Sunday, July 31, 2011

A Frog and a Prince

My mom and I have come up with a lovely scale called the Frog/Prince scale. Three frogs means it was the worst date ever, two means pretty bad but I didn't get up and leave, one frog means there might be some potential but we'll wait and see. One prince equals a nice time, two princes could warrant a hug and three means I will most certainly be seeing him again.

The guy I just met with was...well...sort of a zero. We had a fine time, the conversation was nice and flowed well. He is very attractive, gainfully employed, smart, etc. I have my boss's voice in my head saying "if the guy can't spring for coffee then it's not worth it" so that is a potential ding against him. He lives over an hour away which I did not realize so he is a little geographically undesirable. But he was sweet and we had a good time...

1 + -1 + zero ... so a zero? Hmmmm.

I'm on the fence with the whole who-buys-what idea. A part of me thinks that if I'm not even calling these dates then the guy is under no obligation to pay for anything. I am certainly capable of buying my own coffee. And another part of me is old fashioned and thinks that though the means of dating have changed, the fundamental rules really haven't changed much at all and the guy should be paying.

Angry feminists everywhere raise a fist and let loose a battle cry!

I'm on the fence, and will probably stay on the fence until something or someone knocks me one way or the other.

Can we talk for a minute about hugs? I am all for hugs. I used to be a really hug oriented person. I'd hug everyone and everything. Feeling sad? Have a hug! Feeling great? Another hug! Did we just meet? Lets hug it out! Hugs for everyone!!!! And then one day it sort of dawned on me, mostly because I was getting a reputation for sending mixed messages to my guy friends, not everything warrants a hug...not everyone wants to be hugged, and sometimes hugging is not appropriate.

What ever happened to the handshake? I feel like such an anti-touching grumpy pants but seriously? Sometimes I don't want to be touched! I am meeting these people for the first time ever. Handshakes are amazing and only require me to touch one part of you...your hand. It just sort of struck me between last nights kiss fiasco and this mornings awkward hug that two people that don't know each other shouldn't be that close.

I have another meet and greet tonight. I am going to go in for the handshake and see what happens. My guess? It'll be some equally awkward moment in which he's gone in for the hug and my had gets trapped between us. I just can't win!
*bangs head against wall*

Hi my name is!

hi my name is martin and u look kool to me so i thout id stop by yer page and c if u wanted to go somwhere this wkend with me we might have lots to say and beers to drink and plz let me know k??

I weep for what some people do to the English language. I don't find it particularly fun to have to read through one long run on sentence,trying to decipher what some guy is actually saying. It does not give me hope that our conversations will be deep and interesting...more like shallow and boring. And I don't generally volunteer my time to shallow and boring people.

Pick up a dictionary! Hell, if you're on the internet you can look up how to spell the words you want to use. It's amazing! Almost like magic!

Sometimes, after a few particularly frustrating conversation with the bottom of the dating pool...I find I completely understand our unemployment rate. The world is populated by idiots. They are in the majority and the rest of us are just trying to climb through the sludge to get up for air.

New rule! If you can't be bothered to write a coherent profile, I can't be bother to respond to your attempts at communication...which means that I cannot email the very sexy fire fighter that just messaged me...even though he thinks I'm kool!

Saturday, July 30, 2011

You May Kiss Me If...

You may kiss me if...

* You know my first and last name
* We've been out on more than one date (not including the one we're currently on)
* You ask me and I say yes
* I tell you to (or ask...but usually I'll just tell you!)
* I know your first and last name
* We aren't still playing the "so what music do you like? get-to-know-you game
* We have done the full body hug more than once...not the lame hug of friendship
where I try and keep my pelvis as far from you as possible
...lest you get sexy ideas
* We have held hands on more than one occasion
* We do the sexy hug where our cheeks touch and we both are all slow to pull away
and our faces are close and I'm noticing how good you smell
and you're noticing how I have kick ass lips and then...

Yeah you can kiss me then!

