You Have 5 Seconds to Live...

...What do you do?

Day: 18
Dates Remaining: 28

Imagine this: You are in a +15 (we have indoor bridges in this city that link downtown office buildings together to avoid the frigid cold), you are with your true love, you are watching chaos unleash itself around you as buildings explode because a meteor is crashing down onto the earth and you have five seconds to live. How do you react? How do you feel? What do you do with your last moments on this planet?

Yes, this must sound dramatic and completely out there but my date last night wanted to act out this particular moment with me and capture it on camera. At this point, I'm sure you are wondering what on earth this means and what was this guy thinking? Well, this creative individual, who we will call 5 Seconds, had a vision and brought me along to act out this moment for his artwork.

5 Seconds had e-mailed me a couple of weeks ago since he had read about me in the newspaper. We proceeded to exchange a few e-mails where it was obvious that 5 seconds not only had a good sense of creativity but was also rather comical.

His suggestion for me to help him with this project intrigued me as I used to do a lot of photography. He sent me a few pieces of his art but did not reveal exactly how I would be worked into his project. That, 5 Seconds left as a mystery.

5 Seconds and I met last night and chatted over a brief coffee where he explained the project idea to me. This is tricky for me to explain but his work is not just a photo but art where the photo gets dramatically edited to look amazing tell a story. I asked 5 Seconds if I can post our photo up here when it is ready and he agreed so fear not, you will be able to see it.

After our coffee, 5 Seconds led me around the +15s until we arrived to the perfect one. This +15 had been handpicked for this project. At this point, I was still unsure what exactly was going to happen but being easy going, I rolled with it. I stood in the middle of the hallway for a few minutes while 5 Seconds got his equipment ready. He then took a few test shots and then we were good to go.

5 Seconds set the self timer, walked over to where I was standing and looked deep into my eyes as he told me to imagine that the world would be ending in 5 seconds. He then grabbed me by the hips, pulled me towards him and held me so close that I could feel his lips brush against mine. Snap! The moment was captured.

I'm not going to lie, this all took me by surprise. I wasn't sure what to make of this situation. I have to say that this is the first time a date has ever been so close within the first hour of us meeting. But, we are artists and by the sounds of it, this photo will be great.

I kid you not, we spent the next hour holding each other close, almost kissing and then finally kissing to act out this scene. We walked back and forth to the camera after each shot to dissect out acting abilities. Maybe instead of a writer I should pursue a career in acting?

I realize that this has the potential to sound creepy but once you see the final product, it will make total sense. And believe it or not, it wasn't at all strange. In fact, I had a great time with this unique idea. Perhaps this is because 5 Seconds was funny and sweet but it could also be because I enjoy new, challenging situations. But I do hope that I'm not encouraging guys out there to bring a camera and set up a story in order to get a kiss within the first hour of a date.

Once 5 Seconds and I were pleased with a lot of the shots he had taken, we packed up and went for a few drinks where we had a great time chatting and getting to know one another.

Overall, I was very impressed by 5 Seconds. He pushed the envelope and suggested something different. Very different. He wasn't scared to put himself out there to get me to help him with his project. I mean, really, he wrote me an e-mail after reading about me in the paper. That takes courage. I cannot wait to see the completed photo and share it with you. And hey, maybe I'll get the opportunity to be the subject in another photographic adventure?

Before I wrap this up, you may have wondered how my date count decreased by two yesterday. This was because earlier in the day, before meeting 5 Seconds, I had lunch with my Tumbling Farmer (you may remember him from a couple of weeks ago). What a phenomenal, genuine, down to earth guy.

It's interesting, however, how someone can be so great but there be something missing. Why is that? It is because our personalities don't jive? Is it because he wants to go work out in a camp in Fort Mac? Or is it because he wants to move to a farm? I have far too many nice shoes to live on a farm. I can't wear them for the cows. Not that I ever think long term like that but we just don't have much in common in terms of life paths. But that's okay, we had a great time and hopefully we can remain fiends.

Overall, yesterday was a successful and exciting day as number 18 of the 50. But now I have a ton of work that needs to be done before I head out to a BBQ with my speed dating Australian. Have a good day!

I know a Blond McDreamy

Day: 17
Dates Remaining: 30

If you have ever watched Grey's Anatomy (I'm hooked!), you would have seen that Patrick Dempsey has this beautiful wavy hair that contributed to his nickname, McDreamy. Well, it so happens that my date today has the same type of beautiful hair only that it is blond. And so, without a question, my date today just has to be called Blond McDreamy.

But before I get into that, I'm sitting here tonight wondering why timing has to play such an important part in relationships? Why is it so hard to get it right? I used to think that when a guy and a girl met and had feelings for one another, things would just happen. Poof! Just like that, they would be together. Wow, was I ever naive.

So I had a coffee date today with my Blond McDreamy and in case you haven't guessed it, timing has always been off with us. We have known each other for a while but for one reason or another things didn't work out and we never ended up together but he was still keen to be my date today. We had a great time chatting and even discussed our timing issues but only to laugh them off and decide yet again that we are only meant to be friends.

Speaking of being just friends, I talked to Speed Racer today. Being speedy, he expressed his interest in going out with me again, taking me to Edmonton to meet his Mom and having me join him on a week-long cycling trip. He even threw in a joke about us getting married one day. I tell ya, there is a good reason I call him Speed Racer.

Though this was all flattering, I do not want to pursue a relationship with Speed Racer. There, that was just one simple sentence on here but it took me twenty minutes to explain over the phone. This was due to a combination of my less than fantastic communication and Speed Racer's inquisitive nature. Luckily, in the end, Speed Racer took our conversation rather well and we ended it on a pleasant note.

But what was far more pleasant than that conversation was the rest of my evening. To end my rather busy day, I went out for dinner with a friend. He insisted that this was a non-date; however, he paid for dinner. We then stuck around and chatted for so long that we had dinner again. Yes, you've got it, the server brought back the menus and we ordered another meal. I couldn't get enough of it; we sure have big appetites. I was keen to treat for the second dinner but my friend absolutely refused to let me pay and treated me again. What a lovely gesture and a change from being left to pay for meals. Regardless, the whole bill paying theme will always remain a mystery to me but I wanted to express my gratitude for all of the great input I received about this controversial topic.

Stylish

Day: 16
Dates Remaining: 31

A good friend of mine and I were chatting today about forgiveness. Oh, what a topic. Why is it that it can be so difficult to forgive someone? Even worse, why is it so hard to forget? Do people deserve a second chance?

I pose such questions because last night, in the middle of writing my posting, Speed Racer called. I didn't make it to the phone but he had left a message that I checked this morning. It was a nice voice mail where he admitted to forgetting to thank me for dinner last night. He proceeded to thank me and tell me what a wonderful time he had had. Yes, it was a nice gesture and I forgive him for not thanking me, but I still feel that the bill shuffle was awkward. In fact, my Mother, who is traditional in her ways, thinks I should e-mail him a bill. Though I love my Mom's comical suggestions, I will be doing no such thing.

