Adrenaline Spike

[rinue]

Okay, so I just asked somebody out in a totally non-suave but nonetheless gutzy maneouver. Mostly, I think he was terrified, but he did say yes -- which damnit means I have to come up with something to do on Saturday evening.

"But Romie," you are saying, accompanied by an accusatory finger poke, "you don't date," and in pointing that out you leap to the crux of the matter. I hate dating. I hate dating almost as much as I hate shopping malls, and that's saying something. I don't like doing date things, and I don't like the awkwardness of suddenly and forcibly getting to know someone without the safety net of a group of friends. It's stupid pressure and roleplaying, and damnit.

But there was nothing for it; there's no way in hell we'd run into each other casually since we're 20 miles and 3 years apart and our one mutual compadre is in England for the next month. So it looks like 7 o'clock Saturday night.

Damnit.

Suggestions?

Comments

[hipgunslinger.livejournal.com]

I'd say rollerskating, but that's no good as a way to begin to get to know somebody.
It is the same with movies, however, movies do stimulate conversation in the first place and entry into anecdotal relations.
...
*hmmmmmmmmmmmmm*
Can you play pool?

[rinue.livejournal.com]

Ooooooooh, good idea. I'm terrible at pool, but I enjoy it enough that I'm okay. Besides, I'm deliberately terrible. I like to play a three person game when possible, which I have dubbed "idiot ball." Two people play normally, and the third person is the free radical who obeys no rules and throws random unpredictability in the game. The important key to winning is "style points" which count for a hell of a lot more than actually winning.

Ahhh, those were the days. (I used to live just under a pool hall.)

[treehavn.livejournal.com]

i only play pool if i am allowed to move the ball if it is too close to the edge or in an improbable place. its okay because i never win anyhow. and whenever i play in a crowded place people come and laugh at some of my more freaky and yet stylish moves. let it be said, i can't hit a ball straight into a pocket but if i aim a certain way it will go completely the opposite, bounce off three cushions and go in. damn, i'm tired.

Some suggestions

[satia.livejournal.com]

Movies are out only because you can't talk during the movie which means you miss out on 1.5-3 hrs of "getting to know you" time.

The most fun first dates I have had usually started casually. Playing pinball, video games, pool, even air hockey. I think something that you can do together but still allows for talking is your best bet. That way, if the conversation is inanely dull and you decide he is boring, you can still have fun playing some games. If, on the other hand, you have a lot of fun, you can then walk casually to a place for coffee and dessert to stretch things out a bit.

Now I am curious to find out how this goes . . . guess I'll have to remember to come back for a visit after the weekend.

Re: Some suggestions

[rinue.livejournal.com]

This is all marvelously good advice, and. . .

Hell, who am I kidding? I'm not replying in an attempt to compliment you, or discuss strategic options. I'm replying because you said maybe you'd check back and I wanted to remind you of that because *I* always say I'll check back and then I never, ever do.

You rock my world, by the way. It's somehow infinitely cooler when I get comments from people I've never seen before.

-Romie

Glad you replied because I wrote your name down wrong

[satia.livejournal.com]

Now I will know where to go to follow up. LOL!

BTW, I am 39 and divorced 3 years ago and when I say what I do about dates, I am talking from recent experience. Last summer I met this dj at a club and he asked me out on a date. Took me out to a movie, which I enjoyed, but I had much more fun at the dinner before the movie. Then after the movie we went to a place to play pinball and pool and had an even better time.

We tried to go out on a second date but he had friends visiting for a couple of weeks and then I had something going on in my life and then he went out of town for a week and . . . we just drifted.

But I was also dating a guy named Rob at the time and I am still dating him so it ended well.

Re: Some suggestions

[tommx.livejournal.com]

i also will be reading with great interest. i think the arcade idea is pretty good myself..preferrably one that has air hockey and/or skee ball. i prefer air hockey for the pure violence of the whole thing.

[mertvie-tsveti.livejournal.com]

on our first date, my ex-bf and I went ice skating. It was pretty fun, but I don't know if you have any skating rinks near you or if you even know how to skate. But that's just my suggestion:-)