If we're out on our first meet-and-greet...it should NEVER cross your mind that it is okay at ANY point in time to blindside me by going in for a kiss. It breaks all the rules and is downright scary! I am trapped! Locked in a hug that is far to close for comfort whilst your lips come flying at my face. This is not a good way to end an evening if you hope to see me again.

The result of such an action? Well, lets see. Amidst all the confusion I do believe that I, and only in the most lady-like manner, shoved him away from me and said "oh lord, not on the first date!". His response? "Oh, you never know. Some girls like that". Well not this girl, buster! The awkward was flying all over the place and we both ran to our respective cars.

Bad form my dear man...bad form.

And if I'm really going to get petty on this blog, and I am because chances are slim that he'll ever read this or that he's the guy I'll find my happy ending with...dude was way too tan, his teeth and hair were way too bleached, and he was way too into his own muscles. We had a pretty good time...honestly, I kept waiting for him to say "it's been fun but I don't think we're right for each other". At no point in time did he telegraph that he was into me enough to warrant a kiss. There were no warning signs!

Though I do think I need to work on my self image a bit. If Hottie McBenchpress thinks I'm kiss worthy, then screw you scale! I'm eating some cake!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Alright guys!

Lets get this thing back on track, shall we? That means actually going on more than two dates. Things are not looking up. I had to cancel my date tonight. Why would you do that, Laura!?? Cancel a date? That's not the point! The point is to actually go on dates!

Not when the guy announces he's going to be a half an hour late...

Pardon me? Once again, in my good ear? Ten, maybe fifteen minutes I can accept. But a half an hour? Come on people! I am not sitting my cute ass down for a half an hour to wait for your sorry ass to wander on up to meet me. I am sorry. I am not going to set a standard that says this is acceptable behavior.

Seriously, I get a text saying that my gentleman of the evening is going to be late. I call him and ask precisely how late. I was actually shocked that I didn't just tell him I'd wait. But them's the rules folks! I don't care how cute or smart or funny or perfect he seems. When meeting up with someone for the first time, you usually want to make a good impression...arriving half an hour late does not make a good first impression.

But Laura, how can you be so heartless?? His grandmother died, his dog ran away, his sister called from prison and needs him to wire money, his car broke down, his arm fell off and all he's asking is for thirty teeny tiny minutes to drag himself to meet with you. What gives??

Welp...all of that should have been taken care of prior to meeting me on time. I get it. Shit happens. Hell, it most certainly happens to me. But it's rare because I leave myself a half an hour to get some place that only takes ten minutes. I think a guy should have enough respect to be on time, even if it's just for coffee. Sure, if I date someone for a while and something comes up, I'm fine waiting around for a bit.

But not on a first "date". I don't want to give anyone the impression that I sit around with little to do except wait for guys to waltz into my life when they feel like it. So what did I do instead? Took myself to sushi, walked around down town and drove myself to a swing dance lesson and social. A good night had by all.

...except for the guy that didn't get the chance to met me! Sorry!

Time Flies

When you have a kick ass time. I went out last night with a new guy. We had a few drinks, some great conversation and before I knew it...we had been talking for two and a half hours. I had a really great time.

Here's the thing...I did not have an initial "click" with this guy. We met up, had an awkward hug, some smiles and sat down. But damn, we were certainly clicking once the conversation got underway.

I don't trust chemistry. I have experienced, all too often, what happens when the chemistry falls away and you realize you have nothing in common. Sure, it's all fine and dandy to sit across from someone at dinner just waiting to rip each others clothes off...but eventually that fades. And if you have nothing in common, no mutual interests, nothing to talk about...really, whats the point?

Looks fade, we grow old, women aren't perfectly made up all the time, men don't look so amazing first thing in the morning with pillow creases on their face. I'm a red hot mess most of the time. If you can't be along for the ride...the entire ride...the good, the bad, the old, the ugly and all the rest...then whats the point?

Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy the comfort of a good "click". I love the moment when you meet up with someone and you just know that this is going to be a good night. It isn't a ton of fun to have to work to get the conversation going, keep it going...sometimes it feels like pulling teeth it's so painful. I am not a quiet person so when the conversation gets all lopsided I tend to talk more to fill the silence.

