Reason 278

Patience. I'm not sure how my parents managed to cultivate a great deal of patience in me, but I am so glad they did. It probably also helps that I escaped the scourge of the generation nipping at my heels - ADHD. The ability to stand in line for eons without griping comes in quite handy at the bank, the grocery store and Disneyland, and patience serves me well every single day at work. Trying to explain to 32 sixth graders how to fold a giant piece of poster paper into twenty-four squares would be even more painful than it already is if my patience level was at rock bottom before the school day even began. I have also discovered in the last two weeks that I have the patience of a saint when it comes to dating. Two Thursdays ago I went on my first date with a wonderful man who turned out to be funny, intelligent, attractive, and just as dorky as I am - qualities that had been woefully absent in the other rejects I'd gone out with this past year. Fast forward to ten days later when I am looking forward to our fifth date. In fact, he should be en route to my house at this very moment so we can gorge ourselves on beef curry stew over rice and hold a marathon session of Super Mario Bros. on the original NES. See, I told you we were dorks. Anyway, you'd think by the fifth date this girl would have seen some action, but the closest I've gotten to hanky panky are a few tepid hugs and sitting about a centimeter away from my boyfriend candidate on the couch two nights ago while we watched a gloriously terrible 70's disco flick called "Thank God It's Friday." I'm beginning to think shaving my legs before every date is a complete waste of time. Since I am a patient lady, however, I will continue to hang out with Mr. (Possibly) Right, shooting him smoldering looks over Asian food and scooching ever closer to him on the couch until his personal boundaries are finally breached and he has his way with me (sorry mom and dad). It turns out patience really is a virtue, Jason, and I this is one virtuous person who doesn't mind waiting for things, whether they be a ride on Big Thunder Mountain or the man of my dreams.