Dating Update: When I last wrote about my dating, I had three more first dates to go, and I planned to go on a third date with T. So the same day that I went out with D, I had a date scheduled with P for the evening. P works for Intel doing research and development, and he has a PHD in Physics. Yeah, I was impressed, too. Anyway, I really liked the tone of all of P's emails, and he is into the same kind of music that I like. He invited me to go play pub trivia, which actually ended up being the most fun date that I have been on this entire time. If I had known, I would have made them all take me to trivia! Usually you have a team of more than two people, but there were only three teams total. We were the worst, but part of that was because we were the smallest team. Anyway, it was really fun, and it was a low-pressure way to get to talk to someone without feeling like you are interviewing them. He also paid for everything, which was nice. P is a pretty good-looking guy. He has short blondish-brown hair and light eyes, so he's not my type in that respect. But he is 6'2" and thin and I like the way he carries himself. He seemed pretty intelligent, which of course is nice, and he was very confident without seeming arrogant. He also made me laugh and seemed really into getting to know me. After we lost at trivia, he said he would "destroy" me at a game of pool. Anyway, we just kept talking as we played a few games and then we decided to leave. It was a really fun date, and I wasn't entirely sure if he liked me other than when I said something and he kind of brushed his hand against the back of my waist. That was when I realized I was into him...ha ha. At the end we hugged and he said we should do it again sometime.
Well, the next day I had my final two first dates planned. First I went to happy hour with another D. He was a student/server who had been in the navy. However, his political beliefs were the same as mine. He was interesting to talk to but he kind of went off on a lot of depressing tangents. At the end of the date he said he wanted to go out again and I said sure, but after such a good date with P, I felt like I didn't really want to. I also just felt like...can I really date someone who is still a student? I haven't been a student for so long, and I just feel like I am at a different place in my life.
So my evening date was the weirdest. This was with O. Within the first part of the date we realized we had attended the same high school for one year (he was a year behind me). Neither of us remembered each other or any high school people we named off, but it was still sort of surreal. O was pretty nice and we talked about video games and a bunch of other stuff, but for some reason I felt awkward. At the end of the date he just kind of waved at me and said goodbye. I felt immediately that he realized we didn't have chemistry, so I was surprised when he called me later on that weekend and left me a message about what a great time he had and how he wanted to get together again. So overall, every first date I had resulted in them wanting a second date, except that awful guy, R. I do admit that I was feeling pretty full of myself! HA HA.
Anyway, as I mentioned, I felt like I was pretty into T. We planned a third date. Since he said he wanted to rent a movie, I figured that he would end up putting the moves on me finally. Well, he came over, we watched the movie in silence, and he never made a single move! I was very confused. He hugged me goodbye and mentioned more than once hanging out again. I thought maybe he was just shy, but obviously if I am hanging out with him a third time I like him enough to kiss him. So at that point I just decided that he wasn't that into me.
More strangeness happened, though. The next night he text messaged me (I was at Nathan and Olivia's birthday party). He said he was hanging out with friends at a bar and did I want to come hang out. I replied that I was at a party, and then Olivia drunk-dialed him. She said when he picked up the phone he was super-excited (it was from my phone, so he thought it was me). I ended up talking to him, apologizing for drunk-dialing (I was drunk, too) and he tried to convince us to come down. At that point we had just gotten out of Nathan's hot tub, so I said we were all wet from the hot tub and probably wouldn't be coming because of that, but I would call him the next day. He said okay, then when we got off the phone he text-messaged me saying that was hot and that he wished I would come down. So at that point I thought maybe he was interested...so confusing.
Well, when I called him the next day he teased me about the drunk-dialing, and we talked about the next time we could get together. I said we could get together later that night if he wanted to. Well, he said he would call me back. He didn't call until late and left me a message saying that he couldn't go out after all because he was getting a late dinner with his dad, who was in town, but I should call him back. I just text messaged that I didn't want to interrupt and that I hoped we would talk again soon. At that point I decided he was not into me and decided to give up on him. Well, I was right because he didn't contact me after that...until YESTERDAY. I had already deleted him from my phone! He sent me a text message last night (this is a week later) saying he was sorry he had been out of touch, no excuses, but he had been busy. He said he was out with his friends and I should let him know if I want to hang out. Um, am I pathetic? Is he gay and trying to cover it up by always trying to get me to come hang out with him and his friends? What's his deal? Maybe he always contacts me when he himself has been drinking? I don't know, but obviously I did not answer his stupid text message. Whatever.
So, unlike certain people who are "too busy" to keep in touch, P was really sweet after our first date. He emailed me again the next day telling me what a fun time he had. He also said he was making me copies of a few CDs he had mentioned that I didn't have, which I thought was really thoughtful. Then the next day he called me and we made plans to go on another date the following Wednesday. He continued to email and text message just about every day.
So on our second date, we decided to go to Laurelhurst to see Hot Fuzz. This is one of those second-run movie theaters that are cool because you can eat pizza and/or drink beer while watching the movie. These are really popular in Portland because Portlanders love microbrews. Anyway, he mentioned that there was a good pizza place nearby so we decided to see the movie and then go to dinner afterward. We got there just in time for the movie, and I went to get my purse and he said he had it. I said, "Well then I will pay for the pizza?" He said, "No, I'll get the movie and you can get the beer inside, and then I will get dinner." I thought that was sweet. I realized afterward that the dinner place was nicer than I expected (I just pictured a pizza joint, but it was actually a pretty nice restaurant that served more gourmet pizza). Anyway, the movie was good and then the dinner was really great. It was actually pretty romantic. He asked if we should order a bottle of wine, but I had already had the beer at the restaurant. I have never once been on a date where you order a bottle of wine, so that was kind of cool (even though we didn't do it). So I just had another beer. We shared a salad and pizza and then we got this amazing dessert. It was hazelnut gelato with fresh whipped cream and raspberries. It was so good!
Our conversation was really good, too, even though I was feeling sort of shy and nervous. He was totally sweet and already remembered details I had mentioned before to him. He also gave me a nice compliment by asking if anyone ever told me I look like Nicole Kidman. I said that I don't see the resemblance but it is a really nice compliment. Anyway, we just talked about family and our jobs and that kind of thing. Afterward, he walked me to my car. We hugged goodbye and then we kind of looked at each other for a minute and he said, "Can I get a kiss?" I have always hated it when a guy asks if they can kiss me, but for some reason him saying that was the most perfect thing ever. I loved it. So we kissed, and it was really nice. It's been a long time since I've kissed someone new. I realized that I am definitely attracted to him.
Anyway, he text messaged me afterward a sweet message, and he kept contacting me (mainly by email or text) every day. I wish he would call me more often, but I think it is sweet how he has contacted me every day. We made plans for our third date for Tuesday. He wanted to get together on Sunday, but I already had plans. Well, the third date was pretty perfect, too, and I am starting to fall for him! There is this whole drama with Chad, of course, because he continues to freak out about me dating. He is really mad and tries to hurt me by acting as if this means I never loved him if it is "so easy" for me to move on. Yeah, it's been so easy for me. I've only loved him and been trying to get back together with him for the past two years, right? Anyway, we have made up and everything, but obviously things are changing between us. They have to. I have to move on and so does he. This doesn't mean it won't kill me when he starts dating again (he doesn't feel ready to do that since he is not over me, and he is trying to convince me I am not ready either).
I got distracted and will have to finish this later. AGAIN. Sorry.
