To be alone is not always to be lonely

So, over the past 12 months or so I've become incredibly socially awkward. There's numerous reasons for this, but the main one? I can go two or three months without speaking to someone who isn't family, a salesperson or working for my landlord.

About 12 months ago, The Fiancee & I got evicted from our craphole of a house, so our useless landlord could move into it. The city we lived in was having a 'rental crisis' where it was hardf to find a rental place to live if you were working full time. Being two unemployed people with a toddler? We didn't have a hope.

So we packed up and moved back to my hometown, a place that holds few sober happy memories, quite a few vague and fuzzy drunken memories and a lot of misery. His justifcation was “It will give your family and friends up here a chance to get to know you again and spend time with Mr 3.” I just figured “Well, we have to live somewhere I guess.”

His enthusiasm was infectious and I started to look forwards to it. Friends from the city promised to come and visit. Friends up here got really excited to hear I was coming back. It had potiential.

So visits from friends in the 12 months since we moved here? 5. Friends from the city came once. Friends up here showed up four times.

I can understand why the hometown friends have eased off. I never expected them to put their lives on hold for me during the 5 years I lived in the city. I've changed a lot in that time and from the little time I've spent with them, they are still the same girls now that they were at 21. Spending more than two hours with them drives me crazy and I'm pretty sure the same is true for them.

I never know what to say – nobody will want to hear about the awesome drop I got boss hunting in the MMO I play. Those without kids don't want to hear the ins and outs of potty training. Those who do have kids are now dealing with schools and homework. So I say nothing and that's not exactly a good way to encourage people to invite you anywhere.

My family? I barely speak to anymore. My mother is an alcoholic and given the choice between staying sober when Mr 3 was around and not seeing Mr 3 anymore, she chose the booze. My brother and I haven't spoken more than 'Hey' 'Hi' in over 2 years. My father – well, that's another entry, but at the time of writing this, we haven't spoken in 3 weeks and it's likely to continue that way for a while.

There are three people I enjoy spending time with, but two of them are in the city and the other is notoriously unreliable. The sad part is, I've adapted to this. I would now rather stay at home, watching tv or playing MMO with The Fiancee than go out to dinner with friends.

I guess it's a blessing, as it will take a hell of lot nowdays to make me feel lonely.

The Ugly Truth

Last weekend a couple of buddies dragged me out to see the Ugly Truth. I hadn't heard anything about, but was prepared to give it a go, being a fan of Katherine Heigl's work so far and lovin' Gerard Butler in Phantom of the Opera.

I loved it. I mean, really loved it. In the past 10 days, I've seen in 3 times. Something about it really appeals to me on a level I can't explain.

Perhaps it's due to the ongoing problems The Fiancee and I keep having, perhaps because I know girls like the main character. Perhaps it's just that I hate most romantic comedies, finding them to set up women for unrealistic expectations on how men in love behave.

The Ugly Truth isn't so much a romantic comedy, as a comedy about romance. One friend describes is as 'the anti-chick flick.' Another calls it 'a romantic comedy for guys.' All these descriptions are true. Admittedly the formula is predictable, but oddly enough it's kinda thought provoking. Or maybe it just hit home because of the Problems (yeah, they deserve a capital) in my own relationship.

What really surprised me was the reviews. One star. Two stars. Comments saying it 'fails in it's objective.' Claims of 'unoriginal.' Comparing a particular scene to a famous scene from a classic romantic comedy. Yet not one person I know of who has seen it, has had any complaints. Several of them has said that it's made them think about their own relationships, current and past which is big thing for a run of the mill romantic comedy to do.

Maybe, like the rest of us, the reviewers found something in the movie hit home and couldn't handle it.

Obligatory About Me Post

Like the header says.

I'm 27, engaged with a 3yr old son. I'm overweight, wear glasses, painfully self concious and am a generally bitter and pessamistic person. I started this blog as a place to air my unpopular opinions incognito, but I'm too lazy to research the stuff and many updates have gone unposted because of this.

I have a livejournal I never update anymore as it was mostly used for fandom stuff and after a year's absence from it, most of my friends-list there have moved onto different fandoms while I'm not really a part of any fandoms anymore. I also want to keep my thoughts here separate from the few fandom related things I'm still involved in.

I do things my way and I have some thoughts and opinions that may be unpopular or uninformed. That's life. I also have no need to prove myself to anyone and if you disagree or wish to argue, you're welcome to. I can't please every body and there's more important things to use my energy on than trying. I won't ever apologize for being myself, no matter how offensive people may find me.