Date #12
I’m sitting cross legged on the floor, eyes closed, holding the index finger of my left hand against my left nostril and breathing through my right. Why? Because the flap on my box of Yogi Chai Rooibos tea bags told me to, that’s why. These twenty six breaths through my right nostril are supposed to bring me “sunny energy” and with five first dates in five days, I need all the energy I can get. (Sorry if you were hoping for a steamy account of tantric sex; it’s just cardboard box yoga).
Prior to the advent of “After I Quit My day Job,” I don’t think I’ve ever been called “energetic.” Actually, there was one time. It was in Ehmkendorf, a tiny town in northern Germany. I was seventeen and just completing my first international service project with Volunteers For Peace. On the last day of the workcamp, one of my fellow volunteers presented me with a badge that declared me to be “Most Energetic.” I did do a good job of um, well… liberating potatoes from a nearby farm, and leading the getaway (which comprised a bike gang of Finnish, Russian and French teenagers), but I still think I was voted “Most Energetic” just because the good titles like “Best Singer” and “Best Cook” were already taken.
I feel a bit sorry for Date #12. Evidently I was his first Match.com date, whereas he was my forth in 48 hours. Thank God for coffee, and thank God my younger brother was in town for Philadelphia’s annual Green Fest; he drove me over to Old City to meet Date #12 and even took this post’s photograph for me.
We agreed to meet in Eulogy, but upon finding it too crowded for proper first date conversation, headed across to Triumph Brewery instead. There, I sampled a shot-glass of pumpkin ale (seems I’m into pumpkin these days) but settled for a glass of the house red.
Date #12 was a perfectly lovely guy (gainfully employed, well groomed, educated, in possession of more than a few stamps in his passport) but I just wasn’t feeling it for him. This is especially unfortunate because he had a good sense of humor and, even better, a Great Dane. I love Great Danes. I would have considered dating #12 just so I could hang out with his dog.
Okay, actually I did consider dating #12 just I could hang out with his dog. (My last serious boyfriend had a boxer. I initiated our break up, as I tend to do, just before Christmas several years ago and even though I didn’t get him a Christmas present, I got one for his dog.)
After my second glass of house red, I found myself thinking, “Well now, he’s actually kind of cute. We could just disappear into a dark corner somewhere and…” Fortunately I wasn’t that far gone. I realized it was the wine talking, or rather the wine talking in conjunction, perhaps, with some base biological impulses, but I managed to pull myself together. A Great Dane and a sense of humor isn’t a good enough reason to make out with someone, especially when you’ve got eighteen dates to go and you’ve already comprised the experiment by falling for someone.
Oh well, I thought. Better to compromise my experiment than to compromise my integrity (thank you, by the way, to all of you who cast your vote in my poll; evidently I’m not a total trollop for going out with two guys in one day).
Stay tuned for lucky #13; this one’s going to be a shocker because believe or or not, #13 and I did not meet on Match.com.
Fieldwork in Stilettos 
12 Responses to “Date #12”
Hi Kat, love your blog subject, it’s very original & serial dating I haven’t seen before on here.. done a few myself this year after my divorce.. even went out with a girl for 3 months but now I’m single again.. gimme your top 5 first date questions and I’ll give u mine… 😉
The whole point is Not to fall for someone? I missed something.
Oh, totally. “Most Energetic” is like the Sportsmanship award in, well… sports. For the loser who takes his defeat graciously… most likely because he’s had plenty of practice taking defeats.
Most Energetic Award: if you can’t do it well, at least do it with enthusiasm.
😉
Almost halfway there—and no Jill, I don’t think you missed anything, I think the experiment has expanded, and actually “falling” for someone is going to add intrigue to this experiment, (and stress I’m sure), so stay tuned, this week should be interesting 😉
Men have souls, we are not just fruit to be picked from a tree. Be careful.
Ha ha, I’ve never been called energetic, either. But you definitely have energy- it comes through in your writing. And just the fact that you’re able to date these guys means you must be finding the energy somewhere! Your posts are so much fun to read… good luck with this experiment!!
Alex
Just found your blog – I’m enjoying reading about your challenge! And I think it’s admirable that you’re so up-front with the guys about it. It’s kind of like a three-month multi-venue speed dating session (but in a good way!)
Kat:
I am up at my summer place alone and saw your post on FB. I loved it so much I went back into early August and read them all (I have a LOT of friend s who are writers and am constantly plagued with invitations to read their blogs, which I hate to admit but I rarely do–usually for lack of time but also because they aren’t that good– and I have NEVER gone back so I could read straight through). I’m thoroughly enjoying it on so many levels: the stylish photographs, the voice, the scoop, the philosophical asides. What a great idea for a blog. Keep it up, girl!
Thank you so much, Kathryn! Coming from you, that means a lot 🙂
Seems to me you’ll have to double up at least once more to make your quota? Your dating endurance is impressive. I know I’m impressed. 🙂
I love all of your outfits that you wear for each one, but your closet must be bursting a the seams with all of those clothes, right? I know I should talk, I have clothes hanging from the rafters in my room, but I don’t have to worry about repeat wearing and I can’t match anything to anything.
I might have gone after him for the dog too, Great Danes are too cute.
[…] Date #12 (drinks in Old City) was rather nice and texted me afterwards to ask if his personality matched his profile. It turns out that I was his first Match.com date so I sent a rather noncommittal reply and wished him well (all the while regretting the fact that I’d never get to meet his Great Dane). […]