52 in 52

Lesson Learned

2010-06-17T18:19:00.004-05:00

It has taken me quite a while to get up the nerve to write this last blog. Honestly, I am not sure how to adequately express all of the lessons I have learned not only about dating, but about myself as a person. I will try my best to illustrate them here, but know I could never do justice to the year that I just had.

First off, a few stats for all you crazy folks:

TOTAL # of Different Bachelors: 33
TOTAL # of Bachelors that Got a 2nd Date: 8
TOTAL # of Bachelors that Got a 3rd Date: 4
TOTAL # of Bachelors that got more than just a date...lol: 6
Most Creative Date Activity: Date 45
Dates I could of Lived Without: I can think of 3 dates that I wished never happened, if you read the blog you can figure those out on your own.
Total # of Engineers:3

Let me know if there are other stats that you are looking to know from my 52 in 52 journey and I would be more than happy to share.

Everyone in the past few weeks have asked me what I have learned or taken away from the past year. Here is what I got:

It is easy to complain about being single when you are sitting at home not doing anything about it. The hard part comes when you have to accept being single even if you are dating.
There are hundreds of people that I could "date" but there is a huge difference between a date and a relationship.
I may not know who I want to be with forever, but I now know some things that I won't accept in a partner.
I'm no longer afraid of the process. You can make dating as easier or difficult as you choose. It's up to you.
I would of never admitted to having a poor self image or self esteem before this experience, but looking back over the course of this journey I realize how much value women put into the opinion of others about themselves. I no longer let others dictate my self-worth/ image. I'm a pretty cool chick!
I am reminded of a quote: "When you drop the ball, it never bounces back as high" I had very minimal requirements for a potential bachelor. I dropped my standard this year and never regained the lost ground. Although is was a somewhat "game" is is important that I remember what my standards are.
Don't dictate to others if someone is good enough for them or not. Let them decide. If you don't provide the opportunity for me to make decisions for myself about a person by not introducing us, I will never learn to make a decision in general.
Time is valuable. Choose carefully the people you choose to share it with because you can't get it back.

To go this entire journey and come out on the other side just as single as I began could appear to be a failure. I have the right to be frustrated, upset, and even angry. But I am none of those things. I am wiser. I am stronger. I am ready. Ready for what.......no idea. That is the beauty of it.

A week after I completed my dates, I decided to celebrate with some friends! Any excuse for a new outfit. I headed to the mall on a Saturday at 2pm (the busiest time of day). Now many of you know that I am a creature of habit, so I park in the same section of the parking lot every time. It is what I know. It is what is comfortable.

I spent the next 20 minutes circling the parking lot looking for an open space. Up and down every aisle with hopes of an opening. I would race other cars to follow shoppers as they exited to their cars only to be outmaneuvered. I would spot and then realize it was just a silly motorcycle. I debated on just parking illegally, as many others had done before me. I even went to back corner to see if I could find a spot that nobody else wanted.

But......I waited. I continued to circle knowing eventually that something would pop open and I would be at the right place at the right time. I wasn't in a huge rush so I just keep looking. And to my shock, as I drove up the row right in front of the door, the front space opened up and I was the only one around. I pulled right in and walked the few steps to the mall entrance.

As I walked into the mall, I laughed. I realized that my timeline to find the right spot (or man) is my own and if I wait long enough and don't settle for less, that the spot that is meant for me will free up. I just need to be ready to park and shop once I found it.

What a year!

Mary Jo

Date 52- LAST ONE!!!!!

2010-06-03T16:58:00.004-05:00

I know you all have been waiting with baited breath to hear about Date 52. In a movie script, I think I would end up falling head of heels in love with Date 52......if only we lived in the movies.

First off, props to my good friends Carri and Spencer for this set up! But not only did they set up the date, they went on it with me! (Double Date). Now for those of you who are avid blog readers, you will remember I tried this early on in the process (Date 4) and it proved difficult. Would Date 52 turn out the same way.......?

The crew picked me up from my house (technically this breaks my only rule) but at this point.....who cares! We headed to a local hot spot for some delicious mexican. Conversation was easy and everyone had a great time at the table but it did prove difficult to ask Date 52 questions about himself because everyone at the table besides myself knew the answer so it seemed silly.

LESSON LEARNED: Double dates can be great but should not be first dates

Date 52 was extremely laid back and easy to chat with. I honestly wish we could of chatted longer because I think we had more in common than we had time to figure out. After dinner we headed to Bricktown for a movie. You can learn a great deal about a person based on what movie premieres they enjoy. We played the thumbs up/thumbs down game during the previews and DAte 52 and I had the same rankings for movies. So...thats a plus!

After the movie, we headed over to marble slab for a treat. I won't lie, I was feeling REALLY guilty that this guy had paid for my dinner and movie ticket and he didn't even really know me or get the chance to know me. So I totally pulled the independent women card and paid for everyone's ice cream. You can blame my mother for this trait. I think he was shocked and I can't tell if offended him or not. Some guys are stuck on things like this, but as you can tell I AM NOT TRADITIONAL! Is it nice when I guy holds a door for you,yes. But after awhile, it looses it's luster.

Date 52 and company dropped me off at my front door. After they were gone, I won't lie. I threw up my hands and did a little jig in my middle of the street. I FINISHED!! I walked down to the local bar (location of Date 49) and had a martini by myself at the bar. IT WAS DELICIOUS:)

I wish something crazy and outrageous would of happened on Date 52...but it didn't..

Now that I am finished I will blog some of the behind the scene things that I left out over this past year and a final recap of what I learned on my dating adventure. So...don't stop reading even though I stopped dating.

Thanks for all the support over the last year.

Date 51- Oldie but goodie over Breakfast

2010-06-01T22:03:00.004-05:00

As my timeline was quickly approaching and I had a few dates fall through, I was starting to panic that I would finish (or I would have to pay off my guy friends to take me out..lol) But much to my surprise an old bachelor from the beginning of this adventure offered to get back involved. Date #5 (for those of you who don't remember you may want to go back and review)

Due to my limited availability, we decided to go out to Cattleman's Steakhouse for breakfast. Who doesn't want a huge hunk of cow on their plate for breakfast???

Date #5 picked me up in his crazy little sports car that NO LADY could ever get in and out of graciously. I am pretty sure it was more like putting the car on me, rather that actually getting in to it. It was really great to see a familiar face again on this journey even if it had been almost a year and he had "defriended" me on facebook. I rocked my "Team CoCo" t-shirt and didn't have to worry because I already knew Date #5 would appreciate it for its awesomeness!

He ordered steak and I stayed safe and got an omelette. The food was AWESOME! I liked it better for breakfast than I did for dinner. Conversation was easy and laid back. Date #5 is a funny kid and I pretty much laughed at his awkward jokes and funny random facts.

After breakfast we had to take the opportunity to go and poke fun of all of the cowboy gear in Stockyard City. It was actually hilarious to wander around in real cowboy territory.

It was great to see Date #5/51 again!

This day was actually a double header as I had a date schedule that evening!

ONE MORE....

Two more dates

2010-05-31T22:41:00.000-05:00

I will post about date 51 and 52 tomorrow.......BUT on another note...52 in 52 COMPLETE!

Date 50- What's the Difference

2010-05-31T22:19:00.003-05:00

Date 50

This was date #3 in 3 days, so I don't think Date 50 had much of a chance to succeed with me. I could write about our conversation but I thought it would be more fitting for me to list the red flags comments that Date 50 uttered over the course of the evening. After this many first dates people keep asking if I have found what I am looking for. I haven't found it, but I had figured out a few things that are a plus.

Red Flags:

When asked what he does for fun, he answered "Scrabble on my phone"
When asked about his family, he mentioned that he wasn't close with his family and hadn't talked to his brother in years.
Somehow gambling came up, and he mentioned being addicted to it...
His favorite movie (yes...i had to dig to make conversation) is Top Gun. Typical
And to top it off, he is just separated, not divorced legally yet. BUt don't worry everyone he hates his ex-wife or I mean wife.

I could go on and on with the red flags but to top it all off he still contacted me after the date to see if I would want to go out again. I tried to be as nice as I could but I didn't think I gave off that impression. Dating is a rough game of reality checks and I had another one tonight. Divorce is scary...I pray that I never know that fear.

What am I a looking for....

Someone who cares about their family
Someone who believes in love and relationships
Someone who is funny and laughs at my jokes
Someone who makes me laugh
Someone who is driven in the workplace
Someone with hobbies
Someone who is a REAL sports fan
And so on.......

I guess I am still looking for this "someone"

Date 49- In the Neighborhood

2010-05-31T21:30:00.002-05:00

Date 49 was an online dater who was not aware of his role in my adventure. Little did he know I was on the start of a dating roll!

Date 49 suggested we meet at 7:30 at Sage. I included the time for a reason. I walked over to my neighborhood dining spot about 7:30 and meet up with Date 49. The menu was already on the table so I started reviewing it and said "I'm starving." Date 49 said he had already eaten and thought we were just meeting for drinks. Now, I could of misread the invitation but when someone suggests meeting at 7:30...prime date dinner time at a restaurant and is sitting at a table, not the bar I guess I would think that dinner is involved. MY BAD........

We actually had really interesting conversation! His childhood was not normal and I enjoyed learning about someone unique. His parents are missionaries and he lived out of the country all through high school but couldn't stay away from OU and had to come back to Sooner country. Boomer!

Honestly the conversation was easy but nothing earth shattering. Easy going but after 2 hours I thought it was time to wrap it up. Date 49 went to the restroom. I am friends with the bartender and thought it would help speed things along if he brought the check. So...i asked them to. Not that I wasn't having fun but I think I can only have so much first date conversation.

The funniest part of this date actually happened after Date 49 left. I walked back by the restaurant on the way home and the waiter stopped me and said "I know I don't know you, but you can do way better than that guy!" I almost died laughing because the guy is right. I asked him why he felt like this and he described the awkward moments that occurred previous to my arrival at the restaurant. Apparently he has some issues picking the perfect table and had some weird exchanges with the waiter. I chalk it up to nerves but it still makes me chuckle.

Overall, Date 49 was a super nice guy and I enjoyed the evening. If these is a next time I hope that he can loosen up and have fun!

Date 48- Lunch, who knew?

2010-05-26T23:04:00.002-05:00

Date 48- The count down has begun....!

Thanks to my good friends at my work place for this set up! Even though it is at the tail end of the adventure, it still counts just the same! Thanks guys.

With the challenges of my work schedule this month and trying to fit in all of these dates, Date 48 and I decided to make it a lunch get together. To be honest, I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner! With an evening date there is always the pressure of adding on activities to the initial plan if the date is going well or figuring out when to call it a night if now. Well..the lunch date avoids both! It is known going in that you have to return to work, so no stress! Brilliant if you ask me!

Date 48 was well traveled and an extreme thrill seeker. I like to think that I would be able to skydive or go camping, but when push comes to shove, I doubt I would be able to jump. (But am still willing to try..I think). We talked about all of our crazy stories from various traveling adventures. It is great to meet others who have seen the outside world otherwise known as anything outside of the Midwest. I think there is a lot to be learned out there and we should all take advantage of it.

Date 48 is a Dad! I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around the whole parenting thing. As many of my friends become first time mommies (Congrats to Jen and Seth who had their little one today!!) I realize that I am not ready to give up my spare time for someone else yet like you do a child. Maybe someday....!

Date 48 and I didn't get to deep into anything due to the limited time frame of the date but I enjoyed his company and bet with more time we would of gotten into a debate of sports, OU or something.

Thanks to all of you who have been setting me up on these dates. I am still in disbelief that this adventure is coming to a close, BUT I STILL NEED YOUR HELP!! Deadline is TUESDAY, JUNE 1st!!! 4 more dates...5 days!

2 minutes drill

2010-05-23T22:28:00.002-05:00

Alright....you all know I speak best in sport analogies thanks to my brother so here goes...

I have 5 date to complete by June 1st. I feel like I am down 7 and am setting up for the onside kick to get a chance to win the ball game. I am confident I will make it happen but could use your support!!!

Keep the potential dates coming!

Date 47- STELLA!!!!

2010-05-19T22:34:00.002-05:00

First off, another shout out to my LOYAL buddies for setting me up on yet another date! thanks Kristi! :)

Date 47 and I did all our initial correspondence through email, which after doing this for awhile now I think I prefer. It keeps you from having the first date on the phone instead of in person. If you ask all of those questions first, then you are left with nothing to talk about on the date. So we decided to try out a new restaurant in midtown called Stella! I really had no expectations on it, so was excited to give it at whirl.

Now, for those of you who know me, you know that I am not a short person. I am actually 5 ft 8 inches tall. I always struggle on my shoe choices because I never know how tall any particular bachelor will be. I really wanted to wear some new heels so I took a chance and wore then hoping that I wouldn't tower over my date. Wrong! I hoped that he wouldn't be bothered by this fact, but he did mention it. What can a girl do.......I love those shoes!

Date 47 was intrigued by my adventure and totally on board to participate. He was recently out of a relationship and ready to get back out there. We had a wonderful conversation about all sorts of topics including Kansas sports, family, friends, work, etc.

We had planned to head down to Live on the Plaza event but with the crazy weather we changed plans and headed to a movie in Bricktown. I laughed because Date 47 was down with seeing a chick flick. Not sure if that is b/c he wanted to be nice to me or he wanted to see the movie. Either way.....I got to see a girlie movie.

I think I mentioned this early on in my blogging but I noticed it again on this date. Bricktown on a Friday night is filled with couples! All ages, shapes and sizes. It must be Datetown instead of Bricktown. LOL

On the home stretch and still need some help........HELP!

a quick update

2010-05-17T23:00:00.001-05:00

A quick update for everyone....

