Date 40- Rock Climbing.....how cute can you look doing that?

This past week I got grilled by a group of friends about the "perfect" date and what the skeleton of this so called date would look like for a guy to use to plan off of. It was hilarious to field all of these questions because to be honest there really isn't a true answer. But I do have a few thoughts on it, that Date 40 could of used.

Date 40 Recap:

I met Date 40 at OKC Rocks, a local rock climbing joint in OKC. Now, the last time I went rock climbing was my freshman year of college, so it has been awhile. What does one wear to go rock climbing and a date at the same time?? I struggled with this but ended up in a hat, tennis shoes and the "cutest" work out clothes I have. Not my normal first date attire!

Right out of the gate, Date 40 and I had to get our harnesses on! Not a lady like adventure, but I went along with it. Rock climbing is a team activity so we had to work together right off the bat. I will admit it is hard to try to impress someone climbing rocks, but I sure tried. I was actually proud of myself because I made it up both of the walls I attempted. Now, my muffin top was hanging out the entire time, but that is beside the point.

Now, the next part is a learning lesson for Date #40 and any other gentleman. I had parked my car in another lot so I asked Date 40 to a ride to my car since it was raining. He was happy to drive me over. When he dropped me off, before I even got my hand on the car door, he drove off. Now, this caught me a bit off guard. My parents taught me that whenever you drop someone off at the car or house, you wait for them to get in the door or till the car starts just to make sure they are ok. When Dat 40 pulled off......I feel like that demonstrated a lot. This doesn't make him a bad person, but it does lead me to think he is not the most considerate of folk.

After going home to change clothes, I met Date 40 and his roommate and roommate's girlfriend for dinner in Bricktown. Although they were very interesting people and it made it easier to carry conversation, I don't think that a double date is the way to go on the first date. It is difficult to get to know someone when you are the only one at the table who doesn't know everyone. Inside jokes and funny memories are hard to keep straight when you are new to the group. After dinner, Date 40 suggested that we meet up with more friends at another bar in NW OKC. Now....I would of preferred to stay in Bricktown or just call it a night, but I went along for the ride. Here is my point, no need to keep adding on activities to a date on the fly. It is ok to just let it come to a close naturally and not force it. The last hour was difficult because the plan didn't really pan out. I guess I am saying end on a high note!

There are so many potential topics to discuss with this particular date but I will keep it short and sweet!

Date 41 is planned for Friday...so keep reading!

DAte 39- A few to many

After a double header weekend of dates, I thought I would go ahead and blog about Friday night first so nobody gets behind:)

Date 39 was a true friend of a friend....thanks Holly! (That is 3 dates from Holly)

The recap:

I had honestly no idea who I was meeting for this date. I did not do my regular online stalking bit to at least have an idea who I am looking for. So....when I walked in the door to Zios and it was packed, I was not sure what to do. I decided to grab a seat at the bar and wait. After 5 minutes of waiting, I got anxious and sent Date 39 a text letting him know I was at the bar. After his response that he was having trouble finding a place to park, I went ahead and got a table. After reading over the menu three times and catching up on Facebook on my phone, I was getting a little annoyed that he was almost 20 minutes late. Then..when the waiter asked me if I had been stood up...I thought "well crap, this would be the just my luck". What waiter actually asked that...jerk!

Date 39 walked right up to the table and introduced himself. I almost stuck my tongue out to the stupid waiter who thought I had been left out to dry. This was not the end of the annoying waiter...! Every time either of us tried to tell a story or say anything I swear he was back at our table getting in the middle of the date. I think he might of wanted to sit down with us. But that is beside the point...

