Would you agree to a date with me??

Recently, I was set up on a blind date. I decided to introduce myself over email since a picture and an email address was all I had. And, as much as I fancy myself The Dark Knight, I’m not much of a detective. After reading this, would you go on a date with me? After re-reading this, I realize I do sprinkle an excessive amount of smiley faces 🙂 then again, I do like to smile, potentially to the chagrin of those around me.

how are you? my name is cecil, pronounced with a short “e” like cecil fielder or cecil b. demille – not ceeeeeecil.
my cousin julie is friends with your friend tina, which is how we’re being connected. jules is one of my favourite peeps in the world. i don’t think i’ve met tina? but i’m sure she’s great.

i’ll start off by saying that “i’m a fair-skinned, god-fearing, moral and christian young man who loves math and gardening. i’m very family-oriented, and very ready to find someone to settle down with.”

ok, i couldn’t get thru writing that sentence without laughing out loud, as my dog taylor (a 100 lb american bulldog) sits behind me in the office wondering what the hell i’m laughing at?
my folks signed me up for the this indian (probably malayalee) marriage website and put a profile up for me. of course w/o telling me. they approached me with what they did after they started getting a few “inquiries”. let’s just say that i wasn’t too happy about it. besides, i didn’t like gardening; and the only gardening i’d done was when my dad would make me do it as a kid!!?!?!! and while i may be some of the other things, i don’t think i wanted to necessarily be characterized by it. anyways, that was quite a number of years ago. (on a happy note, i do love to garden now. amazing how parents can predict what their kids turn into 🙂

how are you!??!?! do you like dogs? where in san francisco do you live? are you an adventurer? do you like tall buildings? do you like The Dark Knight?

so a quick little blurb about me. i had lived in chicago for the last twenty years, working at careerbuilder.com the last ten (actually a little over nine, but ten sounds better). i wasn’t looking to leave the company or the city. i love both, and still do. but i’ve always had san francisco pulling at my heart. (i’m a huge, and i mean huge, 49ers fan – ever since i was ten years old.) when a job opportunity at glassdoor in sausalito made me an offer i couldn’t refuse, and while i didn’t want to leave chicago or careerbuilder, i jumped at moving to san francisco. so taylor and i packed up, got in my car, and drove from chicago to san francisco, a trip that took us five days taking pitstops in indianapolis (to see my folks), kansas city and lawrence (to see a high school friend and visit KU), boulder (to stay with another childhood friend), hike thru white river national forest, camp one night at moab, hike arches national the next day, thru salt lake city, stop in reno (to stay with another friend this time from college), and finally arrive in sf. i’m staying in corp housing in san rafael until i find a place to live in the city (hopefully soon) though i think marin county is beautiful and wouldn’t mind living here either.

so that’s what got me here; and why julie & tina are setting us up. i’ve been told that i’m a really good guy. and i have a strong feeling that you’re a really good girl, er woman. coincidentally, i think i have turned into that guy that my folks described online all those years ago. i absolutely adore my folks, my brothers and my sister, and their significant others (wife, fiance and dog, and husband); and my favourite person in the world is my niece beatrix. she pretty much rocks. and i also hold my friends and my relationships very near and dear to my heart. i’m sure you’ve heard all these things before and met plenty of people who feel the same way. i like to think that no one values their relationships more than i do mine. but i actually hope that everyone feels that way 🙂

so, if you’re interested after all this and find me somewhat interesting and charming, please feel free to give me a shout or send me an email…
btw. i’m not sure why i’m writing this, but i have a beard. i really like it. but generally i like it more during the winter months. for some reason, i’m wearing it right now. i look really good in it (i tell myself this every day), but i’ll be shaving it off soon (when i get a place 🙂 before you say anything – i know… i sound narcissistic but i do it in fun :))

before i let you go, for your evening humour… just so you have an idea of what my mom’s like, here’s a tidbit. (a series of conversations we had a couple years ago when she was visiting me in chicago.) she’s one of my favourite people in the world, and she makes me laugh like no one’s business, but it ain’t easy being me!!! as with all things my mother, these are true stories. we’re talking about professionals here; please don’t try this at home, kids.

mom: i cleaned your fridge!
me: that’s great, thanks!
mom: you know, i always think, he’s such a good boy, but he needs a girl.
me: to clean the fridge? you’re right!
—–
mom: i want grandchildren!
me: i can get you grandchildren.
mom: i want real grandchildren!
—–
mom: did you realize something different about your birthday this year?
me: what? that you didn’t give me money this year?
mom: yes, i’m not giving my children money until i have grandchildren!
me: $41?
mom: i give you $51!!
—–
mom: i want you to get married, cecil! don’t you have any girls at the office?
me: you want me to email the women in my office to marry me?
mom: yes
me: you realize how insane that sounds?
mom: no?