Date 47 happened

Date 48 scheduled for this week

And the plan is to do the last 4 dates NEXT WEEK!! Need to schedule them...so if you know anyone that can help me round out the last phase of my project...LET ME KNOW

Date 46- Something about Mary......pisses me off!

2010-05-13T22:35:00.002-05:00

Alright, I have to start off with this one because those of you that actually know me know how much my blood boiled on this. Date 46 called me "Mary" three times even after I corrected him the first two slip ups! HOW HARD IS IT TO CALL ME BY MY NAME??????? I mean really.....after 3 times I just give up and realize that you either don't care or are not listening.

After 46 dates, I would classify myself as a seasoned pro at this first date thing, so I think I am recognizing more signs that the bachelor is nervous now since I've figured out how to not be. Date 46 must of been pretty nervous because some of those nervous tick type things came out early in the date. I try my best to look over them but they are hard not to notice. Clearing your throat, cracking knuckles, and not making eye contact are all signs of nerves and Date 46 struggled with all three to begin.

I could review the entire dinner conversation for you all but to be honest I don't think we had anything in common. This caused us to bounce from subject to subject. He was the most comfortable when I asked him about himself, as most are, so I stuck to that subject the majority of the night. Date 46 proved to be an interesting character to say the least..lets review

1)He is a magician in his spare time

2) He can ride a unicycle

3) He traveled a year with the circus (for real)

yep! I said it, traveled with the circus. That totally beats my year of traveling as a professional sorority girl for sure. Right??

We had a very nice dinner and the headed over to Harkins to see "Date Night" I will admit is was pretty funny movie and I laughed the entire time. After the movie, I decided I was finished with this date so before Date 46 could propose the idea of another activity I went ahead and called it a night. Some may call that cruel, but it was better than dragging it out.

Date 47 tonight.......

Date 46- TONIGHT

2010-05-11T10:34:00.002-05:00

Date 46 is scheduled for tonight........that will leave me with 6 more to finish before June 1st! Talk about cutting it close!

DAte 45- I guess you can call me "yeller"

2010-05-05T22:10:00.005-05:00

Date 45 took this thing to the next level when it comes to actually planning a date. I have to commend him for trying to steer clear of clique dating trends and thinking outside the box......! If only I wasn't a big chicken!

Normally I post a pre-date interview on the blog to preview to all of you out there my thoughts and knowledge on the bachelor, date plans,etc. Well,... Date 45 beat me to it and actually sent me a pre-date questionnaire. I have included his questions below....

Here's your pre-date questionnaire to help me firm up the options that I am weighing for our date.

1. Are you a smoker?

2. Are you afraid of heights?

3. Is there any kind of food that you just DON"T like?

4. Can you do the moonwalk?

5. Would you walk under a ladder or cross the path of a black cat?

6. Can you crack an egg without getting shell in the pan?

7. I'll bet you're really freaking out right now! :)

8. Don't get too worked up.

9. Remember....

10. No pressure.

Well, how bout that! Without hesitation I fired back my response knowing that this was not going to be your average "date." So, it was determined that we would meet up at Star-bucks and that I was suppose to bring tennis shoes. So..I packed some shoes in my purse and marched myself down to Bricktown to meet this bachelor. Within seconds we met, and hoped in the car and headed north on I-35. Now, I did know that Date 45 works in entertainment doing stunts, so the second we pulled into Frontier City I started to crack up.

The park was closed down and Date 45 took me to the old country western set in the middle of the park to attempt to learn some stunts. Honestly, I kinda actually felt like I was on the show the Bachelorette for a second, because this felt very staged but cool at the same time. When he turned the stage lights on and started performing his stunts....I gave in.

My stunt was to fall off the 3rd story holding onto a ladder. Simple.....Yes! It appears that way until you are standing on top of this ladder with the 45-mph gusts of winds blowing in your face. I think I might of "attempted" this stunt like 6 times but every time I got close I chickened out. Date 45 was a WONDERFUL teacher and NEVER made me feel silly for chickening out but I was mad at me. I kept flashing back to the movie "Back to the Future 3" (the wild west one) where they call him yeller...aka chicken. As I am sitting in this western themed set I could feel the criticism and people calling me chicken. "Nobody calls me yeller"...Except in this case of course because I totally chickened out.

After giving in and leaving the park, I already know that I have to go back to conquer this stupid stunt. (Mark my words on this one..I will do it)

We headed to dinner back in downtown and ended up being THOSE PEOPLE, who sneak into a restaurant right before they close and expect to be served. Lucky for us the bartender was cool and actually sat in on this portion of the date. Honestly, he never left the bar and we talked to him the entire time. I think he might of enjoyed being on the date more than Date 45 or myself.

After dinner Date 45 challenged me to a game of darts at Tapworks! Now, I have never played before for real but I gave it my best shot. Never won, but I hit the board. Most of the time...! We meet some Canadians on our date who also thought it would be cool to play a supporting role in this story instead of just making a cameo appearance. But hey...they are Canadians: They don't know better. They actually LOVED the fact that we were on a blind date and kept telling stories of how one of them married their blind date. Cute huh.....

Overall, there were 7 people on this date:

1) ME

2) Date 45

3) The ladder

4) The bartender

5) Canadian #1

6) Canadian #2

and

7) the guy that set us up...someone couldn't stop text messaging to check in on us!

To sum it all up, I had a blast! I could tell Date 45 put some effort into making this fun for both of us and I am sure he accomplished that for sure.

This leaves me with 7 dates to go....HELP!!!

Date 44- OKC Arts Festival

2010-04-29T18:40:00.005-05:00

As I look back over my dating adventure, I have noticed that I have attending some of OKC's best annual events so it made sense to include the OKC Arts Festival in the mix of great Oklahoma City events to attend.

Since Date 42 outline all of the benefits of going to the Museum of Art on a date, all of the same rules apply to this date with the addition of food and lots of people! Alright onto the details of Date 44....

Many of you may remember Date 38 that occurred on St. Patrick's Day..well, this he is back for a second dose of MJ. The cool thing about this bachelor is that we had not seen each other in over a month but he wasn't afraid to just give me a call out of the blue to see if I was interested in hanging out. How refreshing....I know that I shy off if contact has been lacking since the initial date. It is easier to just let it fizzle out than try to strike another match. Props to Date 38/44!

Ok, so Date 44 had a car issue so he asked me to come pick him up. Now this is not an issue, but it did feel funny to go pick up my date. The funny part was I actually thought I should open the car door for him.......I refrained myself but it did cross my mind. HA! I don't know how you boys do it. It felt funny to drive my date back to Bricktown but I did get to show of my AWESOME parallel parking skills. Date 44 even comments on how kick ass they were. (See everyone, all women are not bad drivers!!)

Now, the art at the festival is a bit more festive and commercial than we one can find in the art museum. But, one downfall is that you can't make fun of it because the artist is sitting two feet from you. Art from 1600 doesn't present this issue so I had to quickly learn to keep my comments to myself. Or at least wait till we walked away. Date 44 helped me spot some awesome art but I didn't get a chance to actually purchase anything this year. But....my favorite quote that I spotted was "The deadline for complaints was yesterday." How awesome is that! I am so hanging that on my office door.

Now, some people will say the main reason for going to the festival is for the art but we all know it is for the food. Now Date 44 is on a vegetarian kick which limits his options so I laughed to myself when he sat down with a rice bowl thing and I come with a spicy brat covered in onions. Another role reversal....who knows but I should really thing about ordering a wiener on a date...lol! And of course, I wouldn't leave until we got the fried peaches!! SOOO GOOD!!!! And I will say that Date 44 enjoyed a few bits as well, but I handled that dessert

Ok, now the funny part of this date! I will admit I dressed a bit preppy for this evenings occasion with top siders, button up with matching sweater and scarf. I thought it was cute but looking back I will admit it was a bit much. Date 44 has a unique laid back style that if I must classify I would put in the alternative/ hippie arena but nothing crazy. When we ran into a large group of his friends at the festival......I realized how much I stuck out. The game from Sesame Street came to mind. "One of these things is not like the other, one of these things doesn't belong." I tried my best to act cool in this moment but I have never wished harder to be wearing a headband that I made myself out of bamboo or something organic. Oh well.....they were all nice and I am hoping the didn't notice my extreme preppiness but that is doubtful. Date 44 is so laid back, I doubt it event matters!

I have really enjoyed getting to know Date 44 over the course of 2 dates and think he is a pretty neat fella! This is exactly what I wanted to come from this experience...the chance to meet people I would have never crossed paths with otherwise.

To recap, I have been on Date 45 and will blog about that soon along with another interesting topic. People's reaction to my adventure. It always seems to come out in a new group of people and I am still amazed at the reactions I get......keep reading to hear about both!

ONLY 7 more.....and one month to do it! Help a girl out

Date 43- Left the City Limits

2010-04-20T23:03:00.002-05:00

Date 43 took me out out of the city limits and my normal stomping ground of Bricktown! I headed south to Norman to meet up at a great restaurant. To be honest, I wasn't all that excited about having to drive that far but it was really nice to get out of the rut of Bricktown.

Before I get to far into the details of this one, gotta send props once again to my LOYAL class for another date set up. You all are awesome!

I arrived at the restaurant and realized that I had not done sufficient enough pre-date research to have any idea what this bachelor looks liked. So, I went ahead and sent the "I'm here" text message. I instantly received a message back inviting me to meet him at the bar. He invited me to have a drink, so I ordered a Mojito!! Can't go wrong with those....! (Date 43 informed me that they are a pain to make as a bartender..but I feel like that is what makes them so good).

Now, we met at 9:00pm, so I assumed we would order some dinner upon arrival but as we continued to chat I started to panic that I had assumed incorrectly. Had I misunderstood the timing and now I will starve to death. I know this sounds silly, especially after the roll incident last week, but I worry about stuff like this. I can't drink anything on an empty stomach and then expect to not act a fool. Proven fact......

Date 43 was full on fun, vibrate conversation and we seemed to hit it off right from the start. Conversations flowed and never seemed forced. Always nice not to be reaching for conversation! Had quite a few moments that I feel you all would enjoy...

He ordered for me! Yep...this is a true statement. Still not really sure how I feel about that but apparently Date 43 was good friends with the chef and likes to risk his meal on the whim of the chef. I am a bit more conservative and like to ensure I have chosen something that I know I like. I threw what some of you may call a fit to ensure that I did not end up with fish but I went along with it and ended up with a fantastic meal. I guess it is nice to push your boundaries every once in a while!

Another good story: While Date 43 was in the restroom, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Two college women who seemed to be out having a few glasses of wine had been listening in on my date and were intrigued to find out if I was on a blind date or not. After I confirmed their suspicion, they asked how we got set up which then forced me to go into the readers digest version of 52 in 52. The girls freaked out and LOVED the idea and next think you know I am writing the blog address on a napkin at a bar. Date 43 returned to the bar and I filled him in on our bar neighbors interest in our date. Next thing I know, he has tapped them on the should, covered my ears and asked the ladies how he was doing on the date. I am pretty sure he could not of handled that better. I cracked up......! Now I doubt Date 42 picked up on this but when the girls left they leaned over and said "so is he the winner, or what?" I won't divulge how I answered that question but only time will tell if I am right.

The evening turned out to be filled with good food, good company and good atmosphere. Getting close to the end.......

Date 44 post to come soon......9 dates left! SINGLE DIGITS!

Date 42- Is that Art?

2010-04-14T16:07:00.005-05:00

Sorry for the delay in posted about Date 42. I find that sometimes I am torn on what to discuss on the blog so I put off doing it in order to make sure I know what components of the date I want to "report on."

Another shout out to my LOYAL class on setting this date up! Thanks girl!

Date 42- After a seires of emails and phone calls determining both the activity and timing of the date, we decided to check out an exhibit that was closing at the OKC Museum of Art. After living in OKC for almost 7 total years, I had still yet to go to the art museum to look at the art, so I thought I would give it a try.

I was suppose to meet Date 42 at 6:00pm. I was so engrossed for a meeting at work that day, that when I looked at my watch, it was 5:50pm!! I literally stormed out of my meeting, grabbed my purse and ran to my car. I drove home, changed clothes, touched up make-up and brushed my hair and still made it to the museum by 6:12. Ohhh the beauty of living in Bricktown!!!

We went to see the closing of an exhibit that was all about "Anti-Gravity" which featured some random "art" made out of chairs and buckets. I will admit it was pretty cool to see what someone can do with such normal objects but it makes me question the definition of art. My date was an engineer so I think it was difficult for him to appreciate the randomness of this exhibit. Random is not beauty to someone with an engineer brian. LOL

We walked around the entire museum to check out all of different pieces of art. I will honestly say that this is a FANTASTIC first date activity for a few reasons

1) There is ALWAYS something to look at, read and discuss. There is never an "awkward silence" because silence is acceptable in an art museum.

2) Continuos movement: Since you are always walking around, you never have to worry about where to put your hand, how your sitting, etc. This also allows for natural contact between the daters if desired.

3) Conversation can't get to personal: Since you are surrounded by other patrons in the museum your conversation about personal issues can't get to deep. This keeps anyone from diving into "non-first date conversations."

With all this being said, I have no doubt that an awkward person could break all of these rules and make it miserable, but I was lucky enough to not have that happen.