Date 39 and I had an good dinner. Conversation was light and flowing so all was pretty easy. After dinner we didn't have a plan, so we ended up at Michael Murphy's Dueling Piano Bar. I would of thought this was not a great date place, but honestly......it was pretty easy to hold conversation but not feel like you had to talk the entire time. Now..we had a very nice waitress that felt the need to keep bringing round after round of drinks...and I never seemed to turn them down. I can say after 5 drinks, Mary Jo is a bit more relaxed and fun. (Flirty may be the word). It sure is amazing how much fun people can seem when you have a few drinks in ya!

Date 39 said a few things that made me laughed. He didn't want to be set up a date until he heard about 52 in 52 and he was totally game after that. I admire anyone who will sign up to be part of my silly adventure. He also mentioned that he didn't know how I was single. Comments like that are very cute, but I am never really sure what to say to that. Am I suppose to tell him WHY I AM SINGLE? Nobody wants to tell someone all of their flaws.......come on! So I just said something like, "who knows, but aren't you glad I am". LOL

We had a great time at the bar but I was responsible and walked home around midnight. Date 39 was so nice to escort me to my front door. Even though I am pretty darn independent, I have figured out that if a boy wants to walk you home, just let them. It is just easier and lets the boy feel good about himself.

I had a great time with Date 39 but knew I had Date 40 the next day.....stay tuned to hear about Date 40 went.

Pre-Date Interview- DAte 39/40

This weekend is a double header of dates......so this predate interview will cover both dates and is presented by LOYAL Class V.

What is your favorite thing about this bachelor so far?

Honestly, that fact that I know VERY little about them before going on the date which allows a lot more potential conversation topics.

Has this bachelor ever dated any of your friends? If so, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

I don't believe either DAte 39 or 40 have, but this would be funny if it did happen!

What is the plan for the date?

Date 39- Dinner in Bricktown

Date 40- Rock Climbing and then dinner

Compared to the other 38 (?) dates, how excited are you about this date?

My excitement level is normally the same for just about all of the dates. I am really just excited to be so close to 52 !

Which is more important date “activity” or date “person”?

They have to be a good mix. A good activity can cover up a bad person and vis versa...but I would rather watch paint dry with an awesome guy then go to a nice dinner with a stiff.

What is a helpful hint you can pass along to the men who are reading regarding planning a good date?

Just remember that it is suppose to be fun, and that not to try to hard. When you have such a detailed plan, sometimes you forget to enjoy the date b/c you are to worried about the PLAN.

Make sure to read the blog to hear about Date 39 and 40!!

DAte 38- Good Luck on St Patrick's Day?

Date 38...complete!

Honestly, while I sit here and try to think of something creative or funny to blog about this date I am really struggling. It was really a "normal" date! Let me explain...

Date 38 was well aware of the 52 in 52 adventure and signed right up. I always respect a guy for that. We exchanged very witty emails prior to the date, so my expectations were high for this one. We meet up for drinks on one of the busiest days of the years for any bar. Some would say there was added pressure because it was a holiday but if there was, I didn't feel it.

Not sure if any of you reading have been to VZD's on Western, but upstairs there is a half booth that just has one side. I cracked up when it was the only table open. (If any of you remember my issues with sitting on the same side of the booth from early on in this adventure) But circumstances required it, so there we sat. We had great conversation. It flowed from subject to subject and was easy. Topics of world travel, OKC politics, and March Madness were all covered with smooth transition and ease. I think he was such an interesting person that I kept asking more questions about his life than even talking about my own. Honestly, meeting such amazingly interesting people was not the intent of this project but has been a unforeseen benefit to my dating adventure.

Now, not so say we didn't some awkward moments thanks to our drunk friends. My good friends ended up at the table next to us and we had an awkward picture taking moment but I think Date 38 take the cake on friend fouls. After a text from a drunk friend asking him where he is, the friend showed up at our table with a beer in hand unaware of the fact that we were on a date. You could see it on his face when he realized he has just made this situation very awkward and I had to contain my laughter. I give props to Date 38 for his deflection of the impending friend interruption. I don't think I would of been as smooth.

