'Speed dating: Six minutes or less to try to find a match'
Published Feb. 14, 2013 in the News & Record
GREENSBORO - Call me "Dioni #6." Just a 20-something woman looking for love. Ahead of Valentine's Day, I tried to find a love connection, sans Chuck Woolery, in six minutes or less. I took the challenge of speed dating Feb. 1. Eleven blind dates in about an hour. I put on a silky top, form-fitting jeans and makeup, which I use only about 10 times a year. This was a special occasion. I ran through the rain to go inside The Summit Station Eatery. There they were - a few singles nursing cocktails and beer at the bar. The butterflies were in full swarm in my belly. I dashed into the ladies room to do a last-minute mirror check and to document my cynicism and nervousness on the Web. My Foursquare check-in read: "I'm at a speed dating event. Ha haaa! I crack myself up." A friend replied: "Work it. Own it. :)" The Pre- Dating staff, who organized the event, greeted all the women with red "Hello my name is" tags. The guys wore blue tags. Mine read - you guessed it - Dioni #6. Coordinator Daniel Richardson corralled us in the back of the restaurant, which was separated by black-shutter dividers. Twelve square tables covered in black cloths with numbered placards awaited us. He explained the rules: 1) Ladies, sit at the table that corresponds to your tag number. Sit on the side with the candy. 2) Gentlemen, sit opposite the ladies. 3) Once the bell rings at the end of six minutes, the men move to the next table in ascending order. For example, Badge No. 1 goes to Table No 2. 4) Each participant scribbles notes on the take-home sheet. If you like the person, circle "Let's Talk!" If not, circle "No Thanks." 5) Give the staff a second sheet with your selections. Just list those people who fall under the "Let's Talk!" category. Richardson reminded the men to stick to the order so not to slow the pace. "That's the only thing that can go wrong with this event," Richardson said. "Dioni, don't do that laugh you do," my inner self said. "Yes, that one. And for heaven's sake, don't burst into song if your 'date' says something that remotely resembles lyrics you know." So, it began. Badge No. 6 was waiting for me, but I couldn't see his face yet. "Hi, my name is Dioni." I said, walking from behind him. He was a good-looking, Indian man. Caramel skin. Dark hair. Kind, brown eyes. Sigh. A bit reserved, but he opened up once he started discussing his hobby. Whenever he travels, he takes pictures of the city's skyline. His favorite to capture was New York City. His relaxed mood calmed me, making the night less daunting. I met 10 other men. A landscape artist who had visited Japanese nurseries. A salesman from Pittsburgh. An aspiring music professor reluctantly gaining experience with kids as a substitute teacher. We talked about our hobbies and our jobs. Some were fascinated by my reporting on carnage and wreckage for the paper. I veered away from that to learn more about the men's passions. Richardson said one of his favorite ice breakers is: "Describe your perfect day from sunrise to sunset." Sometimes the six minutes flew by. At other times, they seemed to last forever. Badge No. 10 wanted my opinion of his home country, a hostile Middle Eastern nation that shall remain nameless. I sat there stumped. Ding. Ding. "Saved by the bell," I said, rushing to shake his hand. The words flew out of my mouth. Where were my manners? Another time, I mixed up Badge No. 2's location with Badge No. 1's. Information overload. His face fell. I didn't expect to hear from him again. During our playful banter, blue-eyed Badge No. 8 suddenly got serious. He asked his deal breaker: "Do you date short guys or would you date short guys?" "Yeah, that doesn't matter," I replied. Then, I rubbed my left index finger over my right hand. "Would you date women of color?" I had to ask. Of the 11 men, three were of color. When the final bell rang, I was mentally exhausted. I ended up at the bar ... with two bubbly ladies. I asked the straight-haired blonde and the curly-topped brunette what they thought. They'd do it again, they said. So would I. Why not? You meet people you know are single off the bat and have similar intentions. As it turns out, four men liked me enough to circle "Let's Talk!" I selected two guys, one of whom matched with me. Let's say our subsequent meeting didn't fare well. But, Badge No. 6 - the cute, tall guy who takes photos of skylines - I like you. Call me. |
Dioni's Tips for Speed Dating
(Neither kid-tested nor mother-approved) Try it: Don't worry that you'll look desperate for paying to meet people. Everyone else is there for the same reason, so no one's judging. If you don't nab a spouse, you might gain a friend. Dress to impress: No T-shirts, unkempt hair, shabby shoes or hats at the dinner table. (Fellas, that last one was for you.) Prepare a few questions ahead of time: Make the most of your time. Focus on one or two topics most important to you. They help weed out the least compatible. Avoid divisive topics: Religion. War. Politics. UNC or Duke. Don't get tipsy: You want to be sober enough to handle yourself appropriately. Also, beer breath is a turn-off. Be yourself and have fun: Make sure people fall for you, not a false image you project. WANT TO GO? What: Pre-Dating Speed Dating When: 7 p.m. today for single professionals, ages 33-45; or 7 p.m. March 6 for single professionals Where: The Summit Station Eatery, 125 Summit Ave. Cost: $25 Registration: www.pre-dating .com More information: Contact Daniel Richardson at [email protected] or 209-0501. |