After the art it only seemed natural to continue the evening with dinner at the Art Museum Cafe. First off, I want to discuss the choice of food by Date 42 because those of you who read the blog will get a kick out of it. So, before we even ordered the waiter brought each of us a roll. Without evening thinking i snarfed mine down, because WHO DOESN'T LOVE ROLLS! I sat there and watched my date never touch his stupid roll. At first I thought he was being polite but he never touched it. It sat there alone and abandoned all night long. It took everything I had not to reach over and just stuff my face with it. Poor roll....poor MJ. But, that is not the ironic part. Date 42 ordered THE DUCK. If you guys go back to date 7 I think, he also ordered the duck. I just can't get into it, but apparently the men of Oklahoma City can. Ohh well.

Throughout dinner, Date 42 and I discussed all of the normal first date topics but a few components of the conversation ring in my ears. I really do feel like I have learned something from this experience about more than just dating, but about people in general.

Date 42 was a triplet and had two additional siblings on top of that. To an outsider, this is an extremely cool fact, but it seemed like Date 42 wasn't blown away by that fact anymore. I could tell he loved his family but he told me he wasn't extremely close to them. Now, I talk to my parents pretty much every day (don't judge me) but as I have grown older I really look at them as my dearest friends. I think it is easy to assume that anyone with a big family has the "Brothers and Sisters" relationship with everyone they are related to, but I guess not. For me, family is my #1 and I never make a decision without their input and support. I think it was just a learning experience for me to know that not everyone relies on their family the way that I do.

Both Date 41 and Date 42 were engineers. To be honest, it was eerier how similar the conversations were about careers, families, etc. I am not saying they were identical by any means but a few times I felt like I had just had this same conversation with someone else. It took me a while to realize that I HAD indeed had that conversation the week before. I think this happens when you are searching for something you have in common that you can discuss in more detail. People jump from topic to topic hoping to make a connection.

Also, for reference: Never both go to the bathroom at the same time. The wait staff may think you walked out on your check. :)

Now, I titled the blog "Is that Art" because I went to the art museum but I wonder if there is an "art" to dating. I know I have mastered the awkward scheduling, meeting and conversations but is there a true art to it. I wonder..........

Date 43 tomorrow! Help me finish these last 10! SET ME UP!

Date 41- Silverware required!

2010-04-05T23:01:00.003-05:00

First off, I apologize for not getting a pre-date interview posted for Date 41. I was unsure of the best person to ask to interview me because I was honestly not sure how Date 41 got tuned into my dating adventure. Midway through our date I remembered to ask Date 41 how he found out about 52 in 52 and the credit actually goes back to Date #1. First date of the bunch also gets credit for Date 41....well done! Thanks!

Ok now onto the recap...I meet Date #41 at a local Ethiopian restaurant for dinner. I give this bachelor some credit for trying to do something that was unique and not just another Bricktown restaurant. To be honest, when I read the menu I was a bit intimated but I just went with the flow. How bad can it be.....right?

Well at first the waiter brought us towels on a plate. To be honest, I wasn't all that sure what the hell to do with them but I followed the lead of my date and figured out they were meant to clean your hands. I should of figured this was a sign of what was to come but I was still pretty naive. The appetizer came out and were delicious. Fried something....:) Yum!

Next was the main course! They set down a huge plate filled with various different piles of food, non of which I could identify. Then came some funny sweet tortilla type things that were more lunch sponges. I waited for the serve to remember to bring us silverware, but as I soon found out, silverware is not an option. YOU EAT WITH YOUR HANDS!!!! Ok.......on a first date? I was pretty unsure about this but gave it a good try. The food/mush was not bad, but I felt like a kid with bad motor skills trying to pick it up with the bread and eat it while still looking lady like. Remember, I am on a date!! :)

Lesson Learned: If you want to be creative with your restaurant choice on a date, just ensure they have silverware! :)

Date 41 was easy going and excited to be a part of 52 in 52. I respected the fact that he understand the notion behind the whole thing and was willing to play a part in it. I drilled Date 41 with questions about his job, background and hobbies. Funny thing is, he never really asked me anything about me. Either he already knew it all from reading my blog, forgot to ask, or didn't think it was important. Another tip, this one I learned from a professor in college.

People like to talk about something that they are an expert in. Everyone is an expert on themselves! So give them a chance to shine......Date 41 forgot that one but no biggie! I think when people get nervous they just rattle on and forget they are having a conversation instead of telling a story. This is not the first date this has happened and I doubt that last but those of you who know me know I don't need to be asked to talk about myself!

I enjoyed the conversation with Date 41 about traveling, politics and family but I would alway recommend leaving out any past relationship drama out of the first date conversation. When this stuff comes out you always run a risk of not coming off the way you think you should. Past relationships are not first date conversations, no matter how much they affected your life. No need to discuss failed relationships, engagements or marriages fellas. I doubt you want to hear about my old boyfriend so if you find yourself headed down that road in the conversation, find the next exit ramp and get off!

Now, Date 41 suggested that since the dinner was a bit difficult to eat that we head to Melting Pot to have dessert. Melting Pot drives me nuts that you pay more to cook your own food at your table, but I can not deny their dessert. What a GREAT IDEA! We enjoyed some great drinks and chocolate to end the evening.I will say that I ate WAY more than my date and got self conscious and stopped. I totally could of finished that entire plate of goodies. I should of just gone for it....but no girl wants to be that girl.

Now many of you who know me are aware of the Dewey Decimal system first date that I experienced a few years back. Now, I'm am still not sure who but this story came up and I told it in all its glory to Date 41 and I think he felt a lot better about himself. Rest assured guys, there is always someone out there that is worst that you at dating! :) (For reference, I went on a date with a guy who shared with me that he organized his personal bookshelf with the DEWY DECIMAL SYSTEM!!!)

All in all, the date was a nice evening of interesting conversation and difficult to eat food. Mark another date done....Date 42 is scheduled for Thursday! Get ready!

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

2010-03-31T21:22:00.006-05:00

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

2010-03-28T12:41:00.002-05:00

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

2010-03-26T17:22:00.002-05:00

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?

2010-03-20T23:06:00.003-05:00

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

2010-03-16T17:59:00.002-05:00

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

2010-03-14T23:02:00.002-05:00

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

2010-03-10T10:09:00.002-06:00

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

2010-03-08T17:01:00.005-06:00

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.....

2010-03-03T09:25:00.002-06:00

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:

Male
Straight
Single
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!!

Date 36- Valentines Day @ the Rodeo....

2010-02-18T23:03:00.003-06:00

Valentines Day....a day full of pressure when it comes to dating. Am I required to give a gift to someone just because it is Valentines Day? Or is it too soon? This was the question..

Date 36- Repeat dater from 34 and 35

This date was initiated by me! A good friend of mine offered me PBR tickets (Professional Bull Riders) and I thought it would be a fun low pressure date on Valentines Day. I knew the only guy that would be game for PBR would be this guy.....and he was totally down with the plan.

Ok, now back to the gift giving dilemma. I wasn't sure how to handle this and I didn't want to get caught empty handed in case Date 36 showed up with flowers, candy, etc. So i made a last minute run to Walgreens to pick up a Valentines goodie. I decided to hide it in my purse and to use it if it was needed. I debated to just start the date off with the gift but I chickened out.

When Date #36 showed up, I noticed he was a bit off his game. It took me a bit to figure out but it came out that he had partied hard the night before and was still hungover. (He picked me up for noon for a lunch date). We went to the amazing breakfast place Classen Grill here in OKC. (one of my favs). It made me laugh that he totally ate the "hungover" breakfast that we all crave after a night of downing too many drafts.

After a great brunch, we headed to the rodeo!!! Now, to clear things up I am not a rodeo fan to say the least but I can appreciate any "sport" and production and this is FOR SURE a "PRODUCTION". I think that Date 36 might of had some sensory overload with all the flames, lights, music, etc. Thats what you get for going to the rodeo hungover..lol! We had a great time critiquing the bull riding...if you can even do that. Actually...I think we had more fun making fun of the names of the bulls.

Now, you are all wondering if I pulled the Valentines gift out and gave it to Date #36. Well.......no. I chickened out and didn't want to make things weird since he didn't appear to have anything for me. So the second I walked into my house when he dropped me off, I ATE THE CANDY! ( sad.........but delicious)

All in all, it was a Valentines Day that fits right in with my current dating life and I couldn't ask for me! Happy Valentines Day to all of your happy couples out there. Maybe next year I will have a permanent valentine

Only 16 more dates..I have until June 1st so SET ME UP!!

Valentines Day...ohh the possibilities

2010-02-10T14:03:00.002-06:00

Hello everyone!

Alright, I know everyone would be wondering if I have a date for Valentines Day! and the answer is YES!!!! But the questions is really if I can get more than one? Wait for updates this weekend

Date 35- How did he know i LOVED Root Beer

2010-01-28T18:41:00.004-06:00

After watching Julie and Julia today during our "ice" day here in OKC, I got inspired to keep this blog moving forward! I can relate to the meltdowns and highs that she experienced while embarking on her year long mission as I have had the same types of moments.

Date #35 seemed to already know me before we even went on the date. I LOVE ROOT BEER, so when he presented the idea of going to "Coits" to grab a root beer I could not resist. It is hard to describe Date #35 without using the word "funny". I am pretty sure I laughed throughout the entire date.

Now, many of you that know me pretty well know that I am not the best decision maker when it comes to my own personal life. These struggles range from picking what kind of candy bar to get at the gas station to determining my profession. (I have gotten better...I did buy a car by myself). So when Date #35 offered me the pick of restaurants I was unable to make a choice. Without even flinching, the bachelor went straight for a coin in his glove box and determined that we would flip for it. Head- Coits Tails- Big Truck Tacos. Now most of the time when you flip for it, you are required to go with the winer but the second it landed on heads I knew I wanted Big Truck tacos. Until the option was taken away, I didn't even know I wanted it.

Now I am hopeful that this doesn't prove to be how all decision in my life turn out, especially in the relationship department. A professor told me once that by not making a choice you are choosing. I think sometime I do that to avoid conflict, etc. But..now I have gotten off subject.

We had a fantastic meal a Big Truck Tacos on NW 23rd in OKC! ( If you have not tried...you NEED TO). COnversation seems to flow with DAte #35 pretty easily. We even tried to analyze some of the patrons at the restaurant and I have to admit that he was much better at the game than I am. I can always spot a first date but a business deal at Big Truck Taco is not the first thing I would of come up with.

After dinner we headed straight to Coits to get that root beer. Now some of you may think this date was not flashy enough for you but honestly it is real life. I don't need expensive dinners or crazy extravagant dates to have a great time. And this was proof. We sat at Coits till they shut down discussing all types of topics.

Date #35 asked me to tell him something about myself that was odd or random. Honestly, I took me a while to come up with anything that I had not already shared with him. Like my love for random musicals, sports or crime shows on TV. Not until the next day did I realize that I do have a random love of Kinkos and office supplies! I love to staple, copy, collate and bind. Weird...I know but I blame OCU for that one with all those crazy projects.

I am really hoping to get to see Date #34/35 again. But only time will tell!

Only 17 dates left on this journey! I can not believe it has gone by this fast but I want to make the most of the last 17. Don't be afraid to set me up.

Keep reading!!

Date 34- I was bound to see people I know

2010-01-15T23:51:00.002-06:00

Date 34 was a product of the six degrees of separation. Sometimes I forget how 52 in 52 can be an interesting conversations topic for my friends, and their friends and their in-laws, etc.

Date #34 was brought to me by a co-worker! She brought up the idea while at home on the east coast for the holidays and it traveled faster than she could get back to Oklahoma! Next thing I know, I get an email from a prospective bachelor interested in taking me out on the town!

The bachelor suggested that we meet for dinner at a Thai restaurant and then head to a local hot spot to listen to a band. Now, those of you that know me and my lack of taste in good music know that this could of intimated me......but fear not! I sought out advise from my "music" guru who will remained unnamed. I don't deal well with just "listening" to music instead of actually having a conversation. I'm the girl who is afraid of silence....

We meet for dinner and bonded instantly over our taste in condiments. Not a fan of mustard or mayo...my kind of guy. Conversation flowed great! Date #34 was full of energy and excited to learn more about me and my adventure. He proved to be an pretty interesting fellow as well! I am not going to lie, during dinner we had a group of around 10 trannies walk into the restaurant to eat. We spent a good 5 minutes trying to figure out the occasion they were celebrating but our CSI skills were not above par. Honestly, I was great to see that Date 34 has a good attitude when it came to culture!

We finished dinner and headed to a local bar to listen to a band. We walked into the place and it was pretty low key but within 30 minutes the place turned into CityWalk! We could barely hear each other and were surrounded by people at the bar trying to order a drink. Date #34 suggested we try another bar and I was game. On my way to be the bathroom, I did run into a friend who had spotted me on my 52 in 52 date and was hesitant to come up and say hello. I knew I would run into someone I knew eventually, but this was just the beginning!

After arriving at the next bar, Date #34 ran to the restroom while I went in to grab a table. After taking two steps in the door I realized that I recognized about 10 people sitting right inside the door. They were my co-workers who had been waiting with baited breath to embarrass the crap out of me in front of a date! I debated whether to even stick around at the bar or make up some excuse why we couldn't stay....but why lie.

I sat across the bar but in could see all of my friends clear as day. They spend the rest of the evening waving, grinning and chuckling in my direction. They didn't stay long, but of course each of them came over to my table one at a time to say good-bye and introduce themselves to Date #34. Good thing Date 34 had such a great attitude and loved every minute of it.

I admit, I could of run into a lot worse of people in OKC. Honestly, it still makes me chuckle. I had a wonderful time and look forward to seeing Date 34 again!

Not to many dates to go..so get your guys in now! Keep reading b/c I keep dating

Date 33- From the country....

