Next Level Dating Game

Happy Monday. After a pretty awesome weekend, I feel refreshed and ready to start the day today. I had three dates this weekend. One Friday, Saturday (which was kind of like 2) and one Sunday. I was doing the Plenty of Fish thing again. I guess it’s the optimist in me that no matter how many times I do it and fail I’m just more hopeful next time.

Which was this time. And so far so good.

So I went out with a guy briefly on Friday. Well, didn’t actually go out. Just went to meet for a few quick minutes to see if I wanted to go out with him because I couldn’t really tell by just having conversation with him, which was kind of odd, because we stayed on the phone for a very long time talking for our first conversation. And on paper, he seemed pretty OK. And when we met, he was nice, but something was just missing. Probably effort. Since I had to go meet him halfway. And then he wanted me to come all the way to his neck of the woods for our first date which was over an hour away. I’m not opposed to making that kind of trip, but I’m pretty firm on the idea that a man should be the one to go out of his way the first few dates. I think he should be the one to put in the effort. Yes. I know it’s fucked up and equality and all that, but when it comes to dating, I’ve learned that the effort one puts in at the beginning is the maximum effort. So after getting comfortable, the effort lessens, and if he’s not putting in any effort in the beginning, well, then, you’re pretty much wasting your time or you should be content with just staying in watching movies while drinking tequila and fucking before bed. And since I’ve been there and done that, I’m shooting for effort.

Enter Flea Market Date…

Guy two, who will for now be referred to as Flea Market Guy, was full of effort. He pretty much wanted to meet five minutes after we started talking. He was funny in writing. Quick and witty. And genuinely wanted to meet me (with no alluding to sex). So Saturday we planned to meet at the indoor flea market. I drove to meet him. And then we walked around the flea market for a couple hours I think. I’m not really sure how long it was because time was insignificant at that point, because he wasn’t just quick witted and funny in writing, he was like that in person too. Big bonus!! (and also a big relief). After that, we went to a little local bar that I like to get some goatcheese spinach dip, because it’s my favorite. He never had it before and incidentally, he did not like it. So we sat there talking while I ate the dip. Then we parted ways and I went to meet my friend.

My friend is also online dating. I was going to ride with her to meet this girl who lived 1.5 hours away. I think lesbian dating would be confusing because I’m not sure how I would decide if I was going to make the drive or if I would ask her to make the drive. But they worked it out and my friend was the one putting in the effort. So I was going to go with her. But, as is the way with online dating… people cancel. So my friend got cancelled on pretty last minute. But I was already dressed decent from my earlier date (and by decent I mean I wasn’t wearing my favorite daily purple sweatshirt that I’ve beent told is ready for a replacement) and my friend was dressed up and looking cute how she always does whenever she leaves her house. And so, we decided it would be a really good idea to start drinking and go to the karoake bar.

Usually, the drinking starts and after four shots or so we decide on karaoke, but this time, we planned the drinking around the karaoke. So we had a few shots, then we had some wine, then we got to the karaoke bar and there was more liquor and beer. Needless to say, I was a howling fool. But Flea Market guy and I were still texting because if I’m being honest, I really liked him and wasn’t ready for my day with him to end, so I told him he should stop being a pussy and come out to sing with us. I think I had more tact than that but I was drinking so maybe not. I’ll have to reread my texts. But either way, he said ok and came to meet us at the bar.

So I sang. He sang. Then we slow danced to something (probably a country song). And then we just hung out. And then we sang a duet. And the night ended and we parted ways with plans to see each other the next day. (I’m skipping over the part where my friend couldn’t hold her liquor and threw up all over the side of her car and a little inside).

So then, the next day, Flea Market guy and I met at Market Square, which most of you know is like my second home. If you don’t know, it’s a little block of restaurants and shops in the middle of downtown and it’s really cool. So the weather was great and we walked around and talked for a very long time and then we ended up wandering into the little country store downtown and sat in the rocking chairs talking until it dawned on us that the only people in the store were employees and for some reason they were just cleaning up around us and weren’t kicking us out. Then we left.

We weren’t quite ready to part ways yet so I went to his house and we talked some more. And here’s the kicker…he didn’t even try to sleep with me. He was really just interested in getting to know me (and all the crazy stuff in my head). And I think it kind of freaked me out a little bit that he was so awesome and adorable and wanted to be around me for so long because when I went to bed last night, I had a dream that all my teeth fell out of my head and I was just collecting them in a Ziploc bag while my friend’s husband handed me cornstarch to eat. It was a little bizarre.

So I’m seeing him again Wednesday. Hopefully my teeth will not fall out before then. We shall see…