When We Last Left Jason (Part 2)

When we last left Jason Part 2...

I don’t normally write or talk about dating or who I’ve met where and what my hearts doing. But since so many believe I've been MIA lately, this will provide another piece of the puzzle.

I’m making an exception now. The exception is being made because it has moved beyond just “seeing someone” and dating them to falling in love and deciding to build a relationship.

A couple months ago I met a wonderful guy, Antuan. He is an incredibly talented dancer and entertainer. We met and got to know each other on a two hour train ride home from one of his performances in the musical, La Cage aux Folles.

From that evening on we started getting to know each other and dating.

What I love about life is that it is always surprises you. I’ve always said that I would never date someone younger, someone who travels, another person in the entertainment industry. Antuan is all of these things. Surprise, surprise. Guess I’m learning to never say never.

I had to revisit what I really wanted from a relationship. When I did that, him being a few years younger (I'm 31, he's 26 for those who will want to do the math), him being an entertainer who has done alot of travelling around the world, those things no longer factored in.

My prayer has always been that I would be with someone who loves God and loves me. Antuan is that prayer's answer.

Between my work, his auditioning and life in general - we dated and things grew and evolved at the pace of our hearts.

Then the call came from a little place, Radio City Music Hall.

He had auditioned for them before we met and they’d been so taken with him they’d videotaped his audition when they found out his show schedule would keep him from coming back in for a Call Back. From the video they cast him for their Christmas Spectacular Show.

Yea!

Cheer!

Whoo-hoo!

Enter the fine print.

Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular Christmas TOUR.

Tour meaning he would be on the road and not here. It would only be 2 months but he'd be away from NYC for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s - all magical times in this city and holidays I wanted to celebrate together.

I knew when I fell for him that this could be a possibility. I just didn’t expect it two months into our relationship. I thought we’d have more time. We didn’t.

We filled up the two weeks before he left with quiet Sunday mornings, seeing the Indigo Girls, experiencing The Color Purple on Broadway, walking through Central Park, eating at cheap neighborhood diners, shopping at the Union Square Farmer's Market, etc.

It was wonderful.

Then we said goodbyes for a brief time. Goodbyes that were harder than I expected. In just a couple months Antuan had become a fixture in my apartment and heart. It wasn't going to be easy to fill the time and space while he was away.

So...right now. I’m here in New York and Antuan has been rehearsing in Myrtle Beach and, just this week, he’s flown to Nashville, Tennessee. For the next two months he’ll be performing with the Rockettes at the Grand Ole Opry.

Visit: www.radiocity.com

I am so proud of him and I can’t wait to see the show. It has been a lot of fun talking to him as he’s gone through the rehearsal process (in Myrtle Beach, SC) and now as he’s settling into rehearsals in Nashville. They’re all working hard and it sounds like it will be a really great show.

The show opens next week and the weekend also coincides with a National Council of Teacher’s of English - which is a trade show I use to work with Peachtree. I’m flying down to be with Antuan for a couple of days and I’ll get to have a mini-reunion with my Peachtree family. I’ll get to spend a few hours a day walking in my old shoes and talking up Children’s literature.

I can’t wait.

So...the bottom line. I'm incredibly happy. He's wonderful and I'm enchated. Below

I'll post pictures so you can "meet"him.

There will be one more installation of When We Last Left Jason...then I’ll hopefully keep this journal more updated.

Here’s a hint about what’s to come:

I’m going to Africa.