2010-01-09T18:10:00.004-06:00

Before I get into the details of Date 33, I want to address a few of the comments from friends! Yes..I am 19 dates away from finishing and ahead of schedule!

Yes...I am still having a great time!

Yes...I have learned so much about the game of dating

Yes..I have learned the value of my time

No...I have not fallen in love...

With that being said..lets talk about Date 33!

My new friend Kari set us up! (which I now prefer set ups, much better than online dating) Kari was great because she did everything she could to make sure we had a great time! Thanks girlie! Date #33 and I met at Mickey Mantels for a drink and appetizers before we headed over to the Thunder game!

After Date #33 finally identified my identity (we missed each other the first time) we decided to grab a drink in the bar! The conversation was easy, laid back and filled with laughs. If any of you remember the book, "City Mouse, Country Mouse" then you will know how our conversation started! Date #33 is from western Oklahoma, which is like a foreign country to me. Although I grew up in Kansas, I was never exposed to agriculture/farming. I am always interested in learning about things I know nothing about so I think I may have gone overboard in asking questions about cows, tractors, fore-wheelers, etc. But to his credit, Date #33 was a great sport and gave it right back to me!

Next on the agenda was the Thunder game at the Ford Center! To be honest, I was worried that it might be awkward to try to continue conversation at a basketball game because I am normally so focused on the game itself, but no problem! Our laid back conversation continued right through the game! Date #33 didn't even mind that I checked my phone 47 times b/c my Jayhawks were playing Cornell. (it was a close game...so I had to). Although he may be a Tarheels fan, I can forgive that for now.

Due to the frigid temperatures, Date #33 gave me a ride home! It took more time to drive it than it would of taken me to walk but it was a good excuse to extend the date. I enjoyed getting to know someone who was so opposite of me and I look forward to seeing him again soon!

Ok....Headed out on Date #34 with another new bachelor tonight! Keep the referrals coming...they seem to be much better dates!

DAte 32- Lets hope 2010 is better

2009-12-31T16:03:00.002-06:00

Date 32: Last one of 2009...and with this bachelor

SUCH A NICE GUY...but I am not interested at all. As I continue to date different gentlemen I really am figuring out the qualities that I am attracted to. Now, I would admit that girls are attracted to a** holes, but I like the qualities that many a** holes have. Let me explain:

This guy, Date 30 and now 32 is SOO nice! But boring nice. He agreed with everything I said, and always seemed nervous around me. We want to see the movie "INVICTUS." Although the movie was amazing, I would not recommend it for a date. It wasn't funny, sad or scary. It was just powerful. During the entire movie, Date 32 looked over at me every single time I moved an inch. I could tell he wanted to hold my hand or something but that wasn't gonna happen. He made me feel uncomfortable at how nervous he was. He made a few remarks that have stuck with me though......

In discussions about my busy schedule he said, "I don't see how you ever have time to get to know someone, but I guess you already have friends." Now.....I laughed this off, but he may have a point, sort of. If I really liked him, I know I would of made more of an effort to see him but at the same time I can't expect to find a boyfriend if I never make time to meet one.

After the movie he asked if I was interested in grabbing dinner. Obviously he didn't read my body language! I turned him down b/c I was dog sitting and needed to take the dog out. He offered to drive me back to my house, which I accepted out of guilt. Upon dropping me off he asked if I wanted to go out the following day to Lucky Star Casino. Although that would be a GREAT date..not with this guy. I told him I had to check my schedule and I would get back to him. Here is the kicker...he called me 45 minutes after dropping me off to see if I could go out.

WHOA TURBO! Give a girl a chance to breath.....

Needey and agreeable are not two qualities that I am looking for and I owe Date 32 a thank you for showing me that.

Already have the first date scheduled for 2010......

Date 30 and 31- Not a holiday romance

2009-12-27T21:25:00.002-06:00

With the holidays, snowstorm, and crazy schedule I have still managed to continue dating but have lacked on the blogging component. I always feel like I need to take a day or so to reflect about the date before I blog to ensure I am fair to the bachelor.

Date 30- A new bachelor, but from the same tree as SLOW and STEADY

Recently it has taken me more time than usual to find the time to schedule dates with new bachelors. Date 30 faced the same scheduling issue but we finally got together before Christmas for coffee at Starbucks. ( Another coffee date for the girl who doesn't like coffee/Starbucks). Honestly, Date 30 is a super nice guy and we held good conversation throughout the date. Topics included

OSU athletics (more of a mutual hatred for OU)
Health care reform bill (he works in politics and is very republican...i am not)
Tiger Woods and his 17 girlfriends (if that is what you call them)
Favorite Movie comparison...

As you can tell, most of these topics are current events or standard first date conversations. Although Date 30 never said anything wrong, he always seemed to agree with me even though I could tell he felt differently. Many of you know me and know I am not afraid of a conflict or disagreement but this bachelor must be because he pretty much rolled over and let me win.

Another interesting detail about Date 30 was that he wanted to schedule the next date right away. A way to guilt you into the next one....! with the holiday I was able to deflect till later on but I found he is pretty persistent.

Lets just say nice guy but I'm not interested....

Date 31- To come clean or not??? That is the question

Slow and Steady and I had already scheduled another date before the realization that he is still "looking." Considering it is December we took advantage of the OKC Downtown in December activities and went ice skating. Now, due to the realization discussed in the last post, I decided to not get him a xmas present b/c I didn't think we were there. Well he walked in my front door with one for me. (Gift card to an ice cream placed we had been to...cute but nothing special).

So....backup plan went into place. I had cookie dough in the fridge and had him help me make sugar cookies and then sent the batch home with him. Cute....yes I know. It is actually a REALLY fun date activity. Highly recommend it :)

Now.....things are comfortable with this bachelor and I wasn't in the mood to rock the boat right before Christmas...so I decided to not bring up the whole internet dating thing. Why cause an issue where it really doesn't matter. Are we seriously dating...NO. But I enjoy his company and want to keep him as a friend. I think it is better to let this one play out naturally...as I am sure it will.

So lesson learned: I am looking for someone who challenges me.....not lets me always win.

Two more dates are on the books but I still need your help setting me up! Keep the suggestions coming!

No longer feeling guilty..but a little hit on my ego

2009-12-14T22:43:00.003-06:00

If you have been keeping up with my post you will know that the past few months I have been been filled with guilt because I felt terrible that one of the bachelors that I have been dating was not aware of the 52 in 52 program and /or blog.

I AM NOW GUILT FREE!!!! Many of you may be thinking that I came clean with the fella, but that is not the case!

Let me start from the beginning:

If you remember I met this guy on an online dating website. At first I was sure that it would lead to nothing, so I chose to leave my little dating adventure out of conversation. One thing lead to another and we have been what my friends keep calling "dating" for a few months now. (all the while I have continued to rack up the dates with other bachelors). Recently I have posted about how I felt that this guy may be getting more into this that I originally planned and that the guilt of 52 in 52 started to consume me. (see date 29 post for more details).

Since I had such great luck finding dates on this website, I have recommended it to many friends. One (who will remain nameless) just recently signed on and was overwhelmed with messages (as she should be b/c she is AMAZING). Tonight she was so overwhelmed that I offered to filter through her messages and delete out all of the "junk". To my surprise the first message I came across was from THE BOY THAT I AM DATING!!!!!

I might have died laughing at the ironic nature of this considering that I had been guilt strucken for so long thinking he had the hots for me when all along it appears he has "keep his options open." I know I have no room to be mad or hurt considering my situation but for some reason it was a small blow to my ego while at the same time quite a relief!

NOW...the questions remains, do I bring it up to him as a way to come clean on the 52 in 52....or just let it slide? Suggestions?

Next Date Scheduled

2009-12-14T10:18:00.000-06:00

A new bachelor is scheduled for this week.....!!! If you have ANY potential bachelors, PLEASE send them my way!

Date 29- Christmas Time is Upon us

2009-12-02T17:13:00.002-06:00

For those of you that live in the Oklahoma area, you all know the best place to go look at Christmas lights! (No...not the Chesapeake Energy Campus although those are impressive) yes..I am referring to the Festival of Lights in Chickasha, Oklahoma!

Last night my date and I walked hand in hand through the beautiful display of lights while sipping on our hot chocolate. Sounds wonderful doesn't it! Well although it was pretty darn close it was spitting freezing rain last night so that put a damper on things! Also, my date had hoping to ride in the horse drawn carriage together but they were not operating last night. Now for him this was a let down but for MJ it was a relief! Let me tell you why:

First off, I always feel like all you can smell when you ride behind a horse is the horse's poop! Is that not true!! I'm not sure how romantic I can be in the midst of that horrific smell. Also, that screams DATING to me. Although I will admit to "dating" this guy I think actually doing activities that could be labeled that way may freak me out a bit. (It could be the guilt of this whole social experiment..who knows). So that being said, for any potential bachelors please don't ask me out for a carriage ride. Not my cup of tea!

I could go on and on about my guilty conscience right now but you all know the story. MJ dates numerous bachelors, they don't know about the blog and now she may like one of them. To tell or not......this is the first time I have felt a movie plot coming along!

On a positive note...a new bachelor this weekend! But PLEASE continue to dig into your friends to find me dates 31-52!!! Who knows..your guy could be the guy for me !

Keep reading, b/c I will keep dating!

Took a break

2009-11-29T18:04:00.001-06:00

Just to keep you all in the loop,,,,I went to NYC this past week and have not kept up with the blog while I was gone!! Will post about Date 29 tomorrow!

26,27,28- I guess they have to count!

2009-11-13T11:19:00.003-06:00

Date 26- Ice cream!

Date 27- Drinks!

Date 28- Mexican!

All with bachelors I have already gone out with...but each date a different guy! Ok...here is more detail.

Date 26- Slow and Steady took MJ for ice cream

This was a spur of the moment date. I received a text message from S&S asking how my evening was going and i responded with "i am debating if i want to go get ice cream". Next thing I know, he has shown up at more door ready to take me out for a delicious treat! (you could say he fell right into my trap). After ice cream, I did invite this bachelor into my apartment (it was actually semi clean). We hung out and watched TV, which was limited due to my lack of cable. It felt normal to be sitting on my couch watching Conan with this guy. But he still doesn't know about the blog and my last name. SO obviously there is still quite a bit of ground to cover.

Date 27- One of the originals met MJ for a drink

I was in Kansas City for a wedding and had the opportunity to connect back up with Date #3. If you don't remember this guy, you may take a trip down blog memory lane and go back and review. It was great to see him again but the hard part is that the chemistry is still there but he lives there(not in OKC). I guess sometimes you just have it with some people even if it is the right timing or not. We had a good time catching up and shared quite a few laughs! I may always wonder if this could of been something if we lived in the same town, but I guess you can't worry about that.

Date 28- I hate when people order fajitas!

This date was a long time in the making. I was excited to meet back up with this bachelor, other wise known as the guy who took me to Jerry Seinfeld. It was amazing how much deeper our conversations went this time. I guess it is hard to discuss serious topics after a comedy show. Now this is someone I have known a long time, but during this date I realized that someone can know you but they don't necessary know your past and why you are the way you are unless you share that with them. It was fun to both share and learn about one another even though I already knew him.

Something that makes me laugh is during our first date, this bachelor compared wanting a girlfriend to wanting an i-phone. "It would be cool to have but my phone works just fine."Well.....he has an i-phone now! I laughed because he says he doesn't know what to do with it and feels the same way about a girlfriend. :)

Due to some scheduling issues and other problems, I had to postpone two other dates that were scheduled for this week! Look for those dates to be rescheduled in the near future!

Keep reading, because you know I will keep dating!

Date 25- Its been a while

2009-11-01T22:41:00.003-06:00

Date 25 took a long time to get on the books. The bachelor was actually a friend from the high school days who I have not seen since high school, so it has been awhile. We had been trying to get together for awhile, but every time I head back to Kansas I always seem to jam pack my weekends and our schedules always conflicts.

Well after my Jayhawks lost to the Sooners last week, we decided to drink our sadness away and meet for a drink at a local bar in Wichita. It was great to see him again and catch up on the last eight years. Now that I think about it, I don't know that I really knew all that much about him back in high school. Its funny now thinking about all the people you "know" from your past. What do you really "know" about them anymore. People change!

I actually think going on a date with someone you "know" is more nerve racking that a blind date. There is this sense of pressure when you are suppose to have some base level knowledge about someone. If you agree to a date with someone you kinda know, you are unknowingly stating that you are interested, even if you know it or not. I think this pressure may have played a role in this dating experience but it was hard to tell in this laid back environment.

It was great to see Bachelor 25 again and if we can make our schedules work again, maybe we can do it again.

Ok friends......one date till half way point! keep the recommendations coming, you all seem to be just spectators in this adventure and I need you to start playing a more active roll! FIND ME MORE DATES! :)

Happy dating!

Date 24- TOO MUCH TO SOON

2009-10-27T21:27:00.004-05:00

Date 24- Too deep too fast

Now we have had "to much too fast" and we have had "just to fast" but "TOO DEEP TOO FAST" is a new one for me. I have never been almost brought to tears on a date in my life, but I guess there is a first time for everything. Let me explain:

This is a new bachelor who I have had to reschedule our date three times due to scheduling conflicts, illness etc. Needless to say there was a lot of build up to this date and I honestly was not in the mode to be "dating" on this particular evening but I sucked it up and put on my big girl pants and went out. I met him at an old standby restaurant, Chili's! I used to LOVE this place but as I have graduated from OCU I feel as if I have also graduated from Chili's. It just doesn't do it for me anymore.

