8-minute-dating

[wavyarms]

So, I went to an 8-minute-dating event this evening with heatmhub...and I had fun! As the day approached, I really began to not want to go, but I was wrong - it was easy to talk to everyone, and enjoyable as well. I recommend it for all you single folk, if you are feeling rich (it was $35.)

Results:

5 guys - all perfectly nice, 1 quite boring, 4 charming and smart, but just not interested.
1 guy - sharp, charming, witty, direct, cute...and boy, did he ever set off my Westminster-honed gaydar. However, hot, and also funny, so if he's interested maybe I'll get a date, and if he's not, hopefully he checked off the friend box. This was the only guy I checked off the friend box on, b/c he's the only one I found fascinating and hilarious enough to really want to just hang out even if he's not interested in me.
1 guy - totally charming, heavy Irish brogue. heatmhub says I just want to date the brogue, but I disagree - it was the combination of the brogue and the shameless compliments. Totally up for a date with him. (I am totally susceptible to shameless flattery by charming and flirtatious men. You might not think, but it's true. I am just waiting for this to get me into trouble.)
1 guy - good conversation, really interesting. Not sure I'm interested...but I checked him off for another date anyways, b/c I couldn't make up my mind.

No dramatic stories! Or wackos. Oh, well.

Comments

BOYS!

[nupuppylover.livejournal.com]

I told myself that after I began working with children in churches, I would stop using the word "boys" when I mean "men" in order to avoid confusion/lawsuits, but this calls for a for a gleeful cry!!!

I can't wait to hear about all the cuties, especially the one with the accent. I'm living overseas and I still like the ole Irish ring. Mmmmmmmm.

Good for you, HD!!!

Re: BOYS!

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

But you already heard about them! There won't be anything else to tell unless I actually go out on a second date with any of these guys. :)

[ex-a517dogg70.livejournal.com]

How do those things work? I am likely to never experience one for myself, so I am curious. What do you say?

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

Well, we went to an Irish pub in Cambridge, and signed in, and got a little card and a nametag with a number on it. And then we "mingled" (i.e. I just talked to Heather and a few of the other women) while everyone arrived and signed in, and then the event began.

We all had 8 dates, and we were assigned a table for each of them. So everyone went to their first table, and talked to the other person there for eight minutes. At the end of 8 minutes, we wrote down the other person's name, number (in case there were 2 Johns or something, everyone got a number) and whether or not we'd be interested in seeing them again for a.) a second date b.) friendship c.) business contact. Then we moved on to the next table.

After 4 dates, there was a 15-minute break for mingling (where I mingled somewhat better this time) and then there were 4 more dates, and then the event was over and people could either stay at the bar and drink and talk or go home.

Once everyone went home, we logged onto the 8-minute-dating website. And we checked off for every person whether we were interested in seeng them again for one of those three categories. You can check off more than one category for person, but you will only get their contact information if you checked off the same category (i.e. if I checked off "friendship" and the guy checked off "second date" then we won't get together.) But if your check boxes match, then they give you each other's e-mail addresses, and you can take it from there.

As for what we said, that was surprisingly easy. I generally tried to find out what everyone did for a job, and everyone asked about how I got my name, and then we ended up chatting from anything about former jobs we'd had, or how we liked the current one, or whether we'd been to one of these before, or what books we'd been reading. The 8 minutes didn't feel like that long a time.

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

I see no reason not to date the brogue.

[2h2o.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting. I've been curious about these.

[shgb.livejournal.com]

Just be glad you didn't run into this guy

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

Be glad? That would have been awesome!

[somehedgehog.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear your experience was better than mine. I met about eight perfectly polite but utterly boring guys, one "I'm too cool to be here" guy, one egomaniac nympho, and a guy who looked like he came from Unattractive Nerd Central Casting and insisted on using lines like "so, you're just here for casual sex"?

Makes for good joke material, though!

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

You know, it suddenly occurred to me to ask where you did it? My event was in Kendall Square, and I have to admit that I was thinking that the location (in software/MIT central) would probably mean a lot of smart neat people might show up.

I can't believe that guy from Unattractive Nerd Central Casting. Wow.

[laobscuridad.livejournal.com]

It's ok - we can wait for second dates to hear dramatic stories. =)

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

There won't be any! Only match-up I got was for the one guy I said I wanted to be friends with. We're meeting for coffee tomorrow, but since it's not a date, probably no dramatic stories. :)

[moerikite.livejournal.com]

I've wanted to go speed dating/8 minute dating ever since I heard about it! Of course, my current status kind of puts a damper on meeting eligible guys....my hubby might oppose me bringing another guy home for the night! When Abby went speed dating, I joked that maybe hubby and I should join her for moral support....that way, she could be the legitimate speed dater, hubby and I could "hook up" for the night, and we'd all have good stories. ;P

Thanks for sharing your story! And, date the brogue. Brogues are grrr-eat.

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

Alas, the brogue was not interested in me!

[silvarwyrm.livejournal.com]

Yay! Single women unite. I haven't tried the 8 minute dating thing; I'm doing match.com.

Funny thing about the brogue: my British, Irish, and Scottish friends in Japan used to chuckle evilly about how the accent would get American women throwing themselves at even the scummiest, ugliest guys. As much as the accent makes me swoon, I also watch out for it, lest it incline me towards someone not worth my time :P

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

Well, the brogue wasn't interested, so I escaped!

Also, I liked this better than online dating (which I've tried in the past) because the rejection thing isn't as hard to do. I hate going on an internet date and then afterwards having to say "Uh, no." With this, you just check off who you're interested in afterwards - you don't have to tell someone directly that you're not interested.

[silvarwyrm.livejournal.com]

I love how you refer to him as "the brogue" :)

Man, we should dish about the trials and tribulations of dating sometime. I have so few single friends. :P

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

Hey, totally. (All the Williams people I know are paired up, too!) I have HS break coming up the week of Feb. 19! Want to do lunch sometime?

[silvarwyrm.livejournal.com]

Sure, that would be fun :) We can even rent Syriana some time ;)

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

Excellent! :)

[dictionqueen.livejournal.com]

I met a woman today who told her her son was in grad school at Harvard studying recording technology and has worked on Madonna's latest album. I asked if he was single... no. He's married.

Ah, well. I think of you when these things come up!

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

Nice to know I'm on your radar! I think I'm getting to the point where maybe I wouldn't mind if friends set me up. Maybe.