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I’ll Write The Book
Teresa Hammond mug 3
Teresa Hammond

It’s been well over a decade since I’ve been filling this space on the semi-regular.

Before there were bloggers, there were columnists. Just as before there was e-editions and the World Wide Web, there was printed news. I often kick myself for not jumping on the blogger bandwagon in the early phase. Not dissimilar to how I once thought of the computer, I swore it was a phase which would die off.

For those of you laughing, I hear you. It would also then make sense that I am still one of the few that call journalism my primary career. Clearly latching on to trends and riding them to the bank is not my forte.

Over the years of Musings, I’ve shared a variety of thoughts, stories and antics. The addition of the 209 Magazine to our catalog has offered opportunity to share even more, by way of the Fitness and Beyond space. I guess one could say, I’ve shared so much, I’ve been asked by some when I’ll write a book.

Truth be told, until recently, I balked at such a notion. My average response is that a.) I’m not that interesting and b.) That’s just too many words. The column space suits me fine.

Recently, however, I began sharing funny stories with my guy on life post-divorce (and long before I met him). Stories of one and done dating. Awkwardly running into said people around town after the fact (I never dated local until recently) and the ever awkward being spotted by someone local on a dating site.

Not a conversation I would ever have imagined myself in with my partner, but there we were nonetheless. He’s a secure man with a great sense of humor, so as I began sharing he’d shake his head and give a good chuckle.

In fairness, while single there were few second dates. Not one to waste another’s time and raising two kids solo made this a pretty easy guideline to follow. After all, why bother with a second date if the connection wasn’t there or our priorities were not in-line.

I like people and enjoy conversation, so typically speaking if phone conversation went well a date seemed like a logical next step. Dating however at this stage of life is not quite as simple as I recalled from college. The addition of responsibilities would be the number one contributor to that.

Most of my girlfriends are (naturally) still married. Many enjoyed the stories and some even shared they lived vicariously through me. One even went as far as to joke that she needed to start a spread sheet to keep up with the “new friends.”

As clueless as they come, often times I would text a few girlfriends, befuddled and confused. One guy enjoyed texting photos of flowers and love song lyrics after our first coffee date. Another would send articles of interest in navigating divorce.

My girlfriends enjoyed giving me a hard time by shooting back screenshots of our conversations stating, “saving this for the book.”

Sharing with my guy and hearing him laugh prompted me to share this.

“You should write it,” he said.

The conversation continued from there on the how’s, why’s and what type of book would be best. His encouragement was perhaps the highlight of the whole conversation.

But then I think why not? There’s no shame in putting yourself back out there and looking for someone to connect with. As one friend pointed out, I’m a relationship person. Commitment is in my blood, just sometimes things go south.

And when they do, we pick ourselves up, dust off and turn the page. Here’s to a fresh, clean page.

 

Teresa Hammond is a staff reporter for The Oakdale Leader, The Riverbank News and The Escalon Times. She may be reached at thammond@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 847-3021.