Arachnophobia

I've been learning to overcome my powerful fear of spiders. I posted pictures of large spiders on my computer with the intent of dulling my reactions to them. It seems to be working. I no longer feel the intense fear that I have been accustomed to all these years.
I am even thinking about getting myself a pet tarantula spider, to help me solidify the control that I wish to exert over my fear. Tarantula's are easy to maintain, and they have lifespans of up to twenty years. If I do get one, I plan to get a Mexican Red-knee tarantula, and I'll name it Megabyte. I feel very confident that my goal of no longer fearing spiders is very close to being achieved. To be honest, I believe that right now, I would be more afraid of the crickets that I would have to feed Megabyte than the spider itself (yes, I also have powerful entomophobia).

Father/Son Chess Lessons

I have been teaching my adopted dad how to play chess over the past week. He has learned very quickly, and has improved his game at an incredible rate. When I was playing the other day, I felt challenged during the game, and while I won the match, I felt that he had a chance to win. I'm looking forward to the day when he wins the match. I am so proud of his progress so far.

Becca

I've begun to date a beautiful young woman named Becca. We've been dating since February 13, and we shared our first kiss on February 27. She has been a great inspiration to grow past the failure of my marriage, and is a reminder of my value as a person. My life is so uncertain now, but I am trying not to think too far ahead. Becca and I have both decided to "go with the flow", and see where the current of life takes us. I can't see myself making any huge commitments to her yet, such as moving in together, sharing bank accounts, sharing money or debt, getting married, or having children. But I might change my mind in time. I feel scared because this is all so new, even though Crystal and I went through the same stages.