Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Rob

I was pretty excited to match with Rob because he was really handsome and a bit older.  He messaged me and asked me to lunch but I couldn't make it, and then he couldn't make my suggestion. I sent him my number and told him to get in touch.

I heard from him on Sunday, and he ended up asking me to go for a drink that night. Normally I'd be in pyjamas but I really wanted to meet this guy. He asked where I lived and asked if I had any ideas on where to go. I suggested my local pub (which is a great combination of low-key and buzzy) and he agreed.

I saw him right away when I walked in, and he looked just like his picture (which a friend has described as looking like a "stock photo") and I was very pleased. We hadn't messaged much beforehand so I knew almost nothing about him, other than that he has a son which he'd mentioned when we were trying to make one of our previous plans. I learned about his current job and his previous job as a professor. Long story short, he is very successful and well rounded.

The conversation flowed really well and we immediately found things in common. We talked easily for about an hour when I realized another guy I dated last summer was sitting at the bar across from us! I know it's bad but I soooo hope he saw me on a date with this gorgeous man.

Nearing the end of the date Rob took my hand under the pretense of looking at my ring. It was a pretty sweet move and I was swooning. We finished our drinks and headed out. His car was parked toward my house and he offered to walk me home. When we got there, we both leaned in for a kiss which was very nice. He sort of looked like he was hoping I would ask him up but that's not something I would normally do, especially when I am really interested in a guy! I suggested we do it again and he seemed amenamble.  I waited for about an hour to see if he'd text when he got home and finally I just sent a message saying it was great to meet him and that I hoped he got home ok.

He texted back the next morning saying the pleasure was his. We texted a few times during the day, and in the evening he made a cheeky joke about inviting himself over if he didn't already have plans. I replied saying maybe next time. We'll see what happens next. Fingers crossed!

Monday, April 27, 2015

Matt

It's been a while since I've updated...I don't have too much to report right now but I do have a weird lingering situation. I was really motivated to try a new site in January (OK Cupid) and I went on 4 dates in about 4 weeks. Matt, who was the 4th guy I met up with, was definitely the best. 

He had recently moved here from the UK and looked better than his pics (which were already cute). I am a sucker for a Brit and so I was really intrigued as to what led him to move here. Turns out his work wanted to open a new office and he said he didn't have much tying him down back home so he volunteered. He'd never even been anywhere in North America before landing in Toronto! He came up to meet me in my neighbourhood in a bitter storm which I really appreciated. We got along really well and I enjoyed chatting with him. Maybe I was rating him higher in my mind because I had not really felt a connection with the other guys, but I thought he was having a good time too. When we left, I said I'd walk him towards the subway as he was unfamiliar with the area, but he seemed really weird about it. I assumed he didn't want to look like he needed help so I just did it, but he got REALLY very awkward about it. He finally was like "I've got it from here" (spoiler alert: he didn't) and I backed off. I sort of forced him to give me a hug and that was that. I didn't hear from him that night. I texted him the next morning to see if he was ok and he replied quickly but the texting died off pretty fast. 

The next week he texted me asking whether the gallery where I volunteer was free any night. I told him it was, and I volunteer on that night. He said he'd be at the gallery, but I never saw him. I texted him the next day asking if he'd been at the gallery and he said he had in fact been there. Huh?? Again, the texting died off. 

The next day was a Friday, so after a few drinks I texted him asking whether he really just wanted to know whether the gallery was free, or did he want to go out again? He laughed it off and said he wasn't trying to be obtuse and he did want to meet up. We went out the next week and again, had a great time. I felt like he was even implying he wanted to stay longer (I had to work really early in the morning). Then, when we were leaving, again he sort of just bolted off. Not even a hug this time. Huh? Were we just going out as friends? What was happening?!

Again, a few weeks after that, I sent him a random text. Again, texts go back and forth. I was going away the next week on vacation but we agreed to go out when I got back. I got back, made two separate suggestions a few days apart, both of which he turned down (to be fair, they were both fairly last minute) and he didn't make any counter suggestions. We agreed we were both free the next week...which was 2 weeks ago. So I guess another one bites the dust! Honestly probably for the best though. Not a good sign when a guy doesn't even want to hug you goodbye!

