I recently decided to foray into the speed dating world. I've been talking about it, thinking about it and wanting to do it for ages. As a STILL single, busy mom with a hectic lifestyle, I actually like the concept of speed dating; being able to go on several "mini dates" in one evening. Let's face it; dating is exhausting, so if I can meet an array of men in one night, I'm all for it! It does have a ridiculous factor about it, but, hey, you never know who you may meet if you don't go out and try. I decided I needed a partner in crime in this little adventure, so I dragged... coerced... invited my friend Allie to join me. After all, misery loves company and two broads are better than one. We have known each other since we were 15, so we have had many adventures together. Armed with my Broadminded recording equipment, a large glass of Pinot Noir and Allie by my side, I was ready to begin my quest to find "The One".
Fortunately, there were more men than women. Those are the kinds of odds I can work with! The women were seated on a couch while the men were on a bench and, after each conversation, the men would move down the row. It was just like a conveyor belt, which was fitting, since Allie and I felt like Lucy and Ethel, but instead of delicious gourmet chocolates speeding past us, we had Milk Duds. I've had my radio show for over six years and can talk to anybody -- or so I thought. We had 90 seconds for each conversation. In some cases 90 seconds felt like three, but in most cases, 90 seconds felt like an eternity.
First up, I had "Mr. 189" from Chicago who couldn't wait to tell me he was a lawyer. While that may impress some women in Chicago, here in DC where there are more lawyers than cherry blossoms, I was not impressed. And it started to go down hill so fast from there I thought I'd get motion sickness. After the lawyer was a dating coach who said he was there for "research", and Allie swears she met Chaz Bono. There was "Mr. 107" who was so infatuated with the girl next to me he didn't want anything to do with me, and then there was the guy who couldn't pronounce my name. Please don't ever call me Christi!
But then, just when I thought the night would only provide enough fodder for Monday morning's round-table segment, in walks (or rather slides down the bench), "Mr. 1420". Cute... check. Tall... check. Personable... check. Cute... check (did I say that already?). Ok "Mr. 1420," you don't know this (yet), but you are my knight in shining armor this evening. He has a 16-year-old son who is, as he put it, "the light of my life." I don't know if he's "the one", but he's definitely a great possibility. We spoke for a while after the whole speed dating part was over, so we'll see where it goes from here. Who knows, maybe 50 years from now, when we're on our porch swing looking out on our sprawling farm we can tell our grandchildren how we met. Too much?? Oh well, a girl can dream.
All in all, it was an entertaining evening. On a scale of 1-10, I'd put it around a 6, maybe 6.5. Would I do this again? Probably, especially now that I have the hang of it and realize that is isn't so bad. Maybe not in a bar next time, but perhaps in a more personal setting at a table in a nice restaurant... Though I will make sure the Pinot Noir is never out of reach!
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also--you mentioned that your mr. 1420 was 'cute,' 'tall,' and 'personable.' that's fine. but you also suggested you could see him being your knight in shining armour based on that, alone. aren't you looking for something deeper? surely those characteristics can't sustain a relationship. though it can be difficult to suss out other more important qualities under such considerable time constraints, i hope for your own sake that you hold such things as good character, reliability, intelligence, family-oriented, responsibility etc. in high esteem.
...but i don't mean to project my list.
I found out she dragged her friend along, making me wonder if this woman had any self-confidence.
The scent of wine on her breath was a little scary - she needs a drink to get her through a short event like this?
I also had the suspicion that she was the type who, if she liked a guy, would immediately start dreaming of growing old together, etc. Hey sister, slow it down, how about let's see if we want to go on a real date first before we start naming our kids, ok?
Good luck out there.