Blind Date

I have only had one blind date in my life so far.  It was back in 2005 and it was terrible...... a great story but just a terrible date.  This post isnt about that terrible blind date..........but i promise to write about it later.

No this post is to share another interesting story.

So here I go.  Over Summer, I sprained my ankle pretty badly while attempting a box jump at a crossfit class.  For those of you that don't know, a box jump is literally jumping up onto a box.  You land on both feet before jumping backwards back down.  The better you are the higher the box.

Sounds easy right.  Well apparently not for me.  I starting thinking about something other than box jumps and ended up on the ground.  Fast forward to now and I am in physical therapy.  On my first physical therapy appointment I run into one of my teachers from high school.  We chit chat and catch up.  He is still teaching at my old high school.  I tell him about my job, about being single, and about my blog.  He laughs and says that he doesnt remember me being this funny but thinks about for a second. With mild seriousness, I ask him if he knows any atttactive single men for me.  I tell him I enjoy long walks on the beach, making spagetti, and spooning.  He thinks about it for a few seconds and then thinks of someone.....another teacher he knows.

He asked me to email him my blog.  In his reply he told me that he forwarded it to his friend.  I knew he had read some of my blog because he told me that his friend was not an annoying neighbor or hated coworker.  He said his friend was a great guy and asked how his friend should get in touch with me.

I replied and said, " I predict that the fact that he knows I blog about dating will make him not want to go out with me.  If I'm wrong he can email or text/call."  He wrote back with a different more optimistic prediction. 

I find the idea of being set up on a date by a former teacher of mine to be absolutely hilarious   A teacher that at one point called my parents because I wasn't doing any homework.   What, I wasnt always the best student.

Anyways,  So like two weeks goes by and I had practically forgotten the whole thing.  Then last Sunday I got a phone call from him.  Interesting. 

I wasnt able to talk on the phone so I text him back.  We text back and forth for a bit.  Then later that night I called him back.  We talked on the phone for just over an hour.  He is really easy to talk to.  We talked about work, our childhoods,  our families,  about high school kids today are.  We both teach high school.   I am not sure if he read my blog or even knows what I look like.  I dont know what he looks like and didnt ask for a picture.  I didn't want to come off as superficial. 

Curiosity got the best of me and I tried to google him.  The only thing that came up was the faculty page for the high school he works at.  I searched for every possible thing I could think of.....nothing. I was really hoping for a picture. 

Well through text, I admitted to him that I googled him.  It sounds much better than cyber stalking.  He said he doesnt use any social media but said he has nothing to hid and asked what I wanted to know.  We text different get to know you facts back and forth before I ask if he googled me.

I now find out that he has seen this blog.  Looks like my old teacher was right and predicted better than I did.  I asked him what his boy brain thought of the blog.  He said I was very objective and asked about being lining him up for May.  WOW he is current on the blog and he knows what I look like since I have a picture on here.  He would also be the first guy I dated that knew about this blog.  Could be interesting. 

We have talked quite a few times over the week and each time was between 45 min-to an hour.  I still dont know what he looks like but he has a very nice voice.  He is also very easy to talk to about a range of topics.

We dont have any set plans but I will keep you posted.  

Second Date with March

Sorry I am a bit behind in my blog.  This past weekend was crazy busy.  I joined my friends team for the Autism Walk. 

I also went on a second date with March.  March suggested going to a movie.  Not really my first choice but it sounded fun.  We met in Burbank not long after arriving he ran into a couple he knew.  They said something in what I think is Tagalog and then March quickly introduced me.  That was nice.  They had a few more exchanges in Tagalog.  Not long enough to be annoying. 

He did something I have never seen before.  He put jalapenos on his popcorn.  Different.  He offered and joked about trying it.....but no.  I could smell the peppers. That was enough. 

We did have some time to talk before the movie started.  March is really easy to talk to.  We didnt really talk about anything too serious.....mostly just silly banter. 

The movie we went to was Olympus Has Fallen which was fairly bloody and violent.  So I ended up closing my eyes quite a few times during the movie.  There was no romantic hand holding while the sound of gunfire and grunts took place onscreen.  He did at one point ask if I was okay.  It was a pretty graphic movie with some crazy knife fights. 