So tonight is coffee with someone new. We'll see if there's a click, perhaps some conversation chemistry, or it could just be dead in the water. Who knows!!!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

The Purple Unicorn

Ok, I do realize that I need to actually go on internet dates in order to write about internet dating. I do have a full weekend planned...and will probably collapse sometime in the middle of work on Sunday. This is also incentive to keep these dates short and sweet...so I don't go crazy, get too exhausted or overwhelmed.

In the meantime, I feel it is completely appropriate to discuss the seemingly obligatory "six pack abs" picture. I should really thank the guys that post these pictures. It's an automatic pass for me, and makes my screening process oh so much easier! When guys are willing to post so openly and freely how shallow they are?? Delete! Do not pass go, do not collect dinner and a movie!

I value health and fitness. I am active and want someone that is interested in being active with me. I do not have six pack abs. I do not care if the person I am dating has six pack abs. So showing me a picture of you in the gym or in your bathroom (which I find a little weird to begin with) pulling up on your shirt to show what you clearly value most about your body...all I can think is damn...there must be NOTHING going on upstairs.

Why would anyone take a picture of themselves in the bathroom? It's a bathroom! I don't need to see your bathroom. I know it has the advantage of the mirror and makes using the camera on your phone much easier but ewww! People go to the bathroom in bathrooms. Does this creep anyone else out??

Consider this: Picture yourself posing in your bathroom, with your sexy stance and ribbed t-shirt...now imagine one of your guy friends behind the camera. A little awkward and embarrassing? Then you shouldn't be taking that picture!!!

I am sure this is judgemental (we've already established that I am, in fact, judgemental). I am sure there are many many guys out there that show off their physique and then go to their den to read Plato. I've just never met one. But not unlike purple unicorns...I've never seen one but I can't prove they don't exist.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

The Meet and Greet

45 minutes is the perfect amount of time in which to exchange vital information, carry on decent conversation, and generally figure out if you can stand to be in the same room as the person you have just set eyes on. If you pass the 45 minute test, chances are there is a 50 minute...possibly an entire hour in your future.

I had a great 45 minute meet and greet yesterday.

Words were exchanged, conversation flowed with relative ease, he bought the coffee *always a plus*. We just...got know know each other a little bit better. It wasn't a date. Dates, to me, imply that you've at least exchanged words in person. The whole thing was easy, a little awkward, but fun. I left while I was still having fun. I left while there was still more to say.

The flip side of this is the "over share".

One such gentleman has emailed me his entire life story including but not limited to: his fiance, their break up, his spiritual journey, packing up his car and traveling across country to find himself, his parents failures, his return, his current goals, dreams, wants, social security number, and the intimate details about the 2.5 kids and 4 bedroom house that he will build with his own two hands and so help me I did not need to know ANY of this!!!!

You get the picture.

There is a balance between what needs to be said, what should be said, and what can be kept to ones self. The "meet and greet" is designed to skim the surface. Remember, this is all still very shallow, as it should be. We're all just trying to figure out if we can possible enjoy each others company. I don't need the life story just yet, that should come out over time.

In my mother's infamous words: If you vomit your life all over me, I'm sure you'll feel much better but I'll still be covered in vomit.

So guys...please, we all have baggage, we all have crazy ex's, and we all have stories that would make your hair curl. These do not need to be shared within the first few dates. Keep them to yourselves.

Monday, July 25, 2011

The More Things Change

The more they stay the same. Thus far, including all of my prior flings with internet dating, I have been matched with someone from my high school, a guy I knew in college, I guy I dated in college, and now I'm churning through the same people I messaged but never met that last time I tried this. Hey, at least it's some familiar faces, right?

Good lord there are a lot of fire fighters on here. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of the boots and the pants and whatnot. But wow...didn't know there were so many single fireman. If word got out I think we'd have a breakdown in social services or something. All firefighters are off on dates and everything burns to the ground.

