT...

Hit the gym, wear a hat, buy a hot car :)

I wont give u depression advice...and I sleep like a baby, one of the many perks of drinking every night! :)

naturgesetz said...

63 isn't so bad. I remember it fairly well. 63 is the new 55.

lol

But seriously, if you are terminally shy and have a stack of self-esteem issues, it's time to do something about it. My suggestion: group therapy.

When I was in my early 50's I was strongly urges to enter group therapy because of my problems in interacting with people, and I went weekly for about 4 years. I think it did me a fair amount of good. I'm more self-confident that I used to be. I'm less fearful of rejection and less likely to read rejection into everything that happens.

One simple example. Before, I'd never talk to sales clerks at the cash register. They'd tell me the price, I'd hand them the money and take my change and leave without a word. Now I can engage in a bit of casual conversation, sometimes even initiate it.
me: (at supermarket checkout) Oops! I forgot to demand the seniors' discount.
clerk: (smiling) Demand?!
me: (smiling) Yeah: demand.
clerk: *enters discount* I'd have given it to you even if you'd just asked nicely.
me: that's good.

Before the group therapy I'd never have had the comfort level to do something like that.

You need to find a therapist and a group that are comfortable and that can help with your issues. But I believe it worked for me, and it might be good for you too. When the issues have to do with social interactions, the group interaction may be better than just talking to a therapist.

Col said...

I've been through so much of what you've included in this post (except the dating sites. Never tried any. Lol) and Randy's advice is right on the button!!

Even though I still feel lonely, I'm still an insomniac (and have been since I was 15/16), I'm 45 and bald, and lack confidence, I have really made an effort to change my mindset in the past year. It's not always easy, and just now it's pretty hard to do, but I'm remaining positive. When I think about the problems some other bloggers have, I can't help but feel my problems are trivial by comparison.

Also, I've made some big sacrifices recently so that in the future I can live where I want to and do what I want to. This means I'll be living in a warmer/sunnier climate (that always makes me feel good. lol) near a beach and gay bars. I will overcome my shyness by biting the bullet and just getting myself out and about.

Although I've never been overweight as such, I've recently lost a good few pounds and I feel (and look) really great when I go anywhere now, even if it's just into town.
Finally, the best thing I ever did was to go with a #1 crop when my hair started thinning. Try it!

Sorry for the long comment, but most of your post could've been written by me (some time ago). Lol!

Take care,
Col

Seth said...

Are you sure you are not me? So much of that post sounds like what I would write when I'm feeling down, which is often.

Did you consider some sleep aids for helping you get a better nites sleep?

The more you SEARCH for love, a boyfriend, whatever - the less likely you will find it. It will come in its own time. At least, thats what I delude myself into believing, just to keep pushing on each day.

Don't look at it as "time is running out" - so maybe you got a late start - but you've got the rest of your life ahead of you. Truth really is, you can't go back, only forward.

Hang in there, relax a little, let some of those bad feeling vent.

*hugs*

cvn70 said...

DW

i hope this is a temporary pause in your progress and i hope it not over for you cause i am 47 and what are you saying i should not even try - i am counting on you to show me the way out of here :P

Seriuosly bad days come and go and you knew this was not going to be easy so think good thoughts and move forward

take care and be safe

bob

Mirrorboy said...

Haven't i told you a million times that looks etc don't matter? There would be a million other guys out there looking for someone like you - nice, caring, funny sweet, loving...

I would not care if i met a sweet gay boy with a butt for a head. I would be happies. :)

Mirrorboy said...

Oops. Missed a ,

Perfectionist much. :P

tracy said...

Wow, i feel like Seth..."Are you sure you're not me?" We may be very different, but i think we feel very much the same about ourselves. i am so very sorry you are so deep down...wish i could do or say something that would help. Know that i am thinking of you...and sending hugs and love your way.
Best always,
tracy

PS i am an old married lady (47), but that married life ain't going so swell these days, so i know well that lonely feeling...)

torchy! said...

omg - ditto what *all* the others said. you are so not alone in this!
your time will come and if you take courage and grab life by the balls it will come sooner

torchy!

Anonymous said...

We seem to have an outbreak of feeling we're all far too old and all alone.

As I said to Torchy - I'm undoubtedly you're bloody Uncle.

And I got meself a bloke in my almost fifties. So go pull the other one and get out there!

Deadwing said...

Thanks for all your words of support. I am really into instant gratification. I like to see results NOW. Slow, gradual changes and processes wear me down and cause me to lose my patience. So, all these changes i am trying to make tend to frustrate me. One more thing for me to work on...LOL.

@James - Thanks! :)

@Randy - You are right, it is a complimentary cycle. I am just caught on the wrong side of it, and tend t focus in on the negatives. Oh, and it was an awesome racing analogy.

@Nauturgesetz - lol...so is 32 the new 21? I am only really shy in social situations, like parties with a lot of people i don't know, or clubs and places like that. I can chat the sales clerk all day, unless it happens to be a really cute guy...then, lock-up.

@Col - I feel like a schmuck for bitching about my petty problems, but i hate letting things collect in my mind. i need to purge. lol I am trying to make changes, and a warm climate sure would be nice. :) Oh, i am using a #3 crop right now. :P

@Seth - Indeed, the only way to go is forward. I really have a problem with letting things go. i focus on my past mistakes, and let them mess with me. Yet another thing that need work. lol And unfortunately, i can't take sleep aids because of my job. :(

@Bob - I'm sure it will be temporary. There have been more good days than bad recently. Thanks.

@Mirrorboy - Aww...thanks buddy. :) *Hugs And yes, you have told me at least a million times.:p

@Tracy - Thanks for the kind thoughts. Hugs and love are always welcome. Sorry to hear you are feeling lonely too.

@Torchy! - Thanks...it is most definitely time to grab life by the balls. Has to be done, but old habits die hard. Time for a dram of liquid courage. lol

@Micky - The situation isn't hopeless yet. I just need to get a move on.

Jordan said...

oh man, have to say i feel pretty similar about the hopelessness of a developing any kind of relationship.

hell i don't even know gay guys.

But yeah, what they all said... you're not too old, you're never too old.

I hope that with time both you and i will be able to find someone right for us.

Best wishes friend

Jordo

Anonymous said...

lol... I just swallowed another Tylenol PM. Not Working! (Stiff drink next). Seriously though, every post that I've read this week, including yours, makes me think, "Your me!" I'm 18 and I feel time is running out for me. I know its not the same. Don't feel bad about the net, I'm at my prime and haven't had any better luck with it. 18 FFS.