I recently realized I did not post the conclusion to my speed dating adventure at the Strand Book Store.  I guess I forgot because the event was…well…uneventful and didn’t really live up to my expectations.  Which is always the case but there is usually something that makes it all worthwhile but this event didn’t actually live up to anything.  I found it boring and a waste of money.  Money I could have used to see a show, have a nice dinner, hell, getting my legs waxed would have been more worthwhile and fun.

Everyone met on the third floor, where the heat seemed to be on high. I, for one, do not feel sexy, confident or chatty when I have sweat dripping from my armpits and forehead.

Champagne was available but I went for the water. Cookies and other small pastries were also available but they were of the crumbly kind and the last thing a girl needs is to have cookie particles hanging out on her blouse.  Not attractive.

The event was suppose to take an hour but it started late because the people in charge were downstairs trying to convince men to join the fun due to low male turnout. The Strand was forced to drastically discount the price for men before the event but several men got in free.  I think that was a little unfair and would have appreciated a note saying they were having trouble getting men to participate and then offer to refund my money.

The other slap in the face was when we were sitting across from the men and were told the women would be getting up and moving not the men. It was a cold night so women had their scarves, coats and purses to drag around with them to each seat.  It wasn’t a big move because we were sitting shoulder to shoulder, but still, the men should have been the ones to move.

We were only given two minutes to speak with each guy but the people keeping time didn’t wait until everyone had moved to start the clock.  There were some guys I didn’t get to speak to at all because the two minutes were up before I could sit down.

While we were talking to the men we had to put a no or yes next to their name. If I put a yes next to a guy’s name and that same guy put a yes next to my name then we were considered a match.  I did not have a lot of yays on my scoresheet.

About a week later I received an email with my two matches.  The pictures were so tiny I couldn’t make out who they were. But it wouldn’t have mattered that much anyway, the room was so dark during the speed dating I didn’t really get a good look at the men I was talking to.

The email contained their phone numbers and email addresses with a note saying that my phone number and email address were sent to these them. I decided that since I paid full price, moved seat to seat to speak with these men, they could exert some energy to call or email me. They didn’t, their loss.

However, just because I had a bad experience my first speed dating event doesn’t mean I won’t do it again.  I just need to be more selective and call and ask questions about how it is conducted.