Sunday, April 21, 2013

Ryan's Repeats: It Started Out with a Kiss

You know as I've begun to wind things down on this blog I've started reflecting a lot.  What was the "Golden Age" of my blog; what was the "High Water Mark?"

"Oh Jesus Ryan..... having one of those hubristic moments Shannon speaks of are we?"    :)

OK, so at what point was I having the most fun at this.  Of course goofing on Riff was always funnest.  But once I got crankin' on my Sandee story it was without a doubt the funnermostest!  :)

I guess it was because Sandee and I are really similar people.  We both tend to laugh at life and don't mind laughing at ourselves.  We bring out the playful adventurous side of one another.  It tends to get us in trouble sometimes but boy do the posts just write themselves when I'm writing about her.


want some cheesiness with that wine!
For some reason I think these post resonated with readers.  I have always been fairly successful with hits on this blog (for what I consider a fairly minor blog).  But for some reason I've never really gotten that many comments over the years.  Maybe I'm not controversial enough or maybe (as I am in life) I'm just too aloof and people don't tend to reach out and give me that mental pat on the shoulder as many bloggers seem to get.  Anyway, the Sandee stories, for some reason, always got a lot comments (for me at least).  The comments ranged from encouragement to down right scolding that I was such a dolt for putting up with Sandee's wishy-washiness.  Lord, if you guys only really knew me and how overly tolerant to a fault I tend to be you'd really scold me.

Looking back to last April though it really was the high water mark of this blog.  The posts just poured out of me with such ease and in a fashion that was as fun to write as it was to experience.

This post is also a good example of "less is more," it's pretty efficiently written if I do say so myself.  I think it also is somewhat typical of how I have come to enjoy writing.  I tend to enjoy writing a little about the music that moved me for the post, pivot to make a gentle connection, and perhaps pull in some other life experiences and then tell the story.  Often I enjoy coming back to the song in the end sort of weaving it in as a take-away I guess.  Idk, it sounds like good logic as I write it just now!

After you read the post below check out these "kissing" related posts in my Sandee series:

from Echo and the Bunnymen's Lips Like Sugar
from Siouxsie and the Banchees Kiss Them for Me

Awesome video by the Killers for this song btw.  To me it almost seems like a scene from a debaucherous Poe story centered around some Renaissance party.  So much promise, anticipation, and desire but ultimately fate in the form of crazy Eric Roberts seems to trump all.

Ryan's Repeats:

from April 19th, 2012........


This song by the Killers is somewhat of an updated version of Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" In my case I wouldn't be asking that of Sandee because I was in fact going out with her. But from the outside looking in you might be thinking the thoughts of the writer of those two songs.

Btw, Mr. Brightside by the Killers was a local favorite in the Vegas Club scene in the early 2000's before the band signed with a UK Indie label. It took off from there proving that not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Mr. Brightside was voted song of the decade by some radio stations in the UK and is one of the most listened to tracks since the age of on-line music. As for that Joe Jackson song, I still always associate it with fond memories of summers out by the pool back in the day.

At this point I had been on Ashley Madison for about a year and a half. I had probably written over 100 notes to various ladies throughout the Greater DC area. Almost every time I wrote I mentioned going to and relaxing at a local vineyard for some wine tasting as a great date in my intro. It always sounded like a catchy thing to write and I did in fact enjoy those vineyards in and around Loudoun County just about 40 minutes outside the Beltway (depending on traffic). They are in fact a wonderful diversion from the city.

However, to date - and in spite of all the messages I had written, I had never actually taken one of my AM girls on a wine tasting afternoon. Keeley and I had planned to meet at a vineyard over in Maryland but it never panned out. We got sidetracked, I was not disappointed!

Finally that was to change. The week after our kayaking debacle Sandee agreed to ride out to one of those vineyards, do some tasting, and take in those lovely fall views of the Blue Ridge Mountains! This was perfect; it would be fun, romantic and I would be back in my element and I would not let the opportunity slip!

We met at a Shopping Center and then drove out to the country. We first stopped at my favorite vineyard and did the whole wine tasting thing and then settled on our favorite and sat outside with our glasses and a nice baguette and some cranberry goat cheese. The view of the grapes, the last lingering colors of the mountains were wonderful. Sandee was getting a little silly; she is small and not a big drinker. Or maybe I'm just that funny? No, I think she was definitely "buzzed."

We left that vineyard and drove to the next town. I took her by this little local co-op store that sells local produce, gifty stuff, and bakery items. Our time was getting a little short so we moved on.

I took her to another somewhat smaller and secluded vineyard I knew of. They have a particular berry infused wine I thought Sandee would enjoy. We stopped by the tasting room and had a glass and I bought her a bottle to take home. This particular vineyard has a nice pond by the tasting room with a trail to walk around. We took a stroll and settled on a little bridge at the other side going over a little creek. We lingered there and enjoyed the view and talked. I moved my arm around her and she slightly nestled into my chest.

She did finally turn to me slightly and I moved in to kiss her. She didn't stop and there for the next several minutes and in spite of anyone else who might have been around (I don't think there were though) we had a nice lip lock.

It was hard driving back to that Shopping Center and saying bye but I was sure things were looking good. We planned to meet the following week for lunch and another walk at the lake.

"It was only a kiss!"


The Killers - Mr. Brightside:




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