I realize that when I met you at the turkey curry buffet, I was unforgivably rude, and wearing a reindeer jumper.

I've never considered myself a real shy person. That was decided when, as a young teen, I "bop bopped" some dude's rear multiple times, on the sly, at stake dances.

I like to think I have matured since then.

Still, I have this Bridget Jones-esque way of making myself look like an idiot in front of any moderately attractive male. And there is one such male in existence whom I see every night at the gym. We have had our moments, he and I. If you know what I mean. And by that I mean, we would walk past each other on many occasions that didn't require walking past each other.

So I decided it was time to take the next step. As I was sitting on a leg machine, waiting to begin my next rep, he comes sauntering by. "Carpe Diem!" I cheered to myself. I looked at him straight in the face, and flashed by biggest Hello smile. (I bet you were expecting that I was going to jump atop him, weren't you? WRONG.)

Then, quite naturally, he smiled back. A kind of 10-year-old-grin that almost made me snort-laugh.

And then I called it a night and went back home, feeling quite pleased with my progress.

Who KNOWS what kind of shenanigans tonight will bring.