Anyway, my date this evening was great. I finally met up with someone from my first speed dating evening that I attended about a week and a half ago. This man has many great qualities but one that stands out the most is his good sense of style. So, we will call him Stylish.

Stylish was by far the best dressed guy at speed dating and I have to say, the most comical one there. He is the only person that I met that night who did not ask me what I do, where I'm from and what I like to do for fun. Instead, we had engaged one another in a ridiculously humourous conversation that led to explosive laughter and a great connection.

It was nice to see him today because I got to get a bit of the guy's perspective on speed dating. According to Stylish, the girls there were wholesome and sweet but rather ordinary. He said that the speed dating experience was good but not something he would do again. Whether it was true or not, he said that he had had the most fun talking to me and was glad that we were able to re-connect. That was sweet.

Anyway, we had a fantastic time chatting tonight and it was great to be able to have a conversation for more than the seven minutes they allocate to each "speed date." Even better than that was when Stylish insisted that we meet again next week for dinner. He specifically said that he would love to take me somewhere nice and get all dressed up. I love getting fancied up so I'm really looking forward to this!

Speed Racer Races to the Bathroom

Day: 15
Dates Remaining: 32

Good Evening. So, what do you think of "The Reach?" You know, the reach for the wallet when the bill comes? The awkward stumble when you have to figure out who is going to pay? The moment of truth when you have to decide who is going to fork over the cash and take care of the bill that has been burning a hole through the table? The uncomfortable shuffle around pockets in search of credit cards or a quick way out?

Okay, I have said enough. You get it, taking care of the bill. Err, I hate that moment of the date. It is worse than any awkward silences combined. It is even worse than finding out that I have had a huge piece of spinach in my teeth for the duration of the evening. In fact, it may even be worse than a horrible kiss.

Recently, the bill has been a hot topic of conversation among my friends. Of course, most of my female friends love when the male pays. The ladies that I have spoken to say that it is a sign of respect and chivalry. It makes them feel special.

Most guys say that they will pay for the first date, especially if they have requested the outing and picked the spot. However, numerous guys have said that they think that The Reach, when a lady reaches for her wallet, is very important. I found this very interesting. Why do guys want to see The Reach if they had planned to pay all along? I guess to them it's a sign of respect and courtesy as well.

However, I know some men who absolutely refuse to let the girl pay on the first date and want nothing to do with a silly reach for the wallet. I guess it's all personal preference.

Now, the tricky part comes on the second date. Then what? If the guy has already kindly paid for the first date, what happens on the next one? Does the female owe the male? Should it be split?

Again, I guess it all depends. But when someone tells me they are taking me out and then I get stuck with the bill, I get rather irritated. I'm not going to lie, this has happened numerous times and somehow, it happened again tonight.

Last week, Speed Racer, who you may remember from a week and a half ago, told me that he wanted to take me to a nice dinner downtown. We made our way to a new restaurant and had a great dinner filled with good conversation and tasty food. Dessert, my favourite part of the meal, was brilliantly sweet and delicious. Overall, it was a solid date and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Speed Racer.

Then, the unavoidable moment of the evening came and the bill made its way to our table. It sat there, and sat there, and sat there. In fact, the server kept coming by to check if a credit card had been placed on the table. To his dismay, we were taking forever.

Speed Racer had said that he wanted to take me out but after the bill had burned a hole through the table, I threw on my coat, grabbed the bill and took it up to the till since the waiter had long given up on us. I handed the bill to the server behind the till and Speed Racer conveniently excused himself to the bathroom. (I have a few friends who have a theory that girls do this on purpose to avoid paying). I have never done this but perhaps I was being taken for a fool tonight?

You know, I really don't mind paying for a date, but not when someone says they are taking me out. Since this was the case, he could have at least asked to split it? I don't want to sound unreasonable, as my goal is not to have people treat me to everything, but if I had said that I was taking him out, then the bill would have unquestionably been mine to take care of. That was, however, not the case.

Regardless, I took care of it and we walked back to his car where we went our separate ways. In the end, the biggest disappointment of the evening was not that I paid the bill, but that he did not even say thank you. That hurt. But, it's all in the name of the dating game, right? You know, I'd love to hear some thoughts on bill paying etiquette so feel free to write a comment to 50datesin50days@gmail.com. I'm always curious to hear various opinions about topics such as this one. Good night!

Spontaneous Meets Hunter Gatherer

Day: 14
Dates Remaining: 33

I was just about glued to the couch last night when a guy that I had recently met at a party called. We chatted for a bit before realizing that we both had no plans for the evening. Being Spontaneous, he suggested an impromptu date and since I was almost done all of my Grey's Anatomy episodes that were keeping me stuck on the couch, I happily agreed. I don't want you to think it was just about the TV episodes being done, I was also keen to see Spontaneous again.

So he picked me up and off we went to a local lounge for some food and drinks. As we wandered around trying to find a table, I spotted Hunter Gatherer (see Hunter Gatherer post) in the corner. He was busy chatting with someone so Spontaneous and I went to find a table before I could say hello.

As it turns out, we found a table right next to where Hunter Gatherer was sitting with his big crew of friends. He blatantly did not want to talk to me as he avoided making eye contact when he walked right past me. He was obviously angry.

I quickly forgot about that as I had a fantastic time chatting with Spontaneous who turned out to be a wonderful guy. He was attentive, attractive, comical and a great date.

When we were about to leave, I stood up to put my coat on and looked over to Hunter Gatherer. I took two steps towards him and said, "Hey, how's it going?" I really didn't see why we couldn't be friendly; however, he simply glared at me with piercing eyes and said, "Fine." A few moments later, in a snooty tone, he said, "How are you?" I told him that I was fine and then asked him how things were going. To that, he rudely responded: "Could be better."

He was acting as though I had ripped his heart out of his chest and pounded it with a hammer. It is interesting because I called him this past week to talk about the blog but he failed to return my phone call. I guess he is thoroughly unimpressed and for that I feel bad. But I hope that he can understand that I have been nothing but honest and that being an aspiring writer is not always easy.

Either way, I told him that I hope he enjoys the rest of his evening and we said good bye. I turned around and as I walked over to join Spontaneous so we could leave, Hunter Gatherer's friend exclaimed, "See you online!" I'm guessing that was meant to be a rude, snooty remark but Spontaneous and I couldn't get enough of this spectacle. It was like being back in kindergarten.

We ended the evening with a great chat over tea before Spontaneous drove me home. You know what, when I was in university, my Mom taught me that a proper date should always walk me to the door. I always thought she was onto something but so far, not one person has gotten out of their car to walk me to the door. Is this element of chivalry dead?

Butterflies

Day: 13
Dates Remaining: 34

Butterflies. Yes, they are those beautiful multi-coloured creatures that flutter around all summer. However, butterflies are also something else; something far more intense and overwhelming than our airborne friends.

