I hope this never happens to me

http://adbakery.com/video/video/show?id=803531%3AVideo%3A1722

A Night of Set-ups

Friday night I arranged for 2 couple friends and me to go to dinner together so I could introduce them socially (not swinger style) to each other. I felt like they would have a lot in common and it would be fun to merge 2 social circles together. Early in the week it was decided that I wasn't going to bring a date. Well...that all changed on Friday at lunch when BRF decided to set me up on a date for that night. It was a friend of hers she has been trying to set me up with for a while. Last week I told her let's just wait until things slow down for me at work and aren't too crazy. My friends don't listen to me much and this time was no the exception. I reluctantly agreed to the date. I was very nervous about the set up - my last blind date with another couple was a disaster.
I don't have a good nickname for this date (J, any help here). Dinner went very well. We had a good set up - round table and 6 people so it was easy for the other 2 couples to chat and my date and I to talk but mix it up too.
As dinner began to wind down, everyone was trying to decide if they were going out or not. BRF and husband decided to go home and the other couple was going out. It seemed like my date was going to join us, but I wasn't positive. Leaving was very awkward. Everyone was saying good bye and getting in cars and my date didn't say bye to me and just got in his car.
Turns out it was just an awkward situation and he met us at the bar. Conversation was good, he was social and mingled well with my friends. We stayed out pretty late and I had a great time with him. He said he would call me on Saturday (dinner was Friday night) and he called when he said he would. Phone conversation was fine and flowed and we have plans to do something on Monday. YAY! This one actually seems like a decent prospect, but I am trying not to get my hopes up.

My moment weakness paid off

Monday night I received a phone call from a number I didn't have in my phone and from an unusual area code. Normally I let those go to voicemail because I don't want to be caught off guard, but I decided to answer. Of course I didn't catch the name at the beginning of the call and had to ask who it was (at the same time I am frantically trying to look up the area code online) - his response was you don't have my number in your phone... if you remember, I deleted every guys number from my phone a couple weeks ago.

Conversation was slightly awkward at the beginning since I didn't know who he was, but I figured it out...it was South Beach. I was on cloud 9 for a good 24 hours. We talked for a about 30-40 minutes. Right now, he doesn't have any trips planned to Atlanta, but we both hinted around about seeing each other in one city or the other. Not a good sign that no definite plans were made, but at least he called and I obviously hope he calls back.

Looking back, I probably still should not have sent him a message through FB, but at least it prompted him to call me.

Flirtexting

I am going to accept texting as part of dating in this century. I have to admit, while it is less personal, it is more convenient and by the end of the day, I don't feel like talking on the phone - Outside of work, BFF is practically the only one aside from my fam that I actually hold more than a 2 minute conversation with on the phone. However, one question I keep asking is how do you know when a texting convo is over. I don't want to keep a dead conversation going, but by not responding, I don't want a guy to think I am not interested.

One of the girls that works on my team heard an interview by a 2 girls that wrote a book to help girls texting with guys. See below. And yes, we ordered it today.

Flirtexting: How to Text Your Way to His Heart

Arguing that "boys text; therefore girls need to know how to flirtext," first-time authors (and, presumably, BFFAEs) Goldstein and Baniuszewicz show the next generation of single women how to entertain suitors with the art of text message flirtation. Taking a healthy cut from The Rules ("playing a little hard to get, to get what you want"), the duo schools readers on timing replies, canceling dates and, perhaps most importantly, how to avoid "mis-texting." Dissecting every possible text-based interaction (often with multiple examples), Goldstein and Baniuszewicz's overwrought guidebook will be received, depending on one's perspective, as either indispensable or hopelessly immature.

You can read the first few pages on Amazon or visit their website.

Band Guy

Ok...someone in a band would normally not be my type at all, but the guy in the band from One Pace over that I gave my number to on Thursday night has called a couple times. His voicemails are so adorable I really want to go out with him. He left me a message last week so I would have his number in my phone and have his number when he called. He called again last night and left the cutest message.
I hate talking on the phone because it uses up 1st date conversation, but I called him back tonight. Hopefully he won't be like the rest and will actually return my call!

Confession

Over the past couple weeks, I have tried to live by the "He's just not that into you" philosophy. I deleted every guys number from my phone to eliminate the possibility of drunk texting or dialing. If a guy likes me, he will call - no excecptions. However, for some reason, I have still been obsessed about South Beach - I am not sure why. Maybe he was the 1st guy I was interested in and he wasn't interested back???
Another thing you should know is that I don't mix dating, guys and facebook. Unlike a lot of people, I don't facebook or google people before I go out with them. 1) I am a purist, I would not want someone making judgements about me based on my FB page so I don't do that to them either 2) I would probably accidentally say something I found out about them on FB that they had not told me.
On to my confession...
I looked South Beach up on FB and Saturday night when I got home (slightly buzzed) I sent him a message via facebook - not a friend request, just a message. Good news is that he responded and we exchanged a few messages, bad news is that it is confirmed - no interested :(
I quiz and harass one of the guys I work with constantly about what does this mean, what are guys thinking, etc. I sent him the FB exchange and his response...South Beach is sleeping with another girl and not into you. Ouch! So I have to face the fact and forget about the stupid crush I have on a guy I don't even know.

Where do things stand?

I thought I would catch you on a few of my more recent encounters. Nothing exciting but a few people have asked for updates.

North Carolina emailed and texted this week. I received an email from him on Tuesday saying he was thinking about me and wanted to see how things were. The next night I received a text that said he was at the beach for the week and, I assume jokingly, said I should hop on a plane and join him.