So after the initial chit chat of any first date about general topics, I decided to just jump right in and ask a very easy opening question that could take the conversation anywhere. I said,"so what's your story?" Now this bachelor didn't hesitate to provide me with a detailed description of his attributes mirroring his profile online. Normally this is not the expected answer to this questions. I was more aiming for info like: job, family, hobbies, friends, etc. I should of known then that this was just the beginning of the deep conversation we were about to embark on.

From here I got to relive my mother's battle with breast cancer as he shared the tragic story of his mothers death from the same disease along with a philosophical discussion regarding Catholicism in relation to my moral believes. Sounds like a bit much for Chili's right....

I will admit it was a very interesting conversation but not something I am looking for on a first date. First dates are meant to see if there is a potential connection to potentially move to the next layer of a person...not to go straight to the core and expose everything.

Lesson Learned: Too deep too fast is a turn off for most people if the connection isn't naturally there. In this case, it wasn't. I hate to say all of the stuff like he was a really nice guy but not for me stuff but in this case it is very true.

Date 25 recap will follow....one more date to 26!

Date 22 and 23

2009-10-18T12:47:00.002-05:00

I need to apologize! I have gotten very behind on the blog b/c my neighbor put a password on their internet...boo! So yesterday I bit the bullet and got my own.

Date 22: Date 22 came with a bit of pressure b/c it was the bachelor's birthday! I left the evenings plans up to him and he decided to invite me over to watch some football! As many of you know, I am totally the type of girl who loves that kind of date so I was totally game. The only real variable in this was the birthday component. I decided that my best play would be to show up with Sara Sara Cupcakes to celebrate. There were a huge hit, but we had to run out and buy milk to go wit them. This guy has been moving slow and steady but he did pick up the pace at bit with this date, if you get the picture. (nothing crazy...lol).

Date 23: This is the first out of town date. I have debated whether to count it but feel like it had all the components of a date and deserves a mention on the blog. Details will be very limited on this on though..just forewarning you all.

I had the opportunity to meet a gentlemen while I was traveling for work and made a quick connection. We hung out throughout the week and got to know each other pretty well. The official date is going to be counted on the last night when we went out for drinks together and enjoyed some live jazz.

Sorry for the lack of details but this one will remain unspoken about, at least on the blog.

ALMOST HALF WAY THERE!! :)

Date 21......low key evening

2009-10-09T09:43:00.003-05:00

Date #21-

Date 21 was a repeat date with the same slow but steady dater from earlier dates. From my experience with this bachelor on previous dates, I could tell he would be slow to make any sort of move and the atmosphere had to be just right or he would chicken out.

So, I took it upon myself to propose a low pressure date of dinner and an on-demand movie at his apartment. (would of offered mine up but you all know i am a disaster and can't keep the damn thing clean). I was actually suppose to meet him at his house at 7pm but I woke up from an evening nap at 6:30 so confused at where I was, where I had to be and what day it was. It took me a few minutes to reorientate myself and get focuses on my date.

I met him at his apartment and we went straight for Chinese food! Honestly, I had been craving it for weeks so I was totally excited about it. Dinner conversations was great as usual and we planned to head back to his immaculately clean apartment to watch a movie.

As i mentioned in a previous blog, this kid is a slow but steady dater and this date proved no different. It took 45 minutes into the movie for him to even attempt to hold my hand. I laugh at this but at the same time love how genuine the entire process has been with this guy. After the completion of the movie, I waited around 20-30 minutes to give him time to get up the courage to kiss me, but he didn't. So, I threw in the towel and put my shoes on and headed out the front door. I turned around to give him a good bye hug....this has become normal for us, and he held on longer than previous hug encounters and gave me a good night kiss that was truly innocent and sweet. Nothing huge but enough to show we were making progress.

Ok...so as many of you know this bachelor is still very unaware of this 52 in 52 dating adventure and I am not sure I can break it to him this late in the game. So many of you feel that I need to tell the guy but I have decided to keep this secret and not share. My reasons:

1) because i don't want to tell him

2) other bachelors saw the 52 in 52 as a green light for fast paced dating, this guy is moving at his own speed and I don't want to interrupt that now

3) he has never asked a question that would allow me to bring it up naturally.....so i haven't

4) its makes it more real if he doesn't know

I realize these are not the best reasons, but i am gonna go with them!

Potential for two dates this weekend, so stay tuned!

DAte 19 and 20

2009-09-23T20:20:00.003-05:00

Date 19 and 20.....

#19- Can you say...TO MUCH TO EARLY

Date #19 was a guy I met on one of the online dating sites I joined. His original message seemed harmless so I started to communicate with him through email and instant messaging. We traded commonalities (which through this process I have found you have with EVERYONE at some level). Now, not to my knowledge but this bachelor was sizing me up and was very vocal about his feelings. I believe before we even met in person, he sent me a message saying that I was perfect and he was beginning to plan MORE THAN JUST THE FIRST DATE! Now although this was a sign of crazy, I let it go and continued to plan our date. Honestly, by the time the date came I felt like I was going to let this guy down because he had gotten caught up with the idea that I was a goddess or something.

During the date, he talked the entire time. Now, I have been looking for a man who will steer the conversation but holy cow....can I talk? At about the 3 hour mark I interrupted Date #19 with the following statement: "Over the course of the night, 70% of our conversation has been centered around your job. Do you have a balance problem in your life?" Now...you can be the judge if this was rude or not, but honestly he responded with "YES..and I am glad you called me on it". Even when I am rude, this guy thinks I am fantastic! I could of spit on the table and he would of thought it was endearing.

It makes me laugh that all this guy could talk about how much he wants to get to know me and I think he asked me 3 total questions throughout the night. For those of you that know me, my job is pretty interesting and a conversation starter. Apparently NOT with this bachelor.

Ok..here is the part that I felt VERY GUILTY. We were walking Bricktown in the rain and he kept talking about how perfect I was and how i fit everything that he was looking for..blah blah blah. Then he said..." i just keep wondering, what are you not telling me." Now, when he said this all i could think about was this blog and the 52 in 52 dating adventure that he has unknowingly become a part of. GUILT! But apparently not enough for me to come clean....

Lesson Learned: When the guy is in love with you before he meets you in person, that is an issue! RED FLAG ALERT!

Date #20- SLOW and STEADY

Date #20 is a repeater....he is actually the only guy to reach the forth date mark with me. We went to the fried food center of OKC. The Oklahoma STATE FAIR! I have never attended the OK State Fair so this was a new experience for me. Date #20 was a veteran and knew exactly where to find the fried cheese, fried oreos and root beer stand. Now, I ordered a frozen banana on a stick covered in chocolate and peanut butter. Although DELICIOUS, a bit awkward to eat on a date as one would imagine. This could of taken the date to the gutter but we both tried to keep it clean. (as much as possible when you eat a banana on a stick).

After dining the games ensued. A challenge was made and the goal was to win a stuffed animal. The loser had to carry the stuffed animal and bring it home. Now...of course..I schooled him at the state fair games. I can say...I WON THE STATE FAIR. Now, DAte #20 is an architect and was hesitant to ride the rides because of the fact that they are taken apart and put together together on a weekly basis. Although a valid point, I still called him out for being lame and convinced him to go on at least the bumper cars.

We had a great time and progress was made dating process, so I am hopeful to see this guy again. Although he is a slow moving...he is steady and I am learning to appreciate it.

Lesson Learned: Don't eat anything on a stick on a date and enjoy the journey, no need to rush everything.

Ok......we will be taking a week off for work. So keep come back and visit in October!

The Good, the Bad Date 17 and 18 RECAP

2009-09-13T22:55:00.007-05:00

First off, I need to apologize for how long it has taken me to post about my dates last week. I am getting bad about posted about these dates and I know you are all so interested...so i promise to get better. lol

Date 18 Recap: THE BAD

This date might qualify as the worst 45 minutes of my life! That being said, this date is very difficult to describe. I am giving the online dating thing a try, and this date demonstrated to me why some people should not be allowed to use the internet.

I could recap all of the details of why this fella was miserable company but I won't. To paint the picture, if was as if i was interviewing a 12 year old boy for a class project. The conversation was rough from start to finish. After 45 minutes, i decided to just rip of the band-aid and end the misery for both of us. I believe is said the following:

"it was nice to meet you but i don't feel like we are in the same place. good luck with school and everything you are working on but I think i am going to go ahead and go. have a good night"

I feel terrible but i think it was better for everyone for me not to get this kids hopes up that this would go some where. Honesty is the best policy.

Date 19 Recap: Was this really a date??

First off, this bachelor was well aware of the 52 in 52 dating adventure but i am pretty sure doesn't want to have anything to do with it. (or at least he doesn't want to be blogged about). I will say it was different than any of my other dates b/c not only did the bachelor already know about the 52 in 52 but he already knew me.

Date #19 asked me to go with him to see Jerry Seinfeld at the Civic Center, I will say right now, this was the best date activity to date!

The environment was pretty electric because everyone in attendance was ready to laugh!

And we all know how bad my laugh can be...but i held it together.

Something new...running into people i know while i am on a 52 in 52 date. This has now happened a few times and it is funny to see if people i know will come up and

say hello. Now at this point, most of the bachelors have known about this dating adventure but currently many of the bachelors do not. So this could prove to blow up in my face if

someone says something at a moment they shouldn't. Oh well, I guess i will deal with that one when the time comes.

DAte #18 still will swear that the evening didn't count as a date but it totally did. Out of respect for this shy dater,we will leave out the rest of the date details. But...it was a date! :)

Two more this week both from online dating sites, sooooo they could be interesting....keep reading!

Date 16 Wrap Up

2009-09-04T10:15:00.003-05:00

Date #16 is proving for me to be hard to describe. A few words that come to mind:

-easy

-relaxing

-laid back

-comfortable

-fun

-intelligent

Date #16 and I have gone out three times and it has been full of great conversation every time. He is so respectful of me and allows me to take the lead on just about everything. Although that is flattering and the way a women should be treated, sometimes a girl wants to be led. I have figured out that I am such a go getter when it comes to everything else in my life that I may be looking for someone else to take the reigns when it comes to dating.

Now in regards to Date #16, if he asked me out again I would be more than happy to go. Has he attempted to make any kind of physical connection at this point. No. I am not sure if this goes along with the respectful thing or not. I realize that I can rush into some of these things, so this slowed down pace might be good for me.

Who knows! What will happen! I have one of the 10 wedding of 2009 this weekend ( the reason I started this whole thing) so maybe i can find Date #17.

because

Keep reading..you know i am going to keep dating!

DAte 16 Predate Interview

2009-09-01T17:44:00.004-05:00

This pre-date interview is brought to you by my favorite Canadian!

1) Who referred date # 16 to you? he is a repeat!

2 Have you done any background check on date #16? (facebook, myspace, twitter etc.) Actually, there has been little of this type of research conducted on this fella. I must be slacking

3) Does date #16 have any nicknames that you know of? like a nickname i have given him, or one that his friends use? Nothing I know of but I have referred to him as "the architect"

4) Are you running out of options for date activities in OKC? not yet, but I am a bit sick of Bricktown. Glad i am headed to western for tonight's date!

5) What is your worst pet peeve when it comes to dating? honestly, It feels like I am always leading the conversation. Either I talk to much or boys don't like to talk. I bet it is a bit of both...lol

6) Say you are at dinner and the check comes, who is reaching for it? I play this one by year. Most of the time I see where the waiter choses to set it. They normally set it with the bachelor. So...i just wait it out. I have paid a few times and offered numerous times. But no matter what..it always seems awkward!

7) If the date goes well, how long do you wait before scheduling a re-date? no written rule here. this is not a reality show and I have never read "THE RULES"

8) If you went on a “date” with a gay male would that still count towards the total 52? sadly no, one of the requirements was that he be straight.

9) If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? "well played MJ!"

Ok folks, heading for my favorite pizza tonight on WEstern! Wish me luck with a 3 peat. This is the third guy to 3 peat but nobody has made it to the fourth!

Date 15- Feeling a bit guilty

2009-08-30T21:09:00.002-05:00

Alright friends! I went to lunch with Date 15 on Friday at Grand House! Honestly, I enjoyed myself more on this date than I thought I would. I could really see that Date 15 felt more comfortable and wasn't nervous this time around. It makes such a difference!

I have asked quite a few people over the past couple days if they think I need to come clean with Date 15. Everyone has a varied opinion but until I feel like it could get serious with this fella, I don't think I will tell him. No need to open that pandora's box at this point!

It is funny how this guy has progressed in the dating hierarchy. Coffee first, then lunch and now has asked me for dinner.

We will just have to see how dinner goes this week.....keep reading1

Date 15- Lunch date today

2009-08-28T09:59:00.001-05:00

Lunch date scheduled today with #15. Stay tuned for details....

Date 14- B/c he didn't know

2009-08-24T22:17:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned before I left for Date 14, this bachelor is not aware of the 52 in 52 campaign. Now many of you have expressed your concern with me not sharing this fact with him on the first date. Quote from Allison.. "but when you fall in love with this one and he finds out on facebook that you lied to him, what will happen then.." My answer to this, add it to the movie plot that you are all undoubtedly mentally writing about my dates but I will cross that bridge when I get there!

Now, this was the first date of all of them that was not aware of the dating campaign. As I was walking to Bricktown before the date, I realized that this guy is actually interested in finding a girlfriend instead of just seeing what this 52 in 52 is all about. This is the first time I have been nervous on ANY of my dates. Honestly, I think the 52 in 52 has been a crutch for me on my dates. An easy ice breaker and helps take off the pressure. I could tell he was nervous. This was new for me b/c I don't think any of the previous dates have been terribly nervous.