These other butterflies occur in stomachs and cause breathing to stop due to an overpowering and glorious feeling. To me, these butterflies are a good thing and usually occur for one of two reasons: I’m flying down a steep hill on a rollercoaster or I’m attracted to someone.

And how could I not be attracted to my wonderful date today? That’s it, TBD (read previous blog entry) now has to be known as Butterflies.

I’m stoked to tell you that Butterflies picked me up today on his motorcycle. I’m not sure about how most ladies feel, but I think that riding on the back of a guy’s motorcycle has to be one of the sexiest things ever. We cruised down the streets with my arms wrapped around him and my long blonde hair flying in the wind. I even got to wear the authentic, leather motorcycle jacket. What more could a girl ask for?

I’m not going to lie, I was a little confused when we ended up back at his house. I couldn’t figure out what he was up to but then he told me that he had forgotten his wallet. Smooth. We laughed at how that would have been a great story if he had actually forgotten it altogether. It would have been even funnier if we had both forgotten money and the bill arrived. Luckily, that didn’t happen. He grabbed his wallet and we were on our way.

As we rode down the street, Butterflies put his hand on my leg. I almost died. This sent earth shattering shivers down my spine and I wished that I could have frozen the moment so it could have lasted a little longer.

Brunch was great. He chose a lovely spot and we a fabulous time chatting. I feel that we had great conversations, no awkward moments, and an overall wonderful date.

We cruised back to my place where Butterflies gave me a kiss on the cheek before we parted ways. Just thinking about it causes my heart to skip a beat. I feel like I’m in grade 3 again. What on earth is wrong with me?

But, nothing is perfect and Butterflies made reference to our slightly significant age difference on more than one occasion today. I’m not too fussed by age but perhaps it concerns him? Will that disqualify me for a second date? Maybe, due to the blog, this is all a joke to him? Ah, the mysteries of dating; always keeping me on my toes.

Zzzzzzz and TBD

Day: 12
Dates Remaining: 35

I flopped onto the couch after work today to check some e-mails. Really, this isn’t the most difficult task but I just couldn’t do it. I could barely get the computer plugged in before I passed out. The phone rang, the doorbell buzzed and the text message alert went off endlessly. But I couldn’t wake up. I was done. A herd of wailing elephants couldn’t have awoken me from that slumber.

Why, you may ask, was I so tired? Well, let’s do a quick recap:

Days elapsed: 12
Dates gone on: 15
Times stood up: 2
Sleep lost: at least 30 hours

So today I took a day off dating. Good thing I did because a heavy duty bulldozer couldn’t have lifted me off that couch. Since I have had a few days where I had two dates in one day, I was able to take this time to myself without compromising the 50 Dates in 50 Days.

My friend Sarah is now driving me home from dinner and we are talking about the importance of this day off. Sarah had to drive today because I was incredibly scattered and out of sorts from being so tired that she didn’t trust me behind the wheel. What a mess!

Even though it’s been an exhausting two weeks, it’s been one of the most interesting experiences of my life. And I’m so happy that there are still 38 days remaining. It does sound like a lot but I have met so many fascinating people and have had some ludicrous experiences. I am nothing but thrilled to have the opportunity to share all of this with you on this blog.

I’m also excited for the next few dates that I have planned, particularly tomorrow’s outing. For now, we’ll have to call him TBD (to be determined). I’m sure after tomorrow I’ll have a great nickname for this charming, down-to-earth, fit and sexy man but for now, TBD will have to do.

I met TBD about a month ago on a bike ride. Since then, we have ridden and chatted regularly and had a great time doing so. But I’m nervous. We are friends. We get along so well. We joke around and laugh. Will going on a date change that? Will it be awkward? Does he have expectations? Do I?

I guess there is no sense in fussing, I’ll just have to see how it goes tomorrow.

The Skunk and then some Icing

Day: 11
Dates Remaining: 35

Dating is like a game of poker. How are you going to play your cards? Are you going to be honest or will you bluff? Are you going to take a risk or just fold and walk away?

Speaking of walking away, we live in such a disposable society it's almost sickening. Don't like the phone you've got? Buy a new one. Don't like your car? Hey, you can get a new one of those too. Don't like your spouse, why not get a divorce? Historically, it has never been so easy to do away with something or someone and simply get another one.

A new phenomenon along these lines that I am learning about is this: Don't want to go on a date you planned, text on the last minute and cancel. Who cares, right? You'll never have to see them again anyway. This attitude has about the same level of consideration as a spraying skunk.

So I planned my day today around meeting The Skunk at 5:00. I motored around all day for work in order to make it home with enough time to get organized, get changed and hop on my cruiser bike to pedal to the other side of the city where I was meeting The Skunk. He came from Lavalife and I have to say that I was excited to meet him in person since we share all of the same athletic passions.

I got to one of my favourite coffee shops and looked around to see if I could recognize him based on the photos I had seen on his profile. I was just about to text him to let him know that I was there when my phone went off and I got a message from The Skunk that said, "Got a flat tire on my bike ride. I am currently pushing the bike...have to cancel."

I stupidly gave him the benefit of the doubt and was concerned that he was stranded somewhere with a flat tire so I responded, "I just got here, where are you?" He didn't seem to feel too badly about canceling since all he said was, "I'm in the rain in Canmore."

Unreal, I thought to myself. As if he didn't realize before that instant that he wasn't going to make it? For Pete's sake, he was all the way in Canmore!

I stood there, in the middle of the coffee shop, looking around wondering what on earth gets into some people. Like I said, my day revolved around getting there on time. I rode across the city in my heels to make this date and just like that, he cancels. I was pissed. I replied: "Ah! I wish you would have messaged me earlier!" I knew then that he couldn't have cared less because he only wrote, "Sorry."

I then said, "Did you really only realize now that you weren't going to make it?" but I wasn't surprised to receive no response. Not only does The Skunk stink but he is also a coward who can't even pick up the phone to cancel a plan at the very last minute. I shook it off, got back on my rusty cruiser bike and returned to my neighbourhood to have a coffee before my next date.

This date actually stemmed from an e-mail that I received a few days ago from someone who had heard about 50 Dates in 50 Days on the radio. He had written me to request to take me on a group date tonight. I was unsure about what a group date meant but I was excited about something different so I eagerly agreed.

I arrived at the lovely restaurant and asked the hostess where the group was. Of course, she pointed in the direction of a whole bunch of tables. She was thoroughly confused as to how I couldn't recognize my group of friends. Little did she know that we had never met! You should have seen the look on her face when I asked her to walk me to the table since I had no idea which one she was pointing too. I thought her eye balls were going to pop out of her head. She thought I was a total lunatic! It was fantastic.

My date, let's call him Icing because he was so sweet, got up to shake my hand and introduce me to his friends. In case you were wondering, the official definition of a group date is an evening with your date and four of his friends. This may sound strange but it was actually one of the best nights yet.

Icing was very kind and took an interest in what everyone had to say. His childhood friend was also nice and his three female friends were equally wonderful. I have to say that this is probably the only time where my date could pull off showing up with three beautiful, single women and I would be okay with it!

