2861

An out is usually acceptable.

2862

Yeah, exactly, though I would call it reddish purple. You know, the kind of ball they use in dodgeball.

Whoa, looks like they make more colors now!

http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2145020

Also, only 8.5 inches? I remember them being soccer ball sized…though admittedly I may have been somewhat smaller in elementary school.

[edit]Ha ha ha

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1888512

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1888513

2863

Ha, well, the girls were suitably impressed. Athletic ability actually is a pretty big turnon, as long as you’re not a dick about it. My girlfriend admitted watching me play soccer (after our second date?) was the first time that she really realized she was physically attracted to me. Gee thanks, not my face or anything :)

2864

I don’t have particularly impressive athletic ability and I can’t stick-handle for shit. Are women aware enough to be impressed by strong positional play? The last time I played floor hockey with friends, I played defense and didn’t allow a single goal. Even after they tried to even out the teams. I don’t recall any of the girls swooning, I’m pretty sure they were all pissed off from having to play against me.

2865

heh… not likely. Are girls impressed at a bar for you mild manners and ability to drink responsibly? Or are they more impressed by that hot guy in a leather jacket and tussled hair who looks so mysterious.

2866

Incidentally, the girl I met off OkCupid and I are still going strong - we had to put things on hold because of the holidays, but did Friday night gaming last week and will be meeting up again on Sunday (and also hopefully Tuesday). So at this point I think it’s safe to say she likes me. And I certainly like her. My only remaining concern is whether or not things will move out of “just friends” territory - she said on OkCupid that she wanted to start off there and then eventually move into romantic territory if things go well - apparently everyone she’s dated in the past started out as a friend. And I’ve reason to believe things might just go that well, as she opined last week on the way home that that night and the previous gaming outing had been the best Fridays of her life. But, still. Until we’re there, I worry.

2867

What did you play?

2868

Not that I’m much on the sharing circuit here at Qt3, but I do appreciate you guys offering up your opinions, ideas and support. I’m looking at getting back into the pool here after separating from my ex-wife for close to a year now, so it’s been entertaining to read and see how it’s been working for all of you.

I think I’ll be taking somewhat of the Damien approach and try and get involved in a few social activities out there, supplemented with some online portion. I’m a single father here though who typically has his son 20 days out of any given month, so I wonder at trying to balance that and becoming actively dating again. It’s not that I haven’t been active, but I’ve more just been trying to make friendships and build that up for the last year, but am now looking at least to go on a few dates and enjoy that.

Good god though. I was awful at this stuff back in college, and realizing here 8 years later, I’m no better than I was then!

2869

If your city has Yahoo Meetup groups, those are a nice way to meet people. Here in St. Louis we have tons of them, ranging from political stuff, religious stuff, singles stuff, just fun stuff, and some really odd ones, like a wiccan group. I know one of the groups plays kickball and volleyball, among other things.

2870

No, Warren, I DO have this problem. Like I said, the whole approach terrifies me. The only difference is I choose to struggle against it and prevail, rather than capitulate.

And it is that easy, especially when you’ve got a built-in topic of conversation to open up with. “How did your team do tonight?” Six words that guarantee at least a couple of minutes of conversation.

Blackadr gives some sound advice as well, essentially summed up as “he who hesitates, masturbates.” Fear really is the mind-killer. Don’t give it time to do its work.

2871

Also, this is a regulation WAKA kickball, for those still confused:

2872

Well, I think part of Warren’s beef is that you’re all “internet dating won’t solve anything, just get out and meet people” and he met his wife online. So obviously for him, it did solve something.

2873

Here’s how I understood Warren’s post: online dating allowed him to stay true to himself during courtship. He didn’t have to pretend to be into sports, the bar scene, music that he didn’t like, etc, for the sake of appearances while trying to pick someone up.

2874

This past Friday? The new Z-Man Games edition of Tales of the Arabian Nights. The previous time was a couple of rounds of Race for the Galaxy, followed by me reading for a bit while a friend of mine taught her Magic (or at least some basics). I also played a game of Warhammer: Invasion, teaching the same guy how to play, but she had to bail because she still had a fairly long drive back home and was tired.

2875

Yeah, if you’re actively trying to meet socially awkward girls, the internet is probably the best way.

2876

Is there a non-online dating thread? Please let it be the supertaster one!

2877

Ladies and gentlemen, I present Internet dating Exhibit A, from a girl on the Internet Ive texted but not met:

“I’m at the level of drunkeness where anal
happens.”

The Prosecution rests.

2878

I’m kind of curious how many people who have trouble, like Brian, have at least one female friend they can talk to about dating? Sisters I guess would work, but I think you’re better off with the perspective of someone who is a friend by choice rather than birth.

One of my best friends (who is a rad chixor) and I routinely vent each other about how fucked up a given relationship situation is, and it’s pretty helpful to get perspective from the other gender. This augments the guy beer bonding, which is pretty much all “women are horrible creatures, we must defeat them”.

2879

Probably has a penis.

2880

Except, of course, I didn’t say internet dating wasn’t worthwhile; I use it myself. I just said that dating is a social activity and at some point you have to learn how to be, y’know, social. I’m glad Warren got lucky, but for most guys success means meeting – actually meeting, not IM’ing – lots of women over time.

Besides, learning to meet people is a valuable skill that will enrich you for the rest of your life. Even more than Xbox Live Achievements, believe it or not.

Shy, boring and reclusive is no way to go through life, son.