We sat and chatted for almost a few hours. It was very easy conversation and I could tell as we kept talking that we were both letting more of our personality show through. I sense we are both pretty sarcastic people, but you never know how a stranger will respond to your sarcastic commentary, so I try to turn it on low for first dates. Conversation remained on pretty generic topics about jobs, friends, family, football, etc. I think Date 14 was feeling me out to see if he wanted to move onto the next step in dating...lunch! And he does.....Date 15 is lunch.

I wish I could really articulate for all of you the difference from this date from the others. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to go on dates with a few more bachelors who are unaware and get a better sense of the differences in the dynamic of the date. So..do you part and set me up!!! :)

Keep reading...we are officially in the 2nd quarter and need to keep the momentum going in halftime!

Date #14- 1/4 of the way there

2009-08-22T11:39:00.002-05:00

Can you all believe that I am a fourth of the way through this dating journey already! So many people thought i\I wouldn't make it past week 3! It has truly been an emotional rollacoaster so far but totally worth it.

Today, we are going out with Date 14. We are meeting for coffee. First off, I hate coffee but whatever. I think the coffee date is so safe. It has the potential to lead into a longer date or it can be cut off after one cup. Everyone knows thats why you set them up. So..we will see if this date is more than a one cupper! HA!

Stay tuned for post date blog! This boy is unaware of the 52 in 52, so I am excited to not have to explain it again on a date!

Unlucky 13.....

2009-08-15T13:10:00.002-05:00

Well, I apologize for how long it has taken me to post about Date #13.

Honestly, I should of expected this to happen sometime throughout the year but how ironic on unlucky Date #13. I got stood up! Plans were made and Date #13 didn't show! This is a dating experience that everyone should expect and now I can check it off the list.

who knows if there was a miscommunication, or if DAte #13 just didn't want to come, but mark it off to life experiences for me !

Lets hope that 14 brings back some good luck!

Date #12...Lesson learned

2009-08-10T19:06:00.003-05:00

Over the weekend I took a road trip back to Wichita and went on Date #12 which we will refer to as a non-date because apparently the word date brings pressure with it. This was a repeat dater....which I think thats where to pressure comes from not the word date. But I went with it.

Date #12 (more commonly known as Date #3) went the low key route for our date and invited me over for pizza and a movie. It was actually nice to lay low for an evening and enjoy each others company. I even had a chance to give Guitar Hero a try....this is what I will now refer to as the guys version of Dance Dance Revolution. At least I kicked his ass the first time at DDR!.

As I continue on this dating journey, I have found myself learning quite a few life lessons as we move along and I thought it might be time to start sharing them with all of you. Some are very funny and others are really things that will help me figure out this dating thing, but tonight the focus will be more on the serious side.

Lesson #1: Expectation-communication=frustration

Explanation: With any first date comes a flood of ideas or expectations of where it will or could lead to. In the context of the 52 in 52, I am finding out that men and women's expectations of a "date" are very different. Honestly, my expectations are more in line with a guys in this process than one would expect from me. Shouldn't be a problem unless I actually find myself liking one of them. I found that I have already set myself up to fail because the expectations I set from the beginning are now not in line with my feelings. This is where COMMUNICATION is key. With this process, I have to learn to communicate my feelings, unlike the average girl who just gives off hints (that she is interested) that she expects boys to pick up on. Here is the FRUSTRATION: My "hints" go against the expectations that I have already set, hence the need for me to COMMUNICATE.

I have never been that strong of a communicator in the boys department, so this lesson is a tough one for me to put into practice. But hey, I still have 40 dates to go!

New dater scheduled for for Thursday! Look forward to the pre-date interview this week!

Date 11- 3peat

2009-08-04T22:09:00.004-05:00

After going to dinner with a close friend who is an avid reader of the blog, I have been told i must be 100% honest about my dates and not hide any from you all. So....Date #11 occurred last night! you guessed it, it was the same bachelor from the past two dates. You could now call him a three-peat!

The person who helped set up the initial date hosts a local comedy show here in OKC at the Speak Easy. So we based our date around attending. Now i did this knowingly that my friends were likely to show up for the show to scout out the date. (and of course..you know they did).

We started the night with a great dinner at Pepperoni Grill. I only name the restaurant this time b/c it is based in Penn Square Mall which will play into my stories later. First off, Date #11 informed me early on that he was a same side of the booth kind of guy. Now, although I can see the appeal of this seating arrangement I have always made fun of those that actually commit to it in public. So, when the hostess sat us down at a corner booth, I will admit I have a small moment of panic that he would slide in right next to me. Silly, i know but at the same time i am not sure it i am ready for a same side kinda meal at this point in my dating adventure! (for the record, I sat on my own side alone :))

Our booth also offered a great view of the mall entrance which provided numerous topics for conversation. Who knew how many teenagers walk the mall with their boyfriends on a Monday night. I must of missed that step in the dating hierarchy. Not to worry, Date #11 and I decided to head back to our teenage years and take a lap around the mall before we headed to the comedy show. Still had a hard time seeing the appeal, but now I can check that off the list.

You can learn a lot about a person when you see what they think is funny. A guess a great place is at a comedy show. You can always tell what my reactions are because my laugh is so distinctive. ( a girl i meet twice said she recognized my laugh over the rest of the crowds...not surprising to those of you who know me). I was intrigued at my dates reaction to some of the hot topics because I know our political beliefs are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Its nice to see we could both laugh at ourselves. :)

The date followed the same path at the first one and we decided to head back to Sonic for another sweet treat! (He has found the way to my heart....hahaha!) There are currently no plans for another date but am hopeful!

Now....I have gotten quote a few questions from all of you about if i actually begin to "fall" for one of these boys. Honestly, I am not sure what I will do if that happens but as my dad says..we will cross that bridge when we get there. I am still on the hunt to go on 52 dates and am looking forward to continuing the journey! Wherever it takes me.....who knows!

Stayed tuned...plans for a date for the weekend may be in the works

Date #10 Follow Up

2009-08-01T11:05:00.002-05:00

So, I provided few date details regarding Date #10. So I thought I would try to catch you all up. For all you avid readers, you know that Date #10 was a repeat dater from the previous week.

To preface this date, I was suppose to be ready by 6pm for him to pick me up but my boss wanted to meet about some pressing issues at 5:15 so i got pulled into that. I pushed the date back to 6:30 and thought that would do it, but of course i didn't leave the office till 6:22..so i was in full panic mode when i hit my front door. My neighbor came down to chat and ended up helping me buckle my shoes and take the tags off of my clothes. I was brushing my teeth, hair and putting on make-up all at the same time. BUT..i was ready by 6:32! Still in panic mode but I was good to roll.

Date #9/10 took the short tour of my apartment. Glad I came home over lunch to clean it instead of waiting till after work. I would of been totally embarrassed! My parents always said my sloppy habits would come back to bite me. And I guess they are right.....! Date #10 didn't seem to mind and gave me a nice kiss for all my troubles! (Now all of you have been asking for more juicy details...so there you go!). We headed to dinner up in Edmond at Bravo!. Now, this was the first date out of all 10 that i have left the Bricktown area. Crazy how when you live down here you never see a reason to leave.

Dinner went by quickly but was fantastic! Apparently it wad date night at Bravo! because I think we spotted at least three or four couples that appeared to be on first dates. I am not going to lie. I love people watching, especially first dates. Now that I have been a series of them, they are getting easier to spot. Keep your eyes peeled for them....!

After dinner, we headed back to Date #10's house in Edmond. Now, I know I have not mentioned much about Date #10 but in order to preface this story you should all know that he is in law enforcement. Date #10 is a good shot and owns quite a few firearms. I was not mentally prepared to see them just around the house! I have never really been exposed to guns before so it was very new to me. I guess I can now add that to the list of new experiences to come out of this dating adventure. HA!

We hung out at the house and watched the classic John Travolta movie Urban Cowboy. More of the juicy details for you all, I didn't pay much attention to the movie. Sorry Travolta....

I honestly can't believe I am already 10 week into this adventure....what a ride so far. Can't wait to see what is ahead of me!

Date #10- TONIGHT

2009-07-30T15:56:00.002-05:00

Date #10 is tonight. No predate interview this week....if you are interested in playing the role of the interviewer....email your questions!

Either you have it or you don't...

2009-07-27T22:46:00.002-05:00

So as most of you know from the pre-date interview, I had two dates this weekend. A doubleheader, if i can use that baseball term again in this post.

Date #8- We meet for a late night movie at Harkins in Bricktown. It was great to see him again and we had a chance to play some arcade games before the movie. (I swear every boys is a pro at any game that involves shooting a gun). I had a nice time and loved the movie The Ugly Truth. I will admit that watching a movie about dating while you are on a date is quite akward. There were numerous comments i could tell we both laughed at based on that fact that they applied to our situation. Date #8 is a total gentleman and walked to me all the way back to my door step. It was a nice date....

Date #9- This was a complete blind date. I had no idea what the guy was gonna look like when I walked into the restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised :) We had a great dinner in Bricktown full of wonderful conversation and laughter. We headed over to the Redhawks game and had seats right behind the visitor's dug out. It was like we were on the field we were so close. The entire time we were both paranoid about getting hit by a foul ball. (It would be my luck that I would get hit....but we made it through). Honestly, I know the Redhawks lost but we talked throughout the entire game that we really didn't pay attention. We hit it off and couldn't stop cracking jokes and laughing. I always thought baseball games went on forever but on this evening i would of been happy to sit through extra innings.

After the date we walked back to his car for him to drive me back to my house. He asked if I would be willing to extend the date a bit and go get a drink. Of course I said yes and we headed straight to SONIC for a "drink". (You know how much i LOVE Sonic so I was totally down with it). After we finished our treats from Sonic, Date #9 drove me back to my house and was super sweet at the end of the date. You always wonder how the date is going to end..if he going to kiss me or not, if he says he is going to call you or not....there is a lot going through a girls head. He was cute enough to ask if he could give me a good night kiss...which made my night. Gotta love when guys just come out and say it!

As I continue on this dating adventure I am really beginning to learn that either you have it or you don't. It=CHEMISTRY. Although you can think someone is fantastic and truly interesting sometimes you just can't force chemistry to be there. I have found myself wanting to give a few of the bachelors a second chance because I think the world of them, but the ugly truth is starting to appear to me. You really know on the first date if it is there.

So.....saying that Date #9 will also be Date #10 this week.

Double Header This Weekend...it is baseball season

2009-07-24T19:51:00.003-05:00

Alright friends, we have had a change in plans:

Date #8 is now set for Friday (This is a repeat with Date #6). So another 2nd date opportunity which is exciting. Plans detailed in pre-date interview below

Date #9 is set for Saturday! This is a NEW bachelor to the dating adventure and we are excited to get to know him. Date details also covered in the pre-date interview

This weeks Double Header pre-date interview is brought to you by Holly...the upstairs neighbor and recommender of dates #1 and #2.

Q. How did you meet Date 8/9?

Answer:

Date 8 is a repeat dater from Date #6. Date#9 was recommended to me by a friend's boyfriend. He pulled through with a candidate after meeting me for the first time! Props to him for being on the ball with the date set up.

Date #9: Have not meet him as of yet...total blind date for this one! have not even seen a picture but i trust my friends to set me up with great people.

Q. How did he ask? Text, Facebook, email, call?

Answer:

Date #8- We communicated through both text, facebook and phone call. Now that I have been on a date with him it was just general conversation

Date #9- Total phone call! :)

What is the plan for your date?

Date #8- Late night movie at Harkins! And hopefully some arcade games before. I have been craving some air hockey in my life lately.

Date #9- We spend some time debating on an actvity for this date! Since i am a sports fan, Date #9 suggested we go to the Redhawks game. Not sure of plans outside of the game just yet but a night at the ballpark is always a good time. (even if i don't LOVE baseball).

Q. The one thing Date 8/9 should know about you before the date? (Hopefully he’s reading the blog!)

Answer:

Date #8- I think i figured most of those things out on the first date...but i do tend to laugh pretty loud in movies. (my friends from high school will attest to this habit...) I sometimes even pre-laugh before funny moments...ha!

Date #9- It is hard to narrow it down just to one thing....for those of you that actually know me, any suggestions on this one!

Q. Have you had any bad reactions from people when you tell them about the 52 in 52

Answer: Of course I have. It has been really interesting to see how everyone looks at the idea. Some people LOVE the idea and are totally on board. Others take time to warm up to it but find themselves asking about it or even reading this blog. There are a few negative nellies out there. They are entitled to their opinion and I respect that but I am trying to keep this a POSITIVE thing, so have chosen to not let any of that bother me. Can't please everyone...not every guy has the balls to be one of the 52. I get that...

Q.Thus far, what is the most important thing you have learned from this process?

Answer: Ohh honestly....a great deal. It may deserve an entire post to itself to truly answer this question.

Keep reading..the dating continues

DAte #8 Date Set..need ideas

2009-07-20T22:26:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! Date #8 has been set for this Saturday! Talked with the lucky bachelor tonight and we are going to brainstorm some date ideas for this weekend! If any of you know of cool OKC activities this week...send me your ideas! Would love to spice it up at bit....

Stay tuned for the pre-date interview!

25th Birthday!

2009-07-16T23:34:00.003-05:00

This week marks another great landmark in my life...I am turning 25 on Saturday! A QUARTER CENTURY! So, now I can rent a car for cheaper and my car insurance goes down. GOODIE! Big celebration planned for this weekend, so if you want more information on that just message me or shoot me an email at

fifitytwoinfiftytwo@gmail.com

This week also marks the 7th week of my dating adventure. As many of you know i have been out with 6 different bachelors(1 repeat) in 7 weeks and am already in the plans for date #8 and #9! Thanks to all of you that have suggested potential bachelors..keep the suggestions coming! I still have 44 more dates to go...wow!

