Hammer-philia

I was lamenting two things when I got to the airport in Phoenix this morning: (1) flying through Dallas (yuck!) and (2) sitting in the aisle. (I normally am a window girl!)

Well I was leaning on my elbow looking down the aisle when a dreamy-looking pilot came sauntering toward me. Young, green eyes and a perfectly carved face that looked movie-beautiful under his black cap. He made a woops-like expression as he caught my eye. Then he came to my row, "I'm sorry, but I'm the one sitting here. I know you thought it was empty."

Me (inside my head!): "Perfectly fine!!! "

Him, as he settled into his middle seat: "Do I smell? Does my breath smell?"

The only thing better than a hot guy was a self-aware insecure hot guy. "No, you're fine." I said. He asked if he smelled again, and I said, "There was a guy in a bar last night who I could smell from 6 feet away!" (very good, Hammer, you are starting a conversation.)

The chit-chatting continued, as he began to tell me about his obsession of the moment: horse-shoeing, otherwise known as ferrier ing. Wow! I was actually quite intrigued. He has three horses (and a wedding band, woops!) that he cares for and he is learning to be one of the few thousand professional horse-shoe makers and fitters in the world.

He showed me a picture of two of the horses, they have bangs. They were very sweet-looking. He showed me a movie of a guy making horseshoes. And told me that it was one of the three professions that had been around for over 2,000 years.

(Anyone wanna guess what the other two are?)

He initiated the conversation by asking about the book I was reading, and I told him about my pursuit of a PhD in history. He liked that, but admittedly I thought that we were coming from two completely different worlds--his, a more practical and tangible one, and mine a kind of "yuppie" urban lifestyle. (I love men who do things with their hands, who can figure things out on their own, like art, or flying, or cooking, etc. Mostly cause I'm no good with that type of thing.)

But wouldn't you know it? This pilot turned out to be fucking smart and curious as can be--a truly open soul. During the course of our conversation, he brought up the former Ottoman Empire, the Shinti religion, Schopenhauer, Jung, among other things. The man reads! He does! He also (somehow) knew that I was a runner, he guessed that I was Jewish, and he just seemed really smart. The more I talked to him, the more impressed I became. Yes, he is married, and we weren't going to hook up.

I just want to have this small interlude and say that I am thrilled to meet and talk to "open souls" like John's especially after long stints with the family.

It sometimes feels like my Sis-in-Law and Brother (a.k.a. Bride- and Groomzilla) are judgmentstheir rules and judgements it's enough to make you sick. I heard way too much this week about certain "rules" that apply to weddings: I am not allowed to bring a date, because I will not have been dating someone for a year or more. This is a rule. (The wedding is so lavish as it feels like there's no budget, plus, it's six months away, plus there will be over 400 guests.) My brother told me that I would be "just like all of his single friends and like Bride-zilla's single friends." He told me "not to bring someone just for the sake of bringing someone." I had the sense that he was insinuating that he didn't want me to bring a (gasp!) non-Jewish guest. So closed up, so very closed uP!!!! Another example of Bride-zilla's ridiculous insularity: My sister, Little Hammer asks: "Did you guys register for a juicer?" Bride-zilla replied: "We're Jewish!" Huh? What does that mean? I'm as jewish as anyone, and yet I don't know what that means!

Onto happier things, about the open-souled pilot. We exited the airplane together, checked our connecting gates together, and then he escorted me onto the AirLink in Dallas airport. We went to the very front of it and I asked, "Do you like to be the pilot even of the AirLink?" Funny!

He then asked if I would like a Frostie, and I accepted his kind offer. He needed to check in for his forthcoming flight. (did you know that there's a small book that lists every flight in the country, and even the world, and the times they take off? And that John could get on any one of them, even though he's a pilot on another airline? So while our flight was landing, he skimmed through his booklet to find a plane leaving for Huntsville, Alabama, where he's from.) Anyways, he took me to my gate, and checked into his non-flight. Then, we went for the Frostie. It was then that he mentioned he was into Jung. I couldn't believe this man! Piloting, horse-shoeing, and now Jung!? He also believes that animals have souls, and said one of the more interesting things I've heard. He said that people think that they are giving animals anthropomorphic traits, when, really, the truth is that humans mimic the animals, and not vice versa.

He also told me that he's been working on using his right brain more. He's taken art classes, and he is also reading a book on how to do it. Such as: he told me about drawing "fractals" which are patternless masses with intricate shapes and yet somehow they are amorphous. Like clouds, or rocks in nature, or unfaceted diamonds.

I think I ran into a true Romantic. Really.

He also told me that he was the only Democrat in his neighborhood, and about how much he hated the president. He told me that he makes a mean dirty martini. He told me that he actually sews clothes for his wife. I believed it all, there was no reason to lie to a "single-serving friend." The man intrigued me, and I think that he was also interested in me. He did hit on me a little, but told me that he's never cheated on his wife, and he's not about to either. Which is good. He said "Would you be interested in having sex with me?" I said "It's a moot point, I don't sleep with married men." But he said "I've been thinking about it, and I think you're very hot, but I wouldn't cheat on my wife." (I was a bit comforted by that...) Next time he's in JFK, we may meet for a martini somewhere in Manhattan. The great thing about being there is that everyone comes through the city at one time or another. (Hyde, will you come with?)

So, after being home for so long, I'm back into life's adventures, at long last, back to being the me, just me, that leaves myself open to meet new people (and hopefully interesting ones). Back to the me that also is ready to form new ideas in my schoolwork, which will hopefully happen soon. I hope this week to be able to get a lot of work done, but also to finish up some stuff on my apartment before the party on Saturday night.

Other updates:
-I told my parents about the Puny Boy visit for the first time.
-Little Hammer and her boyfriend have been fighting a lot.
-It's Passover and I need to avoid bread products all week.
-I have been thinking about Mohawk a lot

I hung out with my friend from home, Smiley, and she had a bundle of advice on how to deal with Mohawk. With her, I decided that I really wouldn't see Mohawk until my party on Saturday. I think it's going to be a busy week, and I do have a lot to do. There's no use trying to squeeze a date in, when I'll see him on Saturday. Also, it's important that I work on his schedule too, and I have already made it pretty clear that I like him. So I'll hold off until he makes a move toward me. Smiley's advice was pretty Cosmo-ish, and a little harsh. ("If he calls, don't answer and don't call back. Let him call again, he is a man, and it is in his instinct to hunt you down." She also said, "The first time he asks you out, be busy. Say no.") These pieces of advice defy the Naturlich principle, somewhat of a secret handshake between Hyde and me, which kind of permits us to act on our instincts (and yes, our impulses) and do what feels natural if we are obsessing about a boy. She and I are both strong-headed women, who are independent in most other aspects of our lives. Why should we play games with boys? I think I am going to curb my boy-related impulses a bit, thought, until I feel a bit more at ease being alone. Then I'll be able to be "naturlich" without risking overbearing. (But I am still waiting for Mr. Mystic's response to this quandary.) Well, it's been nice. I'm on the airplane and will get on with reading a bit more now.