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Speed Dating

Speed Dating

I attended a charity speed dating event at Mill St last night that was organized by the Ottawa Gala. This was maybe the third time I've tried speed dating. In the past, it has always been enjoyable, but nothing has really come of it. Third time's a charm? Not really. I met up with two female friends for drinks beforehand. We were all a bit nervous and didn't know what to expect. The result was similar to past events... a lot of extremely nerdy and socially awkward dudes. I actually felt badly for a few of them since they were clearly struggling. If you think about it though, what guy agrees to go speed dating? Hmmm. I think this will be the last time I sign up for an event like that! The kicker was that they screwed up my results. Ah well, at least it was for charity!

UPDATE: Jay
After a week of constant texting back and forth and even chatting on the phone for two hours the night before our second date, Jay bailed on me. I don't know why it surprised me after the luck I've been having lately, but it did. Especially since when I had first started chatting with Jay on pof, I had explained that I was close to deleting my profile and he convinced me not to. In the end, he turned out to be a flaky dude himself, proving my point! Apparently, he was having anxiety being single again and didn't feel like "trying" all of the time when it came to dating. I wished him luck and told him that I hope he finds what he's looking for. Clearly, he's not quite ready to be jumping in the dating pool... or maybe he is, but it's not with me. I am starting to feel like there must be something wrong with me that this keeps happening.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Jay

I met up with Jay on Easter Sunday after a weekend trip to visit friends in Toronto. We had been chatting for about a week on pof and that seemed to be the earliest we could get together. I was anxious to meet him as we instantly connected over text. He had asked me how pof was treating me and I explained that I was a bit discouraged and tempted to delete my profile (after the Kyle fiasco), but he urged me not to delete it! He seemed sweet.

Granted, while I was enthused to meet Jay, I was also exhausted from a girls weekend of eating and drinking. I literally cabbed home from the train station, showered, changed and headed out the door without eating dinner. In hindsight, I probably wasn't in the right headspace to be going on a date.

Jay is handsome, funny and very polite. The conversation flowed easily, although I think he may have been nervous because on several occasions, he seemed to lose his train of thought. Jay is one year younger than me, about the same height, owns a house in Gatineau with his dog Cash and works for Passport Canada during the day and then also works at Birks on evenings/weekends (a side job he intended to give up, but actually enjoys). I was struck by his 9+ yr relationship on pof so asked him about that. He had dated a girl from age 18-27 and was engaged to be married, but three months before the wedding, he called it off (she cheated). I like that Jay is looking for a serious relationship and wants to start his own family in the near future.

I felt a bit jaded on my date.  The truth is, my walls are up. I'm so worried about being disappointed time and time again. I sat there wondering if Jay was into me, but perhaps he was wondering the same about me! After a few hours of chatting over beer and nachos, Jay suggested he grab the bill because he had to head home to let his dog out (he had been in Greely for Easter dinner in the afternoon and came straight to the pub for our date). He offered to give me a ride home, which was very sweet, but I declined. And then he just kind of started to walk toward the parking lot and said goodbye and told me to let him know if he wanted to do it again sometime. No hug?! That was new to me and really kind of threw me for a loop.

When I got home, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a text from Jay asking if I had made it home safely. He then asked if I would like to go out again (but no stress either way). I said sure! We have plans to meet up again on Friday night. I am looking forward to getting to know him in a better headspace with an open mind and heart.

UPDATE: Mike
I randomly received a text on the train home from Toronto from a deleted phone number. It just said "Happy Easter". I was bored, so decided to respond and that got the ball rolling. At one point, the unknown texter sent me a photo of himself as a child (random?!) and that's when it dawned on me that it was Mike (he looks exactly the same). I told him I thought I had advised him to pls lose my number. Obviously, he hadn't. I don't get guys like Mike... the occasional texter with no promise/follow up of a date. It doesn't make sense to me. After a few texts back and forth for a day, I deleted his number again and haven't heard from him since! So bizarre.

UPDATE: Kyle
For those of you who are curious, yep, Kyle was on my train to Toronto... even in the same car as me! I had looked up when we stopped in Fallowfield and saw the side of his profile at the front of the train and promptly hid. I just assumed he was sitting at the front, but then it later dawned on me that his 6 year old daughter was the misbehaved brat running up and down the train aisle the ENTIRE ride, and that he must be sitting behind me. As the train slowed down to a stop, he made a beeline for the front of the train to make their connection to London. As Kyle was walking by me, I elbowed him in the butt accidentally as I went to put on my jacket. I was terrified he would turn around, but he didn't. Pfew. Dodged a bullet!