I am having an absolute BLAST with this and already learned a great deal about myself and dating. Can't wait to see what else is coming my direction over the next few months.

Keep reading!

Date #7 Repeat Date Update

2009-07-13T21:23:00.004-05:00

As I revealed in the pre-date interview, Week #7 was a repeat dater! This was the first 2nd date of the bunch and I was excited about the opportunity to hang out with him again. This date was back in my home state of Kansas, so I let Date #3 do all of the planning. (I planned our date here in OKC). Date #3 would not reveal his plans for the upcoming date which I will admit I had a hard time with. I am normally the girl with a plan, so it was difficult for me to be out of the loop.

Now, I bring up the planning portion of the date, because Date #3/7 plans all blew up in our face. I felt so bad for him because we just seemed to have bad luck everywhere we went. None of this bothered me but I could tell he was getting frustrated that the movie was sold out, the restaurant was packed and the driving range was closed. But hey..what can you do by just go along with it. So we made the best of it and changed our plans. I know he had some wonderful surprises planned for me but he ran out of time to pull them all off and I forced him to ruin the surprise and tell me anyway! :) There is always next time for a rooftop dinner...

Date #3 had a rough day at work and couldn't seem to shake the headache. He was a trooper though and never gave up on the date even though he wasn't running at 100%. The poor thing even took a cat nap during the movie....:)

I think the most interesting part of this date was really that fact that this was the 2nd date, which vastly differs from the first. A first date is really kinda easy. You have so many topics to cover and most of the time you are just having surface level conversations. When you get to the second date you really have to take what you learned about the person and see if you can fit the puzzle pieces together to see if the two of you fit and have more than just a few common interests. Honestly, I would think that most women would agree that Date #2 is the most difficult and telling.

That being said, I am hopeful to go on more 2nd dates throughout this process that I originally intended as these seem to be more in-depth. Maybe there is a Date #3 in the future..we will just have to wait and see.

Date #7: Repeat dater revealed

2009-07-10T16:17:00.000-05:00

True or False

1. You've been on a date with Date #7. TRUE..he was date #3

2. Are you breaking your parents only rule on this date? well this is not a true/false questions but technically yes, but it is the second date so I don’t feel it should always apply

3. You will wear pants on this date. True..that is the plan

4. The events that will take place on this date are a surprise. True

Multiple Choice

1. On this date you will:

A) go see a movie and finally eat popcorn

B) go to a romantic dinner, discuss your future, and possibly throw out some baby names

C) have a picnic in a public place (i.e. a park)

D) open the door, get on the floor, everybody walk the dinosaur

E) all of the above

F) none of the above

G) some combination of the above

Answer: G: some combination of the above! but I doubt I will eat popcorn at the movies. But the dinosaur walk in always a stand by option.

2. On this date you will:

A) wear a cute dress

B) wear flats

C) wear a cute dress with flats

D) wear pajamas

E) all of the above

F) none of the above

Answer: B: I will most likely wear flats since I am not sure what the plan is and with it being a surprise, I doubt a dress is the best plan.

Short answer essay:

Q. Please explain, in detail, how it is that you ended up on a second date with this man.

A. To be honest, I have hung out with Date #3 a few times since the initial date, but neither were official dates for that week. We had a great time on the first date and since I was already headed back to Kansas, (date #3 lives in KS) I thought it would be fun to go out again. So….repeat dater has been revealed.

Check the blog for more post Date #7/3 details!

Date #6- Wine and Dine

2009-07-04T13:27:00.007-05:00

Honestly, Date #6 was the first date of the bunch that I really didn't know much about the guy before the date. Most of the time I can do some Facebook stalking or the person who set us up will give me some leads but this date I really walked into blind. So....here is how it went down!

I arrived to The Mantel right at 8pm and was greeted by Date #6 not with a handshake or a hug but with a fresh glass of white wine. Now for those of you that know my alcohol preferences, wine is not my thing at all but I was impressed none the less and sipped on the glass all throughout the night.

After a few minutes of reviewing the menu, I noticed they served duck. Now you don't see this everyday and I have always been interested in what this tasted like. I know I have tried it before, but after reading the description. I was intrigued. Now, don't think I was silly enough to order it. (I don't want to get stuck with some gross duck). I mentioned my interest to date #6 and he asked why I don't just order it myself. I said I would rather try it off someone elses plate instead of having to be stuck ordering it. Now, I did not mean to infer that I wanted HIM to order it but when the waiter asked guess what Date #6 was having for dinner. DUCK! :)

Anyone that knows me knows that I spend every fall Saturday engulfed in college football, especially the University of Kansas. It turns out that Date #6 played college football and has a respect for KU's head coach Mark Mangino!

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!! :) Ok ok..he may not be a Kansas fan, but I can forgive anyone who admits how good Mangino is. Even if he is a Sooner Fan! boo

Date #6 is working on getting in dental school which lead us into a conversation about teeth. Now thanks to my brother who hit my in the face with a baseball bat at age three, I have always had some interesting dental issues. I never thought I was self-conscious about this until it came up on the date and then i found myself trying to talk with my mouth closed doing the closed mouth smile. How silly am I! Can you imagine me trying to eat without showing my teeth! :)

Date #6 is a very intellectual person. He was full of interesting conversation and dry humor. Even with his love for fruit roll ups...(sorry, I had to throw that in there) he has some very interesting ideas and thoughts. Date #6 thinks before he speaks..while I just jump right into conversation and figure out where I am headed halfway through my thought. I had to get used to the pause in conversation before he would respond to my questions. I am so used to filling the silence, it was a great chance for me to learn to wade through the silence to get to the substance of the conversation.

The topic of past relationships came up. Now I don't mind one bit listening to anyone discuss their past experiences when it comes to relationships but i realized on this date that I really don't have much to share in this department when it comes to true serious relationships. Everything is such a "story" with me. Lets hope that after this 52 in 52 that I can change this pattern.

Overall, I had a great time with Date #6. The food, conversation and atmosphere were all top notch.

No plans for Date #7 as of yet....but as usual I will keep you all posted.

Date #6 Pre- Date Interview

2009-07-02T10:12:00.002-05:00

Week 6 .Brought to you by Sheana

Q. Who set you up? Mary Jo- Gary- a friends husband

Q. What do you know about the guy? Mary Jo- That he works in a dentist office...thats all I got on this one.

Q. Where are you going on your date?Mary Jo- Dinner at The Mantel...not Mickey Mantels....I would be the one to go to the wrong restaurant

Q. If the conversation goes south, what is your backup topic? Mary Jo- 4th of July plans, Michael Jackson- that is a great save these days.

Q. Is week 6 recently single? Mary Jo-I am not aware, but will find out tonight

Q. What is your opinion on sex before marriage? Just kidding. That's not a real question. I'm just trying to make sure that you're paying attention.- Mary Jo- wow....thanks Sheana!

Q. Describe at least two outfit choices for the date... in complete detail. Mary Jo- Ohhh...most likely jeans for all outfit choices and whatever is clean. I will admit I have worn the same outfit on quite a few of the dates so far.

Q. If the date goes well, will you invite him to hang out on the 4th?- Mary Jo-if I had plans I would be more than happy to invite him but as of now..i got nothing!

Date is scheduled for this evening! Look for a recap tomorrow.....

Repeat Dater Update: ohh and yes, I will be sharing more about the repeat dater at a later date. I promise

Date #5- Salute your Shorts!

2009-06-24T20:31:00.004-05:00

I will get to why this blog is titled salute our shorts....it is not a sexual reference, so no need to make that joke to yourself just yet!

The date actually started at Sara Sara cupcake, where we picked up cupcakes to go! Date #5 was worried that we wouldn't make it before they closed the doors on cupcake heaven. So, you all are wondering what kind of cupcake we each ordered:

Mary Jo- Peach Cobbler

Date #5- Lemon Poppy Seed

And I really do think that Date #5 could be described as "lemon poppy seed". He was unique and quirky in his own way. I could go on with the metaphor..but it could get fruity. Ok..back to the date details...

We headed next door to Iquana Lounge for margaritas and dinner. I always order the same thing at the Iquana...and I LOVE IT! So I was a happy camper when it came to dinner. We had good conversation ranging from the standard job/work/career discussion all the way to my inability to discuss or even hear about shots, needles and blood. (Date #5 started some story about shots in his eye..and i had to draw the line right there or i would of passed out at the dinner table).

Date #5 was very witty and intelligent. He has a funky sense of humor paired with the smarts of an engineer which makes for an interesting unexpected combination. I was continuously surprised Date #5 and his interests and hobbies. Unexpected.

Unexpected. Here is an example. At the end of the date, he asked me "Do you like Nickelodeon?" My first thought was, "Yeah, when I was 7". This is where the classic Nickelodeon comedy "Salute Your Shorts" made it into conversation. It appears the Date #5 collects random TV shows and has every episode of this classic Nick show on tape. So we went back to his downtown apartment and watched an episode and enjoyed our cupcakes. FLASHBACK to to 1991!

So to sum it up, the night was full of witty conversation and good laughs. The only caveat to this date was the fact that it was recommended by a guy i have previously dated. Always an interesting subject to discuss on a first date. I will give it to date #5 because he was able to hold off and not ask me about it till the tail end of the evening. I had a great time and hope Date #5 enjoyed the evening.

No specific date set for Week 6, so if you have any suggestions: SEND THEM MY WAY!

ALERT.....we may have a repeat dater on our hands. So keep reading for updates on this particular bachelor!

Return of the Pre-date interview

2009-06-23T14:16:00.004-05:00

Date # 5! (This week’s questions are brought to you by Sheana, MJ’s best friend from college who lives in LA. Sheana can’t find MJ any dates in OKC, so this is her contribution.)

Q. How did you get set up with this date? Mary Jo-Random.......a friend from last summer suggested we go out.

Q. Do you still get nervous before the dates? Mary Jo- Not as much as I used to before the 52 in 52. I still do get nervous when I am getting ready, I think all girls do.

Q. How much information do you know about him that you haven’t read on Facebook? Mary Jo- I know he liked funky t-shirts, so I am interested to see what he shows up in tonight

Q. Who decided eating cupcakes would be a good first date? Mary Jo- He did..but i do like cupcakes

Q. What kind of cupcake are you? Mary Jo- Can’t remember the name.

Q. What kind of cupcake do you think he is going to get? Mary Jo- I see him as a chocolate guy

Q. Are you going to dinner first or straight for cupcakes? Mary Jo-Cupcakes first, but I believe we are just picking them up and then heading next door for dinner

Q. No matter how well this date goes, where will you be in the beginning of February 2010? Mary Jo- Watching the Olympic with my best friend SHEANA!

Stay tuned for a post date update tomorrow!

DAte #4- A family affair

2009-06-22T11:08:00.002-05:00

So Date #4 occurred on Saturday evening. (I apologize for the late posting.....).

Now this date was a bit differnt because not only was it a blind date with an eligible bachelor, it was also a double date with his sister and her husband. Talk about pressure! Try going on a date with three other people.

The happy family picked me up and we headed to the Olive Garden (the best salad and breadsticks in town I may add). Now the thing about going out with a family is they have tons of inside jokes and common experiences, so sometimes I felt like I missed a memo when they would get talking, but they ALL did a great job trying to include me. I know my family can be the worst at this..so i understood.

The thing that made me laugh about this blind date was that their friends and family were weary of ME being a crazy psycho who stabs them all to death. Now..when you think about it, I was the one at the disadvantage here. They had the 3:1 advantage across the board, so I was not a threat to them, even if I wanted to be. Now they were Sooner fans...soooo things could of gotten out of hand if they would of pushed a few of my buttons! (HAHA)

Now after dinner we headed to the new Warren Theatre here in OKC. Now for those of you Wichita natives reading the blog, we all know and love the Warren so it felt just like home to me. But these new comers from Oklahoma were much more impressed by the theatre in general. We decided to see The Hangover, even though i had already seen it. It was still funny the second time and I even picked up on some of the details!

Now this entire family was from Guthrie, Oklahoma. The only thing I know about Guthrie is that I drive right by the exit on I-35 on my way back to Kansas and it was the original capital of the state of Oklahoma. They all had a great sense of pride for their hometown and loved everything about. I guess you could all say, that I am not a small town girl...so it was fun to hear about their life in Guthrie! I did catch myself humming the Donny and Marie song.."I'm a little big country, I'm a little bit rock and roll." HA!

All and all, I will say that I doubt I got on a triple blind date again but it was a great chance to meet some interesting people. With everyone there, it was hard to get to know much about any one single person but I hope they got to know me a bit and had an enjoyable time.

Well...Date #5 is set for Tuesday...so keep reading.

Date 3- Hole in ONE...or two!

2009-06-19T10:59:00.009-05:00

You all know the miniature golf game on the PRICE IS RIGHT!! Hole in one.......or two! Lets just say, I always needed the "or two" when it came to my putting skills. But, lets not get ahead of ourselves. Back to the beginning..

Due to Date #3's lack of knowledge of the OKC metro, I actually picked him up at his doorstep! I felt like the boy doing the date planning and driving but we all know how much i like to plan, so I was happy about it. We proceeded to good 'ole Celebration Station for a rousing game of miniature golf. I should of known I was doomed to loss from the start because after not even a minute I let go of the score card and it blew away into the water bumper car pool. I should have known that was God's way of saying that we should not keep score because I was bound to lose. Needless to say, Date #3 got a hole in one, and I kept getting robbed by the miniature golf gods. I played all 18 holes, but Date #3 lost his ball on Hole 17...so actually he forfeited the game and i am the winner ! (i always find a way to win).

