Stage Four: First Date

Hello Dear Followers,

Well, it was accomplished yesterday: my first ever online-dating date! It was with the boyishly-cute man with the PH.D. in English. We chatted online for a few days, then finally connected on the phone. He asked me out for a coffee the next day. Funnily enough, this turned out to be Valentine's Day. What could be more romantic than possibly meeting my future husband on Valentine's Day?

So at 3:30 p.m. I boldly walked into a coffee shop to search for a stranger who I hoped to be able to recognize from his photograph. But as soon as I walked in he saw me and waved me over to a table. We exchanged pleasantries. We sauntered over to the counter and he offered to buy my coffee. (I am always a sucker for a gentleman.) Then we went back to our table to get to know each other a little better.

Unfortunately dear followers, this is where it turns into a case of "swing-and-a-miss". He is a lovely man, but he is not for me. He loves to talk...I mean A LOT. Any time I started to speak, he would talk over top of me as if he didn't even hear me! And the funny thing was that I even commented on it early on. He asked me a question, and as I started to answer it, he asked me another one. So I said with a slight chuckle, "Okay, you need to let me answer the first question before moving on to the next." He apologized, but for the next hour it was a battle to get a word in edgewise. It was dizzying. I have to admit that I started to tune out. I caught myself doing the smile-and-nod head bob. I thought about things such as my laundry, and what I was going to have for dinner.

I was wondering how it would end and hoped that he wouldn't ask if I wanted to see him again. But it all came to an abrupt close when he said "Well, it was nice to meet you. I have to go home and finish my laundry." Ha ha ha! Perhaps he had as awkward a time as I did.

Lessons learned so far:

1) People can look great on paper, but that does not guarantee any sort of chemisty.
2) You can tell if there is chemistry within the first five minutes of meeting someone.
3) Develop a plan of escape if things are not going the way you had hoped.
4) Always tell a good friend when and where you are meeting. (Safety first!)

But, dear friends, I took the first step! My courage and confidence are rising. In fact, I have already made a date with a second man for this Sunday. This man's pictures look like they should be on the cover of GQ. I am at once both suspicious and intrigued. But I will try to reserve judgement until Sunday.