We enjoyed an evening of good wine, tasty food and great company. Our conversations about dating, single life in Calgary, and other date-related topics kept us all entertained. There wasn't a moment of silence and it was a solid night out.

I'm happy about that since The Skunk had put me in a bit of a rotten mood; however, the good company at my second outing helped to lift my spirits and made me a few new friends!

Radio Star and The Final Speed Dating

Day: 10
Dates Remaining: 37

I went on what was by far the most original first date this morning. Not only did the date start at 7:15am which is a first for me, but we also had our date live on the radio thanks to AMP 90.3.

I arrived at the studio to meet my date, Radio Star, for the first time. I chose to invite this particular individual with me since he was the first person to e-mail me to request a date at my 50datesin50days@gmail.com account. I also chose him because his e-mail was rather witty and I thought he would be perfect for the radio.

And that he was. Though Radio Star came across as somewhat shy and reserved, he would come up with some fantastic comical comments that kept myself and the two hosts entertained.

Over the course of about an hour, the hosts asked us some pretty funny questions to try to make us uncomfortable such as: "Do you want to get married? Have you ever cheated on someone? Has someone ever cheated on you?" The whole thing was quite an experience and I never thought I would be able to say that I took a first date to a radio interview. It was hilarious!

When I first decided to go on 50 Dates in 50 Days, I wasn't sure how things would pan out so with input from friends, I decided to go speed dating twice. I signed up in advance for last Friday and today and didn't think too much of it.

As it turns out, the date requests are flowing faster than I had imagined and I didn't really need to go speed dating tonight to recruit more dates. Even though I was completely exhausted, I went anyway since I had committed and paid for the event. It took some serious motivation though because I did not have the energy to talk to a ton of different guys about what I do, where I'm from and my what favourite colour is. Yes, someone did ask me that.

Worse, there was a guy who snorted, one who stared straight at my chest for five minutes straight, one devout Catholic who only preached about his faith in a southern drawl and another who said he had a phobia of skiing. I didn't realize that two planks of wood could cause such distress in one's life.

There was, however, one brilliantly cute, nicely dressed man who caught my eye. Not only does he do all of the same activities that I do, but he has a sexy Australian accent. Let's be honest, there is something about those accents. Hopefully, the organizers will send out the matches soon so I can find out if I'll be able to see Sexy Australian again.

So that marks another day of dating antics and interesting adventures. I had originally thought that speed dating should count as two dates which it did last time, but since this evening was pretty lame, I figure it would only be fair to count it as one. Now after Radio Star and Speed Dating, I'm down to 37 dates remaining.

Laser Beam Strikes Again

Day: 9
Dates Remaining: 39

It's official. There will be no shortage of dates for the 50 Dates in 50 Days. In fact, there is already a surplus. Is there a lady who wants to step up to the plate and continue the experience? I have e-mails left, right and center from guys who want to go on dates. It's unreal.

So tonight was the second date with Laser Beam. Was there a time in history where a guy would ask a girl to a fancy party and ensure that she gets there comfortably and safely? For example, would he think of telling her to take a cab and foot the bill or perhaps go pick her up?

I don't know, maybe this is traditional, but to me it seems like a chivalrous or perhaps simply courteous thing to do.

Laser Beam warned me that I would need to wear a cocktail dress and get all dressed up for this event. I was keen as ever to do so but when he suggested that I hop on the C-Train in such attire, I was slightly disappointed. I thought he might have made alternate arrangements?

However, he did not so I decided to ride my ancient cruiser bike downtown and park it then get changed down there. I met a good friend and it was quite a hoot in the bathroom as I got dolled up for this event. I then made my way to Laser Beam's building to meet him and head to the party together.

This company event complete with endless wine, great people and good times was fantastic. The good evening made up for the fact that Laser Beam thought I should C-Train down in my cocktail dress and stilettos.

The funniest part of the night was that Laser Beam had to wear sunglasses since he just had laser eye surgery last week. Who wears their sunglasses at night? Laser Beam sure does!

Nonetheless, nothing out of the ordinary or particularly strange happened. Overall, it was a great night and I had a blast with Laser Beam and other people at the event.

However, what was strange today was one of the messages that I received on Plenty of Fish. There are many bizarre characters on this site but one stood out as being particularly off. His message entitled "I'll Keep it a Secret" read as follows:

"To start, you have a stunning look and smile. So I am reading your profile.. so rocking, but I also have this feeling you have an interest that jives with a like of mine... call it an ability to read the right people.... but am I right in thinking you are not only submissive behind close doors, but love to give orally when the opportunity arises. Let me know if I am right or way off and keep it real."

What the heck? Who writes nonsense like that? I can't even believe someone would just type that to some random person on the internet. Needless to say, I did not respond nor do I have any intention to. I just wanted to share with you some of the unbelievable trash that I have been filtering through over the course of this experience. It's unreal.

Well, tomorrow night is the second and last speed dating night of this project. As I mentioned before, a night of speed dating counts as two dates and I'm stoked about that since I have a bike race this week end for which I need a day off. Also, a rest day will probably help me to maintain at least an ounce of mental sanity.

But, most exciting of all is that tomorrow morning, at 7:30am (in less than 6 hours, ah, I need sleep!) I have a date at AMP 90.3. They will be airing parts of the date and hosting it at their studio. Tune in if you get a chance!!!

Trouble

Day: 8
Dates Remaining: 40

Hey Calgarians, pick up a Metro today. You know, that local newspaper with the green logo. They are everywhere and 50 Dates in 50 Days is in it.

A little while ago, I was at a wine fair where I met what seemed like a lovely, attractive young man. Though we only chatted for about fifteen minutes, we seemed to have a lot in common and agreed that we'd meet for a coffee sometime soon. I wasn't sure what to make of the situation but I didn't think too much of it since I didn't know if he would even call.

But when I got a text from him a few days later, I agreed that we should meet up. Our busy schedules made it tricky to find time so we didn't end up having our coffee until a few weeks later.

Regardless, we had a great time together and there was never a dull moment in the conversation. For two hours we talked about anything and everything. It was nice to connect so well with someone. Though it was tough to end the date, we went our separate ways and agreed to have dinner the following week.

We did just that and ended up so deep in conversation that we didn't even realize that the restaurant was closing. We actually got kicked out. What a great feeling, I was on cloud nine.

But life got in the way and though we made attempts to meet up again, we couldn't seem to get organized and have another date. Though I had a huge crush on this great guy, he was nearly impossible to get in touch with and I was very busy anyway.

We text messaged periodically and finally decided that we should go on another date. He thought that 50 Dates in 50 Days was a great idea and decided to be one of my dates. Since we both go to the same city for our out of town travel for work, we decided that we would plan to go at the same time and meet up for dinner there.

So here I am, 350km away from home, wondering what on earth gets into some people. This man who had won me over a while back has now suddenly lost a million points. He went from being marvelous and cute to completely ridiculous. It's official, this man is Trouble.