Speaking of winning, Date #3 was a good sport and humored me by playing DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION with me! Now those of you that know me, I LOVE this game and totally kicked Date #3's ass on total points! But giving him so credit he did keep up with me!

Next we headed to Bricktown to get some dinner. We had a GREAT dinner at the new sports bar in Bricktown with TV's everywhere! They even had HDTV in the bathrooms. (date #3 thought this was GREAT! ) From here we went next door to the Bricktown Brewery to have some local ales but when i got carded, i realized my wallet was MIA! Now most of you that know me, would know I would flip out and start to panic to find it, but i attempted to remain calm and pray that it was in my car. After Date #3 attempted to call Celebration Station in search of my wallet, we walked back to my car, only to find it sitting on the floor boards. Funny side note, on our way back to the car we walked next to a couple where both the male and female had the exact same hairdo! Honestly, I am confident that i would not be able to date anyone with my exact hair style, so sorry to all you potential suitors with shoulder length layered hair! You are now excluded from eligibility!

So, from the car we decided to head back to Bricktown to Bolero! We had a great time here just chatting and drinking! (My favorite bartender was not working, so i was a bit disappointed in my drink. No Blueberry yummy tonight). The date was moving onto Hour 4, when I decided to drive my date back home and call it a night. For those of you that are wondering, this is the longest date to as of yet! So now the bar has been set....

I dropped of Date #3 at his house and was excited to watch a bit of SportsCenter on his TV. (i still don't have cable in my apartment). If only there were real sports on instead of just baseball...haha! I had a great time on our date and I hope to see #3 again!

But don't forget...Date #4 is set for Saturday night! Plans looks to be dinner and a movie at the Warren Theatre!

So stay tuned for more info on Date #4.

Lets try two dates this week...

2009-06-13T20:40:00.002-05:00

Alright everyone....It looks like i have both Date #3 and Date #4 scheduled for this week!

Date #3- Thursday-Miniature golf challenge! (i need to practice my putting skills)

Date #4- Saturday- This is actually a double date..not sure on the details but looks to be very interesting!

More specifics to come as the week progresses! If anyone has any GREAT FIRST DATE ideas...send them my way! I am already struggling to think of fun and creative ideas

Date #2-Bowling was a Bust

2009-06-10T20:35:00.007-05:00

Well everyone, tour guide barbie didn't do so well planning ahead for this date. Did i think to call ahead and check the availability of lanes for the night? Of COURSE NOT! Who thinks Red Pin would be all booked up on a Tuesday night. So....no bowling occurred but don't you worry my friends! The date was still ON! (even though i had to leave my Santa Clause socks in my purse for the night).

Once we figured out that the bowling was a no go, we decided to go ahead and stick it out at the bar to have some drinks and dinner. Now, for those of you that read the pre-date interview, i mentioned that Date #2 was a Memphis fan...and could be considered a bit bitter.(who wouldn't be after that lost in the championship game to my beloved Jayhawks). I tried my best to steer clear of the subject, but you all know me. Who can resist making a few jabs here and there about a missed free throw or two or three??? How do you really lose a lead of 9 in just 2:09! Sorry..getting off topic here.

Interesting dilemma i never foresaw....Date #2 had the same first name as my brother. I have never really run into this one before, so it was hard for me to not think of my big bro at random moments throughout the date. Honestly, they both had quite a personality few traits in common so i would of made the connection no matter what Date #2's name was. I love my brother..so date #2 should consider this a good thing.

This date required me to draw on my college sports knowledge but i was lost when it came to baseball. Date #2 played in college, so had me beat in regards to this sport. That has never really been a "ball" sport that I have really cared to watch. Although I respect that it is America's past time, I don't have to like it. Which i don't...sorry to all you baseball fans!

Throughout this process, I will have the chance to learn about the interworking of the "FIRST DATE" (i am going on 52 of them for gosh sakes).

First lesson learned: when a guy brings up his ex-girlfriend of only two weeks..he is not over it. No matter how much he says he doesn't care. Date #2 just went through a hard breakup, and this subject came up within the first 20 minutes of conversation. Now i am all for taking about the past, but it was obvious feeling were still hurt. I hope Date #2 had a nice time out last night and i could be a good distraction for him. I know i enjoyed it.

The date ended well. A challenge of another bowling match was extended so we will see if Date #2 is willing to get schooled at the bowling alley!

UPDATE: Date #3 has to postpone due to work, but NO WORRIES...we got two dates already on the books for next week!

Happy dating!

THANK YOU TRACI!

2009-06-08T22:32:00.002-05:00

I'm sure you have already noticed, but in case you haven't.... WE got a facelift! Although I always said I would never go farther than a little Botox, I gave in, and I think we are all happy with the results.

Thank you Traci Hayes for the new 52in52 graphic. You are the best!

Date #2: Pre-date Interview

2009-06-08T22:05:00.003-05:00

In preparation for Mary Jo's second date, I asked her a few questions...

1. Who was the date referral from? Holly, #2 for Holly in the referral department

2. What are the current details of the date? Who suggested these events? Bowling at Red Pin..my idea. He's not from around here and wasn't sure what to do...

3. Have you been practicing bowling? Finger workouts? Lunges? I have been mentally practicing....some practice footwork in the office on the way to the copier 4. Do you have nice socks to wear? The only clean socks I have at the moment are Santa clause...we we may roll with some Christmas cheer
5. Will you let him win if you happen to have a super A+ bowling day? Hell no.....a Jayhawk never lets a Memphis fan win! (he is a Memphis fan and a sore loser from the 2008 national championship game)
6. How are you feeling as you think about the date? I am not the best bowler, but besides that I am excited about this one. From what communications we have had, he seems to be a fun, laid-back guy!
7. Does the suitor know that you are doing 52in52? Yes..he is aware of the 52 in 52.
8. Since you don't like beer, what are you planning on drinking during the date? Mojito! They have great ones!
9. Have you stalked this particular suitor online yet? If no, can I stalk him for you? I have not done much stalking honestly....and even if I said no, Allison, you would still stalk him on your own. You are so talented in that area. (FYI, I am not an online stalker...)

Dates 2 and 3 set for this week

2009-06-07T18:25:00.002-05:00

We have a busy week ahead of us in regards to dates! Both #2 and #3 are scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday of this week. Now I have already gotten questions about the logistics of going on more than one date in a week, and I wanted to clarify....it is 52 dates TOTAL. The aim is to just get to at least one date a week but there are no rules to doubling up a week! I am trying to stock up while the kettle is hot.....! :)

Another shout out to Holly and one to Allison for this weeks bachelors set up.

Details of both dates are still TBD. I don't know much about either of the bachelors this week, so this will really be a blind date. Week #2 has not even lived in OKC a month, so I may have to play tour guide barbie. (i take after my dad a bit in this tour guide department).

Funny story about Week #3 already. Earlier this week, i got a text message out of the blue that read...

"is this the 52 in 52 Mary Jo"

and of course i responded with

"YES. This is her. Is this a potential week 3 date"

and the date was set! It is just that easy fellas. All you have to do is ask.

Pre date interview for both dates to be posted soon, so stay tuned !

1 down 51 to go

2009-06-03T09:22:00.006-05:00

Before we get into the first date details, i wanted to clear up a few things that people have asked regarding the purpose of the blog. Many young men have been worried that this blog would just turn into a boy bashing blog. For those of you that know me well, know if anything this would be more of a Mary Jo embarrassing moments blog than anything else. It is not my goal to humiliate anyone besides myself with this social experiment..so no worries fellas! (No names will be used..so you are all safe to date me!)

Ok..now onto the date details.....

Honestly, i was running late due to a phone conversation with my boss (the brains behind this dating campaign) when i looked up an realized i was going to be late on the first date. What a way to start...if that is not enough, I was a wink and smile away from being pulled over for wreck less driving. (there is a funky intersection downtown that i never know who has the right away and apparently I like to turn out in front of moving cop cars). OK never mind that, back to the matter at hand, THE DATE!

I was nervous walking in that I would have to wonder the restaurant with that "I am not sure who I am looking for face"but to my pleasure "Week #1" (this is the proposed nickname for the guy) was waiting right by the front door. We sat in the bar and have a great deal of laughs with the bartender. Apparently my lack of love for beer did not go over well with the bartender and he was determined to find a beer i liked. With the hundreds of options, we were bound to find at least one. (i only like the beer that tasted like a raspberry wine cooler..go figure).

Conversation was great and lighthearted as "week #1" was interested in my motives and plan for the 52 in 52 campaign. Once we got past the logistics and reasoning behind the whole thing, the date was off and running!

I could not of asked for a better way to start 52 in 52. The conversation was intelligent and very personable. "Week #1" even felt comfortable enough to call me MJ, which is something that I notice but others may not. We talked about sports, oklahoma city hot topics, greek life, food, high school nerd activities we both participated in, and much much more. "Week #1" is a lawyer, so you may expect a very analytical in-personable guy, but we was quite the opposite. I had a wonderful time getting to know him and even learning more about the "Sooners". (blah)

So....this date gets a THUMBS UP! Sadly I know all 52 will not go this well, so stay tuned...

Date #1: Pre-date Interview

2009-06-02T22:18:00.004-05:00

Mary Jo has a date tonight, Tuesday, June 2. As the unbiased and non-fictional narrator, I will be performing a pre-date interview before each of Mary Jo's future dates. I also, on occasion will make comments about Mary Jo's answers. These pertinent comments will be featured in parentheses.

Q: Who was the date referral from?

Mary Jo: Holly

Q: What are the current details of the date?

Mary Jo: McNellie's for dinner and a drink or two... (www.mcnelliesokc.com)

Q: Flats or Heels?

Mary Jo: Flats.

Follow-Up Q: Any particular reason?

Mary Jo: McNellie's isn't as much of a "heel-y" place, and then I was wearing a dressy top, so I wanted to even it out with some flats...

Q: How are you feeling as you think about the date? Nervous? Excited? Like you have the flu?

Mary Jo: Work was really busy, so I really haven't been thinking about it. However, when I get off of work and relax, I think I will get excited for it.

Q: Does the suitor know that you are doing 52in52?

Mary Jo: Yes and he was really excited to be #1

Q: Have you talked to the suitor on the phone?

Mary Jo: No, only facebook messaging... (allison insert: beware future suitors... we will facebook stalk you!)

Q: How are you planning on recognizing the suitor at the meeting place? Or is he picking you up?

Mary Jo: There is no plan for this... I am pretty sure that he will recognize me in the jayhawk costume. just kidding.

Q: What did you eat for breakfast?

Mary Jo: nothing.

Q: Are you missing any TV shows tonight to go on the date?

Mary Jo: Actually, I picked Tuesday due to the lack of good TV. (ha, I should have known!)

Date #1 coming soon

2009-06-01T21:25:00.003-05:00

Just to keep everyone updated, the first date is quickly approaching! I am headed out to a local pub for dinner and drinks tomorrow night...so tune in for date details!

Honestly, I am excited to dive right into this and see what comes of it. Most of the time I let my nerves get the best of me in situations like this but in order for this to work, I have got to learn to just be the crazy MJ that we all know and love! So...here goes!

Here we go.....Week #1

2009-05-29T22:10:00.003-05:00

Mission: Week #1

Thanks to my good pal Holly, it looks like I have a secured the first date for Week #1. Details are still yet to be determined but i am happy to see that my dating campaign has at least intrigued a few eligible bachelors. Just because we have secured #1, that should not stop all of you from digging into your vaults to help fill 2-52.

I have had tons of questions about the logistics of the dates, so I thought I would clarify a bit on the plan. If i do end up liking one of the daters, i am allowed to go on a second date. Multiple dates with one suitor are allowed in the documented rules. Just like my brother enforced the rules of Monopoly, they only matter when they benefited him! So....the rules are flexible to put it simply.

If I fall in love (still doubtful on this one), we will just cross that bridge when we get to it. Honestly, i do not feel that it is necessary to set up provisions for these scenarios, as they are difficult to predict and not on my radar at this current time. Just getting date at this point, can be a miracle in itself. One thing a time....

I am looking for your thoughts on the next issue: Attire! Would it make sense to wear that same outfit on every date for consistency..or at least have some staples that we invest in for this adventure. A small rotation if you will. Thoughts?

Keep following......date specifics to come

BIO: Mary Jo

2009-05-28T20:36:00.001-05:00

First of all, this is Allison, MJ's online accomplice for this mission. Since it would seem egotistical for MJ to write a bio of herself, I will write one for her.

Mary Jo Hope was born July 18, 1984. Since then, she has accomplished quite a bit. She graduated from Oklahoma City University (where she met me) in 2006 and now works for a great downtown OKC non-profit organization. She is a sports enthusiast and an avid Kansas Jayhawks fan.

She also likes a good costume party.

She doesn't, however, like beer, coffee, or maple syrup.

(this is a apple cider)

She travels frequently and has almost visited all 50 states. If you need a date for a wedding in Alaska, she's your girl. And yes, that would count toward the 52.

That's about all I am going to reveal about Mary Jo Hope. If you want to know more, apply for a date.

The Rules

2009-05-28T19:14:00.001-05:00

The most amazing, and SINGLE, Mary Jo Hope, has initiated a challenge. She will go on 52 dates in 52 weeks. The rules are as follows:

The total of all dates over the the 52 week period of time (June 2009-June 2010) must be 52 or greater.
Multiple dates with the same person are acceptable.
Setting Mary Jo up on blind dates is acceptable and encouraged.
Must be male, straight, and in between the ages of 21-40.

Feel free to email FiftyTwoInFiftyTwo@gmail.com to make date suggestions.