As I was watching Eat, Pray, Love on my flight back from Honolulu, I realized that this year is my Eat, Pray, Love year (and yes, I think that's an incredibly wanky thing to say). I am not goarging myself on food from any ethnicity, nor traveling to exotic locales, nor taking a particularly spiritual journey. What I am doing is focusing on me, me, and me this year. So perhaps it's my Exercise, Study, Dare year. My goals this year are to get fit, finish my PhD, and constantly challenge myself. Thus far, I am succeeding in all areas.
In the book, Love is really a central part of her whole journey. Likewise, challenging myself is really a central part of mine. I am pushing myself physically every day and challenging myself to change my eating habits. I am setting small, structured goals for myself with my PhD and this is keeping me accountable to the work I have to do, which in turn is getting done. And I am spending my downtime searching out opportunities to, metaphorically, fall off the horse some more. I want to spend my time doing new things and having awesome experiences. So that is the challenge I have set myself.
Midsumma, Melbourne's LGBT festival, is on right now, though it comes to a close tomorrow. There are heaps of different events put on in Midsumma; something for everyone, and heaps of cheese. I figure the best way to enjoy Midsumma is to go to an event that looks like it will either be completely terrible or completely awesome, depending on if the host can actually pull it off.
This year I picked Sci-Fi Speed Dating. I have no intention of getting into another relationship anytime soon, but I am interested in making new friends and it sounded like a fun way to meet new people. And while I'm not a hardcore sci-fi fan, I am a fan.
I had tried speed dating once before, many, many, many years ago, and it had been a total flop. There weren't enough people, the conversations were awkward, and I told one of my dates my Tanzania Truck Stop story (which, like any good story, is about poo). Let's just say my expectations for Sci-Fi Speed Dating were low.
When I arrived at the venue I was greeted by a sea of men. Not a good sign! But as I got a bit further in and started to look around I noticed that there was at least a handful of women there. Women with more than a few years on me, but still. I wouldn't be talking to myself all night. As the queue progressed to the registration desk I noticed that they were taking pictures of everyone. It turns out there is quite an elaborate system to this speed dating business when you've got more than 4 people involved! Along with getting your picture taken, you got assigned a number... and a complimentary drink. I gulped my drink down pretty fast as I started to realize I was soon going to have to make time pressured conversation with a bunch of total strangers.
Once everyone had been checked in, the women were separated from the men and both groups got sorted for our rounds of speed dating. There ended up being about 13 women, which was a pretty decent number. It at least gave us the chance to talk to everyone, which there was no hope of the guys being able to do. After a fair bit of organising chaos, the music started and we were off!
My first date was... awkward. I'm pretty sure we both took one look at each other and realized we weren't going to like each other, so it was just a matter of getting through a few minutes together. All I'll say is at least I tried! Though, in retrospect, given that we were at a sci-fi themed event, perhaps attempted conversation about science fiction would have been a better tactic. Oh well!
The evening improved from there. The rest of my dates were all perfectly able to hold up their end of a conversation, sci-fi themed or not. Even still, sometimes we'd just be getting into an interesting conversation when the music would start up again, other times when the music started it was like "oh thank god!" Somehow I don't think I'll be making use of the services of the woman who called me American then told me she's a psychic.
Because we were a small group, half way through we got to switch things up so that those who had stayed put and those who had moved around could go on dates with each other. After a good deal of confusion, we more or less took matters into our own hands and continued on with our dates.
By the end of the night, I had had a fair few awkward conversations, and some good reminders that just because someone looks interesting doesn't mean they will be. But I had also had some really nice conversations, and when the dates wrapped up quite a few of us stuck around and continued chatting for a bit. Our host, who I must say really did do an amazing job, came around with a prize bag and we all got to grab a prize. I got this gripper thing that I was having a great deal of fun with. One of the women was keen for us to all get together again, so we handed over our email addresses to her and now there are attempts at some sort of social gathering in the works.
One of the women actually lives quite near me, so we decided to take the tram home together. Our fearless organizer offered to give us a lift back into the city so we didn't have to catch multiple trams to get home, which was awesome! Unfortunately, I lost the gripper somewhere on my way home, either in the back of her car or at the bar. I hope that wherever it has gone, it has found a loving home.
All in all, the night was a success! I had a good time and met some cool new people that I look forward to catching up with again. It was fun because there was so little time to have a conversation with someone that it kinda took the pressure off. And I made it through the evening without resorting to my Tanzania Truck Stop story. It is definitely an experience that I would (and will) repeat.
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