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SpeedMatchingCan you really have 20 dates in One night?By Ivanna MahnI travel all the time. So the idea of meeting at least 20 eligible men in one night sounded really appealing. SpeedMatching matches you up with age-appropriate other singles in a system of moving people from table to table every four minutes. Sounds easy. Fun. So I signed up. Dressed in a favorite new outfit, a soft blue and purple silk, I felt ready to meet the man of my dreams WHO DID I MEET?The screening process for who attends is based on age only. Anyone who claimed to be between 45-55 was welcome to attend. No one checks ID so you could probably be any age if you looked approximately old enough. I am actually NOT in the age group. But everything from here on is true I got a name tag and instantly had a new identity, number 22. I shared a table with Deb, number 23. A petite blonde with a stunning figure and a golf handicap of 5, she was a man magnet. Her last husband was 16 years younger than her. I felt a little like the warm-up act, or appetizer for Deb. But in the end, she was my favorite person I met all night. Although Deb and I were both speed-dating virgins, she was much more experienced on the dating scene and could size guys up quickly. We got to know each other quickly as the group had 20 men and 33 women signed up. And two of the guys must have chickened out before curtain time, as it seemed only 18 were there. I assumed there would be an equal number of men and women. How else could everyone have 20 dates? The woman numbered up to 20 started out with dates. Then the men moved up one number, to meet the next woman. So Deb and I had two dates to ourselves before a guy even sat down at our table. I looked across the room at the woman numbered 33. She wouldn’t even get a chance to talk to anyone until after halftime. After a few empty dates, she seemed to disappear. I can’t tell you if she left, moved to another table, or demanded her money back, because I was too busy trying to remember the names of the men coming to our table. At halftime, we had a break when lots of the women rushed to the bathroom. The men seemed to rush to the bar. The girls discussed that most of the women were more interesting then the men. I don’t know what the guys talked about. Then the leader announced they were changing the format. Each table of two women would now only get one guy. At first, I thought the guys would love that. But then I saw that was a bit awkward for everyone. The men did not know if they should talk to each woman separately, or both at once. Deb and I ended up telling the men about each other. I learned her golf handicap and other skills. She told the men where I traveled and what I did. Did she get more responses because I was a better marketer? No, I think it was her great shape and that white outfit. But perhaps this new “exercise” of a threesome was more like real life. You rarely get one on one time with someone you just meet. THE MOST INTERESTING MEN I METThe first man I spoke with was at the bar before the event began. He claimed to be an FBI agent and gave me his card. He said the number on the card was wrong, but if I called that number, it would refer me to the right number. Huh? I have not called him yet. One man wore a button with the letter “L” crossed out. He pointed it out to Deb and I. I immediately got that it meant NOEL. He seemed a little disappointed, because I think that was his conversation gimmick. He did tell us about his fourth wife from Singapore, who had married him to get a green card. By this time, Deb and I had gotten tough. She asked if the wife had gotten it. He said he did not know because it was in court. I asked why he had married her. He said she was rich and sounded exotic. I think his name was David, but I did not try very hard to remember it. But you might want to remember that name until the end of this article. Chris was memorable in that he kept coming back to our table. He was funny, and we were flattered, but I realized all the time he spent with us after his initial visit, was actually “cheating” his assigned date. Does that mean he fools around? Can you trust a man who does not show up for even the four minutes assigned to him? WHAT I LEARNEDI realized I have certain absolutes. I am not interested in men who smoke. So when a man came with a pack of cigs in his shirt pocket, I did not try as hard. And since I am a city girl, living in midst of downtown, I was not so impressed with the men who seemed to be country boys. I was amazed at the number of men who told me how many acres they had. I never asked them about that. And I never asked how many inches they had either. WHAT DID PEOPLE LOOK LIKE?They looked totally average. When you go to online sites, everyone claims to be above average looks. Not these people. A friend of my mother’s once asked me where all the people who are just average go to meet people since everyone on line claims to be smart, sensitive, good-looking, fun, thoughtful, and eager to please. Meeting people live is much more a reality check. WHAT WERE PEOPLE WEARING?
One woman wore a sparkling strapless tube top. She made an impression. The men in suits claimed to be bankers and stockbrokers. The guys in polo shirts mostly said they lived in the country and worked outside as foremen or truckers. THE RESULTSI am embarrassed to admit that I kept looking at my email all day to see who my matches were. They finally came tonight. No one was dying to date me. One man, “David”, listed me as a maybe. I think David was the guy who mentioned his fourth wife married him for a green card. I did not ask about the other three. And I have no interest in being number five. But then I am not sure who David was. I wanted to hear from number 13, but did not. WHO WILL I SEE AGAIN?Deb. For sure. She was lots of fun, lively, and smart. We already made plans to get together after WOULD I DO IT AGAIN?I like the concept. But I wish there was a way to find people who I had more in common with than being the same age. WHAT THEY TOLD YOU AHEAD OF TIMEEvent Details Attire You'll be going on lots of dates in one evening, so dress to impress! WHAT DOES IT COST?$25 for members of Match.com FOR MORE INFORMATIONI Can't Believe I'm Buying This Book:
DATE OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE..for men only OLDER COUPLES: New Romances EXPECT A MIRACLE It’s not me, IT’S YOU ONLINE DATING FOR DUMMIES |
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TM
Deb
had the best tasteful, sexy outfit in my opinion. And I checked in with her
tonight and the guys seemed to agree. (she got lots of interest) She wore a
low cut white shell with a white lace long sleeved top with a bodice that
looked kind of like a bustier.