After a while in the mini booth, we spotted another table booth and made our way over. Ordered some dinner and listened to the bagpipers play. I don't think we realized how loud it was getting in the bar until both of us had soar throats from yelling. We decided to take this date to a secondary location. Prohibition Room.

Now, on a funny note. It took Date 38 over 3 hours to finally bring up 52 in 52. I always laugh at this because I never know how much they know or want to know about the whole process. After I went through the entire backstory of how this all came about I could see he still wasn't satisfied. He finally just came out and asked what number is was! I think he was shocked when I told him 38. I followed that up with the information that this doesn't have to be a one a done deal...and I think he was happy to hear it.

After another cocktail and more in depth conversation, we went our separate ways but I think both were shocked at how smooth the date went overall. So glad that I had the opportunity to meet such a unique person.....

Hope to see DAte 38 again sometime, but looking forward to Date 39!

Keep reading and keep recommending potential bachelors!

Pre-DAte Interview: DAte 38..St Patrick Day Special

Pre-date interview brought to you by my friend CHAD! Thanks for the set up.....

1) How did this date come about? After a plea with some friends, I finally convinced some friends to dig into their blackberries and get some dates for me!

2) Where do you plan on going?

VCD's to start...and then who knows....

3) Is there added pressure that it is St. Patrick's Day or does that add to the fun?

I think a little bit of both. But I made sure to ask the bachelor before we committed to the date and he was on board!

4) Are you Irish? Is the bachelor? Does being Irish matter?

I look Irish since I am so pale....but no idea. The bachelor? I will have to check into that

5) Who seems more excited? You? The date? The person who set up this date?

The person who set up the date...but I would say that all parties involved are pumped about Date 38.

6) Rumor is that this date speaks Spanish. What do you think about bilingual guys - add anything to dates?

I am intrigued.......

7) Will you ask the guy to show off his special speaking skills?

I guess now I have too....

Make sure to keep reading about Date 38!

Date 37:Everyone has a first time

I am one step closer to completing this adventure and I can honestly say every day is still an experience that I can learn from. Ok......lets discuss Date 37.

Date 37 was one of the few bachelors that volunteering himself to be part of my crazy social experiment. I will admit, this intrigued me that someone would think of it as a privilege to go on a date with me. After a last minute change of plans, we decided to meet at the Skrivin Red Piano Bar for a drink before heading over to the Thunder Season Ticket Holder Appreciation event. I knew that I would run into people that I know at both venues, but it started to appear like I was a regular at the bar because I am pretty sure that 4-5 people walked right up to say hello. I won't lie, but I think Date 37 might of been a bit intimated by this.

After the initial introduction and small talk about jobs, families and hobbies I jumped right in and asked Date 37 why he stepped up and decided to take me out on a date. He answer was so genuine. He said, "I have never been on a blind date before and I thought it would be a good chance for me to get out there and take a risk." Not everyone is willing to leave their comfort zone and for him to do it in such a open forum was something I respect. Because honestly, I had the same feeling when I started this journey.

During our date we discussed the art of the blind date and I felt like an old seasoned pro passing tips along to the rookie. A year ago, I would of never imagined myself even playing that role in a conversation about dating. Date 37 was truly an interesting person. A small business owner, fraternity member, active role in politics here in Oklahoma and a fine knowledge of the establishments on Western avenue brought about all sorts of conversation topics. Although he was a Thunder fan, he was not a fan of the college basketball game and for me in the month of March....that is strike one. LOL..sad, I know.

After stopping by the Thunder event and seeing some good friends, we walked over to Bricktown for dinner and then he walked me home. Date 37 even thanked me for allowing him to be a part of 52 in 52....can't say that has happened before. Although DAte 37 was VERY NERVOUS about his first time on a blind date and it showed at the beginning, I felt good that he was able to ease into the evening and learn to enjoy getting to know somebody new even if there is a spark or not.