After the movie, March walked me back to my car.  I offered to drive him to his car.  Now just so you know my car isnt exactly "clean".  It isnt messy just cluttered with stuff.  I really dont know how some people keep their car spotless inside and out.   Anyways.  I joked about him averting his eyes while I straightened my car up a bit. 

I drove him to his car.  We hugged goodbye and he kissed me........It was a nice kiss. 

Date of the Month-April Sunday Late Lunch

While I just barely managed to find a March in time but I successful had an April in the first weekend of the month.  YEAH!!!! 

You probably could guess how I met April.  We first started emailing back in December but somewhere just before Christmas I apparently got busy and forgot to write him back.  I was deleting old messages on OkStupid and noticed my mistake.  I emailed him and apologized.  We emailed and he asked for my number.  On Sunday, I was feeling lazy yet slightly restless.  He text me and asked me out for lunch.  I suggested a late lunch.  We figured out a location and confirmed the time.  About an hour before, he text me again to make sure we were still on.  I confirmed the time again.

We had arranged to meet at this little mom and pop Thai place.  I ended up being like 10 minutes early so I text and said I was there.  He texts back saying he was running late and blamed traffic.  He was 20 minutes late.  It was a little annoying considering we had confirmed the time, TWICE. 

April is Chinese Korean or Korean Chinese (however you look at it).  I also had to ask him what brand of Asian he was.   April gave me a very nice compliment about the color of my eyes.  I was facing the windows and said I was probably squinting because of the light.  He made some comment about then my eyes being like his.  HUH….that was NOT what I meant.  March and April are both Asian.  Thinking about that made my mind wander to thinking about the validity of the stereotype about Asain men.  Come on, you know the one I am taking about….about the size of their package being very small.

Anyways, April is 36.  I believe he is the oldest guy I have dated since I began this challenge.  On a side note….A few months ago, a co-worker and I were at a training at the district office.  He is mid 40’s and married to a younger woman (at least 8 years younger but maybe more).  We were eating lunch in this large basement cafeteria and talking about dating.  He had some interesting insight to the male brain.  He suggested that I should go for men that are older at least 36 to 38.  He said it was because by then guys have finally figured out some things and have some order.

Well, April is 36 and still working on putting things in order.  He has worked for the same company since after high school and didn’t seem to particularly like it.  He has intermittently got to school and is back in school to get a BA but has at least a year more till he is finished.  

Just in case you don’t know I have a Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning.  I don’t want this to come off as bragging and I am not saying I am better than him or anyone else.  Cuz everyone who reads this knows that my spelling sucks and sometimes I invent my own rules of grammar.  I just think that an education is an important aspect in another person.  Finishing a degree shows dedication, perseverance, and some book smarts.  I wouldn’t call it a deal breaker but it sways the vote a bit. I also just happen to believe school is cool. Hell I am still in school.

He asked how often I got out.  I thought it was kind of a weird question but I was honest and said that I try to go out at least once a month so that I don’t give up on dating.  He said, “oh so I am filling your quota.”  And I said, “yes,  you are.”   I asked him about his dating habits but it seems like he doesn’t date very often. 

Lunch went well.  The Thai place was pretty good.  The conversation was easy and he laughed at my witty banter.  I don’t remember what we were talking about or what I exactly said but he replied and said, “So do you leave the lights on?”  WTF…..It was a bizarre comment. He also asked me it I wanted kids.  Yeah, I do not like that as a first date question. 

We finished lunch and he picked up the check.  He suggested going to Starbucks.  I had some errands to do so I agreed.  I waited in my car for him to pull behind so he could follow me to Starbucks. 

Guess what! He drives a Jetta.  I always think of those as chick cars.

We talked for like another 30 minutes at Starbucks. Then I said I had to go.  We talked to the cars.  He directly said, “Give me a hug”.  Huh kinda demanding.  I complied with what I planned on being a quick hug.  He squeezed on to me tightly and I could feel his lips on my cheek.  He kept holding on to me with his lips on my cheek for an awkwardly long time.  I tried to let go but he was still holding on.  I moved my head and I guess he thought I was going to kiss him. He moved his head and pressed his lips to mine.  He was still hugging me.  He kept his lips pressed to mine for another awkwardly long time.  I moved my head back and he finally let go.  I said goodbye and left. 

The next morning I got a text from him saying good morning and asking me if I was free after work.  I had plans so I told him I couldn’t. He has text me a few times over the week.