Speed

As my twitter followers know,  this weekend I went speed dating.  J and I had been talking about it for awhile, so decided to kick it into high gear and actually sign up.  Through telling people that we were doing this, we each were easily able to enlist a co-worker to go with us also.   The age range for this event was 22 – 32.

Before I go any further, I need to back the trolley up a little.  Late November,  I had started talking to a guy on OKCupid, and we went out a handful of times.   We had mutually decided it wasn’t really a good fit, but have since become pretty decent friends.  He is part of the speed dating story – and about my adventures, and so he will be forever more referred to as #31.   You will be hearing more about him in the future.

So – I had told #31 that he should go with us.   He signed up for the website, but not speed dating specifically.   He had every intention of going, but was pleased to get an e-mail that said they were short on guys, and they were offering to waive the $35 fee for him to attend.  Score for him,  lame for us girls who actually paid – since most of the guys there were probably going for free, therefore thinking it was a joke.  My fear of no guys actually being there was seemingly coming true.

We get to the location that this experience was being held, and we were the first people there.  Not to mention we quickly realized that this was going to be happening in a very public place- in front of people who were not signed up to speed date.  It was definitely time for a drink.. which sadly was not included in the $35 cost of attending the event.

When everyone was there, the host had a quick meeting with all of us, explaining how it worked.   We will have about 7 minutes to chat with the person, and then the guys will rotate.   The only rule was that we were not to give out any personal information about ourselves (i.e. email address, facebook or twitter handles, etc.)   The girls outnumbered the guys by about 2 or 3-  so us girls would each have a break or two.

My first “date” was super awkward.  He seemed to be on the older side of the line, which was fine since I am an age snob when it comes to younger guys.  I actually feel bad for the guy for having to put up with me.   Those of you who know me in real life know that, in person when dealing with a “date-like” situation, I am extremely awkward anyway.   I felt speed date number 1, the awkwardness was amplified with not knowing what to expect.  We asked each other what we did for work, and for fun.   As it turns out – I don’t really know what I like to do for fun.  I certainly didn’t want to announce that I blog about online dating.   Don’t get me wrong, I have hobbies –  I just don’t generally define them.

Date number 2 was less awkward.   He told me he doesn’t live close by.  “Umm… okay, where do you live?”   I thought he was going to say somewhere out of state, and due to lack of guys they asked him to join in.    That was not the case, he lived about 20 minutes away, and works at the local university in their clinic.

Date number 3 was #31.  By far the least awkward date of the evening, even though he can attest for me being awkward.   Now that it’s established that we aren’t going to date – in his words, “I never shut up.”    His previous two dates were my co-worker and J – so he didn’t have anything exciting to share.  He informed me he bought a new nut cup for hockey – I wrote that down on my notes.  He wrote down on his note page for me, in very large print, “HERPES.”   I then proceeded to note “Asshole.”   The last thing to note was that he believed his only real competition there was the guy coming up next.

Date number 4 was really cute.   You were right, #31.. definitely strong competition. He was a little awkward as well,  and definitely someone who could be classified as a “nerd.”   We talked about an event that I have coming up in a few months that he has been a part of before, and he gave me some tips.   I found out later from my co-worker that he is also a ballerina.   Man, I wish that would have came up on our date.

That’s when my break came in.  It was definitely time for a long island iced tea.

Date number 5 HAD to have been at least 45 years old.   I think he was pulled in at the last minute.   He also was not from the area, and was from out of state.  He was here temporarily for work,  his job was trying to get him to stay permanently, but he has every intention of getting back home as soon as possible.

By Date number 6 – the long island was definitely kicking in a little bit.   This guy sat down, and I immediately knew I had spoken with him before on OKCupid.  “Oh, I know you,  we used to talk on OKCupid!”   He did not remember me until I told him my OKC handle.  Since he had previously asked me the questions he generally asks on OKCupid – we had another awkward conversation about what we like to do in our free time for fun.

My last date of the evening was with a guy from Ethiopia.  He worked with Date #3 at the university, and has been here a few years.  I had to ask him to repeat himself several times as he had a thick accent, and was soft spoken.

After that was all over,  we all went to pay our bar tabs and get the heck out of there.   I stopped Date #1 on the way and apologized for the extreme awkwardness.   Date #6 approached our group and chatted with #31 for awhile.   #31 decided it would be funny to start talking about his 3rd date (me) and proceeded to open up his note page.  I snatched that thing out of his hand as fast as humanly possible and was chased down.  The long island in me decided the best course of action was to put his note page in my mouth.   Yep,  I am definitely batshit crazy.  (In #31’s defense, he had forgotten he had written HERPES on it in jest, and did not open the paper once he got it back.)

The gang of us went out afterwards for some dinner, and discussed who we were going to click “YES” to on the website the next day.   If both parties select “YES”,  you get their contact information.  I certainly don’t want to date any of them, but decided I wanted to know who chose me,  so I said yes to everyone.  (And I am totally cool with making new friends.)   J went in with a big “No Thanks” all around.   My co-worker was fond of my date #1 and date #4.    Mr #31 had selected a few girls that did not come with our group.

Date #6 had selected yes for me,  even after witnessing me attempting to eat paper.  He has already sent me an e-mail..

My Date #1 had selected my co-worker, who she happened to spot at the bar the next night.

..And poor #31 didn’t manage to snag anyone.   (It’s okay, I am currently managing his OKC page, and I am planning on finding him someone..)

Would I go again?   Yes –  but only if food and/or a drink was included in the price,  it was more in a private location where random strangers weren’t watching, and if they could guarantee I would be meeting 15+ people who weren’t there for free.