My grandma called me this weekend to ask if I found "LOVE" on this date and sadly I had to report I had not, but I have 15 date to go....so you never know. But at this rate, I'm not holding my breath. (Just crossing my fingers)

Another date scheduled for St. Patricks Day this week.......should be interesting

Bringing back the Pre-Date Interview

I am going to try to bring back the pre-date interviews.......so here is my pre-date interview from my good friend and neighbor! Date 37 is scheduled for tomorrow

1. How did you get set-up with this date? The power of social media!

2. Any idea of the date activities? There has been talk of dinner, music and a walk around the lake

3. Who made the first move in setting this date up, you or the eligible bachelor? After this bachelor showed interest to our mutual social media expert, I went ahead and contacted him about setting something up.

4. When asked about 52 in 52, what do you find to be the most common question? There are so many…I never get out of the conversation without answering a least 4-5 follow up questions but I would say the main question is “WHY” and “WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU ACTUALLY LIKE ONE OF THEM”

5. If you had to pick the best date so far (actual date activity, not person) which one comes to mind? That is actually hard to do because the company on the date really makes the activity that much better. The highlights: Miniature golfing, state fair and baseball game. Thunder Game was good too! Comedy show at the Speak Easy was also high on the list.

6. What has surprised you most about this dating experiment? Wow, honestly I didn’t’ think I would actually get better at the game of dating but I think I have. At least the part about not getting nervous and panicked about the date before I even show up. Also, I think I realize the value of my time more than I did before this started.

Make sure to keep reading because the hope is to move quickly and get this adventure finished up BEFORE the June 1st deadline!

It had to happen eventually

I knew it had to happen eventually...

For those of you avid followers, go back to my last post and check out the comments. You will notice that someone commented on my spelling mistake (which I am aware happens more often than not) but it is not the comment I am brining to your attention...it is the salutation and the name that signed it.

You misspelled stretch ;) - Slow & Steady

Yep, your memory is serving your right. That is signed by the bachelor that we refereed to as "Slow and Steady" and who I never told about the blog. The only bachelor who I felt bad about keeping my little blog from because I felt like we grew to be real friends. I am going to assume that the "wink" in the comment means he is laughing about the entire thing.

But I would like to point out a plus for Slow and Steady that many bachelors or bachelorettes never get. He is able to ready my posts and see what I was really thinking during our dates. What a great way to get honest feedback that isn't more propaganda than truth. How often can you really get that....!

Well, Slow and Steady welcome to the blog!

A few of you have sent me emails or comments about potential bachelors. Keep them coming I am down to 12 weeks now.....!!!!

oh...and there may be a party at the end of this and YES I will invite all of the bachelors!

KEEP READING

On the home stretch.....

Alright everyone, Below is an email I just sent out to my entire email address book....thought you all should get to read it as well. .

I am currently 36 dates in.......which means I have 16 dates left to finish by June 1,2010. If you take a peak at your calendar you will see that I actually only have 13 weeks to do it. (I have gotten behind over the last month)

I get questions all the time if I am going to write a book or go on Oprah, but those of you that know me understand that is not why I embarked on this crazy journey. It was to put myself out there, meet new and interesting people, and not be afraid to fail. ( and maybe a free meal here or there...lol). Well.....this has done EXACTLY that! I can not begin to describe all of the people I have meet and the lessons I will take with me from this great year.

BUT I NEED YOUR HELP DOWN THE HOME STRECH!!!

This is my last call for you to step up and set me up with that “guy” that you have been thinking about all year long. I’m not looking for Mr. Perfect, because I am really not sure who that even is. So help me finish strong and set me up. A reminder of the parameters.

He must be:

1. Male
2. Straight
3. Single
4. Ages 21-39
   

If you have someone in mind, let me know and we can get it all set up. There are no rules here so just help me make it happen. I need YOU.....so help a girl out!

Thanks to all of you for being so supportive and helping me on this journey!!