On the rebound...

I have kind of an on again/off again relationship with football, and I find myself falling into the same, dysfunctional pattern every year...

August to September is a blissfully wonderful honeymoon phase. The weather is great, I hang out with all my friends, and I get to pull out those game day dresses that I haven't worn in a year. Our relationship is filled with hope and promise and I could not be more excited.

Then October comes and it gets to be a little more work. I still love football, but I find myself getting a little resentful that it's taken up all of my Saturdays and I no longer have time to do all the things I used to love. However, I am not a fair weather fan and I know that any good relationship takes work.

Come November, though, I may find myself skipping a game. Football's all like, "Are we hanging out this weekend?" and I'm all like, "No. I have to work." At this point in the season moods have changed, too. If we're winning, everyone's high strung and stressed out. If we're losing, everyone's just mean.

Then the week after Thanksgiving we have the talk:

Football: I just don't think this is working. We need a break. You're great and I appreciate all the time and cute outfits you've put into this season, but we just don't have the heat anymore. You feel it, right?

Me: Yeah, I know. It's just too much work and you're right, it was like 30 degrees at that last night game. Maybe in another time and another place...

We may hook up a couple of times after that, but we're pretty much done and I can play the field so to speak.

Enter Basketball. Basketball is like Football's less attractive friend who's all like, "Hey, football didn't treat you right, but I'm here now." And I'm all like, "Eh, you're okay and I don't have anything better going on..." It's fun for a while, but I know it's just a rebound thing. I can tell because I'm okay with wearing jeans and t-shirts. Maybe even more than once in the same season.

I have a feeling that it's happening again. Football's about to dump me and we may not even be hooking up for New Year's this time. I've been hanging out with Basketball a little bit, though, and it's going pretty well. I'm thinking this season might be the start of something real between us. We even doubled last night with my friend K- and her son.

In the fall, though, football's all like, "I miss you and I want you back." And I'm all like, "Me too. Let's never fight again!"

Fondest regards,
The Lady