Let's Talk About Dates, Baby

"Let's talk about you and me. Let's talk about all the good things and the bad things we could be. Let's talk about dates."
(words have been changed because they do not apply to my lifestyle)

***

Boy: "So, tell me about yourself."
Girl: "I love bears."
Boy: "..."
Girl: Drunk flirty smile
Boy: "Bears? Like koala bears? Or panda bears?"
Girl: "All bears!"

Cue crickets
***
This is not a scene from my dating life. One, I don't really care for bears, I'm more of a tiger kind of gal. Two, while I may have a flirty smile, I do not have a drunk flirty smile. However, I promised some dating stories and my thoughts on said situations.

Remember a while back when I mentioned I had a date? I know, it seems like forever, but I really did! Anyway, I went out with this guy who picked me up in the middle of a snowstorm and took me to dinner. Our dinner topics ranged from basketball to classic literature and was really interesting. I have never had such an intellectual conversation about literature with a guy before. As we're driving down the road after dinner, he says to me, "I thought we'd do something a little unconventional tonight." In my head I'm thinking, "Okay. Unconventional. I think I can handle that." Unconventional took us to Borders where he suggested we read children's books to each other. I tried to get over the cheesiness of it all and overall, it turned out to be a pretty good night. We went out again, but that one was not so good because it seemed that every topic I mentioned he hated. But that's the way love goes.

Disclaimer: This is the part where I sound like a not-nice-word.

I know guys try really hard to come up with dates that are fun and interesting and memorable. I also know how expensive dating can get, so we try to keep things inexpensive. Therefore, I will put the following out there for the world to know:

• I am totally fine if a date is the fall-back dinner and a movie.
• I am also fine if a man does not want to commit the time and money that a dinner and an activity might require, so just dinner is just as good in my book.
  

So, there you have it. If you ever wish to set me up with anyone (to which I am amenable), and he asks anything, you can let him know the above two items.

There's another guy that's kind of out there for whom I have low expectations of anything happening (given past encounters with said gentleman). I leave myself room for a little bit of hope and the door open should he choose to pursue anything, but I'm going to leave the ball in his court and let your little minds run wild with scenarios. I will say that one night as we were hanging out (and he knew I was getting over being sick) he brought me a blanket so I would stay warm. Small but thoughtful.

I know, I'm such a cheeseball.

P.S. The first song lyrics were obvious, but if you can find the second set of lyrics, I'll come up with a fabulous prize for the winner!