An unlikely pair.....

I remember when the world first found out about Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri and how NOBODY could understand what drew the two together (or at least that was my reaction). She, pop royalty and he... well I have yet to find a nice way to describe Jermaine, nothing personal, but you know.

Well while on my date with Family Guy this past weekend that is the image that popped into my head. There I was, all prissed up, proper speaking, dressed straight off the rack of Ann Taylor and there he was sitting across the table from me in his Ecko sweater, jeans and Air Force 1's. We were talking about something non-important when it dawned on me that dude is exactly the type of man that I've spent much of my adult life avoiding. This isn't to say anything bad about dude but I definitely was not checking for someone like him in my dating adventures.

I VERY recently retired my (grocery) list of requirements. You know the list I'm talking about. The one that reads: Mr. Right must be 6' 3" tall, hold a Master's from an Ivy League School, earn 150k+ a year, must be physically fit, etc... Ok, ok that is a GROSS exaggeration of my list but I think you get the point I'm trying to make. Every woman has one. It's almost like we are going to run down to the local Harris Teeter, gather these ingredients and Presto... The Perfect Man will appear (hence the grocery reference). Like really ladies, who put that dumb idea in our heads? Or as Dr. Phil would say, "How's that working out for ya?"

I'm learning that I what I WANT isn't always what I NEED. Please don't miscontrue that as a statement of me settling but rather a declaration that I'm ready to be realistic about life and love. Family Guy could possibly end up not being Mr. Right for me and that's ok. Going forward I plan to leave each experience a little more in tune with what I need from a relationship.

Janet has gone on record to say that Jermaine saw her differently and made her feel good about herself and her self image. I wouldn't expect her to air her dirty laundry but the fact that she speaks so highly of the man at every opportunity definitely tells me that she received something of value out of their relationship. In a way, he upgraded her....