I went to the restaurant tonight where we had decided to meet and sat in the lounge to have a drink and to wait for my date. I finished my drink and waited. And waited. And waited. Really, how long should one wait?

I wasn't sure if there was a rule for this but I decided to get out of there and go eat somewhere else. What a piss off, I had been stood up. I was hurt and it was hard to get rid of the frog in my throat.

Just as I was leaving, I got a text message from Trouble apologizing for falling off the face of the earth. He asked me where I was and for some reason I told him my new location so he could join me. I figured that everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt and possibly a second chance.

He met up with me and apologized sincerely and endlessly for being a jerk. He treated me to dinner and once again, we had an absolutely amazing time together. How could I be mad at such a handsome, sweet and charming man? It was impossible!

Since I had walked from my hotel to the restaurant(s), Trouble offered to drive me back. I agreed and we hopped into his car. We chatted incessantly on the ride back and continued the conversation for quite some time in the parking lot.

When I finally decided to get out of the car and go to bed, Trouble kindly walked me to the front door of the hotel. He grabbed both of my hands, looked me in the eyes and thanked me for a wonderful evening. He apologized again for the mix up earlier and said that he wouldn't let it happen again.

I held his hands tightly in mine as I looked back at him and told him that I forgave him and that it was good to finally see him again. He leaned in to give me a peck on the cheek and then held me close in a nice embrace.

Just when I thought everything couldn't be better, Trouble whispered into my ear, "You are amazing, I had a fantastic evening with you Paige."

WHAT? Had I just heard him correctly? Paige? Who the hell was Paige? (For those of you who don't know, that is not my name). That doesn't even sound like my name. In fact, my name doesn't even start with a P.

Before I could react, he realized what he had said and jumped away from me. He covered his mouth with his hands and paced around saying "sorry, so sorry" over and over again.

Was I ever uncomfortable. I really wasn't sure what to make of this situation but I would have done anything for that guy from Star Trek to beam me up and away so I could just disappear.

"Who is Paige?" I asked.

He responded, "Someone I was hooking up with for a while."

Wow, did he actually just say that? This was going from bad to worse. How can someone be so wonderful and romantic one minute and then a total loser the next? That, my friends, is Trouble. I didn't get it and I didn't want to stick around to find out.

Though it was clear that he felt so bad, I just wanted to get going. Evidently, this put an awkward end to our evening and I walked faster than ever into the hotel so I could get back up here to my room.

So there you have it, another one of the 50 dates. Clearly, I'm not to keen to have been called the name of my date's hook up partner but I guess these are just the type of men who are out there. I have to say that I'm looking forward to a lovely party evening with Laser Beam tomorrow night.

Too Many Rings, Too Many Tigers, Too Many Cats

Day: 7
Dates Remaining: 41

Starbucks is really quite the place. Somehow, I have become a junkie. I'm currently planted in one of their big cushy chairs, watching people come in and out of the door and reflecting on the past week. What a wild seven days filled with interesting people and experiences. It's hard to describe all of the emotions, frustrations, amazement and excitement brought on by this project.

Going on seven dates and a night of speed dating all in one week is definitely a first for me. And I can't say it's going to be the last week of its sort since I have six more weeks to go for 50 Dates in 50 Days.

On another note, a handsome, tall, attractive guy just walked in the door. It was nice when he noticed me and smiled. He went to get a drink but kept looking back in my direction. How flattering. On his way out, his eyes met mine and he smiled again. Then, SMACK! He wasn't watching where he was going and he walked right into the door. It was priceless! Everyone at the shop turned around to see what had caused such a ruckus. We both laughed but he looked so embarrassed as he scurried out of the coffee shop.

Unfortunately, my date this morning was not as cute and comical as Mr. Walk Into the Door.

Today's date, Too Many Rings, was an interesting character. Though he didn't blow me away, he definitely knew the meaning of chivalry. He picked me up this morning, opened the car door for me (this is all new to me!), and took me out to a brilliant, stuff your face, all you can eat brunch. Since I have the appetite of a pregnant cow, it was fantastic. Hopefully I didn't turn him off by eating three times as much as he did.

On the car ride to brunch, I noticed that Too Many Rings really wore too many rings. It was tough to count how many fingers didn't have rings on them since there were rings everywhere! And these weren't just any rings but large, bulky silver rings that clinked together as he moved his hands around the steering wheel.

Even more intriguing than these rings were the little stuffed tigers on his dash. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt but when he went on about his tiger fetish and started petting the little toys, I began to wonder...

But brunch was fine. The conversation was good, but not great. The connection was okay, but not fantastic. Good thing the food was marvelous. Over course of the the meal, Too Many Rings became more interesting as he talked about his great ambitions to travel and mountain bike. Nonetheless, I was eager to get on my mountain bike so I wanted to talk, eat and get the show on the road.

I became a little more eager to get going when Too Many Rings somehow got the idea that telling me the following story was okay: "When I was young, we had a couple of stray cats that my parents would feed. One of them got pregnant and had a big litter of kittens. One day the kittens were there and the next day they were gone. When I asked my Mom what had happened to them she said, 'There were too many cats so your father put them in a plastic bag and drowned them.'"

Yikes. Not really a story for a first date. I was trying to hide my discomfort as he went on to talk about how sad he was about the kittens and how his Dad was tired of feeding all the cats.

We wrapped up with bit more chatting about traveling before Too Many Rings drove me home so I could get out on the bike for the afternoon.

It was a well needed bike ride to relieve a bit of stress before the upcoming week of complete mayhem that starts with a radio interview tomorrow morning on Jack FM and another on AMP Radio.

A Bit of Truth about Blue Eyes

Day: 6
Dates Remaining: 42

3,892. Is that a lot? Or a little? I guess it's all about perspective. But I'm stoked to say that that's how many people have read the blog. To me, that's a lot.

Speaking of a lot, have you ever had a lot of feelings? Those stupid things that drive you nuts and won't disappear? They may go away for a while but then you see a person again and have those darn feelings all over? What on earth is with that!??! If only there was a magic eraser that would get rid of them as easily as the red erasers do to the lead pencils. Ah, if only.

So it's late. It's practically the middle of the night. I'm tired. I have had some wine and a day in the sun. Perhaps in the morning I will wonder why I was so honest in front of an audience of 3,892 people. But honesty is important and this blog isn't only about poisons, hunter gatherers and laser beams.

So I'm here to tell you about Blue Eyes.

About a year ago, a crew of friends were over and one girl said to me, "We have to go to the pub so you can meet Blue Eyes."

"Who on earth is Blue Eyes?" I asked.

She didn't know his name but insisted that I meet him since she was sure we would be great together. So off we went into the night to meet this mysterious Blue Eyes character. Well, as it turned out I had met him before and he had a lady friend at the time so that was the end of that.

However, over the following months, we ended up hanging out a lot. We got to know one another rather well and had many great days together out in the mountains. We were, and still are, great friends but that little weakness developed. That weakness I referred to as feelings. Yuk.

Whether or not Blue Eyes had any feelings, I'll never know.