I wish I could find the profile I read a few days ago. The guy made a comment about how every one puts hiking on their profile. We are all just closet hiking fanatics and the trails are simply packed with single hikers who are looking for a new hiking partner so they can fall in love with the outdoors and each other and have a wedding in the woods followed by a nice long hike to a cabin for the honeymoon which will involved even more hiking. Hiking boots must simply be flying off the shelves!

I think I put hiking in my profile. Which I can actually claim as a hobby because my sister lives near some kick ass trails and anyone that walks in the woods for two hours without water (because we're stupid and didn't wear watches) in the middle of July heat gets to call themselves a hiker.

I also feel like I've stumbled into the world of the tall. Holy crap! I didn't know this many people over six feet existed! I suppose I work with tiny people every day. My bosses and co-workers probably stack up at around 5'3" to maybe 5'6". I think I'd hurt my neck constantly looking up to these giants. Men grow like trees!

I get creeped out by guys that smile but don't show their teeth.

So, first date today! I am getting coffee with Jason. Lets see if we actually manager to get to the date this time :-)

Goes Without Saying

I found this particular gem today...

"Figured I'd put this at the top: I'm ONLY interested in skinny/thin/average/slightly thick but built girls, NO heavy girls, no offense, nothing wrong w/ heavy girls, just not for me."

I really do wonder how often guys show up to meet their date, all hopefull and expectant, thinking about the lovely and trim pictures he has seen of her...wind blowing through her hair as she finishes a triathlon with perfect makeup...only to see a 250lb woman walk through the door and announce that she is his date and he's a shallow cad if he wont buy her drinks.

Somehow I doubt this is very common.

So why do so many guys feel the need to express this particularly shallow caveat? Sure, pictures can lie and good lighting works wonders. And lets be honest here. I am most certainly guilty of looking at someones profile and pictures and thinking "yeah, not for me". This whole thing is shallow! And I mean that in the sense that we all get this very quick, skimming the surface snapshot of someones life, education, interests, etc. So I don't like the way your left eye tends to droop when you smile. I don't have to respond to you. Shallow? Certainly. Well within my internet dating rights? Indeed! So what makes that ok?

...I don't post it in my profile.

There are a ton of things I'm looking for. I certainly want someone with a physique that I find attractive. But I don't open with "if you don't have a six pack please move along." I very much value education. I usually wont respond to someone that didn't finish high school...it's just not for me. But again, not posted in my profile.

I suppose it comes down to this. There are a lot of things you can learn about someone online by reading or asking. If her only interests include marathon tv viewing and cheese puffs, she probably isn't what you are looking for. I know we're all trying to put our best foot forward but I feel like most of the facade falls away if you just ask a few questions.

And another thing! If this is really supposed to be the best version of yourself that you are putting out there for all the world to see...why oh WHY wouldn't you make use of the English language and spell check!?? Hell, run the thing by your friends, your sister, your mom! If you sound like an idiot or an ass, someone will probably tell you. if u dont kar enuff to spell wurdz then u r prbly 2 dum 2 date.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Strike One

This is not starting on a high note. Let's meet John. John is 26 with charming good looks and a nice smile. His profile is witty and contains no grammatical errors. He is gainfully employed and a non-smoker. So far so good. We've emailed and jumped quickly to the coffee date. I am comfortable with this because I truly believe that people get to know each other face to face. Things seem fine.

I come home for work to find this gem in my mailbox.

"Look. I can't meet unless we hook up. I'm not on here for anything other than FWB..your choice."

...ummmmm wow. My initial response? "...joke?"

and a bad one at that.

What the hell? Seriously? What the hell? Who says that?! I suppose on some level at least he's being honest. But completely out of left field. I call my sister. Sisters always know! Her response? In no way is it ok for me to meet this guy in person. Hell to the no! I quickly draft a new response.

"on that note, joke or not, we probably shouldn't meet. enjoy your evening."

*sigh* This is not off to the kick ass start that I was enjoying only moments ago.