Old Friend and I didn't meet up for drinks the week after the unexpected night. He was sick that week. We have talked a few times. Thank goodness that things haven't been weird, we are just back to being friends.

I still haven't heard anything from U2 - not that I expected to, but just wanted to close the loop on him.

UGA and I emailed a couple times the week after the game, but there wasn't anything there and the email exchanges fizzled out.

Bourbon

I haven't had bourbon since college and now I remember why. Thursday night, I attended an event sponsored by Makers Mark and the following is a recap of the night...

After the MM event, I went out with a group of work friends to the Regis. I met a cute guy in town from New York. He was very nice and we set up a date to meet for coffee Friday morning since he was only in town until Friday afternoon (I am a dork, the coffee date was my idea). BFF said instead of 25 1st dates, I should try and meet 25 guys, all from different states - so far I have FL, TN, NC, GA & NY.

We left the Regis and headed to 5P. That's when things went south.

• I fell on the ground in 5p. I didn't trip, I was so drunk, I literally just fell down and some 21 year old girl had to help me up. I now have a swollen knee and am covered in bruises. Will someone please remind me how old I am????
• I have bruises on my shins from standing on the front row and banging them on the stage while listening to the band at 1 pace over. Apparently I really loved the band because I had a message from one of the band members when I woke up on Friday. I don't remember even meeting the band members much less giving them my number. NICE.
• I met another guy that I thought was cute, fun, great conversationalist - or at least this is what I thought in my drunken stouper. I will call him Medical Sales since that's his job. I hung out with him until the wee hours of the morning. Great kisser! Have no idea what his name is.

I didn't get home until around 5/6am (yes, its a week nite). At 8:30 I wake up to my cell phone ringing, it was New York. Yes, I slept through the coffee date. I apologized profusely and told him I was so sorry! Who sets up a coffee date and then sleeps through it. Given this incident, I knew I would never hear from this guy again, but he called yesterday before his flight and said he would love to get together next time he is town.

I will NEVER drink bourbon again for the rest of my life.

I am SOOOOO Frustrated

I am very annoyed with dating right now. There are all these rules and even when you follow them, it still makes no sense. U2 boy did not call today which totally irritates me. I don't understand what is happening post meeting guys. Maybe it is God's way of telling me not to date right now.

Ran through the entire situation with a single guy friend - reviewing word for word the text exchange between U2 guy and me and he didn't see any dating fouls in my responses. His solution is waiting 1 day to respond. He thinks it was just an alcohol induced ask out which does wonders for my self esteem.

I am throwing myself into work for now and am even think about dating.

U2

Work has been insane this week between not working this past weekend and leaving to go to the beach this week, I have more on my plate than I can handle. Last night I was going to stay really late and pound out a few projects, but I received a text from one of my single girlfriends. She had extra tickets for the U2 concert. The great debate – stay at work and finish my projects or go to a really fun concert.

Sunday as I was prowling around on the internet, I ran across a quote that has stuck with me:

"In 20 years, you will be more disappointed with what you didn't do than by what you did" -Mark Twain

So…I went to the concert. Since my friend has so many extra tixs, I invited one of my good guy friends from work to go with me. The concert was awesome!

Now to the interesting part…my SGF invited a guy that she has seen off and on for a while and a few of his friends. One of his friends caught my eye. SGF confirmed he was single. Problem…I was with my work friend and I didn’t want cute U2 guy to think I was on a date with my guy friend. After the concert it took us about an hour to get back to Buckhead (we were using Atlanta’s wonderful transit system – MARTA), but it was a great opportunity to hang out with cute U2 guy. We all went for drinks afterwards and he and I seemed to hit it off. As the night was wrapping up, there wasn’t an opportunity for us to chat one on one and I was leaving with my work guy friend since we rode together. Being my normal forward self, I gave my business card to SGF and told her if cute U2 guy asked about me to give him my card. Within 10 minutes of getting home, I had a text from SGF and cute U2 guy !!! SGF’s text said he had already texted his friend about me and U2’s text said it was nice to meet me and he would love to see me again. We have tentative plans to go out Sunday night!!!

Funny how things work, every time I get super frustrated with the whole dating game and say I am giving it a break for a while, I end up meeting someone new. I am off to the Dtown and the beach so you may not hear from me until next week but I hope to have a update U2 PLUS I owe you updates on a few other guys.

UT Game

This weekend I ventured up to Knoxville for the Auburn/UT game. It was a fun weekend and great to hang out with college friends I haven't seen in a while. WDE! The game wasn't pretty but Auburn won and a full day of tailgating only added to the fun. No offense to the UT fans out there, but the outfits kept us entertained - the UT snuggie and orange and white checked overalls made my day. As soon as I find my camera cord, I will upload the pics. I also have a fun new shot to take next time I am out...Skittles. It is made up of all the flavored vodkas and cranberry juice....YUMMY!

Not too much to post on the guy front. My dear friend from Knoxville, introduced me to a work colleague. He was very nice and totally hysterical. We had a good time on Friday night, I got in the cuddle time I blogged about last week. He hung out with us at the tailgate and after the game too, but that's about all I have to report. Any votes on if I can count it as a 1/2 date???

The fun (and frustrating) thing about dating right now is figuring out what I like and don't like. Its great to identify characteristics I know I am not interested in, but it makes me realize that finding someone with that meets my criteria is going to be very hard . Maybe I am a dating snob just like I am a restaurant snob :)

All and all it was a fun weekend and I am looking forward to the next away game Auburn trip next year.

Just an FYI...I am headed out on vacation this week so there may not be another post for a week or so. I know there have been a few request for me to blog more frequently and I will make it a goal to do so. Trust me, I want to have more to blog about, it means my life is more interesting.