Regardless, timing was all off anyway. First, he had had a lady and when that was over, I had a man. That didn't last either but what on earth is with timing? Unfortunately, timing plays a huge part in life and dictates whether situations could even work out at all.

There may have been a night on the town this past winter that included a few too many drinks and an edgy conversation about attraction. But it was all a blur.

Either way, nothing really panned out with Blue Eyes and I hadn't seen him very much over the past few months. That was, until the other day when I was chilling with Blue Eyes and a few friends and we decided we'd go skiing on the week end.

I was evidently stoked on skiing but said that I would need to find a date. As you can see, I am very committed to 50 Dates in 50 Days. My friends excitedly pointed to Blue Eyes and suggested that he be my date. He agreed. Wow, if this had happened a couple of months ago, I would have died. This would have been a dream come true! (Not that it was a bad thing now, but I just don't think that Blue Eyes is that into me).

In the end, there were three of us who wanted to go skiing. It was perfect, our friend joked that he would be the Chaperon. What a hoot.

Blue Eyes was lovely. He brought me a coffee in the morning. He opened car doors. He packed an extra granola bar in his jacket pocket for me. I nearly melted when he put his arm around me on the chair lift. The Chaperon joked about being unimpressed with this contact. We laughed.

The date was full of beautiful sunshine, live music, epic ski runs and a great time.

We had a nice drive back into the city from the mountains and when I got dropped off, Blue Eyes said to be ready for 8:30 as we were heading to a house party. However, this is when things went a bit astray.

Blue Eyes went home and made dinner, forgetting about me. I went over at around 8:30 to be greeted by him devouring what looked like a delicious steak. I knew there would be good food at this house party but it didn't look like we were getting going anytime soon. Nonetheless, it hurt. Who wants to be forgotten on a date? I guess the ski date was over anyway and this is why I figure that Blue Eyes isn't that into me. When someone cares, they make an effort. We had a nice time at the house party and that was that.

Anyway, the other day when we were planning the ski date at my friend's place, Blue Eyes had mentioned that we'd go on a ski date and then he'd plan something sweet for a second date in a few weeks. Will that second date happen? We'll just have to see. But for now, I am lying in bed. I am so tired. So tired that I can barely see straight and re-read what I wrote. I hope this made sense. But that was the truth about Blue Eyes. Good night.

What a Hat Trick

Day: 5
Dates Remaining: 43

How, you may be asking, did I manage three dates in one night? Well, I can't say that it was easy. It took some patience and perseverance, but I pulled through and I'm glad to be here to tell you about it.

The other day, one of my old cycling buddies called me to see how things were going. It was great to catch up with him since it had been nearly a year since we had seen each other. It came up in conversation that I was going to be going speed dating on Friday. I was stoked when he said that he would join me.

I was even more thrilled when we decided that we would turn speed dating into a date and have dinner first. Going back to the ground rules of the 50 Dates in 50 Days, speed dating counts as two dates. (Trust me, after tonight, I wish I had made it count for more!)

Regardless, I had a speed dating date. This was definitely a first and I'm not sure how many people can say they've had such an experience.

Anyhow, onto my date. Let's call him Speed Racer since he drives a fast car, races fast bikes and joined me for speed dating.

He showed up after work to pick me up and did he ever look good. It's always interesting to see people who I normally see in sweaty bike clothes show up in city attire. Speed Racer definitely knows how to clean up.

He treated me to a lovely dinner over which we had a great conversation before heading to speed dating. Now, this is when things got interesting.

Speed dating consisted of eleven men, seven minutes each and a handy little scorecard. Do I ever wish I also had a glass of wine. Or ten.

The first guy I met was priceless. He was a total computer nerd whose voice and mannerisms reminded me of Steve Urkel. He was also painfully skinny and had a comb over. But you know what, he was nice. And despite his funny voice and elf ears, he had great blue eyes and could keep up a conversation. (As the night went on, this became harder and harder to find)! So he got a "yes" on the scorecard.

The second guy was very flamboyant and I questioned whether or not he had signed up for the right event. Nonetheless, he was interesting, a seasoned traveler and a mountain biker. He got a "yes" as well.

These two men were followed by a plethora of guys who all like to watch TV, go to work and play in a sporting beer league of some sort. They all got a "no."

Then came Fancy Pants. That's right, he told me his friends call him that. I wasn't sure what to make of this until he stood up to show me his blue jeans that were covered in velvet yellow designs. I should also mention that his sweater was a splash of a multitude of colours and his black t-shirt was littered with silver sparkles. However, he was clever and he won me over when he sat down at the table and asked, "If you were writing a self-help book for guys, what advice would you give them?" That led to a witty conversation.

Then, there was a guy who didn't ask one question which resulted in uncomfortable, awkward silences since I was tired of asking all the questions. There was one who sloppily licked his mouth between each sentence. Another did not know what skis were and finally, I met an elementary teacher who didn't stop swearing. And, my favorite was the snowmobile enthusiast who goes into the back country and did not know what an avalanche beacon is. Priceless.

All in all, the event was a learning experience. Though there were a few moments where I felt like stabbing the guy on the other side of the table with the scorecard, I'm glad I went. The best part was that I got to spend one of the seven minute time windows with Speed Racer.

Originally, he was just going to head home after the event; however, since we were enjoying each others company, we decided to grab a tea. We walked into the tea shop and a table of people pointed at me and excitedly exclaimed: "Hey, we saw you on TV! You're that 50 dates girl!" I laughed as they proceeded to question me about the 50 Dates in 50 Days. Speed Racer was right into the conversation and it was a cute and perfect way to end an evening filled with bizarre stories from random people.

There is a Beautiful, Charming, Tumbling Farmer in This City

Day: 4
Dates Remaining: 46

First off, big news. I can't even believe it. Today, 1,000 people checked out this blog, 50 Dates in 50 Days. That's 100 with an extra zero on it. Wow. I'm floored. I'm shocked. I'm sitting here in a state of glorious disbelief. Up until now, the record day was 400. Thank you all for supporting this initiative and thank you Breakfast TV, JackFM and AM660 for reporting it.

Now, onto my date tonight who I met from Plenty of Fish (internet dating).

Look out. He's cute. He's chivalrous. He's attentive. He can maintain eye contact. This lovely man is, as I said, a beautiful, charming, tumbling farmer.

What, you may be asking yourself, is a tumbling farmer? Well it's someone who grew up on a prairie grain farm, calls himself a red neck but had an eleven year long career as a tumbler. Yes, a gymnast. I found this all so fascinating.

On top of that, he likes to hunt. Unlike Hunter Gatherer (see 'Hunter Gatherer' post), this man actually hunts. You name it; bears, elk, deer, whatever he can get his hands on. Literally.

And, he rides one of those speedy mcspeedster motorcycles. Hot.

