I love this post by fellow blogger Joy the Baker. She is in the midst of a grown-up girl’s solo vacation. She took the bull by the horns and didn’t wait for the perfect time - or the perfect guy - to go ahead and take a trip by herself.

Dear Future Joy,

Once upon a time, probably a good handful of years ago, you took yourself on vacation.

This was at a time before you had kids or a husband.  When you would treat yourself to the expensive shampoo and conditioner.  When you were convinced that only super rich people get to own houses.  When you couldn’t exactly afford to take yourself away on a fancy vacation… but you did anyway.

So simple. And so good.

www.joythebaker.com

If you are/going to be in the Los Angeles area next week, please join us the Petite Ermitage Hotel for a Welcome 2010 party. 

While all are invited, you must register.

“Wow, this is good.”

That’s the first thought that popped into my head as I read Penelope Trunk’s blog about feeling lost (There’s No Magic Pill for Being Lost).  In actuality, the blog entry is much bigger than that; it’s about that sinking feeling you get when your personal life has unraveled, your career path is unsteady and you’re looking around wondering, “how did I get here?”

If you’re not familiar with Penelope Trunk or her blog, I say get thee there now.  She’s smart.  She’s launching start-ups.  She’s a mom.  And most importantly, she is very brave.  She’s what used to be called an “overshare-er,” but is now referred to as “transparent.”  Call it whatever you want, but she has artfully done what people always warn you not to, but secretly wish you would, so that there is at least someone addressing what we are all thinking and feeling.

***

“When I was in the mental ward, it was mostly girls in their teens with messed up track records and eating disorders. But my roommate was from Kellogg, a top-ten business school.

I thought it was insane that she was there. She was so smart. She was going to be great at work. Her only problem was that her fiancée had just broken off their engagement. I thought she would be fine—there are so many other men to be had. But before I could ask her to explain, she tried to electrocute herself in the bathtub, with a blow-drier, and she was moved to the high-security ward.

That has been on my mind as my relationship with the farmer has unraveled.”

Read the rest of There’s No Magic Pill For Being Lost.

Okay, so remember a few weeks ago when I introduced  you (via guest post) to my friend Tiffany?  The one who wrote about the dangers of men creating fake profiles for online dating sites?  Well, she’s back.  And this time, she’s got more gossip; particularly about one of her “matches,” who is attempting to drain her bank account before even taking her out for dinner!  Just when you think you’ve heard it all - you haven’t. Check this out…..

I awoke one morning last week to a gift. The gift of all gifts. Well, a gift not as good as some more Tiffany jewelry but who’s comparing?

Anyway, the gift came in my email inbox.

The subject line: “Something Important.”

The Sender: Daniel Houston, who I’d met on an online dating site about five months earlier. Even then, his profile seemed fishy to me. I ignored it. He eventually went away.  Then, just last week, he reappeared:

Hello honey,

It’s been a while. Where have you been. How are you doing? I got good news. I am writing you at this time because of there is something important I need to discuss with you and I really need you at this time because I believe this is the best way we can see each other real soon so I will really want you to work on what I have to discuss with you at this time.

Now that’s enough to get a lonely, desperate woman all worked up, no? I mean a man who “really needs me?” And we can “see each other?”

Not enough? Fine.

Then came this:

I spoke with my mom and she told me about the inheritance my dad left for me and she said this is the best time I need to claim my inheritance since her health is deteriorating and she then gave me the last will and testament my dad gave out to me in my name. According to the WILL, my dad left me a large sum of money which is in total of US$10,000,000.00 and according to the WILL, I cannot claim the inheritance unless I am married or at least engaged.

Wait for it - OMG HE’S GOING TO PROPOSE!

So I am writing you now so I can be able to claim my inheritance and since we both have so many things in common and we are both working out on things, I want you at this time so I can be able to claim the inheritance so you will need to write to the bank which is HSBC Bank, London explaining to them that you are my fiance and after that, I will send to you the Last Will and Testament for confirmation.

I will wait to hear from you soonest.

Thinking of you
Daniel

And for the last five months, as he’s been working on a contract in AFRICA he’s been thinking about me?

*SQUEEEE!*

Yeah. Really? So I write back telling him how happy I am to hear that he is still into me and asking for a contact person at the bank. You know – so I can expedite the process, so that we can be together at last. Oh and so I can get my share of the ten million bucks. Of course I threw in some sappy “I can’t wait to meet you” language for good measure.

He gave me the following contact information:

CONTACT PERSON:
MR. KELVIN LAMBERT.
MANAGER AUDIT DEPT (HSBC)
kelvinlambert@e-hsbcbank.com
kelvinlambert001@yahoo.com
TEL: +44-790-949-9584.
TEL: +44 207 060 1827.
FAX: +44-20-7060-0564.

My instructions were to e-mail Mr. Lambert informing him that I was in fact Dan Houston’s wife.

I gushed (and puked). I asked him where I could call him once I’d called the bank, so we could plan our time together. But alas, I was not to have his phone number. Not till I called the bank. No, this charmer wouldn’t give his one and only love his phone number until she called the bank.

He also sent me a death certificate and other odd things.

I thought about calling or emailing to see what happens. But I leave that to *you* dear readers. And I hope you will report back. ((can’t wait.))

Next up: I will share with you the email that I sent to the dating site where I met this scam artist, Singleparentmeet.com.

The saga continues…

I stumbled over to our partner site www.SingleWomenRule.com today and found the following post.  I love the concept of The Daily Asker and thought that I had to share it - and her - with you immediately.

“Right now I’m reading The Gospel According to Chanel by Karen Korbo (and hope to get around to reviewing it at some point). It mentions The Daily Asker, a blog by a woman who set out to make a habit of asking for things. Apparently, it’s a wildly popular but somehow escaped my notice.

The Asker, who calls herself ‘La Roxy,’  asks for perks, upgrades, two-for-one deals, better seats in restaurants, pay raises, and so on.  She got the idea to ask-and-blog after getting to page seven of  Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever’s Women Don’t Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation–and Positive Strategies for Change, which maintains that we females leave millions of dollars on the table over the course of our lives because we avoid negotiating.”

WHAT????!!!!! Millions of dollars????  If we’re leaving that on the table at work, imagine what we aren’t asking for in other areas of our lives (hello, unsatisfying personal relationships?).

You can read the rest of the blog entry at www.singleowmenrule.com, or go straight to The Daily Asker.   In fact, I’ll help you even further; go straight to the November 9th entry, How to Get Your Way, (Italian Style).

Just do it!