Also, since the marathon, I have consumed so much garbage-esque food, it's embarrassing to admit. Among other things, I've had delicious Eggs Benedict, a 1/2-lb. cheeseburger from Fuddruckers, a vanilla milkshake, macaroni and cheese and a bag of Easter-Egg Peanut Butter M&M's. This is partially because I haven't gone grocery shopping in several weeks, but it's mostly because I feel like I deserve some "rewards" foods because I finished the marathon. Also my body takes a few days to revert back to "thinking" it needs a normal calorie intake after the marathon. Today I've been back on my normal (healthy) diet and, having demolished the M&M's, I can hopefully stay away from the junk for a while.
I'm sad to say, I'm not very happy with my current weight and looking at pictures from the marathon made me a little frustrated that I haven't tried harder to lose more pounds and inches. Summer is coming fast and I want to be able to feel confident with my figure.
An activity that is not helpful or conducive at all to weight-loss is dating. And, being a frugal and budget conscious girl, I feel that, since I have paid for my online dating service, I should be taking advantage of it by communicating with as many potential suitors as possible. But this is such a time-consuming and slightly frustrating process. It's also time spent sitting in front of a computer screen or going on a date in which I'm sitting, eating and drinking....Not activities that will help me reach my weight-loss goals.
Which brings me to the subject of this post: my blind dates and how they went. In my post last week, I mentioned that I had two blind (online) dates, one of which took place immediately after my marathon. I then went on a third date last night. There's really nothing too notable or exciting to say about any of them I did not find that person that would make me forget all other men. They were all very normal, polite, kind and nice. I'd be inclined to see perhaps all of them again. But, I don't think I made a love-connection. LOL
My first date was Thursday night, two nights before my marathon. I was worried about getting a decent amount of sleep that night, and I was also thinking I might possibly have my girlfriend, who was running the half-marathon, come stay with me Friday night and I would have to frantically clean my house before her arrival, so I made my date come to my neck of the woods. The very glamorous TGIFridays! Not a very original location, but I knew it would be easy to get to and cheap and laid-back. My date was really handsome--literally "tall, dark and handsome--and he looked like his online picture, which was a relief. It was also nice to know that this was his first date from online as well as mine. He was nice and very gentlemanly. Well-dressed because he came straight from work (possibly too polished for me? I feel like I'm often in a state of disarray.) And I'm not sure he is a dive-bar-and-beer kind of guy. He got a beer but did say he preferred wine. (I prefer wine too, but I also adore skeezy dirty bars...and a jug/box of vino is fine with me.) Conversation did seem a bit forced at times. It did not flow very easily, but I was preoccupied and he might have been nervous. He was curiously very eager to tell me about his past relationships: He was married when he was very young, and quickly divorced, he had been engaged to a girl who he deemed a "gold digger" and thus was weary of girls who might be marrying for money. (I've never considered this, but that's probably because I've never dated a guy who had enough money for that to be a problem. Worth looking into, perhaps? ;)) I'd go out with him again, preferably on a night that I wasn't so focused on other things (my race, cleaning my house, getting enough sleep, etc.) and see if we clicked a bit more. He texted me before my race to wish me good luck (nice) and he texted me after to see if I wanted to come over and watch a movie. I declined, not wanting to move from my vegetative state planted on my couch. I'm not sure he realized that the marathon took a bit of energy and all I wanted to do was lie around and watch the 6 hour BBC productions of "Pride and Prejudice" on DVD while demolishing my Fuddruckers cheeseburger. (Yes, I know....very sexy.) We'll see if we hang out again.
My second date was the one right after the marathon. (No shower, no changing clothes. dirty, salty, sunburnt glory.) This fellow gets extra-credit for being brave enough to meet me after the race. Although in hindsight, I would rather have spent that time with friends or family than a complete stranger I was just getting to know. He was also unfailingly polite and very nice. He did not look like his pictures (or at least not what I was anticipating.) Although the conversation was easy and flowed very well, he didn't seem to match the image I had imagined after corresponding via email. I'm not sure why or how I could better explain what was different (or even what I was expecting), but he lacked a je ne sais quoi for which I was hoping. It was almost as if he had rehearsed his anecdotes and stories to reinforce his image. "This story makes me sound family oriented....This story makes me sound adventurous..." Maybe that was not the case, but it felt like it a bit. I was a little disappointed because I was hoping there would be a stronger attraction/connection.
I had a date last night too...also slightly disappointing. My online profile is very tongue-in-cheek. I made a lot of stuff up to be funny and amuse myself, then left most of it in my profile to weed out the fellas who might not "get it." Fortunately, that seems to be working, but my date last night seemed to feel an immense pressure to be equally as pithy and witty. While I am a girl who will always appreciate a fantastic sense of humor, I don't want anyone to feel insecure or under pressure around me. He picked the restaurant--tapas. I didn't tell him, but I hate tapas. I think they are overpriced for small portions and typically under-delicious. I never feel full or satisfied, and I didn't last night. He kept asking if I thought the restaurant was cool. Over and over again. I mean, it was cool, but did you design it? Do you own it? I think if he had just relaxed and been more comfortable, things would have gone better.
The small portions might have explained why I got a smidge too drunk for a first date and shared a bit too much personal information. I don't think I said anything too scandalous, but I did ask him about his divorce (oops), flirted with the adorable bartender who was serving us (oops again, and possibly the reason I kept ordering more drinks), and informed my date of my fear of being abducted or murdered by my online-dates. I was not at my most winning last night, and that led to a hangover and no morning workout today.
I am hoping that after tonight’s workout I’ll be back on track. I’m also hoping that I can schedule any more dates I have around a workout and gym schedule. If I don’t workout and don’t feel good about my body my health and the way I look, I worry it will affect the way I handle myself on dates. I might come across as less confident or more uncertain and I don’t want that to be the case.
I say don't go out with guy #1 again - sketchy that he invited you over to his place for a second date. "Coming over to watch a movie" = booty call, I think. (Though in fairness, it's a bit better when it's not last minute and late night)
ReplyDeleteGuy #2 sounds like most of the experiences I've had with online dating - nothing wrong with them, but not quite how I thought they would be, and I'm not attracted to them. I've pretty much concluded that it's better to just go to a bar and figure out who you're attracted to and THEN try to match up the other characteristics, because it's too hard to narrow by characteristics first and then find je ne sais quoi.