Now, going back to the beginning of this night, I was sure he was going to think I was completely crazy. This is because I was totally late since I was out bike riding after work. I ran out of time so I showed up half in bike clothes and half in work clothes. I had left my nice shoes at my friend's place so I was in bike shoes. Shoes caked with mud that I was trying to cover up with my work pants. I didn't have time to shower and to top it off, my riding buddy was still with me as she rode me to the coffee shop. It was a gong show.

Instead of wondering what on earth was going on and why he now had two girls on his hands instead of one, he introduced himself to both of us, shook my friend's hand and asked her about where she was headed since she mentioned she was off to work. It was not awkward and he later said that the fact that I showed up in a state similar to that of a derailed train was great because it showed that I was genuine. I could have melted.

I had a lovely time drinking coffee with this interesting farm boy. The evening had all the elements of a good date. He even opened the car door for me to drive me home. He didn't do anything weird nor did he say anything stupid. And, at the end of the night, he requested a second date which I will happily go on in the coming weeks.

Laser Beam

Day: 3
Dates Remaining: 47

Before I dive into the story, I'm happy to tell you that I had a radio interview today that will be played periodically throughout the day this Friday on Calgary's AM660. Another radio station has also contacted me for an interview so I'll keep you posted on that as I find out more details.

Now, onto what you really want to hear about! Today was my first date from internet dating. I'm not going to lie, I was skeptical at first. My date was extremely keen to take me to Laser Quest and I wasn't sure what to make of this suggestion.

At the start, my date, let's call him Laser Beam, seemed a little off. In fact, I'd say he was rather awkward. His sense of humour was bold and when he told me that he was driving his parents car and still living at home, I began to question the situation.

However, we had a good chat over a quick drink before gearing up and hitting the dark, laser-filled maze. We ended up on opposite teams so instead of spending our first date together, we spent time running away from one another. Interesting concept.

I have to say that spending an hour running away from screaming ten year old children was quite comical. With laser beams flying at me and two particular little blond kids chasing me incessantly, I had to stop in a corner for a moment to catch my breath. I looked around at the dark, spray painted walls and wondered what on earth I had gotten myself into.

The game ended and I found my date. Laser Beam led me out to the main area where his skills as a Laser Quest superstar were evident as he landed himself in first place.

I then asked him about the Laser eye surgery that he is going to be getting tomorrow. He then grabbed my hand and instructed me to follow him. He led me to the kids' party room and began talking about what they are going to do to his eyes.

He told me to look into his eyes so he could tell me about the procedure. I did just that and suddenly, he pulled me in for a kiss. Now, not only had I been chased around by ten year olds, but we were now having a kiss in the party room surrounded by leftover pizza and pop cups. Was this ever turning into a strange experience!

Due to the Laser Eye surgery, we had to call it a night pretty early but we had a great chat in the car. This may sound crazy, but Laser Beam was turning out to be really charming and sweet. He must have had a great time since he said, "I had way more fun with you than I had anticipated and it would be nice if you could join me on Tuesday to a company party downtown."

Who can turn down a company party with the cutest Laser tag superstar this city knows? Definitely not I, so I will be seeing the Laser Beam in his fancy suit on Tuesday!

I'd like to Introduce you to Hunter Gatherer

Day: 2
Dates Remaining: 48

So, let's talk about Hunter Gatherer. I met this guy a few weeks ago at the climbing gym when I was there with a friend. I wouldn't say that sparks flew but he took a liking to me and got my number from my friend.

He then called me one night to plan a date. Let me tell you, planning a date with this guy was like pulling teeth. If a guy is going to call me to suggest a date, it's nice when he has an idea in mind of something to do. The whole "What do you want to do? I don't know what do you want to do? I don't know what do you want to do? I don't know what do you want to do?" game is a royal pain in the arse. We aren't sixteen anymore.

When he couldn't come up with a plan, I asked him what he likes to eat so I could suggest a restaurant. This is when things went from lame to strange.

He responded, "Well, I'm not on a DIEt, because I don't want to DIE, but I don't eat anything that I don't feel comfortable killing myself."

So what we were going to do? Drive out to a farm and slaughter a chicken or shoot a cow? Or did we have to go trampling through the forest to find a deer? In order to avoid this problem altogether, I decided that we would meet at a vegetarian restaurant.

We met the following night and the evening got off to a nice start with appies and good conversation. The topic of his funny food regimen came up and he said, "Well, I might as well tell you now that not only do I stick to eating food that I feel comfortable killing myself, but I also gather my own water."

Wait a minute. Gather water? Suddenly, visions of him wading in rivers with thigh high boots flowed into my head. I cringed.

"What?" I exclaimed, trying not to sound too shocked and disturbed.

"I drive to a spring west of Banff (about two hours from here) to gather water in big barrels. I then bring it back to Calgary and drink only that water, nothing else."

Intrigued, I asked, "What if you wanted to have a glass of water tonight? Surely the restaurant is not going to serve special water."

At this moment, Hunter Gatherer reached into his backpack, pulled out a bright green Nalgene and said, "That's why I bring my water with me everywhere I go."

And for the rest of the evening, Hunter Gatherer drank his special water.

Though I found Hunter Gatherer to be rather awkward and bizarre, he was very keen to go on another date. Since 50 dates in 50 days was about to begin, I agreed and we met for a coffee tonight.

He started off the conversation by telling me that he was going up to Red Deer tomorrow. When I asked him why he was heading north he responded, "I'm going to go find some mushrooms."

So not only was Hunter Gatherer into killing his own meet and gathering his water but he was also a drug addict? This was too much. Way too much.

He could tell that I was perplexed so he explained, "These aren't 'magic mushrooms.' These are special energy filled, nutritious mushrooms that you can only get in specific areas on certain trees. My friend and I are going to go walk around the bush, climb trees, cut the mushrooms off the trees and then dry them out in order to use them for tea. They have some of the highest concentration of nutrients."

Okay, that was enough. I was glad that I had entertained a second date today in order to be able to share this with you and to firmly decide that though Hunter Gatherer seems like a kind man, he will have to hunt food and mushrooms as well as gather water for another lady. This was too much for me. Plus, I'm onto date number 3 tomorrow.

Phew, Day One.

Day: One
Dates Remaining: 49

Good Evening. The link to the Breakfast TV interview is: http://site.btcalgary.ca/video/?bcpid=5173168001&bclid=5184558001&bctid=77556615001.

So you may be asking yourself why there are 49 dates remaining if I was supposed to go on two today. Well folks, thanks to modern technology (cellular devices), I received a text message an hour before my after work coffee date saying that my date had to cancel the plans.

Now we all know that life is busy and things change but really, is it that hard to have the courtesy to at least pick up the phone and call to cancel? What if I hadn't gotten the text message? What if I had left my phone in the car? Or worse, at home? Then I would have showed up and would have had no one to meet! I'm really not too chocked about it because this is perfect example of the flaky attitude towards plans and dating.

However, as I mentioned before, I also had a dinner date planned for tonight. This young man will be known as Beautiful Shaggy Hair because he has the most wonderful and curly long hair. He is a friend of a very good friend of mine who I had met once before at a social event where he proposed that we go on a date. Instead of heading out for dinner, he suggested that he cook for me and I was thrilled about this idea.

