I made a promise to myself that I would stop letting guys treat me badly and it's been working out well so far. Sometimes that's hard, like when I turned down the chance to get with my super hot co-worker. I'm at a point where I just don't need to put myself through all the stupidity of a hormonally charged fling. I finally realized that I'm way too cool to be with guys who don't appreciate me. It's been a lonely few months and not being with guys actually makes my self-esteem lower a little. I mean, what's with these guys who go for such superficial and boring girls? It's rough but bearable. Plus, I can sit back and enjoy everyone else's stupid problems without feeling that stress and rejection. Hooray for me.

Naturally, my little world had to go awry. My friends and I got to talking to some guys last night and I really hit it off with one of them. As the night progressed, we both got a little tipsy, but I decided to risk it and go out with him tonight. I was kinda freaking out about because I'm just so awful at this whole dating thing. For me, it's over before it's even begun, but I was really interested about getting to know this guy better.

I knew that it could be very weird...he's 33. Now, I don't have a problem with that, one of my best friends is 37 and another close friend is 47. In fact, I was looking to date an 'older' guy simply because the ones my age just don't make the cut. I was concerned that he would find my youth to be a turn off, after all, he's a college grad with a successful career and I'm a student who lives with her parents. I'm not ashamed of who I am, I was just worried that he would see me as immature.

So, I met him for coffee. He was ever cuter than I remembered and I was really enjoying listening to him talk. He had great stories and a great sense of humor. He invited me back to his place for a movie, which I was very cautious about. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and took him up on the offer.

On the way over there, we chatted some more. That's when he decided to drop the bombshell. I think what he said was, "Would you be freaked out if I told you that I have two daughters?" I calmly told him no and asked how old they are. Then I wanted to know if he had been married. Yes. And they've only been divorced for three months.

That changes things. A lot.

I was already asking myself what I was doing dating a man 11 years older than me, throwing an ex-wife and two kids into the mix wasn't helping. We were hitting it off really well and I actually like him, but this quashes any sort of serious dating, not that that would happen anyway. Plus, I don't want to be the rebound, I don't want to be his strange (for those of you that know the term). I'm the first girl he's been with since his wife and he must be completely infatuated with me. I'm young and beautiful (not to toot my own horn) and I have nine piercings, which I know is kind of exciting for him. I'm the fucking 22 year old hussie that dad started dating when he broke up with mom. She'll hate me. His girls will hate me. I should run screaming from this situation.

...and I probably will. But for the moment, I'm asking myself why the first guy I've been with who is actually dateable is in the worst possible place for dating. I want to see him again and he wants to take me to dinner next week. Of course, I'm up to my eyeballs in schoolwork and he has his kids next weekened. The fun is only starting.