The date got off to a good start as he brought some tasty food and a bottle of wine. We had good conversation over dinner and then went to chill in the living room.

Beautiful Shaggy Hair was over on the other side of the room putting on some music when my cell phone went off because I had received a text message. He picked it up to bring it to me and somehow thought it would be a great idea to read the message that I had just received.

Normally this wouldn't have mattered but the message happened to be from my date for tomorrow night regarding our specific plans. And not only was my current date reading about my next date, but my next date happened to be Beautiful Shaggy Hair's colleague! Oh my, what have I gotten myself into!?

If Beautiful Shaggy Hair was a jealous type this would have been a moment where I would have needed a bulldozer to dig a hole in my floor and dive right in but luckily, we were able to laugh it off. This was probably due to the fact that Beautiful Shaggy Hair knows about the 50 Dates in 50 Days and he was keen to be date number one. The rest of the evening went very well as we chilled, chatted and listened to good tunes.

But I have definitely learned that from now on I will have to be careful when a good friend sets me up with two of her friends who both work together!

Day One

Good Morning! Day one got off to a fantastic start with an interview on Calgary's edition of Breakfast Television. I'm going to try to get that clip loaded online so you can all see it.

There are two dates lined up for today. I figured I'd get this off to a good start! I am meeting someone from Plenty of Fish for coffee after work and then I'm heading from there to dinner with a friend of a friend. It's kind of like going to the movies for a double feature! I'll write about this later tonight!

Breakfast Television and a French Stalker

I am thrilled to report that I will be on Calgary's Edition of Breakfast Television on Monday, April 12 at 8am to discuss the 50 Dates in 50 Days. Do tune in!

Also, the 50 days begin on Monday and I am excited, nervous and unsure of what will come of this but either way, I am stoked with the progress thus far. Not only have I encountered some true weirdos before the 50 day time frame, but the reviews from readers have been nothing but fantastic. Thank you.

As for the dates, I have had people ask me if they can "apply" to be a date. Apply? I wasn't sure what to make of this. Of course, it was a lovely compliment but I responded that they simply have to ask me out! I found this rather entertaining.

Speaking of entertainment factor, you may have seen that there are two comments on the previous post. I can't figure out how to delete them so I left them there even though they make no sense to me.

What I can tell you, however, is that the individual who posted these is a cyclist that I met on the side of the highway when I was riding across Canada two years ago. He followed the progress of my ride and kept in touch as we were both on similar journeys.

But when he started professing his love for me and booking trips to come see me, I got a little freaked out and told him not to come to Calgary and stopped talking to him. I kid you not, since then he has endlessly told me he loves me, called me and e-mailed me incessantly and now suggested that he come to Calgary to take me for a date as one of the 50. I don't even know how he found this Blog.

Yes, it's a funny story. Yes, it's good material. But you see, it's too much. It's too crazy. We have only ever met for 20 minutes on our bikes two years ago! How does he think that I would want him to pay for a trip for me to New Zealand or move to France and mother his children, or build a house with him in the Alps? Yes, these are all things he suggested.

So, there will be no date with this man for me even though he claims that we are meant to be together forever and that we will live happily in harmony in a French mountain paradise. Instead, I will find my 50 dates a little closer to home. At least, somewhere on this continent.

Who Wants to Meet a Millionaire?

Days remaining until 50 days begins: 4
Dates lined up: 12

I was checking my inbox on Plenty of Fish the other day when an advertisement link for another dating website caught my eye. I followed the link and was directed to a site geared towards meeting millionaires.

I would like to clarify that I am by no means a gold digger and this isn’t something I would normally sign up for. However, in the interest of dating a wide variety of men for the 50 days, this seemed like a good idea.

I filled out my profile and submitted a photo. This all had to be approved before I could officially be a member of the site. I was relieved that the selection board found me attractive enough to participate. What a kick in the pants it would have been to get a rejection!

A day later, I got an e-mail from a thirty-something millionaire requesting a dinner date. We exchanged numbers to schedule the date and he then text messaged me this morning to suggest tonight or Friday night.

Since the 50 days doesn’t begin until Monday, I proposed a time next week. He then told me that he was leaving on Monday for NY and said: “If tomorrow at 7 does not work, then let’s meet when I come back.”

This was all going on during a rather busy work day and I did not have a chance to reply immediately. I figured that a reasonable human being would understand that one can’t always reply on a dime, but this special individual seemed to think that I was ignoring him and an hour later messaged: “I guess you’re not interested, haha, good luck.”

I was rather turned off by the situation at this point and just left it at that. I figured I wouldn’t be hearing from him again and that was just fine with me.

However, in the middle of the afternoon, I was surprised when I picked up the phone to hear that it was him on the other end. We had a bad connection which caused a bit of a delay but we managed to discuss that the dinner wouldn’t work out this week and that we would have to meet upon his return from NY in a month.

I hung up and was floored when ten seconds later I received this message: “Please don’t call me. There is no chemistry between us. Find another millionaire. Thank God I called.”

Wow, I was also glad he called because this made me realize that I’d rather shoot myself in the foot than have to endure a dinner with such a nut. And this is only the beginning.

Keeping Track

Note to Readers: This blog is in reverse chronological order. To read the first entry, scroll all the way down and then make your way back up to this posting. Enjoy!

Days remaining until the 50 dates begin: 8
Dates lined up so far: 12

I went over to my friend’s house the other day and could not believe my eyes. She had put up a large poster-sized sheet of paper on the wall of her bedroom with the numbers 1 through 50 on it. Next to each number, there was enough room for each guy’s name. I was thrilled. Someone’s got to keep track, right?

I’m glad she’s on the ball with this because I am certainly LOST. I’m happy to say that I have about twelve dates lined up; however, I am sorry to say that I am completely confused.

With three of them being friends of friends, one from the bar the other night, about five from Plenty of Fish and three from Lavalife, I can hardly keep track. With some, we are messaging through the dating sites, while others have made it to personal e-mail. Three have moved their way up to texting and two have even called.

A couple of them have the same name. A few of them want to go biking. Others want to grab a coffee. One wants to take me flying in his airplane. Yes, you read that right. He wants to bring me to his hanger and fly away with me. I think I’ll opt for coffee before hopping on board with a total stranger. That would be the safe bet, don’t you say?

Either way, this project is starting to require a serious amount of organization and planning. Not that I hadn’t thought of this, I just hadn’t created a concrete plan.

I have now decided that in addition to the poster of names that is going up in my friend’s room, I will keep a spreadsheet recording each guy’s information and what we did on our date. I may even copy and paste a photo of the internet guys from their online profiles in order to further my organization.

I have to say that in the past I have used spreadsheets for school projects, personal budgets and nasty statistic classes that I dreaded in school. I really never thought that I would be relying on good old Excel to keep track of all the guys I’m dating. I guess there is a first for everything so look out dating spreadsheet, here I come!